African-American History Challenge

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The African-American History Challenge (AAHC) is a national initiative of the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. The program was started in 1995 under the leadership of the late Bruce B. Godfrey, Jr. founder of the 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge and former member of the 100 Black Men of America Board of Directors. 

It is an education and scholarship program designed to 1) enhance and/or ignite the study of African American history among young; and 2) increase youth interest in knowing and better understanding the legacy left for them by their African-American ancestors. Since its inception, AAHC has become a signature youth event of the annual conference of the 100 Black Men of America, Inc, which is held each June.

The authority for AAHC is the history book by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. entitled Life Upon These Shores: Looking at African-American History, 1513-2008. The book provides youth with a wealth of knowledge about African-American history dating back to the arrival of the conquistadors to the 2008 election of President Barack Obama in 2008.

The 100 Black Men of West Alabama, Inc. fielded its first team for the African American History Challenge in 2015. Drawn from the Tuscaloosa’s West Side Scholars program, the participants in the Middle School Division that year completed a qualifying examination to determine which two youth would represent the chapter. The team traveled to national competition at the 100 Black Men of America Annual Conference in Houston, Texas.

In 2017, students from University Place Elementary School and University Place Middle School participated in an after-school program to prepare them for competition. A local run-off was sponsored to determine the team from University Place Middle School that represented the chapter in the African-American History Challenge Middle School Division at the 100 Black Men of America Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. A second local competition focused on Alabama African American History was also

sponsored in 2017.

Participation Years:

2020-2021

2019-2020

2018

2017

2015