100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge mourns death of Founding President
(Baton Rouge, LA) 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge, Ltd. mourns the death of its founding president Brace B. Godfrey, Jr. Family members said he died of a massive heart attack this morning. Godfrey was 58 years old.
“Brace’s untimely death is shocking and has thrown the “The100” and the community into a tailspin,” said current chapter president Dr. Adell Brown, Jr.
Brown noted that Godfrey was active on the local and the national levels with 100 Black Men, having served as a member of the executive committee of 100 Black Men of America.
As chair of the National African-American History Challenge Contest, Brace was just beginning to work with the youth leaders of the 116 chapters around the country to coordinate this event in June.
In February 1993, Godfrey called together a group of professional African American men in Baton Rouge and presented to them the concept of organizing a Baton Rouge chapter of 100 Black Men of America.
That group voted to seek affiliation and on May 5, 1993, 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Baton Rouge, Ltd. was accepted by the 100 Black Men of America as its 34th chapter in the United States.
Brace B. Godfrey, Jr. served as founding president and immediately became a member of the national board of directors. “Brace’s death leaves a void in the community, the Baton Rouge chapter of the “100” and 100 Black Men of America” said Rev. Larry Smith, a founding member and former president who succeeded Godfrey.
As founding president, Godfrey’s contributions to the “100” and the community have been well documented. He was the guiding force behind many neighborhood clean-up projects initiated by “the 100”, including the “takedown” of abandoned housing in North Baton Rouge.
It was Godfrey that developed the “Not from this House” program that addressed gun violence in the city and urged the chapter to undertake this initiative.
Godfrey was instrumental in the decision to apply to the State of Louisiana for the charter to operate Capitol High Academies and served on the board of the Capitol High Academies. He dedicated his life to serving the youth of this city and the nation.
The 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Baton Rouge, Ltd. (“The 100”) is a local organization that was formally chartered June 14, 1993, as the 34th chapter of the 100 Black Men of America.
Brace B. Godfrey, Jr. served as founding president and a member of the national board of directors. “The 100” is a non-profit organization through which African-American males step forward and assume roles of community leadership, responsibility and guidance.
The mission is to give substance to a shared vision which fosters and develops model programs that build our community by mentoring our youth.
For more information go to: www.100blackmenbr.org.
Photo by: 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge
###
====
----ORIGINAL POST----
via: referral logsthis is sad news. we noticed that we had been receiving "brace godfrey dies" googlers all day, so we knew something was up. nevertheless, it's always disappointing and a bit shocking when these types of referrals turn out to be true, like they usually do.
brace godfrey
photo by brian baiamonte
225batonrouge.comsalvation stories====
Brace Godfrey, founding president of 100 Black Men, dies at 58
Advocate staff report
Published: Mar 13, 2010 - UPDATED: 4 p.m.
Baton Rouge lawyer, developer and founding president of 100 Black Men Brace Godfrey died this morning, family members said.
Godfrey was 58.
Godfrey died of a massive heart attack, his wife Cynthia Godfrey said.
More to come as it is available.
