Welcome to Chicago, Illinois, also known as Chi-Town, as well as where I and my family call home.
As we convene the 2024 Constitutional Convention, I would like to offer special thanks to our General Office staff, the General Convention committee, Midwestern Regional Vice-President Brother Franklin Stacy, Jr., Midwestern Assistant Regional Vice President Jayden D. Donald, the convention planning team, as well as the convention’s host chapters and committee for all their hard work in helping this convention come to fruition.
Since our first introduction to the Fraternity, Alpha men have been charged with being forward thinking and forward acting. The 2024 Constitutional Convention offers our chapters’ delegates the opportunity to be a part of history as we discuss and refine this great Fraternity’s guiding documents as we move into the future.
The theme of our Constitutional Convention is “The Leaven of Self-Examination,” which recalls the 7th Chapter of The History of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity: A Development In College Life by Charles H. Wesley, where “the leading desire in this period was internal development.” Similarly, the Fraternity has once again reached a point in its history, where there is not only a desire, but a critical need to strengthen our very foundation ensuring the Fraternity is equipped to navigate today’s ever-changing and volatile cultural and legal landscape.
While the character and values of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is as steadfast as the Great Sphinx of Giza, societies’ are not, and we must ensure that our beloved Fraternity, and what we value most, cannot be compromised, targeted, or most of all, deemed irrelevant to the needs of the communities in which we reside and serve.
Aside from addressing our critical work, as always, any gathering of our Brothers affords time and opportunities to fellowship with one another and strengthen our bond as well as showcase our presence and brand to the general public.
I look forward to working and fellowshipping with you.
Fraternally,
Dr. Willis L. Lonzer, III General President
WILLIS L. LONZER, III, Ph.D. GENERAL PRESIDENT
Dear Brothers,
SEAN L. McCASKILL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
I hope this message finds you mentally and physically strong.
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2024 Constitutional Convention of our beloved Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Brothers, as we gather here in the great city of Chicago, Illinois, I want us to reflect on the theme for this year’s convention: “The Leaven of Self-Examination” – named for the 7th chapter of our Fraternity’s history, which stressed the desire of the Fraternity for its internal development.
I am grateful to our General President Dr. Willis L. Lonzer and the Board of Directors’ decision to call for this special convention as well as their commitment to strengthen our foundation and to ensure we refine our guiding documents for future generations to come.
We also welcome our new and existing sponsors who have seized upon the additional opportunity to support our Fraternity and our efforts after last year’s 97th General Convention. Thanks to their support, we can increase leadership development, employment opportunities, and brand awareness.
Since last year’s General Convention, the General Office has launched several new successful initiatives and promotions, including our new digital talk show, “Sphinx Talk with Brother Eric Christopher Webb,” which is off to an exciting start offering in-depth one-onone interviews with notable and celebrity Alpha men from around the globe both inside and outside of the studio, including Brother General Charles Q. Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Actor and U.S. Senate candidate for Michigan Brother Hill Harper and others. Aside from our existing and prestigious “40 Under 40” and “Men of Distinction” recognition programs, we also anticipate the announcement of our new “40 Over 40.”
“Alpha Travels,” a travel initiative for Alpha Brothers and their families, held its inaugural trip to Egypt in January, with an upcoming Founder’s Day Caribbean Cruise in December, and another Egypt excursion in 2025.
And for those Alpha collectors, our new commemorative, “Jewel Coin Collection,” is now available and we are currently compiling a special “Alpha Dollars Touching Alpha Brothers” business directory, which provides complimentary business promotion for Alpha Brothers in good standing.
Lastly, I offer a special thank you to the General Office Staff, the convention planning team, as well as the convention’s host chapters and committee for their tireless efforts to ensure the 2024 Constitutional Convention is a success.
Fraternally,
Sean L. McCaskill Executive Director
WILLIS L. LONZER, III, Ph.D. GENERAL PRESIDENT
FRANKLIN STACY, JR. REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT
MIDWESTERN REGION
Greetings!
SEAN
MCCASKILL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
JAYDEN
DONALD REGIONAL ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT
Welcome to Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated’s 2024 Constitutional Convention, taking place in one of the most famous cities in the Mighty Midwestern Region and the nation, Chicago, Illinois! On behalf of the General Board of Directors, the Midwestern Regional Leadership Team, and our local host chapters, we are so incredibly excited to fellowship together and provide you with a taste of Alpha hospitality during this monumental weekend! It is paramount that we engage in the work of Alpha, breathing new life into our fraternal documents and carrying our great organization another 118 years. And while you get caught in the work like Alpha men regularly do, stop and take some time to smell the yellow roses, spend some money with our vendors, and enjoy all the sights and opportunities that this convention and great city has to offer!
In the spirit of this year’s convention theme, The Leaven of Self-Examination, we’ve called for a mirror–enabling us to analyze the inner-workings of our own fraternity and implement positive revision. This transformational weekend is the culmination of groundbreaking ideas, hundreds of years of impactful servitude, and a whole lot of love and passion put together with the hopes of creating meaningful change to the current state and ultimately, the future of our dear fraternity. There are no problems or issues that can’t be beaten through our collaborative effort and commitment, especially when there’s an empowered and engaged Alpha brother like YOU leading the charge! Let us come together to not only efficiently conduct business, enthusiastically compete, and to enjoy fellowship, but to fill ourselves with the knowledge and spirit to better meet the ever-evolving demands of our beloved communities.
Now more than ever, we are all needed together to move this fraternity and world onward and upward. It is Alpha Phi Alpha’s time to lead, advocate, and empower those around us through our mission, living our motto, First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All.
Fraternally,
Jayden D. Donald Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Midwestern Regional Vice President
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Xi Lambda Chapter
8236 S. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL 60620
Greetings Brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated,
On behalf of the brothers of Xi Lambda Chapter, we welcome you to the 2 nd Constitutional Convention for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. We are glad that you have come to Chicago to do the work of Alpha and we will do our best to assist you.
On May 15, 2024, Xi Lambda Chapter celebrated its centennial anniversary. Our chapter has played a vital role in the foundation of Alpha in Chicago and the world. Xi Lambda has hosted numerous fraternity conventions since 1934. Chicago served as the General Headquarters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. from 1954 to 198 9, after the Fraternity purchased the Theta and Xi Lambda house.
Chicago has long been a world -class city having world renown architecture, arts, athletics, and cuisines. Chicago has two major airports that move over 4 2 million people annually to numerous global destinations. We are confident that your stay in Chicago will be filled with interesting activities and experiences.
More importantly, Chicago is an Alpha town having five alumni chapters and nine college chapters in the metropolitan area, comprising over 1,700 members. On behalf of all Chicagoland Alpha chapters, we express our gratitude that you have come to Chicago to serve at this important convention. Collectively, we welcome you and we will roll out the carpet to help you during your stay.
We see it is an honor to host the 2 nd Constitutional Convention and, once again, place Chicago in the history books of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Onward and Upward.
Fraternally,
Brother Farrad Ali
34th Chapter President
Xi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
General Board of Directors
Midwestern Regional Assistant Vice President
Dr. Willis L, Lonzer, III General President
Dr. Everett B. Ward Immediate Past General President
Lucien J. Metellus, Jr. General President-Elect
Densel V. Fleming General Treasurer
Sean L. McCaskill Executive Director
Wardell Glass, Jr. General Comptroller
Christopher G. Ellis, Jr. Eastern Regional Vice President
Franklin Stacy Jr. Midwestern Regional Vice President
Yousif N. Omer Eastern Regional Assistant Vice President
Jayden D. Donald
Cecil E. Howard, Esq. Southern Regional Vice President
Jeramaine O. Netherly Southwestern Regional Vice President
Jarvis P. Prewitt Southern Regional Assistant Vice President
Parris D. Evans Southwestern Regional Assistant Vice President
Wayne M. Kimball, Jr. Western Regional Vice President
Daryl D. Parks General Counsel
Ahlias T. Jones Western Regional Assistant Vice President
Dr. Robert L. Harris, Jr. National Historian
Council of Presidents
General
International
International
Alpha
National President
International
International
International
Dr. Willis L, Lonzer, III | Chairman
President Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Jimmy McMikle Grand Polemarch Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Inc.
