In 1985, Chattanooga business owner and TVA manager Gerald Mason spear-
headed a grass roots effort to raise scholarship money for inner-city youth through a Black college football classic. The TVA-sponsored event was a success.

Encouraged, Mason worked with Reuben Lawrence of Beasley Distributing, and
Victor Julian, then a vice president at Anheuser Busch, to develop a local gala head-lined by premiere musical acts. The first Chattanooga A Night to Remember in 1987 – featuring Nancy Wilson, Billy Paul and Ramsey Lewis – was a smash. A tradition of superior entertainment in support of Chattanooga’s youth was born.

Over 20 years later, $4 million has been raised and distributed to local agencies such as Girls, Inc., 100 Black Men, the Chattanooga African American Museum, Boy Scouts, Ballet Tennessee and others.

The organization has grown to include numerous business and community leaders, supported by local corporations, loyal minority businesses and a core group of volunteers. Featured muscial entertainers have included Jeffrey Osbourne, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and many other top performers.

“A sense of community and a desire to invest in our future unites us all,” said current A Night to Remember Board Chairman Irvin Overton, a retired executive vice president of Erlanger Health System.

“Helping with the event is a delight because you know what the end result is – making Chattanooga a better place,” said Lawrence.

Individual tickets go on sale January 20th at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center at 423.266.8658 or visit online. Those purchasing tickets at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center will receive a gift with the purchase of your tickets while supplies last. Individual tickets are $75 each.

Location - Chattanooga Convention Center (map)

Doors open at 7pm with the show starting at 8pm.

Sponsorships and corporate tables are available on a first-come basis. Click here for more information.

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Tel: (423) 265-0021
FAX: (423) 265-0023
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