History of NACCS

In 1972, at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Social Science Association held in San Antonio, Texas, Chicano faculty and students active in the American Sociological Association, American Anthropological Association and the American Political-Science Association came together to discuss the need for a national association of Chicana/o scholar activists. 

Discussions culminated in a proposal to establish the National Caucus of Chicano Social Scientists (NCCSS). 

The individuals proposing the establishment of the National Caucus of Chicano Social Scientists held their first meeting in New Mexico in May 1973 to further discuss the proposed association's ideology, organizational structure, and the nature and direction of Chicano social science research. A Provisional Coordinating Committee for the proposed association was likewise established. 

A subsequent meeting held on November 17, 1973 at the University of California at Irvine culminated in formally naming the emerging organization the National Association of Chicano Social Scientists (NACSS). 

The NACSS first annual conference meeting took place in 1974 at the UC Irvine campus. The first NACSS Conference was titled "Action Research: Community Control". 

In 1976, participants in the 3rd NACSS Conference voted to rename the organization the National Association for Chicano Studies. 

The association's most recent organizational name change took place in 1995 during the NACS annual conference held in Spokane, Washington. The membership voted to rename the association the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies, in recognition of the critical contribution and role of Chicanas in the association.

Up to 2005, the Coordinating Committee was the leadership of the association.  The CC consisted of the foco representatives and caucus chairs.  Among them the National Coordinator, Secretary, and Treasurer was selected. NACCS regional focos include: Tejas, Northern California, Southern California, Rocky Mountain, Midwest, Pacific Northwest, Colorado, East Coast and Mexico. The caucuses and committees' leadership include: COMPAS, (NACCS' political action committee), Lesbian Caucus, Joto Caucus, Chicana Caucus, K-12 Educational Caucus, Community Caucus, Student and Graduate Student Caucuses.

In 2005 the Coordinating Committee presented to the participating conference members a new governing structure.  With the passage of the structure the new leadership was elected in 2006 by the membership which along with the Chair elect (an elected position voted in 2000) elected the Treasurer, the Secretary, and 3 At Large representatives.  This NACCS Board met for the first time in October 2006.  The new structure also introduced a new subgroup called Research Divisions.

In 2010 the Research Division were voted out of the bylaws of the association. After four years, the NACCS board and membership decided that the Research Division were not succeeding in the original concept. A resolution was presented to the membership by the NACCS Board and was passed by 2/3s of the membership as required by the bylaws. 

Since its inception NACCS has encouraged research, which is critical and reaffirms the political actualization of Chicanas/os/xs. NACCS rejects mainstream research, which promotes an integrationist perspective that emphasizes consensus, assimilation, and legitimization of societal institutions. NACCS promotes research that directly confronts structures of inequality based on class, race and gender privileges in U.S. society. 

NACCS has evolved to offer various opportunities. It serves as a forum promoting communication and exchange of ideas among Chicana and Chicano scholars across all geographical and disciplinary boundaries. NACCS promotes and enhances the opportunities and participation of Chicanas, Chicanos, and Chicanx at all levels and positions of institutions of higher learning. As such NACCS has become an effective advocate for both students and scholars. NACCS stages an annual national conference, which attracts 500 to 800 participants to listen to over eighty-five presenters on a variety of topics that affect the Chicana/o/x community.