The National Bowling Association, Inc. is a non-profit corporation, organized in August 1939, in Detroit, Michigan, for the express purpose of encouraging Blacks to develop their skills in the game of Ten Pins. It was originally known as the "National Negro Bowling Association" because at the time of its birth, Negroes and other Non-Caucasians were not permitted to belong to ABC or WIBC because of certain restrictive clauses in their constitutions. Because our membership included a large number of Asians, Hispanics and people of color other than Black, in 1944, our organization was renamed "The National Bowling Association, Inc." We participated actively in the fight for "Equality in Bowling," and in 1950 both ABC and WIBC removed the Non-Caucasian clauses from their constitutions. Starting in 1951 TNBA members have enjoyed the privilege of competing in all open sanctioned tournaments.

    Although approximately 80% of our present membership is Black, TNBA has no racial restrictions whatsoever as to membership or participation. TNBA's slogan is "Promoter of Sportsmanship, Fellowship and Friendship" - Ideals which are accomplished through organized competition.

    The constitutional purpose is to foster and promote the game of Ten Pins among both men and women. Membership is open to all bowlers, without regard to race, creed or color. 

    TNBA promotes friendship, sportsmanship and fellowship among its members. We also serves as a recruiting agency and point-of-entry for black bowlers who otherwise would not receive the encouragement, tutelage and guidance needed to learn the game and develop the skills that are essential to full enjoyment and successful competition. Such encouragement and training prepares TNBA bowlers to compete on equal terms in the tournament and competitions that are now open to them. 

    TNBA has been and continues to be a major factor in the integration of blacks into the "bowling world" and plays a part in the national movement toward implementation of American democracy, ideals and principles. The acquaintance that comes with contact and the respect that is engendered by superior skill helps break down unfavorable attitudes and racial barriers. 

    The National Negro Bowling Association (NNBA) formed on August 20, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan. During this period most bowling organizations restricted membership to whites, thus prompting African Americans to form their own association. The NNBA held its first tournament in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1939, and the organization consisted of teams from especially the Midwest, including ones from Detroit and Cleveland, as well as Cincinnati, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; Toledo, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Chicago, Illinois; and Racine, Wisconsin. Teams from other parts of the United States quickly joined the association, but bowlers from Cleveland, Chicago, and Detroit dominated the league into the 1950s.

    In 1944, the NNBA became known as the National Bowling Association, welcoming people of all races into its ranks. Still, at least during this era, African Americans dominated the group’s membership. One of the organization’s presidents during the 1950s was William DeHart Hubbard, an African-American sports legend from Cincinnati. In 1951, the two other major bowling organizations, the American Bowling Congress and the Women's International Bowling Congress, also stopped excluding people from membership on the basis of race, allowing whites and blacks to compete in the same events. The principal reason for this change was legal pressure from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and from the National Bowling Association.

    The National Bowling Association continues to exist today. In 2006, the organization boasted a membership of thirty thousand adult members. The association also oversaw approximately five hundred separate leagues within the United States.