Unpaid black contractors rage against Obama Presidential Center: 'What sense is it celebrating Juneteenth if our black contractors are not getting their money?'

As former President Barack Obama has opened up his new presidential center in Chicago, some black contractors have not gotten paid for the work that they put in to make the tall Chicago building a reality.

"What sense is it celebrating Juneteenth if our black contractors are not getting their money?" Omar Shareef, the president of the African American Contractors Association, told reporters.

While speaking to Fox News, Shareef said that he has been in business since 1989, and that he has "never seen this happen since" he has been doing business. Shareef said that many of the black contractors who were lining up to get a chance to work on the Obama presidential center have not been fully paid for their labor.

"Some of the people have put their mortgages up, they're going to lose their bonding, they rate in their bonding company, they're going to lose their relationship with their supplier, as well as their banker may want to bring in their note," Shareef said.

He added that many of the black contractors he knows have been afraid to address the issue publicly, but come to him in private to share the issues that have been taking place. Some fear financial ruin as well and some are in bankruptcy, and have said the Obama project has been the reason for the issue.

The 19.3-acre campus of the center has reportedly led to various subcontractors losing between hundreds of thousands of dollars and tens of millions. Reports indicated that multiple construction firms are claiming losses on the project, which was expected to last 24 months, but wound up being five years in length.

Contractors described a chaotic work environment, with one saying, "Literally, I've been doing this for 35 years, and it was the worst-run job I've ever been on."