The Washington, D.C. Chapter was founded in 1978 by Norman Mays. It received its Charter in 1981 to bridge the digital divide and broaden opportunities for underserved communities in technical, then data processing, fields of interest. The Chapter was incorporated in 1981 as a domestic not-for-profit corporation in the District of Columbia. In February of 1988, Black Data Processing Associates of Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area (BDPA-DC)  became an IRS Section 501(c)(3) Public Charity.  Today, BDPA is a global member-focused organization serving the professional well-being of its stakeholders. Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia chapters of BDPA support all industries across STEM disciplines and remain committed to excellence while providing a wide spectrum of resources to members, corporate sponsors, small business owners, educational institutions and local communities in the National Capital Region (NCR).