History

1976

Wayne Ford organizes the first Democratic Presidential Forum in Des Moines, Iowa that deals with minority issues. Gov. Jimmy Carter, Fred Harris, Birch Bayh and Sargent Shriver send surrogates. Concerned Citizens for Minority Affairs is a forerunner of the Brown & Black Forum.

1984

The first Brown & Black Presidential Forum is held on January 10, 1984, at the Tiny Tot Child Care Center, located in Des Moines, Iowa. John Glenn, Gary Hart, Alan Cranston, and George McGovern participate. Vice-President Mondale did not participate but met with the Brown & Black Coalition in February. This was C-SPAN’s first “Road to the White House” event. It was also telecast by Iowa Public Television.

1988

The second Brown & Black Presidential Forum is held on January 20, 1988, at North High School in Des Moines, Iowa. Bruce Babbitt, Michael Dukakis, Richard Gephardt, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and Paul Simon participate. It was also telecast by C-SPAN and Iowa Public Television.

1992

The third Brown & Black Presidential Forum is held on February 8, 1992, at the Community Hall located in Des Moines, Iowa, covered by C-SPAN. Only Iowa Senator Tom Harkin participates. No other candidates participate because Sen. Harkin is an Iowan “Favorite Son” candidate.

2000

The fourth Brown & Black Presidential Forum is held on Monday, January 17, 2000, at North High School in Des Moines, Iowa. Democrat candidates Al Gore and Bill Bradley participate. The event is broadcast live on MSNBC.

2004

The fifth Brown & Black Presidential Forum is held at the Polk County, Iowa, Convention Center on January 11, 2004. Participants include Democratic candidates Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, Governor Howard Dean, Senator John Edwards, Representative Dick Gephardt, Senator John Kerry, Senator Joe Lieberman, Representative Dennis Kucinich, and Reverend Al Sharpton. The event is broadcast live on MSNBC and hosted by Lester Holt.

2006

The Iowa Brown & Black Forum sponsored the Iowa Gubernatorial Debate, held on October 12, 2006, between Democrat Chet Culver and Republican, Jim Nussle.

2007

The Iowa Brown & Black Forum for 2008 Democratic Presidential candidates is held on December 1, 2007, at North High School in Des Moines. Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Joe Biden, Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Chris Dodd, Sen. John Edwards, Sen. Mike Gravel, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, and Gov. Bill Richardson participate. The event was telecast live on HDNet, Mediacom, and Sirius Satellite Radio. It was televised later on Iowa Public Television.

2016

The Iowa Brown & Black Forum for 2016 Democratic Presidential candidates is held on January 11, 2016, at Drake University in Des Moines. Secretary Hillary Clinton, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Governor Martin O’Malley participate. It broadcasted live on FUSION, a joint venture between the Disney-ABC Television Group and Univision Communications. It was televised later on Iowa Public Television venture between the Disney-ABC Television Group and Univision Communications. It was televised later on Iowa Public Television.

2018

The Iowa Brown & Black Forum is officially established as the Brown & Black Forums of America.

2020

Senator Michael Bennet, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, businessman Andrew Yang, Congressman John Delaney, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Bernie Sanders, VP Joe Biden, and Senator Amy Klobuchar take the stage live from Iowa on MLK Day to discuss where they stand on the issues that matter to young, diverse America. The Forum, presented by VICE News and Cashmere Originals, was hosted and moderated by VICE correspondents, Antonia Hylton, Alzo Slade, Paolo Ramos, Dexter Thomas, David Noriega, Krishna Andavolu, and Roberto Ferdman.

2024 Brown & Black Republican Presidential Forum

Press Statement: Cancellation of the Iowa Brown & Black Presidential Forum (Republican Candidate-Based Event)

The Brown & Black Forums of America has made the decision not to host the previously scheduled Iowa Brown & Black presidential forum for Republican candidates. This event was initially set for January 13, 2024, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. This decision comes in light of the low number of committed participants, which unfortunately does not allow us to create the impactful and comprehensive forum we had envisioned.

While we are disappointed to cancel this particular event, our commitment to amplifying the voices of all communities, especially those of color, remains stronger than ever. We are dedicated to ensuring that the perspectives and concerns of all Americans are heard and addressed during every election season.

In line with this commitment, we are actively collaborating with a variety of partners to ensure that the Brown & Black Forums of America will continue to have a significant impact both digitally and through media collaborations throughout the crucial election cycle of 2024. Our aim is to foster a platform that not only resonates with our audience but also shapes the national dialogue on pivotal issues affecting our communities.

We are excited about the innovative projects and partnerships we have in the pipeline for 2024. These initiatives promise to bring forth insightful discussions, engaging content, and a broadened reach, furthering our mission to elevate crucial conversations in our society.

We thank our supporters, partners, and the community for their understanding and continuous support as we navigate through these changes and look forward to a dynamic and impactful 2024.

For more information about our work and upcoming projects, please visit our website at www.brownandblackforum.org.

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