NCBL Proposes Law For Africans to Reclaim Africa's Natural Wealth

The National Conference of Black Lawyers (NCBL) commemorates African Liberation Day 2007 by proposing a legal blueprint for reclaiming Africa’s natural wealth from foreign corporations and settlers. NCBL’s newly-drafted Model Code for the Reclamation, Protection and Preservation of African Land, Traditional Knowledge and Mineral Resources will be published to various African political parties and journalists on May 25, the date when many African communities around the world annually affirm a commitment to the full liberation of Africa and the continent’s descendants.

"Model codes" are sample laws that legislative bodies use as guides when drafting new legislation. "We don’t expect our Model Code to find its way into the laws of African countries right away, but we do hope that it will help create for Africa a vision of how Africans can establish a legal framework for the expulsion of foreign corporations that exploit Africa’s natural resources," said Mark P. Fancher, Chair of NCBL’s International Section.

Click here to read the entire Model Code (PDF)

Young Black Legal Warriors

NCBL’s Young Legal Warriors project is dedicated to fostering a new generation of young lawyers and legal workers who are committed to eradicating social injustices, and defending the rights and interests of Black communities in the United States and  throughout the diaspora.

This project has two main objectives: 1) organizing and convening the Institute for Black Legal Warriors, 2) encouraging the participation of young lawyers and law students in   NCBL through the Fund for the Future.

The 2007 co-chairs for this project are Rukia Lumumba and Kikélola Roach.

1) The Institute for Black Legal Warriors

 This daylong work session is designed to prepare law students, legal workers and young lawyers for careers in service to the Black community.

The Institute for Black Legal Warriors is designed to pass the torch to new NCBL lawyers and legal workers. Distinguished NCBL champions of justice will guide participants through an analysis of the barriers to Black progress as well as a review of effective legal strategies that have advanced the freedom struggle.  Each participant will be encouraged to select a project of interest in the areas of criminal justice, international affairs, or social/political/economic rights. They will develop a work plan to advance ans support the selected project with guidance from an NCBL lawyer. 

2) The Fund for the Future

In addition to supporting the work of the Institute for Black Legal Warriors, the Fund for the Future aims to provide a stipend to law students who are interested in a NCBL internship and to provide financial assistance to members of the Black Law Student Association (BLSA) who want to attend NCBL’s annual conferences.

Financial assistance will be available to students wishing to attend the NCBL annual conference.  Priority for aid will be given to third year BLSA students who have demonstrated a commitment to the Black community through community service project(s). Students who receive funding must be nominated by a current NCBL member and be willing to provide 10 hours of volunteer service to NCBL. The volunteer commitment can be achieved  by (a) working with a NCBL mentor developing a research or litigation project, (b) planning and/or implementing the Institute for Black Legal Warriors, or (c) assisting in recruiting other BLSA members or lawyers to become members of the NCBL.