Danette Anthony Reed
President and CEO
Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Ricky L. Lewis Grand Basileus Omega Psi Phi, Fraternity, Inc.
Chris V. Rey, J.D. | Co-Chairman
President Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
Elsie Cooke-Holmes
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Dr. Stacie NC Grant
President Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
Dr. Sean D. Housen, Sr.
Grand Polaris Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.
Rasheeda S. Liberty
Grand Basileus
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.
Past General Presidents
Moses A. Morrison 1908-1909
Frederick H. Miller 1911-1912
Roscoe C. Giles 1909-1911
Charles H. Gavin 1912-1914
Henry L. Dickson 1914-1915
Howard H. Long 1916-1917
Henry A. Callis 1915-1916
William A. Pollard 1918-1919
Daniel D. Fowler 1919-1920
S.S. Booker 1921-1923
Lucius L. McGee 1920-1921
Raymond W. Cannon 1924-1928
B. Andrew Rose 1928-1931
Rayford W. Logan 1941-1945
Charles H. Wesley 1931-1940
Belford V. Lawson, Jr. 1946-1951
A. Maeco Smith 1951-1954
Myles A. Paige 1957-1960
Frank L. Stanley, Jr. 1955-1957
William H. Hale 1960-1962
T. Winston Cole, Sr. 1963-1964
Ernest N. Morial 1969-1972
Lionel H. Newsome 1965-1968
Walter Washington 1973-1976
James R. Williams 1977-1980
Charles C. Teamer, Sr. 1985-1988
Ozell Sutton 1981-1984
Henry Ponder 1989-1992
Milton C. Davis 1993-1996
Harry E. Johnson, Sr. 2001-2004
Adrian L. Wallace 1997-2000
Darryl R. Matthews, Sr. 2005-2008
Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr. 2009-2012
Everett B. Ward 2017-2020
Mark S. Tillman 2013-2016
Leadership Directory
Board of Directors
General President
Immediate Past General President
General President-Elect
General Treasurer
General Comptroller
Regional Vice President - East
Regional Vice President - Midwest
Regional Vice President - South
Regional Vice President - Southwest
Regional Vice President - West
Regional Assistant Vice President - East
Regional Assistant Vice President - Midwest
Regional Assistant Vice President - South
Regional Assistant Vice President - Southwest
Regional Assistant Vice President - West
Appointed Officers
Executive Director
General Counsel
General Historian
General Parliamentarian
Dr. Willis L. Lonzer, III
Dr. Everett B. Ward
Lucien J. Metellus, Jr.
Densel Fleming
Wardell Glass, Jr.
Christopher G. Ellis, Jr.
Franklin Stacy, Jr.
Cecil E. Howard, Esq.
Jeramaine O. Netherly
Wayne M. Kimball
Yousif N. Omer
Jayden D. Donald
Jarvis P. Prewitt
Parris D. Evans
Ahlias T. Jones
General Convention Committees Chairmen
Awards and Achievement
Grievances and Discipline
Resolutions and Recommendations
Rules and Credentials
Standing Committees Chairmen
Budget and Finance
Business and Economic Development
College Brothers Affairs
Constitution
Elections
Endowment and Capital Formation
Fraternal Standards
Historical Commission
Human Resources
Life Membership
Sean L. McCaskill
Daryl D. Parks, Esq.
Robert L. Harris, Jr.
Adrian B Stratton, PRP
General Convention Officials
Director of Conventions
Chaplain
Sergeant-At-Arms
Security Director
Membership Development
Public Policy
Publications
Racial Justice
Van L. Strickland
Rev. Dr. Jonathan C. Augustine
Eugene L. Aiken, Jr.
Donald L. Woods
Dedric Dennist, Sr.
Judge Lewis M. Nixon
William J. Jernigan
Louis Bates, Jr.
Wardell Glass
James Floyd
Allan Younger
John M. Williams
Luscious Turner, III
Timothy J. Gibson
James Cook
Dr. Robert L. Harris, Jr.
Darryl Farrow
Micholas A. Credle
Dr. Darren Morton
State Sen. Dr. Paul A. Lowe, Jr.
Ramon E. Peralta
Grasford W. Smith, Esq.
Special Committees Chairmen
A. Charles Haston Brother’s Keeper
Alpha University
Audit
Belford V. Lawson Oratorical Contest
Big Brothers, Big Sisters
Boy Scouts
College Life to Corporate Life
Corporate Executive Council
Disabilities
Emerging Alphas Advisory to GP
Fine Arts
Go to High School, Go to College
HBCUs Task Force
Headquarters Assessment Committee
Health and Wellness
Hobart S. Jarrett Debate Competition
Internal Audit Review Team
International Affairs
International Impact Days
Investment
Jewels Heritage Project
John Hope Franklin Collegiate Scholars’ Bowl
Leadership Development Institute
Logistics
M.I.S. and Technology
March of Dimes
Military Brothers
Miss Black and Gold Pageant
Political and Civic Engagement
Dr. Donald J. Peters, Jr.
Cecil M. Brookins
Wardell Glass, Jr.
R. Sylvester Owens
Dale H. Long
Felton L. Davis
Dennis L. Hatchett
Donovan K. Kirkland
Parker Burton, III
Nicholas Harrison
Jabari B. Jones
Dr. Anthony Graham
Dr. David H. Jackson, Jr.
Thomas A. Tatum
Dr. Michael A. Smith
Dr. Michael D. McClain
Dexter Leon A. Taylor
Ronald V. Sewell
Pierre Rutledge
Densel V. Fleming
E. Eric Elmore, Esq.
Gregory L. Bailey
Christopher F. Oliver
Daryle L. Cobb
Farrad Ali
Byron D. Gautier
Ondra L. Berry
Sean A. Bellamy
Carl A. Pickney
Political and Civic Engagement (Commission)
Project Alpha
Protocol
Reclamation
Ritual and Ceremonies
Senior Alpha Affairs
Step Show Competition
Strategic Partnerships
Strategic Planning
Time and Place
Veteran Affairs
Voteless People is a Hopeless People
World Policy Council
Young Alphas Advisory to GP
Foundations
Alpha Phi Alpha Building Foundation
Alpha Building Foundation Corporation
Alpha Phi Alpha Charitable Foundation
Alpha Phi Alpha Education Foundation
Jewel Heritage Project Foundation
Carl A. Pickney
Dr. Charles F. Marshall
Dr. Kenyatta N. Shamburger
Kirk D. Carrington, II
Stephen R. Spence
Ivar F. Brown
Cecil A Duffie
Byron D. Gautier
Jeffrey Hines
Christopher A. Evans
Robert V. McDonald
Steven L. Jones
Dr. Horace G. Dawson, Jr.
Kendric Jones
R. Leandras “Bob” Jones
Samuel D. DeShazior
Dennis G. Kemp, Sr.
Ruben Barkley, Jr.
