Black excellence on the slopes: National Brotherhood of Skiers celebrates a milestone

February marked the 50th anniversary of the National Brotherhood of Skiers’ annual Black Summit gathering. Ben Finley, 84, the organization’s founder, has been curating Black excellence on the slopes for over five decades.

The organization’s “Soul on the Snow” event drew 2,000 people to the snow-capped mountains of Vail, Colorado from February 4 to 11. The event was open to all levels of skiers. Newbies were able to take lessons, while enthusiasts were able to ski freely. The event offered alternatives to skiing, such as snowmobiling and tubing. All ages and experience levels could participate in races and learn about new techniques and ski gear.

The fun was allocated to more than just on the slopes. There were several banquets and dinners held during the week. Complementary s’mores bars were set up for families to enjoy every evening around a fire pit, and happy hours were a huge hit with this year’s attendees.

The summit’s host hotel, The Hythe, provided a scenic outdoor patio overlooking the mountains. The Tavern on the Square served as a meeting place for the skiers once they came off the slopes. This year, R&B singers Ne-Yo and Anthony Hamilton performed for guests.

The summit isn’t just a time to show off new skis. It is a significant representation of Black people in an unconventional space.

In the 1960s, what started as a leisurely ski trip for Finley, turned into something more. He hoped to get 12 people to agree to go on a trip with him to lower the cost. To his surprise, over 30 people within his native L.A.-area showed interest. According to Vail Daily, this group of 30 would eventually evolve into the 4 Seasons West Ski & Snow Club. The original 30 people and two clubs from a flyer in a community center have expanded into 50 clubs and over 5,000 members.

The inaugural summit in 1973 proved to Finley and co-founder Art Clay, 85, that they were filling a void.

“None of it was planned. I describe the development of this organization like packing a little snowball at the top of the hill and starting it down the run, and it gets bigger and bigger as it goes until you say, ‘Oh s—, look at what we ended up with.’”

Finley continued, stating that the skiers’ energy and camaraderie keep the organization growing.

“There was no discussion about, ‘what do you do?’ Or, ‘what’s your profession?’ Or, ‘how much income do you have? The only common denominator was we are skiers and we’ve come here to have a ball.”

Martie Bowser is a journalist and public relations professional in Charlotte, NC. She enjoys amplifying the voices of POC and women that fill a void within their community. Her bylines include “person of interest” interviews, small business highlights, pop culture commentary, entertainment features, and everything Beyonce.

This story was originally published March 1, 2023 at 12:10 PM with the headline "Black excellence on the slopes: National Brotherhood of Skiers celebrates a milestone."