Boulé Journal Spring 2013 by Marcel Henry

The Official Publication of SIGMA PI PHI FRATERNITY (USPS 061-700)

Volume 77, Number 1

Spring 2013

GRAND BOULÉ OFFICERS COMMITTEES AND CHAIRS 2012-2014 James E. Payne (Delta Zeta) Grand Sire Archon

James O. Cole (Alpha Rho) Grand Sire Archon–Elect

Contents

Rodney J. Reed (Alpha Gamma) Immediate Past Grand Sire Archon

Samuel Bacote III (Kappa)

Grand Grammateus–Executive Secretary

Michael B. Bruno (Alpha Alpha) Grand Thesauristes

The Editor’s Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Khephra Burns (Alpha Sigma) Grand Grapter

G. Bernard Brown (Xi) Grand Agogos Archon

Message from the Grand Sire Archon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Charles S. Lamback, Sr. (Alpha Mu) Grand Rhetoricos Archon

Anthony W. Hall, Jr. (Nu)

Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Chairman, The Boulé Foundation

STANDING COMMITTEES AND CHAIRS Darrell B. Jackson (Beta) Chair, Audit Committee

Donald Floyd (Delta Zeta)

Mind Over Matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Cover Story

Chair, Constitution and Bylaws Committee

James E. Carter IV (Delta Upsilon) Chair, Credentials Committee

Kenneth H. Harris, Sr. (Gamma Gamma) Chair, Finance Committee

Patrick Oates (Alpha)

Chair, Grievances and Complaints Committee

Alvin G. Ragland (Gamma Sigma) Chair, Public Policy Committee

Beta Delta Archons Instrumental in Bringing Democratic National Convention to Charlotte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Features

Virgil L. Smith (Epsilon)

One Hundred Candles and a Wish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Martin F. Hill (Alpha Eta)

Dwayne M. Murray (Alpha Xi)

Give Poor Kids What Rich Kids Pay For: Closing the Rich/Poor Achievement Gap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Jimmy E. Carter IV (Delta Upsilon)

Roberts Leads Change for Detroit Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Chair, Resolutions/Communication Committee Chair, Rules and Credentials Committee Chair, Social Action Committee

Chair, Strategic Planning Committee

AD HOC COMMITTEES Robert Holmes, Jr. (Beta Kappa) Chair, Elections Committee

Departments Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Reginald D. Rigsby (Beta Gamma)

Chair, Growth and Expansion Committee

On the Social Action Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Harry E. Johnson, Sr. (Nu)

The New Archons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Eric L. Kelly (Epsilon Beta)

Kudos and Commendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Chair, Resources Advisory Committee Chair, Technology Advisory Committee

Charles C. Teamer, Sr. (Alpha Alpha)

Chair, Council of Past Grand Sire Archons

Clifton Johnson (Gamma Psi)

Chair, Council of Regional Sire Archons

James E. Cofield, Jr. (Beta Beta) Chair of 2014 Grand Boulé

Family Circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 The Member Boulés . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 The Regional Boulés. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 The Grand Boulé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

REGIONAL SIRE ARCHONS William H. Greene (Lambda)

The Boulé Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Phillip E.B. Byrd, Jr. (Gamma)

In Memoriam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Johnny O. Gibbons (Delta Rho)

Christmas Is for the Archousai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Sire Archon, Central Region

Sire Archon, Northeast Region Sire Archon, Pacific Region

Clifton Johnson (Gamma Psi) Sire Archon, Southeast Region

Leodis Davis (Theta)

Sire Archon, Western Region

EX OFFICIO Charles S. Johnson III (Kappa) General Counsel

Huel D. Perkins (Alpha Xi) Grand Historian

EMERITI Manford Byrd, Jr. (Beta)

Grand Thesauristes Emeritus

Graphic design and print production: Fred Weidner & Daughter Printers New York City

The Boulé Journal is published quarterly for $5 per year by Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, 50 Hurt Plaza, Suite 750, Atlanta, GA 30303 404-529-9919. Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta, GA, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Boulé Journal, Editor, 50 Hurt Plaza, Suite 750, Atlanta, GA 30303

The Editor‘s Page Battle Fatigue

Too often we find ourselves battling for political and economic ground we thought we’d secured decades, even generations, earlier – like the right to vote and the legislation of effective measures to safeguard that right.

