Page 32 - Hancock County Tourism ~ 2025

The 100 Men Hall represents a notable structure, a rare architectural monument to African American life on the Gulf Coast and is one of the few standing sites on the Mississippi Blues Trail.
The 501(c)(3) nonprofit—still using the name “Hundred Members Debating Benevolent Association”—returns the Hall to a meaningful role in the community, with the intention of forming a bridge between its original mission and the current needs of the community.
The Hall serves as a living heritage museum that carries the unique cultural and musical history particular to the Gulf Coast into the 21st
Century. Those familiar with the Hall consider it a beloved community treasure; those learning about it for the first time are instantly captivated by its storied past.
The Hall was built in June 1922 and was dedicated in July 1923. The dedication is inscribed in a cornerstone still visible on the front right footing. Having survived Camille (1969), Katrina (2005)
and Zeta (2020), the Hall celebrated its centennial (2022) with community events to engage people of all ages in its history, significance and mission.
The 100 Men Hall’s mission is to promote and preserve the music, art, historical legacy and culture of the 100 Men Hall, a centuries-old nexus of social justice and artistic expression. Founded in 1894 for and by a population historically denied access to exhibition venues, the Hall is one of very few remaining landmarks within the famed Chitlin Circuit. The Hall’s enduring success is a powerful testament of art’s role as a vehicle for activism.
Over many decades, the Hall sheltered and inspired culture bearers to defy and endure the
32 hancock county guide
www.playonthebay.org
100 Men Hall