Black History Month 2012

Advocacy

• Black Student Fund

The Black Student Fund (BSF) is dedicated to bringing people together by maintaining access to independent schools for black children from low to modest income households. The BSF was established in 1964 and provides scholarships as well as essential support services to black students in grades pre-kindergarten through twelve.

• Black Women in Sisterhood for Action

Black Women in Sisterhood for Action (BISA) provides supportive services for at least 40 students annually over the entire two or four years of undergraduate study. Services include: financial awards of at least $1,000 annually, books, transportation, tutoring, mentoring, counseling, networking among distinguished black women and monthly contacts by a BISA member.

• Concerned Black Men

The Washington, D.C., Chapter of Concerned Black Men, Inc.® (CBM-DC) sponsors a variety of programs and activities which promote the educational, cultural and social development of youth in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

• The Conference Of National Black Churches

The mission of the Conference of National Black Churches (CNBC) is to serve as a unified voice of black religious bodies that seeks to improve the quality of life for African Americans.

• The Greater Washington Urban League

The Greater Washington Urban League is an interracial, nonpartisan, nonprofit social services and civil rights organization that seeks to increase the economic and political empowerment of blacks and other minorities and to help all Americans share equally in the responsibilities and rewards of full citizenship.

• Institute for Black Charities

Institute for Black Charities—also known as Black Charities for Children, Families, Communities—was founded in 1997 to provide services that uplift people of color. Institute for Black Charities (IBC) matches those who can help with those who need help through IBC’s six affiliate offices and hundreds of affiliated local nonprofit organizations.

• NAACP

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.

• National Black Chamber of Commerce

The National Black Chamber of Commerce® is dedicated to economically empowering and sustaining African-American communities through entrepreneurship and capitalistic activity within the United States and via interaction with the Black Diaspora.

• National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc.

The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. advocates on behalf of women of color through national and local actions and strategic alliances that promote its national and international agendas on leadership development and on gender equity in health, education and economic development.

• National Council of Negro Women, Inc.

The National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW) is a council of national African-American women's organizations and community-based sections. Founded in 1935, the NCNW mission is to lead, develop and advocate for women of African descent as they support their families and communities.

• The Northern Virginia Urban League

The Northern Virginia Urban League (NOVAUL), as part of a national network, provides direct services and effective advocacy to empower their constituents to enter the economic and social mainstream. NOVAUL’s mission is to enable Northern Virginia African Americans and disadvantaged others to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights through program services and effective advocacy.

• United Black Fund, Inc.

United Black Fund raises funds for financing organizations operating charitable, health, welfare, recreational and allied programs in the Washington metropolitan area and throughout the United States. United Black Fund provides plans, facilities, manpower and community leadership for unified fundraising campaigns.

• United Negro College Fund

United Negro College Fund's mission is to build a robust and nationally-recognized pipeline of under-represented students who, because of UNCF support, become highly-qualified college graduates and to ensure that UNCF's network of member institutions is a respected model of best practice in moving students to and through college.

Children/Family

• National Black Child Development Institute

Since 1970, the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) has worked to improve and advance the lives of black children and their families through education and advocacy. NBCDI focuses on early childhood education, child welfare, elementary and secondary education and health.

• New Community for Children

New Community for Children provides underserved children and families in Washington, D.C., with before school, after school and summer programs that help them strengthen their academic skills as well as foster their self-confidence and creativity.

• THEARC

Through a collaboration of partner nonprofit organizations, the Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC) provides access to high quality educational, arts, recreation, health and social service programs.

Fraternities and Sororities

• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA) is an international service organization founded on the campus of Howard University in 1908 making it the oldest Greek-lettered organization established by African-American college-educated women. Alpha Kappa Alpha has dedicated itself to improving the quality of life for citizens worldwide and promoting peace.

• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. develops leaders, promotes brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for its communities.

• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization whose purpose is to provide assistance and support through established programs in local communities throughout the world. A sisterhood of more than 250,000 predominantly black college-educated women, the Sorority currently has over 940 chapters.

• Iota Phi Theta Fraternity

Iota Phi Theta develops and perpetuates scholarship, leadership, citizenship, fidelity, and brotherhood among men.

• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity

Kappa Alpha Psi seeks to unite college men of culture, patriotism and honor in a bond of fraternity.

• Omega Psi Phi Fraternity

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. is the first international fraternal organization to be founded on the campus of a historically black college. Today, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity is an organizational Brotherhood consisting of 750 chapters throughout the world.

• Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity is dedicated to strong bonds of brotherhood, living with integrity, serving humanity, promoting quality education and developing leaders.

• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. is purposed for service: reaching inward, upward and outward to provide a continual, yet evolving circle of proactive cutting edge solutions and support in addressing both legacy and emergent challenges facing their membership, their families, their local communities and the world.

• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. exists to foster the ideas of service, charity, scholarship, civil and cultural endeavors, sisterhood and finer womanhood.

