The idea of 100 Black Men was born in New York City in 1963. A body of successful men from the fields of business, industry, public affairs, government and the professions decided to pool their skills, experiences and resources to improve the quality of life for Blacks and other minorities. Among those early founders were David Dinkins. Livingston Wingate and Andrew Hatcher.
In the 1970’s, the concept of developing individual, independent chapters in other cities took hold and in 1976, Dr. William Hayling and others formed the second chapter, 100 Black Men of New Jersey.
After New Jersey came Los Angeles, Indianapolis. St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Atlanta. The San Francisco/Oakland Bay Area, Nassau/Suffolk and Sacramento. In 1986 these nine successful chapters resolved to create “100 Black Men of America. Inc.” as a national confederation with Dr. Hayling as the founding president.
The first conference was held in Atlanta, Georgia on May 27, 1987, where the alliance was introduced to the nation. Since then the group has met in Los Angeles (1988), Indianapolis (1989), New Jersey (1990), St. Louis (1991), San Francisco (1992), Atlanta (1993) Middle Tennessee (1994), Jackson, Mississippi (1995), Miami, Florida (1996), Atlanta, Georgia (1997), New Orleans, Louisiana (1998), and Detroit, Michigan (1999).
About the 100 BMA of Southern Illinois
In 1986 the Chapter was incorporated under the laws of the state of Illinois and in 1988 became a tax exempt non-profit 501 (C) (3) organization under the Internal Revenue Code. The 100 Black Men of Southern Illinois thus became the tenth chapter to be officially recognized by the national at an executive meeting held at the National Convention in Indianapolis in June of 1989. This enabled the Chapter to articulate its concepts and contributions on a national level.
PURPOSE
The national organization, 100 Black Men of America, Inc., a confederation of all existing “100 Black Men” chapters, was formed in 1986 to marshal a force of outstanding men whose collective training, skills and experiences could achieve meaningful gains for the African American Community. To realize our goals, our confederation focuses considerable time and resources on:
- Educating our Youth
- Creating Jobs and Economic Opportunities
- Ensuring Governmental Accountability
- Informing our Communities on Health Issues
- Exploring Alternatives for Adequate Housing
- Elimination of Discrimination and Racial Injustice
These and other issues are the essence of activities for all affiliates as we seek a better way of life for the residents of our respective communities and endeavor to uniformly and seriously address the myriad concerns affecting us all. The binding force of the “100 Movement” is the diversity of our members and programs.
Mission Statement
The mission of the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. is to improve the quality of life within our communities and enhance educational and economic opportunities for all African Americans.
Value Statement
100 Black Men of America, Inc. is committed to the intellectual development of youth and the economic empowerment of the African American community based on the following precepts: respect for family, spirituality, justice, and integrity.
Vision Statement
100 Black Men of America, Inc. seeks to serve as a beacon of leadership by utilizing our diverse talents to create environments where our children are motivated to achieve, and to empower our people to become self-sufficient shareholders in the economic and social fabric of the communities we serve.