Vision and Mission
Our History
The "Gem of an Idea" for an organization of Black nursing faculty took root when Dr. Sallie Tucker-Allen was a doctoral student at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Dr. Tucker-Allen's dissertation, Commitment of Leaders of Nursing, gave her the opportunity to locate 42 Black faculty members teaching in eighteen (18) National League for Nursing accredited baccalaureate schools of nursing in the state of Illinois. She invited the 42 Black faculty members to her home for brunch on September 6, 1986, to which 21 responded. These 21 foresighted women elected a Planning and Advisory Committee and charged them with the task of drawing up a constitution and by-laws for continuation of the group. On March 1, 1987, the by-laws were ratified and the Association of Black Nursing Faculty in Higher Education, Inc., the first name selected became an official organization. Later, the name was shortened to and remains, Association of Black Nursing Faculty, Inc. (ABNF).
Founding members of ABNF are fifteen members from Illinois who worked to form the organization from the first meeting in September 1986 to 1987. ABNF was established as a national organization on September 19, 1987. Portia Foster of Alabama was the first Black nursing faculty member to join ABNF after the organization became a national organization. The First Annual Meeting with a theme of, "Funded Nursing Research: A Critical Issue for Black Faculty," was held on August 6, 1988 at Loews La Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, DC. Drs. Hattie Bessent and Helen Grace received the Lifetime Achievement in Education and Research Awards. Dr. M. Elizabeth Carnegie was selected as the first Honorary Member. Dr. Ada Sue Hinshaw, then director of the National Center for Nursing Research, was the first keynote speaker.
Northwestern University, The Arch
Our Vision
To reduce healthcare disparities among minority communities by contributing to the global scholarly discourse.
Our Mission
To promote and widely disseminate the research and other scholarly works of the minority nurse academician.
Our Purpose
The purpose of the Association of Black Nursing Faculty is to form and maintain a group whereby Black professional nurses with similar credentials, interest and concerns may work to promote health-related issues and educational interests for the benefit of themselves and the Black community.
Our Function
- Provide a center for communication among members.
- Develop strategies for promulgating group concerns to other individuals, institutions and communities.
- Assist members in professional development.
- Develop, initiate and sponsor continuing education activities.Encourage and support research efforts among members.
- Support Black consumer advocacy issues.
- Act and speak on health-related issues of legislation, government programs, and community activities.
- Encourage networking and guidance in employment and recruitment activities.