The film, “Race” chronicles the life of Bro. Jesse Owens. It’s the first feature film about the athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games.
Page 3 AΦA FRATERNITY, INC. • KAPPA PHI LAMBDA (ΚΦΛ) CHAPTER • COLUMBIA, MD
FEBRUARY 2016
www.apakpl.org • Edited by Bro. Kerry G. Johnson • email: caricatureKerry@verizon.net
Alpha Achievers and other students take stand against racist online video On Tuesday (Feb. 2) more than 150 students from Mount Hebron High School (MHHS) located in Ellicott City, MD walked out of classes to protest an amateur video that was uploaded to social media. The widely-viewed video depicted a white MHHS student calling blacks an inferior race. He also made negative comments about the “Black Lives Matter” movement. Since the video was launched, the uproar throughout the region (and country) has been harsh and swift!
During the demonstration, African American students along with other students and parents from different races, shouted, “Stop the silence! Start a conversation!” Several Alpha Achievers were involved with the peaceful and emotional event. Later that evening, there was a community town hall meeting at Bridgeway Community Church in Columbia, hosted by Dr. David Anderson, a widely recognized thought leader on racial issues and president of a global diversity organization.
BALTIMORE SUN article: http://fw.to/kawpTuX
• See related article on Page 5
WBAL TV video: http://www.wbaltv.com/news/students-stage-walkout-over-racist-video/37781134
HCC HONORS HOWARD CO. EDUCATOR, BRO. SILAS CRAFT WITH ANNUAL BUFFET The Silas Craft Collegians Scholarship Endowment at Howard Community College is a program named in honor of Bro. Dr. Silas Craft, Howard County’s first African American high school principal. Bro. Craft was a highly-respected civil rights activist, and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. The HCC Educational Foundation, in partnership with Hunan Manor Restaurant, are pleased to present the Silas Craft Collegians Dinner on
Monday, March 7, serving dinner continuously from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Hunan Manor Restaurant, located at 7091 Deepage Drive, Columbia, MD, 21045 will offer a Chinese buffet that supports the program that was initially implemented to assist African American high school graduates whose past academic performance did not reflect their true potential or desire to succeed. The program has been expanded to include other minority students.
For more details, see the flyer on Page 2 Tickets can also be purchased by contacting
Bro. Norris Jennings, via e-mail: ntjenni1942@gmail.com
IT’S TIME FOR A NEW NORMAL Here is a reprint of a letter that Bro. Sherman Howell submitted to Mount Hebron High School and Howard County Public School System The default position in our school system must not always be white Time for a “new normal” • Stop hedging education Eradication of the perceived right of “white supremacy”
On Feb., 2, here in Howard County, MD, students, says an article in the press, “walked out after a viral video slams the Black Lives Matter movement.” Zakariya Kmir, 16, a senior and president of Howard County’s “Alpha Achievers,” and a student at Mount Hebron High School, appears to have correctly grasp the centrality of the issue involved here: “It’s not just race” Zakariya, says. And when properly intellectually analyzed, Zakariya is perhaps correct, for racism is perceived by many scholars as an integral part of U.S. capitalism. The Mount Hebron student committing the offense, incidentally, had said that “Black lives do not matter. .. because they’re an inferior race”— that traditional on-going “single story” of Blacks as a race of people not having contributed much of substance, especially, but not limited to the founding of civilization. To show in this case the nonsensical or absurdness nature of the student’s statement, try going to your fraternity, sorority, church or other organizations declaring your founders as irresponsible or
inferior in terms of intellectual ability. Or, on the issue of George Washington being the “Father of this nation,” (yes we know that George Washington owned slaves), try disrespecting George Washington’s revered founder status. Again, yes we have “racism” in Howard County but I think that identifying Black students as being of an “inferior race” is more akin to our students being estranged from a full origin of understanding of the true source of what’s called civilization and there proper placed in the legacy of the world. Take me for example, I was educated during Jim Crow when and where “Western Civilization” (i.e., Greeks, Romans, etc., contributions) teachings dominated as the primary source of the beginning of civilization. Mrs. Jones, my history teacher, for example, complied with Continued on Page 3
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For ticket information through Kappa Phi Lambda Chapter, email Bro. Norris Jennings – ntjenni1942@gmail.com
HUNAN MANOR PRESENTS
SILAS
CRAFT COLLEGIANS COLLEGIANS
DINNER
BENEFITING THE Silas Craft Collegians Scholarship Endowment & Program at Howard Community College
MARCH 7, 2016 Doors open at 5 p.m. ◆ Serving continuously from 5 to 8 p.m.
