THE SPHINX | Spring/Winter 2010 | Volume 95 | Number 1 201009501

WINTER/SPRING 2010 VOLUME 95 H NO. 1

The

®

SPECIAL REPORT

Haiti’s Ground Zero

SUDARKASA: Chartering Alpha in South Africa

Alpha boycotts Arizona: Moves 2010 Convention from Phoenix to Las Vegas

After relief mission, men in Alpha delegation reveal what they saw, and why America must help Port-au-Prince rebuild.

REID: Vancouver 2010 and Olympic memories at the Alpha House

CONTENTS THE SPHINX® H WINTER/SPRING 2010 H VOLUME 95 H NO. 1

6 Alpha Leads by Leaving Town: Boycotting Arizona for Nevada In a bold move and strong show of support for civil rights and human dignity, Alpha Phi Alpha becomes the first major organization to boycott Arizona over the state’s controversial immigration bill. The fraternity moved its 104th Anniversary Convention from Phoenix to Las Vegas, prompting other national groups to boycott the state.

10 Alphas + Law Enforcement = Peace in “City to Busy to Hate”

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In Atlanta, Ga., local law enforcement leaders and members of Alpha sign a historic pact to “stop the violence” in the metro area. The sheriffs agreed to open their jail cells and Alpha brothers agreed to take nonviolence courses and then go behind bars to talk to inmates one-on-one.

20 A Hall for Coach Robinson at Grambling State

He’s been inducted into nearly every hall of fame in which a legendary football coach can be enshrined. Now the late Eddie G. Robinson is getting his own hall on the very campus where he became the winningest Division I college football in history.

21 Haiti’s Ground Zero: Saving Lives One at a Time-Part I Hundreds of thousands died following the Haiti earthquake and the aftershocks, but what will life be like for those left to live with the memory of it all? Alpha Phi Alpha members tell the story of what they saw when they hit ground zero in Port-au-Prince on a humanitarian mission, and why Alpha and America must commit to helping the island recover.

40 Big Brothers Can Make a Difference

How relevant will black Greek-lettered organizations be in the future? It depends on how much investment they make now with today’s young African-American boys. Alpha brother and Big Brothers Big Sisters executive Lowell Perry examines the issue up close.

ON THE COVER Brother Joseph Gambrell, M.D., exams a toddler in earthquake-torn Port-au-Prince. Photo by Bryan J.A. Kelly.

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IN EVERY ISSUE 3 EDITOR’S DESK 4 CONTRIBUTORS 5 GENERAL PRESIDENT’S LETTER 6 NEWS 33 CHAPTER NEWS 40 INITIATIVES 43 BROTHERS ON THE MOVE 49 OMEGA CHAPTER 60 LEADERSHIP DIRECTORY

The

Organizing Editor RAYMOND W. CANNON (1892-1992) Organizing General President HENRY LAKE DICKASON (1886-1957) Official Organ of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.® Winter/Spring 2010 – Volume 95, No.1

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RICK BLALOCK rlblalock@apa1906.net EXECUTIVE EDITOR Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr. ASSOCIATE EDITORS Jabriel S. Ballentine, David C. Brown Jr., Dennis A. Dean II, Dennis A. Doster Leonard Le’Doux Jr., Audwin B. Fletcher, Darrell V. Freeman, Byron J. Grayson Reynaldo P. Green, Troy D. Griffin, Lee House, John W. Huggins Drevon Jones, James E. Jones Jr., Jonathan C.W. Jones, Samuel H. Lloyd Roscoe W. McClain Jr., Cal McNeill, M.D., Renard Mobley, Anthony Moore Blake Moorman, James A. Muhammad, Jeramaine O. Netherly, Herbert Olivier Carlos M. Parker, Freddie Player, Michael D. Rachal, Zahmu Sankofa Kristian Sawyers, Derrick L. Sibert, Julian Smart, De’Shawn Smith Steve Smith, Victor K Smith, Ross Stuckey, Charles M. Washington Shelby Willis, George Wimberly, Gerald Yerby COPY EDITOR K. Thomas Oglesby CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Jerry Askin Bryan J.A. Kelly William Douglass Lyle Don Weston SENIOR WRITERS Ellis Albright, Waldo E. Johnson Jr. Derrick Alexander Pope, Andrew Timothy Siwo, F. Carl Walton

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Since the founding of The Sphinx in 1914, the African-American community has looked to the publication for its profound insight on issues of the day. The Sphinx is the second-oldest continuously published African-American magazine in existence and is preserved in libraries and archives across the country as an historical record of community occurrences.

Those interested in writing articles for The Sphinx are encouraged to read the writer’s guidelines on www.apa1906.net, or write the editorial office for a printed copy of the guidelines at The Sphinx Editorial Offices, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., 2313 St. Paul St., Baltimore, MD 21218-5211.You may also request guidelines and instructions via direct e-mail at sphinx@apa1906.net.

The deadline for submissions for the Summer 2010 issue is Friday, April 30, 2010, at 11:59 p.m.

Eastern time. The deadline for submissions for the Fall 2010 issue is Saturday, July 31, 2010, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.

The Sphinx® is printed in the United States of America

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS U. Grant Baldwin Jr., James E. Ball, Mark Barnes, Ferrel Bonner, Jean G. Celestin Jean McGianni, Celestin, James Crumel, Aaron Crutison, Rashid Darden Horace Dawson, Nicholas Fletcher, Ira L. Foster, Esq., Joseph Gambrell, M.D. Antoine M. Garibaldi, Justin Harlow, Ronald C. Jackson, Ricardo R. Jefferson M. Cole Jones, Michael John Myers II, Quincy O’Neal, Lowell W. Perry, Jr. Ron Peters, James V. Pierce, Michael A. Smith, M.D., Roderick Smothers Zollie Stevenson, Bradley D. Thomas, Mark Tillman, Norman E.W. Towels Ronnie Versher Jr., Marques Wilkes, Sacoby Wilson CONTRIBUTORS Hyacinth C. Ahuruonye, Don M. Alameda, Cory J. Anderson, Mark A. Anderson Edward D. Anthony III, Larry Armstrong, Kenneth Avery, Kengie Bass Brandon Batts, Rodney Cash, Tony Cheatham, Charles C. Davis Jr. Milton C. Davis, Stanford L. Deckard, II, Delores Diggs, William Doctor Horace Dukes, Von Eaglin, Audwin B. Fletcher, Nicholas Fletcher, James Ford Ray Gittens, Gregory Glass, Henry Goodgame Jr., Larry Goodwin, Henry Green Carlton L. Haithcox Sr., James Hale, K.D. Hale, Randy Hall, Brandon Hamilton Phil Hayes, Eric E. Heath, Lewis C. Hicks, Billy J. Hill, Ronnie Horne Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Jeffrey, Michael Jenkins, Richard T. James Jr. David M. Johnson, Emile Johnson, Kevin R. Johnson, Michael T. Johnson Franklin L. Jones, Issam Khoury, Eric King, Fonzell King, Claude Anthony Legree III Eufrancia G. Lash, Anthony Lewis, Antwan-La’Mont Lofton, Dale Long Donald Lowrance, Tommie Mack, Whittaker Mack III, Darryl R. Matthews Sr. Terence McPherson, Jeremy Mercer, Ryan Eian Middleton, Paul B. Mohr Sr. Blake Moorman, Gordon C. Murray, Esq., Gary C. Nash, Keith Nelson Gary D. Oliver, Jon Pack, Chris Palmer, Philip Parker, Clinton R. Parks Jr. Thomas Pawley, Dameon Proctor, Charles V. Piphus Jr., Ernest Jacob Rieux Oz Roberts, Victor Robinson, Vernon Ross, Jr., John C. Shelby, Hilton O. Smith Langston D. Smith, Marcus B. Stallworth, Robbie Stokes, Henry Stovall Michael Street, James Stukes, Michael E.M. Sudarkasa, Rickey Thigpen Ralph Thomas, Anthony Thompson, Sherelle S. Torrence, Marvin Turner Perrye Turner, Rayburne Turner, Zachery R. Williams, Michael Williams T. Nelson Williams II, Darius White, Orrin White, Kim Wright-King Christopher Wyckoff, Billy Yarbrough

ART DIRECTION THE O’NEAL GROUP Toni O’Neal Mosley Michelle Glennon PHOTOGRAPHERS Alonzo S. Blalock, Rickey Brown, Jarvis Harris Bryan J.A. Kelly, Jeff Lewis, Jason Lewis Philip McCollum, Cory Thompson, Jamal Wiggins Christopher Williams, Evelyn Wright ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC. Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr., General President William Douglass Lyle, Executive Director James W. Ward, Chairman, Committee on Publications FOUNDERS Henry Arthur Callis Charles Henry Chapman Eugene Kinckle Jones George Biddle Kelley Nathaniel Allison Murray Robert Harold Ogle Vertner Woodson Tandy The Sphinx Editorial Offices Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. 2313 St. Paul St. Baltimore, MD 21218-5211 (410) 554-0040 (410) 554-0054 FAX www.alpha1906.net

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Advertising and Sales Contact sphinx@apa1906.net © 2010 Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thinking About the World and Our Role in It

Spring is upon us, and for most parts of the United States the cold

temperatures have given way to warm climates that can bring hazardous storms.

Much of the country, during the period that this issue of The Sphinx was produced, saw huge downpours, deadly tornadoes and floods that left thousands homeless.

Editor’s Desk

Then, of course, at the outset of 2010 we had Haiti’s earthquake (coverage beginning on page 21), which left more than 200,000 people dead and thousands more without shelter. These acts of nature continue to remind us that we mortals are very small, vulnerable pieces in the big scheme of things. It took a volcano (in Iceland of all places) that halted human movement to remind us that we are inhabitants of earth, not the species running the planet, as many of us think.

Much has happened on the political front, too. We witnessed history with the passage and signing of the Healthcare Reform bill, which provides help to nearly 40 million people who need heath care but lack insurance to help pay for it.

Arizona’s new immigration law has sparked boycotts not seen since the days of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Alpha Phi Alpha has led the way in making a statement about the law by moving the 104th Anniversary Convention from Phoenix to Las Vegas in July.

On the world stage, a new peace treaty between Russia and the U.S. was signed. The hope is that the reduction of both countries’ nuclear stockpiles will lead to a more peaceful world. Even still, the world’s stabilization may not lay so much in what the superpowers do, but what other countries—several with nukes—do. Nuclear Pakistan is always a question mark. North Korea has a nuclear bomb. Iran is close to having a nuclear weapon (if it doesn’t really already have one), and Israel remains steadfast with its finger on its own nuclear button, in the face of a feared attack from its Middle Eastern enemies. Oh yes, and America is still owned by China, because of the United States’ continually racking up debt on its “Bank of China” credit card.

Rick Blalock is a two-time Emmy® winner and editor of The Sphinx. sphinx@apa1906.net

At The Sphinx we cannot cover all the issues of the day; however, we attempt to cover many of the important matters we believe deserve the attention of the world in general and persons of color in particular. That is why we have dedicated space for a two-part series on Haiti, in this issue and the coming summer magazine. We also provide some voice to the issues of domestic violence, emerging leaders of business in Africa and America, and why professionals need to reach young people as big brothers and big sisters—before it is too late.

So there is much to consider and think about as we head into summer. And did I mention that midterm congressional and gubernatorial elections are right around the corner? H

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CONTRIBUTORS U. GRANT BALDWIN JR. is a mental health social worker in Whiteville, N.C. A member of Gamma Kappa Lambda Chapter of Wilmington, N.C., he was initiated at Tau Nu Chapter at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 2004. In 2005, he graduated from the University with a Bachelor of Social Work degree. This May he earned his Master of Social Work degree from Fayetteville State University. A native of the Whiteville and Elizabethtown communities in North Carolina, Baldwin writes his first story for The Sphinx in the SPECIAL REPORT on Haiti. He covers the need for outreach to the people of the earthquake-torn country.

LOWELL PERRY JR. is chief executive officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee and co-chair of the BBBS of America’s national African-American Community Engagement Roundtable. A native of Detroit, he is a member of Tau Lambda Chapter in Nashville, Tenn. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in administrative sciences at Yale University in New Haven, Conn. He joined Alpha in 1983 at Zeta Pi Lambda Chapter in Seattle, Wash., while an executive in the Seattle Seahawks front office. In INITIATIVES he writes on how to save today’s at-risk young boys.

JAMES E. BALL is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel residing in El Paso, Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from South Carolina State College (University), where he joined Alpha Phi Alpha at Beta Delta Chapter. He also holds an M.B.A. degree from the University of Texas at El Paso. A 50-year brother and life member, Ball is chapter historian of Theta Delta Lambda Chapter. In NEWS he writes about the first environmentally friendly “green” school in El Paso named for an Alpha man.

ALVIN REID is an Emmy-winning journalist in St. Louis who joined Alpha Phi Alpha at Upsilon Chapter, while a student at the University of Kansas (KU), in spring 1979. Currently a news and sports columnist for the St. Louis GlobeDemocrat daily online newspaper globe-democrat. com, Reid is also a panelist on PBS affiliate KETC-TV’s “Donnybrook” program. Reid has held editing posts at the Lansing (Mich.) State Journal, and the Arkansas (Little Rock) Gazette and served as senior editor of Emerge magazine after three years with USA TODAY Baseball Weekly. In the NEWS section he recalls Olympic memories and a glorious time in the KU Alpha house, when Americans truly believed in miracles.

JEAN G. CELESTIN is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha’s Sigma Lambda Chapter in New Orleans, La. He joined Alpha in 1997 at Rho Iota Chapter at Tulane University in New Orleans at which he earned Bachelor of Science degrees in finance and marketing. He also holds an M.B.A. degree from the University of New Orleans.

He is senior vice president of Dryades Savings Bank and serves on the board of the Urban League of Greater New Orleans and the Regional Transit Authority. He is also the founder of Life After High School, a community-based initiative designed to encourage high school students to attend college. In our SPECIAL REPORT, he writes on the need for financial commitment and the money issues facing Haiti.

JEAN McGIANNI CELESTIN is a Haitian-born writer, poet and activist.

A former varsity athlete, he holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Pennsylvania State University. He currently is responsible for business development in the investment banking division of a leading technology recruiting firm in New York City and is a contributing writer for The Watering Hole and Examiner.com. In this issue he reports on the descendants of Haiti’s founders and how life has transformed since the establishment of the first black democracy.

JOSEPH GAMBRELL, M.D., is one of the many doctors who came to aid the wounded in Haiti after the earthquake in Port-au-Prince. Initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha at Beta Chapter at Howard University in Washington, D.C., Gambrell earned a bachelor’s degree in 1968.

He graduated from Howard University College of Medicine in 1972, and is a practicing pediatrician in Los Angeles, Calif. Gambrell was part of the fraternity’s delegation to Haiti in February. He writes about the medical crisis facing the country in part one of our SPECIAL REPORT on Haiti.

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ZOLLIE STEVENSON JR. is director of Title I and Title III programs at the U.S. Department of Education. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in educational psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also holds degrees from Howard University, North Carolina A&T State University and the University of North Carolina at Asheville. He joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at Kappa Lambda Chapter in Greensboro, N.C., in 1983. Stevenson is chairman of the fraternity’s Special Committee on Organizational Effectiveness, and is a member of Omicron Eta Lambda Chapter in Washington, D.C. and Pi Upsilon Lambda Chapter in Largo, Md. In the OMEGA section, he recalls how much Alpha Brother Gregory Jackson gave in such a short life.

MICHAEL E.M. SUDARKASA, a commercial attorney by training, is involved in economic development consulting and project finance in Johannesburg, South Africa.

He relocated from the States in January 1999. He was initiated at Epsilon Chapter at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he received a bachelor’s degree in history. He also holds a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Mass. In Alpha, he is a member of the fraternity’s International Region Task Force. He reports from Johannesburg on the efforts to establish the first Alpha chapter in Africa since 1974.

BRADLEY D. THOMAS is a licensed master social worker. In 2003, he established a collaborative with the YWCA and the fraternity’s Alpha Delta Lambda Chapter to prevent domestic abuse in Memphis, Tenn. The program, Alphas Against Abuse, provides mentorship to children and works to prevent the generational cycle of domestic violence. Thomas, a life member of Alpha, is president of Alpha Delta Lambda and chairman of the fraternity’s Reclamation Committee. In INITIATIVES he writes on why men must speak out against domestic violence.

Agents of Change: At Home and Abroad

While many across the land celebrated a new health care law in March, there is still so

much more work to do. The disparities in health care are massive. The educational gap for our young African-American boys continues to widen. The jobless rate is too high, and the job pool too low. Alpha is still needed for such a time as this.

FROM THE

General President

And now we have Arizona, and its implementation of a new immigration law that puts people’s civil rights and their dignity at risk. It is a law that is likely to lead to racial profiling and discrimination.

The actions of the legislators and the governor in Arizona, despite calls to find another way to protect its borders and communities, forced the Board of Directors of Alpha Phi Alpha to move our General Convention from Phoenix to Las Vegas. The decision was the right one, despite the inconvenience, and the financial difficulty it may cause the fraternity and individual members.

As I have said before, our late Brother Martin Luther King, Jr. made it plain from a jail cell in Birmingham in 1963: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Alpha Phi Alpha’s decision to boycott Arizona continues that same fight fought during the Civil Rights era.

We will not only speak with our voices and our feet, we will speak with our economic clout; and we will not spend our money in Arizona, and urge all members of the Divine Nine and other groups and organizations to do the same.

While we battle this injustice out west, we should also not lose sight of what has happened in Haiti. Of all my travels on behalf of the fraternity this year, none has been more impressive than the Alpha Phi Alpha delegation visit to Haiti after the earthquake. I saw things I will never forget, and I learned how even when we have the worst of times in the U.S., it is still not as bad as those who suffer in poverty 24-7, 365 days a year. I’m happy we took a delegation and that we will continue to keep Haiti in our hearts and minds in the future.

During the last few months, I have stood in the front of The Sphinx in Giza, Egypt, where I read a passage from the History of Alpha Phi Alpha, written by our beloved historian and 14th General President Charles Wesley. I also fellowshipped with the kindred folks of Ethiopia and asked the question to the Jewels, “How did you know?” We know that both countries are extremely significant in the annals of this fraternity. My last international visit this quarter was to China.

Along with members of the Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation Board, we paid a visit to check on the final progress of the King sculpture before it is

Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr. is the 33rd general president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. president@alpha1906.net

shipped to the U.S. It’s gratifying to know that finally the dream of a memorial to Brother Dr. King is coming true.

Sadly, two of Alpha’s bright stars were both shot down in the prime of their lives due to this continuous vicious cycle of violence that plagues our country. We celebrate the short but well lived lives of Brother Michael Muchioki of New Jersey and Brother Steven Lee of Chicago.

Lastly, on the way to the Iota Centennial Celebration at Syracuse University, I was taken to Troy, New York, where I paid tribute to our beloved Jewel George Biddle Kelley. As I knelt at his grave, I was renewed in the spirit of brotherhood and also with the urge to return Alpha to its activist roots. The spirit of the Jewels permeated my soul, and I realized that we must remain believers in the 7!

A solemn moment at Jewel George Biddle Kelley’s final resting place in Troy, N.Y., April 24, 2010.

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N EWS PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION WEEKEND

Alpha Phi Alpha boycotts Arizona

Moves annual convention to Las Vegas THE NEW IMMIGRATION BILL signed into law by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer in late April has caused a backlash unheard of since the days of the Civil Rights Movement.

The legislation is considered to be among the toughest and harshest in the nation, and it orders immigrants to carry their alien-registration documents at all times. It gives police broad powers to detain, and requires them to question an individual if there is reason to suspect he or she is in the United States illegally.

Responding to the state’s decision, on April 29, Alpha Phi Alpha’s board of directors voted unanimously to rescind the location of Phoenix, Ariz., as the meeting location of the 104th Anniversary Convention in July, and to denounce what Alpha calls an “egregious immigration act.”

“It was the full opinion of the board that we could not host a meeting in a state that has sanctioned a law which we believe will lead to racial profiling and discrimination, and a law that could put the civil rights and the very dignity of our members at risk during their stay in Phoenix Arizona,” said Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr., the fraternity’s general president.

Alpha is historically black, but it was the first integrated fraternity in the nation’s history and has many Hispanic brothers among the 200,000 members it has initiated.

The location of the event, which is scheduled to take place July 21-25, was moved to Las Vegas, Nev. The loss for Phoenix could mean as many as 10,000 visitors and the hundreds of thousands of dollars they would have spent and pumped into the Arizona economy.

The fraternity’s action created an economic domino effect.

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Soon after its decision became headline news on television, written about on the Web and in the New York Times, other organizations followed Alpha’s lead. The National Urban League immediately pulled Phoenix from consideration for its 2012 conference. The Boston City Council voted to pull investments from Arizona; the mayor of St. Paul, Minn., banned all city-funded travel to Arizona; and Oakland, Calif., council members voted to boycott Arizona businesses.

On a larger scale, Major League Baseball is under pressure to take its 2011 All-Star Game elsewhere, much like the National Football League did in 1993 when Arizona refused to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a holiday. Both the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee are also being pressed to remove Phoenix from consideration as sites for their 2012 national conventions.

“Who would think that America, in 2010, would resemble Cold Warera Russia or World War II-era Nazi Germany—where Jews and other ethnic minorities had to “carry papers” and feared being picked up by police, “just because?”

Mason said. “Our late Alpha brother the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, in a letter he wrote while sitting in the Birmingham Jail, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ Alpha Phi Alpha’s decision to boycott Arizona continues that same fight. We will not only speak with our voices and our feet, we will speak with our economic clout; and we will not spend our money in Arizona, and urge other organizations and people who believe in equality under the law to do the same.” H

NEWS

A Debt-Free America?

Thompson‘s “loving’ it”

UNITED STATES REP. Brother Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., has introduced legislation that calls for a penny on every dollar on transactions in the United States economy to be directed to eliminating America’s national debt.

The Debt Free America Act offers a dramatic but simple approach to paying off the nation’s debt, now escalating past the $12 trillion mark.

The breakthrough legislation proposes a one percent fee to be levied on all payment instruments, including cash transactions, checks, credit cards, U.S. Rep. Brother Chaka Fattah transactions processed through the Federal Reserve Bank, and transactions collected at the point of sale.