Health

• Black AIDS Institute

Founded in May of 1999, the Black AIDS Institute is the only national HIV/AIDS think tank focused exclusively on black people. The Institute's mission is to stop the AIDS pandemic in black communities by engaging and mobilizing black institutions and individuals in efforts to confront HIV.

• The Black Nurses Association of Greater Washington, D.C. Area, Inc.

The Black Nurses Association of Greater Washington, D.C. Area, Inc. (BNA of GWDCA) is the fourth chartered chapter of the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) and is open to all active and retired licensed nurses (RNs and LPNs) and student nurses.

• Community Family Life Services

Community Family Life Services provides housing, youth development, employment, mentoring and emergency services to 500 homeless and low income persons monthly to create opportunities for their success.

• Healthy Babies Project

Healthy Babies Project, Inc. (HBP) is a private, nonprofit, community-based support organization for District of Columbia pregnant and parenting women and families. HBP helps at-risk D.C. families have healthy babies and move out of the cycle of poverty.

• National Association of Black Psychologists

The Association of Black Psychologists sees its mission and destiny as the liberation of the African Mind, empowerment of the African Character, and enlivenment and illumination of the African Spirit.

• National Minority Aids Council

The National Minority AIDS Council is dedicated to developing leadership within communities of color to address the challenges of HIV/AIDS.

• Office of Minority Health

The Office of Minority Health (OMH) is dedicated to improving the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and programs that will help eliminate health disparities.

• Whitman-Walker Clinic

Whitman-Walker Clinic's mission is to be the highest quality, culturally competent community health center serving greater Washington’s diverse urban community, including individuals who face barriers to accessing care, and with a special expertise in LGBT and HIV care.

Media

• The Black Online News Network

The Black Online News Network (BONN) is a digital news network consisting of 100 websites.

• Afro-American Newspaper

Afro-American Newspaper provides news for African Americans in the Baltimore - D.C. region and features local news, commentary, sports and entertainment.

• theGrio

TheGrio.com is the first African-American news video community featuring original videos and articles on breaking news, opinion, politics, health, money, business and entertainment.

• National Association of Black Journalists

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is an organization of journalists, students and media-related professionals. The NABJ provides quality programs and services to and advocates on behalf of black journalists worldwide.

• The Root

The Root is a daily online magazine seeking to provide thought-provoking commentary on today's news from a variety of black perspectives.

• Sister 2 Sister

Sister 2 Sister is a four-color monthly magazine devoted to the world of black entertainment.

• Washington Informer

The Washington Informer is published weekly and reaches more than 50,000 readers in the District of Columbia, Prince George's County, Montgomery County, and Northern Virginia.

Places of Interest

• African American Civil War Memorial

The mission of the African American Civil War Museum is to preserve and tell the stories of the United States Colored Troops and African-American involvement in the American Civil War. The African American Civil War Museum utilizes a rich collection of primary resources, educational programming and technology to create a meaningful learning experience focused on this pivotal time in American history.

• African American Heritage Park

A nine-acre green space and wetland, the African American Heritage Park offers a place for celebration, commemoration and quiet reflection.

• Alexandria Black History Museum

The Alexandria Black History Museum, devoted to exhibiting local and regional history, incorporates the Robert H. Robinson Library as one of two exhibition galleries. The Robert H. Robinson Library was originally constructed in 1940 following a sit-in at the segregated Alexandria Library.

• Anacostia Community Museum

The mission of the Anacostia Community Museum is to challenge perceptions, broaden perspectives, generate new knowledge and deepen understanding about the ever-changing concepts and realities of ‘community’ while maintaining its strong ties to Anacostia and the D.C. metropolitan region.

• Association for the Study of African American Life & History

The mission of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) is to promote, research, preserve, interpret and disseminate information about black life, history and culture to the global community.

• Blacks In Wax Museum

The National Great Blacks In Wax Museum is a wax museum committed solely to the study and preservation of African-American history. Primarily, the Museum presents life-size, life-like wax figures highlighting historical and contemporary personalities of African ancestry.

• The Frederick Douglass National Historic Site

The Frederick Douglass National Historic Site features Cedar Hill, Frederick Douglass’ estate, including its extensive collection of original Douglass objects. The Site strives to inspire Americans to continue Douglass’ legacy by providing an unparalleled opportunity to connect with his life and accomplishments.

• George Washington's Mt. Vernon Estate and Gardens

In observance of Black History Month, Mount Vernon interpreters highlight the lives and contributions of the slaves who built and operated the plantation home of George and Martha Washington. Visitors may visit the refurbished slave quarters, complete with reproduction clothing, tools, furniture, cookware and personal accessories to emphasize the living conditions and experiences of enslaved people.

• Mary McLeod Bethune House

The Mary McLeod Bethune Council House, a National Historic Site, was significant as a center for the development of strategies and programs which advanced the interests of African-American women and the black community. Mary McLeod Bethune Council House was the residence of Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955), founder of the National Council of Negro Women from 1943 to 1955.

