About Baltimore Legacy & NABSW

The Baltimore Legacy Chapter, Association of Black Social Workers, is an affiliate chapter of the National Association of Black Social Workers, Inc. We are a collective body of people of African ancestry, committed to unifying, empowering, and enhancing the quality of life for the Black community of the greater Baltimore area, through advocacy, service, professional development, and fellowship. 

The mission of the National Association of Black Social Workers is to create a world in which people of African ancestry will live free from racial domination, economic exploitation, and cultural oppression. 

During the late 1960s, the Civil Rights, Black Consciousness, and the Black Social Work movements converged in the struggle for Black liberation. Black social workers organized across the country in major cities to address racism, poverty, the need for self determination and empowerment of the Black family and community. The National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) was created on May 8, 1968 in San Francisco, California, by a group of Black Social Workers who were convened for the National Conference on Social Welfare, the largest professional social work organization at the time.  This group of Black Social Workers disengaged from that meeting to provide leadership and “a more consistent basis for unified action.” Actions were targeted at local, state, national, and international levels.

NABSW’s vision is guided by the Principles of the Nguzo Saba, which are Unity, Self-determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith, and the Seven Cardinal Virtues of Ma’at, which are Right, Truth, Justice, Order, Reciprocity, Balance, and Harmony.