E. Eric Elmore, Esq.
General Office
Office of the Executive Director
Executive Director
Human Resources Business Partner
Project Manager
Chief Development Officer
Accounting Department
Director of Finance
Accounts Payable Specialist
Communications Department
Director of Communications and Editor-Of-The Sphinx
Graphic Designer/Digital Content Creator
Membership Services Department
Senior Director of Brotherhood Engagement & Outreach
Director of IMDP & Membership
Senior Membership Services Manager
Membership Services Coordinator
Membership Services Coordinator
Membership Services Coordinator
Membership Services Coordinator
Sean L. McCaskill
Sophia Burris
Christina A. Grimes
Gerald K. Johnson, Ph.D.
Nichae Alston
Bernice Meadows
Eric C. Webb, DDiv., CPLC
Nicole McCoy
Denny N. Johnson
Terrence D. Byerson, II
Delores Diggs
Chanta Davis
Kemmi Kilson-Smith
Donnell Thomas
LaTonya B. Truesdale
About Alpha
Mission Statement
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. develops leaders, promotes brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for our communities.
Fraternity History
Since its founding on December 4, 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has supplied voice and vision to the struggle of African-Americans and people of color around the world.
Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African-Americans, was founded at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York by seven college men who recognized the need for a strong bond of Brotherhood among African descendants in this country. The visionary founders, known as the “Jewels” of the Fraternity, are Henry Arthur Callis, Charles Henry Chapman, Eugene Kinckle Jones, George Biddle Kelley, Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Harold Ogle, and Vertner Woodson Tandy. The Fraternity initially served as a study and support group for minority students who faced racial prejudice, both educationally and socially, at Cornell. The Jewel founders and early leaders of the Fraternity succeeded in laying a firm foundation for Alpha Phi Alpha’s principles of scholarship, fellowship, good character, and the uplifting of humanity. Alpha Phi Alpha chapters were established at other colleges and universities, many of them historically
Alpha Today
Objectives
The objectives of this fraternity shall be: to stimulate the ambition of its members; to prepare them for the greatest usefulness in the causes of humanity, freedom, and dignity of the individual; to encourage the highest and noblest form of manhood; and to aid down-trodden humanity in its efforts to achieve higher social, economic, and intellectual status.
black institutions, soon after the founding at Cornell. The first Alumni Chapter was established in 1911. While continuing to stress academic excellence among its members, Alpha also recognized the need to help correct the educational, economic, political, and social injustices faced by AfricanAmericans. Alpha Phi Alpha has long stood at the forefront of the African American community’s fight for civil rights through Alpha men such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; late former Congressman Adam Clayton Powell; late former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; legendary activist, actor and performer, Paul Robeson, former Ambassador Andrew Young; late former Senator Edward Brooke; scholar, Cornel West; Senator Raphael Warnock; Congressman Steven Horsford, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus; General CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; six other members of the U.S. Congress, numerous state, and local lawmakers across the United States, as well as President of Liberia Joseph Boakai, Sr.
Alpha Phi Alpha today continues its commitment to members of the Fraternity and the African-American community through its national programs, partnerships and initiatives. Additionally, through the reestablishment of the groundbreaking Alpha University training program, the Fraternity has rededicated itself to fostering a spirit of Brotherhood within the ranks of the Fraternity, preparing a new generation of leaders and bringing consistency to chapter operation and to the implementation of the Fraternity’s national programs.
General Programs
The Fraternity’s national programs are community outreach mentoring initiatives that have been adopted by the organization’s governing body and mandated for implementation by all of its chapters. The organization’s national programs include:
Go-to-High School, Go-to-College
The “Go-to-High-School, Go-to-College” program, established in 1920, concentrates on the importance of completing secondary and collegiate education as a road to advancement. Statistics prove the value of this extra impetus in making the difference in the success of young African-American men, given that school completion is the single best predictor of future economic success. Through the Go-to-High-School, Go-toCollege educational initiative, young men receive information and learn strategies that facilitate success. Alpha men provide youth participants with excellent role models to emulate.
A Voteless People is a Hopeless People
“A Voteless People is a Hopeless People” was initiated as a General Program of Alpha during the 1930’s when many AfricanAmericans had the right to vote but were prevented from voting because of poll taxes, threats of reprisal, and lack of education about the voting process. Voter education and registration has remained a dominant focus of this outreach activity for over 65 years. In the 1990s, the focus has shifted to include political awareness and empowerment.
Project Alpha
Project Alpha is a collaborative effort between the March of Dimes Foundation and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. This program was developed to increase the knowledge of the African-American male of the consequences of teenage pregnancy from the male perspective. This program seeks to assist young men in developing an understanding of their role in preventing untimely pregnancies through responsible attitudes and behaviors.
The goals of Project Alpha are to: reduce the rate of adolescent sex and pregnancy; stress the concept of abstinence as a personal choice while promoting the use of contraceptives to those that choose to be sexually active; increase the knowledge of anatomy and physiology of the human body and the awareness of sexually transmitted infections; clarify and emphasize the roles and responsibilities of fatherhood; and reduce the rate of sexual abuse and violence among African-American teens.
Brother’s Keeper
Brother’s Keeper is a service program developed with the mission of advocating for and improving the quality of life for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Brothers, their spouses, and widows who are retired, elderly, have disabilities or are ailing. Upon identification of need, the Brother’s Keeper Program provides assistance to mature and ailing members of its communities, to assist with limitations caused by advanced age place demands on family members, caregivers, and the larger community to ensure that elders remain independently functional. The goal of the Brother’s Keeper Program is to promote dignity and independence among Alpha family and community members who need help in keeping their lives and home functional.
Alpha Phi Alpha’s Special Projects are programs and activities that are sustained through collaborative efforts, memoranda of understanding, and/or outside financial assistance, which Chapters are encouraged to implement. Current Special Projects include:
Mentorship Programs
Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) mentoring partnership—implemented in 1991, Alpha Phi Alpha and BBBSA assist each other in mentoring African-American boys and young men.
Boy Scouts of America—through this alliance, Alpha Phi Alpha focuses on mentoring through the Scouting program.
Leadership Development Institutes—the program prepares outstanding high school students in the vital skills of leadership, college preparation and effective group interaction.
Alpha Phi Alpha Charitable Foundation Special Projects
College Life to Corporate
Life
In concert with the mission of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the College Life to Corporate Life Initiative (C2CTM) was created to develop the human resources of Alpha Phi Alpha and cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with corporate partners resulting in rewarding career opportunities for the members of Alpha Phi Alpha and increased critical mass of diverse talent for its corporate partners.
The Jewels Heritage Project
The leadership of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., in partnership with its non-profit, charitable affiliate, the Alpha Phi Alpha Education Foundation, Inc., recently created “The Jewels Heritage Project” committee. The goal of the committee and The Jewels Heritage Project is to reclaim, restore, and revive, historic sites in Ithaca, New York, that are a part of American history and were instrumental to the founding of Alpha Phi Alpha: namely, 411 East State Street and 421 North Albany Street. 411 East State Street was the early meeting place of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and, 421 North Albany Street was the meeting place of the social study club, a precursor to the fraternity.
The Alpha Phi Alpha Charitable Foundation is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to uplifting humanity. The mission of the foundation is to promote scholarship and academic achievement and provide resources, services and advocacy to the global community. Recent efforts of the foundation have been focused on urban education and growing resources and partnerships to aggressively attack the lack of innovation, achievement and preparation often found in these environments. Some current programmatic efforts include technology-based efforts to maximize the human capital found in our inner-city school systems and prepare them for future academic and corporate success. The foundation is also developing a scholarship program for collegiate youth who wish to enter the academic field and work in disadvantaged urban school districts. Former Senator Edward Brooke provided the initial funding for this scholarship effort.