friend and fellow writer confessed recently that she was finding it increasingly difficult to write anything about which she could feel confident she was not just talking to a wall. I empathized. It’s often difficult to see how one’s appeals, even to an elite and influential intelligentsia, make the slightest difference in the world, especially in the face of counter appeals to the inculcated fears and prejudices of the masses. The inspiration that sometimes comes with small victories of Archon Khephra Burns humanity over superstition and greed evaporates soon enough in what seems an inexorable national decline into ignorance and bigotry. Too often we find ourselves battling for political and economic ground we thought we’d secured decades, even generations, earlier. Like the right to vote and the legislation of effective measures to safeguard that right. Except as a convention of the blues, repetition is a bore. I can’t imagine that anyone is more weary of reading my rants than I am. But like others of my tribe, I persevere in juggling these few dozen signs and symbols even while vacillating between doubt and a near mystical faith that in the vast universe of words there’s no problem whose eloquent solution does not lie waiting in some novel combination of these twenty-six letters of the alphabet. I wonder what faith, frustration or desperation drove 400 prophets to prophesy incoherently before the gates of Samaria if not the vain hope that one of them, by divine inspiration or improbable chance, might stumble upon the word of power that would change everything. I think about the deranged street-corner poet in Putney Swope, endlessly cycling through his own word of ultimate truth: “My word Hing!... Hing in the teeth of the wind, Hing in the faces of governments and men.” He at least was under no illusion that his word would change anything: “Hing spells nothing, begins nothing possible unto Webster... I built a wooden Hing once and fooled no one. I painted Hing in oils and ran out of canvas.” What difference, ultimately, between delusional prophets, manic poets and any writer or speaker if the impact is the same? It’s all just sound and fury amounting to nothing. Not so with the vote, wherein everyone has a voice and having one’s say can mean the difference between an unlawful war, thousands of lives callously sacrificed to profit the few, a failed economy and historic deficits

2 The Editor’s Page / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

on the one hand, and an alternate, more equitable and humane history on the other. By the time you read this, the national media will have moved on from Justice Scalia’s characterization of the Voting Rights Act as a perpetuation of racial entitlements, and everything that could be written or said about that will have been written and said. But on the off chance that no one else took the opportunity to do so, I would hasten to draw a distinction between any so-called racial entitlement and the deathless perpetuation of white privilege: the former being a figment, the latter an historical fact. I would also offer the observation that, in as much as conventional wisdom has long held it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt, Justice Thomas has never seemed so wise in remaining steadfastly mute as when Justice Scalia spoke. Beyond that, any additional commentary I might offer must come under the general heading of Tales Told by an Idiot, given the absurdity of the argument proffered by Justice Scaly as de facto leader of the Supreme Court Republican Order Testes Ultra Murdoch (acronym SCROTUM). The Latinate testes ultra in the appellation can be loosely translated as “I bear witness to, or swear by, this reactionary extremist,” to wit, Rupert Murdoch, the philosophical patriarch of modern political scaliness. Rachel Maddow called SCROTUM nuts and reminded viewers that it had had a hand in bringing “Dick [Cheney] and Bush [George] to the climax of their political careers.” (If legislation is too important to be left to Congress, it would stand to reason that presidential elections are too important to be left to the electorate.) Scalia, in response, criticized the liberal media for what he called its “Rachel entitlements.” Ms. Maddow, he claimed, had no right to call him a troll. Ms. Maddow in fact had no rights whatsoever that a man was bound to respect. Maddow, for her part, apologized, saying it was never her intention to offend trolls by grouping them with the justice. Rather, she likened him to the Shakespearean character Puck, which seems fitting in light of the possibility that, thanks to SCROTUM, millions of voters may soon be pucked. Fatigue and delirium at parrying the thrusts of unremitting, unreconstructed sophistry occasionally admits such silliness as indulged in above, both for sanity’s sake and as an appropriate rejoinder to statements too ludicrous to debate seriously. But fatigue does not allow for no response, not while others, older and more battle-worn than I am persist in the struggle. I think of Harry Belafonte, a friend and mentor of some thirty years, who told me recently, “I just can’t let them win.” I’m reminded too of Ishmael Reed, who said “writin’ is fightin’.” I think that may be why the Bard took the nom de plume Shakespeare.

