'97 super bachelors - eligible African American bachelors

Ebony, June, 1997

Whoever said a I good Black man is hard to find hasn't met any of EBONY's 1997 super bachelors--25 handsome, intelligent, and industrious Brothers who are among this year's best catches, representing America's most distinguished gentlemen.

Hailing from the East Coast, the West Coast and points in between, they include nationally known personalities such as movie matinee heartthrob Larenz Tate; the U.S. Congress' youngest member, Rep. Harold E. Ford Jr. (D-Tenn.); Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson; New York Giants wide receiver Chris Calloway; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Bobby Johnson; romantic balladeer Kenny Lattimore and R&B soul-stirrer Eric Benet.

They also include a number of lesser-known but no less intriguing eligible bachelors--career professionals and blue-collar workers--who know how to treat a woman like a lady. And almost to the man, they say the ladies in their futures are spiritually minded, independent, emotionally secure, mature Sisters who love to laugh and have a good time.

MICHAEL JOHNSON, 29, a gold medalist on and off the track, is one of the sports arena's most eligible bachelors. The Olympic recordholder finds confident, outgoing women who like to try new things most attractive.

LARENZ TATE is only in his early 20s, but he's already secured a firm hold on the hearts of female film lovers of all ages. He describes himself as a "hip-hop fanatic," and says the woman for him will have a sense of humor. "I can't be the only one," he says, "cracking jokes."

DAVID R. WOODGET, 30, a Deatsville, Ala., resident, enjoys attending sporting events and spending time with his 5-year-old son. A district manager for a major automobile manufacturer, he prefers to spend time with a God-fearing, educated and physically fit woman.

REP. HAROLD E. FORD JR., 26, is the youngest member of the 105th U.S. Congress and one of Capitol Hill's most-sought-after escorts. He is also the second youngest congressman in the nation's history and the first African-American to succeed his father in Congress. In his free time, the Memphis native enjoys reading historical novels and biographies and playing tennis and racquetball.

JOHN S. KENDALL, 34, is a registered patent attorney in Chicago. He likes poetry, jazz and listening to "oldies music," and he seeks a well-groomed, Christian woman. "Aggressiveness," he says, "is also a plus."

KENNY LATTIMORE, 27, is setting the R&B music charts ablaze with his self-titled debut album and its heartfelt hit singles, "Never Too Busy" and "For You." He's also on a personal mission, he says, to show the world "the strong, but sensitive and caring side of Black men."

CLYDE L. TERRY, 33, works as a deputy sheriff for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. He seeks a strong, independent woman to spend time with him at the beach and driving up the Pacific coast.

ROBERT W. MALONE, 43, the devoted father of a 6-year-old son, works as a store manager for a major tire manufacturer in Nashville, Tenn. He finds intelligent women who enjoy "being treated like a lady" attractive.

RICHARD MOORE, 40, is the pastor of Holy Unity Baptist Church in Jamaica, N.Y. He likes water sports and horseback riding, and hopes to meet a goal-oriented woman who "knows how to have decent fun."

NEAL L. MCNEIL, born in Bamberg, Germany, is an electronics engineer for the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, D.C. "A big joker" who likes to laugh a lot, the 27-year-old is looking for a woman with an equally zany sense of humor.

ERIC BENET, 27, made his debut on the music scene last year with his first solo R&B album, True To Myself, and hasn't looked back since. The accomplished lyricist says his ideal woman is "always trying to improve her mind, body and soul."

CARL D. LOWMAN, 34, works as a corporate treasurer in Colorado Springs. a golfer and lover of fine dining, he says his ideal woman is classy, independent and meticulously neat.

MICHAEL JOSEPH, 43, speaks French and a little Spanish and believes that "sleep should be eliminated so we can enjoy all 24 hours." The Detroit native is attracted to women who enjoy the arts and are trustworthy and affectionate.

JEFFREY and JOHN WALKER, 33-year-old twin brothers, live outside Atlanta in Decatur, Ga. Jeffrey is a senior community epidemiologist in the Georgia Department of Human Resources. He would like to meet a woman "who is true and honest, but mysterious and challenging." John works for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as an environmental, health and safety scientist. His ideal woman has high self-esteem and is self-motivated.

BOBBY JOHNSON, 23, is a rising star cornerback with the Philadelphia Eagles professional football team and a native of Longview, Texas. He would like to meet a goal-oriented woman who's outgoing and spontaneous.

ZACHERY ARMOUR, 40, lives in Memphis, Tenn., where he works as a certified public accountant. He loves to cook, read and take walks in the park and says he wants to meet a woman who is honest, spiritual and intelligent.