April 18 was a great day in the lives of 22 professional, talented and progressive young men who were inducted in to the Collegiate 100 organization at Prairie View A&M University.
The Collegiate 100 is an auxiliary organization existing on college campuses nationwide directly related to, and in turn shares the ideas and views of, the 100 Black Men of America. The goal of this organization is to assist 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston, Inc., with its academic enrichment, economic empowerment, and Mentoring mission.
The members of the organization along with their positions are: Travis C. Reed, President; Dymonique J. Burton, Vice President, Dorian C. Price, Vice President Programs, Christopher J. Shelton, Secretary, Patrick Gray, Treasurer, Dominique R. Washington, Communications Director, Frederick C. Fox, Marketing Director, Kelvin Washington, Membership Director, Courtney Allen, Parliamentarian, Vincent I. Ellis, Chaplain, Terrance N. Caldwell, Sergeant-at-Arms, Jeffrey L. Harris, Historian. Dr. Clement Glenn, professor of Education Leadership is the primary advisor along with Mr. Frederick V. Roberts, the secondary advisor and sponsor member of the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston, Inc.
The Collegiate 100 was created at Prairie View A&M University in Texas in 1993 by Frederick V. Roberts, then director of Student Activities. The original group included male and female students who provided leadership and mentoring for the students at the university. Roberts, being a charter member of the newly recognized Metropolitan Houston Chapter, Inc. (June 1994) of the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. presented the idea to seek affiliation with the national organization. The chapter, led by Attorney Benjamin Pigott, accepted the proposal and presented the request to the Board of Directors of the 100 at its December 1994 Leadership Board Meeting. The proposal was unanimously adopted as part of the organization's Program Success and thus began the national launch of the Collegiate 100.
The 100 Black Men of America organization was borne out of the 100 Black Men of New Jersey which was created in 1963. The national organization was formed in 1986 and formally introduced to the nation in 1987 in Atlanta, Georgia. The 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston, Inc. was chartered in March 1994.
Some of the first members of the Collegiate 100 at PVAMU were Robert Brown, Horace Bussey, Kevin Bussey, Lelar Corbett, Loretta Davis, Jason Jefferson, Christina Johnson, Marcus Lane, Derrick Ross, Devyon Smith, Michael Smith and Donna Tomlinson.
On hand the for the ceremony were Houston City Controller, Attorney Ronald Green the featured speaker, Prairie View Mayor Frank D. Jackson, the Master of Ceremony, Mr. Darnell Joseph, President and Chairman Emeritus of the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston, Inc.
Other well-wishers were the family of the members along with the beautiful, talented and progressive young ladies, all students at the university.