Foundations
Alpha Phi Alpha Education Foundation
The Alpha Phi Alpha Education Foundation, Inc. is the non profit charitable arm of the Fraternity, which focuses on scholarship, programs, and training and development of the membership. Education Foundation encompasses the implementation of Goto-High School, Go-to-College, Project Alpha, Voter Education/ Registration efforts, The Belford V. Lawson Oratorical Contest, the Collegiate Scholars Bowl, Leadership Development Institutes, and the professional and personal development thrusts of the Fraternity-Alpha University.
Alpha Phi Alpha Economic Development Foundation, Inc.
The purpose of the Alpha Phi Alpha National Community Economic Development Foundation is to “promote and encourage economic development in minority and disadvantaged communities by expanding the opportunities for the residents of those communities to enter into, own, manage, operate and/or be employed in business enterprises, which are based upon the substantial participation of the low income community.” Additionally, the Foundation’s aim is to promote a dynamic business environment in under-served communities through franchise opportunities, family financial planning and an aggressive Wealth Building Initiative.
World Policy Council
The Fraternity formed its much heralded World Policy Council in 1996 to address United States national and foreign policy issues. At its inception, Former U.S. Senator Brother Edward W. Brooke of Massachusetts, the first African-American to serve in the Senate in the 20th century, was named chairman of the council. Senator Brooke succeeded by Brother Dr. Horace G. Dawson, Jr., former Ambassador to Botswana. The Council’s formation reflects two realities in America: 1) The U.S. government’s national agenda has become more closely linked to world affairs and non-governmental organizations are part of the network of influential voices in foreign affairs. 2) Alpha Phi Alpha’s legacy of activities in civil rights and education has broadened to include foreign policy. The Fraternity’s leadership has been careful to stress that Alpha Phi Alpha’s new foreign policy interest will not diminish the organization’s involvement with domestic issues.
Rules and Credentials
Report of the Committee on Rules and Credentials outlining the procedures governing the conduct of the Constitutional Convention of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. to wit:
Pre- Convention Information
1. All chapter financial obligations to the General Office must be paid, and the completion of chapter directory will be verified prior to certification of any of the chapter’s delegates.
2. A chapter that is considered in “good standing” with the general organization will have the right to seat the number of delegates allotted to them in accordance with the apportionment that is completed on May 1st of the convention year. [Article II-Section 4]
Registration
3. A brother must present a current pass card, life membership plate or special pass card signed by the appropriate convention officer to check in at the registration desk.
4. Chapter Presidents shall submit a completed delegate certification form to the General Office prior to the Constitutional Convention.
5. Delegates shall present their credentials, including the convention badge to the Committee on Rules and Credentials to be certified for the convention.
6. Once a delegate’s credentials are certified, it is FINAL. Delegate credentials will not be reissued or transferred to another brother.
7. Only registered members and invited guests of the Constitutional Convention will be allowed to participate in convention functions.
8. A record of eligible voters certified by the Committee on Rules and Credentials shall constitute the official voting strength of the convention.
General Rules
9. The program presented by the General Organization shall be the official program of the convention once adopted by the delegates.
10. The latest published edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (12th Edition) shall govern the convention, except that in the matter of debate each speaker shall be limited to not more than two (2) minutes. Additional time or debate on a topic may be granted at the discretion of the General President or presiding officer.
11. The presiding officer may make minor changes to the adopted agenda as necessary during the meetings.
12. For this Constitutional Convention, only those committee reports, topics, and other items that are pertinent to this convention will be addressed.
13. For the safety and health of all participants, vaccination and proof of COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory for attendance at the Constitutional Convention.
14. Constitutional Convention participants consent to still image, video, and audio capture during business and social sessions. Participants are prohibited from recording, streaming, taking photos, or videotaping any portion of the proceedings without prior written consent.
15. Financial information, disciplinary rulings, numerical election results, and information deemed personal in nature to either a brother or chapter that is presented during the Constitutional Convention is to be considered proprietary to delegates and brothers registered for the convention and should not be disseminated until the convention has reached completion.
16. The use of social media is NOT allowed during the business sessions or committee meetings of the Constitutional Convention.
17. The general president shall be an “ex-officio” member of all committees.
18. All resolutions shall be in writing and referred to the Resolutions Committee.
19. Smoking and alcohol are NOT permitted in the general business sessions.
20. Firearms, knives, physical and/or verbal abuse, etc. is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Anyone in violation will be escorted from the room immediately by the Sergeant at Arms and shall not be allowed to return and may be reported to the authorities.
Business Session Logistics
21. There shall be at least two (2) sergeants at arms at the entrance to the assembly hall to facilitate admission and to maintain order. Entrance and exit to the assembly shall be through the main door (s) designated by the sergeants at arms.
22. No brother may be admitted to a convention business session without the convention badge and at minimum Business Attire including (jacket, tie, and socks). No seersuckers or linen suits will be allowed in business sessions or lunches.
23. There shall be an easily identifiable section for delegates only in the assembly hall designated by the sergeants at arms; delegates shall be identified by a convention badge bearing their name and the delegate designation applied by the Committee on Rules and Credentials.
24. Past General Presidents, General Officers, and standing committee chairmen who are not seated on the dais may be seated on the first and second rows of the section designated for delegates.
25. Senior brothers may sit in sections designated for senior brothers by the sergeant at arms in the appropriate delegate/ nondelegate section.
26. The Parliamentarian shall be seated on the dais next to the presiding officer, who will normally be seated to the right of the podium.
27. At the opening of select business sessions, the Committee on Rules and Credentials shall give a status report to the assembly on all certified delegates at the convention.
Rules for Debate
28. One-fourth (¼) of the registered delegates shall constitute “a
quorum” as provided in the Constitution and By-Laws of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. [Article II- Section 6]
29. Quorum shall be established prior to each business session; thereafter the continued presence of a quorum shall be determined by the presence of the total number of registered delegates
30. All speakers recognized shall give their Name, Alpha Membership # (Not Life Member number), Chapter Name and location prior to addressing the Constitutional Convention.
31. All registered brothers shall have the right to address the Constitutional Convention, , raise points of order, state a question towards a motion and take other parliamentary action inherent in a deliberative body.
32. General Officers, Past General Presidents, Chairman of standing committees and the delegates from alumni and college chapters are entitled to ONE vote when addressing motions and elections that occur at the constitutional convention or other matters that come before the constitutional convention. Registered brothers who do not meet the previously mentioned criteria are not entitled to a vote.
33. Votes may be conducted by “voice”, “rising/show of hands” or by electronic means.
34. Assignment of the floor shall be determined by the presiding officer. Those seeking recognition will queue at established locations in the assembly hall.
35. The presiding officer will acknowledge the number of brothers in queue to address the convention, thereafter, the lines for the microphones will be closed.
36. For the Constitutional Convention, no speaker shall address the same issue more than two times.
Submitted by: Brother Louis Bates Jr. Chairman, Committee on Rules and Credentials
Report of the Parliamentarian
Greetings,
The preamble of our General Constitution clearly sets forth both a foundation and charge for our Fraternity:
“We, the members of this organization, in order to promote a more perfect union among college men; to aid in and insist upon personal progress of its members; to further brotherly love and a fraternal spirit within the organization; to discountenance evil; to destroy all prejudices; to preserve the sanctity of the home, the personification of virtue and the chastity of woman, do hereby enact and establish this Constitution for the government of its members.”
