Official seal of NCBW 2 11 2014 with clear background 1050 x 1050

The National Congress of Black Women, Inc. (NCBW) is a 501(c)(3)

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

founded in 1984, dedicated to the educational, political, economic and cultural development of

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

women and their families. NCBW also serves as a

non-partisan Nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, a political party. While an Oxford English Dictionary definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., in most cases, nonpartisan refers s ...

voice and instrument on issues pertaining to the appointment of African American women at all levels of government, and to increase African American women's participation in the educational, political, economic and social arenas. Currently, NCBW provides opportunities for women for leadership and decision-making positions in government, nonprofit organizations and the

private sector The private sector is the part of the economy, sometimes referred to as the citizen sector, which is owned by private groups, usually as a means of establishment for profit or non profit, rather than being owned by the government. Employment The ...

. Their mission is to educate youth on the responsibilities of good citizenship and the importance of engaging the political process, while also providing opportunities for internships and other learning experiences at the local, state, national and global levels. The National Congress of Black Women's founding chairs were

Shirley Chisholm Shirley Anita Chisholm ( ; ; November 30, 1924 – January 1, 2005) was an American politician who, in 1968, became the first black woman to be elected to the United States Congress. Chisholm represented New York's 12th congressional distr ...

and Dr. C. Delores Tucker. Chisholm was an educator, author, and politician. She became the first African American woman elected in Congress in 1968 and in 1972, became the first African American woman to make a serious bid to run for President of the United States. Tucker was the first African American woman to serve as Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth, and the first African-American woman to serve as secretary of a U.S. state government. Other notable NCBW founders include Dr.

Dorothy Height Dorothy Irene Height (March 24, 1912 – April 20, 2010) was an African American civil rights and women's rights activist. She focused on the issues of African American women, including unemployment, illiteracy, and voter awareness. Height is cr ...

and

Coretta Scott King Coretta Scott King ( Scott; April 27, 1927 – January 30, 2006) was an American author, activist, and civil rights leader who was married to Martin Luther King Jr. from 1953 until his death. As an advocate for African-American equality, she ...

. The National Congress of Black Women commissioned

Artis Lane Artis Lane (born Artis Shreve) is a Black Canadian sculptor and painter. Her bronze bust of Sojourner Truth is on display in Emancipation Hall at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C. It was unveiled in 2009, and was the first statu ...

to create a bronze bust portraying Sojourner Truth, women's-right advocate and abolitionist. The bust was unveiled on April 28, 2009, by First Lady Michelle Obama for permanent display in the Emancipation Hall at the Capitol Visitor Centre. Acclaimed actress

Cicely Tyson Cicely Louise Tyson (December 19, 1924January 28, 2021) was an American actress. In a career which spanned more than seven decades in film, television and theatre, she became known for her portrayal of strong African-American women. Tyson recei ...

performed Truth's "

Ain't I a Woman? "Ain't I a Woman?" is a speech, delivered extemporaneously, by Sojourner Truth (1797–1883), born into slavery in New York State. Some time after gaining her freedom in 1827, she became a well known anti-slavery speaker. Her speech was deliver ...

" speech. The founding members included Hon. C. DeLores Tucker, Convening Founder Hon. Shirley Chisholm, Chair Emeritus Rev. Willie Barrow, Lezli Baskerville, Esq., Dr.

Mary Berry Dame Mary Rosa Alleyne Hunnings (; born 24 March 1935), known professionally as Mary Berry, is an English food writer, chef, baker and television presenter. After being encouraged in domestic science classes at school, she studied catering at ...

, Hon.

Cardiss Collins Cardiss Hortense Collins (; September 24, 1931 – February 3, 2013) was an American politician from Illinois who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1973 to 1997. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the fourth Afric ...

, Dr. Dorothy I. Height, Hon.

Alexis Herman Alexis Margaret Herman (born July 16, 1947) is an American politician who served as the 23rd U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton. Herman was the first African-American to hold the position. Prior to serving as Secretary, she was ...

, Hon.

Charlene Drew Jarvis Charlene Drew Jarvis (born July 31, 1941, in Washington, D.C.Hilda Mason, Jewell Jackson McCabe, Hon.

Eleanor Holmes Norton Eleanor Holmes Norton (born June 13, 1937) is an American lawyer and politician serving as a delegate to the United States House of Representatives, representing the District of Columbia since 1991. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Ea ...

, Lavonia Perryman Fairfax, Hon. Wilhelmina J. Rolark, Esq., Hon. Mary Terrell, Esq., Pat Tyson, Hon. Shirley Wilcher, and Hon. Nadine Winter.

References

External links

* {{official, https://www.nationalcongressbw.org
C-SPAN National Congress of Black Women
African-American women's organizations Advocacy groups in the United States Charities based in Washington, D.C. Women's rights organizations Women's organizations based in the United States