"40 Years of History: Ensuring Inseverability" - National Theme 2007-2008
In 1968, Algernon Johnson "A.J." Cooper, former mayor of Prichard Alabama, founded the Black American Law Students Association (BALSA) at the New York University Law School. BALSA's purpose was to effectuate change in the legal system. The association endeavored to sensitize the law and legal profession to the ever-increasing needs of the Black community. This commitment has never wavered.
In 1983, BALSA revised its name. The word "American" was deleted to encompass all Blacks who were not of American nationality. Later, the word "National" was added to reflect the extent to which the organization had expanded. The National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA), the largest student-run organization in America, has over 200 chapters at law schools throughout the country. This represents almost every ABA accredited law school, plus several non-accredited law schools. These chapters represent over 6,000 Black law students in six regions which encompass 48 states including Hawaii, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Recently, NBLSA established international links with Black law students in Canada, England and South Africa who decided to model their student organizations after NBLSA.
NBLSA is comprised of six regions. The Southern Region is one of the largest regions, comprised of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Recognized as the first-ever Region of the Year, the efforts of the Southern Region stand as a monument of student commitment to the needs of the Black community.
National Black Law Students Association http://www.nblsa.orgSouthern Regional Black Law Students Associationhttp://www.nblsa.org/regions/southern/index.html