The core of this statement, found in the earliest versions of the Alpha Chapter Constitution and later adopted by the General Organization as the formal introduction to our internal governance, has remained unchanged since its adoption. This statement is so embedded into our fraternal identity that it is often overlooked but portions of it are always reflected in our actions and interactions.
At this Special Convention, held for the purpose of considering governing and operational documents we, the members of this fraternity, will convene for an opportunity to ensure how we govern ourselves is in alignment with who we are and where we are headed. The delegates and those assembled at the 2nd Constitutional Convention of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, representing the members of this Fraternity, will have the opportunity to fully consider recommendations and to take action after focused discussions and deliberations. The convening of a Special Convention is significant, and this one, held for our specific purposes at this time in our history, is necessary.
Seven Areas of Alignment
In an organization as old and complex as our Fraternity how we achieve our objectives should be as clear as our purpose. Whereas our preamble has been (and should remain) constant, the introduction of new rules, procedures, and affiliations can unintentionally introduce inconsistencies. At this convention, and with future amendments, attention to consistency between our Constitution, By-Laws, Strategic Plan, and Policies must be taken into account. Addressing consistency in terms and nomenclature will help to ensure that everyone is able to easily understand not only what our rules mean but the relationship between them across all documents. Clarifying the rights and limitations of members will help to prevent confusion or delay in important matters as we transact our business. Details related to finance, and fiscal obligations of members, chapters, areas, districts, and regions should be balanced to ensure transparency and flexibility. Defining, and when appropriate redefining, the relationship between the General Organization, the General Convention and other meetings, and the General Board of Directors will ensure our Fraternity is always prepared to respond to issues that may arise. Finally, addressing our overall governance and policy framework will help our Fraternity better handle situations when external involvement by nonmembers is required.
In conclusion, I would like to first thank all of the committee members from each of the revision committees for their contributions. Each committee worked tirelessly to ensure that this convention would be productive. The various and vigorous deliberations held in your committee meetings were critical, and your efforts are truly appreciated. I also share deep appreciation and acknowledgement to your regional parliamentarians: G. D. Mc Neal, PRP (Eastern Region); J. T. Ayers (Midwestern Region); Bertrand Bonnick, RP (Southern Region); John L Colbert (Southwestern Region); and Jay Brown (Western Region). Each of the regional parliamentarians, while also serving in other capacities for our Fraternity, have provided wise counsel and expert guidance as we have considered the procedural complexities of our organization. Most importantly, I thank all the members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. Your engagement, formal and informal, on the issues important to our membership has been true to who we are as a Fraternity.
Sincerely and fraternally,
Adrian B. Stratton, CPP, PRP
General Parliamentarian
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated
Convention Schedule
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
TUESDAY, JULY 9, 2024
Delegate Certification
VIP/Sponsors Lounge
Alpha Expo Opens(Vendors/Exhibitor Hall)
WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2024
7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
10:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Convention Registration
Delegate Certification
Senior Brothers’ Lounge
VIP/Sponsors Lounge
Concurrent Committee Hearings (1 hour Meetings/ Repeated 4 times) Committee on Constitution & Bylaws Committee on Ritual Committee on Strategic Planning Committee on Fraternal Standards/Membership
Alpha Expo Opens
Delegate Seating
Opening Plenary Session Invocation Report of the General President
1st Constitutional Business Session Report - Credentials, Rules and Program Report - Ritual Report Report - Strategic Plan Report
Welcome to Chicago Reception/House Party Celebrating 40-Years of House Music in Chicago
THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2024
7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
8:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Convention Registration
Delegate Certification
Senior Brothers’ Lounge
VIP/Sponsors Lounge
Delegate Seating
2nd Constitutional Business Session Invocation Report - Credentials & Rules Report - Constitution and Bylaws Review - Constitution Revision Draft
Alpha Expo
O. Wilson Winters Life Membership Luncheon
College Brothers Luncheon
Delegate Seating
3rd Constitutional Business Session Draft Constitution Review
5th Constitutional Business Session Review - Bylaws Revision Draft
General President’s Leadership Reception
General President’s Leadership Awards Program & Concert Sponsored by Choose Chicago
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7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
Convention Registration
Delegate Certification
Senior Brothers’ Lounge
VIP/Sponsors Lounge
Delegate Seating
6th Constitutional Business Session Invocation Report - Credentials & Rules Report - Policies & Procedures Review - Constitution and Bylaws Revision Drafts as Amended
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
12:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Alpha Expo
Leadership Luncheon
Convention Photograph
Delegate Seating
7th Constitutional Business Session Report - Credentials & Rules Report of the General President Final Consideration of Constitution & Bylaws Drafts Adjournment
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9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
SUNDAY, JULY 14, 2024
Interfaith Worship Service
Convention Offices
TUESDAY - SATURDAY
General President Boardroom
Executive Director’s Office
General Office (Finance)
General Office (Membership)
General Office (Communications)
Media Room
Security/Transportation
MPCC | E253C
MPCC | E253D
MPCC | E251
MPCC | E252
MPCC | E257
MPCC | E254
MPCC | E256
Vendor Listing
All Sewn Up
Alpha One Greek
Axia Time
Blakely Bespoke
Bolton Business Services
Buffalo Dallas
Creative Woods
Designed to Dribble
Elegance by Darshi
Greek Certiphied
Greek Divine
Greek Traditions
King McNeal Collection
Love Me Greek
National Convention Sales
Respected Roots
Soror Bling
Tenets
Tenets Co Verse 9
Winter Industries
(BLK App)
Leukemia & Lymphoma
Sponsors
Floor Plan
Lakeside Center Level 2
Lakeside Center Level 3
Lakeside Center Level 4
Alpha Award of Merit & Award of Honor
In 1952, the General Convention established the Alpha Award of Honor and The Alpha Award of Merit.
These have become, by tradition and practice, our greatest awards. The awardees are initially chosen by a committee headed by the venerable Brother Taliaferro (Tolly) Harris. At some point in our history, the selection became a function of the Office of the General President. In recent years, the Award of Honor has been presented to non-members and the Award of Merit to members. Unfortunately, however, our current records do not make a complete distinction between recipients of the awards.
1952
Brother Eugene Kinckle Jones
Brother Thurgood Marshall
Brother Garrett Morgan
1953
Brother Archibald J. Carey
Brother Rufus Clement
1954
Brother Rayford W. Logan
Mary McLeod Bethune
1955
Brother John H. Johnson
T.R.M. Howard
1956
Brother Martin Luther King, Jr.
Brother Arthur Shores
1957
Roy Wilkins
Brother Austin T. Walden
1958
Brother Sidney Jones
Marion Anderson
1959
Brother James W. Parker
Pres. William V.S. Tubman
John Howard Morrow
1960
Brother Adam Clayton Powell
Brother Aaron Brown
1961
Brother Lester B Granger
W.M.G Halm
1962
Brother Whitney M Young
Brother Harry W. Richardson 1963
Brother Edward Brooke
Brother Franklyn Williams 1964
Brother Floyd McKissick
Pres. John F. Kennedy
1965
Brother Charles H. Wesley
Pepsi Cola Company
1966
Brother Thurgood Marshall
1968
Brother Wyatt Tee Walker
Brother Henry G. Parks
1969
Brother Theodore Berry
Barbara Jordan
1970
A. Leon Higginbotham
1971
Brother Roscoe Cartwright
Brother Samuel Gravely
Muhammed Ali
1972
Brother Eddie Robinson
Brother Damon Keith
Brother Robert Brown
1973
Brother Robert W. Harrison
Brother Eugene D. Jackson
1975
Lowell Perry
Brother Maynard Jackson
1976
Brother Franklyn Williams
William Tolbert
1977
Brother William T. Coleman
Henry “Hank” Aaron
1978
Constance Baker Motley
1979
Brother Lionel H. Newsome
1980
Brother Richard Arrington Parren Mitchell
1981
Albert T. Holland, Jr.
