National Society of Black Engineers founders honored during anniversary weekend
On April 12, 1975, a group of 134 students from 28 universities gathered in Room 202 in the Stewart Center at Purdue University with a mission to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community as a national objective.
They united “to make a decision that can echo for generations.”
The result of their efforts was the establishment of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE).
“Today, we begin something that will outlive us, a community, a movement,” the founders said at the first meeting.
Fifty years later, NSBE is now one of the largest engineering student-led organizations in the country. On April 12, 2025, in the same room on West Lafayette’s campus, another group gathered. That act confirmed the vision had been accomplished.
Six current Purdue Engineering students reenacted the initial groundbreaking meeting, surrounded by other students, staff and alumni, including a special group of men and women, as part of a celebratory “Founders Weekend” to commemorate NSBE’s anniversary.
The group credited with founding NSBE’s mother chapter — Ed Coleman, Anthony Harris, Brian Harris, Stanley Kirtley Sr., John Logan Jr. and George Smith Jr. and professor/advisor Arthur F. Bond — were honored.
After the reenactment event, Arvind Raman, the John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering, presented a plaque that will be affixed outside STEW 202 for posterity.
“It’s extremely powerful to be standing where that legacy began,” electrical engineering major and outgoing NSBE mother chapter president Amaiya Torian said at the event. “Young black students took their future into their own hands and created something lasting, impactful and revolutionary. (On April 12), we honor that moment when those founding members whose courage and vision shaped the path for all of us.”
The dedication was the capper to several days of celebration that began when the “Chicago Six” was honored with a team award at the Distinguished Engineering Alumni ceremony on April 10. Surviving members Coleman, Anthony Harris, Brian Harris and Smith as well as Kirtley’s widow Emma, Logan’s widow Marilyn and Bond’s sister Allison accepted the award.
Anthony Harris spoke for the group after receiving the award.
“His acceptance speech just blew me away,” said Tamara Markey, associate director of the Don and Liz Thompson Minority Engineering Program (MEP). “He talked about the experience starting the organization, the administration support that made it possible with president (Arthur) Hansen, Arthur Bond and people you don’t think about who are no longer at Purdue, Dr. Saunie Taylor and Marion Williamson Blalock, those people were recognized. He brought it full circle to the relevance to what we’re dealing with today.
"It was just powerful.”
The plaque in STEW also acknowledges not only the Chicago Six and Bond but also the pioneers who initially rallied support for the underrepresented student population. Fred Cooper and Ed Barnette initially approached then-engineering dean John C. Hancock in the early 1970s about forming a group that would focus on retention of minority engineering students, and they ultimately established the Black Society of Engineers. That name was changed to the Society of Black Engineers, and, at that April 1975 meeting, the group in attendance voted to renamed SBE to NSBE.
Near the end of the reenactment, one of the students said, “all in favor, say ‘aye,’” and the entire room responded in unison and, soon thereafter, erupted in applause.
“Being in the room where this historic meeting happened, surrounded by several of the founding members who attended 50 years ago, was very powerful. It showed the true significance of these events and how NSBE’s legacy began,” said civil engineering student Amareah Bead, the president of Purdue's NSBE chapter and one of the students who participated in the reenactment. Others were Emmanuel Gichaba, Kaleia Maxey, Torian, Clifford Underwood and India Walker.
The three-day celebration also included a campus tour for the NSBE surviving founders and their families that stopped at the Black Cultural Center, Freida Parker Hall and Winifred Parker Hall; meetings with engineering administration; a luncheon for about 50 that included other university representatives that were present for the initial vote 50 years ago; and a panel discussion with the founders from Purdue and other universities to share the experience from 50 years ago. Included in the discussion were remarks from Virginia Booth Womack, director of MEP and one of the founding chapter members of NSBE in 1975.
“In total, it was great,” Markey said. “I’m still getting emails from those who attended with how blown away they were with the celebration.”
