The
overall concept of the 100 began in New York in 1963 when a group of concerned
African-American men began to meet to explore ways of improving conditions
in
their community. The group eventually adopted the name, "100 Black Men, Inc."
as a sign of solidarity. These men envisioned an organization that would implement
programs designed to improve the quality of life for African Americans and other
minorities. They also wished to ensure the future of their communities by aiming
an intense number of resources toward youth development. These members were successful
black men from various walks of life. These visionaries were business and industry
leaders such as David Dinkins, Robert Mangum, Dr. William Hayling, Nathaniel Goldston
III, Livingston Wingate,
Andrew Hatcher, and Jackie Robinson.
Dr.
William Hayling, a member of the NY organization, had relocated to Newark , NJ
and sought to replicate the 100's impact in that area. In 1976, Dr. Hayling formed
the 100 Black Men of New Jersey. A movement had been born. Men across the country
began to form 100 Black Men organizations to leverage their collective talents
and resources. Chapters were formed in Los Angeles, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Area, Nassau/Suffolk, and
Sacramento.
On
September 21, 1983 , a three-hour meeting was held at the Washington Hilton Hotel
in Washington, D.C. , among representatives from the Los Angeles, New York,
New Jersey, and St. Louis chapters. This meeting was to evaluate the feasibility
of establishing a National Organization for 100 Black Men. This meeting was held
during the annual weekend meeting of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Representatives
of St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Area, Nassau/Suffolk
and Sacramento met for a second time in Las Vegas, May 11-13, 1984, at the Las
Vegas Hilton Hotel. The men engaged in extensive discussions about the most effective
structure to support the growth and governance of 100 Black Men chapters.
The
third meeting was held May 16-18, 1986 at the Flamingo Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas. At this meeting it was agreed that the best model for a newly-formed national organization was a federation governance model. This model leveraged human and
financial resources, and supported chapter growth while preserving chapter autonomy.
It was also voted that a National Steering Committee would include the Presidents
of each chapter, along with two members from each chapter.
A
final meeting was held on October 2, 1986 at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel in
Washington, DC. Chapters represented were: Los Angeles, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Atlanta
and New Jersey. The chapters decided that the name of the organization would
be: "100 Black Men of America, Inc."
The
following individuals were elected as officers:
Dr.
William Hayling ( Los Angeles ) President
Moses Gray ( Indianapolis ) Secretary
Oliver Lofton, Esq. ( New Jersey ) Vice-President
Jesse C. Swanigan ( St. Louis ) Treasurer
On
May 27, 1987, in Atlanta, Georgia, this newly formed organization introduced
itself to the nation during its first national conference. Noted speakers included
the late Alex P. Haley and the late Honorable Maynard H. Jackson.
In
1989, Nathaniel Goldston became the organization's second National President and
grew the organization to 43 chapters.
Thomas
W. Dortch Jr. was elected the third National President in 1994. That year
he spearheaded
an aggressive plan entitled "Four For The Future" TM. Since that time, the
organization has strategically channeled its resources toward programs that
support these important
areas: Mentoring, Education, Health & Wellness, and Economic Development.
The 100 has identified these areas as being critical to the future of African
Americans.
In
1997 Chairman Dortch expanded the organization internationally with the chartering
of the Birmingham , England chapter. Additional international chapters followed;
Nassau Bahamas, Goree Island, Senegal, Kingston, Jamaica, U.S. Virgin Islands,
and London, England chapters. It was also in 1997 that the organization purchased
its World Headquarters building on historic Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia.
In
2004, Albert E. Dotson, Jr., Esq. was elected the fourth National President. He
has focused the organization on Leadership Development in all of the Four For
The Future areas. Today the organization has grown to over 103 chapters.
Today
the organization has grown to over 103 chapters with more than 10,000 members
who continue to strive to improve the quality of life in our communities and enhance
the educational and economic opportunities for African Americans. 100 Black Men
of America,
Inc. has more than 100,000 youth participants annually in its mentoring and youth
development programs.
With
a mission to improve the quality of life and enhance educational opportunities
for African Americans, members of the 100 continue to serve as a strong force
in the world by overcoming the cultural and financial obstacles that have limited
the achievements of some African Americans, particularly young African American males. Members of
the 100 have made outstanding progress, proving that Blacks can, and do, excel
as corporate leaders, community leaders, and as independent business owners.
NATIONAL
CONFERENCE LOCATIONS
Atlanta
(1987), Los Angeles (1988), Indianapolis (1989), Newark, New Jersey (1990), St.
Louis (1991), San Francisco (1992),
Atlanta (1993), Nashville (1994), Jackson, Mississippi (1995), Miami (1996), Atlanta
(1997), New Orleans (1998),
Detroit (1999), Newark, New Jersey 2000), Atlanta (2001), Orlando (2002), Las
Vegas (2003), Miami (2004), New Orleans (2005).