• Oakley Cabin African American Museum and Park

Oakley Cabin African American Museum and Park is a 19th-century African-American historic site. Built as one of three cabins adjacent to the historic Brookville Road, Oakley Cabin was the center of an African-American roadside community from emancipation well into the 20th century.

• Sandy Spring Museum

The Sandy Spring Museum chronicles the history of the Sandy Spring families that lived on farms and worked in trades, creating one of the oldest sustained communities of African-American landowners in the nation.

• Thurgood Marshall Center

The Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage captures and portrays, through an interactive Thurgood Marshall Center Heritage Program, the living stories of African-American leaders and communities struggling in the face of discrimination, building lives not only of hope and survival, but also of achievement and success.

• The Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial

The Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial honors Dr. King's national and international contributions to world peace through non-violent social change.

Research Resources

• African American Ancestry

Founded in 2003 by Dr. Rick Kittles and Gina Paige, the Washington, D.C., based company estimates they've helped over 100,000 people re-connect with the roots of their family tree.

• The HistoryMakers

The HistoryMakers is a national, nonprofit educational institution committed to preserving, developing and providing easy access to an internationally recognized archival collection of thousands of African-American video oral histories.

• Moorland-Spingarn Research Center

The Moorland-Spingarn Research Center (MSRC) is recognized as one of the world's largest and most comprehensive repositories for the documentation of the history and culture of people of African descent in Africa, the Americas and other parts of the world. As one of Howard University's major research facilities, the MSRC collects, preserves and makes available resources chronicling the black experience.

• National Archives, African American Heritage

This webpage provides an overview of where to begin African-American research catalogued by historical era of subject. The National Archives webpage also lists links to alternate resources.

• Watson Reading Room

Located next door to the Alexandria Black History Museum, the Watson Reading Room is a non-circulating research repository focusing on issues of African-American history and culture. Black History Museum staff and volunteers are available (by appointment) to work with visitors of all ages who are researching African-American history.

The Arts

Dance Companies

• EDGEWORKS Dance Theater

EDGEWORKS Dance Theater (EDT) is an all male contemporary dance company of predominately African-American men. EDT aims to break down stereotypes through dance, utilizing a spectrum of performances, choreographic and teaching styles, reflecting the diversity of experiences and perspectives of both its members and guest artists.

• Coyaba Dance Theater

Coyaba Dance Theater is a contemporary West African Dance Company. The mission of Coyaba is to present authentic portrayals of African dance, music and other artistic and educational programs focusing on the diverse ethnic groups of the African Diaspora and the African-American experience.

• KanKouran West African Dance Company

KanKouran West African Dance Company was founded in 1983 for the purpose of contributing to the extension of the arts by introducing the essence of traditional African dancing and drumming to audiences in the U.S. in order to promote intercultural understanding through education and the performing arts.

• Step Afrika!

Step Afrika is the first professional company in the world dedicated to the tradition of stepping. The company promotes an understanding of and appreciation for stepping and uses the dance tradition as an educational tool for young people worldwide.

Theatres

• African Continuum Theatre Company

African Continuum Theatre Company's mission is to sustain and grow African-American theater by producing new and traditional art forms that contribute to the understanding and appreciation of the African-American culture.

• The Live Garra Theatre

The Live Garra Theatre, Inc., formerly the InnerCircle Rep. Company, is an organization dedicated to identifying the cultural arts as a means to address social-life issues and serve as a source of strength for the community; endeavors to illuminate all facets of a multicultural society.

• DC Black Theatre Festival

The DC Black Theatre Festival is a week-long festival celebrating extraordinary stories told by people of color and recognizes the importance of both urban and traditional theatre.

• Duke Ellington School of the Arts

Located in Washington, D.C., the Duke Ellington School of the Arts was founded in 1974 and is the only D.C. public high school that provides professional arts training and college preparation to talented D.C. public school students.

• The Hegira

"The Hegira's mission is to showcase works that link women of color since their artistic efforts are underrepresented in the theatrical mainstream. The Hegira aims to develop, examine, hone and produce quality work through a dialogue with artists embracing stories of struggle, survival and triumph.

• Howard University - Department of Theatre Arts

Howard University's Department of Theatre Arts presents classical and contemporary plays in its two-theatre complex. These plays seek to offer not only entertainment, but also a forum for ideas and discussion.

• New Galaxy Theatre Group

New Galaxy’s mission is to focus on new works exploring themes of contemporary urban politics, culture and human relationships.

• The Saartjie Project

The Saartjie Project (pronounced Sar-key) is exploring the intersections of race, gender and power through the voices, bodies and experiences of black women.

Visual Arts

• Howard University Gallery of Art

The Division of Fine Arts (formerly the College of Fine Arts) occupies Childers Hall, a four-level structure which houses the Gallery of Art.

• National Museum of African Art

The Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art fosters the discovery and appreciation of the visual arts of Africa, the cradle of humanity.