BMGS Programs & Services

The Black Men of Greater Springfield is a private not-for-profit (501c3) organization whose mission is to provide educational, cultural, developmental and citizenship enrichment to minority youth who reside in the greater Springfield, MA community. Our initial activities included historic tours of local, regional and state-wide tours, college preparatory fairs and career fairs. These event were provided for youth from the age of seven to sixteen. These events were also open to parents.

The W.E.B Dubois Academy
The W.E.B. Dubois Academy has been in existence since 1994. The young men pictured above are some of the students who have been with us since the beginning. We are extremely proud of these brothers and wish them continued success. They have earned it. The Academy meets every Saturday, September through June.

The Amer-I-Can Program
The Amer-I-Can program provides 8 life management skills training sessions for 20-25 youth through the implementation of the national Amer-I-Can program. National Football League Hall of Famer Jim Brown founded the Amer-I-Can program in 1988 to allow individuals to experience success by equipping them with the tools to overcome obstacles and achieve their full potential. The program emphasizes elevating self-esteem, achieving success through self-determination and creating an attitude change from "I-CAN'T to I-CAN."

The Amer-I-Can curriculum addresses 8 areas of life skills and human development:

Motivation, Habits and Attitudes
Goal Setting
Problem Solving and Decision Making
Emotional Control
Family Relationships
Financial Stability
Effective Communication
Employment Search and Retention

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Student Scholarship Program
The Black Men of Greater Springfield has established a scholarship fund to support current or former students of the W.E.B. Dubois Academy to pursue higher education.