Atlanta's 100 Black men: prominent civic leaders sponsor major football classic to give youngsters a chance at a better life - 100 Black Men of Atlanta Inc

Ebony, Sept, 1990 by Douglas C. Lyons

ATLANTA'S 100 BLACK MEN

Prominent civic leaders sponsor major football classic to give youngsters a chance at a better life

IT sounded too good to be true--even if the news was the answer to Fionne Austin's prayers. A group of Black men had just "adopted" her eighth-grade classroom, promising to finance each youngster's college education. "At first, I didn't believe it," says Austin, who was 14 at the time. "I thought they were just playing with us."

But, these Black men don't play.

Since that bold promise three years ago, The 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc., has become one of the city's most effective community organizations, thanks to the work of a few good men. "Project Success," the group's key volunteer program, begins its fourth year with roughly 70 percent of the 35 "adopted" students at Atlanta's Archer High School bound for college, and one-third of them holding "B" averages or better.

To back up its promise to the students, The 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc., has raised more than $100,000 for the past four years to reach a goal of $1.5 million to pay for the youngsters' post-secondary education.

The men have devised two fund-raising programs that are fast becoming major Atlanta social events. The first is Le Cabaret, an annual black-tie gala ball that attracts 1,500 patrons. The second is the Atlanta Football Classic, a September sporting event that features the gridiron clash between Florida A&M University and Tennessee State University. The debut game last year attracted a standing-room-only crowd of more than 48,000 fans inside Georgia Tech's Grant Field, while another 5,000 clamored for tickets outside the stadium.

The 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc., like its counterparts in New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis and other cities stresses the notion of service and is committed to meeting the needs of the Black community. It is the "work ethic" that separates the men's group from other organizations. "When I was first invited to become a member, I told them that I had no time to join something that was purely social," recalls Alonzo Crim, a college professor and former city schools superintendent. "If it had no intentions towards community service, I didn't have the time."

The Atlanta organization began in 1986 with a simple premise. "We started our organization to combat the notion that Black men might be fading from the cultural horizon," says Dr. Joseph I. Hoffman Jr., the group's president. "We [Black men] may not be shining as brightly as we need to shine, but we're definitely here, and we're definitely doing something."

Today, the group consists of some of Atlanta's most prominent Black business and civic leaders, including Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson; Michael Lomax, Fulton County commission chairman; J. Jerome Harris, former superintendent of the Atlanta Public Schools; Nathaniel Goldston, president of Gourmet Services, and three of the five Black college presidents of the Atlanta University complex.

While there is a relaxed camaraderie among the members, the work is never far from their minds. As part of their commitment to the organization, several members have "adopted" students, spending time and developing bonds as friends and role models. The teenagers participating in "Project Success" live in one of the city's most destitute areas. Meeting the needs of these students is not always easy, according to some members who have confronted family problems and social ills that come with an impoverished community.

The group holds a Saturday Academy, which brings the youngsters face-to-face with Atlanta's leading academic, corporate and government officials. However, members say the special moments come during the time spent between the individual adults and their students, whether it's shooting "hoops" or reviewing homework. "It's important to fill that void," says John Grant Jr., the chairman of Project Success. "I've asked the students, `Which do they prefer, the money or the time we [mentors] spend with them?' Eight out of 10 say they prefer the personal commitment." Adds Monica Douglas, the program's director: "I've heard some of these kids say that when they get older, they would like to do this for someone else. I think that perpetuates a sense of self-help."

The personal commitment often produces some touching moments. Austin fondly remembers former school superintendent Harris' surprise invitation to take her shopping for a Christmas present. The two ended up at a bookstore, where Harris selected a book for the surprised teenager. But what happened next is something she will never forget. "While we're standing in line, I saw him sneak a $20 bill in the book," she says. "I thought that was so cute."

Officials hope to eventually expand the program to adopt a whole school and give both the students and themselves a chance at a better life. "Being mentors with these kids has been a rewarding experience, but they have done more for us than we have for them," says Ed Frances, a member and mentor of a young girl. "They have given us the confidence that we've needed to pull an organization together and give back."