The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) is one of the most influential organizations in the United States, created to empower women, particularly Black women, and their families. For nearly a century, NCNW has worked to ensure that women have access to education, health care, economic empowerment, and social justice. But NCNW is not just an organization; it’s a movement of powerful women and community leaders who care about creating positive change. If you’re wondering what NCNW is, why it’s important, and how it continues to impact lives, this article will give you all the answers.
What Does NCNW Mean?
NCNW stands for the National Council of Negro Women. It is a nonprofit membership organization that brings together over 2 million women of African descent, both in the United States and globally. The organization is non-partisan, volunteer-based, and deeply committed to advancing opportunities for Black women and their families.
NCNW operates with a mission that centers around education, economic empowerment, public policy advocacy, and leadership development. It serves as a powerful voice for women, especially African-American women, who have historically been marginalized in both politics and society. While the name “Negro” may seem outdated today, it reflects the organization’s proud heritage and the era during which it was founded.
How NCNW Started
The NCNW was founded in 1935 by Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, a prominent educator, civil rights leader, and presidential advisor. At that time, African-American women faced tremendous barriers to education, employment, and healthcare. Dr. Bethune saw a need for a unifying force to represent the concerns of Black women and provide them with the tools to lift up their families and communities.
She brought together leaders from 28 national women’s organizations to form NCNW. Their vision was simple yet powerful: to lead, advocate, and educate on behalf of women of African descent and their families. Over the decades, NCNW has grown into a powerful voice for justice and equity.
Today, the organization remains true to Bethune’s vision while adapting to the needs of modern women. From supporting girls’ education to providing job skills training, NCNW continues to be a critical resource for Black communities across the U.S.
What Does NCNW Do Today?
NCNW focuses on empowering women through education, community service, and advocacy. It works in neighborhoods and cities all across the country to offer real-life solutions to real-world problems.
Whether it’s helping single mothers find affordable housing or teaching job skills to young women, NCNW is on the frontlines of change. The organization runs national initiatives, local community programs, health fairs, and more. It also provides leadership training and educational scholarships for young women pursuing college degrees.
Let’s look at some of NCNW’s major focus areas:
Helping Girls Stay in School
One of NCNW’s most important missions is keeping young girls in school. Education is the foundation of opportunity, and NCNW makes sure that girls from underprivileged communities have the support they need to graduate.
Through mentoring programs, tutoring, and after-school activities, NCNW helps girls stay focused on their academic goals. It also educates parents on how to support their daughters’ learning, and works with schools to create safe, inclusive environments. These efforts have helped increase graduation rates and open doors to higher education for thousands of girls.
Teaching Job Skills to Women
NCNW also invests in economic empowerment by teaching career and technical skills to women. Through workshops and training centers, women learn everything from digital skills and financial literacy to healthcare training and entrepreneurship.
These programs are especially important for women re-entering the workforce, transitioning from welfare to work, or looking to grow small businesses. Many of NCNW’s programs partner with employers and trade schools to help women find real jobs and build long-term careers.
With unemployment still affecting minority communities disproportionately, NCNW’s job-readiness programs are changing lives every day.
Health and Wellness Programs
NCNW understands that a strong community starts with healthy families. That’s why it runs health and wellness programs that focus on preventive care, nutrition education, and mental health awareness.
Women learn about issues like heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, maternal health, and more. NCNW often holds free health screenings, fitness classes, and mental health seminars. These services are vital in communities that may lack access to affordable healthcare.
In many underserved neighborhoods, NCNW is one of the few organizations providing free health resources, especially to women and seniors.
Who Can Join NCNW?
Anyone who shares NCNW’s mission and values can become a member. You don’t have to be African-American or a woman to join. In fact, membership is open to all people who are committed to gender equity, racial justice, and community empowerment.
NCNW offers individual memberships as well as group affiliations for churches, colleges, and civic organizations. Members often take part in volunteer projects, national conventions, and leadership training events.
Joining NCNW means becoming part of a community that supports one another, uplifts others, and creates lasting impact. It’s also a chance to connect with like-minded people and work together to bring about real change.
Why Is NCNW Important?
NCNW is important because it represents the voice, power, and potential of Black women in America. For too long, these women have been overlooked in national conversations about education, healthcare, jobs, and justice. NCNW brings them to the forefront.
Through advocacy and direct service, the organization helps address critical issues such as poverty, maternal health, educational inequality, and voter suppression. It also works to shape public policy by representing the interests of Black women at the local, state, and national levels.
Perhaps most importantly, NCNW provides a platform for generational leadership. It equips young women with the tools and confidence to become tomorrow’s community leaders, entrepreneurs, and elected officials.
When you support NCNW, you’re supporting a legacy of resilience and progress that benefits entire communities.
NCNW Projects That Make a Difference
Across the country, NCNW is making a difference through hands-on community projects that improve lives. These projects are designed to meet urgent needs while also building long-term stability.
Let’s take a closer look at some of NCNW’s key initiatives:
Feeding Families in Need
NCNW runs local food drives, partners with food banks, and organizes meal distributions to help families struggling with food insecurity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, NCNW chapters provided thousands of hot meals, groceries, and pantry supplies to people in need.
These food programs not only help fill empty stomachs, but also raise awareness about food deserts, nutrition education, and access to healthy options in low-income areas.
Back-to-School Supplies for Kids
Every fall, NCNW chapters across the country run Back-to-School Drives where they hand out free backpacks, school supplies, and clothing to students. These efforts help relieve the financial burden on parents and make sure every child is prepared to learn.
By supporting young students at the start of the year, NCNW encourages better school attendance and academic achievement. For many families, this small gesture means everything.
Free Health Checkups
Access to affordable healthcare remains a challenge in many communities. NCNW partners with clinics, doctors, and public health agencies to offer free health screenings for conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and breast cancer.
These checkups often take place during community fairs and health days, where people can also get information about Medicaid, mental health services, and vaccinations. For some women, these screenings are lifesaving.
Famous People Who Support NCNW
Over the years, many famous figures have supported the mission of NCNW. Celebrities, civil rights leaders, politicians, and business executives have all stood behind this powerful organization.
Notable supporters include Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Maya Angelou, Coretta Scott King, and Vice President Kamala Harris. These women have either spoken at NCNW events, contributed funds, or helped raise awareness about its mission.
Having such high-profile supporters helps NCNW reach wider audiences and continue its work on a national scale.
The Bottom Line
NCNW is more than just an organization—it’s a movement of women helping women, creating lasting impact in their communities and beyond. With a proud history that began in 1935 and a future built on hope and hard work, NCNW continues to empower generations of women through education, health, job training, and leadership.
If you care about equal rights, community service, and making a difference, then supporting NCNW—or becoming a member—is one of the best ways to help. Their projects are hands-on, their impact is real, and their vision is brighter than ever.
