In general, the founders of the National Conference of Black Political Scientists were “movement people.” Powerful agents of socialization such as the uprisings of the 1960s molded them into scholars with tremendous resolve to tackle systemic inequalities in the political science discipline. In forming NCOBPS as an independent organization, many sought to develop a Black perspective in political science to push the boundaries of knowledge and to use that scholarship to ameliorate the adverse conditions confronting Black people in the United States and around the globe. This paper utilizes historical documents, speeches, interviews, and other scholarly works to detail the lasting contributions of the founders and Black political scientists to the discipline, paying particular attention to their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and civic engagement. It finds that while political science is much improved as a result of their efforts, there is still work to do if their goals are to be achieved.
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January 2020
Symposium|
January 21 2020
Having Their Say, Leaving Their Mark: The Lasting Contributions of NCOBPS and Black Political Scientists to the Political Science Discipline
Adolphus G. Belk, Jr.,
Adolphus G. Belk, Jr.
Winthrop University
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Robert C. Smith,
Robert C. Smith
San Francisco State University
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Sherri L. Wallace
Sherri L. Wallace
University of Louisville
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The authors, listed alphabetically, contributed equally to this work.
Adolphus G. Belk, Jr., Department of Political Science, Winthrop University, belka@winthrop.edu.
National Review of Black Politics (2020) 1 (1): 141–153.
Citation
Adolphus G. Belk, Robert C. Smith, Sherri L. Wallace; Having Their Say, Leaving Their Mark: The Lasting Contributions of NCOBPS and Black Political Scientists to the Political Science Discipline. National Review of Black Politics 21 January 2020; 1 (1): 141–153. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/nrbp.2020.1.1.141
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