“Interest on the national debt is an extraordinary burden that will crowd out investments on our critical national priorities such as economic development and education,” said Fattah. “The scope of this challenge requires bold and fresh thinking, but it can be done.”

The U.S. economy registered $750 trillion in transactions in 2008, according to the Federal Reserve. The Debt Free America Act would place the penny-on-the-dollar fee on those transactions, except stock trades. In addition, taxpayers would receive a 1 percent tax credit for gross income up to $250,000 to offset the impact of the fee on middle class–working–and modest-income households.

Fsttah’s bill also establishes the Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action to control and limit federal spending. In addition, once the national debt is paid down, the transaction fee opens the door to broad-based tax-reform, the congressman said.

“When enacted, the transaction fee I am proposing will generate sufficient revenue to maintain a fiscally responsible budget and allow the federal government to meet its financial obligations while paying down and ultimately eliminating the oversized national debt,” said Fattah. “The Task Force will, at the same time, change the way we do business in Washington by forcing more responsible, fiscal action on our lawmakers and the executive branch.”

Brother Fattah, an eight-term member from Philadelphia, is a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services. He has been a longtime advocate for pay-as-you-go legislation, known as “Paygo,” for which he has voted.

T

“YOU DESERVE A BREAK today,” at McDonald’s was the slogan for the world’s largest fast-food chain for years. And an Alpha brother, who did not take many breaks working his way to the top at the hamburger-selling mainstay, is now running the place.

Earlier this year, Oak Brook, Il.l-based McDonald’s Corp. named Don Thompson president and chief operating officer, with oversight of the company’s 32,000 restaurants Brother Don Thompson worldwide.

The promotion puts Thompson, who was named Black Enterprise magazine’s Corporate Executive of the Year in 2007 and a top BE Executive in 2009, as next in line to likely succeed McDonald’s CEO Jim Skinner, according to analysts.

Thompson replaced Ralph Alvarez, who retired in December for health-related reasons.

Brother Thompson, 46, who was initiated at Gamma Rho Chapter at Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind., has a degree in electrical engineering from Purdue. He began his career at McDonald’s in 1990 as a restaurant systems engineer. Since then, he excelled in a slew of positions that have one common thread: They performed better from a business and financial standpoint after his arrival. He did it by focusing on quality not quantity, expanding menu offerings, and improving customer satisfaction and efficiency.

“Don Thompson has done an outstanding job leading our U.S. business, and I am confident he will bring the same energy and innovative thinking to his new global role as president and chief operating officer,” said McDonald’s CEO Jim Skinner. “Don’s U.S. leadership experience, combined with the great record he had as executive vice president of our global restaurant systems group, uniquely qualifies him for this next important responsibility at McDonald’s.”

Ironically, Thompson initially had no desire to work for the Golden Arches. After graduation, he landed a job, as an engineer specialist, designing radar-jamming systems for fighter planes with Northrop Corp. in Rolling Meadows, Ill. But after rebuffing the company, he eventually went for an interview and has now made history. H

Congressman Fattah: Legislation Could Eliminate National Debt

To review the Debt Free America Act, visit www.fattah.house.gov, the congressman’s official website. H

McDonald’s Promotes Alpha Man to President and COO

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NEWS

T. Nelson Williams to Lead African Oil-Refining Company in Liberia WHEN IT WAS TIME to appoint a new leader of the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), leaders in Monrovia, Liberia, turned to an Alpha man.

In January, her Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf made it official, naming Alpha Brother T. Nelson Williams II managing director of the only petroleum storage terminal in the country. Williams was appointed upon the recommendation of the board of directors. He is responsible for the rehabilitation, expansion and profitability of LPRC. In his role, he heads the executive division of the corporation and serves as chief executive officer of the company. Williams also serves as secretary to the board of directors, and as chief patron of the Oilers Sports Association, the company’s management organization of the LPRC professional soccer team. Prior to his promotion, Williams served for two years as deputy managing director and chief

administrative officer of the company.

A 1983 initiate of Gamma Psi Chapter, at St. Augustine’s College, Williams earned a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from the school in 1986. He also holds a Master of Public Administration degree from North Carolina Central University.

Williams who is leading the re-

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (left) with Brother T. Nelson Williams II (center) n Monrovia, Liberia.

Walter Owens Now Heads National Dental Association NASHVILLE DENTIST Dr. Walter R. Owens was recently installed as the 86th president of the National Dental Association. The 96-year-old association is the leading voice and advocate of oral-health-care concerns for ethnic minorities.

Owens, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, took over the organization on Dec. 9, 2009, after a formal ceremony in his hometown of Nashville. Owens Brother Walter R. Owens practiced dentistry in Tennessee for more than 25 years before retiring from private practice in 2005. He currently serves as senior development officer for the Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry.

On hand for the installation activities was Dr. Ray Gist, newly

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establishment of a chapter in Monrovia is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management, the Business Executive Network, and the International Customer Service Association.

Williams, who at one time lived in metro Atlanta, is married and a father of two children. H

elected president of the American Dental Association (ADA). Gist is the first African-American to head the ADA in its 150-year history.

“I am honored to serve as head of one of the nation’s largest professional health care associations during this important time for health care policy in our nation’s history,” said Owens. “The National Dental Association has been the leader in representing the concerns of ethnic minorities in dentistry, and I look forward to continuing that mission.”

Owens, whose term is for one year, is a graduate of Tennessee State University, at which he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology.

He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1975 from Howard University in Washington, D.C.

An Army veteran, he was an instructor in the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology at Meharry Medical College, from 1978 to 1985.

In addition to his professional affiliations, Owens has been active in the community, including work with the Boys Scouts. He has also played an integral role in creating many programs for the state of Tennessee and its citizens.

Married and the father of two children, Owens is the recipient of numerous awards and is also a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. H

NEWS

Taking Court to the People Satellite Sessions Provide Access to Homeless

By James V. Pierce

IN AN EFFORT TO prevent minor criminal cases from standing in the way of “on-the-street” defendants’ efforts to emerge from homelessness, Florida Judge James Pierce is literally taking court to the people.

Florida’s first Homeless Court was held Jan. 30, 2010, as part of Project Homeless Connect in Pinellas County, Fla. The first of what is aimed at becoming monthly satellite court sessions convened at 9 a.m. at the St. Petersburg Coliseum, with Pinellas County Judges Lorraine Kelly and Pierce presiding.

The official court sessions are designed to assist homeless defendants in resolving matters involving minor misdemeanor charges, city-ordinance violations and similar outstanding warrants that involve victimless criminal matters. Attorneys from the private sector and the Public Defender’s office are onsite to advise defendants, and representatives of the State Attorney’s

office are present to help resolve the cases in a non punitive manner. Officials hope the project will enhance and complement the ongoing assistance offered to the homeless by the Public Defender’s office.

“Our hope is that defendants can be connected to community services and treatment programs, rather than being sentenced to more traditional sanctions such as custody or fines they simply cannot pay,” said Pierce, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha’s Omicron Beta Lambda Chapter, in Clearwater, Fla. “Doing this will certainly help break the cycle of getting arrested, being released back to the streets and then being arrested again when they fail to appear in court, often because of transportation problems.”

Participation in Homeless Court is voluntary, so officials will have to gauge response to see just how effective the program will be.

“It probably will take time to build up trust of the people we are trying to help,” said Pierce.

But most agree, that disposing of many of the minor cases on the docket will be a big benefit to the courts and taxpayers of Pinellas County, and to the people whom the program aims to assist. H

Green School Named For Chester Jordan First Ever in El Paso, Texas

By James E. Ball

Brother Chester E. Jordan

Jordan Elementary School in El Paso, Texas

IF EVERYTHING IN TEXAS IS BIG, then it is surely a big deal when a school goes green—and it’s named for an Alpha man.

In El Paso, Texas, civic, business, community and Alpha Phi Alpha leaders are celebrating the honor, now that Chester E. Jordan Elementary has been deemed the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED-certified school in the Socorro Independent School District in the city. The dedication of the school was held on Nov. 20, 2009, and marked a turning point for both the school system and the fraternity.

Alpha Phi Alpha launched a new international initiative called “Alpha Phi Alpha Goes Green” earlier in the year, designed to highlight the capital and moral investments that Alpha brothers make in their public and private lives toward

natural-disaster-relief efforts. The initiative also aims to highlight brothers’ efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions; to develop of weatherization projects; to reduce environmentalrisk and to create sustainable-development and environmental-justice campaigns.

Upon completion of construction, Jordan Elementary the first “Green School” in the city.

Jordan, a member of Omega Chapter, was born in Hillsboro, Texas. In 1952, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Southern University in Houston. He subsequently enlisted in the U.S. Army and began a stellar 30-year military career.

A life member of Alpha, Brother Jordan, a life member, served in several capacities, including president of Theta Delta Lambda Chapter in El Paso. He is an inductee inductee in the Texas Council of Alpha Chapters Hall of Fame for his outstanding work in state and regional activities.

The green school is not the first time his name has been immortalized. In 2001, El Paso’s Chester E. Jordan Park was dedicated in his honor. H Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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NEWS

Georgia Law Enforcement Agencies Sign Pact with Alpha Members Aim to Stem Violence in Local Communities

By Rick Blalock

LEADERS OF FOUR MAJOR law enforcement agencies in metro Atlanta joined members of Alpha Phi Alpha on Dec. 4, 2009—the organization’s 103rd anniversary—in a unique partnership with the goal of reducing youth violence and crime.

In downtown Atlanta, Ga.—with the backdrop of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change’s reflecting pool and the crypt of Alpha brother King—Alpha members and the officers signed a partnership proclamation. On hand for the signing ceremony were Fulton County, Ga., Sheriff Brother Theodore “Ted” Jackson; DeKalb County, Ga., Sheriff Tom Brown, Atlanta Police Assistant Police Chief Alan Dreher, and Cobb County, Ga., Safety Director Mickey Lloyd.

“I think this is extraordinary,” said Jackson. “With more than 1,000 brothers in the metro area available to help mentor and counsel inmates, those on the inside will see firsthand that they can change their lives and be just as successful as these college and professional members in Alpha.”

The historic partnership agreement with the fraternity calls for members of its 15-area college and alumni chapters to begin working with law enforcement agencies, through a variety of programs, to reduce violence in the community. The brothers were to start after the members take conflict-resolution courses to be administered by the King Center in early 2010.

“Our fraternity believes that all of us have a role to play,” said Justin Harlow, Southern regional assistant vice president of the fraternity. As an AVP, Harlow, a senior at Emory University in Atlanta, sits on the national board of directors.

“We know that we cannot spell brothers without also spelling others.

This is our way of helping our communities and reducing violence at the same time.”

The partnership is part of an overall connection to the fraternity’s newest national program designed to save black-American young boys, “from the high chair to higher education.”

The signing ceremony and related Founders’ Day events received television coverage from all four local major network-affiliated TV stations and the local newspaper. The weekend events were coordinated by the Metro Atlanta Founders’ Day Committee, under the leadership of the Metro Atlanta Council of Presidents. The Council, comprised of the metro area’s Alpha chapter presidents, oversees and coordinates joint events for the 15 chapters in metro Atlanta and is currently chaired by Bob Leandras Jones II, president of Eta Lambda Chapter in Atlanta. H

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DeKalb County, Ga., Sheriff Thomas Brown, with Brother Martin Luther King Jr.’s crypt in background.

Metro Atlanta Alphas and law enforcement officers at the King Center.

Joining to stop the violence. Pictured from left: Brother Bernard Lafayette of the King Center and Emory University; Fulton County, Ga., Sheriff Brother Theodore “Ted” Jackson; DeKalb County, Ga., Sheriff Thomas Brown; Alpha Southern Region Assistant Vice President Justin Harlow; Cobb County, Ga., Public Safety Director Mickey Lloyd; Atlanta Police Assistant Chief Alan Dreher; and Brother Carlton L. Haithcox Sr., president of Omicron Mu Lambda Chapter in Marietta/Cobb County, Ga.

NEWS

Alpha salutes Urban League for 100 years of service AS AMERICA CELEBRATED Black History Month in February, Alpha Phi Alpha joined the people across the United States and around world in saluting the National Urban League (NUL) on its centennial anniversary.

Formed in 1910, the NUL is an organization created by black and white reformers to address the needs of African Americans as they migrated from rural areas to America’s urban centers. A key part of its mission is the ongoing work to achieve economic equity and empowerment as a vehicle in which to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities.

“Alpha Phi Alpha has always played a vital role in the Urban League’s success,” said Roy Levy Williams, a longtime Alpha member, former auto executive, and a past president of the Detroit Urban League. “At no time is the League more important than now. You only have to look at the economy in Detroit and Michigan to see it’s critical relevance.

Cities like Detroit will need the Urban

League to get our city back on its feet, and get our people back to work.

“We are extremely proud of our fraternity’s role in the Urban League nationally and in cities all across the country,” said General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr.

Mason pointed to the many Alpha Phi Alpha members, such as Williams, who have helped shape and develop the NUL over the years. Five of the nine executives of the NUL are initiated members of Alpha. The fraternity’s influence began in the early days of the organization, with Alpha Phi Alpha founder Eugene Kinckle Jones, who served the longest as NUL leader, from 1918 to 1940. Lester B. Granger served from 1941 to 1961. Whitney M. Young Jr. served from 1961 to 1971. Hugh B. Price became NUL president in 1994 and served through 2002, until former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial assumed the post.

Members and stakeholders of the NUL will formally celebrate the anniversary at its centennial conference in July, with the theme “Empowerment Time: Past, Present & Future.” H

Alphas Remember Dorothy Height Again, all of us are dealing with yet another passing of one of the world’s greatest citizens. Dorothy I. Height, the longtime leader of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), died April 20 at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C. Dorothy Height (right) is shown here with Alpha’s 25th General President James R. Williams and Rosa Parks Height’s name is at the 1978 Alpha Phi Alpha General Convention. among the legends of the Civil Rights Movement.

She led the NCNW from 1957 to 1988, working with our brother the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and others in the fight for civil, voting and equal rights. Height was born in Richmond, Va., and lived to be 98 before “going home.” But even to the end, she was in the battle; she was among a handful of key African-American leaders who met with

NUL’s Alpha Leaders Through the Years Brothers who have led the National Urban League to great prominence from inception to today.

Eugene Kinckle Jones

Lester B. Granger

Whitney M. Young Jr.

Hugh B. Price

Marc H. Morial

President Barack Obama at the White House recently for a summit on race and the economy.

Height was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994 by President Bill Clinton and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004—the two highest civilian honors in America.

We, in Alpha Phi Alpha, are blessed that we had the opportunity to share in her experiences to make America—and the world—a better place. Along with Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King, Height was among those we honored in 1978 at the Alpha Phi Alpha General Convention in Minneapolis, Minn., at which the fraternity honored women of the Civil Rights Movement.

Personally, it was my pleasure to meet her several years ago in Atlanta, during the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority national convention; she was president of the sorority from 1947 to 1956.

Her very presence exuded inspiration, and I knew at that very moment I along with all of our fellow young black men and women must honor her legacy.

On behalf of all of the men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, we offer our condolence to Height’s family and those who were close to her. And we offer our sincerest thanks for her contribution to our country and our people.

—Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr. Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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NEWS NEWS

“He who would be the greatest amongst us, must be a servant.

Herman “Skip” Mason is such a servant.

And we know he will be used in the future as he has been used in the past to provide the kind of leadership that is needed, whenever and wherever it’s needed in our chapters, our universities, in our nation and the affairs of the world in which we live.”

—Andrew Young, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN

Standing Up by Sitting Down Nation Remembers Greensboro Sit-Ins

By Bryan J.A. Kelly and Rick Blalock

From left: The Greensboro Four: Brother Ezell Blair Jr. (aka Jibreel Khazan), Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil and David Richmond after the first Woolworth sit-in in Greensboro on Feb. 1, 1960.

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THIS YEAR, ALL ACROSS the United States, Americans are commemorating a pivotal moment 50 years ago in the South. It was Feb. 1, 1960, when four black students at North Carolina A&T State University, including Alpha Brother Ezell Blair Jr. (aka Jibreel Khazan) of Beta Epsilon Chapter, sat down at a whites-only lunch counter at the F.W. Woolworth store in downtown Greensboro, N.C. The young men were denied service because of their skin color, but their actions re-energized the Civil Rights Movement and the struggle by millions of African Americans to achieve racial equality and justice. Inspired by Alpha Brother Martin Luther King Jr., these courageous students walked into the store, took a seat, and America would never be the same.

The courageous act has been commemorated in a newly opened,

30,000-square-foot museum and teaching facility built inside the old Woolworth building. The museum opened 50 years to the day after the sit-in. It features a Hall of Shame, filled with reminders of the lowest moments in American race relations, and a Hall of Courage, which follows the path of the Greensboro Four. The chairs and the lunch counter have been preserved intact. A section of the lunch counter is also preserved in the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. “What these young students did at the time changed the course of the Civil Rights Movement,” said Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr., general president of Alpha. “Refusing to leave that Woolworth counter and the resulting demonstrations caused thousands in lost revenue and cast an all-important light on the situation blacks in the South faced at that time.”

“Alpha Phi Alpha proudly joins the rest of the country in honoring the work of these American heroes with the opening of a new civil-rights museum in Greensboro,” Mason said. H

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Black-Fraternity Brothers Bond with Big Brothers

Develop Plan to Help Black Boys Succeed NEAR THE END OF 2009, Big Brothers Big Sisters and leaders of the black fraternities met in Atlanta to develop a bold strategy and a detailed plan aimed at giving African-American boys every opportunity to succeed.

Leaders of the nation’s largest donor-supported volunteer mentoring network and their fraternity partners say they will significantly increase the number of African-American Big Brothers in 2010. Alpha General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr. was joined by leaders of Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi Fraternities, for a panel discussion on the issue.

The African-American Mentoring Summit, sponsored by the Arby’s Foundation, is the second step in Big Brothers Big Sisters’ announcement of its unprecedented collaboration with black Greek fraternities. Together, Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi are aiming to get more black men engaged in long-term mentoring.

Recognizing that children of color, particularly AfricanAmerican boys, disproportionately represent children waiting to be matched, Big Brothers Big Sisters and its African-American Roundtable—comprised of internal and external advisors—have made engaging black men as mentors a priority.

“Alpha Phi Alpha, our first fraternity partner, as well as Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi know our track record—that children in our programs are more likely to improve in school, stay out of trouble and have positive relationships with their families,” said Karen Mathis, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America president and CEO.

“At the end of the day, we will have a specific strategy for joining forces with the fraternities to support the growing numbers of parents—most of them, single mothers—who look to Big Brothers Big Sisters to help their sons succeed,” she said. H

Working together to help black boys. From left: Alpha General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr.; Kappa Alpha Psi Executive Director Richard L. Snow; Omega Psi Phi Grand Basileus Warren G. Lee Jr;. and Archie Burks, Kappa Alpha Psi’s BBBS chairman.

Brother Wayne Farmer and his son enjoy the kickoff of the March for Babies in South Carolina.

March for Babies begins in S.C.

Brothers Partner with Zeta Phi Beta IN A COMMITMENT TO the fraternity’s ongoing partnership with the March of Dimes, the South Carolina chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority kicked off their annual March for Babies campaign on Jan. 30, 2010, at Brookland Baptist Church in West Columbia, S.C. More than 250 Alphas and Zetas attended the seventh annual event, coordinated by Brother Lewis Hicks and Zeta representative Mahogany Graham. Barbara Moore, past Zeta Phi Beta international president and native of Columbia, S.C., attended along with Marion Gary, past state president, and Don Weston, chief of staff to Alpha General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr. South Carolina District Director Adrian West and Zeta Phi Beta South Carolina State Director Gianna “G” Gardner challenged each organization to raise $20,000 for the 2010 March for Babies.

As part of the program, the 2009 top three fundraising chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha were acknowledged. First place went to Sigma Tau Chapter at the University of South CarolinaAiken second place went to Gamma Gamma Lambda Chapter in Greenville, S.C.; and third place went to Iota Eta Lambda Chapter in Denmark, S.C. “Not only are the Alphas and Zetas incredible fundraisers for South Carolina’s babies, but they are also a strong voice for spreading the March of Dimes messages about prenatal care, premature birth and the steps to take for a healthy baby,” said Erin Galloway, executive director of the Midlands Division of the March of Dimes. H Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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United as one, Black-Greek Presidents Spread Holiday Cheer

Members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Presidents attend BET’s Celebration of Gospel.

IN ANOTHER EXAMPLE of “United we stand, divided we fall,” the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Presidents spent part of the last holiday season—together—spreading cheer from coast to coast.

The presidents attended the BET Networks ‘Celebration of Gospel’ in Los Angeles, and also came together at the White House for a holiday celebration in Washington, D.C.

The ‘Celebration of Gospel,’ held Dec. 12, 2009, at Los Angeles Orpheum Theatre, started the holiday season with a spirit-filled and entertaining salute to the 10th anniversary of this BET mainstay of special presentations.

Soror Sheryl P. Underwood, international president of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, who is also part of the BET family of entertainers, extended a personal invitation to members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Presidents to attend the musical gala.

The presidents of the “Divine 9” black Greek-lettered organizations joined other national leaders and celebrities to show support for the event, which helps build the spirit that uplifts, encourages and empowers communities across the nation and the world.

“We felt that it was important to show our support for the message of this event and the spirit of faith that has sustained our communities,” said Underwood.

“Gospel music has been a constant source of encouragement and inspiration,” said Stephen Hill, BET president of music programming. “We thank the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Presidents for coming out in force to support BET’s ‘Celebration of Gospel.’ It was a wonderful, inspirational show and we look forward to providing even more great programming.”

Hosted by comedian-actor Steve Harvey, the program performers included Fred Hammond, Donald Lawrence, Donnie McClurkin, Shirley Caesar, Marvin Sapp, Yolanda Adams, BeBe and CeCe Winans, Fantasia, Anthony Hamilton, Kelly Price and others.

The activities continued on Dec. 15, with the presidents attending a special holiday celebration, hosted by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. H

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“Divine 9” Make History with Mo’Nique on BET IN A UNIQUE DISPLAY of unity, members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council made history during Black History Month this year, by appearing together for the first time on a national television talk show. Representatives from all nine historically black Greek-lettered organizations (BGLO) were guests on the highly popular BET program ‘The Mo’Nique Show’ February 18. The show tapes at Turner Broadcasting Studios in Atlanta.

