One of the first efforts to reach African American college students for ministry from an organized standpoint took place in 1936, when a group of African American pastors in Houston, Texas set out to organize a “Baptist Student Movement” at Prairie View A&M University, and historically African American institution.  It seems that other denominations had set up programs to reach their student, and the Baptist pastors of Houston decided it would be appropriate to create a ministry to African American students.  The Baptist Student Movement at Prairie View organized Bible student groups, prayer service, worship services and other supportive programs to meet the spiritual needs of the Baptist student at Prairie View.  The Baptist Student Movement at Prairie View is still a very strong organization on that campus. 

Apparently, the Baptist Student Movement at Prairie View was the only official Christian campus organization in the country for African American students until the mid 1940’s.  In 1944 Reverend E. W. D. Isaac, Executive Secretary of the National Baptist Training Union Board of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. (African American), and Reverend Harold D. Gregory, Superintendent of Missions of the Nashville, Tennessee Baptist Association of the Southern Baptist Convention (Caucasian), were among the first Baptists who sought to organize a National organization to minister to Negro Baptist college students.  Nashville seemed to be the ideal place for this national movement to be born.  African American and Caucasian Baptists had publishing boards in Nashville and the city was a citadel of higher education for African Americans (Meharry Medical College, Fisk University, the American Baptist Theological Seminary, Tennessee A&I State University).  In 1944, Reverends Isaac and Gregory with others persuaded the National and Southern Baptist pastors in Nashville to organize a “Joint Committee” on Baptist work.  The Committee consisted of representatives of the above Baptist conventions, with the National Baptist Convention of America (African American). 

The Committee elected Mr. S. E. Grinstead, Sr. as the Executive Secretary with the responsibility to organize Baptist Student Unions on historically black college campuses (HBCU).  Baptist Student Unions set up by Mr. Grinstead were similar to those for Caucasian students.  Christian students would meet on campus for prayer, fellowship, Bible study and worship.  On July 10, 1945, a Baptist Student Union was organized at the American Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville.  Apparently Mr. Grinstead was unaware of the Baptist Student Movement at Prairie View.  Mr. Grinstead organized the first “national retreat” for African American students on the campus of the American Baptist Theological Seminary in the spring of 1946.  Students form several other schools attended.  The National Baptist Student Union Retreat has been held annually without interruption ever since, when Christian students can come together in a national setting for preaching, teaching, seminars, praise worship, gospel music, and fellowship. 

Other Baptist Student Unions were organized at Tennessee A&I, Fisk, Meharry and the Nation School of Business in Nashville.  Mr. Grinstead served part-time for several years, but became full-time in 1953 as the National Director.  A Baptist Center was built at 2023 Jefferson Street in Nashville in 1952.  The BSU Center and the fact that Mr. Grinstead was now full-time meant that the ministry of the National BSU Retreat was truly prepared for national work.  The Center was later called the “National BSU Headquarters”.

Representatives of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., the National Baptist Convention of America, the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board, and the Southern Baptist Home Mission Board came together, in 1952, and formed a National BSU Advisory Committee.  By 1963 the number of Baptist Student Unions on historically black campuses (HBCU) was 53. 

Beginning in 1945 and continuing for the next 23 years, Mr. Grinstead traveled the United States and the world, touching and changing lives of countless people.  He encouraged students on college and university campuses to prepare themselves spiritually and well as educationally, and showed the Christian life by example.  Mr. Grinstead was able to bring diverse groups together in unity, and was a great promoter of better ethnic relations.  He was employed by the Southern Baptist Home Mission Board and worked in a cooperative spirit with Southern Baptists in the pursuit of this ministry.

Under Mr. Grinstead’s leadership, the annual session of the Retreat was held on an African American college campus, beginning on a Friday evening before the last Sunday in April.  The Retreat would close on Sunday morning with the student worshiping at an African American Baptist Church in the host city.  Many of the annual session were held in Nashville, Tennessee.  Since African American students were not invited to Southern Baptist Student retreats in that era, the National Baptist Student Union Retreat was one of the few meetings where African American Christian students could meet fellow students who were committed to Christ and His Church. 

Following Mr. Grinstead’s retirement in 1968, Dr. Emmanuel L. McCall, an official of the Southern Baptist Home Mission Board in Atlanta, became the National Director and served until 1972.  Under Dr. McCall’s leadership, the Retreat and its ministries continued to move forward.  Dr. McCall made new contacts and friends for the Retreat.  His contacts with Southern Baptists gave to the Retreat new financial resources and also opportunities in the summer mission’s ministry. 

During the 1972-73 school year following Dr. McCall’s resignation, Reverend John Westbrook of Texas served as National Director.  Reverend Westbrook was full-time and served on the staff of the Student Department of the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board in Nashville.  Reverend Westbrook later became pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Houston, Texas.   

In 1973 after Reverend Westbrook resigned, the Student Department of the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board invited Dr. John H. Corbitt to come to Nashville as consultant for Black Campus Ministries and to serve as National Director of the Retreat.  At the time Dr. Corbitt was pastor of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Little Rock Arkansas, which was in the midst of a building program, and therefore, Dr. Corbitt declined in the invitation.  By November of the same year no plans for the National session of the Retreat had been made.  Those in the Student Department asked Dr. Corbitt to “please help us out this one year”, hoping that within the next 12 months a permanent replacement for Reverend Westbrook could be found.  Dr. Corbitt accepted.  No replacement was ever found, and Dr. Corbitt has served as the National Director while pasturing Springfield Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina since 1973.

 In October 1987 another ear in the history of the National Baptist Student Union Retreat began when the sponsorship of the ministry was passed form the Southern Baptists to the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc. under the presidency of Dr. T. J. Jemison.  The change in support brought about an new enthusiasm for the Retreat from National Baptists.

 Under Dr. Corbitt’s directorship the Retreat has grown and expanded.  Until the mid 1970’s most of the students who came to the Retreat were from historically black campuses (HBCU).  With the growth of integration, and with more African American students attending previously all Caucasian schools, the National BSU Retreat found a way to reach these African American students through the Black Student Fellowship of the BSU on these campuses.  Through this arrangement, African American students were able to meet in Southern Baptist BSU Centers for Bible study, prayer services, discussion groups and Gospel Choir practice.

With the sponsorship of the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc. the National BSU Retreat launched its own Summer Missions Program.  The Retreat has sent students to work in Vacation Bible Schools, Summer Enrichment Programs, Christian Day Camps and Back Yard Bible Sessions for two to four weeks each summer.  For two summers a group was sent to Atlanta to repair houses for poor and handicapped people.  The Retreat began to publish special materials designed for the nurture of African American college students.  The material subjects include gospel music, leadership, developing a prayer life, the challenge of Islam, and evangelism.  Each year the Retreat sponsors a national workshop for BSU directors, advisors, and church staff in an effort to give new skills to those who minister to college students and to keep them up to speed on new concepts in campus ministry.

 In 1996 Dr. Corbitt, having served as the National Director for 23 years, relinquished the work of the National BSU Retreat, during the presidency of Dr. Henry J. Lyons of the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc. to Dr. Percy R. Chase, pastor of the Community Baptist Church of Durham, North Carolina