Members of the Black Men’s Forum (BMF) elected Tracy “Ty” Moore II ’06 and Charles J. Hamilton III ’07 as their new president and vice president after three and half hours of heated discussion last night.

“I’m truly honored and humbled by getting this really powerful position,” Moore said. He added that as president, he plans to “first and foremost increase the cohesion within and without the organization.”

Yesterday’s election marked the longest and most contested election in the recent history of the organization, in which two to four candidates ran for all six executive board positions.

“It speaks to the vigor of the organization,” Moore said.

The members also elected Bryan C. Barnhill Jr. ’08 as Brotherhood Chair, Jon W. Barfield ’07 as Treasurer, Michael P. Anderson ’08 as Social Chair, and Jon E. Gentry ’07 as Secretary.

In the timed speeches and question-and-answer sessions, members raised issues currently facing the organization such as campus presence and relationships with other student groups.

Lengthy open discussion sessions where candidates were asked to leave the room were followed by a secret ballot vote.

Outgoing president Kwame Owusu-Kesse ’06 said he looked to the next leadership to “bring the organization to the next level.”

“[I want them to] leverage the legacy and move forward to the future, continue the focus on community service and balance it with political action, and establish the BMF nationally,” Owusu-Kesse said.