Rising Together: The Creation and Legacy of the World Bank Group-IMF African American Association
Previous articles in the World Bank Group Archives Black History Month Series focused on the experiences of individual Black Americans in the Bank’s history including the reflections of our own archivist, Bertha Wilson (now retired), who authored the four articles. In this article celebrating Black History Month, we turn the focus to the creation of a community of African American staff and supporters within the Bretton Woods institutions.
Roots of connectivity and culture
Kwanzaa, December 1998. Courtesy of Thelma Jones (click to enlarge).The idea for an African American internal staff group took root at the World Bank Group over thirty years ago. In 1993, World Bank staff members, Philippe Benoit, Carol Dreyfus, Thelma Jones, and Fitzroy Thomas sought to create a community to celebrate and promote African American history, culture, and intellectual achievements. This group, called the Bank Staff African American History Committee, steadily grew in membership, and built a strong presence within the Bank and the Washington, DC metropolitan community with the advent of an annual Black history program with exhibits and panel discussions, and an annual Kwanzaa celebration.
The Bank’s first Black History Month event was in 1994, initiated by committee Chair Thelma Jones. As described in the Bank’s World newsletter, the celebration reflected on the accomplishments of Baltimore-born lawyer and first Black Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and featured an exhibit displayed in the Bank’s J Building lobby with a special celebratory event on March 2.
Reflections on Thurgood Marshall flyer (click to enlarge).Five years later, the Thurgood Marshall exhibit, which had since expanded and traveled to several Washington DC and Virginia cultural and academic institutions, would serve as the launching event for the newly established World Bank Staff African American Association. The association was announced on May 17, 1999 at a reception featuring the Justice Marshall exhibit to commemorate the forty-fifth anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the 1954 landmark United States Supreme Court case in which Marshall successfully argued that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. World Bank Managing Director Shengman Zhang delivered opening remarks at the event and the late Elaine Wolfensohn, spouse of the late Bank Group President James Wolfensohn, was a guest speaker.
Establishing the association and mission
Thelma Jones and the Black History Month Program, 1999. Courtesy of Thelma Jones (click to enlarge).On this momentous anniversary of a ruling that changed America, the association began its mission to effect positive change and enlightenment. Through its outreach and advocacy, it has transformed the Bank and neighboring community over the past decades. Bertha Wilson’s article, Ms. Thelma D. Jones: Model, Spirit of Volunteerism introduced Jones as the founder and President Emeritus of the association and also recounts Jones’ inspiring career, community building, and innumerable civic contributions.
World Bank Staff African American Association by-laws (30007836, click to view document).The association was created with the aim to: foster creativity, growth, and connectivity within the African American culture and the Bank; promote members' intellectual, cultural, and social interests; and enhance employment, training, promotional, and career opportunities.
Staff that participated as members of the African American History Committee, the World Bank-International Monetary Fund Staff Africa Club, and the Caribbean Association of World Bank and IMF Staff were united under the new association. In the initial months following the association’s inception, by-laws were drafted, and flyers were distributed desk-to-desk throughout the Bank to announce the association’s events.
World Bank Staff African American Association meeting minutes, Oct. 26, 1999 (30007836, click to view document).The first official meeting took place on Tuesday, October 26, 1999 in the Bank Group’s G Building and was attended by ten members. Chaired by Jones, the meeting focused on establishing the association’s structure including membership, fees, and elections for leadership positions. The group also discussed its mission which was in alignment with the Bank Group’s goal of improving lives at a grassroots level. It was also proposed that "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the African American National Anthem, be included in each meeting.
The association's governance structure centers around the Executive Committee, which is responsible for overseeing the association's operations and ensuring adherence to its objectives. The Executive Committee comprises the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and four other members elected by the general membership body.
Association meeting, Nov. 30, 1999. Courtesy of Thelma Jones (click to enlarge).Since its inception, the association welcomes a diverse membership base. Full membership is open to all current and former staff members and contractual staff who share an interest in the culture and well-being of African Americans. In its early years, associate membership was extended to staff members of the IMF, Inter-American Development Bank, embassies, academic institutions, and other public and private sector and civil society organizations in the Washington, DC area. The association later became the World Bank Group-International Monetary Fund Staff African American Association, or the WBG-IMF AAA.
Transformative influence and lasting impact
One of the association’s main objectives has been to undertake projects that create a sustainable impact within neighborhoods, villages, or families. Under the leadership of its first President, Jones, the association embraced numerous volunteer projects, charitable works and DC community outreach programs. In 1998, as requested by President Wolfensohn, Jones co-founded the Bank’s institutional outreach program aimed at giving back to the city in which the Bank is a major employer and beneficiary of city resources and services. A goal of the program was to make the Bank more accessible to local underserved students and give them exposure to its global activities. The association has been a steadfast supporter of this mission, contributing volunteers in a range of outreach initiatives including school visits, student job shadowing, career awareness days, and internships. Members have facilitated internships in their departments and took on mentoring roles. Notable senior officials such as former Managing Director Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director Darius Mans, Managers Wanda York and Eric Chinje among others were active participants in the program. The association also established a Howard University (HU) internship program with support from the late Ofield Dukes, HU instructor and prominent Southwest DC resident.
Computer for Kids training graduates. Courtesy Gerald Brown (click to enlarge).Another important and long-standing initiative is the Computer for Kids Training Program launched in 2007 in partnership with the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly Youth Activities Task Force. Gerald Brown (World Bank staff member in Information Technology and acting association president), is the first and senior instructor of the eight-week program that has taught computer skills to 160 students ages 5 to 14 and bridged the digital divide in the community. Brown has recruited and trained other highly skilled instructors to contribute to the program. Black History Month and Kwanzaa programs have also continued as primary activities of the association, frequently featuring prominent speakers, musical artists, and students as participants.
The association has received consistent support from management, including active participation and statements of endorsement at various events. Elaine Wolfensohn had not only been a guest speaker at the association's founding event, but also frequently addressed Cardozo High School freshmen during their numerous visits to the Bank.
Along with outreach, volunteer, and cultural programs, the association actively supports the interests and growth of its members through advocacy and engagement efforts. From its inception, the association collaborated closely for many years with the Bank's Office of Racial Equality, initially under the leadership of Aklog Birara, to further its mission of improving employment and career opportunities. Similar to many other organizations, the Bank has faced significant challenges regarding racial equality. The association addresses issues related to recruiting, hiring, promoting, and recognizing the skills of African American staff by providing mutual support, facilitating networking, hosting learning events, sharing job postings and career development prospects, and engaging with management.
Since the death of George Floyd in May 2020, which led to the Bank convening an Anti-Racism Task Force and creating the Racial Equity Office (REO) in 2022, the staff association groups with members who are of African descent have been working as a single entity - “One Voice” - to engage senior management and ensure implementation of concrete actions towards eradicating racism and inequities.
Today the association is fifty members strong and continues to positively impact the Bank-Fund environment, connecting African American staff and supporters, engaging to drive institutional change and influence individual action.
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