November 13-15, 2026
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
1201 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
#BMEC2026
#BMEC2026 IS BACK!
The 9th Annual Black Men in Education Convening (#BMEC2026) is coming back to Philadelphia this fall!
Building on our success hosting the country’s largest and most impactful gathering of Black male educators over the last eight years, we’re excited to bring together educators, advocates, leaders and changemakers once again!
#BMEC2026 registration is now closed. However, individuals with previously issued, unused registration codes may still complete their registration through our password-protected registration page or join our waitlist.
#BMEC2026 will be a transformative event, featuring dynamic speakers, interactive workshops, opportunities for professional growth and–as always–the ability to build friendships and community while fostering mentorship and strengthening networks.
Coming off the heels of the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, this year’s theme is “Rooted in History: Constructing the Next 100 Years of Education.” Every classroom is built upon a century-old legacy of transformative teaching, and #BMEC2026 will be an opportunity to translate a century of lessons into actionable strategies for tomorrow’s classrooms.
Additionally this year’s convening strands will be as follows:
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STEM
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Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Support
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Leadership and Policy Making
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Parent and Community Engagement
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Professional Learning & Development
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Physical, Mental and Social Emotional Health & Wellness
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Sports & Entertainment
We can’t wait to see you there–where, together, we will continue our work advancing educational equity and strengthening the Black Teacher Pipeline.
BECOME A #BMEC2026 SPONSOR
The 2026 Black Men in Education Convening offers a unique opportunity for companies and organizations to highlight their commitment to rebuilding the national Black educator pipeline.
We offer a range of sponsorship packages that can help meet your marketing, branding, and corporate social responsibility objectives.
For more details on 2026 sponsorship opportunities, please contact Mimi (Woldeyohannes) McKee at mimi.woldeyohannes@cbed.org
BECOME A #BMEC2026 VENDOR
The 2026 Black Men in Education Convening offers a unique opportunity for businesses, brands, and community organizations to connect with educators, advocates, leaders, and changemakers from across the country.
All vendor tables for BMEC 2026 are currently sold out! However, we are accepting names for a waitlist in case additional space becomes available.
Interested in joining the waitlist? Email bmec@canvasevents.com.
Black Men in Education Convening 2026
2026 Keynote Speakers
Dr. Bettina Love
William F. Russell Professor, Teachers College, Columbia University
Dr. Bettina L. Love is the William F. Russell Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, and one of the nation’s leading voices on race and education. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal, which has received numerous honors, including the Stowe Prize for Literary Activism and the National Council for Black Studies’ Anna Julia Cooper & C.L.R. James Book Award.
Her earlier book, We Want to Do More Than Survive, has sold nearly 200,000 copies and become a foundational text in classrooms nationwide. Dr. Love’s work focuses on abolitionist teaching, anti-racism, educational reparations, Black girlhood, queer youth, Hip Hop education and arts-based civic engagement.
She helped create the “In Her Hands” initiative, which distributed more than $13 million to Black women across Georgia, and co-founded DREAMS, a national research project advancing reparative approaches to education. Her work has been featured by NPR, PBS, Time, The Guardian and Education Week.
Dr. Love has received numerous honors, including recognition as a Kennedy Center Next 50 Leader, the Truth Award for Excellence in Education and the Black Girl Magic Award. She is also the author of the forthcoming children’s book Bettina and the Ball.
Dr. Chris Emdin
Maxine Greene Chair, Teachers College, Columbia University
Dr. Christopher Emdin is the Maxine Greene Chair for Distinguished Contributions to Education and Professor of Science Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.
He is the creator of the HipHopEd movement, founder of Science Genius BATTLES, and author of several influential books, including the New York Times bestseller For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood… and the Rest of Y’all Too.
His upcoming book, The Sacred Art of Teaching: The Delpit/Emdin Conversations, further advances his work on education, equity, and culture.
#BMEC2026 Speakers
#BMEC2026 Letter of Support
We know how much you want to join us at #BMEC2026, and we also know that getting administrative approval or funding can sometimes feel like an extra hurdle on your to-do list. To make things easier, we did the heavy lifting for you. We have drafted a complete letter of support that you can copy, paste, and customize to share with your principal, district leader, or campus supervisor.
Also did you know that the Center for Black Educator Development is an approved Act 45 and Act 48 provider? This means our professional development offerings are eligible for Pennsylvania-certified teachers and school & system leaders (defined as principal, assistant or vice principal, superintendent, assistant superintendent, intermediate unit executive director, intermediate unit assistant executive director, and AVTS (CTC) director)
BMEC2026 Letter of SupportPartners & Sponsors
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Friends of CBED
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A La Carte
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