THE CULTURE'S CALENDAR
BLACK CONFERENCES 2026
13 conferences curated for the standard.
Conferences have a deep history in Black cultural life. From Jack and Jill of America National Convention (founded 1938) to newer gatherings like Black Travel Summit, these are the conferences worth showing up to.
AfroTech Conference
Houston · November · 4 days
AfroTech was founded in 2016 by Morgan DeBaun and Blavity Inc. as a conference for Black professionals in technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation. The annual event brings together over 30,000 attendees including software engineers, product managers, venture capitalists, founders, and corporate executives from companies like Google, Meta, Netflix, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan Chase. Programming includes keynote addresses, technical workshops, pitch competitions, recruiting activations, and networking lounges. AfroTech has become the largest Black tech conference in the world and a critical recruiting pipeline for Fortune 500 companies seeking to diversify their technical and executive ranks.
100 Black Men of America Annual Conference
Atlanta · June · 4-5 days
100 Black Men of America traces its origins to a 1963 New York chapter founded by leaders including David Dinkins and Robert Mangum, with the national organization established in 1986. The Annual Conference brings together leaders, mentors, and members from chapters across the United States and internationally for several days of programming focused on mentoring, education, health and wellness, and economic empowerment. The conference features keynote addresses, workshops, youth programming through the 100's Collegiate 100 and youth groups, and recognition ceremonies. Past speakers and honorees have included some of the most prominent Black executives, athletes, and political figures in the country.
Jack and Jill of America National Convention
Orlando · July · 5 days
Jack and Jill of America was founded in 1938 by Marion Stubbs Thomas in Philadelphia as a service organization for Black mothers and their children. The organization has grown to include over 230 chapters across the United States and abroad, with programming focused on leadership development, cultural awareness, education, civic engagement, and philanthropy. The National Convention is held biennially and brings together thousands of members for several days of workshops, leadership training, youth programming, service projects, and formal social events. The convention represents the premier gathering of Black middle-class and professional family culture in the country.
NABJ Convention and Career Fair
Chicago · August · 5 days
The National Association of Black Journalists was founded in 1975 by 44 men and women in Washington, DC, and has grown to become the largest organization of journalists of color in the United States. The annual NABJ Convention and Career Fair brings together thousands of working journalists, news executives, students, and recruiters for five days of professional development, panel discussions, awards programming, and recruiting activations. Major networks, newspapers, and digital media platforms send senior representatives to recruit and recognize talent. The convention is a critical fixture for Black media professionals and a powerful platform for accountability journalism within the industry.
CBCF Annual Legislative Conference
Washington · September · 5 days
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference, known as ALC, has convened in Washington, DC since 1971 as the premier policy event for Black political, business, civic, and cultural leaders. Programming spans five days and includes the National Town Hall, the Phoenix Awards Dinner, issue forums on economic empowerment, education, health, public safety, and foreign policy, alongside the prayer breakfast and exhibit showcase. Past speakers have included every Black president, every Black member of the Senate, and presidents of the United States. ALC draws over 10,000 attendees from across the country and remains the most influential annual gathering at the intersection of Black politics, policy, and culture.
Black Women's Expo (BWENext)
Chicago · July or August · 3 days
The Black Women's Expo was founded in 1993 by Merry Green in Chicago and has become the longest-running consumer exposition dedicated to Black women in the United States. The expo brings together tens of thousands of attendees over three days for programming across entrepreneurship, beauty, health and wellness, fashion, and culture. The event includes panel discussions, vendor exhibitions, cooking demonstrations, fashion shows, and celebrity appearances. The recently expanded BWENext platform extends the expo into year-round programming and digital community for Black women in business and leadership.
National Society of Black Engineers Convention
Baltimore · March · 5 days
The National Society of Black Engineers was founded in 1975 at Purdue University by a group of undergraduate students and has grown into one of the largest student-governed organizations in the country, with chapters at more than 700 campuses. The Annual Convention brings together over 15,000 engineers, technical professionals, and recruiters for five days of professional development, technical workshops, career fairs, and networking. Major employers including Google, Microsoft, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Goldman Sachs, and ExxonMobil send senior recruiters to identify and hire Black technical talent. NSBE's convention is one of the most critical recruiting pipelines for Black engineering talent in the United States.
