Charles O’Neal Convened 30+ Black Chambers in Fort Worth to Build a “Sustainable Black Economy”

Let me tell you about Charles O’Neal. When more than 30 Black chambers of commerce from across Texas gathered in Fort Worth for three days this fall, he was the one who called them to the table.

The coalition he leads is one of the largest Black business networks in the country — and its agenda is unapologetically economic.

The Work

O’Neal is president of the Texas Association of African American Chambers of Commerce (TAAACC), which represents more than 30 Black chambers and advocates for more than 350,000 Black-owned businesses statewide. In September 2026, the association held its annual conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton Fort Worth South Hotel & Conference Center on Altamesa Boulevard East, drawing entrepreneurs, community advocates and business leaders from across Texas.

The three-day program was built for scale, not symbolism: keynote speakers, sessions on access to capital, artificial intelligence workshops, an awards dinner, vendor hubs and a 2027 legislative update. It closed with an economic summit focused on business development through networking, connections with government contractors and business-to-business opportunities across the public and private sectors.

O’Neal framed the work plainly: Black chambers and the businesses they represent are developing solutions to the challenges Black-owned firms face while building toward “a sustainable Black economy” — one measured in quality of life, sustainability, profitability and viability.

The Roots

TAAACC’s network runs deep across Texas. North Texas has long been an anchor for Black business advocacy, and the state has muscle to match: Texas ranked third nationally in 2022 with 16,849 majority Black-owned employer firms, according to U.S. Census Bureau data analyzed by the Pew Research Center. O’Neal’s job is to turn that scale into leverage.

The conference also arrived at a pointed moment. In June 2025, the Fort Worth City Council suspended its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and replaced them with a race- and gender-neutral small business program. Rather than retreat, the state’s Black chambers doubled down on the fundamentals — certification, contracts, capital and collective buying power.

Why You Should Know Him

O’Neal is a reminder that Black economic power is being organized, not just celebrated. His work connects 30-plus local chambers into a single statewide voice — one that can negotiate with government, court corporate partners and push legislation. Whether you run a barbershop or a construction firm, that infrastructure is what turns individual hustle into durable wealth.

Quick facts

• Charles O’Neal is president of the Texas Association of African American Chambers of Commerce (TAAACC).
• TAAACC represents more than 30 Black chambers of commerce statewide.
• The association advocates for more than 350,000 Black-owned businesses in Texas.
• Its 2026 annual conference was held in Fort Worth at the DoubleTree by Hilton Fort Worth South.
• Programming covered access to capital, AI, government contracting and a 2027 legislative update.
• Texas had 16,849 majority Black-owned employer firms in 2022 — third in the nation, per Census data analyzed by Pew.

📸 Photo: TAAACC / Fort Worth Report

*Black Future Year celebrates Black excellence all year long.*