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The National Association of Black Social Workers, founded in 1968, commemorated its golden anniversary in 2018 simultaneously completing 40 International Education Conferences in 2017. This paper provides a reflective examination of conferee perspectives of their International Education Conference experiences and alignment of Black Power, pan-Africanism, and Afrocentrism. A deductive- inductive analysis yielded six themes conferees believed NABSW operationalizes in the Diaspora: distribution of monetary and non-monetary donations, relationship development, programming, advocacy, Afrocentric beliefs, and cultural awareness. Embedded in its mission and code of ethics, these six themes reassure NABSW their founding philosophies are apparent and upheld fifty years later.

Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have made a significant impact in American life. HBCUs make up only 3% of the nation’s four year colleges but they have educated 50% of black teachers, 50% of its black doctors, and 80% of the nation’s black judges, 40% of the black engineers, 40% of the black members of Congress, and 13% of the black CEOs in the nation today (Hill, 2019). HBCUs have played a major role in creating and maintaining the black middle class. It is important for these schools to survive. In total, the nation’s HBCUs generate $14.8 billion economic impact annually and generate 134, 000 jobs for their local and regional economies. The presence of an HBCU boosts economic activity beyond the campus. It leads to stronger communities and a more developed workforce (UNCF, 2014). However state funding cuts, declining enrollment, increasing competition, and lack of alumni support threaten the future of HBCUs.