Raynor Memorial Libraries
Marquette University
| Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Raynor Memorial Libraries Marquette University |
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NATIONAL BLACK SISTERS CONFERENCE
HISTORY/SCOPE & CONTENT NOTES
HISTORY
The National Black Sisters Conference (NBSC) was established in 1968, with the immediate goal to educate, support, and communicate to African American women religious the new wave of Black consciousness and identity. Sister Martin de Porres Grey, RSM, organized the first meeting and was elected president of the conference.
The overall organizational mission has been to foster:
The NBSC has an annual meeting and an annual joint conference of African American sisters, priests, brothers, seminarians, and deacons. The conference also maintains a clearinghouse for African American women who want to minister within the African American community, and a resource center for statistical research of African American sisters throughout the United States.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
Records of a United States based organization of women religious founded in 1968. Its purpose has been to provide ongoing communication, focusing on the education and support of African American women religious while confronting racism in society and the Catholic Church. Collection includes correspondence, minutes, publications, papers, presentations, conference materials, and other materials documenting the programs and services provided by the National Black Sisters Conference (NBSC). Included are records from its Development of Educational Services In the Growing Nation (DESIGN) program. Other organizations, some who partnered with the NBSC, are also documented, including the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, National Office For Black Catholics, other religious organizations, Black political organizations, and social justice organizations.
Series 1, Presidential Records, 1968-2001. Contains articles, awards, correspondence, itineraries, public relations materials, resumes, and other records. Arranged chronologically by presidents.
Series 1.1, Executive Directors Records, 1970-1999. Contains articles, correspondence, interviews, itineraries, press releases, and other records. Arranged chronologically by executive director.
Series 1.2, Project Directors Records, 1974-1976. Contains background materials, correspondence, and itineraries. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 2.1, Organizational Files, 1968-2003. Contains biographies, constitutions & bylaws, membership lists, press releases, publications, research materials, and other records. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 2.2, Annual Conferences, 1968-2001. Contains NBSC and Joint conference materials, conference programs and registration, correspondence, general assembly information, materials distributed to participants, and other records. Records are arranged by subject with the NBSC conference records first and the Joint Conference records following. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 2.3, Board of Directors Records, 1968-2002. Contains correspondence, elections and nominees, minutes and agendas, reports, and other records. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 2.4, Other Events and Programming, 1970-2000. Contains awards, publications, regional meetings, retreats, workshops, and other various records. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 2.5, Formation Programs, 1968-2000. Formation programs were established to promote the spiritual, intellectual, social, and professional development of women religious by conducting work-shops and other educational events. Contains correspondence, information and flyers, questionnaires, submitted grants and other records related to formation. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 2.6, Development of Educational Services In a Growing Nation (DESIGN), 1966-1989. DESIGN was an educational consulting service established by the NBSC for inner-city parochial schools. DESIGN trained teachers, parents and others in the community to supervise curriculum and raise financial support for themselves. The program focused on reading and language, math and science, social studies, and values. The DESIGN Training Laboratory was a program that granted Black teachers B.A., B.S., and M.A. Educational degrees. Contains records from community schools, correspondence, Design Training Laboratory (DTL), reports, staff meetings, and other various records. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 2.8, Leadership Conference of Women Religious, 1970-2000. Contains agendas, programs, papers, correspondence, conference booklets, and United Nations International Women's Year materials. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 2.9, National Office for Black Catholics, 1969-1984. Contains agendas, board meeting materials, correspondence, publications and other records. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 2.10, Other Religious Organizations, 1960-2000. Contains records from various religious organizations like the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, National Black Lay Catholic Caucus, National Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Catholic Conference, and many other religious organizations. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 2.11, Black Political Organizations, 1968-1999. Contains records from various Black political organizations like the Black Women's Community Development Foundation, Congress of African Peoples, National Association for Afro-American Educators, and many other political organizations. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 2.12, Social Justice Organizations, 1967-1995. Contains records from various social justice organizations, including the Campaign for Human Development, National Urban League, United States Commission on Civil Rights, and many other social justice organizations. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 2.13, Surveys and Questionnaires, 1970-1998. Contains Diocesan school survey forms, survey of Black sisters, and the Stress and Coping among African-American Women Religious questionnaire. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 2.14, Grant Projects, 1971-1995. Contains various grant records from the American Board of Catholic Missions, Campaign for Human Development, and many other grant projects. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 3, Photographs and Ephemera, 1969-2000. Contains photographs, art, buttons and other ephemera. Arranged alphabetically by subject.