The program, hosted by Academy Award-winning actress/comedian Mo’Nique, also included cast members of the new TV reality show ‘The Family Crews’ and R&B group The Whispers as the musical guest. Mo’Nique also interviewed fellow comedian Sheryl Underwood, the international grand basileus of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Each BGLO president shared a few words about their organization’s history and current service programs while their members stood together, wearing their organization’s colors. General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr., invited Mo’Nique to the upcoming dedication and opening ceremony of the Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial.

Show producer Rob Wilkins said Mo’Nique’s vision for this episode of her late-night show was to create an outlet to highlight the positive aspects of African-American lives.

“There are not too many shows that would highlight husband-and-wife team Terry and Rebecca Crews, a Hollywood couple married 20 years (the stars of BET’s new reality series ‘The Family Crews’); musical group The Whispers, together for 40 years, and black organizations that have served our community for 100 years,” said Wilkins. H

The sassy and sultry “Queen of Late-Night Television,” Mo’Nique, hosts leaders of the “Divine Nine” historically black fraternities and sororities on ‘The Mo’Nique Show.’

Seated from left: Joann Loveless, Sigma Gamma Rho; Mo’Nique; Sheryl Underwood, Zeta Phi Beta; Ella Springs Jones, Alpha Kappa Alpha; and Beverly Smith, Delta Sigma Theta. Standing from left: Richard L. Snow, Kappa Alpha Psi; Jimmy Hammock, Phi Beta Sigma; Warren G. Lee Jr., Omega Psi Phi; Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr., Alpha Phi Alpha; and Karl Price, Esq., Iota Phi Theta Fraternity. Photo by Glenn A. Loveless III.

NEWS

Alpha Board of Directors Meets

MIP, Finances, 2010 convention Highlight Agenda ALPHA PHI ALPHA’S top leadership team convened in January at the winter board of directors meeting in Phoenix, Ariz. The goal of the board members was to tackle the major issues facing the fraternity in 2010.

Specifically, the board members discussed the fraternity’s Membership Intake Program (MIP) and new ways to induct prospective members.

Prior to the board meeting, a nationwide moratorium on membership activities was implemented as the result of a hazing incident involving inactive members of the fraternity near a Georgia college campus.

As part of their deliberations on the topic, board members heard from Past Southern Assistant Vice President Brother Walter Kimbrough, now president of Philander Smith College in Arkansas. Kimbrough, an expert on black Greek-lettered organizations in collegiate life, conducted a presentation on the history of pledging and the evolution of fraternal organizations.

It was the consensus that because of the potential changes in Alpha’s current intake program, it was necessary that the General Convention be called into session this summer. Previously the board had planned a nonlegislative conference for 2010, taking place in Phoenix in July (now being held in Las Vegas). The moratorium on membership intake was to stay in place until a targeted intake program, with tougher participation criteria, could be implemented for spring 2010.

Among other items discussed at the meeting were the fraternity’s financial status and upcoming Summit on the African-American Male. Also, the general president administered the oath of office to Brother Jamel Jones, the new assistant vice president of the Southwestern Region. H

Brother Walter Kimbrough addresses the Alpha board.

26th General President Charles C. Teamer Sr. makes a point, as 28th General President Henry Ponder (left) and 25th General President James R. Williams (right) look on.

General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr. presides, as Executive Director William Douglass Lyle makes a point. At right are fraternity fiscal officers Hyacinth C. Ahuruonye, general treasurer and Frank Jenkins, comptroller.

Regional officers participate (from left): Midwestern Assistant Vice President Thomas Flynn; Southwestern Vice President Roderick Smothers; and Southwestern Assistant Vice President Jamel Jones.

Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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Going Global

Brothers Step Up Efforts to Form Chapter in South Africa THE EDITORIAL TEAM at The Sphinx recently interviewed Brother Michael Sudarkasa, an initiate of Epsilon Chapter at the University of Michigan, now practicing commercial law and business in Johannesburg, South Africa. Sudarkasa and several other Alpha men are hoping to not only establish a chapter in South Africa, but possibly host a General Convention there in the future.

The Sphinx: Why are the Alpha men in South Africa trying to start a chapter?

SUDARKASA: We have 15 brothers here in SA and 17 altogether that we know of, in the region (two brothers are in Zambia) and wanted to fellowship together as Alpha men. Also the idea of planting a chapter on the continent as the new millennium commences was also exciting. Lastly, we felt that the principles of Alpha would resonate here and throughout the fraternity—providing us the chance to increase the impact of our contributions to the community in which we live.

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The Sphinx: Will a chapter there have impact on the local community? If so, how?

SUDARKASA: Definitely. We believe that we can support the local community through developing and lending support toward entrepreneurship development initiatives, programs to address the HIV/AIDs pandemic and through the establishment of academic- and professional-exchange programs between the United States and South Africa.

We also felt a chapter here would be a benefit to the fraternity, as we would be in a position to help Alphas in the U.S. expand their academic and professional thinking internationally

The Sphinx: How will a chapter in South Africa benefit brothers in the United States?

SUDARKASA: In several critical ways. The network of Alpha men will expand to this continent and afford brothers the opportunity to explore business opportunities here. Internship and professional opportunities would also be developed. It would be particularly impactful if we were able to develop a program through which every Alpha chapter in the U.S. was able to schedule a chapter trip somewhere in Africa to connect with brothers on the Continent.

The Sphinx: Do brothers in South Africa feel like they are “out there” alone? Is building a chapter a way to connect to homeland(s) and brothers around the world?

SUDARKASA: There is actually a

relativey large American (estimated at plus or minus 10,000) community and a significant African-American community here, so I think there already exists some community sentiment that brothers here can build on beyond the fraternity.

That said, I do not believe there is any alternative for black men here in South Africa that replicates or provides the kind of fraternal support that Alpha Phi Alpha can. So fellowship, mentorship, and camaraderie are motivating factors in our desire to develop the chapter here.

Building a chapter for the brothers here in South Africa is more about beginning to establish a bridge between Alphas in the U.S. and brothers on the Continent than anything else. The image of Africa often gets distorted in the U.S. media and by creating a vehicle for Alpha men and their families to see and learn about Africa for themselves—and through a context with which they can identify—we believe that we would be doing a service to both Alpha Phi Alpha and the Continent.

The Sphinx: Will you populate the chapter with local men in Johannesburg, as opposed to just brothers from elsewhere who live in South Africa? If so, is there a need for Alpha there?

SUDARKASA: Our aim is to build Alpha

in Africa. Commencing with an effort to identify and engage with brothers who were initiated in the U.S.—some of whom are likely to be African-American, while others are just as likely to be American Africans.

The latter group comprises those born on the Continent who studied in the U.S., or are children of first-generation Americans who have returned to the Continent for professional or familial reasons.

We actually believe that there are probably 1,000 Alphas across the continent, in countries such as Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria, where you have significant numbers of dual-nationality Africans who have studied in the U.S. There well may be as many black South African brothers of whom we are not aware, given the significant number of black South African students who have been educated in America over the years. Hopefully, the

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fraternity will help us comb the registry and identify these brothers.

Continent-wide, we are also convinced that Alpha has a role to play in promoting academic excellence, manly deeds, community service and respect for women, and in promoting economic development. Alpha, as a Diaspora institution, could make very significant contributions to the Continent’s development in the 21st century if we are successful in this endeavor. H

The working group of the brothers in South Africa pause to take a snapshot of history in the making.

This image was captured following one of their monthly planning meetings in Johannesburg. It marked the first time there was a quorum of seven brothers in attendance. From left: Brothers Reginald Shaver, Sean Walker, Herman Warren, Michael Sudarkasa, Gerald Sherman, Eric Wright and Linston Terry.

Alpha Jewel’s Daughter Dies

Brothers Salute Helen Ogle Atkins IN THE MAGNIFICENT cathedral of St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, near Capitol Hill, brothers in the Washington, D.C., area joined General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr., Eastern Region Vice President Helen Ogle Atkins Sean McCaskill and Assistant Vice President Taurean Branch on Dec. 31, 2009, to bid farewell to the daughter of a Jewel, Helen Ogle Atkins.

Born on Feb. 14, 1908, in Ithaca, N.Y., Atkins was the second daughter born to Robert Harold Ogle and his wife Helen Freeman Moore Ogle. After receiving her childhood education in Ithaca, Atkins moved to Washington, D.C., where she attended the Capital’s historic Dunbar High School. She graduated from the Miner Teachers College (now the University of the District of Columbia) and taught for many years in the District of Columbia Public Schools system.

An accomplished poet, Atkins was known for her loving and genial spirit. In 1999, she assisted Mason with research for his book The Talented Tenth: The Founders and Presidents of Alpha. She is survived by her daughter Dr. Melanie Atkins Brown and other family members, including a nephew, Brother Julian Conway Wilson, a member of Mu Lambda Chapter in Washington, D.C. H

Above, Alpha General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr. (center, right) and brothers join the granddaughter of Helen Ogle Atkins and grandson Brother Julian Wilson (center left), at the funeral mass.

At right, pallbearers carry the casket of Helen Ogle Atkins from the cathedral after the service.

Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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Remembering a Miraculous Night at the Alpha House Thirty Years Ago, It Seems Like It Was Only Yesterday

By Alvin Reid

WHEN TEAM USA opened its pursuit of a men’s hockey gold medal at the Vancouver Winter Games in February, with a 3-1 win against Switzerland, I was reminded of the Olympic moment that many Americans remember and cherish.

It happened Feb. 22, 1980, almost 30 years ago. I was 19, a student at the University of Kansas and a resident of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity house. It was there on a small black-and-white TV that I watched “The Miracle on Ice.” Many of our fun-filled Friday nights began with frat brothers gathering at the house. We’d head out later to a party on campus or someone’s house and then return to “our” house for an after-party. It was the usual dark, cold Friday evening that you get used to in Lawrence, Kan., and when I got home from campus I knew I was headed straight to a TV to watch the USA take on the USSR. America vs. Russia. I’m sure it was just as dark and cold in Lake Placid, N.Y., home of the 1980 Winter Olympics.

The best team in the world was about to take on a bunch of college kids; guys my age were skating against seasoned veterans. They had no chance.

The Russian team had dominated a team of NHL All-Stars a year earlier. It had also blasted the youthful Americans 10-3 in an exhibition game in recent months.

This was supposed to be no contest.

Heck, the Americans weren’t even supposed to be in a semifinal game. I watched the 2-2 tie against Sweden that started the Americans’ run. It took a late goal to draw even, and I thought that was a good start.

But the next day I read in the newspaper that Sweden was awful and the Americans were lucky to get the tie. I suddenly doubted this team could win a medal. I guess I should not have listened to the so-called experts.

I didn’t remember the scores or the teams that came next, but I do remember that America got things rolling with a big win. I looked it up and it was a 7-3 victory over Czechoslovakia. Then came wins over Norway, Romania and Germany. The totally unexpected win against the Germans propelled Team USA into the semifinal game against the Russians.

So here I was alone in a second-floor room in the Alpha House, shortly after the game began.

“Hey Reid, what you doin’?” somebody yelled from the first floor.

“Watching the hockey game,” I hollered back.

It was quiet for awhile, and then I heard footsteps on the stairs. It was Eugene Davis and it was about halfway through the first period. Now there were two of us watching the game.

Had it not been for goalie Jim Craig, I think I would have been changing

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Team USA defeats the USSR in the hockey semifinal at the Lake Placid, N.Y., Winter Games, Feb. 22, 1980.

clothes and getting my party on a lot earlier on that night. He held off wave after wave of Russian attackers. It looked like the Russians would win easily. But America held it together and, shockingly, tied the score at 2-2 with just one second left in the first period.

And by this time it wasn’t just me and Eugene watching the game. A couple of other frat brothers had made their way into the room, probably because they heard us cheering.

“What y’all watching,” was usually the first question as guys walked in.

And almost in unison the answer from everyone in the room was “the hockey game.”

The second period was now underway and the only light in the room was from the little TV. By now, there were six or seven guys watching.

Some had never watched five minutes of a hockey game in their life, let alone seen one in person. But we were all hockey fans for the next hour or so.

The Russians scored the lone goal of the second period. By this time, the pre-party for the evening was usually well underway. But as guys came into the house, they ended up in that room. As the third period started, there were more than 10 of us.

We cheered so loud they could hear us a block away. It was like we knew we were witnessing more than a possible upset. It was like

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something historic was about to happen. Being college kids, I think we were also wise enough to know that the world around us was changing.

American hostages were being held in Iran; the Cold War continued; just five years had passed since North Vietnamese troops marched into Saigon and took over South Vietnam.

This was more than America vs. the Russians. It was us against them, us against the world in many ways.

Now remember, many of the guys in the room weren’t knowledgeable about hockey. So terms like power play had to be explained. The USA went on a power play about half way through the third period. Once guys knew what had just happened, everyone got closer to the TV. Mark Johnson scored a power-play goal and the room went crazy. It was 3-3. We, oh yes, we, had a chance to pull off this miracle.

Later in the third period, captain Mike Eruzione found the puck on his stick, and he fired it toward the net. I can still see that net bulge as the puck hit home. We almost tore the room apart in celebration.

We stood and cheered the rest of the game. As the final seconds ticked off, this small room in the Alpha House was thundering. It was so loud that none of us actually heard Al Michaels say the words “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” A half hour later there was still a buzz in the house. Once we got to the party, we were still talking about it. But very few partygoers were interested.

I watched the gold-medal game on Sunday with my girlfriend (who is now my wife of 26 years) and her roommate.

It wasn’t as loud, but we all cheered when the USA defeated Finland to win the gold medal.

The interesting tidbit about my story on the Miracle On Ice is everyone in that room that evening at the Alpha House was black.

All of us with a new appreciation for hockey and a team spirit that enables miracles to happen. And the Sports Illustrated from the next week—that simply had a photo of the on-ice celebration—stayed on the Alpha House mantle the rest of the school year. H

Delta Xi Wins Sprite Step-Off

Alpha brothers celebrate winning the Sprite Step Off by toasting with cans of Sprite. The winning team, comprised of Delta Xi Chapter members, included Teddy Block, Terris Brooks, Jazmen Turner, Ramon Thomas, Jacob Fairbanks, Brandon Bates, Antoine Veale, Darnay Wade, Benzack Cooper, Frederick White, Ned Butler and Artis Olds.

AFTER MONTHS OF PREPARATION and performances, Alpha Phi Alpha’s Delta Xi Chapter at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, won it all at the Sprite Step Off, the Sprite-sponsored international step competition.

The final competition was held in Atlanta on Feb. 20, 2010. Regional competitions were held beginning in January in Charlotte, N.C., Chicago, New York City, Houston and San Francisco. All teams had to step their way into the tournament by competing in a qualifying event in one of the regions. The top four sorority and

fraternity step teams from each qualifying event received an invitation to join the tournament. The first-place team from each qualifying event received a bye and advanced directly to the regional final. The second-through-fourthplace teams competed in the first round of regional competition through the regional semifinals.

Delta Xi lists its mission as making improvements and enhancements to the campus of Central State University and surrounding communities through hard work and dedication as a step team.

Alpha Phi Chapter at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta won second place in the competition. Its mission is to serve the Atlanta community as well as the CAU campus. Alpha Phi’s team included Brothers Richardson Pierre, Cameron Fulford, Siergio Larry, Isaac Harris, Christopher Hendricks, Steven McKenzie, Charles Wilson, Cafabian Heard, Brandon Mitchell and Raheem Manning.

In partnership with Greek-lettered organizations from around the country, and with more than 30 events in over 20 cities and a $1.5 million prize pool, the Sprite Step Off is billed as the largest national step competition in history. The Sprite Step Off premiered January 31 on cable channel MTV2. Hosted by singersongwriter Ludacris, the six-part series followed six teams as they performed community service and competed to win scholarship funds.

Delta Xi is also the reigning Alpha Phi Alpha national step show title-holder, having won at the fraternity’s General Convention in 2009 in New Orleans.

—Bryan J.A. Kelly with Rick Blalock Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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NEWS

Eddie G. Robinson Museum Built at Grambling State

Honors Legendary Football Giant

By Rick Blalock

WHEN VISITORS AND STUDENTS stroll the campus of historic Grambling State University (GSU) in Grambling, La., they will now forever see a shrine dedicated to the NCAA Division I’s winningest college-football coach of all time— the late Alpha Brother Eddie G. Robinson.

A museum in Robinson’s honor is being established that will be a testament to his legacy as a teacher coach, and world citizen. The Eddie G. Robinson Museum, located in the heart of the GSU campus, was authorized by the Louisiana State Legislature in 1999. It is here where Robinson achieved legendary status by winning 408 games during a career that stretched from 1941 to 1997.

During his illustrious career, Robinson won nine Black College National Championships and 17 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championships. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997. Robinson is the namesake of the Football Writers Association of America’s National Coach of the Year Award.

“For many of us on the campus, both Alpha men and Grambling students in general, this is a welcome event and evokes great pride,” said Alonzo S. Blalock, a Grambling senior and Alpha member. “Every day we will have a living representation of all Brother Robinson did for us as students, and for our community and the football world too.”

State, local and university officials made the preopening announcement about the museum the weekend of February 12. Mike Tomin, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, delivered the keynote address at the pre-opening banquet, which featured a number of celebrities and dignitaries, including Notre Dame Head Football Coach Brian Kelley.

The facility, funded by state dollars, is expected to be fully open for visitors later this year.

Robinson was known for striving for excellence both on and off the field. Not only did he make his players standout athletes, but he insisted they graduate and have a backup plan if the NFL didn’t come calling. He spent 57 seasons consistently fielding stellar football teams and guiding his young players to successful personal lives after college and successful professional careers in the NFL. He saw over

20 THE SPHINX H Winter/Spring 2010

80 percent of his players graduate and saw more than 200 of his athletes play in the NFL, including several being enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“Brother Robinson was known to be a humble man, but he lived a life so proud that it has made the name Eddie Robinson synonymous with the best that college football has to offer,” said Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr., general president of Alpha.

Robinson, who was born in Jackson, La., died on April 3, 2007, at 88. H

Top: Grambling State University student Brother Alonzo Blalock at the Eddie G. Robinson Museum. Bottom: The museum is scheduled to open for visitors later this year.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRYAN J.A. KELLY

SPECIAL REPORT: PART I

Haiti’s Ground Zero THIS IS THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF A TWO-PART SPECIAL REPORT ON TEAM ALPHA’S HUMANI-

TARIAN EFFORTS IN HAITI AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE TORE THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE, LEAVING DEVASTATION IN ITS WAKE.

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Alphas in Haiti.

The Alpha delegation with the Haiti Minister of Education Joel Jean-Pierre (center, in white shirt).

“I want the fraternity to stand out in

22 THE SPHINX H Winter/Spring 2010

SPECIAL REPORT

W

hy Alpha in Haiti? Why not just send our contributions to some of the worthwhile organizations like CARE, Red Cross, USAID? Why? Because there is a line in a poem “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,” by Brother Freeman Montague Jr., that I often quote: “there is nothing in this whole wide world, we wouldn’t do for one another.”

As the general president of Alpha Phi Alpha and a 28-year member, I have always known that we had brothers who were of Haitian descent. When it was learned many years ago that my wife’s family was from Haiti, I began to see and meet even more Alpha brothers from Haiti.

Why? Why not?

By Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr.

the affairs of the nation.”

—Jewel Vertner Woodson Tandy, December 1937

The earthquake that occurred on January 12 impacted me and my family directly, as my mother-in-law was visiting her home country at the time of the quake. Our lives changed instantly. Though a few days later, we learned that she was fine, I could not help but to think about the families of all our brothers who had families there who were not fine.

I sent an e-mail to Brother Lucien Mettelus in New York, whose family is from Haiti asking him to help me compile a list of names and e-mail addresses of Alpha brothers that he knew who hailed from Haiti. Within hours, I had a list, and I knew Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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>

SPECIAL REPORT

that we would do more than just raise funds and wish them well. I knew that the beloved founders of this fraternity would expect us to do more than just watch from a distance. We would have to go to Haiti and demonstrate— face-to-face—“love for all mankind.”

I did not know if there was a precedent of the fraternity’s taking a delegation on an international mission, but like on Dec. 4, 1906, there is always a first time for everything that happens.

The call went out to our brothers, and members of the Special Committee on Health and Wellness began engaging Alpha men everywhere to help. A series of phone conference calls opened up the channels of communication for us to organize the “Love for All Mankind Tour.”

“Team Alpha” was being organized, funds were being collected, appeals were being made, and a trip to Haiti imminent. Brother Samuel Darguin of New York stepped up to the plate and assumed the leadership and planning of this effort.

This is what I love about my fraternity. It is filled with leaders—men who are unafraid and willing to take charge. After all, in our mission statement it is clear that we develop leaders, not steppers. Leaders on the college campuses, leaders in their chosen professions, leaders to tackle world issues. From this small band of brothers have come mayors, congressmen, corporate executives, academics, scientists and others.

There was no formula for selecting who would make the trip or how many we would or could take to Haiti. A troop of 11 of us made the mission. Initially, we wanted to take with us more brothers in the medical profession. There were many challenges traveling to Haiti, but we expected that. For example, unable to travel directly to Portau-Prince, we had to fly into the picturesque island of the Dominican Republic—quite a geographical contrast to Haiti, as we would soon find out.

24 THE SPHINX H Winter/Spring 2010

Traveling from Santo Domingo to the border of Haiti was quite an eye-opening experience. The lush tropical forests, mountainside, scenic ocean view all went away at the heavily military-armed border. Crossing into Haiti meant further inspection of our passports, and we had to explain and display a letter from me as the fraternity’s president stating our reasons for coming into the quaketorn Haiti. Finally, after some negotiating and discussion, we were admitted and headed into a “tale of two islands:” the Dominican on one side and Haiti on the other.

Once we arrived in the town of Croixdes-Bouquets and settled into our compound, I knew that our journey, our mission and our purpose for being there would be made clear.

With assembly-line workmanship the brothers unloaded the packed bus, filled with supplies and luggage, and began to stake ground for our outdoor sleeping arrangements. Yes, for the next four days, store-bought tents would provide our shelter. It had been over 35 years since I slept in a tent, let alone put one together. As it turned out, the brothers created a “presidential tent” equipped with hanging lantern, air mattress and all of accoutrements afforded a general president on a mission in Haiti.

On our first day, we ate a hearty meal prepared by two to three cooks, and readied for our first journey to view the devastation and damage of many of the towns. As we drove from street to street, up hills and around curves to an area hospital, we saw the injured and observed the poor in unsanitary conditions and in need of medical services.

The destruction was almost too much for one to bear. All of this was further exacerbated when we saw a hanging leg—indeed the leg of a man on whom a wall had fallen, crushing him to death. The stench of death and reality of being in Haiti was also overbearing and emotional for all of us. We went to a hotel to discuss what we had seen, to release verbally and emotionally and to regroup and gear up for our next few days in Haiti.

We were treated to a full meal, and then cleared the table to begin dividing the massive supplies and separate items according to the identified needs of the brothers’ families from whom we had heard. Over the next two days, we spent our time locating the families of brothers, delivering to them an assortment of supplies, tents and cash. At each visit we connected with the brothers back in the States as we stood with their families. On all occasions, the brothers were both shocked and surprised that we were actually in Haiti— standing with their families—delivering on

our promise to help, our promise to be our “brothers’ keeper.”

Again, some have questioned our travel to Haiti: “Why not just send the money to an established social agency,” they’ve asked.

I have always believed that if I should ever find myself in a true bind or position where I need help, that somehow my fraternity, my brotherhood, would be the first to step in and say, “Here I am, brother.”

Our work in Haiti is not finished. This is not a one-time deal. It is our hope that Alpha will send to Haiti another team of

brothers comprised of medical doctors and practitioners in the near future. We have also adopted a Haitian school that we plan to help recover. We will send a few of our architects and brothers in the construction arena to ascertain what it will take to help reconstruct the building.

We will then support it, donating supplies and furniture. The owner of the school has already agreed to rename it Alpha Academy.

Why Alpha Academy in Haiti? When asked what the greatest need in Haiti is,

its minister of education said “education.”

Therefore, our fraternity will aid in humanity by rebuilding this school and giving young women and—especially in our case—young men an opportunity to get a good education.

We must help identify the youth in Haiti who are marching onward and upward toward the light.

We shall support Haiti with our talents, our resources and, of course, our prayers, so that there will be a brighter and better day in this fiercely independent country, whose roots in African history and culture run deep. H Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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SPECIAL REPORT

Social Outreach From Brother to Brother

By U. Grant Baldwin Jr.

T

he purposes for implementing social outreach to family members of our brothers who were victims of the earthquakes in Haiti was simply to address the basic human needs that were disrupted and disconnected and to conduct an assessment of the needs of the people. Reconnecting families with the following basic needs—food, water and clothing—was recognized as a key component for these families to begin a healing process physically, mentally and emotionally.

The “spirit” of the third aim of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, “Love for All Mankind,” became the driving force

that catapulted the “tireless” efforts of outreach of “Team Alpha.” The team matriculated throughout the communities of Haiti from sunup to sundown with the sole purpose of serving the people despite the obstacles. The Social Outreach component of the mission was designed to begin “nation-building” and to reveal the dynamics of the Haitian people within Haiti and globally; to identify resources and systems existing within the country; to introduce intervention strategies and techniques and to address social issues in a constructive, creative and culturally sensitive manner. “Team Alpha” gathered information to assist Haitian people with

the future development of culturally sensitive services, to assist the citizens of Haiti with improving the quality of their lives in areas such as housing, health care, agriculture, and to build upon their strengths and resiliency from a collective group perspective to address their own individual needs.

The national delegation of brothers, personally and strategically, delivered several hundred pounds of supplies, such as medical, hygiene, food, tents, and clothing for men, women and children. These goods were delivered by the delegation despite the rough and intense terrain in the rural and

Brother Ralph Thomas (right) reviews a medical supply pack while Brother U. Grant Baldwin and Haitian Red Cross workers look on.

22 THE SPHINX H Winter/Spring 26 Summer/Fall 2009 2010

SPECIAL REPORT

mountainous areas to the homes of brothers’ relatives. Monetary gifts were also issued to the families as well.

Medical examinations were also issued to men, women and children in the city and rural areas of Haiti, noted as “tent cities” that did not receive medical attention, care or food. These families along with many others were forgotten by other “missions.” Each family was consoled by brothers, allowing family members the opportunity to process various anxieties and fears due to the loss of homes, family and security. The delegation was greeted with warm embraces, kisses, heartfelt thanks and amazement that their children, sent their “brothers” to their doorsteps to assure that they were comforted and provided with relief from thousands of miles away. Hundreds were issued hot meals, and brothers walked the countryside to deliver meals to the elderly and desolate.

Medical supplies that brothers purchased, and those that were donated, were also given to the Red Cross of Haiti due to the extreme shortage of supplies.

“Team Alpha” also assisted the United Sheiks, a national disaster relief group, with loading its trucks with water and several hundred plates of hot food.

Delivering services in such conditions requires, firstly, the importance of integrating with and being “present” with the people. Human interaction and relationships are key variables in delivering goods and services in any social outreach mission. The key component recognized by “Team Alpha” is rooted in the foundation of social-work practice and core values when providing services to others.

Organizations must recognize the dignity and worth of people and the importance of “being amongst the people” in order to deliver an impactful and culturally sensitive service in a successful manner. H

Alpha Phi Alpha in Haiti: (top) delivering goods; (middle) surveying school damage; (above) tents and supplies; (right) preparing meals for distribution.

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SPECIAL REPORT

Descendants of Toussaint

By Jean McGianni Celestin

T

here is an Ancient proverb that Africans and Native Americans adhere to that teaches, we don’t inherit land from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

The inheritance is but a loan given on the condition that it will be honored and protected for those who will come after us, and is the creed that continuously connects our past to our future.

Before I heard about the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, I was sitting in my office in Midtown New York, finishing a long workday and thinking of nothing more than my train ride home. But as I read the CNN headline my heart raced with emotions as my mind spun in confusion. I thought about my father, my aunts and the many family members I have living on the island. I thought about our house in Delmas, our family business in the downtown commercial district of La Ville and conjured up childhood memories of when I was a young boy running down the streets of Port-au-Prince. It was a natural reaction to the trauma I felt for the uncertainty of the livelihood of my loved ones, and it consumed me for many days after.

But as we searched and day-by-day recovered them, what began as a son’s emotional reaction for the safety of his father turned into a son’s emotional outcry for the rebuilding of his native land. Recently as I returned to Haiti in the aftermath of the quake, the adage of the indigenous was prophecy coming to fruition. It seemed fitting that it’s on the heels of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first fraternity founded for African Americans, that I would carry out this undeniable duty to the first independent black republic in the Western Hemisphere. It is as if the stars had aligned and the forefathers of Ayiti and the Seven Jewels

28 THE SPHINX H Winter/Spring 2010

Brothers spend time with an Alpha members’ Hatian family.

rolled over in their graves as a calling cry for us to rise to the urgency of the moment.

But for those of us who were born on this majestic soil, once deemed the Pearl of the Antilles, this trip wasn’t just about the earthquake. This pilgrimage back home was really about the political and economic earthquake that struck the nation many decades prior and rendered it into the desolate condition it has been in throughout modern history. We all knew

of this history; many of us were sheltered from it; some of us grew up in it. But to see the results of it decades later was heart-wrenching, and the devastation it has caused even in the midst of this natural disaster is the biggest tragedy of it all.

As I roamed through the streets of Port-au-Prince, through the back roads of Croix-des-Bouquets and up the steep and rugged hills of Carrefour and Savanne Pistache, it was in the tears of the

Making Headlines in Haiti CNN CORRESPONDENT JOE JOHNS (LEFT) EXCHANGES INFORMATION WITH HAITIAN-BORN BROTHER SAMUEL DARGUIN, AS BROTHER FERREL BONNER LOOKS ON. JOHNS WAS COVERING THE RESCUE-AND-RECOVERY OPERATIONS FOR THE CABLE NEWS NETWORK WHILE ALPHA BROTHERS WERE CONDUCTING THEIR HUMANITARIAN MISSION ON THE ISLAND.

SPECIAL REPORT

thousands of survivors we met that this catastrophe can only be measured.

It is in the unlimited potential of the children who make up nearly half of the island’s population that you feel the despair. It is the defeat on the faces of the old and in the weariness of the homeless that you see that Haiti had been an earthquake-ravaged nation way before the events of January 12. Yet, in the midst of the ruins, there was a sense of solace. A strange but beautiful irony that this was going to be the beginning of prosperity for a nation that, more than any country in the Western World, deserves it as payment for an unjust sentence of a lifetime of poverty. The resiliency of the people who continue to smile and lend a helping hand tells you this and makes it impossible for you not to love this land and feel responsible for its upliftment in some way.

It is what the indigenous knew and that we sometime lose sight of.

Because while life can end as quickly as it begins, our land and the certainty of our children’s futures should remain way after we’re gone.

As I look back at this historic trip, I feel blessed that I was able to help lead Alpha Phi Alpha to the place where black people stood unchained by slavery for the first time in history. What some organizations deem service and a humanitarian effort, we saw as duty and nation-building—a reclaiming of our birthright to be passed down to grandsons and granddaughters. I wished many more brothers could have experienced it. All one would have to do is to listen to the spirit of the young and feel the touch of the old to understand that it is only on the strength of this generation of Haitians, throughout the Diaspora, that Haiti will become a prosperous nation again. The baton has been passed. H

MONEY AND AID:

The Economic Redevelopment of Haiti

By Jean G. Celestin

IN THE AFTERMATH of the earthquake in Haiti on Jan.12, 2010, many around the world have made monetary donations for the aid and relief of the millions of survivors who are now in need.

Others have donated goods, and some took time from their jobs to donate something much more valuable than the dollar—sweat equity. But while these humanitarian efforts will help in the days and months immediately following the devastation, it will require a long-term, self-sustained systematic economic model to redevelop Haiti for the long run.

Although it is the first and only country to become independent as a result of a successful slave revolution, Haiti has long been in slavery economically. Haiti’s economic crisis began the day it gained its independence from the French in 1804. Economic embargos imposed by the international community as punishment for the successful rebellion, coupled with payment demanded by France in order to be recognized as an independent nation, all played major roles in today’s economic crisis.

Haiti has been robbed on all fronts, and in order for the country to be self-sufficient, there needs to be government policies, on both the local and national level, that create mechanisms that help jumpstart the Haitian economy in the public and private sectors. The rebuilding effort is the perfect opportunity to incorporate this plan. While there aren’t many Haitian-owned construction companies equipped to meet the challenges of this massive reconstruction, a policy that earmarks a large share of this rebuilding pie for Haitians rather than foreign companies will create jobs and provide the island with the strong economic infrastructure it has lacked for decades.

While the earthquake was a tragic event that destroyed millions of lives, the rebuilding phase that will follow is an economic opportunity that can’t be missed. It will not be through foreign aid that Haiti will become profitable again, it will be through grassroots economic models like this one that the first independent black nation in the world will become economically independent. H Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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SPECIAL REPORT

After the Quake: A Doctor’s Perspective

By Joseph Gambrell, M.D.

I

had the opportunity to be in Haiti 19 days after the earthquake. The search and rescue and emergency medical services had been rendered but the capital was far from healed. Collapsed buildings still held undiscovered and unrecovered bodies. The sanitation system (water, sewerage, garbage and power) did not exist. Acute medical care was scarce and not readily available or accessible. Follow-up care was questionable.

The United Nations and organizations from many countries were present providing aid and assistance. Doctors without Borders, the Red Cross organizations from many nations, standalone organizations, volunteers and religious organizations were all there to help. Unfortunately, it appeared that the aid delivery was not coordinated, and thus a lot of aid was not getting to the people in the communities in a reasonable manner.

Haitian hospitals were overwhelmed with patients needing care for acute, sub-acute and chronic conditions. Medical offices were closed as a result of being destroyed or damaged by the quake. The need for interpreters was huge. I found it impossible to be accepted and function without “locals” to interpret and translate histories, exam findings and instructions.

Brother Gambrell examines an injured women in Port-au-Prince.

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ou don’t have to be an M.D. to know that the resulting Y psychological problems abound. The loss of family and friends, worldly possessions, homes, etc., with uncertainty of the future, has taken a massive toll on the country and its people.

Despite all of this, I learned the people of Port-au-Prince are resilient. They went about trying to provide for their families and survive. The Haitian people, are on the surface, perhaps cavalier, but below there is deep pain, depression, uncertainty and even some anger toward the many “visitors” now in their country.

But all of this can change for the better in the long run if we keep our eyes and hearts on Haiti in the future. A good, working public health-sanitation system is a given. Good health and medical care that is accessible with primary, secondary and tertiary care are profoundly necessary. In spite of the quake, we all now have a chance to create a model system.

There is a great opportunity to improve Haiti as a result of this disaster. The Haitian government and the international community must get it right. We have a chance to reverse two centuries of mismanagement, greed and international oppression, and provide real hope for the people who so desperately need it. I hope this is “nation-building” time. H

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32 THE SPHINX H Winter/Spring 2010

CHAPTER NEWS

ALPHA Cornell University

ALPHA ALPHA LAMBDA Newark, N.J.

BROTHERS at the founding chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., are working in conjunction with other student organizations to assist with relief efforts in Haiti.

On Jan. 28, 2010, the members of Alpha Chapter, along with the Haitian Student Association, the Kappa Xi Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and the Beta Chapter of Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity, hosted a candlelight vigil at the University’s Sage Chapel to remember those who lost their lives in the earthquake and its aftershocks.

Cornell University President David Skorton welcomed the congregation and spoke of the Cornell community’s responsibility, as a part of the human family, to reach out and be active participants in the relief efforts that are sorely needed in Haiti.

Alpha members and students from the groups are raising money to “help heal Haiti” by selling red-and-blue wristbands for two dollars, in support of the Haitian relief effort. H

ALPHA ALPHA LAMBDA held its biannual Evening of Elegance on Dec. 11, 2009. In addition to the chapter’s recognizing Carlisle Parker as its Brother of the Year, it also presented a leadership award to Newark Mayor Cory Booker.

Evening of Elegance is a major scholarship fundraiser. Brothers at AAL honored Booker for his work in reviving the city of Newark. The mayor—often referred to as a future presidential candidate—has undertaken several initiatives to deal with urban blight and fully employs the support of the community to realize better outcomes. In the spirit of Alpha Phi Alpha’s historical mission, AAL is seeking ways to partner with government and civic leaders like Booker to improve overall quality of life in Greater Essex County, N.J. Also attending the festive event were Wayne Smith, mayor of Irvington, N.J., Newark Councilman Brother Ron Rice, Alpha Phi Alpha New Jersey District Director Duane Malone and General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr. H

Celebrating in New Jersey, from left: Brother Mark Hassell, president of Alpha Alpha Lambda Chapter, Newark Mayor Cory Booker and General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr.

ALPHA DELTA LAMBDA Memphis, Tenn.

CHAPTER MEMBERS celebrated Founders’ Day 2009 with two major events. The 2nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Breakfast kicked off the celebration on Dec. 5, 2009, at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tenn. The event, co-chaired by Brothers Willie Byrd Jr. and Christopher Liddell, garnered $1,000 for the Washington D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation.

Special guests at the breakfast included Boy Scout Troop #143 from St. Augustine Catholic Church, sponsored by Memphis Mayor Brother A.C. Wharton, Jr. and his wife Ruby. Brother Lee Miller serves as the scout master for the troop.

The following day, the103rd Founders’ Day Celebration was held at First Baptist Church-Broad in Memphis, Tenn. The guest speaker was Southern Region Vice President James L. Crumel. H

Celebrating at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Breakfast are members of Boy Scout Troop 143. From left: Scout leader Andre Wharton with son Andrew, Trey Love, Scout leader Brother Lee Miller, Terreal Ueal, Marktavius Littles and Nicholas Nabors.

Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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CHAPTER NEWS

EPSILON PI, Norfolk State University THETA NU, Old Dominion University ALPHA PHI LAMBDA, Norfolk, Va. BROTHERS IN NORFOLK, VA., from Epsilon Pi Chapter at Norfolk State University, Nu Theta Chapter at Old Dominion University, and Alpha Phi Lambda Chapter, joined with the Salvation Army in the annual holidaybell-ringing activity during the 2009 holiday season. H Brothers cheer on the women in pink, racing for a cure for breast cancer, in Little Rock, Ark.

BETA CHI, Philander Smith College KAPPA PSI, University of Arkansas PI LAMBDA, Little Rock, Ark. ON A WINDY, BONE-CHILLING MORNING last fall, excitement filled the air as hundreds of women dressed in pink decided to undergo a few hours of discomfort— for a good cause.

The women participated in the 16th Annual Susan G. Komen Race for Cure: Arkansas in the fight against breast cancer on October 17. Members of Beta Chi Chapter at Philander Smith College, Kappa Psi Chapter at the University of Arkansas, and Pi Lambda Chapter in Little Rock, Ark., added a sprinkle of black and old gold to the sea of pink, as Alpha men lined a downtown Little Rock street, showing their support.

The brothers were a part of 3 Miles of Men, a male component of the race, in which fathers, sons, uncles, brothers and friends line the race course to show their suppport. H

DELTA BETA Bethune-Cookman University BROTHERS OF DELTA BETA CHAPTER spent the month of October 2009 targeting issues affecting women and girls. Throughout the month, the campus of Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Fla., “went pink” with ribbons, signifying the observation of breast-cancer awareness.

The chapter also joined forces with the University’s chapter of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) and the University’s Department of Speech Communication to host “Take Back the Night.” The event, held on October 26, was an all-day affair at which Alpha brothers and NCNW members provided free information on domestic violence, while pinning purple ribbons on students, faculty and staff to signify the fight against domestic violence. H

ALPHA LAMBDA Louisville, Ky. ALPHA LAMBDA CHAPTER concluded its Canned Good Drive on Nov. 21, 2009, donating to The Healing Place— an organization which provides food, shelter and uplift for recovering substance-abusers. In addition to donating canned goods, chapter members also helped serve lunch.

One month later, on Dec. 17, 2009, brothers concluded their 2009 Clothing Drive by donating to Lost Sheep Ministries, an organization which provides food, prayer and clothing for Louisville’s homeless. H

34 THE SPHINX H Winter/Spring 2010

Delta Beta Chapter joins forces with Bethune-Cookman’s National Council of Negro Women Chapter to raise awareness of domestic violence.

CHAPTER NEWS

GAMMA ETA Indiana University

Brothers of Delta Eta Chapter.

DELTA ETA Savannah State University BROTHERS OF DELTA ETA CHAPTER at Savannah State University in Savannah, Ga., hosted an event to congratulate Brother Marcus Stallworth for placing second in the men’s 60-meter hurdle competition, in the 2010 Dick Taylor Carolina Classic. Stallworth finished with a time of 8.31.

The chapter is also celebrating its recent honor, from the Tara Nursing Home, for its community-service endeavors during the month of January. H

Brother Marcus Stallworth

DELTA GAMMA Alabama A&M University BROTHERS AT DELTA GAMMA CHAPTER at Alabama A&M University in Normal, Ala., are working to raise money to help rebuild the home of one of the chapter’s founders. Brother Harold W. Tapscott, who helped establish Delta Gamma on April 13, 1948, still lives Delta Gamma brothers surround their across the street from the campus. His home was longtime advisor Wiley Henderson (center). destroyed by fire in January.

In the midst of that challenge, brothers started off 2010 marking a milestone for alumnus Brother Wiley Henderson. Henderson, the chapter advisor, was initiated at Delta Gamma on April 13, 1954. This year marks 56 years of his active membership. What makes this so fascinating is that while most chapter advisors are in their 20s to 40s, Henderson is well in to his 70s. He and a carload of college brothers rode to the annual Southern Region Convention, held in Jackson, Miss., earlier this spring, just as if he were going as a neophyte some 56 years ago.

“He inspires us, as I believe we inspire him,” said chapter member James Patterson III. Henderson, a native of Grove Hill, Ala., was Delta Gamma’s chapter president in his senior year, before graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology; he later earned a master’s degree. He retired from full-time teaching at A&M in 1998, and has since taught in an adjunct-type capacity. H

GAMMA ETA CHAPTER brothers at Indiana University (IU) in Bloomington, Ind., have adopted the slogan—“onward and upward”—and turned it into a mantra. So evident is the conversion that the saying has become the lens through which the chapter scrutinizes its programs, communityservice efforts and public persona.

Last fall, the chapter stamped “onward and upward” on nearly everything it accomplished. Its latest achievements include: increasing the scholarship award given for the Miss Black & Gold Scholarship Pageant, from $2,000 to $3,500; increasing the chapter’s semester gradepoint average by 10 percent; and having a graduating brother speak at the Minority Commencement Ceremony for the fifth consecutive semester.

Gamma Eta brothers are also taking pride in placing Alpha members in positions of influence on the IU campus, including the Indiana University Student Association Funding Board, the Indiana University Union Board, and the Residence Halls Association. Topping all that, earlier this year brothers dug deep to raise and donate money and supplies to local organizations in support of Haitian-relief efforts. H Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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IOTA RHO LAMBDA Pontiac, Mich.

Standing with students are, from left: Brother Mark Spivey, Sr.; volunteer Juliette Spivey; Brother Frank Jackson, mayor of Prarie View, Texas; Eric Potts of Elves & More; and Michael Wolfe, mayor of Hempstead, Texas. Photo courtesy of HISD Public Information.

EPSILON TAU LAMBDA Waller, Texas THANKS TO THE BROTHERS of Epsilon Tau Lambda Chapter in Waller, Texas, hundreds of children are using a new mode of transportation to get around town.

In December, students in the Hempstead and Waller, Texas, school districts were surprised when the charity Elves & More and the chapter unloaded 13 trucks filled with bikes at the Hempstead football stadium. In all, the charity, founded by David Moore, donated 1,327 new bikes to students in grades four through eight. H

GAMMA IOTA LAMBDA Brooklyn, N.Y. CONGRATULATIONS are in order for brothers in the Brooklyn, N.Y., area. Last June, the New York Senate honored the chapter with Senate Bill J2720 for the chapter’s community service, highlighting Gamma Iota Lambda’s 4th Annual Juneteenth Summer Formal.

