About Us - A Brief History
KMT Asen was founded in 1988 by ten Morehouse College students guided by four elders and the ancestors. The original members of KMT were interested in actively acknowledging African origins of civilization and experiencing a rite of passage into manhood that would strengthen their ability to serve their community and ultimately the world as Black men. Despite a number of challenges, their elders guided them through the first rite of passage (called a crossing) and on March 23, 1988 KMT was officially born.
There have been ten additional Crossings since the original - both in Atlanta and Nashville. Our most recent crossing was completed in 2009 with two Georgia State University students. If you are interested in membership, please complete the contact registry and we will keep you updated.
Currently, KMT men are drug counselors, teachers, ministers, professors, screenwriters, school principals, architects, executive directors of community centers, activists, journalists, fathers, sons, brothers and uncles. Despite the many paths that we choose, we are bound by one central proposition:
Men must be committed and accountable to their communities.
Regardless of where we are or what we do, we must serve our community. In this sense, becoming a member of KMT does not mean that we are defined by KMT, but rather that we are defined by the relationship that we have with our community.
The name KMT represents what many scholars assert is the original name of what we now know as Egypt. These same scholars indicate that KMT means "The Black Land" or "Land of the Blacks." Although we certainly acknowledge the importance of ancient KMT, we are not cultural hobbyists nor do we limit our celebration of African origins of civilization to KMT. For us, KMT represents a Diasporan sense of excellence and responsibility. Symbolically, "the land of the Blacks" is Atlanta, Trenton, Compton, Kingston, Lagos, Nassau, San Juan... Membership in KMT does not designate a particular affinity for ancient " Egypt " at the expense of the rest of Africa or any other people of the African Diaspora, but rather a commitment to an emerging sense of manhood that is inextricably bound to Black communities across the globe and ultimately to humanity itself.