After 1995 Avery moved into a more honorary role as founder and would write pieces for annual publication and speak at events but was no longer involved in the day-to-day at the National Black Women's Health Project.

Byllye Avery's Role at The NBWHP After 1995

Byllye Avery was founder of the NBWHP and was the consistent face of the organization as she served as executive director from 1981 to 1989 and as president from 1990 to 1995. 

University of Wisconsin - Madison

The NBWHP began in 1981 as a subsection of the National Women's Health Network charged with focusing specifically on the health needs of Black women. The NBWHP hosted the First National Conference on Black Women's Health Issues at Spelman College on June 24th, 1983.

The History of the National Black Women's Health Project

While the advocacy, work, and writing of the NBWHP was grounded in Black feminist work the women involved did not all identify as feminists. Women involved in the NBWHP came from a variety of professional backgrounds including: doctors, nurses, therapists, social workers, academics, politicians, writers, and mothers. NBWHP has deep links to the emerging Black feminist movement including several major Black feminist scholars (Angela Davis, Beverly Guy-Sheftall, and Dorothy Roberts) serving at different points on the NBWHP's board.

Individuals involved in NBWHP

Schalk, Sami. Black Disability Politics, New York, USA: Duke University Press, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781478027003

Black Disability Politics

The organizers of the First National Conference expected a few hundred Black women, in the end 2,000 attendees showed up. The conference had a broad focus on Black women's health, the conference also featured health screenings, group exercise spaces, a concert, and interactive workshops. Many of the workshops engaged directly with disability including "The Mask pf Lupus", "Dispelling the Myths of Mental Illness," "Health Concerns of the Physically Disabled" and "Diabetes."

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