National Council for Black Studies
The National Council for Black Studies http://ncbsonline.org/is a student established organization dedicated to the advancement of the field of Africana/ African American Studies. It is a not for profit organization established in 1975. The National Council for Black Studies was founded and first housed at the campus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte by the Black Student Union. At the time Bertha-Maxwell Roddy was a leader of the Black Student Union at the university. “Education should engender both academic excellence and social responsibility.” is the mantra early members adhered to. Members of NCBS are committed to the proliferation of the field of Africana Studies; they actively: • Facilitate through consultation and other services, the recruitment of Black Scholars for all levels of teaching and research in universities and colleges; • Assist in the creation and implementation of multicultural education programs and materials for K-12 schools and higher education institutions; • Promote scholarly African-centered research on all aspects of the African World experience; • Increase and improve informational resources on Pan-African life and culture to be made available to the general public; • Provide professional advice to policymakers in education, government and community development; • Maintain international linkages among Africana Studies scholars; • Work for the empowerment of African People. NCBS members have worked to keep K-12, community college, and university curricula inclusive to the experience and contributions Africana people and other marginalized people. That is evident in the composing and passing of the resolution: ARC-71(http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140ACR71) in the state of California. The Bill was led in-part to success by a former NCBS member and president Dr. Shirley Weber. The National Council of Black Studies is also committed to engaging the community at large. Current NCBS board member and department chair of the Africana Studies program at California State University at Long Beach, Dr. Maluna Karenga is the founder of the Pan-African holiday Kwanzaa http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml. NCBS also has a community grant available for members to apply for. The funding has helped burgeoning leaders and scholars bring African Studies to various communities. Currently, NCBS is housed at The University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio.