The first National Black Men's Conference was held in Atlanta, Georgia, October 15-18. Although organizers anticipated 5,000 registrants, just over 1,000 made up the conference, with additional volunteers. The attendees represented the following areas of the United States:

• Northeast--426
• South--515
• Central--89
• and West--138.

Forty nonblacks registered and many of the volunteers were nonblack. Promise Keepers numbered approximately 50.

One frequently-visited attraction in the exhibit hall of the conference was the General Board of Global Ministries booth, designed and staffed by GBGM executive Ed Moultrie. By noon Saturday, the word was out and most of the attendees came by to visit the GBGM exhibit, which displayed ministries to, with, and for black men as part of its mission.

The overall purpose of the conference was an historic gathering of African-American men of Methodist heritage. They represented the following denominations:

• African Methodist Episcopal (116 attendees),
• African American Episcopal Zion (75),
• Christian Methodist Episcopal (122),
• United Methodist (517),
• other (188).

The 13 plenary speakers and dignitaries included Dr. William B. McClain, Mayor Lee Brown, Dr. Dennis Proctor, Dr. Frank Reid, Dr. Vasti McKenzie, Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, and Bishop Othal H. Lakey.

34 workshops included "Fatherless Households," "Why Black Men Do Not Come to Church," "Successful Church and Community Models," and "What Black Women Wish Black Men Would Learn about Relationships and Family," conducted by United Methodists Marilyn Magee and Dr. Carolyn E. Johnson.

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