1982
Brother Malvin R. Goode
Tom Bradley
1983
Brother Roland Burris
Brother T.J. Jemison 1984
Brother Julian Dixon
Brother William H. Gray III
Brother Ernest N. Morial
Randall Robinson
Brother Walter Washington
Brother Louis Sullivan 1992
Cecil L. Murray
A Brother ugustus M. Witherspoon 1993
Brother Eddie Robinson
Brother Edward Brooke
Brother Lionel B. Richie, Jr.
Brother Ozell Sutton
Brother Dennis Archer
M. Alexis Herman
Brother Charles C. Teamer
Brother John Hope Franklin
Brother Thomas Pawley, III
Brother James R. Williams
Brother Andrew Young
Calvin Peete
2013
Smokey Robinson
Brother Henry H. Brown
Brother Huel D. Perkins
Brother Emmett W. Bashful
Brother Frank A. Dee
Brother Hobart Sidney Jarrett 2000
Brother Lee P. Brown
Brother Milton C. Davis
Brother Maynard Jackson
Brother Marc H. Morial
Brother Henry Ponder
2001
Brother Norman C. Francis
Roderick D. Gillum
Brother Joe Samuel Ratliff
2003
Brother Adrian L. Wallace
Brother James “Tiny” Blanton
Brother William F. Pickard
2005
Brother Horace Dawson
Brother Ernest L. Holloway
Brother Robert “Bob” Willis
2007
Brother Alfred Bailey
Brother Harry E. Johnson, Sr.
Harris Rosen
2008
Brother Sylvester L. Shannon
Brother Joseph E. Heyward
Soledad O’Brien
2009
Brother Thomas Winston Cole, Sr. 1998
Brother Robert Wright
Brother James Huger
Brother Roger Youman
Tommy Hilfiger
Mary Wilson
Otis Williams
Martha Reeves
2010
Brother Jibreel Khazan
Brother Wendell T. Foster, Jr.
2011
Brother Darryl R. Matthews, Sr.
Brother Jerry Butler
Brother Arthur Fleming
Chris Womac
Dr. Earl W. Stafford
Ed Jackson, Jr.
Frank Jenkins
Frank Russell, Jr.
Brother George Reaves
Brother Gregory Phillips
Brother John H. Carter
Joseph S. Ratliff
Robert Bob Wingo
Tyrone Means
Brother Vic Carter
George Sealey
Roderick D. Gillum
Brother Julian Dixon
Joe Samuel Ratliff
Harold Navy
Marian Wright Edelman
Caryl Stern
R. Guy Vickers
Patrick Joseph Kennedy
Richard Marshall
Steve Gursky
Vivian Rogers-Pickard
John Conyers, Jr.
Constance A. Connie Morella
John W. Warner
Paul Sarbanes
Daniel Paul Amos
Earl G. Graves, Sr.
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.
Lerone Bennett Jr.
Darryl L. Wilson
Cynthia M.A Butler-McIntyre
2015
Brother Marion Barry
Brother Stuart Scott
Brother Warren Washington
2017
Brother Otis Moss, Jr.
Eric Holder
Mitchell J. Landrieu
2019
Brother Robert Lee Harris, Jr.
Brother Freeman L. Hrabowski, III PH.D
Brother Charles B. Rangel
Brother Robert C. “Bobby”
Scott
Brother Robert Smith, M.B.A.
Brother Hill Harper
Stanley Nelson, B.F.A.
2021
Brother Aaron Crutison, Sr.
2023
Brother Charles Q. Brown, Jr.
Brother Ford T. Johnson, Jr.
Brother Mark S. Tillman
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson
2024
Brother Danny K. Davis
Brother Steven A. Horsford
Brother Ford T. Johnson, Jr.
Brother Don Scott
Brother Chris Welch
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
EMANUEL “CHRIS”
2024 Award of Merit Recipient WELCH
BROTHER Speaker of the House Illinois House of Representatives
Brother Emanuel “Chris” Welch has served as a State Representative in the Illinois General Assembly since January 2013. On January 13, 2021, he became the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. The first Black lawmaker to hold such position. Prior to becoming Speaker, Brother Welch served as Chair of the House Executive Committee and before that he Chaired Higher Education. All positions where he left a positive mark.
As State Representative, Brother Welch focused on improving classroom education, creating jobs, helping the most vulnerable, and streamlining government. Brother Welch was the Chief Sponsor of several pieces of historic legislation including the law bringing cursive writing back to our schools, the Historic Illinois Trust Act, the Lawmaking Illinois a Welcoming State for immigrants, and the Homeless Bill of Rights. Speaker Welch is also a leading voice for adding black and brown people to the boards of publicly held corporations after sponsoring landmark legislation that requires Illinois corporations to annually disclose their board composition.
Brother Welch has been recognized with several significant awards for his legislative record including the prestigious Zeke Giorgi Award from the AFL-CIO and the Friend and Education Award from the Illinois Education Association.
Prior to joining the General Assembly, Brother Welch served 12 years on the Proviso Township High School Board of Education. His last
ten years he served as the Board Chair. Brother Welch lead the Proviso School Board in the creation of the Proviso Math and Science Academy, a school that today is recognized by Chicago Magazine and US News and World Reports. He did this all while balancing the school’s budget for the first time since the early 90s.
Brother Welch is a partner in the local government law firm Ancel Glink. Prior to that, he served as a partner at Sanchez, Daniels and Hoffman, LLP from 2007 to 2018 where he represented local school districts and municipalities. For his work in school, education and civil rights law, Brother Welch has been recognized as a Super Lawyer and one of Chicago’s Leading Lawyers.
Brother Welch is a graduate of Proviso West High School (‘89), Northwestern University (‘93), and The John Marshall Law School (‘97). He is a 2016 inductee into the JMLS Wall of Fame. In 2022, Welch lead the House Democratic Caucus to its largest Super Majority in modern history.
Brother Welch, a Spring 1996 Xi Lambda Chapter initiate of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., is married to ShawnTe and has two children, Tyler and Marley.
Brother Speaker Welch believes that “He will always find a way, or make one because he always starts and ends with his WHY!”
BROTHER CONGRESSMAN
DANNY
2024 Award of Merit Recipient DAVIS
K.
U.S. House of Representatives Illinois 7th Congressional District
Brother Danny K. Davis was chosen by the people of the 7th Congressional District of Illinois as their Representative in Congress on November 5, 1996. He has been re-elected by large majorities to succeeding Congresses.
In the 118th Congress, Brother Representative Davis has been reappointed to the Committee on Ways and Means and is the Subcommittee Ranking Member of the Worker and Family Support Subcommittee. Brother Davis also serves on the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee. Brother Congressman Davis is a member of several Congressional Caucuses, including the Congressional Black Caucus, the Progressive Caucus, the Congressional Equity Caucus, the Urban Caucus, the Community Health Center’s Caucus, the Congressional Sugar Caucus, the Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys, and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Re-entry.
Brother Congressman Davis has distinguished himself as an articulate voice for his constituents and an effective legislator able to move major bills to passage. He has developed a unique and energetic communication style and interaction with his constituents, setting up dozens of advisory task forces to consider significant public policy questions. He hosts several weekly television and radio shows that feature audience calls and produces regular written reports for every household in the district. In addition, he maintains weekly office hours in the district and is widely sought after as a speaker at conferences and events.
