In 1988, five Black women administrators in the California Community Colleges met at Grossmont College to discuss the plight of Black women in education. They decided to invite others that they knew personally to come together for an afternoon to support each other and develop a network. That meeting was planned for about 35 women at Compton College in January, 1989. Janet Wilson Bowman, Annjennette McFarlin, Irene Goolsby Pinkard, Thelma Scott Skillman, and Stanley Benson Viltz were tremendously surprised when 134 Black women, 1 Hispanic woman and one Black male arrived that afternoon. Quick adjustments had to be made - additional food was ordered and a larger room had to be found. The need was so great for support and mentoring that the women "demanded" that an expanded agenda be prepared for the next year.
The following year, without any media advertisements, 350 Black women came to the Black Women's Leadership Conference, a 3 day professional development conference which was the start of a run of 15 annual conferences and 2 institutes. Women from as far away as Maine, in fields such as the military, politics, and entrepreneurship joined educators from all levels, to learn and share ideas about leadership to add to their career success and personal development. It was never intended to be a membership organization and it was always a volunteer effort on the part of the founders. BWLC became a non-profit organization dedicated to training and informing African American career women.
Currently, three of the original founders, Bowman, Pinkard and Viltz are actively preparing events and services for Black women seeking career mobility and development of leadership skills and opportunities. Bowman is a faculty member at UNC Asheville in Teacher Preparation. Pinkard conducts tours of HBCUs to help African American youth discover the possibilities that will enhance their leadership skills. Viltz wrote about the Black women presidents who actively participated in BWLC in a dissertation on Pathways to the California Community College Presidency for African American Women, to prepare a leadership curriculum used at BWLC.
The needs identified in 1988 continue to be those of 2008. With that in mind, BWLC will continue to offer its assistance.