Since 2003, ABC has progressed beyond being merely an annual student forum addressing social and political issues affecting black students. ABC has evolved into a year-round training and educational hub. our approach encompasses leadership development, political education, and student organizing, providing Black student leaders with the necessary knowledge, skills, and practice to effectively lead student organizations.

OUR HISTORY

In 2003, founding members of the Afrikan Black Coalition (ABC) brought together student leaders from the Afrikan/Black student organizations in the UC system. Many felt that the derogatory relationship between the University and their Afrikan/Black student population was linked to historical oppression Afrikan/Black people have faced throughout the advancement of western civilization. The UC-ABC was founded to preserve the cultural traditions and political fervor of Diaspora Afrikans, within the student population of the UC System. Afrikan/Black students at each UC campus faced racial discrimination in the form of threats, offensive comments and actions taken by many non-Afrikan/Black students and in return coupled with the declining numbers of Afrikan/Black students at the UC system (as a result of Proposition 209). Due to many incidents, the various Chairs, Presidents and External Representatives formed the University of California African Black Coalition.

[Founding Student Members: Ainye Long (UCSC), Edwina Williams (UCSC), Na'Shaun Neal (UCLA), Catherine Sylvester (UCLA), Raniyah Abdus-Samad (UCB), Renita Chaney (UCB), Adia Smith (UCD), Venita Goodwin (UCD), Tiana Lynch (UCI), Stephanie Akpa (UCSD), and Jewel Love (UCSB)]

The first meeting was in the Fall of 2003 held at the University of California, Santa Barbara. At the first meeting, the following UC campuses were in attendance: Santa Barbara (host), San Diego, Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, Davis and Berkeley. Subsequent meetings were held at UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz, and UC Los Angeles. In the spring of 2004 UC Riverside was added and in 2007, UC Merced. The first UC-ABC action was held at the campus of UC San Diego in coordination with the progressive students of color at UCSD during the UCSA Students of Color Conference to protest the hostile educational environment. Approximately 50 students from the various UC-ABC schools attended the direct action.

In 2011, the organization transitioned from being student-led to being an official fiscally sponsored non-profit organization. [Chartering Members: Salih Muhammad, Ndidi Love, Yoel Haile, Allyssa Victory, Rasheed Shabazz, & Xavion Freedom]

In the Fall of 2015, the central committee unanimously voted to extend the coalition to all cal-state campuses.

In 2017, five campuses made ABC history by becoming the first Cal-State campuses to be inducted into the coalition. This act made the coalition open to both University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) campuses which would officially lead the organization to be recognized solely as the Afrikan Black Coalition.

[Inaugural CSU campuses: CSU Dominguez Hills, CSU Los Angeles, CSU Poly Pomona, CSU Fullerton, and CSU Long Beach]