Message From the Grand Sire Archon

Mentoring the Next Black President

hortly before midnight last November, CNN pundits announced that President Barack Obama had won a second term as President of the United States. It was truly an historic moment. After all of the votes were tabulated, the margin of victory was not close. Many people have been scratching their heads since, trying to figure out how the margin of victory could be so great. According to all of the polls, predictions and promises, the race was supposed to be a nail-biter. Someone forgot to tell the voters. Despite the country’s struggles with a lingering economic crises, a majority of Americans believed that President Obama deserved another term as leader of the United States. While the electoral college results were overwhelmingly in his favor, the various campaigns and the media coverage leading up to the election made it very clear that race still matters in America. Despite the President’s many accomplishments during his first term, there were many Americans who simply could not vote for him because of the color of his skin. I do not believe that President Obama’s first term was perfect; however, as I reflect on our history, I cannot recall a president that did not have some issues during his first term. Some suggest that given the many advances minorities have made in this country, including the election of President Obama, race is no longer a critical factor. I recognize that we have come a long way in ridding the nation of the devastation of open slavery, Jim Crow laws and de facto racial segregation. However, never before in the history of our nation have we seen our elected officials show the disrespect that President Obama and the Office of the President of the United States have had to endure. From contemptuous, offensive slurs shouted at the President during his State of the Union address to the relentless, ridiculous badgering for his birth certificate, the level of vitriol directed at the President from some segments of America, including elected officials and the media, has been unprecedented. And there comes a point when enough is enough. I was recently asked to serve on a panel discussion on racism, specifically whether it still exists in America. I could not bring myself to participate in such a discussion. The question is not whether racism still exists; the question is, what are we going to do about it? As I listen to many of our community leaders express their concerns regarding the nation’s health and wealth disparities, educational inequities and unjust judicial policies, I want to stop the interviews, turn off the cameras and ask these people, “Now what are we going to do about it?” We have had serious discussions surrounding many of these issues, but have spent little time incorporating a plan of action to address them. One problem may be that implementing a plan of action might require some of us to move out of our comfort zone. When we look to our history, we find that most of our great community leaders were not just great orators, but were also willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved. It was the actions of our forefathers that helped to guarantee

Grand Sire Archon James E. Payne, Delta Zeta Boulé our civil rights and provided the social and economic opportunities that so many of us enjoy today. Can the Boulé remove all of the challenges facing our young black males? Of course not; the problems are too great for us to solve alone. However, each of us can do something to make a difference in some young black male’s life. The Boulé is made up of extraordinary men who have achieved great success in a variety of occupations, and for each of us there is at least one black young man somewhere within reach who needs the wisdom and guidance that we should be sharing. Every Archon should be able to name at least one young black male that he is currently mentoring. If you cannot find a young black male that needs your guidance, please contact the Grand Boulé Social Action Committee. We are working separately and in collaboration with other organizations to provide mentors for our children. Like the Marines, we need “a few good men.” I ask every Archon to participate in sharing your wisdom with some young man. You never know; he could be our future president of the United States. During my recent visit to the White House for a holiday reception, I was overwhelmed with pride to see hanging on the walls photos of a black president, first lady, their children, even the dog. Still, while celebrating President Obama’s historic achievement, I’m painfully aware that there is much that remains to be done. And the burden is not the President’s alone. President Obama is doing his part, not least of all in providing a model of what’s possible for future generations of black youth. We must do everything we can to encourage the next generation so that he will not be the only black President of the United States. President Obama is not the only black person in America qualified to lead this country. We are a nation brimming with such black talent, in need only of the same guidance and grooming we received from those who mentored us. Please help us become part of the solution, not just another voice articulating the problem.

