The early participation of African Americans in professional pharmacy associations between the 1870s and the 1970s is explored. The early participation African American pharmacists in the national pharmacy organizations was limited to the American Pharmaceuticals Association (APhA), a small number of the APhA state and local affiliates, and the pharmaceutical section of the national and state Black medical associations. Little to no participation of African American pharmacists as members in other national organizations (e.g., National Association of Retail Druggists (NARD), National Wholesale Druggists Association (NWDA), or the American College of the Apothecaries) occurred before the 1960s. Few African American pharmacists played a leadership role as officers before the 1960s except in the Black professional pharmacy organizations. (This is the first of three papers dealing with key points of black professional pharmacy association).