The Senate, by resolution, noted that the chapter was dedicated to serving the community and to preserving the community’s rich ethnic heritage through its ongoing work. The Senate specifically acknowledged the chapter’s partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Brooklyn on voter-registration and mentoring students to encourage academic excellence. H

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BROTHERS IN SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN recently celebrated the legacy of the Rev. Brother Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Iota Rho Lambda Chapter, seated in the northernDetroit suburb of Pontiac, Mich., joined over 2,200 participants in the 25th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Peace Walk Celebration, held on Jan. 18. The Walk is the oldest and largest event honoring King in the state of Michigan.

The one-mile walk, from Hope United Methodist Church to the Southfield Civic Center in Southfield, Mich., concluded with a program of motivational speakers, musical performances and the third annual Celebration of Diversity Taste Fest. Iota Rho Lambda brothers also raised funds for the Washington D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial, currently under construction. H

Iota Rho Lambda brothers meet Southfield, Mich. Mayor Brenda Lawrence at Peace Walk Celebration.

MU ZETA The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill THE BROTHERS OF MU ZETA Chapter at The University of North Carolina at Mu Zeta brothers Chapel Hill continued their legacy of serve food at the Annual MLK Jr. being “servants of all” by hosting the 3rd 3rd Potluck Unity Dinner at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Annual MLK Jr. Potluck Unity Dinner at the University recently. The event, cosponsored by the Student Government Association, the NAACP and the Women’s Center, brought together many of the on-campus cultural and religious organizations to engage in fellowship and a meal, while reflecting on the legacy of the Rev. Brother Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The occasion sought to join diverse groups of individuals who would not normally interact with each other on a regular basis. Moderators were placed at various tables positioned across the facility floor and engaged the students with questions on race, equality and the struggle to continue King’s dream. H

CHAPTER NEWS

THETA IOTA Virginia Tech and Radford Universities

The panel at Omicron Lambda Alpha’s National Healthcare Reform Forum.

OMICRON LAMBDA ALPHA Washington, D.C. IN AN EFFORT TO ENGAGE in the national debate on healthcare, and to create the opportunity for a productive discussion, brothers of Omicron Lambda Alpha Chapter in Washington, D.C., hosted a National Healthcare Reform Forum last October.

More than 200 people participated in the forum, including nearly 100 attendees who viewed and submitted questions and comments during the live-streamed online event.

Panelists included members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), National Council of La Raza and the National Medical Association, and Alpha Brother Lt. Cmdr. Dr. Mill Etienne, a neurologist with the U.S. Navy. Etienne is immediate past president of Alpha Gamma Lambda Chapter in Harlem, N.Y., and recently relocated to Washington, D.C., and served aboard the USNS Comfort during the relief mission to Haiti.

The chapter’s partner organizations for the event were the NAACP and the Young Professional Network of the Greater Washington Urban League. H

PI ALPHA Clemson University BROTHERS OF PI ALPHA CHAPTER at Clemson University continue to accept the charge of keeping the dream of Brother Martin Luther King Jr. alive. They did so at the top of this year, playing a key role on the University’s MLK Enhancement Committee, which presented the University’s 28th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration – “Dare To Dream.”

On Jan. 14, Pi Alpha kicked off the fiveday Celebration as sponsors of the Oratorical

ON THE HISTORIC campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Va., Theta Iota Chapter members are continuing the remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr. Each year the chapter hosts its Keynote Celebration during the King Day observance. The event was created and initially instituted to allow the community to recognize the life of a humble leader and share in his ideology and practice of nonviolence and tolerance. The program began in 1982 in the city of Blacksburg. In the early years its keynote address was held at local churches and in the War Memorial Chapel on Virginia Tech’s campus. The chapter has been hosting the event for more than 25 years, and in 2006 Theta Iota officially partnered with the University in implementation of the program.

This year’s speaker was Brother Cornel West. Over 1.500 people packed Burruss Hall to hear the legendary academic and author. H

Brothers of Theta Iota Chapter at Virginia Tech with Brother Cornel West (direct center) at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Keynote Celebration on Jan. 18, 2010.

Contest for high school students. Competing students spoke on their understanding of King’s “Dare to Dream” speech: what it means to them and how best to achieve the dream. They were selected from Anderson, Oconee and Pickens County, S.C., high schools and were judged primarily on the basis of originality, relevance and presentation. This year’s first-place winner was D.W. Daniel High School senior Devleena Kole, who was awarded a $300 savings bond. The second-place winner received a $200 savings bond; and the third-place winner was awarded a $100 savings bond. H

Pi Alpha Chapter President Christopher Jenkins (left) and Oratorical Contest Coordinator Brother Marque Macon (right) with Devleena Kole (center), first-place winner of the 2010 Oratorical Contest, sponsored by the chapter, during Clemson University’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.

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CHAPTER NEWS

East Tennesesse State University student Brother Steven Templin works with children during craft time at Carver Recreation Center during Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities. Photo by Lee Talbert/Johnson City Press.

SIGMA BETA East Tennessee State University Members of Sigma Beta Chapter at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tenn., were recently featured on the front page of the Johnson City Press daily newspaper for their contribution to the 10th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Storytelling Celebration.

Hosted by and held at Carver Recreation Center, children of all ages from the surrounding community gathered on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to learn more about the slain civil-rights icon and his legacy through storytelling and other activities. Sigma Beta brothers volunteered to facilitate the various workshops in which the children participated. Chapter brothers also participated in a walk honoring King hosted by the Center. H

XI NU LAMBDA Baton Rouge, La. Xi Nu Lambda Chapter in Baton Rouge, La., decided to do more than just spread holiday cheer during the 2009 Christmas holiday season. The chapter combined the spirit of giving with an opportunity to serve as exemplary examples of manhood to a family struggling with domestic-violence issues.

Recognizing the family’s need, the chapter decided to adopt that family for an Xi Nu Lambda Brother Kelvin Jones helps deliver holiday cheer to a entire year. To begin the relationship, the family in need in Baton Rouge, La. chapter provided the family with individual holiday gifts and ones for their home. Brothers worked with a school teacher, who is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, to identify a family in critical need. H

38 THE SPHINX H Winter/Spring 2010

ETA TAU LAMBDA Akron, Ohio ON JAN. 17, 2010, the brothers of the Eta Tau Lambda Chapter in Akron, Ohio, along with the Akron Summit County Public Library, cosponsored their annual Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the annual event.

The lecture was special this year because the featured speaker was retired judge Brother James R. Williams, 25th general president of Alpha Phi Alpha. Williams’ topic was ‘Education and Racial Progress in the 21st Century.’

Though the program has featured many notable speakers over the years, and draws hundreds of people from the community each year, Williams is the first member of Eta Tau Lambda to deliver the lecture at the annual event. H IOTA ALPHA LAMBDA Aberdeen, Md. BROTHERS AT IOTA ALPHA LAMBDA Chapter in Aberdeen, Md., are proving that black Greek-lettered groups can— and should—work together. Last year in September, members of the Greek Letter Organizations of Harford County (GLOHC) hosted a Sharing Table meal.

The Sharing Table is a program through which local churches and organizations work together to prepare and provide free weekly meals to anyone in need.

GLOHC has participated in Sharing Table since 1998, under the leadership and direction of Brother William Starke. The Sharing Table provides a brief haven from daily stresses faced by families. Although these families have few material assets, Sharing Table allows volunteers to meet their needs in a manner that respects the dignity of each person in attendance.

On this particular Saturday, fraternity members of Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi and sorority members of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta and Zeta Phi Beta cooked and served food for more than 75 people. H IOTA UPSILON LAMBDA Silver Spring, Md. BROTHER MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. was also honored in the Baltimore suburb of Silver Spring, Md., during the 34th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast, sponsored by Iota Upsilon Lambda Chapter.

This year, the event was held on January 18 at the Bethesda North Marriott and Conference Center in Bethesda, Md. The breakfast has become quite popular in Montgomery County, Md., and serves as one of the premier events honoring King in the Baltimore area. Lesli Foster, news anchor at WUSA9-TV, emceed the event, and Montgomery County Executive Brother Isiah Leggett, was the keynote speaker on the theme “Transform the Dream into Action through Service.”

CHAPTER NEWS

Proceeds from the breakfast go to the chapter’s scholarship endowment and to the Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial, under construction the nation’s capital. H KAPPA PHI LAMBDA Laurel, Md. THE HOWARD COUNTY Board of Education has recognized the volunteer contributions of Kappa Phi Lambda Chapter in Laurel, Md. The chapter was nominated earlier this year and chosen in April as one of three recipients. The school board cited Kappa Phi Lambda brothers for significant contribution to the success of Howard County’s African-American students

Since 1982, Kappa Phi Lambda has been conducting intervention programs and recognition programs focused on eliminating the achievement gap between black students and their peers. The chapter’s two educational outreach programs—the Ellington-Adderley AfricanAmerican Community Jazz Ensemble and the Alpha Achievers program—have been highly successful in making progress toward this goal.

The Ensemble, founded in 2001, capitalizes on research that shows the study and performance of music enhances student achievement in other academic areas. The Alpha Achievers program was founded in 1997, with 20 young men; now more than 400 students in seven local high schools are members. To remain in good standing, Alpha Achievers members are required to maintain a 3.0 grade-point average. Participants perform community service and participate in studentleadership opportunities. H PI RHO Temple University BROTHERS AT PI RHO CHAPTER at Temple Universtiy in Philadelphia hosted a special program last fall, titled “Daddy, Where Have You Been?” The program, which was awarded “Program of the Month” honors by the fraternity’s Eastern Region for September 2009, attracted 200 students.

The program highlighted the effects of fatherless youths who are troubled, underachieving, negatively influenced, and/ or are simply unmotivated as a result. H RHO PI LAMBDA Carrollton, Ga. AFTER JUST A YEAR-AND-A-HALF existence, Rho Pi Lambda Chapter in the western Atlanta suburb of Carrollton, Ga., was honored as Georgia Chapter of the Year. The chapter earned the honor because of its work in the community.

Since its founding, Rho Pi Lambda

has developed several innovative programs. The members developed the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Lecture Series, created a benefit-musical fundraising event to raise money for the poor and instituted the African-American Health Symposium, to help facilitate better health in the local community.

Additionally, this chapter has completed every national program. H SOUTH FLORIDA AREA On January 30, the South Florida area chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity held a Haiti relief drive to help the people of Haiti, who continue to be in desperate need of assistance, following the country’s catastrophic earthquake.

Response to the need for aid was widespread, with all nine chapters in South Florida contributing cases of food, water, medicines and providing financial donations.

Chapters participating included Beta Beta Lambda in Miami; Delta Delta Lambda in West Palm Beach; Delta Psi at Florida Memorial University in Opa Locka; Eta Delta at the University of Miami; Eta Kappa Lambda in Fort Pierce; Iota Pi Lambda in Richmond Heights; Omicron Upsilon Lambda in Delray Beach; Tau Delta at Florida International University in Miami-Dade County; and Zeta Alpha Lambda in Fort Lauderdale.

The life-saving food, water and medicines were provided to Food for the Poor, an interdenominational Christian relief and development organization; its goal is to provide $20 million in relief to Haiti’s earthquake victims.

Alpha Phi Alpha set up its own disaster relief fund as well, and sent a delegation to the island in February. For more on that mission, see the SPECIAL REPORT in this issue of The Sphinx on page 21. H XI IOTA University of Central Florida XI IOTA CHAPTER AT THE University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla., hosted its annual Sydney Danielle Baroulette Cancer Benefit Dinner on Nov. 8, 2009. The night was filled with entertainment, laughs, food, valuable information and personal testomonies from survivors. Representatives from the American Cancer Society were on hand for the event. During the program, the chapter also honored a member of the Delta Xi Lambda Chapter in Orlando for his battle against cancer. H

XI KAPPA LAMBDA Missouri City, Texas THE BROTHERS OF XI KAPPA Lambda in Missouri City, Texas, did not let a rare snowfall in the metro Houston area stop them from celebrating the fraternity’s 103rd anniversary. Despite the inclement weather more than 200 brothers and guests attended the chapter’s 16th Annual Founders’ Day Breakfast on Dec. 5, 2009.

The event was held in the Jesse H. Jones Conference Center at the Power Center, in Southwest Houston. With the theme “A Charge to Keep,” the event not only recognized the seven Jewels, but also highlighed the achievements of African-American elected officials in the metro Houston.

The celebration, chaired

by Brother Byron Cobbin, also included the chapter’s community partners: Boy Scouts of America, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and March of Dimes. The keynote speaker was Democratic U.S. Rep. Brother Al Green of Houston. H ZETA DELTA Michigan State University ON JAN. 18, 2010, THE MEN of the Zeta Delta Chapter at Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing, Mich., led the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative March at the campus.

On what was a chilly afternoon at the MSU Student Union, Brothers Brandon Gandy and Vincent Davis kicked off the program with a short skit on modern-day issues that plague African-American students at Michigan State. Following the skit, Brother Victor Robinson delivered a speech on the history of marches during the Civil Rights era and the impact of the movement around the globe.

Brother Thomas Collins then paid tribute to collegiate civil-rights activists who gave their lives in the fight for equal rights, especially Michael Schwerner, a former MSU student murdered in Neshoba County, Miss., in June 1964.

The Zeta Delta brothers then led nearly 500 students, faculty members, the University president, provost, other campus officials, and members of the greater Lansing community on a commemorative march honoring Brother King and his legacy. H

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STAYING RELEVANT: Members of Zeta Theta Lambda Chapter in Harrisburg, Pa., along with Big Brothers Big Sisters participants, bring attention to the need for increased recruitment of mentors by participating in the Harrisburg City Holiday Parade. In 2009, the chapter expanded its partnership with BBBS of the Capital Region to include fundraising activities such as Harrisburg’s Kipona Festival and Bowl for Kids’ Sake program.

“Our members are committing to become Big Brothers. We are recruiting other black men, like ourselves, and others who, more importantly, have the heart to serve.“

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Will Alpha Phi Alpha and Other Black Greek Fraternities Be Relevant in the Future?

By Lowell W. Perry, Jr.

In August 2008, I submitted the original “Old Gold Paper,” which Alpha Phi

Alpha 32nd General President Darryl R. Matthews Sr. referred to when he issued a call for 10,000 Alpha men to step up and become a Big Brother to a young boy through Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS). Many Alpha men responded and helped show our most vulnerable young boys what a man should look like. We still have a long way to go—and that road will ultimately determine how relevant Alpha and other black Greek-lettered organizations will be in the future.

General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr. took up the mantle in 2009, and he is taking the partnership with BBBS to the next level, with a renewed call for Alpha

INITIATIVES

men to become mentors and even board members at local BBBS agencies.

Most significantly, the fraternity has also executed an historic collaboration with Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity to mentor young black boys through Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

In a joint letter to USA Today, Mason, Kappa Grand Polemarch Dwayne Murray and Omega Grand Basileus Warren E. Lee said the following in response to President Obama’s national call to service: “Our members are committing to become Big Brothers. We are recruiting other black men, like ourselves, and others who, more importantly, have the heart to serve. As members of the nation’s largest fraternities, we are often leaders in our communities, workplaces and houses of worship. It would be shameful not to utilize our influences in our communities.”

Throughout history, members of our beloved fraternity, in particular, have been at the forefront of nearly every major movement to advance the cause of our people. Make no mistake—we are in the midst of what amounts to this generation’s Civil Rights Movement. Young black boys are disappearing from the landscape, threatening not only the future of our fraternal system, but also the very survival of the black community.

We are witnessing before our eyes a form of cultural genocide that is killing off families and threatening our existence as a people. We are losing a generation of young black men to the criminal justice system in an insidious intergenerational cycle of incarceration, as we witness grandfathers, fathers, and sons spending the wrong kind of time together behind bars. This is unacceptable.

I may be speaking metaphorically, but consider the fact that if a young man has a felony on his record, he cannot get a decent job, cannot vote in many states and finds it hard to buy a home or car. So, as an American citizen, his “American Dream” is effectively dead. Alpha must take the lead in reclaiming our young men. As Brother Charles H. Wesley so eloquently stated, “Where leadership was required in these

past years, an Alpha man could be found to furnish it. Where ideas were needed to call out the best within the group, Alpha Phi Alpha has been equal to the emergency. Our march has been ever onward and upward toward the better life.”

There is certainly a moral imperative to get involved, but perhaps an even more compelling economic reason for today’s African-American men to make this a priority. Dr. Mark Cohen of Vanderbilt University and Dr. Alex Piquero of the City University of New York have done extensive research to put a monetary value on diverting a high-risk child from a life of crime, substance abuse, or school failure (New Evidence on the Monetary Value of Saving a High Risk Youth, Vanderbilt Law & Economics Research Paper No. 08-07, December 2007). Taking into consideration the lifetime costs associated with a career criminal, drug-abuser, or highschool dropout, Cohen and Piquero estimate the monetary value of saving one high-risk youth at $3.2 to $5.7 million for a career criminal, $1.15 to $1.3 million for a drug-abuser, and $675,000 to $1 million for a high-school dropout. That’s for just one youth.

Mentoring a young man through BBBS costs approximately $1,000 per year to support that same one youth. You do the math.

What would the founders of our dear fraternity do? They would take action, of course. Many of you across the country are already in the fight by finding ways to make a difference in a young man’s life. However, there are still too many of us sitting on the sidelines. Now is the time to “get in the game”— the game of saving our young boys—and ultimately their lives.

If we fail to act now, Alpha Phi Alpha, along with our fraters from Kappa, Omega, and the others, will go the way of the dinosaur and become, well, irrelevant.

What are you going to do? H

For more information, go to www.mentorakid.org or www.bbbs.org

THE BBBS DIFFERENCE

The long-term societal impact of Big Brothers Big Sisters

BBBS ALUMNI

NON-ALUMNI

CATAGORY

mentoring was recently validated

42%

33 %

COLLEGE DEGREES OR HIGHER

in a 2009 national Harris

46%

33%

INCOMES OF $75,000 OR MORE

Interactive research survey.

64%

35%

SATISFIED WITH THEIR LIVES

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Men Must Speak Out Against Domestic Violence

By Bradley D. Thomas

Each morning that I awake I still

cannot get out of my mind the phone call I received on Sept. 25, 2009. On the other end of the line was news that there had been yet another victim of domestic violence in my hometown of Memphis, (Shelby County), Tenn.

This time the victim was a 36-yearold, eight-months pregnant, thirdgrade elementary school teacher, and police have charged the woman’s boyfriend with her murder and the killing of her unborn child at her home.

The killing was senseless, to say the least, and I began to ponder how this could happen to yet another teacher. It was almost three years ago, on Thanksgiving Day in 2006, that a high-school instructor was killed by her husband.

How in the world did this happen— again—and what can we do to stop it?

Victims of domestic violence are caught up in a vicious cycle that does not discriminate on the basis of race, education or class. The best way to stop domestic violence is for everyone, especially men, to become involved in educating women about the importance of recognizing the signs of an abusive relationship.

Women, including young ladies in high school, often look up to their fathers or father figures in their lives, for guidance in making decisions about life. Men should, therefore, make a concerted effort to provide leadership and direction to their daughters, goddaughters, sisters and

4240THE THE SPHINX SPHINXH Winter/Spring 2010

friends about what a good relationship with a man should and should not be. This message must constantly be reiterated in all aspects of a woman’s life—at home, church, school and the workplace, as well as in social settings.

My daughter Blair is five and she is definitely a “daddy’s girl.” Blair looks to me for direction and seeks my opinion regularly about matters that are important to her at this stage in her life. I love her for her unconditional love for, and devotion to me. I feel special because she looks up to me.

I cannot imagine not making sure that she and her cousins Michaela and Rachelle, and the other little girls with whom she plays, are aware that they do not have to be in an abusive relationship at any point in their lives.

I want Blair to know that real men do not hit women, nor do they kill the women they say they love. I want the very best in life for Blair, and that means that I must frequently tell her that she does not have to settle for a man who would physically or mentally abuse her.

I am going to take advantage of the fact that Blair is a daddy’s girl and make sure that she knows the signs of domestic violence—tension in a relationship that leads to physical or emotional abuse, followed by the abuser’s begging for forgiveness.

Next comes the abuser’s buying of gifts during the “honeymoon phase,” followed by tension rebuilding in the relationship and more physical and/or emotional abuse. It is a never-ending cycle of abuse for many women who

Brother Bradley Thomas, holding his daughter Blair, is making sure she and other girls are educated about domestic violence.

live in fear in such relationships and are often afraid to leave their abuser.

Domestic violence must be eradicated. Men can begin to break the vicious cycle of abuse by speaking out and having open and honest conversations with other men and women about what is happening in their relationships.

I hope that more men will join the many members of Alpha Phi Alpha who began this dialogue as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October of last year. Men must continue to speak out against domestic violence at their workplace, at the barber shop, at the gym, at church and in their communities.

We cannot afford to lose anymore teachers, scientists, attorneys, social workers, sisters, friends and mothers to domestic violence.

My daughter is counting on me to stand up and speak out in the fight against domestic violence, for her sake. I believe that other daughters are counting on the men in their lives to do the same. H

BROTHERS ON THE MOVE

LARRY C. ARMSTRONG JR.

Alpha men in Jackson, Miss., are celebrating the promotion of one of their own in the name of Larry C. Armstrong Jr. Brother Armstrong, a 2003 initiate and current member of Alpha Epsilon Lambda, recently earned a promotion as head of school of Siwell Middle School in Jackson. This position places him in an elite group of international administrators within the International Baccalaureate World Middle School (www.ibo.org).

Armstrong’s school is just one of three middle schools in the state that offer the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program in the state of Mississippi.

Armstrong holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss., and he earned

a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss.

KENGIE R. BASS You can now call him Doctor Bass—now that Brother Kengie R. Bass has earned his Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership and policy, from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

In addition to his degree, during an award ceremony at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of Education, Bass received the Arville V. Wheeler Prize.

That award is presented to a graduate student who has excelled in the Peabody doctoral program, with preference given to a student in the area of secondaryeducation administration.

