The 100 Black Men of the Cape Fear Region has pledged $25,000for the establishment of an endowed scholarship at Fayetteville StateUniversity (FSU). The scholarship will be awarded to students based onfinancial need.
 “One of the foundingprinciples of our organization is to empower and educate youngAfrican-Americans, and what better way to do that than investing in theirfuture,” said John W. Smith, Jr. president of the 100 Black Men of the CapeFear Region.  “We believe that what theysee is what they will be so, mentoring is what we do.  Our chapter, established in 1998, is devotedto improving the quality of life for African American youth and communitiesthrough programs focusing on Educational Enrichment, Economic Empowerment,Leadership Development, Health and Wellness and Mentoring.  It is our hope that one day the recipients ofthese scholarship dollars will follow the lead of our great organization bypaying it forward and giving back and supporting the communities in which theylive and work.”
Interim Chancellor Peggy Valentine said that it’s importantfor groups like the 100 Black Men of the Cape Fear Region to support education,and she is grateful to them for selecting FSU to establish their endowment.
“The 100 Black Men have a national and international reputationfor supporting their communities,” Valentine said. “Their work is sofar-reaching that they have established chapters for young men on collegecampuses, to include ours. That speaks volumes of the quality and importance oftheir work. I am so pleased and honored that they have made this financialcommitment to Fayetteville State University and in its students.”
Endowment gifts such as this go a long way towards ensuringthe viability and continued success of institutions of higher education,particularly HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), said Dr.Harriet Davis, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement at FSU.
“This gift is truly an investment in FSU and its future,”Davis said. “I can’t thank the 100 Black Men of the Cape Fear Region enough forrecognizing the importance of a quality education and the life-changing affectsit can have on our students.”
About 100 Black Men
The initial idea for 100 Black Menof America was conceived in New York in 1963 by a group of African Americanprofessionals who wanted to improve the quality of life and economicopportunities for the black community by fostering better education and youthdevelopment. Elements of the organization’s creed that date from this era(“e.g. no member shall be without transportation, no member shall be withoutlegal representation, etc.”) provide some insight into the challenges faced bymany African American organizations during the height of the Civil Rights Movement of the early 1960s. Some of the early memberswere DavidDinkins and JackieRobinson.
By 1976 a separate chapter wasformed in New Jersey and before 1987 other chapters formed in mostly major U.S.cities. Between 1983 and 1986 these chapters held several national conferenceswith the aim of forming a more official national organization. On May 27, 1987,100 Black Men of America, Inc. held its first national conference in Atlanta,Georgia, with businessman NathanielGoldstien as its first president and chairman of the board.
In 1994, the organization established the Collegiate 100as an auxiliary to its chapters throughout the nation. The Collegiate 100 iscomposed of only young men actively enrolled in college. The Collegiate 100members provide support for the chapters as well as receive mentoring fromchapter members.
In 2010, the organization established an auxiliary foryoung professional men known as the Emerging 100. The Emerging 100 focuses onrecruitment and engagement of men between the ages of 22 and 35. Atlanta wasthe first city to establish an Emerging 100 auxiliary.
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AboutFayetteville State University
FayettevilleState University is a constituent institution of The University of NorthCarolina System and the second-oldest institution of higher education in thestate, having been founded in 1867. FSU is a historically black universityoffering degrees at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels. With morethan 6,700 students, Fayetteville State University is among the most diverseinstitutions in the nation. To learn more about Fayetteville State University,visit www.uncfsu.edu.