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Message From The Grand Sire Archon

s r e t t e L

The Official Publication of SIGMA PI PHI FRATERNITY (USPS 061-700)

EDITORIAL BOARD AND REGIONAL GRAPTERS Khephra Burns (Alpha Sigma) GRAND GRAPTER Theos D. McKinney III (Alpha) NORTHEAST REGIONAL GRAPTER Andrew L. Dixon, Jr. (Gamma Xi) SOUTHEAST REGIONAL GRAPTER

Jerlando F.L. Jackson (Epsilon Theta) CENTRAL REGIONAL GRAPTER Askia B. Ahmad (Alpha Nu) WESTERN REGIONAL GRAPTER Philip M. Smith (Alpha Gamma) PACIFIC REGIONAL GRAPTER

Is the Voting Rights Act Unnecessary?

n their argument before the U.S. Supreme Court, lawyers for Shelby County, Alabama, contend that their county and other jurisdictions covered by Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act are not the same as they were forty-eight years ago; hence, they should not be held to special federal scrutiny regarding possible racial discrimination against black voters. They and their supporters maintain that more African Americans hold elective office in the affected regions than ever before and this is proof that special federal inspection is unnecessary – and unfair. This sounds a little bit like the argument to withdraw federal troops from the South in the 1870’s because Reconstruction had “gone so well.” Incidentally, more blacks also held elective office in that region than ever before in the 1870’s. The decision to treat the former Confederate States “fairly” and to permit them to manage their own political affairs unleashed nearly a century of racial violence, intimidation and Jim Crow segregation. In the arguments before the Supreme Court last month was the comparison made between the repeal of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act and the withdrawal of federal troops from the South in the 1870’s? If not, I wonder why the comparison wasn’t made? Archon David L. Evans Beta Beta Boulé

CORRECTION The Book Review article “Archousa’s Book Examines the Life of a Howard Visionary” printed on page 92 of THE BOULÉ JOURNAL, Volume 76, Number 4, was authored by Archon Harold E. Cheatham of Delta Beta Boulé, not Archon Dennis R. Upton, Beta Theta Boulé. 4 Letters / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

Thank You

hank you for the beautiful orchids and for remembering Peyton on the anniversary of his death. It meant so much to me that you would pay tribute to him in this way. Further, your support of the Peyton Williams Scholarship Fund has helped it reach a level where the first scholarship can be awarded to a student at Fort Valley State University next year. This is so kind of you and appreciated by everyone in the Williams family. I continue to receive calls and commitments from Archons about additional support, for which I am deeply grateful. Archousa Sandra Williams Kappa Boulé

W GRAPHITI

e greatly appreciate your layout of Xi Boulé’s summer 2012 party. Our members feel it is “classic,” and many have received congratulatory phone calls and emails. Extraordinary.

Grapter Harold Haizlip Xi Boulé

hank you for the considerable exposure afforded the Alpha Epsilon Boulé mentoring program. The cover and article have generated a tremendous sense of pride throughout our organization.

Grapter Grady Searcy Alpha Epsilon Boulé

must say THE BOULÉ JOURNAL electronic submission website is absolutely outstanding. It is the best application I have seen. Grapter Tommy Haynes Delta Tau Boulé

Mind Over Matter

ALL I WANT TO DO IS CRY By Archousa Vanzetta Penn McPherson, Phi Boulé

n our shared habitation of life’s rose garden, where racial differentiation defines the thorniest flowers, we are prone to overlook the impact of gender differentiation. Unlike racial analysis, gender analysis virtually invites salutary differentiation. Each gender greatly admires the other for its singular physical and psychological traits; each gender enjoys the mutually complimentary role that the other plays in its life and happiness; each gender values the other’s contribution to reproduction – even when reproduction isn’t necessarily the objective. Like racial analysis, however, there are many examples of pejorative differentiations by the empowered gender – men – that are asserted to brand the less empowered gender – women – as inferior, less able or compromised on premises that are baseless. As society has become more enlightened about the folly of those tactics, men have adopted more subtle initiatives to perpetuate gender-based branding. One of the more pernicious labels affixed to women in service of that objective is that we are emotional. Setting aside the vérité that emotion is an immutable component of the human condition, female emotion has become a plague that causes women to overdose on detachment and obstinacy, while avoiding female carriers of the fatal viruses of intuition, zeal, sensitivity and ardor. Being told that we are emotional, or that a position we espoused exemplifies emotion is a death knell to our fitness as corporate or professional players. It reduces our contribution – however logical or persuasive – to weeds growing indiscriminately in an unempirical garden of uselessly alternative ideas. But what of male emotion? Have you ever observed the behavior of professional hockey players? How many different end zone dancers can you name? How many thirst quenchers have been sacrificed to drench the winning coach? How many of you work for a screaming male boss? Did we previously only imagine that Sen. Edmund Muskie cried in public one time? Are we currently hallucinating that Congressmen John Boehner and John Lewis cry in public all the time? Did someone mention Bill O’Reilly? And yet, “emotional” is not the description of choice for any of the aforementioned phenomena. Rather, the male role players who exhibit those behaviors are “triumphant,” “victorious,” “defiant,” “impassioned” and “stern.” Even when those behaviors are the tools of aggression and control rather than celebration, the men who practice them are deemed, at worst, to be controlling and, at best, unrelenting. Both labels are semantic ornaments in the typical CEO job description – unless the applicant is female. It is time to take emotion out of the cage. Why? Because nothing of any enduring importance gets done without it. Years of sincere but inconsequential diplomacy finally ripen into emotional wars that (until lately) resolve the dispute. Serial advocacy for better working conditions was ignored until unionists pushed loudly and emotionally for reform. Centuries of entreaty for an end to racial oppression and abuse fell on deaf ears until the emotional

