The Radical Origins and Mission of the National Black Music Caucus: The First Twenty-Five Years—1972–1997

Abstract

In 1972, more than two hundred Black music educators convened an impromptu, offsite protest meeting during the 23rd Convention of the Music Educators National Conference in response to the dearth of Black music and musicians represented on the program and the near exclusion of Black musicians on the Jazz Night program. The unprecedented and impactful meeting, held on the campus of Morehouse College on the last day of the Convention, led to the formation of the National Black Music Caucus (NBMC). This article chronicles the birth of the NBMC and its subsequent growth over the next 25 years, focusing on the historical relationship between Black music educators and MENC, the importance of Atlanta to the organization’s founding, the motivation for the initial meeting, goals of the organization, and its key accomplishments. This story is told through the use of primary sources, including conference programs and organizational documents, while centering the voices of those who were instrumental in leading NBMC throughout its first 25 years.