Social work is a vast field that aims to educate, provide resources, and keep communities safe, which no social worker can do alone. Black social workers play an essential role in the field by providing organizations with critical perspectives. Many Black social workers and groups advocate for better policies, social justice, and cultural competence to learn from past mistakes and provide families with the best help possible.
Significance of Black Social Workers in the Profession
Black social workers provide a crucial perspective in the human services field, especially when acknowledging the industry’s systemic problems. From a historical standpoint, U.S. social work programs began serving Black communities only recently. In fact, eugenics, responses to the Red Scares, and other harmful policies directly influenced social work at its conception in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Previous social work practices focused on decreasing the population growth of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities, which was criticized as cultural genocide. Meanwhile, social workers who were perceived to have “leftist” beliefs faced intense repercussions.
During this time, many Black communities relied on one another for mutual aid and assistance. For example, the Black Panthers organization provided meals, medical care, and other social work services in the ’60s and ’70s. These social work pioneers provided vulnerable communities with the support they were being denied in ways we can still learn from today.
While much has, thankfully, changed over the past 100 years, cultural and racial disparities still plague various aspects of social work. For example, Black women social workers report disproportionally high amounts of stress at work, often due to racism, sexism, and classism. Many of these issues are systemic to social work, given the industry’s problematic history, stressing the need for the greater industry to listen to Black voices.
Most recently, many social workers and organizations have called for widespread anti-racism and anti-colonialism training — partially in response to Black Lives Matter (BLM) and other grassroots movements. These initiatives seek to acknowledge social work’s systemically racist history in order to identify ways it may still negatively impact clients, social workers, and communities.
Influential Figures in Black Social Work
Social justice did not occur overnight. Many social work pioneers challenged racial disparities and created opportunities that didn’t exist before. A few of these individuals include:
- Frances Perkins (1882-1965): Frances Perkins was the first woman to serve in the New York State Industrial Commission and as a presidential cabinet member. As President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s secretary of labor, she played a significant role in establishing the New Deal, and social welfare as we know it today.
- Dorothy Height (1912-2010): Dr. Dorothy Height served as the president of the National Council of Negro Women for four decades and heavily contributed to the Civil Rights Movement, though she began her career as a social worker. Height focused on restructuring the criminal justice system, supporting voter registration, and expanding programs available for young Black women.
- Solomon Carter Fuller (1872-1953): Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller was the first Black psychiatrist in the U.S. Alongside Dr. Alois Alzheimer, Fuller’s work and research contributed to our modern understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
- Inez Beverly Prosser (1895-1934): Credited as the first Black woman to earn a doctoral degree in psychology, Dr. Inez Beverly Prosser fought to expand the opportunities available to Black women throughout her education career. Her research and work heavily contributed to the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling, which ended segregation in U.S. schools.
- Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954): Mary Church Terrell was the first Black woman on the District of Columbia Board of Education and spent much of her career advocating for racial equality and Black women’s suffrage. She helped found the National Association of College Women and the National Association of Colored Women (NACWC), which she served as the president of.
- Ruby Gourdine (1948-2022): As a probation officer in 1969, Dr. Ruby Gourdine called out segregation, inequality, and mistreatment of Black children in social work cases. She continued to advocate for better practices and challenged racial disparities throughout her career, including as a professor at the Howard University School of Social Work.
The Role of the National Association of Black Social Workers
The National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) was founded in 1968 as an advocacy group for Black communities’ social concerns during the Civil Rights Movement. The very first meeting occurred at the National Conference on Social Welfare (NCSW), when several Black social workers broke away to discuss the issues others had ignored. The group recognized that social workers as a whole needed better curricula on ethical practices and cultural competence.
The NABSW’s advocacy led to a platform for radical change and growth in the social work field. The NABSW continues to advocate for Black Americans and provides essential community services across various initiatives.
Overview of NABSW Initiatives
The NABSW’s initiatives include advocating for communities and boosting community education, with specific committees and task forces assigned to each:
- Engaging students and leaders: The NABSW advocates for positive change by talking to students entering the social work field and organizational leaders.
- Preserving families: The Family Preservation Task Force aims to keep families together, particularly during child welfare cases that could result in children being unjustly separated from their parents.
- Promoting health and wellness: This task force researches and distributes essential health, wellness, and aging information for Black communities, promoting better practices and limiting the spread of misinformation.
- Spreading awareness: The “Circle” task force uses African-centered values and history to address modern practices and policies. The goal is to boost the knowledge, appreciation, and application of African-centered principles, expanding access to information and re-embracing the cultures that previous social work policies tried to erase.
Regional Chapters and Community Collaborations
The NABSW currently has chapters in 30 states, including California, Florida, and New York, with many groups located in major cities and metro areas. These chapters achieve the initiatives described above in accordance with the NABSW’s code of ethics. That said, specific activities and focuses vary by each location’s exact needs. For example, chapters in college towns may spend more time reaching out to social work students.
Community Collaborations and Partnerships
Local NABSW chapters spend considerable amounts of time with their communities, such as by sponsoring local community events, hosting workshops, and listening to people’s needs. They may also partner with other organizations and advocacy groups when focusing on specific initiatives, such as policy changes and community protection.
Events Celebrating Black Social Workers
Workshops, awards ceremonies, and other in-person and virtual opportunities can be great for learning and networking.
Honors and Awards Ceremonies
The NABSW and other organizations provide select individuals with honors and awards, such as the Nia Lifetime Achievement Award from NABSW. Many of these awards recognize workers’ contributions to social services and Black communities, including at NABSW conferences. Other honors, such as the Verne LaMarr Lyons Memorial Scholarship from the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), help aspiring social workers achieve the education they need.
Workshops and Training Programs
Conferences, workshops, webinars, and training programs give Black social workers unique opportunities to network and learn from one another. For example, the NABSW hosts annual conferences to honor social workers and discuss industry changes. Guest speakers provide unique opportunities for workers to learn strategies and solutions from other professionals in their field.
Ongoing Impact of Black Social Workers Today
Do you know what percentage of social workers are Black? According to the NASW, Black social workers make up more than 22% of the field. They continue to impact lives inside and outside Black communities, and many provide crucial insights into how to actually help Black families.
Contributions in Behavioral Health
When uncovering the potential roots of racism in social services, many social workers realized they had never received adequate anti-racism training before starting their jobs. Unfortunately, many non-Black social workers simply may not understand Black families’ precise needs or concerns. Additionally, some social workers may be blinded by racist assumptions when addressing behavioral health, such as during substance abuse cases.
Black social workers can provide a crucial perspective in behavioral health cases and boost organizations’ overall cultural competence — as long as others within their organization are willing to listen.
Innovations in Child and Family Services
Black children are disproportionately represented in foster care, indicating systemic issues that social workers may need to address. Many Black social workers and organizations, such as the NABSW, advocate for family preservation and adequate social welfare for Black communities.
Support for Autism Services
Autism in Black and other organizations aim to help Black families with autistic children, providing information and resources they may not receive elsewhere. This level of support can help break stigmas about autism, improve school social services, and give families essential support.
Conclusion: The Legacy and Future of Black Social Workers
While the history of social work has been problematic, Black social workers and other dedicated professionals continue to bring social services into a brighter future. From pioneers such as Ruby Gourdine to the NABSW and other organizations, Black voices continue to call for change and highlight needs that may otherwise go ignored.
You can continue to support diversity in social work by listening to the voices in your organization and community.