activism of a 1955 boycott, the continuing threat of black mass protest and, yes, the violence of Watts and Newark proved to be more persuasive. Susan B. Anthony’s dream of social, civic and business parity for women, clearly and cogently articulated for decades, languished in the box of optional ideas until women marched by the thousands on Congress and on state legislatures. Coca-Cola’s introduction of New Coke in 1985 was rescinded not because of market analysis, but by the strong, vociferous complaints of the loyal consumers of “real” Coke. The truth is that everyone embraces emotion as a tool of communication, reaction, persuasion and dissent. That women use it more frequently than men is unproven; that they use it differently is obvious. In any case, there should be no distaff demerit for the mere deployment of emotion in the workplace or on other non-domestic terrain, especially when it is justified by the weight of the issues or the consequence of alternative outcomes. While an emotional approach may not always be the superior first approach (that is debatable depending upon the character of the issue or the age of the antagonist), abandonment of emotion is tantamount to relinquishing a goodly portion of the human arsenal. Women should therefore cling to the feeling and passion that informs their treatment of issues, their identification of problems and their resolution of disputes. Remind our brethren that emotion sired mankind. And caution them to drop the hypocrisy so blatantly evident when they devalue our merger of emotion into our discourse, while they willfully use female emotion to accomplish their own designs. When confronted by particularly obstinate males, mention Delilah, Joan-of-Arc, Angela Davis, Monica Lewinsky and Sarah Palin. Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Mind Over Matter 5

Cover Story

Archon Harvey Gantt

Beta Delta Archons Instrumental in Bringing Democratic National Convention to Charlotte By Archon Bobby E. Gibbs, Grapter, Beta Delta Boulé

he idea that Charlotte, North Carolina, could host

Southern hospitality and remarkable growth in recent

the 2012 Democratic National Convention may

years. Charlotte’s power brokers, however, had never

have seemed like an impossible long shot to some,

organized anything of this magnitude. But that didn’t

but not to Susan Burgess, a member of the Charlotte City

deter Archon Anthony Foxx, mayor of Charlotte. Eager

Council. Having just attended the DNC’s 2008 convention

to showcase his city on the world stage, Archon Foxx

in Denver, Burgess returned home and began talking up

took up the banner to have Charlotte host the DNC

Charlotte as the logical host-city choice – the only choice

Convention.

– to the DNC leadership, the city council and her constitu-

Archon Foxx was elected mayor in November 2009, be-

ents. Burgess didn’t live to see her dream come true (she

coming the city’s second African American mayor (after

died of cancer in 2010), but members of Beta Delta Boulé,

Archon Harvey Gantt, 1983-1987) and the youngest in its

as well as the prominent political and business leaders in

history. Archon Foxx was reelected for a second term in

Charlotte, adopted her vision.