In the 118th Congress, Brother Representative Davis is resolutely committed to preserving our democracy, protecting social security, maintaining our nation’s gains in civil and human rights, women’s rights, voting rights, protection of the environment, consumer and labor protections,
reducing inequality, and ensuring quality, affordable health care for all, while maintaining his long time focus on issues of job creation, poverty, health care, education, youth, and criminal justice reform.
Prior to his election to Congress, he served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners, having been elected in November 1990 and reelected in November 1994. Previously, he served for eleven years as a member of the Chicago City Council as Alderman of the 29th Ward.
Before seeking public office, Brother Congressman Davis had productive careers as an educator, community organizer, health planner/administrator, and civil rights advocate. He has received hundreds of awards and citations for outstanding work in the areas of health, education, human relations, politics, and advocacy, including six honorary Doctorate Degrees from wellknown Colleges and Universities. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States and has spent time in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and in South and Central America.
Born in Parkdale, Arkansas, on September 6, 1941, Brother Congressman Davis moved to the Westside of Chicago in 1961, after having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Arkansas A.M. & N. College. He subsequently earned both Master’s and Doctorate degrees respectively from Chicago State University and the Union Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Brother Davis, a Fall 1984 Mu Mu Lambda Chapter initiate of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., is married to Vera G. Davis, has two sons, Jonathan and Stacey (deceased), and is a member and Deacon of the New Galilee M.B. Church.
BROTHER CONGRESSMAN
STEVEN A.
2024 Award of Merit Recipient HORSFORD
U.S. House of Representatives
Nevada 4th Congressional District
Brother Representative Steven A. Horsford is a proven champion for Nevada’s working families. He is also the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. In the 118th Congress, he is committed to getting Nevada’s economy back on track and restoring public faith in American institutions.
Brother Rep. Horsford understands the challenges many families in Nevada’s Fourth face each and every day. He fights for responsible gun control and background checks. He lost his father when he was 19 and empathizes with those who have experienced the pain of losing a loved one to gun violence. His work has focused on ending the schoolto-prison pipeline and providing the safety net children and families need to succeed. He has worked to strengthen children, families, and communities because these are priorities for so many Nevadans.
For more than a decade, Rep. Horsford led the Culinary Training Academy, the largest job training program in Nevada, helping thousands of workers find quality careers in the hospitality industry. A unique partnership between labor and business, the Culinary Training Academy under Rep. Horsford’s leadership placed over 80 percent of graduates into good-paying jobs and completed a multi-million capital construction campaign.
Brother Rep. Horsford made history as Nevada’s first African American State Senate Majority Leader, and he delivered. He passed the “Clean Energy Jobs Initiative” and positioned Nevada as a leader in
renewable energy. When Nevada’s economy was devastated during the recession, Rep. Horsford worked across party lines to solve the worst budget crisis in state history.
While previously representing Nevadans in our nation’s capital, Brother Rep. Horsford worked to ensure veterans, senior citizens, and all Nevadans received the benefits they deserved, authored and passed the Nevada Lands Bill to create jobs across the state, and fought to protect a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions.
Most recently a small business owner, in partnership with Intel, Brother Horsford worked to bring the first-of-its-kind workforce development program for youth and young adults to North Las Vegas. He helped to launch a food recovery program with Three Square and major employers like MGM Resorts to address food insecurity among needy children, families and seniors. He brings a principled focus on job creation, community development, and skills development to Congress.
Born and raised in Las Vegas to an immigrant mother, Brother Rep. Horsford has worked hard to raise and nurture his three children.
Brother Rep. Horsford is a Spring 2011 Eta Lambda Chapter initiate of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. as well as a Life Member.
DON BROTHER Speaker of the House Virginia House of Delegates
Don Scott has built a reputation for being a steadfast ally to his clients in the courtroom, and has brought that same spirit to the House of Delegates where he is known for being an advocate for working Virginia families.
He was born in Houston, Texas, where he and his siblings were raised by a single mother. A product of public schools, Don attended Texas A&M University. Upon graduation, he joined the Navy and served as a Surface Warfare Officer. This ignited his interest in pursuing law, and upon completion of his service, he earned his law degree from LSU Law School in 1994. After delivering the commencement address to Norfolk State University in 2024, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.
In 2002, Don took an entry-level job at a workforce development company, where he quickly moved up the ranks to Senior Vice President. However, his position required constant travel, and after the birth of his daughter, he decided to return to his original dream of practicing law to stay closer to home. In 2015 he opened his own law practice. Today, he is a partner at Breit Biniazan P.C. and serves his clients primarily as a personal injury attorney.
He entered public life in 2019 when he decided to run for the House of Delegates representing Portsmouth. Since that first election, he has had a meteoric rise from freshman to Minority Leader by his second term. After winning the majority in 2023, Don was unanimously selected by his colleagues as the first Black Speaker of the House of Delegates in its 405year history. Don has made his mark running a tight ship. He is known for being efficient and tough but fair to his colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
He is a proud lifetime member of many civic and community boards and associations. He and his wife, Dr. Mellanda Colson Scott, reside in Portsmouth with their teenage daughter.
As Speaker of the House of Delegates, he is Chair of the Rules Committee and he serves on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates;
2024 Award of Merit Recipient SCOTT
Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board; Commemorative Commission to Honor the Contributions of the Women of Virginia; Virginia State Crime Commission; and Commission on Electric Utility Regulation.
In the community, Don is a member of many boards and commissions and has spent his time outside the courtroom giving back.
Don is a member of the Portsmouth Bar Association, the Old Dominion Bar Association, the Virginia State Bar Association, the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, and the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association. He is also the former Chair of the Portsmouth Economic
Development Authority and former President of the Southeastern Employment and Training Association. He is also a member of the Eureka Club and holds lifetime memberships in the NAACP, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 993 and American Legion Post #190. Awards:
Climate Champion Action Fund
Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Foundation, WEB Du Bois Legacy Award
VACAPAF Award of Appreciation – 81st Convention
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Hugo A. Owens Humanitarian Award
Church and Community in Action Award – Political Leadership Award
Gloucester Institute, Robert Russa Moton Legacy Award
Norfolk State University Doctorate of Humane Letters
UNOS, Living It Forward Award
Virginia Union University MLK Award for Civic Leadership
Virginia Union University Living the Dream Legacy Award
VALCV Conservation Political Voice Award
Virginia Education Association 2024 Legislator of the Year Award
BROTHER
FORD TUCKER
2024 Award of Merit Recipient JOHNSON, JR.
Civil Rights icon and member of the Richmond 34
Brother Ford Tucker Johnson, a 1961 Gamma Chapter initiate, was a member of the group known as “the Richmond 34.”
On February 22, 1960, some 200 Virginia Union University students, led by Frank George Pinkston and Charles Melvin Sherrod, assembled on campus, and marched all to downtown Richmond, shutting down operations in Virginia’s major shopping district. The climactic movement occurred when 34 students were arrested on charges of trespassing for picketing the luxurious Richmond Room restaurant in Thalhimer’s Department Store. Subjected to insult, abuse, and intimidation, the students stood firm and submitted to imprisonment. The response was overwhelming. These courageous students had galvanized the Richmond community. They were quickly bailed out and celebrated as heroes. Their sacrifice was that day set into motion the Campaign for Human Dignity which would destroy racial discrimination laws in Richmond and change the course of history.