Bass is a fall 1999 initiate, made at Eta Nu Chapter at East Carolina University. He is currently active at Phi Lambda Chapter in Raleigh, N.C. Bass is a high-school administrator and has the distinction of being the youngest administrator

HORACE DUKES Leading the youth onward and upward is the mission of Brother Horace Dukes. A member of Nu Mu Lambda Chapter in Decatur, Ga., Dukes recently was the subject of a television interview on ABC’s Atlanta affiliate WSB-TV. The program, “People to People,” highlighted the work of the self-titled Dukes Foundation, which Dukes created in metro Atlanta in 2002. The foundation works to mentor boys and adolescent-aged young men. It is structured to provide the tools, opportunities and support to help talented at-risk young men dream, achieve, and become healthy, successful adults. The foundation recently received a proclamation from the City of Atlanta for its efforts.

Dukes, initiated in 1981 at Gamma Psi Chapter, earned his

holding a doctorate in the Wake County Public Schools system, the nation’s 18thlargest school district.

BRANDON BATTS Proving yet again that members of Alpha Phi Alpha lead on every campus, Brother Brandon Batts, a senior education and behavioral science major, has won the presidency in the Middle Tennessee State University Student Government Association (SGA) election.

Batts, the presidentelect, carried 1,543 votes, a landslide victory of more than four times higher than any of the other candidates.

“I decided to run for SGA president because it was a great opportunity for me to be the voice of the students of the largest college in the state of Tennessee,” said Batts.

Batts becomes only the third African-American—in 98 years—to be SGA president at the predominantly white university. Ballots were cast March 2-4, and the winner announced on March 5.

Batts, who learned of his victory while away in Jackson, Miss., at the Alpha Phi Alpha Southern Region Convention, will lead the SGA for the 20102011 school year.

KENNETH D. DAVIS In Texas, Alpha Phi Alpha member Kenneth D. Davis took top honors as the best principal of 2009.

Brother Davis, principal of McNeill Elementary in the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, was formally named the Texas 2009 Elementary-Level National Distinguished Principal.

The announcement came

Metro Atlanta youth participate in the Dukes Foundation mentoring program.

bachelor’s degree from St. Augustine’s College, and earned a master’s degree from Clark Atlanta University in 1989.

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BROTHERS ON THE MOVE

during a conference meeting of 2,300 educators at the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association last summer.

Davis received a check for $10,000, and represented Texas at the National Distinguished Principals program held in Washington, D.C., last October.

Davis was initiated in Spring 1989 at Alpha Mu Chapter at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Rockford College in Rockford, Ill. He also holds a master’s degree in education from the University of St. Thomas, in Houston, Texas.

DAVID HANKERSON For his many years of service to the people of Cobb County, Georgia, Brother David Hankerson is the Marietta Daily Journal’s 2009 Citizen of the Year.

Hankerson, a member of Omicron Mu Lambda Chapter in Marietta, Ga., was first appointed county manager in 1993. He became the first African American to manage a major suburban county in Georgia.

During his tenure, Cobb County has earned a triple-A bond rating since 1997. In 2001, Cobb became the first county in the nation to have its water system earn a triple-A bond rating.

Last May, Hankerson spent two weeks in Beijing, China, teaching Chinese

university students how county government works in America. He was also one of several leaders invited by Vice President Joseph Biden to a daylong White House conference in March 2009 to discuss ways to help the economy recover.

Hankerson is a graduate of Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Ga., and earned a law degree from the Woodrow Wilson College of Law in Atlanta, Ga. RONALD C. GREEN After again offering himself to the people of Houston, Texas, Brother Ronald C. Green was elected Houston’s city controller on Dec. 12, 2009.

A native Houstonian and active community partner, he was first elected to public office as a member of the city council in an at-large post.

Brother Green has earned a reputation for common-sense fiscal policies that safeguard vital public services. His work has helped improve city programs, from competitive bidding and capital projects to pension protection and customer service.

A 1988 graduate of the Houston Independent School District, Green earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from

44 THE SPHINX H Winter/Spring 2010

the University of Houston, as well as a law degree from Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Green is a founding partner of his own law firm and a member of Alpha Eta Lambda Chapter in Houston.

CHARLES HASTON Initiated into the fraternity Dec. 15, 1934, at Beta Kappa, at Langston University, Brother A. Charles Haston is celebrating 75 years in Alpha.

Members of his chapter, Alpha Eta Lambda in Houston, Texas, of which he was president 42 years ago, recently presented him with a proclamation on the historic occasion. The brothers honored him for, among other attributes, becoming a life member (#503) in 1969, earning his 50-year pin in 1985, and being the voice which lead to the ‘Brother’s Keeper Program,’ in 1999.

Haston, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and mathematics from Langston University and furthered his education by earning a master’s degree from Texas Southern University in Houston. He served in World War II as a first and second lieutenant before becoming a school superintendent in Nowata, Okla.

Haston and his wife, Doris, who married in December 1941, are setting another noteworthy record of their own—69 years and counting. They are proud

parents of another Alpha man, son William.

BILLY J. HILL For many students, graduating with a bachelor’s degree or master’s is considered a milestone, but not for Brother Billy J. Hill.

A member of the U.S. Navy residing in Memphis, Tenn., Hill just recently completed his third master’s degree from the University of Arkansas, and is pursuing a doctorate in business administration at Columbia Southern University in Orangeburg, Ala. Hill, a member of Alpha Delta Lambda Chapter in Memphis, was initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha at Kappa Chi Lambda Chapter in Waukegan, Ill., in fall 2003.

In the Navy, he is human resource manager of more than 700 senior enlisted personnel at Navy Personnel Command Headquarters. Brother Hill is a proud member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Memphis and serves as a positive role model and mentor to a “little” brother.

JOHN H. JACKSON NBC News and theGrio. com recently chose Brother John H. Jackson of Boston, Mass., as

BROTHERS ON THE MOVE

one of “TheGrio’s 100: History Makers in the Making.”

Jackson, president of the Schott Foundation for Public Education, was initiated at Beta Tau Chapter, at Xavier University in New Orleans, La., in 1991, and holds five degrees; after earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science at Xavier, he obtained a Juris Doctor degree and a master’s in education from the University of Illinois, in Champaign, Ill. He then earned a master’s and a doctorate in education at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.

Jackson was the chief educational officer at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), before taking

the top job at Schott in 2007.

The Schott Foundation works to improve public education in New York and Massachusetts.

To honor the future of African-American history, theGrio.com, NBC’s AfricanAmerican-themed news website, is highlighting 100 individuals selected as the next generation of black history makers and industry leaders. The selections come from ten fields, including business, education, sports, science and the environment, media, service and activism, politics, health, pop culture and the arts.

DITU KASUYI Initiated at Alpha at Delta Tau Chapter in 1991 at St Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Va.,

THARON JOHNSON N JOHNSON In late April 2009, Georgia State Sen. Kasim Reed, D-Atlanta, knew that when he named Tharon Johnson campaign manager for his mayoral campaign that victory wasn’t too far off. In December, Alpha Brother Johnson led Reed’s team to the winner’s column and Reed to the Atlanta mayor’s office.

Johnson, 31, previously was a legislative aide to U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga. In his role with Reed’s team, he directed every facet of the campaign, including field outreach, communications and fundraising.

Reed’s campaign is not the first time Johnson has helped politicos make it into office. Before working for Lewis, he was deputy chief of staff for Georgia Congressman John Barrow.

In 2002, he served as campaign manager for Georgia State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond’s statewide reelection campaign.

Most recently, Johnson was selected by entertainment guide MetroMix.com as one of the “30 People to Watch in 2009.” A featured leader in 2006’s “Who’s Who in Black America”, Johnson has demonstrated leadership and

Brother Ditu Kasuyi was recently elected international president and CEO of Urban Financial Services Coalition (UFSC). The organization was formerly known as the National Association of Urban Bankers.

Kasuyi, a past president of Xi Delta Lambda Chapter in Richmond, Va., is the cofounder of the Life Leadership Institute and a national awardwinning motivational speaker.

In his new role at UFSC, Kasuyi will be responsible for determining the strategic direction of the banking coalition and ensuring the equitable participation of minorities on all levels of the

financial services industry.

ROBERT P. MADISON An internationally known architect, Brother Robert P. Madison was highlighted in Ohio’s largest daily newspaper, Cleveland’s The Plain Dealer.

Madison’s efforts as a U.S. Army second lieutenant were featured as part of the newspaper’s coverage of the famous Buffalo Soldiers 92nd Infantry Division in World War II. He attended Howard University’s School of Architecture, at which he was initiated into Alpha in 1941 at Beta Chapter. Madison left Howard to serve his country

commitment to his community through service in several organizations. Johnson currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Democratic Party of Georgia and has been elected by a powerful group of young leaders to serve on the board of directors for the Red Clay Democrats.

Johnson was initiated into Alpha at Alpha Phi Chapter at Clark Atlanta University in 1998. H

Brother Tharon Johnson (right) steered the successful campaign of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed (left) in 2009.

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BROTHERS ON THE MOVE

and was wounded in action during the Italian Campaign, for which he earned the Purple Heart and three battle ribbons.

Madison later earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and a master’s in architecture from Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., at which he served as class president. He also studied his craft as a Fulbright scholar in Paris, France.

In 1954, Madison became the first African American registered to practice architecture in the state of Ohio. One of the most distinguished architects in the nation, Madison’s long and illustrious career includes work on building projects such

as the United States Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, and the Engineering and Nuclear facility at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Ala. He also played key roles in the design and development of the Cleveland Browns Stadium and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.

ALBERT WILLIAM PERRY When Spike Lee was readying himself to make a film about African-American soldiers in the Italian Campaign of World War II, he turned to Alpha men for advice. One of them was Brother Albert William Perry, a member of Delta Alpha Lambda Chapter in Cleveland, Ohio.

Perry, who served as an infantry soldier in Company K, 370th Regimental Combat

DWAYNE A. MURRAY The U.S. Army has promoted Brother Dwayne Murray from captain to major. Murray, a 1991 initiate made at Theta Theta Lambda Chapter in Frankfurt, Germany, is currently a member of Kappa Rho Lambda Chapter in Columbia, Md. H

46 THE SPHINX H Winter/Spring 2010

Brother Albert William Perry (left) with Spike Lee and a fellow veteran.

Team—the first-ever AfricanAmerican combat unit to fight infantrymen in Europe—was a consultant on Lee’s film, “Miracle at St. Anna.” The epic was a 2008 war film, directed

by Lee and written by James McBride, based on McBride’s novel of the same title Perry was featured in Cleveland’s daily newspaper The Plain Dealer as part of its coverage of the critically acclaimed film. Perry said he and the other black soldiers were called “Buffalo Soldiers” because at the time, many whites said they thought the black soldiers’ curly hair and dark skin resembled that of a buffalo.

After serving in the military, Perry received an honorable discharge in 1946 and enrolled at Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve University) in Cleveland, Ohio. He joined Alpha at Pi Chapter while majoring in commercial art.

Before retiring, Perry had a 30-year career in various positions with the Cleveland public-schools system.

CLIFTON EDWARD REED On the day the fraternity was celebrating its 103rd anniversary, Brother Clifton Reed was celebrating his 60th year in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Reed was initiated at Alpha Psi Chapter at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo. He is a member of the Tuskegee Airmen and a former fighter pilot with the U.S. Air Force. In addition, Reed is a retired bureau director of the Massachusetts Department of Education.

Reed is a member of Epsilon Gamma Lambda Chapter in Boston, Mass., at which he serves as historian. His prior service to the chapter as president, recording secretary, financial secretary, treasurer, and incorporator of the chapter’s educational foundation is indicative of his dedication to his oath of allegiance taken 60 years ago.

BROTHERS ON THE MOVE

GORDON C. MURRAY, ESQ. Saluted for his outstanding commitment to providing more than 500 hours of free legal service, Brother Gordon C. Murray Sr., Esq., a member of Beta Beta Lambda Chapter in Miami, Fla., was recently presented with the Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award.

Murray, a 25-year legal expert, received the honor at the Florida Supreme Court in Tallahassee, Fla., on Jan. 28, 2010. He was recognized by the bar for exceptional dedication to representing those who could not afford to represent themselves in the (Miami) 11th Judicial Circuit. Murray was one of the 22 attorneys recognized throughout the state, which has more than 85,000 practicing lawyers.

A former prosecutor, Murray is now a solo practitioner at Gordon Murray, P.A. in Miami, where he specializes in criminal, corporate, family and immigration law.

The first in his family to earn a college degree, Murray earned both his Florida Supreme Court undergraduate degree and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Miami, where Chief Justice Peggy A. Quince honors Brother Gordon C. Murray. he joined Alpha Phi Alpha at Eta Delta Chapter in 1981. H DARRYL RILEY The Battle Creek, Mich.based Kellogg Company has tapped Brother Darryl Riley to lead its quality-control efforts in North America.

Riley, initiated at Iota Rho in 1980 at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and mostrecently active with Kappa Psi Lambda Chapter in Kalamazoo, Mich., had been vice president of the company’s Global Quality and Technical Operations, and is now assuming the role of vice president, Research, Quality & Technology (RQT), Kellogg North America.

Riley joined Kellogg from Kraft in 2004 and was promoted to vice president in 2007, providing leadership and support for the cereal company’s global quality program, as well as for food safety, consumer affairs and specification management.

CARL LEE RICHARDS Ohio’s largest AfricanAmerican newspaper The Cleveland Post recently profiled Brother Carl Lee Richards, an organizing member of Delta Alpha Lambda Chapter in 1947, on his life and legacy— and there is plenty to tell.

The thirteenth of 15 children, after high school he enrolled at Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio, but midway through his matriculation, his father died.

Brother Carl Richards, then and now.

He dropped out, to work, in order to take care of his mother.

A few years later, he gained an interest in the military after “Uncle Sam” sent him a letter about the launch of the first “black” aviators program. Soon after, in 1943, Richards was off to the U.S. Army, in the 14th Air Squadron in Selma, Ala. Though the Army was segregated at the time, and the practice offensive to black people, Richards brought tremendous value to his unit during World War II as an interpreter in Europe. None of the white soldiers in his unit spoke French, but he did. He had studied the language in high school and college, learning to speak it fluently.

After being honorably discharged from the Army in November 1945, Richards re-enrolled at Wilberforce, joined Alpha Phi Alpha at Xi Chapter, met the love of his life, wife Barbara, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then earned a master’s degree at Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve University) in Cleveland and began a three-decade career with the public schools there before retiring. H

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BROTHERS ON THE MOVE LEO ROSS Xi Delta Lambda brothers say they have a long history of upholding the ideals of Alpha Phi Alpha and are pointing to chapter Brother Leo Ross as their latest example.

Ross recently received the Compassionate Care Award from the Cross Over Ministry of Richmond, Va. Initiated at Xi Chapter in 1966, Ross earned his first bachelor’s degree at Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio. He earned his second bachelor’s in pharmacy, at Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in 1973. In 1985, he earned a Master of Business Administration degree at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. In the past, he has served Alpha as district director, national Alumni Brother of the Year, Eastern Region treasurer and

president and a founder of Xi Delta Lambda Chapter.

He remains active today, even while serving on the Virginia Board of Pharmacy, at which he was instrumental in assisting the Cross Over Ministry with establishing a pharmacy program for the uninsured residents of Richmond, Va., who receive care at one of their three free clinics.

SAID SEWELL A Fort Valley State University (FVSU) associate professor is receiving praise from a national magazine focused on higher education. Diverse Issues in Higher Education named Brother Said Sewell III a member of “Emerging Scholars: The Class of 2010.”

Sewell, initiated in 1992 at

Alpha Eta Lambda Chapter in Houston, Texas, and currently a member of Rho Pi Lambda Chapter in Carroll County, Ga., is associate professor and executive director of FVSU’s Academic Success Center. In the magazine’s January issue, he was profiled for a program aimed at reaching AfricanAmerican male students.

According to the article titled, ‘The Black Men’s Ministry,’ the Houston native seeks to reshape the conversation about black men and the public policies that affect them—especially criminal justice.

Sewell earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1992 at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga.. He holds a master’s degree from Texas Southern University in Houston, and earned the Doctor of Philosophy degree in 2000 at Clark

Atlanta University. He has completed post-doctoral studies at Harvard University at both the Divinity School and the Kennedy School of Government.

DENNIS WINSTON Initiated at Epsilon Pi Chapter in 1967 at Norfolk State University, in Norfolk, Va., Brother Dennis Winston recently won a Print Award in the Carroll Harris Simms National Black Art Competition and Exhibition. The award was presented by the AfricanAmerican Museum in Dallas, Texas. Winston, a Virginia artist and educator, continues to keep a busy schedule with his exhibits throughout the country and remaining active with Xi Delta Lambda Chapter in Richmond, Va., at which he is one of the chapter’s founders. H

ANDREW A. VENABLE Retirement life is good for Cleveland’s former top librarian. Brother Andrew A. Venable Jr., of Delta Alpha Lambda Chapter, in Cleveland, Ohio. Last June he celebrated his first anniversary of retirement, after serving as director of the nation’s third-largest public research library; he makes the two-year retirement marker this June.

It was 1999 when Venable assumed the position as head of the Cleveland Public Library, becoming the first African American to hold the post. In his position, he directed a major metropolitan library system with more than 750 employees. During his tenure, Venable was credited with the successful growth of the system, including 28 branches, a regional library for the blind and disabled, and the CLEVENET automation consortium.

Venable was initiated in 1966 at Beta Gamma Chapter at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Va. He earned his master’s degree in library science at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland in 1978. H

48 THE SPHINX H Winter/Spring 2010

O M E G A : Chapter of Sweet Rest

Brother Dale R. Wright (foreground) in the New York World-Telegram and Sun newsroom, circa 1961.

Dale Wright Wrote the Right Stuff at the Right Time

By Rick Blalock

A

lpha men have been breaking barriers ever since the days of its seven founders at the turn ofthe 20th century. Brother Dale Raymond Wright continued that legacy in the all-important area of journalism during his career. It is of special note because if information is power, then Brother Wright helped provide his community with power. The power to advance, power to move the society forward, power to heal where there was division.

So when Wright, 86, died in Bronx, N.Y., and entered Omega Chapter on Dec. 13, 2009, it was no surprise that the brothers of Alpha Gamma Lambda Chapter, including former New York Mayor, Brother David Dinkins, proclaimed his legacy as one of profound greatness.

He may not have been what

some call the “giants of Alpha,” but he clearly was one of the foot soldiers who helped pave the way for many of us—especially for black journalists, who earn a living by their written and on-air work.

Born in Pennsylvania in the summer of 1923, Brother Wright moved with his family to Canton, Ohio, as a teenager. After graduating high school, like many AfricanAmerican men of his generation, he joined the war effort. He served his country in the Marine Corps during World War II in the Central Pacific Theater. After Staff Sgt. Wright was honorably discharged, he took full advantage of the GI Bill, matriculating at Howard University, and graduated with honors in 1950 from The Ohio State University (OSU) School of Journalism.

It was on the Buckeye campus where he would break his first barrier.

Not long after his April 26, 1947, initiation into Alpha Phi Alpha at Kappa Chapter Wright joined Sigma Delta Chi, becoming the first “Negro” ever admitted to OSU’s Society of Professional Journalists chapter. The feat was captured in the university student newspaper The Lantern.

Wright furthered his academic career in New York, with course work in communications and business at Columbia University, New York University, and the State University of New York.

As an internationally celebrated journalist, Wright broke even more barriers. While a staff writer for the New York World-Telegram and Sun, he became one of the few black Americans nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. In 1961, he won the Newspaper Guild’s Heywood Broun Award for his groundbreaking investigative series on the conditions of migrant farm

>

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O M E G A : Chapter of Sweet Rest

Cheek Brought Howard University Into the New Age

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Brother Dale R. Wright’s shingle (above); and new story in Ohio State Univ. student newspaper.

workers on Long Island, N.Y., and Florida. He also won the Paul Tobenkin Memorial Award, the highest honor bestowed by Columbia University’s Journalism School for coverage of race, bigotry and discrimination.

It was his undercover accounts of the misery of those migrant farm workers’ plight and his first-hand experience as a “stoop worker” that sparked corrective legislative action taken by the states of New Jersey and New York.

Pooling together his talents, he became an extraordinary combination of journalist, entrepreneur and community advocate. As associate editor of Ebony and Jet magazines, Wright provided office oversight, conceived, planned, wrote and edited news stories and feature articles.

Wright worked tirelessly as a member and leader of a host of civic and social organizations, and he also led a successful business career. He was a senior account executive at Hill and Knowlton, one of the nation’s largest public relations agencies. And for 20 years, he owned and operated Dale Wright Associates, a public relations firm serving needs of New York-area black businesses.

He also broke barriers in the public sector. He was an advisor and press secretary to several political luminaries, including former New York Mayor Edward Koch, the late Sen. Jacob K. Javits, and Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller.

Along the way, Brother Wright married and fathered two children, who today continue his footsteps; his son, Dale Jr. is an information-technology professional, and his daughter Kimberly Wright-King is a diplomat in the U.S. State Department. H

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t is no exaggeration to say that Howard University (HU) in Washington, D.C., is the major worldwide research institution that is today because of James E. Cheek.

Brother Cheek, 77, died in Greensboro, N.C., after a long illness, entering Omega Chapter on Jan. 8, 2010.

But the legacy of his work and his accomplishments are eternal.

During his tenure at HU, the university’s enrollment increased by 6,000 students, and its budget soared from $43 million to $417 million. During Cheek’s time there, the school founded the nation’s first black-owned public television station, created WHUR radio, established a business school, and built Howard University Hospital. Cheek also expanded Howard’s divinity and law schools.

Howard University President Sidney Ribeau said of his predecessor, “Dr. Cheek’s vision and passion for the University and his view of Howard as a national treasure led to bold action, which eventually resulted in a dramatic boost in our budget, with increased federal support.”

Before coming to Washington, Cheek was president of his alma mater, Shaw University, which appointed him to that position at the age of 30. Previously, he was a professor of New Testament Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Va. Cheek was born on Dec. 4, 1932, in Roanoke Rapids, N.C. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean conflict before pursuing his academic career.

In 1952, he was initiated into Alpha at Beta Rho Chapter, while pursuing his bachelor’s degree at Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C. In 1958, he earned a Master of Divinity degree at Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, N.Y., and he earned a doctorate in philosophy at Drew University in Madison, N.J., in 1962.