November 2011. He’s been called “the face of the New

Charlotte is the largest city in North Carolina and

South,” “a rising political star” and “pragmatic.” He knew

the second largest financial center in America after

he had a lot on the line when he positioned Charlotte to

New York City. It is a contemporary city known for its

host the convention. Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Cover Story

Archon Anthony Foxx

Archon Foxx was certain that if Charlotte were to win

Archon Foxx and James Rogers, chairman, president and

the bid, it would be the largest convention held in the

CEO of Duke Energy, served as cochairs of the Charlotte

city’s history. It would surely prove an economic boon for

in 2012 Host Committee. They accompanied the Demo-

businesses large and small – hotels, restaurants, cater-

cratic Site Committee as they toured the Charlotte Con-

ing and construction work. And people around the world

vention Center, Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte

would come to know that, incredibly, there’s even more to

Motor Speedway, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the U.S. Na-

Charlotte than the Carolina Panthers, the Charlotte Bob-

tional Whitewater Center, hotels, restaurants and other

cats and the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

sites that could be used for convention events. It was a

The Charlotte Regional Visitor’s Authority applied to the DNC to host the convention, and in June 2010

plus that travel throughout the city was easily made accessible by the light rail.

the DNC selected Charlotte as one of four finalists. The

Archon Foxx worked tirelessly, seeking opportunities

other cities were St. Louis, Missouri; Cleveland, Ohio;

everywhere to talk up his city. He knew that competition

and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

from the other cities was intense and that Charlotte was

Archon Foxx asked Archon Gantt to develop Charlotte’s

not the favored city, at least according to the media. “We

blueprint for action for the 2012 convention and named

just want to keep getting in front of the people who we

Archon Gantt cochair of the Charlotte in 2012 Steering

know will be playing some role in the decision-making

Committee, which was a bipartisan effort to host the

process,” said Archon Foxx.

convention. Archon Gantt said at the time that he was

The mayor’s tenacity was rewarded when First Lady

“excited to assist Mayor Foxx in this important endeavor

Michelle Obama announced in February 2011 that Char-

to make sure that Charlotte puts on the best convention

lotte had been chosen to host the 2012 Democratic Na-

possible.” Governor Beverly Perdue, Senator Kay Hagan, 8

Cover Story / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

US Congressman Archon Melvin Watt

tional Convention. Now the real work of organizing the

garnered his place in history by serving twenty years as

city could begin.

the only congressman for his district, despite numerous

Members of Beta Delta Boulé were key in preparing

gerrymandering attempts.

the city. The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, under

Archon Foxx, in his welcoming address at the conven-

the leadership of Archon Frank Emory as its chairman,

tion, said, “Our city is a hub of energy and commerce,

got squarely behind the convention. Archon Harry

a place where business and government work together

Jones, Mecklenburg County manager, marshaled his

and make things happen. And in this election we are the

staff to conduct inspections of restaurants, hotels and

city where Americans have come together to move our

construction activities at the convention center. Sire Ar-

country forward and make great things possible. We have

chon Donald Brown, a distinguished photographer and

always been that kind of city.”

retired vice president of Computer Science Corporation,

September 6, 2012, after an inspired nomination speech

was named one of the official photographers for the con-

by former President Bill Clinton, President Obama accepted

vention.

the nomination of the delegates to run for reelection.

Archons Foxx and Gantt, as well as Archon Melvin Watt,

The choice of Charlotte to host the convention had not

U.S. Congressman serving North Carolina’s 12th District,

been without its critics. North Carolina was a key bat-

all spoke at the convention. Archon Gantt paid tribute to

tleground state. President Obama had won Charlotte’s

the late Susan Burgess, the courageous public servant

fifteen electoral votes in the 2008 presidential election

who had envisioned this historic event, and talked about

by just 13,692 votes. A same-sex marriage ban, passed in

the city’s successful effort to host the convention. Archon

May 2012, had prompted protesters to demand that the

Watt spoke on the final day of the convention, encourag-

convention be moved to another city. Unions considered

ing all to help reelect President Obama. Archon Watt has

the state’s right-to-work laws “labor-unfriendly” and they Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Cover Story

Time Warner Cable Arena

didn’t participate in or finance the convention to the de-

sultant. Hotels benefitted the most when 35,000 people,

gree that they have in the past.

including 15,000 members of the media, came to town.