In April 1962, Richmond police again arrested Brother Johnson on the charge of an expired license plate. In court, he wouldn’t follow the judge’s order to sit in the black section. He stepped aside and stood by the bench. Brother Johnson was fined $20 for the license and convicted of contempt. The appeal of Johnson’s sentence went to the U.S. Supreme Court, (Johnson v. Virginia), which in April 1963 overturned courtroom segregation. Two months later, the high court overturned the trespassing convictions of the “Thalhimers 34.”
Brother Johnson learned that his contempt conviction had been overturned from reporters in Ghana, where he served in the Peace Corps as one of the earliest volunteers, serving for two years as a teacher and curriculum developer. He graduated with a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Harvard Law School and is today founder, president and CEO of the Koba Institute, a Silver Spring, Md.-based service provider for disadvantaged children with emotional or behavioral problems.
A lifelong entrepreneur, Brother Johnson has founded and organized several corporations, including firms specializing in soft goods manufacturing, real estate, computer analysis, and publishing.
DELTA SIGMA THETA
2024 Award of Honor Recipient SORORITY, INC.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated is a private, not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide assistance and support through established programs in local communities throughout the world. The organization is a sisterhood of predominantly Black, college educated women. Since its founding more than 350,000 women have joined the organization. The Sorority has over 1,000 collegiate and alumnae chapters located in the United States, the Arabian Gulf, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Germany, Jamaica, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Virgin Islands.
Delta Sigma Theta was founded on January 13, 1913 by 22 collegiate women at Howard University. These students wanted to use their collective strength to promote academic excellence and to provide assistance to those in need.
In March of 1913, the Founders of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. performed their first public act. They participated in the Women’s Suffrage March in Washington, D.C. Since then, Delta Sigma Theta has created programming to improve political, education, and social and economic conditions, particularly within black communities. The sorority is most known for its collaboration with community organizations and corporations to further its programming goals.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. was incorporated in 1930.
General President Citations
BROTHER DR. WILLIAM “TED” MCDANIEL Professor of African American Music College of Arts & Sciences, School of Music, The Ohio State University
BROTHER DR. UZEE BROWN, JR. Professor of Music Morehouse College
BROTHER DR. HENRY M. GOODGAME, JR. General Director of Music Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
CHARLIE E. BROTHER REV. DR.
DATES
Senior Pastor, Progressive Baptist Church Chicago, Illinois
Blessed to serve in the city in which he was born, Brother Rev. Dr. Charlie E. Dates is Chicago through and through. Raised on the southside of Chicago, he came of age having welcomed Christ into his life early. Heavily influenced by the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, W.E.B. Dubois, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Mary Mcloud - Bethune, Brother Dr. Dates’ orientation and early formation were significantly bent toward the theological reflection of Black people. This shaped his approach to preaching and his thoughts about the transformative role the Black church plays in bringing about the flourishing of a people.
Brother Dr. Dates holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication & Rhetoric from the University of Illinois - Champaign, Urbana, where he met his wife, Kirstie, who not only changed his life, but also elevated his approach to living. He continued his education with a Master of Divinity and a PhD in Historical Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois.
In 2011, Brother Rev. Dates became the youngest Senior Pastor to serve the historic Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago, which saw exponential growth under his leadership. As a highly sought-after speaker, he is widely invited to preach at churches and speak at retreats, conferences, and universities throughout the United States and abroad. Through his passion for learning, living, and teaching the Gospel, Dr.
Charlie serves as an Affiliate Professor at Baylor University- George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and Wheaton College. He is a contributing author to Letters To A Birmingham Jail and Say It: Celebrating Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition, and is currently working on his first single-authored book on Christianity and Social Justice.
In January 2023, Brother Rev. Dates became the Senior Pastor of the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago. He is married to Kirstie Dates and is the proud father of their children, Charlie Edward Dates II & Claire Dates.
Brother Dr. Dates, a Fall 2020 Xi Lambda Chapter initiate of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., is a member of Xi Lambda Chapter.
D. DARRELL BROTHER REV. DR.
GRIFFIN
Senior Pastor, Oakdale Covenant Church Chicago, Illinois
Brother Rev. Dr. D. Darrell Griffin is a Senior Pastor, a certified Ministry Coach and Enneagram Trainer who is committed to educating, empowering and transforming the lives of God’s people.
Since January 2000, Brother Dr. Griffin has served as the Senior Pastor of the Oakdale Covenant Church of Chicago, Illinois. Under Dr. Griffin’s visionary leadership, Oakdale continues to be recognized as a haven of hope and spiritual transformation in the community and has become known as “A Great Church, with Great People, Serving a Great God.” His commitment to a holistic ministry has manifested itself through the tremendous growth of Oakdale, the expansion of Oakdale Christian Academy and Child Care Center, the establishment of the Oakdale Community Development Corporation to impact the needs of the Brainerd/Washington Heights community, and the Reconnecting Center which assists in connecting Oakdale to the needs of our brothers and sisters on the continent of Africa.
Dr. Griffin’s unique leadership has successfully reached youth and families through the establishment of Oakdale Youth Church, Dr. Griffin has led the Oakdale congregation in a multi-million-dollar renovation of Oakdale’s sanctuary and the acquisition of additional properties to accommodate the ongoing growth of this vibrant ministry. His wonderful transition and change skills have successfully created a congregation for every generation.
Brother Dr. Griffin’s distinguished ministerial experience extends back to his years of service as the Assistant Pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church of Harlem, New York, pastored by Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III.
Dr. Griffin was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and educated in the Kenosha public school system. He continued his education at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Marketing (May 1987). In June 1992, Brother Dr. Griffin completed his Master of Divinity Degree at the Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He successfully completed a Doctor of Ministry degree in Preaching at North Park Theological Seminary (May 2006). Dr. Griffin is the author of Navigating Pastoral Leadership in the Transition Zone: “Arriving in the Middle of the Movie” (Chicago: MMGI Books, 2012) and it has become a resource to assist congregations and pastors through challenging maze of a transition in pastoral leadership. Dr. Griffin has also published several articles on transition in The Covenant Quarterly (August 2007) and The African-American Pulpit Journal (Spring 2008). Dr. Griffin is a trained spiritual director earning his certification from North Park Theological Seminary’s Center for Spiritual Direction (August 2009).
From January 1997 to December 1999, Brother Dr. Griffin served as the fourth Pastor of the Antioch Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York. Under his pastorate, Antioch doubled its membership, established the Antioch Development Corporation, a comprehensive program to help revitalize the Bedford Stuyvesant Community, the Antioch QUEST Institute, which provided career education and computer technology training for youth, adults and seniors, The Caring Educators in Action, a support group for community teachers and administrators and the Antioch Educational Resource Center which collected and distributed educational supplies to community teachers and students in need.
Brother Dr. Griffin, a Spring 1991 Mu Lambda Chapter initiate of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., is a member of Xi Lambda Chapter.
Brother
RANDALL
BROTHER MAYOR Mayor, Birmingham, Alabama
WOODFIN, J.D.
Brother Mayor Randall Woodfin is the mayor of Birmingham, AL, elected to his second term in 2021. His priorities include neighborhood revitalization, enhancing education, and economic opportunity for all residents by leveraging public-private partnerships through the Birmingham Promise. This plan provides apprenticeships and tuition assistance to cover college costs for Birmingham high school graduates.
Previously, Brother Woodfin led the effort to renovate and expand the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, making the city an emerging destination for sports and entertainment. He also removed a barrier to employment opportunities with the mayoral pardon of 15,000 misdemeanor marijuana-possession charges dating back to 1990. Prior to the mayor’s office, Brother Woodfin was president of the Birmingham Board of Education.
Brother Woodfin, a Spring 2002 Alpha Rho Chapter initiate of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., is a member of the Omicron Lambda Chapter.
