National Society of Black Physicists

A group of involved physicists met at Fisk University in 1972 to honor three well known African-American physicists: Dr. Donald Edwards, Dr. John McNeile Hunter, and Dr. Halson V. Eagleson.{{Cite web |last=National Society of Physicists |title=NSBP History |url=https://nsbp.org/page/NSBPHistory |access-date=7 July 2022 |website=nsbp.org}} On April 28, 1977, the Society was established at Morgan State University,{{Cite book|last=Davenport|first=James|title=The African American Presence in Physics|publisher=Horton Lind Communication|year=1993|editor-last=Mickens|editor-first=Ronald|location=Atlanta|pages=6–12|chapter=The National Society of Black Physicists: Reflections on Its Beginning|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/DTIC_ADA364807/page/n14/mode/1up}} with its founding co-chairs being Walter E. Massey and James Davenport. As of 2023, the NSBP relocated its headquarters from Arlington, Virginia to the Optica headquarters in Washington, DC.{{Cite web |title=NSBP Relocates to Optica HQ - National Society of Black Physicists |url=https://nsbp.org/news/632900/NSBP-Relocates-to-Optica-HQ.htm |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=nsbp.org}}

The organization holds its annual conference in February. More recently, it has jointly held these conferences with the National Society of Hispanic Physicists. Attendance at these conferences is upwards of 500 persons, drawing people from all over the world, from Kenya to California. This conference has a cutting-edge scientific program as well as a student professional development program that includes mentor-protégé match-making and a recruiting fair.

Throughout its history NSBP has had an active interest in physics related activities outside of the United States. Twenty years ago under the leadership of the late Nobel Laureate, Abdus Salam, and the late Charles Brown, several NSBP members organized the Edward Bouchet Abdus Salam Institute (EBASI). EBASI (1) provides mechanisms for synergistic scientific and technical collaborations between African and American physical scientists, engineers, and technologists, (2) enhances the impact of science and technology on the sustainable development of the countries on the African continent, and (3) increases the technical manpower pool working in Africa today by facilitating the training of Ph.D. students from African universities. More recently, through a program funded by the Kellogg Foundation NSBP will assist South Africa in its efforts to increase the number of Black astronomers and astrophysicists and to build capacity in the field.

The organization offers scholarships, some in conjunction with Black Enterprise magazine, and conducts outreach programs aimed at students from kindergarten through high school.

Neil DeGrasse Tyson{{cite web|url=http://www.amnh.org/science/bios/bio.php?scientist=tyson|title=Neil deGrasse Tyson|publisher=American Museum of Natural History|accessdate=2014-09-16|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022134532/http://www.amnh.org/science/bios/bio.php?scientist=tyson|archivedate=2014-10-22}} and Ronald L. Mallett{{cite web|url=http://www.phys.uconn.edu/~mallett/MallettCV.pdf|title=Biography, Bibliography and Professional Summary of Ronald L. Mallett, Professor, Department of Physics|website=Phys.uconn.edu|date=April 2003|accessdate=10 July 2018}} are affiliated with the organization. Shirley Ann Jackson served as its president.{{cite book|author=Clarence G. Williams|title=Technology and the Dream: Reflections on the Black Experience at MIT, 1941-1999|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DsuSbzXKGzkC&pg=PA220|date=February 2003|publisher=MIT Press|isbn=978-0-262-73157-7|page=220}} As of 2022, the President is Hakeem Oluseyi.{{cite web |title=Officers |url=https://nsbp.org/page/officers |access-date=7 October 2022 |website=National Society of Black Physicists}}

• Joseph Johnson III
• Shirley Ann Jackson (1980–1982){{Cite web |title=Shirley Jackson - Physicist of the African Diaspora |url=http://www.math.buffalo.edu/mad/physics/jackson_shirleya.html#:~:text=Advanced%20Study%20Fellowship.-,Dr.,Commission%20on%20Science%20and%20Technology. |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=www.math.buffalo.edu}}
• Ernest Coleman (1984–1986){{Cite web |title=Ernest Coleman - Physicist of the African Diaspora |url=http://www.math.buffalo.edu/mad/physics/coleman_ernest.html |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=www.math.buffalo.edu}}
• Kennedy Reed (1990–1992){{Cite web |title=Kennedy Reed - Physicist of the African Diaspora |url=http://www.math.buffalo.edu/mad/physics/reed_kennedy.html |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=www.math.buffalo.edu}}
• Sekazi Mtingwa (1992–1994){{Cite web |title=Sekazi Mtingwa {{!}} MIT MLK Visiting Scholars & Professors Program |url=https://mlkscholars.mit.edu/scholars/sekazi-mtingwa#:~:text=laboratories%20throughout%20Africa.-,Dr.,President%20from%201992%20to%201994. |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=mlkscholars.mit.edu}}
• Sylvester James Gates (1997){{Cite web |title=Sylvester James Gates - Physicist of the African Diaspora |url=http://www.math.buffalo.edu/mad/physics/gates_sylvester.html |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=www.math.buffalo.edu}}
• James H. Stith
• Charles McGruder III
• Keith Jackson
• Quinton Williams
• K. Renee Horton (2016–2018){{Cite web |title=NASA Physicist is First in Delgado's 'She Means Business' Speaker Series |url=https://www.dcc.edu/news/renee-horton.aspx |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=www.dcc.edu}}
• Stephon Alexander (2021){{Cite web |title=Howard University Professor to Receive First Joseph A. Johnson Award {{!}} American Institute of Physics |url=https://www.aip.org/news/howard-university-professor-receive-first-joseph-johnson-award |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=www.aip.org}}

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{{archival records|title=Black Physicists collection}}

• [http://www.nsbp.org/ National Society of Black Physicists]

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Category:1977 establishments in Maryland

Category:Physics organizations

Category:Organizations established in 1977

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Arlington, Virginia

Category:African-American professional organizations

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