The Story of NOBCChE

A Message from Joseph Francisco, NOBCChE President, 2005-2007

"The history of the founding of NOBCChE is a record of our past. It is a record of how a group of individual African-American chemists and chemical engineers came together to create an organization to promote the professional advancement and development of Black chemists and chemical engineers in this country. The foundation of NOBCChE is based on self-reliance, which reflects the high value placed upon self-reliance by the African-American community. It is also a value that links generations of African-American chemists and chemical engineers together through time. Knowing this history is what drives our future and what we do to secure that future. Knowing this history is what makes me proud of how far we have traveled as an organization and excited about what lies ahead."   

Explore Our Story
1. Our History 2. Our Founders 3. Our Presidents 4. Early NOBCChE Milestones 4. National Conferences

Our History

An Ad Hoc Committee for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers was organized in April 1972. The founders each contributed $200. The establishment of the committee was assisted financially by a grant of $850 provided by the Haas Community Fund, and a $400 grant administered through Drexel University. The committee then surveyed Black professionals to ascertain their interest in establishing a formal organization dedicated to the professional advancement of Black chemists and chemical engineers. Enthusiastic questionnaire responses prompted the committee to expand and reconvene in September 1972 to setup a structured organization and to devise a means of securing funds to finance its development.

In December 1973, the Organization's Executive Board met to plan the first national meeting which was held in March 1974 in New Orleans. The national meeting provided a rare opportunity for Black chemists and chemical engineers to discuss issues of significance to their careers, to present technical papers, to formulate priorities and topics for future meetings. Practical and theoretical goals began to coalesce, and a national program was developed. The Organization has held national meetings since 1974.

The official name is the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers. The official acronym is NOBCChE (pronounced No-be-shay). NOBCChE was incorporated in 1975 under the laws of the State of Georgia and has tax-exempt status as a non-profit professional society.

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Our Founders

1. Dr. Joseph N. Cannon, Chemical Engineer, Prof. - Howard University
2. Dr. Lloyd Ferguson, Chemist, Prof. - California State University
3. Dr. William M. Jackson, Chemist, Prof. - Howard University
4. Dr. William Guilory, Chemist, Prof. - Drexel University
5. Dr. Henry C. McBay, Chemist, Prof. - Morehouse College
6. Dr. Charles Merideth, Chemist, Chancellor, The Atlanta University Center, Inc.
7. Dr. James Porter, Chemical Engineer, Prof. - MIT

Our Presidents

After the first annual meeting held in in New Orleans in 1974 Dr. William Guillory was elected as the first President of NOBCChE. Since 1974, NOBCChE has had 14 presidents, 9 males, and 5 females.

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Timeline of Early NOBCChE Milestones

National Conferences

Since our initial conference, the NOBCChE conference has been bringing together, in one meeting, under-represented minority serving institutions, key federal agencies, and industries committed to the increase of diverse persons in STEM fields.

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