Black Americans in New Jersey represent more than 9% of construction businesses available for government contract work, but they received less than 1% of the dollars for construction projects with values that range from more than $65,000 to $5.71 million, according to a recently released study that could upend the state’s politics.

John E. Harmon Sr., the founder, president, and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, sees a multitude of factors at work behind the statistics that hinder the ability of his constituents to maximize their full economic potential.