National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc.

The National Baptist Convention, one of the oldest African American organization in the nation, traces it history back to 1895. It was formed as a cosolidation of the Baptist Foreign Mission Convention (1880), Consolidated American Baptist Convention (1896), and the National Baptist Educational Convention (1882). Rev. W. H. Alpine of Alabama was the first president of the Baptist Foreign Mission Board which later became the Baptist Foreign Mission Convention, USA.
The constitution of the convention 1895 states:
"Whereas, It is the sense of the Colored Baptists of the United States of America, convened in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, September 28, 1895 in the several organizations as "The Baptist Foreign Mission Convention of the United States of America," hithero engaged in Mission work on the West Coast of Africa: and the `National Baptist Convention' which has been engaged in mission work in the United States of America; and the `National Baptist Educational Convention,' which has sought to look after the educational interest that the interest of the way of the Kingdom of God requires that the several bodies above named should, and do now, unite in one body. Therefore, we do now agree to and adopt the following constitution:

This body shall become known and styled, The National Baptist Convention of the United States of America.

The object of this convention shall be "to do mission work in the United States of America, in Africa, and elsewhere and to foster the cause of education. "Dr. L.M. Luke was elected the first Corresponding S ecretary of the Foreign Board. In October, 1896 Rev. L.G. Jordan, pastor of the Union Baptist Church of Philadelphia was selected successor of Luke" (The Epoch of Negro Baptists and The Foreign Mission Board, NBC, USA, Inc. Dr. Edward A. Freeman, The Central Seminary Press 1953.)

In September 1915 at the annual meeting of the convention the constitution was revised with the following changes:
The particular business and object of this Convention shall be to promote a growth and propagamation of religion, morality, and intelligence among the races of mankind, by engaging in missionary work in the United States of America, and elsewhere, by fostering the cause of education and publishing and circulating literature, and in providing the necessary ways and means for carrying on such work.