Atlanta Football Classic, Empowering the Community through the Youth

Bringing two storied teams, two world class marching bands, and two extraordinary institutions of higher learning together for a winner take all game is more than enough. Or is it?

There’s more to college football classics than tailgating, rekindling old friendships, and cheering on the old alma mater. Eighteen years ago, a two-year old group of determined Atlanta businessmen started on a path to take one of these annual events and create a resource for empowering the community.

The Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic was founded by the 100 Black Men of Atlanta in 1988 to fund their Project Success program. Project Success is a five pronged program designed to identify, encourage, mentor and educate the youth of metro-Atlanta.

Through the program, the 100 Black Men hope to equip the participants with the tools to become valued contributors to their community. And while the program brochures are draped in glamorous descriptions, it is by no means a small undertaking. The members of the organization not only mentor and provide educational resources but they also commit to paying the college tuition of its graduates.

John T. Grant, Chief Executive Officer of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta, estimates the cost for current participants to complete the full program to be about $16 million.

Even with so much on the table not all students fulfill their commitment to the program. “Not many of us took it serious because it was a new program and then too we were too young to realize its value,” explained program graduate Freddie Boss. Boss, an engineer and entrepreneur, was in the first class to complete the first phase of Project Success.