National Black Caucus of State Legislators
Encyclopedia
The National Black Caucus of State Legislators (also known as the NBCSL) is an American
political organization
composed of African Americans elected to the state legislatures in the United States of America and its territories.
, the U.S. Virgin Islands
, and the District of Columbia
.
In the 1970s, a growing number of African American
elected officials felt the government’s focus was shifting from the federal
to the state level. In response and recognizing that African American
elected officials could secure parity for their constituents through their state legislatures, ninety African American
state legislators founded NBCSL in Detroit, Michigan
in 1977.
Since its inception, NBCSL has met annually in a pre-determined host state for its Annual Legislative Conference. Throughout the year, NBCSL sponsors policy symposia to keep members abreast of growing policy trends and educated on policy issues that affect NBCSL’s constituents. When legislators attend the Annual Legislative Conference, policy committees meet and discuss policy resolutions, drawing upon information presented in the symposia, that are voted up or down by the membership. These resolutions become the policy position of the organization. Legislators, corporate partners, and labor representatives take these policy resolutions and use them to influence public policy in state legislatures and on Capitol Hill
.
(GA), President
Representative Barbara Ballard (KS), Vice President
Representative Ulysses Jones (TN), 1st Vice President
Representative Thaddues Kirkland (PA), 2nd Vice President
Senator Kay Patterson
(SC), Secretary
Representative Juanita Head Walton (MO), Recording Secretary
Representative Charlie Brown
(IN), Financial Secretary
Senator Rodger M. Smitherman
(AL), Treasurer
Senator Hillman Terome Frazier (MS), Parliamentarian
Representative Annette Polly Williams
(WI), Chaplain
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political organization
Organization
An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...
composed of African Americans elected to the state legislatures in the United States of America and its territories.
Background
Founded in 1977 under the leadership of Michigan State Senator David S. Holmes, the organization has grown from a body of ninety state legislators in 1977 to more than six hundred by 2008. Legislators of this organization come from 44 statesU.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
, the U.S. Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
, and the District of Columbia
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
In the 1970s, a growing number of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
elected officials felt the government’s focus was shifting from the federal
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
to the state level. In response and recognizing that African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
elected officials could secure parity for their constituents through their state legislatures, ninety African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
state legislators founded NBCSL in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
in 1977.
Since its inception, NBCSL has met annually in a pre-determined host state for its Annual Legislative Conference. Throughout the year, NBCSL sponsors policy symposia to keep members abreast of growing policy trends and educated on policy issues that affect NBCSL’s constituents. When legislators attend the Annual Legislative Conference, policy committees meet and discuss policy resolutions, drawing upon information presented in the symposia, that are voted up or down by the membership. These resolutions become the policy position of the organization. Legislators, corporate partners, and labor representatives take these policy resolutions and use them to influence public policy in state legislatures and on Capitol Hill
Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
Capitol Hill, aside from being a metonym for the United States Congress, is the largest historic residential neighborhood in Washington D.C., stretching easterly in front of the United States Capitol along wide avenues...
.
Mission
The primary mission of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) is to develop, conduct, and promote educational, research, and training programs designed to enhance the effectiveness of its members, as they consider legislation and issues of public policy which impact, either directly or indirectly, upon the general welfare of African American constituents within their respective jurisdictions.Objectives
The NBCSL has adopted the following fundamental objectives:- To serve as a national network and clearinghouse for the discussion, dissemination and exchange of ideas and information among African American state legislators and their staffs;
- To provide research, training and educational services to African American state legislators and their staffs.
- To improve the effectiveness and quality of African American state legislators; and
- To serve as a strong, united and effective advocate for African American state legislators and their constituencies at the federal level.
NBCSL Policy Committees
- Committee on Agriculture
- Committee on Business, Finance, & Insurance
- Committee on Emergency Preparedness / Homeland Security
- Committee on Education
- Committee on Energy, Transportation, & Environment
- Committee on Gaming, Sports, & Entertainment
- Committee on Health & Human Services
- Committee on Housing
- Committee on International Affairs
- Committee on Labor, Military, & Veterans' Affairs
- Committee on Law, Justice, & Ethics
- Committee on Telecommunications, Science, & Technology
- Committee on Youth
Executive Officers
Representative Calvin SmyreCalvin Smyre
Calvin Smyre is a Democratic member of the Georgia House of Representatives, representing the 132nd district since 1974.From Columbus, Georgia, Smyre became the youngest member of the Georgia House of Representatives when he was elected to it at the age of 26 in 1974...
(GA), President
Representative Barbara Ballard (KS), Vice President
Representative Ulysses Jones (TN), 1st Vice President
Representative Thaddues Kirkland (PA), 2nd Vice President
Senator Kay Patterson
Kay Patterson
Kay Christine Lesley Patterson is a former Australian politician. She was a Liberal member of the Australian Senate from 1987 to 2008, representing the state of Victoria....
(SC), Secretary
Representative Juanita Head Walton (MO), Recording Secretary
Representative Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown (Indiana politician)
Charlie Brown is an American politician who is a Democratic member of the Indiana House of Representatives. He has represented the 3rd District since 1982.-Background:...
(IN), Financial Secretary
Senator Rodger M. Smitherman
Rodger Smitherman
Rodger Mell Smitherman is a Democratic member of the Alabama Senate, representing the 18th District since 1995. He is also a member of the Alabama Sentencing Commission....
(AL), Treasurer
Senator Hillman Terome Frazier (MS), Parliamentarian
Representative Annette Polly Williams
Annette Polly Williams
Annette Polly Williams is an American counselor, clerical worker and politician from Milwaukee who served 10 terms as a Democratic Party member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing her assembly district from her election in 1980 until January 3, 2011.- Background :Williams was born in...
(WI), Chaplain
State Legislative Black Caucuses
External links
- The National Black Caucus of State Legislators website: www.nbcsl.org
- Bio of NBCSL's President Calvin SmyreCalvin SmyreCalvin Smyre is a Democratic member of the Georgia House of Representatives, representing the 132nd district since 1974.From Columbus, Georgia, Smyre became the youngest member of the Georgia House of Representatives when he was elected to it at the age of 26 in 1974...
in the Georgia House of RepresentativesGeorgia House of RepresentativesThe Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Composition:...
: Rep. Calvin Smyre in GA