Cheek’s phenomenal efforts on behalf of the students, faculty and staff of Howard, and the resulting impact on the United States, were recognized by the White House in 1983.

That year President Ronald Reagan presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor bestowed by the executive branch.

Cheek, who is survived by his wife Celestine, two children and four grandchildren, will long be remembered not only as an Alpha man of distinction, but as a world citizen who made the world a better place. H

O M E G A : Chapter of Sweet Rest

Gregory Jackson Gave Plenty in just 39 Years

By Zollie Stevenson, Jr.

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any Alpha brothers will remember Gregory Troy Jackson for his work in the fraternity when he was director of membership services. But it was his work outside of the fraternity to which he made his greatest impact on society.

As a deputy director at the U.S. Dept. of Education, Brother Jackson, 39, was responsible for program operations, which annually helped more than 57,000 public schools share in more than $28 billion in federal grants.

“Colleagues from the states always commented on Greg’s wonderful smile and his ability to get the job done,” said Brother Zollie Stevenson, who was Jackson’s immediate supervisor at the Department of Education. “I could always depend on Greg as my ‘number one’ to be honest with me in dealing with work-related issues and I knew he always had my back. That type of support is critical when you work in the Federal government in a high-profile position.”

Jackson lost his battle with TTP, a life-threatening, rare, bloodclotting disorder (only one person out of four million each year will contract the disease), and died in Washington, D.C., entering Omega Chapter on Jan. 4, 2010.

He was born March 3, 1970, in Plaquemine, La. He attended

public schools in Iberville Parish and graduated from White Castle High School in 1988. While a student at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., Jackson joined Alpha Phi Alpha at Beta Sigma Chapter. He earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture business from the school in 1993.

Immediately after college, Jackson joined the U.S. Air Force, assigned to the Air Intelligence Agency as an intelligence analyst. He also worked at the National Security Agency in Maryland. Upon leaving the Air Force in 1997, Jackson joined the staff of Alpha Phi Alpha, quickly rising to become the director of membership services, a post he held for six years.

In 2004, he returned to the federal government as a program manager for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in the Dept. of Homeland Security. He also served as a project manager with the American Red Cross. There, he helped modernize the Red Cross data collection, storage and sharing process between its national headquarters and more than 700 Red Cross chapters.

From his time at Beta Sigma, Jackson was a member of several chapters over the years, most recently Pi Upsilon Lambda Chapter in Prince George’s County, Md. He lived a life of dedication and service to this fraternity that inspired brothers everywhere—and will continue to inspire those for generations to come. H

Jefferson Stood Out in California Business, Civic Circles

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rother James D. Jefferson, 65, initiated in 1994 at Gamma Chi Lambda Chapter, in San Francisco, was well known for his business savvy and philanthropy in northern California.

A native of Mansfield, La., Jefferson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. He also pursued graduate studies at the University of San Francisco and San Francisco State University.

He began his career at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1971, he formed Jefferson Company, and in 1996, transitioned it into Primus Industries, Inc., a constructionmanagement-services business with a diverse clientele of private and public entities. The success of his firm culminated in its acquisition by Parsons Corporation in 2004. In 2007, Jefferson founded another company, Aptus LLC, a global

development company.

In addition to his business background, Jefferson was a close and trusted advisor to four San Francisco mayors over a 20-year period. He also was a court-appointed representative of the U.S. District Court to help end racial and sexual discrimination in the San Francisco Fire Department.

His civic involvement in the “City by the Bay” included tenures on the Public Transportation Commission, Public Utilities Commission, and the San Francisco Fire Commission. He was also the founder of the African American Chamber of Commerce. In addition to being a life member of Alpha, he was a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity.

Jefferson suffered from a heart attack outside Oakland City Hall, and entered Omega Chapter on Nov. 16, 2009.

To honor his memory, a bust of his likeness was unveiled by former San Francisco Mayor, Brother Willie Brown during a public memorial held in the rotunda of the San Francisco City Hall late last year. H Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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O M E G A : Chapter of Sweet Rest Rufus Bostic, Jr.,85, of High Point, N.C., was a member of Kappa Lambda Chapter in High Point. He was initiated at Alpha Omicron Chapter at Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) in Charlotte, N.C., on Sept. 5, 1946.

Brother Bostic served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the 24th Infantry Regiment and ended his tour of duty in the South Pacific. He was a graduate of JCSU, where he received a degree in political science and economics.

Following college graduation, he became the first African-American disc jockey to be employed in the High Point-

Winston-Salem, N.C., radio market. He also worked as an insurance agent, and later became a juvenile-probation officer with the Domestic Relations Court and the District Court of North Carolina. Under his leadership as the manpower and economics development specialist with the Model Cities Commission of High Point, a group of minority businessmen constructed the area’s Brentwood Shopping Center. Bostic also worked as center coordinator with the South Side Community Center, and he retired as executive director of the Carl Chavis YMCA.

Bostic was a member of the Greater First United Baptist Church, where he served as the first chairman of the board of trustees, and helped guide the church through its formative years and building

Barker Influenced Generations of Top Policy-Makers Brother Twiley Barker, 83, was a member of Mu Lambda Chapter in Washington, D.C., and was initiated at Beta Sigma Chapter at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., on April 28, 1947.

He was a founding faculty member of the Department of Political Science at the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign (UIUC), where he taught 32 years and became known for his knowledge of public law.

Many of Barker’s students became world-renown leaders in political and civic life, including former U.S. senator and ambassador Carol Moseley Braun.

“He motivated and inspired students by his example. We were given a chance to live up to his high expectations,” said Moseley Braun, a 1969 graduate in political science. “I did the best I could to make him proud.”

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A native of Louisiana, Barker

Brother Twiley Barker with former student, former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun, on Oct. 25, 2006.

attended Tuskegee University before joining the U.S. Army Air Corp. After serving in the military during World War II, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science at Southern University. He earned a master’s degree at UIUC. After several years on the faculty at Southern University, he was awarded a Rockefeller Foundation fellowship that enabled him to earn a doctorate at UIUC.

Later he became a research associate with the Illinois Legislative Council and a faculty member at UIUC, before joining the faculty at the

stage. In addition to Alpha, his other civic and fraternal memberships included NAACP; the former Business and Professionals Men’s Club; Furniture City Elk’s Lodge #282; and High Point Human Relations Commission. He was also the executive committee chairman of the African American Heritage Society.

He entered Omega Chapter on Dec. 14, 2009.

Ezekiel W. Bryant, 78, was a member of Upsilon Lambda Chapter in Jacksonville, Fla. A life member of Alpha, he was initiated at Delta Beta Chapter at Bethune-Cookman university’s Chicago campus (UIC) in 1962, where he remained until his retirement in 1994. Upon retiring from UIC, Barker continued his service to the field of political science by taking on a visiting professorship at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

He received the first UIC Silver Circle Award for teaching and the E. Harris Harbison Prize for excellence in undergraduate teaching from the Danforth Foundation.

Barker served on the executive council of the American Political Science Association and was an initial member of its committee on the status of African Americans in political science.

With his brother Lucius Barker, a fellow professor, Barker wrote the textbook Civil Liberties and the Constitution, published by Prentice-Hall in eight editions from 1970 to 1999.

A ninth edition, published this March, is dedicated in his memory.

Barker entered Omega Chapter on July 20, 2009, after a long respiratory illness. H

O M E G A : Chapter of Sweet Rest College (now University) in 1952.

Brother Bryant, an educator for four decades, was president of the Florida Community College at Jacksonville-North Campus; it a post he obtained in 1974, becoming the first African American to be named president of a campus in the Florida community college system. In 1996 the college named the administration building in his honor.

Born in Jacksonville, Bryant worked his way through college as a clothing salesman, cook, waiter and painter at the shipyards. He earned an associate’s degree from Edward Waters College in Jacksonville in 1951, a bachelor’s degree from BethuneCookman in 1953, and a Master of Education degree from Boston University in 1963. He also studied at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, before earning a Doctor of Education degree from Nova University in Davie, (Broward County) Fla., in 1975.

His teaching career began in 1955 as a junior and senior high school social studies instructor. Bryant was also very active in the community, serving on the boards of local YMCAs for more than 50 years and being a founding member of St. Paul Lutheran Church.

He entered Omega Chapter July 26, 2009, after battling cancer.

John Garvey Bynoe, 82, of Roxbury, Mass., was a life member and a 1955 initiate of Sigma Chapter in Boston, Mass.

Brother Bynoe attended Boston University for a time, before earning a Bachelor of Law degree from New England School of Law in 1957.

Between his high school and college graduations, he completed a tour of duty

with the U.S. Army during World War II. He returned home poised to fight for civil rights, fueled by the discriminatory treatment he had endured as a black soldier in a racially-segregated Army.

He then became one of the youngest veterans to lead the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 953 in Boston in 1947.

Bynoe collaborated in the late 1940s with fellow Alpha brother and future U.S. senator Edward Brooke to end the public degradation and dismissal—known as “cashiering”—of black military officers, who were stationed in small numbers at Fort Devens, Mass.

His fighting would carry on for more than six decades, building a legacy of political activism that included a NAACP-Boston-branch committee chairmanship; his work on the campaigns of former Mass. Governor Michael Dukakis; service as the New England district manager of the Social Security Administration; and service as the longtime director of the Boston Regional Office of Civil Rights for the U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, a position he held until his retirement in 1982.

He was the founder and director of Boston’s first black-owned bank, Unity Bank and Trust Company (now Boston Bank of Commerce).

Bynoe also served on the board of directors for the Boston branch of the NAACP, the Boston Legal Aid Society, the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, the Museum of the National Center of AfroAmerican Artists; and the Boston chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and served as the chairman of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts.

An active member of Alpha, Bynoe served as Sigma Chapter president and was co-chair of the fraternity’s 57th national convention in Boston in 1963.

Bynoe was also a 33rd-degree Prince Hall mason, a past grand master of Prince Hall Grand Lodge

of Free and Accepted Masons for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, serving in that capacity through 2000.

For his humanitarian work, the Boston native was awarded an honorary doctor of law degree, conferred by New England School of Law, his alma mater, in 1987.

He entered Omega Chapter on Aug. 13, 2009, following a lengthy illness.

Willie Cantey of Orangeburg, S.C., was a member and past president of Delta Zeta Lambda Chapter in Orangeburg.

A native of Camden, S.C., he attended South Carolina State College (now University) and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a master’s degree in counseling and guidance.

Cantey worked in shoe-repair shops in Rock Hill, Camden and Orangeburg, SC. He and his brother James co-owned Cantey’s Shoe Services in Camden, where he worked until the day he died.

Cantey taught shoe-repair at Denmark Technical College (formerly South Carolina Area Trade School) in Denmark, S.C., where he coached girl’s basketball until being appointed dean of students there. He also conducted ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) testing in local-area high schools.

In addition to Alpha, his civic, fraternal and other memberships included Orangeburg Elks Lodge No. 1627—where he also served as grand district deputy, supervising local lodges; Orangeburg County Development Commission; national and local chapters of the Denmark Technical College Alumni Association, of which he was past president; Orangeburg South Carolina State University (SCSU) Alumni Chapter; Mystics Social Club; SCSU S.T.A.T.E. (Strive Through Athletics To Excel) Club; Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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O M E G A : Chapter of Sweet Rest “Street Committee” Club of Orangeburg; and Trinity United Methodist Church.

Cantey entered Omega Chapter suddenly on Jan. 1, 2010.

William Clay Childers, 81, of Washington, D.C., was a member of Mu Lambda Chapter in Washington, D.C., and initiated at Beta Delta Chapter on Dec. 1, 1948, at South Carolina State College (now South Carolina State University) in Orangeburg, S.C.

A native of Westminster, S.C., Brother Childers earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from South Carolina State in 1951. He also pursued postgraduate studies at American University in Washington, D.C.

Childers served two years of active duty in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict. He was awarded the Korean Service Medal—with two Bronze Service Stars—and the United Nations Service Medal.

After relocating to Washington, D.C., he worked as a chemist at the National Bureau of Standards for many years. He later worked at the Dept. of Transportation and Safety, from where he retired.

He was an avid golfer who won many medals participating in golf tournaments throughout the Washington, D.C., area. He was also an active member of the SCSU Alumni.

Childers entered Omega Chapter on Oct. 12, 2009.

Corey Kevin Cox, 34, of New York, N.Y., was a member of Alpha Gamma Lambda Chapter in New York City. He was initiated in 1995 at Eta Chapter, the metropolitan New

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York college chapter.

Brother Cox earned a degree from City College of the City University of New York.

After college, he headed to Wall Street and had a burgeoning career as an equity trader and later a financial advisor. Cox went on to earn his real estate license in 2009.

Cox entered Omega Chapter on Oct.18, 2009.

Reuben K. Davis, 89, of Rochester, N.Y., was a charter member of Eta Rho Lambda Chapter, which is seated in the city of Rochester.

Brother Davis was born in Columbus, Miss., and grew up in Chicago, and spent a lifetime in the courtroom as an attorney and a judge. He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from Boston University.

Following his admission to the bar in 1950, Davis practiced law in Brooklyn, N.Y., until 1955—the year he moved to Rochester, becoming one of the few black lawyers in private practice in the city at that time.

A trailblazer, he was a deputy city attorney for the City of Rochester from 1966 to 1967. In 1968 he was appointed the city’s first AfricanAmerican City Court judge. He was elected outright to the city bench in 1974 and to state Supreme Court in 1982. New York Governor Mario Cuomo appointed Davis to the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division in 1987 at which he served as an associate justice until his retirement in 1996. A scholarship, in the late justice’s name, has been established in his honor.

Davis entered Omega Chapter on March 9, 2010, following a brief illness.

Willie E. Green, 74, of Toledo, Ohio, was a member of Alpha Xi Lambda Chapter in Toledo.

A life member of the fraternity, he was initiated on Founders’ Day, Dec. 4, 1965.

A native of Jackson, Miss., Green served three years in the U.S. Army.

After an honorable discharge, he enrolled at the University of Toledo, where he earned a Bachelor of Education, Master of Education, and Education Specialist degrees.

Green became one of the most notable educators and administrators of Toledo Public Schools. His career included teaching American history, serving in administrative positions within the school system, including director of social studies, executive director of curriculum, and assistant superintendent of administration.

He participated in workshops and other programs, including the Harvard University Graduate School of Education-Programs in Professional Education (Institute on Thinking, Critical and Creative).

He became the first AfricanAmerican Boy Scout to earn Eagle ranking in Toledo in 1953; the first African-American teacher at Toledo’s Robert S. Rogers High School; and was the first African-American male docent (tour guide) at the Toledo Museum of Art.

Brother Green established Alpha Xi Lambda’s Growth Fund, Green Legacy Fund, and Band of Brothers Fund.

He entered Omega Chapter on Jan. 12, 2010, after battling cancer.

William F. “Bill” Hayes, Jr., 64, of Columbus, Ohio, was a member of Alpha Rho Lambda Chapter in Columbus. He was initiated into

O M E G A : Chapter of Sweet Rest Alpha Phi Alpha at ARL in 1983.

After 37 years of working as a teacher and as an administrator in the Columbus City Schools system, Brother Hayes retired. After his retirement, he worked briefly as a as a test prompter at the electronic testing company Pearson Vue, in Ohio.

Hayes entered Omega Chapter on Jan. 30, 2009.

Kenneth L. Higgins, 57, of Dumfries, Va., a member of Mu Lambda Chapter in Washington, D.C. was a life member of the fraternity, initiated at Mu Lambda on Feb. 6, 1994.

Higgins earned an associate’s degree at Kittrell College in Kittrell, N.C. in 1973, and a Bachelor of Science from Morris Brown College, in Atlanta, Ga. in 1976. He earned his Master of Public Administration degree from Troy State University (now Troy University) in Troy, Ala. in 2001.

A professional human resources professional, he served in the U.S. Army, until his retirement as a sergeant first class.

He entered Omega Chapter on Jan. 18, 2010.

Richard Jordan, 74, was initiated Feb. 3, 1956, at Beta Upsilon Chapter, Alabama State University, in Montgomery, Ala. He earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees there. He later joined Alpha Upsilon Lambda Chapter and became life member number 650. Jordan was a natural charismatic, leader whose joy in life came through serving others.

He played an active role with the Montgomery Civil Rights Movement, and provided numerous tours of local historical landmarks. Additionally, he faithfully served Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church as a deacon and also was an avid supporter of the YMCA.

Jordan will always be known as a dedicated educator impacting countless students over the course of his 22 years in the Montgomery County Public Schools system. He also had a long career with the State of Alabama’s Department of Youth Services as an administrative superintendent.

He entered Omega Chapter, Jan. 27, 2010.

A scholarship foundation has been established I his honor. Contributions can be made to the Richard and Viola Jordan Scholarship Fund, c/o ASU Foundation, P. O. Box 271, Montgomery, Ala. 36101

Lathon Lauderdale, 89, initiated in 1968, was a member of Alpha Rho Lambda Chapter in Columbus, Ohio. A native of Leeds, Ala., Brother Lauderdale was drafted into the U.S. Army immediately after high school graduation and served in Europe during World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1946, leaving Alabama to move to Columbus, Ohio.

He utilized the GI Bill to attend Franklin University in Columbus, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration. Lauderdale was a federal employee of the Defense Supply Center, Columbus (DCSC) and retired as a contracts/procurement officer in 1982.

As a member of Second Baptist Church for over 60 years, he participated in the New Alpha Omega Sunday School class, the men’s ministry, usher board, and trustee board.

Lauderdale entered Omega Chapter on Jan. 27, 2010.

Vernon Malone, 77, of Raleigh, N.C., was a member of Phi Lambda Chapter in Raleigh. He was initiated at the chapter in 1966.

Brother Malone was born in a rural area outside Wake Forest, N.C. He served two years in the U.S. Army, then enrolled at Shaw University on the GI Bill, graduating in 1957. He took a job at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, where he taught math and science and later became superintendent of the school.

Malone led the unification of the Raleigh and Wake County school systems, which helped build the system’s consistently strong reputation and fuel the county’s rapid growth.

In more than 35 years of public service, Malone, a Democrat, served as chairman of the Wake County school board, chairman of the Wake County Board of Commissioners, and in 2002, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate. He also served as vice chair of Shaw University’s board of trustees, as well as a trustee for North Carolina State University, the North Carolina Museum of Art and Wake Education Partnership.

In the business sector, Malone was a director of Capital Bank, a community bank headquartered in Raleigh.

Most recently, his passion for education focused on lowering the state’s dropout rate.

In addition to serving as Phi Lambda Chapter’s chairman of its million-dollar capital campaign, Brother Malone was a longtime member and deacon at his church, Martin Street Baptist.

He entered Omega Chapter on April 18, 2009, of natural causes.

Vernon Polite, 61, of Canton, Mich., was a member of Gamma Lambda Chapter in his hometown of Detroit, and was the highlyregarded dean of the College of Education at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Mich.

Initiated at Sigma Chapter, while a student at Boston University, Brother Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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O M E G A : Chapter of Sweet Rest

Schooler, 104, was One of Oldest Alphas

Throughout his career he held various positions with Durham City Schools, including principal at elementary, middle and junior high James M. “Jerry” Schooler Sr., 104, schools. Upon retirement, he served was a member of as director of public information with Beta Theta Lambda Durham City Schools.

Chapter in Durham, Schooler was an active participant N.C., of which in the Durham community, serving in he was a charter various board and leadership positions. member. He was He received the Boy Scouts of America Brother Schooler initiated on May 1, Silver Beaver Award for his years of 1927, at Xi Chapter at Wilberforce leadership and service, including his University in Wilberforce, Ohio. tenure as the first Cubmaster of Pack

Brother Schooler earned a 55 in Durham. He was also the divisional Bachelor of Arts degree from chairman of the African-American Wittenberg College in Springfield, Scouts in Durham. He also served on Ohio in 1927. He later received a the board of trustees of the Stanford L. Master of Arts degree from North Warren Library.

Carolina College in Durham, N.C. A longtime active member of Alpha, Polite earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1971. He held a master’s degree in secondary education and social studies from (now-defunct) Boston State College, and a doctorate in educational leadership and sociology from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich.

A lifelong educator, Polite had served as the dean of the College of Education at EMU, since 2005. Polite led two statewide conferences at EMU, “State of the African-American Male in Michigan: A Courageous Conversation” and “Nurturing Our Future as AfricanAmerican Females: A Courageous Conversation.”

During his career Polite served as a principal with Oak Park Schools in Michigan, specializing in research focused on organizational change, leadership in higher education, urban-school leadership and minority educational issues.

He was the founding dean of the School of Education at Bowie State University in Prince George’s County, Md., from 2001 to 2005. Prior to his time at Bowie State, Polite was the Dr.

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Euphemia Lofton Haynes Professor of Education at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., from 1996 to 2001. In that position, he coordinated all graduate educational administration programs. He also was an assistant professor at The Catholic University of America from 1991 to 1995, and an associate professor there from 1995 to 1996. During his career, he also taught in Boston Public Schools and worked in the U.S. Virgin Islands for the U.S. Dept. of Education.

Polite entered Omega Chapter, on March 8, 2010, following complications from pancreatic cancer.

John H. “Jack” Ruffin, 75, of Atlanta, Ga., was initiated at Alpha Rho Chapter at Morehouse College, in Atlanta, in 1955.

Brother Ruffin became the 62nd judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals in 1994, after 33 years of practicing law. He was appointed a superior court judge of the Augusta Judicial Circuit

Schooler served one term as Beta Theta Lambda Chapter’s secretary and two terms as its president.

Several years ago, the Association of North Carolina Alphamen honored Schooler, bestowing to him the titles “dean” and “oldest living brother.”

He was also honored with an award, presented by 32nd General President Darryl R. Matthews, Sr., during the Life Member Luncheon at the Alpha Phi Alpha Centennial Convention in 2006.

As a member of White Rock Baptist Church for 79 years, James Schooler served as a superintendent and a teacher of Sunday School, a trustee board member, and a chairman of the deacon board.

Schooler entered Omega Chapter on Jan. 1, 2009. H in 1986, becoming the first African American to hold that post, and was elected to the seat in 1988.

He also holds the distinction of being the first African-American member of the Augusta Bar Association, and first black chief judge to serve on the Georgia appellate bench.

