CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS FOUNDATION MOVES TO PERMANENT HEADQUARTERS IN PRESTIGIOUS DOWNTOWN D.C. LOCATION

(Washington, DC) The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) has acquired a new, permanent headquarters in a prestigious location with the recent purchase of a building and property designated as a historic landmark. The property, located at 1720 Massachusetts Avenue in northwest Washington, DC, is a five-level, 10,000 square-foot, brick and masonry structure surrounded by embassies and “think tanks” such as the Brookings Institution, The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, the Embassy of The Republic of Uzbekistan, and the Embassy of Chile.

“The acquisition of this structure further affirms the permanence and seriousness with which we regard the growth and development of the CBCF as an important national resource,” said CBCF Board Chairman Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-LA). “We are delighted that we will have a larger home, and that we have made an investment that will yield dividends both for the institution and for the larger community,” he added.

The property was purchased at a closing price of $3.3 million dollars. Robert L. Johnson, Founder and CEO of Black Entertainment Television (BET), provided essential financial assistance with the purchase. Johnson will also be spearheading the effort to retire the CBCF mortgage on the new headquarters building. “The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation is in a position to build a world-class organization, and this new building moves the Foundation one step closer to that goal. My involvement in this process signifies that I am fully committed to helping hat process move forward, ” he said.

CBCF has also changed its logo to reflect the new leadership and direction of the organization. The abstract symbols that now make up the logo represent the Foundation’s global emphasis and its focus on the future. “This is a significant undertaking for the Foundation,” said CBCF President Weldon J. Rougeau. “It gives us the capacity we need to pursue our strategic objectives in the areas of education, economic development, public health, and African Globalism. It also gives us the opportunity to more easily interact and collaborate with other public policy organizations, and to serve as a conduit for policy-oriented information to the African American community.”

The CBCF was established as a nonprofit corporation in 1976, and was initially created to address the underrepresentation of African American professionals in Congressional Offices. In its early history, the organization also established an internship program that allowed young people to gain knowledge and experience about the inner-workings of Capitol Hill. The Foundation has evolved into a multifaceted, international public policy organization with an emphasis on education, economic development, and public health.

 

The CBCF serves as a nonpartisan, policy-oriented catalyst to educate future leaders and promote collaboration among community and business leaders, minority-focused organizational leaders, and organized labor to effect positive and substantive change in the African American community.