100 Black Men of Central Illinois
In the summer of 2003, a man with an idea to make a difference in a transitional community started organizing meetings in his basement. The man, Arthur Lee Smith, PhD., created a movement that resulted in a plan to establish a local chapter of the 100 Black Men of America, Inc.
From that point, Dr. Smith began to speak to potential members from various positions in the community. In August 2003, a meeting was held at a local church with members from the 100 Black Men of Chicago in attendance, and the group made the decision. Just a few weeks after that historic meeting, our By-Laws were drafted and later the Articles of Incorporation were filed. In December 2003, the 100 Black Men of Central Illinois, Inc. became an official chapter.
The Central Illinois Chapter of the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. has grown over the years and continues to be committed to making a difference in the lives of young people, especially young African Americans.
One of our programs, the “Mentoring for Life” program, is the cornerstone of the good work we do in our community. We are involved with local scholarship programs that award money to the brightest students for continuing education. We also hold an annual health & wellness breakfast and are involved in many community partnerships that support financial literacy and education.
The 100 Black Men of Central Illinois truly believe that “What They See Is What They’ll Be”.
100 Black Men of America
We are a chartered chapter of the 100 Black Men of America. 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. They also wished to ensure the future of their communities by aiming an intense number of resources toward youth development.
Today the organization has grown to over 116 chapters with more than 25,000 men 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 125,000 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 have made outstanding progress, proving that Blacks can, and do, excel as corporate leaders, community leaders and as independent business owners.