ONLY $ 45 PER PERSON Includes dinner, dessert, beverages, tax & gratuity
100% of proceeds benefit student scholarships & programs
7091 Deepage Drive Columbia, Maryland
443-518-1970
◆
howardcc.edu/sccathunan
◆
supportHCC
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IT’S TIME FOR A NEW NORMAL A Commentary by Bro. Sherman Howell Continued from Page 1
school district rules, at times though sneaking in topics such as the “origin and history of civilization.” Along with reading some of her personal history books, it eventually became clear to her students what scholars have concluded today, and all along, that the birth or the roots of human “civilization” is in Africa—again something a growing number of scholars are concurring on today. As to this incident, Mount Hebron High School that is, as previously stated, I think that many of us agree that racism remains alive, pervasive and well entrenched in some corridors in Howard County (mostly associated with economic), with racial mis-haps of students perhaps being the result of ignorance of the development of the world, the U. S., Maryland, Howard County and Columbia, etc. In other words, how else, can a “White student look to his or her left or right laboring a Black student as “from an inferior race”—when persons of that Black student’s heritage were, again, the sources of today’s world civilization In short, Zakariya’s overall assessment of the issue pretty much mirrors that of my predominately white Rotary Club in Columbia Maryland—that it’s more a reflection of the likelihood of incomplete or “mis-education” of students of the Howard County Public School System than otherwise—an issue that has been chronicled over the years in the county. Assuredly let us acknowledge, Blacks too have blood on their hands in these kinds of “racial incidents.” That is we don’t
teach, nor do we educate our kids about their heritage, about where they came from; or mandate that school districts properly and completely educate Black, White and other races of students as to their place in the historical narrative, the original source of “human civilization.” Hence, such defenseless situations leaves our kids unprepared of any meaningful ways of intellectually defending themselves. Added to the helpless situation is the fact that even the least effective education system in the country is designed to conform or adapt to the needs of majority students as opposed to minority students, pointing to the need of a serious evaluation to an approach of how America goes about educating its students. A perhaps comfortable solution to proper education in this regard is the addition of more Black studies resources in the county’s public school system. The focus of doing so should be institutionalizing the studies perhaps through curriculum changes. This would help ensure a high-quality program. As one bright person recently said: “We can’t change the direction of the wind, but we can adjust our sails to always reach our destination.” Which confirms what writer William Faukner said: that “the past is never dead; it’s not even the past,” meaning, in part, that Black students, in imaging their role in a global economic world, must know their heritage, must know that they are receiving an authentic education not a hedged or bordered one.
DELTA LAMBDA SHOWS “RACE” FILM Tickets can be purchased at http://DeltaLambda.org/race Delta Lambda Chapter (Baltimore) is sponsoring a viewing of “Race”. This film is about Bro. Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. Brothers can bring family and friends to the movie and are encouraged to wear Alpha paraphernalia to show support for this important movie. The showing will take place on Saturday, February 20, at 4:00 p.m. at Hoyts West Nursery Cinema located at 1591 West Nursery Rd, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090.
Stephan James plays Jesse Owens in the film.
THE CHAPTER BROTHERHOOD POSTER
Bro. Kerry G. Johnson Associate Editor to The Sphinx
I want to remind the Brotherhood that ΚΦΛ Chapter will be collecting funds for the official 2016 chapter roster poster during the February 13 meeting. This fraternal year is the first time we’ve offered this keepsake for our members. Brothers can proudly show their Alpha and ΚΦΛ pride and display this unique, collectible poster next to their other Alpha paraphernalia. Note, there is a limited number of posters available. The cost of the colorful, 16-inch by 20-inch poster is $20. Please be prepared to have the funds available in cash or checks payable to Kappa Phi Lambda Chapter. The chapter already has the names of several Brothers who prepaid for the poster. Bro. Rodney Hawkins, ΚΦΛ Treasurer, will be collecting the funds. Please contact via email if you have any questions: caricaturekerry@verizon.net
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MAAC Conference planned for Salisbury The 24th Annual Mid-Atlantic Association of Alpha Phi Alpha Chapters (MAAC) Conference will take place in Salisbury, MD., on March 4-5, 2016 on the campus of Salisbury University. Registration rates: Alumni delegates: ................ College delegates: ................ Alumni Brother. ................... College brother .....................
$330 $215 $135 $100
The close for registration is Feb. 16, 2016 There will be no onsite registration.
The theme of the conference is “Timeless Brotherhood, Endless Service” and the Upsilon Epsilon chapter and the Brothers of Area 1 are the hosts. The official MAAC hotel is the Hampton Inn & Suites located in Fruitland, Md., and the rate is $99 a night. Please tell the hotel that you are attending the MAAC conference. The hotel can be reached at (410) 548-1282.
Bro. D. Barrett writes about the evolution of Alpha Achievers Bro. David H. Barrett was a recent guest blogger for the Howard County Public School System. He penned an article that provided an overview of the Alpha Achievers program. The article is available online and via Twitter. It was also retweeted by Dr. Renee A. Foose, the Superintendent of HCPSS. Congratulations Bro. D. Barrett!
Brothers are asked to bring a clothing item and a non-perishable food item to the conference to be donated to a local homeless shelter.
To read the entire article, visit this link: hcpssne.ws/supcrnr021216
For more information on the conference, email Bro. Duane Edwards at djedwards1906@gmail.com or go online to:
http://www.alphaevents.org/home/upcomming_events/5
Promotional flyer for Ayanna Gregory’s play.
A one-woman play, ΚΦΛ’s next fundraiser needs your support Submitted by Bro. John Taylor Vice President, ΚΦΛ Chapter
It has taken a lot of effort and time to sure up our upcoming chapter fundraiser. Efforts to get a later date were unsuccessful. The event will be held at River Hill High School located at 12101 Clarksville Pike, Clarksville, MD at 8:00 p.m. on March 11, 2016. Tickets will be available at the February 13 chapter meeting. Ticket cost: adult: $25, student: $20. For more information about this onewoman play, please review and share the links below with your family and friends, and be prepared to order or purchase tickets at our chapter meeting. http://ayannagregory.com/ http://static.wusa9.com/video-archive-player/?bctid=4713569175001 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oBoNfhKdNPs