NABJ : Regions

Updated: Thursday, September 18, 2008
Published: Thursday, October 28, 2004

Becoming a NABJ Professional Chapter

Professional NABJ chapters are comprised primarily of full-time and freelance journalists, student journalists and media-related professionals. A local or regional organization of five or more full NABJ members may seek affiliate status as a professional chapter.

Interest groups desiring to obtain NABJ chapter affiliation must apply for affiliate status with one of two naming options. The group's name may be either NABJ-[city, state or region] or [city, state or region] Association of Black Journalists (for professional chapters) and NABJ-[college or university] or [college or university] Association of Black Journalists (for student chapters).

NABJ supports and recognizes that longstanding and potential affiliate chapters have developed independently and often have unique characteristics. But to maintain its integrity and mission, NABJ has developed membership and affiliation standards.

The following requirements must be met at the time of application:

An affiliate application form.

A letter from the respective regional director supporting candidacy for affiliation.

A letter from the chapter's president briefly stating its history and its goals and purpose.

A copy of the chapters constitution and bylaws, which must be consistent with NABJ's mission and approved by the NABJ Constitution/Operating Procedures Committee.

A chapter membership roster that lists each members company or school and position or graduation year.

At the time of application -- and upon annual renewal -- the organization must submit to NABJ a local membership roster showing that two-thirds of the affiliate members are eligible for NABJ membership as full, associate or student members.

Candidates for chapter president and/or board chairman and vice president(s) must be full members of NABJ. The remaining officers also must be NABJ members.

Proof of incorporation. (The organization must contact its state treasury office and file the necessary paperwork to obtain incorporation status prior to applying for affiliation.)

Proper chapter name. As of August, 2004, NABJ guidelines require all new NABJ professional affiliate chapters to be known as NABJ-[city, state or region] or [city, state or region] Association of Black Journalists, and that all new NABJ student chapters be known as NABJ-[college or university] or [college or university] Association of Black Journalists.

All affiliation applications must be sent to the NABJ national office for consideration. Each application will be forwarded to the NABJ membership committee for review and then be presented by the respective regional director at a NABJ Board of Directors meeting for consideration. Board meetings are typically held every January, April, August and October. The Board decides whether to grant affiliate status.

The national office must receive all application materials by March 1 for review at the April meeting and Sept. 1 for review at the October meeting.

NOTE: Once a chapter is granted professional affiliate status, it must complete and submit an annual professional chapter audit to the national office to maintain such status.