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The National Business League®

Founded by Dr. Booker T. Washington – August 23, 1900

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The 126th National Business League

CONFERENCE

THE BOOK OF AI ™

Booker T. Washington and the Sacred AI Codes to Economic Sovereignty

Learn AI for Business. Build AI Enterprise. Deploy AI Team. WIN.

August 19–22, 2026

Hilton Atlanta | Atlanta, GA

You Are Not Attending a Conference.

You Are Installing an AI System.

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THE 126TH NATIONAL BUSINESS LEAGUE CONFERENCE COUNTDOWN

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THE 126TH

NATIONAL BUSINESS LEAGUE CONFERENCE

CONFERENCE

August 19–22, 2026

Hilton Atlanta | Atlanta, GA

Hosted by
the National Alliance for Black Business ® (NABB)

This is not just a conference.
This is the next chapter of Black economic sovereignty.

THE 126TH NATIONAL BUSINESS LEAGUE CONFERENCE

THE BOOK OF AI™: BOOKER T. WASHINGTON AND THE SACRED CODES TO ECONOMIC SOVEREIGNTY

In a historic continuation of a movement founded on August 23, 1900, in Boston, Massachusetts, the National Negro Business League (NNBL)—established by Booker T. Washington and now known as the National Business League (NBL)—returns for its 126th Annual Conference. For over a century, the NBL has stood as the nation’s premier institution dedicated to the advancement of Black business, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment.

Following the landmark 125th Quasquicentennial Anniversary, the 126th Conference marks the beginning of a new era—one defined by digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and global economic positioning.

This year’s theme, THE BOOK OF AI™: Booker T. Washington and the Sacred Codes to Economic Sovereignty, represents a strategic shift from traditional business models to AI-powered enterprise systems. It is a call to action for Black Business Enterprises (BBEs) to move beyond participation in the economy and toward ownership of systems, data, and infrastructure.
 
Powered by the National Alliance for Black Business (NABB), the conference is strengthened through a unified coalition of leading Black institutions and global partners, including:
  • The National Business League (NBL)® — Building on 126 Years of Legacy
  • The World Conference of Mayors (WCM)® — Celebrating 42 Years
  • The National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC)® — Marking 33 Years
  • The Black Business School (BBS)® — Marking its 11th Anniversary
  • The National Alliance for Black Business (NABB)® — Marking 4 Years
Alongside more than 50 national organizations, we convene under a shared commitment to advancing a Unified Business Agenda—aligning business, government, capital, and institutions to drive measurable economic outcomes. The 2026 declaration—“WE ARE TOGETHER”—is both principle and strategy. It reflects a coordinated movement to unify Black leadership across sectors and geographies in pursuit of economic sovereignty at scale.
 
As we honor National Black Business Month, this conference stands as a defining moment in history—where legacy meets innovation. Attendees will not only learn artificial intelligence, but build, deploy, and implement AI systemswithin their businesses, guided by the Sacred Codes outlined in The Book of AI™.
 
This is not just a conference.
This is the next chapter of Black economic power.
 

A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP

Over 126 years of advancing Black business, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment.

AI-Driven Future

Equipping businesses with the tools, systems, and strategies to thrive in an AI-powered global economy.

Unified Business Agenda

Aligning business, government, capital, and institutions to drive measurable economic outcomes.

Global Impact

Bringing together leaders across industries, sectors, and countries to build economic power and ownership.

Economic Sovereignty

Moving from participation to ownership of systems, data, and infrastructure.

50+ National Organizations

National Network

Global Diaspora Reach

Multi-Industry Access

One Movement. One Mission. One Economic Future.

National Alliance for Black Business Hosts

Dr. Ken L. Harris, Ph.D.  

President & CEO
The National Business League

 The Honorable Johnny Ford, Esq.

Founder & Chairman
The World Conference of Mayors

Charles H. DeBow, III

President & CEO
National Black Chamber of Commerce

Dr. Boyce D. Watkins, Ph.D.

President & CEO
The Black Business School
 

The Honorable Denise Tyler

Executive Director
The National Policy Alliance
 

The Honorable Alberta McCrory

President & CEO
Historic Black Towns and Settlements Alliance

Leona Barr-Davenport

President & CEO
Atlanta Business League
 

Stacey J. Key

President & CEO
Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council

Melinda C. Sylvester

President & CEO
Greater Georgia Black Chamber of Commerce

AI OR DIE

The future of business is AI-driven. Those who don’t adapt will be left behind.

THIS IS NOT A CONFERENCE

LEARN AI
BUSINESS

BUILD AI
SYSTEMS

DEPLOY AI
TEAM

WIN!

You Are Installing an AI System

AI AUTOMATION
SYSTEM

DIGITAL
INFRASTRUCTURE

REVENUE
ENGINE

LEAVE WITH YOUR
AI SYSTEM BUILT

Built live. Deployed in real time.