The Momference
Washington · October · 3-4 days
The Momference is a premier conference for Black mothers, founded by author and speaker Sheri Riley. Held annually in Washington DC, the conference brings together hundreds of Black mothers for community, self-care programming, business development sessions, wellness workshops, and cultural celebration. The event has become one of the most respected gatherings for Black women navigating motherhood and ambition, featuring keynote speakers, intimate breakout sessions, and high-end social experiences across the long weekend.
Culture Con
Brooklyn · October · 2 days
Culture Con was founded in 2017 by Imani Ellis and the Creative Collective NYC as a conference celebrating Black and brown women in media, digital content, and creative industries. Held annually in Brooklyn, the event features panels with influencers, content creators, brand executives, and media professionals discussing content strategy, monetization, brand partnerships, and creative entrepreneurship. Past speakers have included executives from platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest, alongside independent creators building multi-platform media businesses.
Black Tech Week
Cincinnati · July · 3-5 days
Black Tech Week was founded in 2014 in Miami and is now produced by the Lightship Foundation in Cincinnati. The conference brings together Black tech founders, investors, corporate innovators, and ecosystem builders for several days of programming focused on entrepreneurship, venture capital, technology adoption, and economic mobility. Programming includes pitch competitions, founder fireside chats, investor roundtables, and ecosystem development sessions. Black Tech Week has built a reputation as a focused, founder-friendly gathering for Black professionals committed to building scalable technology companies and investing in the next generation of Black innovation.
Invest Fest
Atlanta · August · 3 days
Invest Fest was founded in 2021 by Troy Millings and Rashad Bilal, the hosts of the Earn Your Leisure podcast, as a financial literacy conference for the Black community. Held annually in Atlanta, the conference brings together tens of thousands of attendees for three days of programming on investing, entrepreneurship, real estate, credit, cryptocurrency, and wealth building. Speakers have included Steve Harvey, Killer Mike, Pinky Cole, Charles Oakley, and senior executives from major financial firms. Invest Fest has rapidly become one of the most influential gatherings in the Black financial literacy movement.
Black Travel Summit
Milwaukee · October · 3-4 days
The Black Travel Summit is an annual industry conference for Black travel content creators, travel agency owners, tour operators, and tourism professionals. The summit features programming on monetization, brand partnerships, content strategy, agency growth, and destination marketing, alongside one-on-one meetings with destination tourism boards, hotel brands, airlines, and cruise lines. The event has become an important gathering for the rapidly growing Black travel industry segment and a critical pipeline for tourism brands seeking to engage Black travelers authentically.
Roadmap to Billions Conference
New York · May · 2-3 days
The Roadmap to Billions Conference was launched by Black Women Talk Tech, a community founded by Esosa Ighodaro, Lauren Washington, and Regina Gwynn for Black women founders of scalable technology companies. The annual conference brings together Black women founders, investors, and operators for two to three days of programming focused on capital raising, scaling operations, product development, and exit strategy. The conference has positioned itself as the premier gathering for Black women building billion-dollar technology companies and remains one of the most direct pathways for Black women founders to access venture capital.
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QUESTIONS ABOUT BLACK CONFERENCES
What are the biggest Black conferences in 2026?
The Culture's Calendar tracks 13 curated Black conferences for 2026. Established events include AfroTech Conference, 100 Black Men of America Annual Conference, Jack and Jill of America National Convention, NABJ Convention and Career Fair, CBCF Annual Legislative Conference.
When do most Black conferences happen?
Conferences on The Culture's Calendar run across November, June, July, August, September, March, October, May. Peak months are November, June, July.
Which cities host the most Black conferences?
Conferences on The Culture's Calendar happen in Houston, Atlanta, Orlando, Chicago, Washington, and other cities across the U.S. and diaspora.