National Coalition of 100 Black Women,  Inc.

NCBW's vision is to see black women and girls live in a world where socio-economic inequity does not exist. Our mission is advocate on behalf of black women and girls to promote leadership development and gender equity in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment.

The National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW) was launched on October 24, 1981, with representatives from 14 states and the District of Columbia, and selected Jewell Jackson McCabe as its first national president.  Its mission is to advocate on behalf of women of color through national and local actions and strategic alliances that promote the NCBW agenda on leadership development and gender equity in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment.  The rapidity by which the organization grew is attested to by the statistics of 1986:  47 chapters in 19 states. The consensus of the organization in 1986 is perhaps best summed up in the paragraph from its initial newsletter:

“No longer can Black women operate on the basis of reacting to crises and depending on crash programs to solve them.  They know, as they have in the past, that they must understand and direct present trends and become aware of the new economic and social realities that are emerging. Seeking empowerment as a distinct group, they need to analyze their attitudes about power and understand both the traditional and unconventional routes to power.  Most importantly, Black women are the linchpin of leadership continuity among all Black people and understand the need for mentoring that must be nurtured and honed day by day, from one generation to another.”

Structured for action, the National Coalition of 100 Black Women is committed to being a united voice for more than 20 million Black women in the United States.  As a leadership forum, it serves as a role model to help elevate the quality of life for young Black Women and other Black women in transition.  As an organization of career (professional and volunteer) women, it draws upon the strength of its membership to work toward solutions on issues of concern to the contemporary Black woman.  As a network, it serves as a vehicle of communication among Black women for their own personal and professional development.  And as an advocacy group, it collectively seeks the political and economic empowerment of Black women as a means of gaining access to mainstream America.

Today, the national movement has garnered thousands of members over the years throughout 60 chapters representing 28 states.  Most NCBW members have completed college and hold a professional position. In the communities across America, NCBW lays claim to physicians, dentists, lawyers, judges, corporate executives, media personalities, educators, entrepreneurs, and an array of other skilled professionals from the public and private sectors.  This wealth of resource talent is necessary not only for the achievement of the programmatic aims of the organization but also for effective interface with other groups in our society. NCBW consists of thousands of progressive women of African descent whose commitment to gender equity and socioeconomic advancement drives meaningful change to benefit women of color.

Nationally, NCBW’s board members link the organization to other organizations with similar agendas, to corporate structures and influential individuals in fields that span the gamut of human endeavor. By having such access, NCBW can readily gauge the sentiment of any sector of society and has the ability to help determine the mood or thoughts of Black women across the United States for effective advocacy programmatic purposes.

To meet the diverse needs of its members, NCBW implements programs that…

• provide an effective network among Black women,
• establish links between NCBW and the corporate and political sectors,
• enable Black women to be a visible force in the socioeconomic arena,
• meet the career needs of these women and facilitate their access to mainstream America,
• use the tools of role modelling and mentoring to provide meaningful guidance to young women, and
• recognize the historic and current achievements of Black women.