AGENDA AT A GLANCE

Powerful 2½ Days

August 19–22, 2026

Hilton Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia

Over 140

AI Panelists, Speakers & Trainers

Browse the official Agenda at a Glance for the 126th National Business League Conference — The Book of AI™: Booker T. Washington and the Sacred AI Codes to Economic Sovereignty.
 
This 2½-day experience is strategically designed to move attendees from historical grounding to AI-powered execution. From the legacy-rich Tuskegee tour rooted in the teachings of Booker T. Washington, to high-impact AI summits, national forums, and hands-on workshops, each segment is intentionally curated to support one outcome: Build, deploy, and operationalize your AI system for business and economic sovereignty.
 
The full program—including speakers, session tracks, certifications, and implementation sessions—will be released in phases leading up to the conference.

PRE-CONFERENCE

Historic Tuskegee Tour

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

7:00 AM

Depart Hilton Atlanta

8:00 AM

Tuskegee Black Business Breakfast

10:00 AM

Tuskegee Tour Begins

  • The Oaks (Booker T. Washington Home)
  • Tuskegee University Historic Campus District
  • George Washington Carver Museum
  • George Washington Carver National Monument
  • Moton Field
  • Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
  • Tuskegee National Forest
  • Tuskegee History Center

3:00 PM

Return to Hilton Atlanta (Box Lunch Provided)

DAY 1

Welcome to Atlanta

Thursday, August 20, 2026

7:00 AM

Depart Hilton Atlanta

10:00 AM

League of Summits

  • Association AI Summit
  • Black Business Enterprise
  • AI Summit
  • Capital AI Summit
  • Contract & Procurement AI Summit
  • Government AI Summit

3:00 PM

Welcome Reception

DAY 2

AI Sound Stage

Friday, August 21, 2026

8:00 AM

Doors Open

9:00 AM

National State of Black Business Forum

12:00 PM

AI Power Luncheon

2:00 PM

AI Power Panels

5:00 PM

End of Panels

6:00 PM

Networking

DAY 3

Booker T. Washington Day

Saturday, August 22, 2026

8:00 AM

Doors Open

9:00 AM

AI Workshops & Seminars Begin

4:00 PM

End of Workshops & Seminars

6:00 PM

Booker T. Washington Awards Gala

11:00 PM

Awards Gala Afterglow

PREPARE. PARTICIPATE. IMPLEMENT.

THIS IS WHERE STRATEGY BECOMES SYSTEMS.

AGENDA DISCLAIMER

Important: Wednesday, August 19, 2026, serves as the official Pre-Conference Experience, featuring the Historic Tuskegee Tour and Black Business Breakfast. This experience requires separate registration and has limited capacity.
 
The core conference programming begins on Thursday, August 20, 2026, including the League of Summits, AI forums, workshops, and national sessions.
 
Note: Agenda times, speakers, and sessions are subject to refinement as additional programming, partners, and AI certification components are finalized.
 
Additional registration may be required for select summits, certifications, and premium experiences.

CALL FOR NATIONAL SPEAKERS

Looking for National Speakers, Panelists, Workshop and Seminar Experts on AI

Submission Deadline: Friday May 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST

Over 3,000+

in Attendance in 2025

Over 140

National Speakers

Grow Your Business, Gain Exposure, and Educate Businesses on AI with experts from around the world.

Share Your Expertise. Shape the Future of AI.

The AI summitt convenes industry leaders, innovators. and decision makers to explore real-world solutions and next-generation strategies. Must be in-person for the AI Sound Stage and Speakers Tracks Listed.

Associated Benefits and Perks with Selected Speakers.

  • National visibility to thousands of AI professionals and business leaders.
  • Speaking honorarium (for selected sessions)
  • Events passes and VIP access
  • Featured promotion across NBL platforms
  • Networking with investors, partners, and media
  • Contribution to advancing AI education and innovation

