The history of the association is brief but significant. After long and often difficult struggles for recognition of an African American organization within Veterans Affairs, several black chaplains were summoned to the National Chaplain School in Hampton, Virginia in 1988/89 to make up a task force on minority concerns and development. These chaplains, mapping out their strategy for developing such an association, wrote their position papers. In October 1990, the first official meeting of the Department of Veterans Affairs National Black Chaplains Association (DVANBCA) was held in Hampton, Virginia, complimenting the efforts of many dedicated and committed chaplains. The late Chaplain Charles Quick of Pennsylvania was elected as the first president. Chaplains Randall C. Hutchinson of Illinois and Howard W. Jones of Virginia followed in 1991 and 1996, respectively. Chaplain Joseph Hilton of Ohio became the fourth President in October 2000 followed by Chaplain Michael L. McCoy, and Chaplain Alice Tamrie in 2005. Chaplain was the seventh President. The current President of the DVABCA is Chaplain Clifton Montgomery, Jr. of the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center.