About

The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) was founded in 1935 by the legendary educator and civil rights activist Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, who envisioned a powerful "organization of organizations" to unify and empower Black women. Throughout the 20th century, particularly under the 40-year leadership of Dr. Dorothy Irene Height, NCNW served as a cornerstone of the Civil Rights Movement, driving crucial campaigns for desegregation, voting rights, and economic justice. Today, NCNW continues this powerful legacy as a massive coalition linking 32 national African American women's organizations and over 300 campus and community-based sections, reaching nearly four million women worldwide to advance STEM education, entrepreneurship, health equity, and civic engagement.