Black Emphasis Program

The Black Emphasis Program addresses the unique concerns of African-Americans in achieving equal opportunity in all employment and program delivery activities.

Similar to all special emphasis programs, the Black Emphasis Program was established to address or emphasize the unique needs of African-American employees. Now the program has been expanded to assist the organization in improving program delivery. Although the Black Emphasis Program is not a mandated program, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission highly recommends that the agency initiate these special emphasis programs. In 1984, NRCS formally established a Black Emphasis Program (BEP). Missouri established a Black Emphasis Program in 1992.

African Americans are the dominant minority population in Missouri -- a total population of 612,788 in 1998. In 1993, African Americans accounted for 11.3 percent of Missouri's total population, up slightly from 10.8 percent of the state's total population in 1990. While Missouri's total population increased by 6.1 percent from 1990 to 1998, the African American population increased by 11.1 percent, and nearly twice the rate of the total population.

Program Manager: Blake Glover, (573) 985-8611

• National Organization of the Professional Black NRCS Employees - Missouri chapter
• National Organization of Professional Black NRCS Employees
• Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences
• Blacks in Government
• National Civil Rights Museum

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