The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) sponsors initiatives that advance left-of-center causes, particularly those that it claims will benefit Black voters, and that trains policymakers and activists who support these policies. Founded in 1976, the foundation is affiliated with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), an alliance of Black Democratic members of Congress. ^{[1] [2]}

Background

The CBC was established in 1971 by a group of Democratic House Representatives to advance the interests of black and other minority voters. The caucus agitates for a broad range of left-progressive policy outcomes. These include more permissive law enforcement and criminal justice systems, increased taxation and redistribution of wealth, and accelerated immigration and demographic change. The CBC supported the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, as part of its broader goal of implementing a universal taxpayer-funded healthcare system. The caucus also supports expanding American foreign aid to third-world countries, particularly in Africa. In November 2014, after a grand jury refused to indict a police officer for killing Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man who had attacked him, ^[3] the CBC released a statement claiming that the decision to not indict the officer meant that “you may kill Black men in this country without consequences or repercussions.” ^[4] The statement came out during ongoing riots and civil unrest in the city of Ferguson, Missouri, and following a Department of Justice investigation which cleared the officer of wrongdoing. ^{[5] [6]}

Programs

The National Racial Equality Initiative promotes policies that increase the political and economic influence of its black constituents. The initiative operates on the assumption that socio-economic disparities between races are exclusively the result of systemic “racism and discrimination.” To end these disparities, the initiative advocates for policies intended to implement not only equality of opportunity but equality of outcomes for Black people in America. ^[7]

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Leadership Institute aims to train future black legislators and policymakers who will advance the political goals of the caucus. The institute’s programs include a Capitol Hill internship program, a “cultural immersion experience” which sends participants on trips to Japan, and various fellowships and scholarships. ^[8]

Leadership

In January 2022, the CBCF announced that it had selected Nicole Austin-Hillery, a career left-of-center legal activist, as its new president and chief executive officer. Prior to joining the foundation, Austin-Hillery was the director of United States programs at Human Rights Watch, a leading international investigative organization known for its secretive approach to disclosing its funding sources. Previously, Austin-Hillery was the director and counsel of the Brennan Center for Justice, a prominent legal think tank which describes itself as nonpartisan but has received criticism for nearly exclusively promoting left-progressive causes. ^[9]

Andrias White Murdaugh is the vice president for strategic events at the CBCF. She has previously worked for numerous high-profile political and private sector clients. These include the World Gas Congress, which brings together fossil fuel industry leaders; the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which supports increased American financial and political backing of the state of Israel; and the Human Rights Campaign, which promotes same-sex and transgender causes. ^[10]

Tory Hairston is the vice president for marketing and communications at the CBCF. She previously worked for the public relations firm Reingold Inc., where she oversaw marketing campaigns for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Before that, she worked at a different public relations firm which also worked with the department, as well as the auto maker General Motors. ^[11]

Financials

In 2018, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation generated close to $7.7 million in revenue, primarily from contributions, and held total assets of nearly $9.5 million. That year, executive and staff compensation made up more than 25 percent of its total expenses. ^[12]