A native of Waynesboro, (Burke County) Ga., Ruffin graduated from Morehouse in 1957 and earned his law degree at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

In addition to his membership in the State Bar of Georgia, Ruffin was a member of the bars of the Supreme Court of Georgia, United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and United States District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Georgia.

Ruffin retired in 2008. That same year, he joined the political-science faculty of Morehouse College, as a visiting professor—a position he held until the day he died.

Ruffin entered Omega Chapter, Jan. 29, 2010, as a result of heart disease.

O M E G A : Chapter of Sweet Rest Oscar S. Smith Jr., 79, of Raleigh, N.C., was a member of Phi Lambda Chapter in Raleigh.

He was initiated at Gamma Psi Chapter in Raleigh in 1951, while a student at St. Augustine’s College.

Brother Smith had a multifaceted career in journalism and communications. In 1972, he became the first black reporter for WRAL-TV, (then the ABC affiliate, now CBS) in Raleigh. He covered politics and law before leaving the station in 1977.

He later held positions in the North Carolina state government, including a directorship with the North Carolina Department of Insurance.

During his varied and colorful career, Smith also worked as a director of public relations with Shaw University in Raleigh, and as a director of public affairs and marketing with St. Augustine’s. He was a photographer

for the now-defunct U.S. Information Agency. He covered the White House, photographing presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

Most recently, Smith wrote a weekly column for The Carolinian– the twice-weekly, African-American newspaper based in Raleigh.

He entered Omega Chapter on Feb. 9, 2010.

Neighborhood Services in Cincinnati.

He was also an active board member of the United Way and many other organizations in Columbus and Cincinnati.

Thompson was a member of Flintridge Missionary Baptist Church, where he served as an elder.

He entered Omega Chapter on April 26, 2009.

Edward David Thompson Jr., 63,

Richard E. Thorpe, 97, of

was a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, he was a veteran of the U.S. Army; he served in the Vietnam War, and later in the U.S. Army Reserves for over 20 years.

Brother Thompson was a former program director of the Neighborhood House in Columbus, Ohio, and former president and chief executive officer of Victory

Smith was Vets Advocate Brother John A. Smith, 62, of Spring Valley, Calif., was a member of Zeta Sigma Lambda Chapter in San Diego, Calif., at which he was initiated on March 4, 2000.

A native of New York, N.Y., Smith grew up in Brooklyn and joined the Army in 1966. He attended the Brother John Smith at San Diego Army Medical School ‘Stand Down’ event. in Houston, Texas, and served as a medic with the 1st Air Cavalry Division in Vietnam. During his tour of duty, he was wounded three times, and was medically retired as a disabled veteran in 1972.

He earned a degree in psychology from Long Island University in Brookville, N.Y., in 1976 and attended graduate school at Columbia University in New York City. In the early 80s, his

Carbondale, Ill., was initiated at Beta Eta Chapter at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill,. on Oct. 22, 1937.

Before matriculating Brother Thorpe served in the U.S. Army Air Corp in World War I.

After earning a college degree in education from Southern Illinois in 1947, he became a school instructor.

Thorpe taught art with the

family relocated to San Diego. He worked at the U.S. Postal Service more than 20 years before retiring in 1999.

Brother Smith was a highly-active member of Alpha, including serving as chapter secretary, chapter vice president and a regular attendee at regional and national conventions.

In the larger community, Smith spearheaded the founding of San Diego’s annual ‘Stand Down’ event, which provides services—medical, clothing, counseling and more—to homeless veterans. He was instrumental in raising money for the Veterans Village of San Diego (formerly Vietnam Veterans of San Diego). He also served on the San Diego County Veterans Advisory Council and was a special representative for the California Department of Veterans Affairs.

Among other tasks Smith testified before Congress on veterans affairs and he also assisted many fellow Alpha brothers who had issues and concerns related to the Veterans Administration (now Dept. of Veterans Affairs).

He entered Omega Chapter on Jan. 31, 2010, after sudden heart failure.. H Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

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O M E G A : Chapter of Sweet Rest school system of Ullin, Ill., and in the Murphysboro Township (Jackson County, Ill.) School District 186. He retired in 1974.

Thorpe also taught during summer’s at Lane College in Jackson, Tenn.

He was a member of the Murphysboro Rotary Club and the Southern Illinois Earth Science Club in Benton, Ill. He also held memberships in the Illinois Education Association, National Education Association, Jackson County Retired Teachers Association, American Legion Post in Carbondale and Southern Illinois University Alumni Association.

Thorpe entered Omega Chapter on October, 24, 2009.

DeMarcus Woodard, 33, of Danville, Ill., formerly of Atlanta, Ga., was a life member who was initiated on April 24, 1996, at Eta Tau Chapter at Illinois State University (ISU) in Normal, Ill.

Brother Woodard earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in design from American Intercontinental University in Atlanta in 2004.

Growing up in Danville, Woodard was an active high-school student and participated in activities such

OMEGA CHAPTER LISTING

Below is a listing of members of Omega Chapter, for whom limited information was submitted to The Sphinx. For each member, we list the name; the life member number if applicable; the last-known chapter of membership and its location; the chapter of initiation, its location, and the year of initiation; and the date the member entered Omega Chapter.

Corrections or additions may be sent via e-mail to sphinx@ apa1906.net or via U.S. mail, using the magazine’s postal mailing address.

Leroy Anderson, LM # 1580 Last-known chapter: Beta Kappa Lambda – Charleston, SC Chapter of initiation: Alpha Chi – Fisk Univ., Nashville, TN Elton B. Bellamy Last-known chapter: Epsilon Pi Lambda – Ocala, FL Chapter of initiation: Epsilon Pi Lambda – Ocala, FL, 1977 Date of death: May 30, 2009 Edward T. Chaplin Last-known chapter: Kappa Iota Lambda – Willingboro, NJ Chapter of initiation: Alpha Rho – Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA, 1951 Herbert S. Coleman Last-known chapter: Epsilon Pi Lambda – Ocala, FL Chapter of initiation: Epsilon Pi Lambda – Ocala, FL, 1957 Date of death: November 3, 2009 Steven C. Collins Sr. Last-known chapter: Zeta Sigma Lambda – San Diego, CA Chapter of initiation: Zeta Sigma Lambda – San Diego, CA, 2005 Date of death: March 8, 2008

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as marching band—in which he was drum major—track and field, and the Principal Scholars Program until he graduated from Danville High in 1995. In his hometown, he was an active member of St. James Freewill Baptist Church, and later at New Life Church of Faith. He was also an active participant in Sunday School at Allen Chapel AME Church.

After moving to Atlanta, he joined New Mercies Christian Church and sang in the men’s choir.

Woodard entered Omega chapter on Jan. 7, 2010, following a battle with cancer. H

Mazola Crossley, Life Member Last-known chapter: Mu Lambda – Washington, DC Chapter of initiation: Beta Kappa – Langston University, Langston, OK, 1938 Date of death: December 14, 2009 Nathaniel Davis, LM #3660 Last-known chapter: Upsilon Lambda – Jacksonville, FL Chapter of initiation: Delta Beta – Bethune-Cookman Univ., Daytona Beach, FL, 1948 Douglas J. DePriest, LM #9086 Last-known chapter: Delta Beta Lambda – Hampton, VA Chapter of initiation: Gamma Iota – Hampton Univ., Hampton, VA, 1964 Date of death: October 12, 2009 Brian Dillard Last-known chapter: Mu Lambda – Washington, DC Chapter of initiation: Sigma – Boston Univ./Northeastern Univ., Boston, MA, 1966 Date of death: September 28, 2009 Leroy Ducksworth Last-known chapter: Delta Epsilon Lambda – East St. Louis, IL Chapter of initiation: Beta Eta – Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale, IL Louis “Mike” Duckworth Last-known chapter: Alpha Xi Lambda – Toledo, OH Chapter of initiation: Kappa – The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH, 1963 Date of death: August 8, 2009

O M E G A : Chapter of Sweet Rest John Dukes Jr., LM #556 Last-known chapter: Nu Eta Lambda – Gainesville, FL Chapter of initiation: Beta Nu – Florida A&M Univ., Tallahassee, FL, 1952 Date of death: March 8, 2007

Jefferson W. Jones, LM #8435 Last-known chapter: Nu Eta Lambda – Gainesville, FL Chapter of initiation: Delta Psi – Florida Memorial Univ., Jacksonville, FL, 1954 Date of death: January 14, 2010

Ecolia A. Dunn, LM #6267 Last-known chapter: Kappa Sigma Lambda – Killeen, TX Chapter of initiation: Kappa Sigma Lambda – Killeen, TX, 1981 Date of death: May 5, 2008

Richard Marshall, LM #2164 Last-known chapter: Beta Kappa Lambda – Charleston, SC Chapter of initiation: Beta Kappa Lambda – Charleston, SC, 1968 Date of death: May 1, 2009

Robert C. Eubanks Last-known chapter: Delta Epsilon Lambda – East St. Louis, IL Timothy L. Evans Sr., LM #1014 Last-known chapter: Alpha Psi Lambda – Columbia, SC Chapter of initiation: Epsilon Gamma Lambda – Boston, MA 1961 Date of death: June 25, 2008 Curtis A. Flood, LM #6583 Last-known chapter: Delta Nu Lambda – Danville, VA Chapter of initiation: Beta Gamma – Virginia State Univ., Petersburg, VA Matthew Fogle Last-known chapter: Omicron Tau Lambda – Aiken, SC Chapter of initiation: Delta Alpha – Claflin Univ., Organgeburg, SC, 2000 Archie Lee Hightower, LM #5164 Last-known chapter: Theta Psi Lambda – Somerset, NJ Chapter of initiation: Delta Xi – Central State Univ., Wilberforce, OH, 1956 Date of death: May 26, 2008 James O. Jackson Sr., LM #1813 Last-known chapter: Alpha Psi Lambda – Columbia, SC Chapter of initiation: Delta Kappa Lambda – Florence, SC, 1951 Date of death: January 28, 2010 Arnold Jones Last-known chapter: Mu Lambda – Washington, DC Mu Lambda – Washington, DC, 1978 Date of death: May 10, 2009 TO ALL OUR BROTHERS IN OMEGA CHAPTER ...

MAY YOU REST IN PEACE

Andrew M. Melton Last-known chapter: Kappa Iota Lambda – Willingboro, NJ Chapter of initiation: Kappa Iota Lambda – Willingboro, NJ, 1996 Charles Simmons Jr., LM #2027 Last-known chapter: Upsilon Lambda – Jacksonville, FL Chapter of initiation: Nu – Lincoln Univ., Oxford (Chester County), PA, 1936 Wade M. Simmons Last-known chapter: Kappa Iota Lambda – Willingboro, NJ Chapter of initiation: Delta Eta – Savannah State Univ., Savannah, GA, 1951 Arthur Smith III Last-known chapter: Omicron Tau Lambda – Aiken, SC EChapter of initiation: Eta Iota – Voorhees College, Denmark, SC William K. Tyler Last-known chapter: Kappa Iota Lambda – Willingboro, NJ Chapter of initiation: Kappa Iota Lambda – Willingboro, NJ, 1977 Lewis M. Upperman Last-known chapter: elta Nu Lambda – Danville, VA Chapter of initiation: Eta Mu Lambda – Gastonia, NC, 1984 Date of death: February 2, 2010 Leroy White Jr. Last-known chapter: Omicron Tau Lambda – Aiken, SC Chapter of initiation: Omicron Tau Lambda – Aiken, SC

OMEGA CHAPTER SUBMISSION GUIDELINES If you know of any brother who has transitioned to Omega Chapter within the last year, please forward the information to The Sphinx via your chapter’s associate editor. Associate editors or other members should e-mail a high-resolution image along with text of no more than 125 words about the brother. Text should include: member’s name, year and chapter of initiation, current chapter, academic and career information, outstanding achievements and awards, fraternity activities, date of death, cause of death (if published), and city in which the brother resided.

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Henry Arthur Callis

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity

LEADERSHIP DIRECTORY

BOARD OF DIRECTORS General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr. president@apa1906.net Immediate Past General President Darryl R. Matthews, Sr. drmatthews@apa1906.net General Treasurer Hyacinth Ahuruonye generaltreasurer@apa1906.net Comptroller Frank A. Jenkins, III frankaj@bellsouth.net Regional Vice President - East Sean McCaskill vicepresident@alphaeast.com Regional Vice President - Midwest Mark Tillman marktillman@comcast.net Regional Vice President - South James L. Crumel southvp@apa1906.net Regional Vice President - Southwest Roderick Smothers southwestvp@apa1906.net Regional Vice President - West Aaron Crutison westvp@apa1906.net Regional Assistant Vice President East Taurean Branch eastavp@apa1906.net Regional Assistant Vice President Midwest Thomas Flynn midwestavp@apa1906.net Regional Assistant Vice President South Justin Harlow southavp@apa1906.net Regional Assistant Vice President Southwest Jamel Jones southwestavp@apa1906.net Regional Assistant Vice President West Jarvis Givens westavp@apa1906.net General Counsel Keith A. Bishop keithbishop@keithbishoplaw.com

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Charles Henry Chapman

Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer William Douglass Lyle wdlylel@apa1906.net APPOINTED OFFICERS Historian Robert L. Harris, Jr. rlh10@cornell.edu Director of General Conventions Justin Shamell director.conventions@apa1906.net GENERAL CONVENTION OFFICIALS Parliamentarian Anderson C. Elridge, III aelridge1906@aol.com Chaplain William E. Flippin, Sr. srpastor@pineygrovebapt.org Sergeant of Arms Ron Russell ronstony@hotmail.com GENERAL CONVENTION COMMITTEES CHAIRMEN RULES & CREDENTIALS Desmond M. Ables desmondables@hotmail.com AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENT Herman Clifton Johnson jklift@bellsouth.net GRIEVANCES AND DISCIPLINE Hervery B. O. Young, Esq. pathfinder1906@juno.com STANDING COMMITTEES CHAIRMEN CONSTITUTION Ricky L. Blalock rlblalock@aol.com ENDOWMENT & CAPITAL FORMATION Robert Wright BUDGET & FINANCE Frank Humphrey fhumphre@voyager.net ELECTIONS Thomas A. Phillips thomphilli10@aol.com MEMBERSHIP, STANDARDS & EXTENSION Melvin M. Stroble, Sr. mstroble@msn.com

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Eugene Kinckle Jones

PUBLICATIONS James W. Ward ward_jw@tsu.edu HISTORICAL COMMISSION Norman E.W. Towels betasigma7@msn.com PUBLIC POLICY Tyson King-Meadows kmcgrp@aol.com HUMAN RESOURCES Antonio I. M. Johnson, Esq. ajohnsonesq@gmail.com RACIAL JUSTICE (COMMISSION) Derrick Pope, Esq. dapope@bellsouth.net COLLEGE BROTHERS AFFAIRS (COMMISSION) Maurice D. Gipson mdgipson@gmail.com BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (COMMISSION) Cecil Howard, Esq. cehoward2@comcast.net LIFE MEMBERSHIP Charles P. Loeb, III cploeb@sbcglobal.net SPECIAL COMMITTEES CHAIRMEN ALPHA PHI ALPHA GOES GREEN INITIATIVE Sacoby Wilson wilsons2@mailbox.sc.edu ALPHA LITERACY INITIATIVE Vacant AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY Anton C. Bizzell antonbizzell@aol.com ALPHAS IN THE ACADEMY M. Christopher Brown mcb2@unlv.edu BELFORD V. LAWSON ORATORICAL Gregory L. Bailey gbailey@literacyaction.org BIG BROTHERS & BIG SISTERS Dale H. Long dale1906@verizon.net BOY SCOUTS Verdree Lockhart verdreel@aol.com BLACK AND GOLD PAGEANT Andre Prospere prosperea@bellsouth.net

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George Biddle Kelley

COLLEGE BROTHER AFFAIRS Mark Crain mcrain@gmail.com COLLEGE LIFE TO CORPORATE LIFE Nicholas B. Fletcher Nick.Fletcher@kellogg.com COLLEGIATE SCHOLARS BOWL James “JI” Irvin JIrvin06@nemesispromotions.com HOUSING Jerryl E. Bennett jbennett91@mindspring.com HEALTH & WELLNESS Michael A. Smith mas1906@aol.com INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES Jamil Omar Buie jamil.buie@gmail.com MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MEMORIAL INTERNAL FUNDRAISING Frank Russell, Jr. frj41@bellsouth.net INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Andre A. Moss aamoss@batelnet.bs LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Brandon Tucker btucker921@aol.com MEDIATION & ARBITRATION Edwin D. Givens, Esq. egivens@scsu.edu MILITARY BROTHERS Langston D. Smith ldsrcdoc@verizon.net MEMBERSHIP INTAKE TASK FORCE Walter Kimbrough wkimbrough@philander.edu MIS / TECHNOLOGY Wendell D. Ferguson alpha3bebc@aol.com NATIONAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES ADVISORY COUNCIL Darryl Bell darrylmbell@gmail.com

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Nathaniel Allison Murray

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Robert Harold Ogle

NEW FRATERNAL PROGRAM INITIATIVES Ronald J. Peters rpeters20@comcast.net

Assistant to the General President and Senior Advisor James A. Wright jewright@bellsouth.net

ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Zollie J. Stevenson, Jr. zstevenson06@gmail.com

SPECIAL ADVISORS TO THE GENERAL PRESIDENT

POLITICAL ACTION Arthur Vaughn avaughn@spsu.edu RECLAMATION Bradley D. Thomas phdsocialwork@hotmail.com PROJECT ALPHA Byron D. Gautier projectalphacoordinator@apa.1906.net RITUAL & CEREMONIES Russell E. Flye phantom1906@charter.net SENIOR ALPHA AFFAIRS Sylvester L. Shannon slshannon06@aol.com TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Audrey L. Mackey amackey@austincc.edu TIME AND PLACE Maurice Jenkins jenkinsmaurice@bellsouth.net WALK AMERICA-MARCH OF DIMES Wilbert L. Brown wlb72@aol.com

Charles King charlesking1906@yahoo.com Calvin McNeill cmcnmd@aol.com Elvin Dowling ejdowling1906@gmail.com L. Sidney Gleaton gleato_s@bellsouth.net Joseph E. Heyward heywardj8@aol.com NATIONAL ARCHIVIST Jerome Offord, Jr. jeromeofford@aol.com DEPUTY ASSISTANTS TO THE GENERAL PRESIDENT Governmental and International Affairs Marc Garcia getsmart06@aol.com SPECIAL ASSISTANTS TO THE GENERAL PRESIDENT M. Cole Jones mcolejones@gmail.com

WORLD POLICY COUNCIL Horace G. Dawson, Jr. hdawson@howard.edu

Robbie Stokes Administrative Assistant rstokes@apa1906.net

FOUNDATIONS CHAIRMEN

Marques J. Wilkes mjwilkes1906@yahoo.com

EDUCATION FOUNDATION Waldo Johnson wejohnso@uchicago.edu

GENERAL PRESIDENT’S ADVANCE TEAM

BUILDING FOUNDATION Robert “Bob” Leandras Jones, II leandras2@aol.com

Chairman Warren Isenhour dub1906@yahoo.com

GENERAL PRESIDENT’S CABINET OFFICIALS

Ian Coleman iancoleman3@gmail.com

Assistant to the General President and Chief of Staff Don Weston chief-of-staff@apa1906.net

James McFadden mcfadden06@aol.com

Assistant to the General President and Deputy Chief of Staff Keith Harris harriskr1906@gmail.com

H

Vertner Woodson Tandy

VIP, Protocol and Logistics Chairman Robbie Stokes rstokes@apa1906.net Protocol and Logistics Anthony C. Hytche achytche@aol.com Transportation Chairman Ken Baskett kgbaskett@bellsouth.net PAST GENERAL PRESIDENTS 32nd General President Darryl R. Matthews, Sr. darrylmatthews@apa1906.net 31st General President Harry E. Johnson, Sr. hej@flash.net 30th General President Adrian L. Wallace alwallacea@aol.com 29th General President Milton C. Davis tuskmcd@aol.com 28th General President Henry Ponder ewilsonp@aol.com 27th General President Charles C. Teamer, Sr. cteamer@cox.net 26th General President Ozell Sutton 1640 Loch Lomond Trail, SW Atlanta GA 30331 (404) 344-0370 25th General President James Williams 1733 Brookwood Drive Akron, OH 44313 (330) 867-7536

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Corporate Office 2313 St. Paul St. Baltimore, MD 21218 (410) 554-0040 (410) 554-0054 Fax www.apa1906.net

Solomon Graves solomon.graves@gmail.com

Winter/Spring 2010 H THE SPHINX

61

88 THE SPHINX H Summer/Fall 2009

IN 2010 ALPHA WILL BE

Celebrating our roots

BEGINNING IN 2010 Alpha Phi Alpha members will have the unique opportunity to trace their roots with African Ancestry, Inc. (AA). Using DNA testing, brothers will be able to learn more about their family tree than ever before. It is a new partnership with AA to help celebrate the ancestries of the fraternity and its phenomenal members through connecting them with, and documenting, their ancestral family history.

HOW DOES IT WORK? Brothers will be able to get a discounted DNA testing kit from AA, to test their DNA to possibly determine their African heritage. The regular price for the test is $500, but financially-active brothers will get a discount at the cost of $299.

PROOF POSITIVE. All participating regional vice presidents and assistant vice presidents will take the swab test and will reveal their African matches at the regional conventions and at the national leadership conference in Phoenix. Brothers can also look to see the past general presidents and General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr. lead by example. Each participating general president will take the test and reveal their African matches in Phoenix.

We are also releasing the Jewels Family Tree on our Web site and will identify their male descendants to test their lineage as well.

For more information, go to www.apa1906.net.

Author Alex Haley and General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr., then a college brother.

The WINTER/SPRING 2010 ISSUE ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC. 2313 ST. PAUL ST. BALTIMORE, MD 21218-5234

www.apa1906.net

COMING NEXT ISSUE . . .

Alpha’s 2010 distinguished collegians: Leading by example on and off campus

The Arizona immigration debate: The impact of the boycott Haiti’s Ground Zero: Part II of The Sphinx’s special report

MICHAEL MUCHIOKI

STEVEN LEE

Alpha addresses gun violence after death of two young brothers