The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is one of the largest student-governed organizations based in the United States. NSBE, founded in 1975, supports and promotes the aspirations of collegiate and pre-collegiate students and technical professionals in engineering and technology.
With more than 600 chapters and more than 24,000 active members in the U.S. and abroad, NSBE’s mission is “to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community."
NSBE Vision
We envision a world in which engineering is a mainstream word in homes and communities of color, and all Black students can envision themselves as engineers. In this world, Blacks exceed parity in entering engineering fields, earning degrees, and succeeding professionally.
NSBE Mission
The mission of the National Society of Black Engineers is "to increase the number of culturally responsible Black Engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community."
NSBE Objectives
The National Society of Black Engineers strives to accomplish the following objectives for our organization:
- Stimulate and develop student interest in the various engineering disciplines
- Strive to increase the number of minority students studying engineering at both the undergraduate and graduate levels
- Encourage members to seek advanced degrees in engineering or related fields and to obtain professional engineering registrations
- Promote public awareness of engineering and the opportunities for Blacks and other minorities in that profession
- Function as a representative body on issues and developments that affect the careers of Black Engineers
- Innovative project ideas are generated and implemented throughout the year on the chapter, regional and national levels. Some of NSBE's present activities include tutorial programs, group study sessions, high school/junior high outreach programs, technical seminars and workshops, a national communications network (NSBENET), two national magazines (NSBE Magazine and NSBE Bridge), an internal newsletter, a professional newsletter (Career Engineer, a supplement in NSBE Magazine), resume books, career fairs, awards, banquets and an annual national convention.
In 1974, Edward Coleman, Anthony Harris, Brian Harris, Stanley L. Kirtley, John W. Logan Jr., and George Smith the “Chicago Six”, along with a host of other Purdue Engineering students and professor Arthur J. Bond, Ph.D. formed the first chapter of the, then, Society of Black Engineers. After contacting the other 288 accredited engineering schools, the Purdue SBE held its first annual meeting in April 1975 with 48 students from 32 schools. It was at that meeting that they unanimously voted to form the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE).
In 1976, NSBE was incorporated as a 501 c(3) national non-profit, and John Cason became the first elected president of the organization. Two years later in 1978, Virginia Booth became the first female national chair and the first chair to serve two (2) terms. Since then, NSBE Alumni (now NSBE Professionals) was formed in 1989, and, in 1990, the first NSBE Jr. chapters were formed, setting a firm foundation to realize the NSBE mission.
Throughout its history, NSBE has had an incredible journey of successes and has been supported by the likes of Shirley Chisolm, the first Black woman to run for President of the United States in 1979, and launching its first international chapter in London, England in 1992. It has grown from six (6) founding members to over 30,000 at its height, and from one (1) chapter to more than 790 chapters. As the guiding principles suggest and as the logo symbolizes, then to now, NSBE members continue to have a burning desire (flame) to achieve engineering excellence and have a striking impact (lightning bolts) on society and industry for generations to come (torch).