Introduction

Most organizations are founded from a need to convene for a cause, be it professional, social, or community service. The Middle States African Studies Association (MSASA) was founded from a need to have a professional organization in the Middle States to address issues and concerns

The MSASA

The Middle States African Studies Association (MSASA) was founded in the Department of History at West Virginia State College by Dr. Anna M. Evans, one of the writers, in October 2000. The MSASA was established as a professional association of institutions and individuals from the Middle Region of the United States, but not limited to, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. Many of the individuals have interests in various aspects of Africa, the issues surrounding people of Africa, cultures, and environments of Africa, and the history of the African Diaspora. The MSASA, as well as other organizations, provides avenues for the mentoring of junior and untenured faculty, intellectual stimulation on Africa and the African Diaspora issues, and support not always found on their campuses for research on and about Africa, African peoples, and other related matters. The Association is currently housed at West Virginia State College, Institutes, West Virginia, a historically Black college.

The officers of MSASA are as follows: Dr. Anna M. Evans, President; Dr. T. Ford Ahmed, Honorary President; Dr. Stuart McGehee, Vice President; Dr. Sonya Armstrong, Treasurer; Dr. Stephen Howard, Assistant Treasurer; Dr. James Natsis, Historian; Mrs. Phyllis Wolfe, Assistant Historian; and Dr. Khepra Khem, Parliamentarian. The Board of Directors of MSASA includes individuals from various institutions, such as Dr. Delores Taylor, West Virginia State College; Dr. Mark Orbe, Western Michigan University; Dr. Virden Evans, Tallahassee, Florida; Dr. Ronnie Wooten, Northern Illinois University; Dr. Carolyn M. Dejoie, University of Wisconsin, Retired; Dr. Charlene Byrd, National Center for Human Relations, Institute, West Virginia; and others.

The first convention of MSASA was held in Charleston, West Virginia, in March 2000. The Convention theme of "Shadow of Past Conferences" featured an exhibit of the Henrietta Marie slave ship presented for the first time to the Charleston community. Individuals from South Africa, England, the Middle States, and other places attended the historic convention. School children from many parts of West Virginia were bussed in to view the Henrietta Made Slave Ship exhibit.

The next two conventions were held May 3-5, 2001 and June 19-22, 2002, with themes of "Black Plaque: Health, Populations, and AIDS" and "The Global Legacy of Booker T. Washington" respectively. Individuals from the Middle States, Louisiana, Colorado, South Carolina, New York, several African countries, England, and others attended the conventions.

Other Black Organizations/Publications

The following is a listing of many organizations/publications founded by or for Black individuals:

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. was founded by Ethel Hedgeman Lyles and others on January 15, 1908.

Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society, Inc. was founded at Tennessee A&I State College, now Tennessee State University, by Dr. George W. Gore and others, on November 26, 1937.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. was founded in 1906.

The Association for the Study of Negro Life and History was founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1915. The Journal of Negro History was founded by the same individual in 1916.

The Black Muslims organization was founded by Elijah Muhammad in 1931.

The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters was founded by A. Philip Randolph in 1925.

The Children's Defense Fund was founded by Marian Wright Edelman.

The College Language Association (CLA) was founded by Hugh Gloster at LeMoyne Owen College in 1937. The CLA Journal is published quarterly.

The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) was founded by James Farmer in 1942.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. was founded by Sadie Alexander and others on January 13, 1913.

Ebony, and Jet were published by John H. Johnson from 1942 to the present.

The Freedom Journal was founded by John B. Russwurm in 1827.

Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. was founded by Albert Hicks and others in 1963.

The J. K. Haynes Foundation was founded by John Kermit Haynes, Clifton Lemelle, Frenchy Truewell, Paul Duell, Odis Jones, Edward Nelson, Charles Bryant, T. J. Jemison, Nelson Taylor, and others on February 23, 1978.

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity was founded by Byron K. Armstrong and others in 1911.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded by Dr. William Edward Burghardt DuBois in 1909. The Crisis Magazine was founded later.

The National Council of Negro Women was founded by Mary M. Bethune.

The Negro Educational Review was founded by Dr. R. Grann Lloyd and Dr. J. Irving E. Scott in 1950.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. was founded in 1914.

The Organization for Afro-American Unity was founded by Malcolm X in 1963.

People United to Save Humanity (PUSH) was founded by Jesse Jackson.

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. was founded in 1914.

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference was founded by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1957.

The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was founded by Julian Bond and others in 1965.

The United Negro College Fund was founded by Frederick D. Patterson in 1944.

The Universal Negro Improvement Association was founded by Marcus Gravey in 1911.

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. was founded in 1920.

Conclusion

The MSASA was founded to offer individuals in the Middle States an opportunity to discuss issues and concerns of Africa and the African Diaspora. Many other Black organizations, as listed in the article, were founded earlier than MSASA.

Reference

World Almanac 1991.