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100 Black Men Of Long Beach, CA
History Of 100 Black Men Of America, Inc. 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. 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:
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."
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:
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