Explore National Speaker Submission Tracks

  • AI Agents: Applications & Use Cases
  • AI Agents: Deployment at Scale
  • AI Agents: Foundation & Strategy
  • Enterprise Unlocks: AI Coding Strategy
  • Enterprise Unlocks: RAG & Proprietary Data
  • Enterprise Unlocks: Upskilling in the AI Era
  • Generative AI: Applications & Use Cases
  • Generative AI: Deployment at Scale
  • Generative AI: Foundation & Strategy
  • Infrastructure: AI Agents
  • Infrastructure: AI Platforms & Tools
  • Infrastructure: Cloud, Data Centers, & Compute
  • Infrastructure: Data Platforms & Strategy
  • Oversight: AI Explainability, Governance, & Model Risk
  • Oversight: AI ROI
  • Aerospace & Defense
  • Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC)
  • Automotive
  • Education
  • Energy
  • Financial Services: Asset Management
  • Financial Services: Banks
  • Food & Agriculture
  • Government & Public Sector
  • Healthcare: Care Providers
  • Healthcare: Life Sciences & Biotech
  • Insurance
  • Legal
  • Manufacturing
  • Media & Journalism
  • Retail, CPG, & eCommerce
  • Software: Fintech & Payments
  • Software: HRTech
  • Software: Productivity & Collaboration
  • Telecom & Connectivity Infrastructure
  • Transportation & Logistics
  • CAIO, CIO, & IT Leaders
  • CFO & Finance
  • CX & Customer Service
  • Cybersecurity
  • Data Analytics & BI
  • Data Engineering
  • Enterprise Architecture
  • HR & Recruiting
  • Marketing & Growth
  • Product Design
  • Product Management
  • Risk & Compliance
  • Sales & Revenue Operations
  • Software Engineering
  • AI Agents
  • AI Research Summit
  • Coding Assistants & Vibe Coding
  • Edge AI & Tiny ML
  • Evaluation, Observability, & Interpretability
  • Generative AI
  • ML Ops & Platforms
  • Multimodal AI
  • Quantum AI
  • RAG
  • Recommendation & Ranking Systems
  • Synthetic Data & Data Generation
  • Vision, Spatial, & World Models
  • #AIFails
  • AI For SMBs
  • AI Policy Summit
  • AI Safety & Alignment
  • AI Startups & VCs
  • Beginner? Start here
  • Emerging Parallel Technologies
  • Inclusive AI
  • Social Impact of AI
  • The Ai4 Lens

SUBMIT YOUR SPEAKER REQUEST TODAY

Join an elite group of thought leaders driving the AI converstation forward.

Submission Deadline:
Friday May 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST

Your Access. Your Impact.

PURCHASE

TICKETS

THE 126TH NATIONAL BUSINESS LEAGUE CONFERENCE

THE BOOK OF AI ™

August 19–22, 2026
2.5 Powerful Days

Hilton Atlanta Hotel
Atlanta, Georgia

Build. Deploy. Operate your AI system.

REGISTER VIRTUAL
VIEW TICKET OPTIONS

140+

AI Panelists & Speakers

Strategy.

Connection. Execution.

High-Value Room.

Decision-Makers. Real Impact.

Economic Sovereignty

Through AI.

YOUR SEAT. YOUR FUTURE.

SECURE YOUR ACCESS TODAY. LIMITED ACCESS. MAXIMUM IMPACT.

JOIN LEADERS, INNOVATORS, AND CHANGE MAKERS DRIVING

BUSINESS GROWTH AND ECONOMIC SOVEREIGNTY

THE 126TH NATIONAL BUSINESS LEAGUE CONFERENCE

EXHIBIT.

CONNECT. WIN.

Showcase your brand at the national level and connect with decision-makers, buyers, and business leaders.

EXHIBITOR BOOTH

$1,500.00

SECURE YOUR SPACE TODAY

DIRECT ACCESS

Connect face-to-face with entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, government officials, and buyers.

BRAND VISIBILITY

Position your company in front of a national audience and elevate your presence within the Black business ecosystem.

REVENUE OPPORTUNITY

Generate leads, close deals, and create partnerships that extend far beyond the conference.

SECURE YOUR EXHIBITOR BOOTH – $1,500
VIEW TICKET OPTIONS

Exhibitor spaces are limited and assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

HOTEL & ACCOMMODATIONS

STAY AT THE

OFFICIAL CONFERENCE HOTEL

HILTON ATLANTA HOTEL

AUGUST 18–23, 2026

Secure your stay at the official host hotel of the 126th National Business League Conference. Stay where the leaders, speakers, and decision-makers are.

SPECIAL CONFERENCE RATE:

$159.99 /NIGHT

Room rates apply August 18–23, 2026.

Limited room block available

PRIME LOCATION.

FULL ACCESS.

Located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, the Hilton Atlanta Hotel places you steps away from all conference sessions, networking events, and key experiences.

STAY WHERE

BUSINESS HAPPENS.

From early morning sessions to late-night networking, your proximity becomes your advantage. This is where connections are made and deals begin.

EXCLUSIVE

CONFERENCE RATE.

Lock in the special discounted rate of $159.99 per night—available only to registered attendees.

LIMITED ROOMS. HIGH DEMAND.

This exclusive room block will sell out. Once it’s gone, standard rates apply.

RESERVE YOUR ROOM NOW
VIEW HOTEL DETAILS

Secure your room early to guarantee access to the official conference hotel and maximize your experience.

National

BLACK

BUSINESS

MONTH

2026

BUILDING LEGACY. DRIVING WEALTH. CREATING IMPACT.

Support black businesses. Invest in our future.