NABSW was created during the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement on May 29, 1968 in San Francisco, California by a group of Black Social Workers who were convened for the National Conference on Social Welfare, the largest professional social work organization at the time. This group of Black Social Workers disengaged from that meeting to form what has ultimately become the foremost advocacy group established to address social issues and concerns of the Black community. Those Black Social Workers ultimately became the founders of the National Association of Black Social Workers.