Despite the protests and four days of rain (which

In an interview with The Root, Archon Foxx said, “This

prompted the President to move his acceptance speech

event helped us recapture a bit of the magic of our city,

inside to the Time Warner Cable Arena), the convention

which is this idea that we can do whatever we put our

was deemed a success by the President, the Obama cam-

minds to. That was the same spirit that got us in the

paign, delegates, the media and those watching from afar

NBA in the 1980’s and the NFL in the 1990’s, and it’s

on television. Charlotte’s can-do spirit showed the world

the same kind of tenacity and enterprise that this com-

what a mid-size city that barely had a convention center a

munity used to fuel the growth of our financial sector. I

decade ago could do if given the chance. Meetings Focus

like our city when we have a bit of an edge, when we’re

(“the destination experts”) quoted Tom Murray, CEO of

reaching for something beyond reach. Our city thrives

the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, as saying the

when we’re told we can’t do something. We actually use

success of this convention shows that “Charlotte can

it as motivation. We’ve found our center again, a sense

shine among any top-tier destination.”

that this city is still on the uptick, a sense that the city

The economic impact was conservatively estimated at $163.6 million, according to the report of an outside con10

Cover Story / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

can still choose its path forward. All we have to do is work together to get there.”

Features

One Hundred Candles and a Wish By Archon John E. Jacob, Eta Boulé Remarks delivered at Eta Boulé’s centennial celebration dinner, the Ballpark Hilton, St. Louis, Missouri, December 1, 2012.

rand Sire Archon James Payne, Grand Sire Archon– Elect James Cole, other distinguished officers, both Grand and regional; to my fellow Archons of Eta Boulé and our wonderful Archousai, guests of Eta, ladies and gentlemen... It is good to be back in St. Louis, and great seeing so many of our old friends and acquaintances. Since Barbara and I made our home in South Florida, we have spent very little time in this great city. But for the record, this town was very good to both of us, and it is good to be back. When my good friend Archon Johnny Furr called me and requested that I make remarks at this night’s dinner celebration, I began to wonder what would make a man think about creating an organization like Sigma Pi Phi. What kind of thoughts would he have floating around in his head? And I remembered one of the verses in Archon James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which says: Stony the road we trod, Bitter the chastening rod, Felt in the days when hope unborn had died; Yet with a steady beat, Have not our weary feet Come to the place for which our fathers sighed? We have come over a way that with tears has been watered. We have come treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered. Out from the gloomy past, Till now we stand at last Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Features

It must have been thoughts like those running through Henry M. Minton’s head when he conceived the idea to form this noble organization we commonly refer to as the Boulé. For after all, the year was 1904, just at the beginning of the 20th century, just thirty-nine years after the Emancipation Proclamation ended legal slavery. And I emphasize “legal slavery” because the mood of the country toward black people at the time of our founding was not, in my opinion, set by the Emancipation Proclamation, but rather by a Supreme Court opinion handed down on March 6, 1857, in the case of Dred Scott v. Sanford, which said, “Negroes were beings of an inferior order, and altogether unfit to associate with the white race, either in social or political relations, and so far inferior that they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect.” And let us not be confused, when Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, it was not about us. For he had made his position perfectly clear in seven debates with Stephen Douglas while campaigning for his senatorial seat in 1858, when he declared his unequivocal opposition to social and political equality for Negroes. He said at that time, “I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races – that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people.” He favored their ultimate resettlement back in Africa, but so long as they remained in America, he said, “there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.” And if those incidents weren’t enough, consider the fact that just nine years before the birth of this great fraternity, the city of Atlanta, Georgia, standing as a symbol of the politically and economically revived South, held a major celebratory event – the Atlanta Cotton States and International Exposition – to put on display the New South. They also wanted to show that the South was kindly disposed to its black population and that they were managing their race relations quite well. And to do so, they decided to include as a part of their opening ceremony a black speaker. Now, Frederick Douglass had died by then, but given his militancy, they would not have invited him anyway. No, the person they chose was Booker T. Washington. And from a white perspective, they could not have selected a better representative. For Washington said everything they wanted to hear and then some. Among the many things he said were: Our greatest danger is that in the great leap from slavery to freedom we may overlook the fact that the masses of us are to live by the productions of our hands, and fail to keep in mind that we shall prosper in proportion as we learn to dignify and glorify common labor and put brains and skill into the common occupations of life. He went on to say: In our humble way, we shall stand by you with a devotion that no foreigner can approach, ready to 12 Features / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

lay down our lives, if need be, in defense of yours, interlacing our industrial, commercial, civil, and religious life with yours in a way that shall make the interest of both races one. In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress. He concluded with ‘these words: The wisest among my race understand that the agitation of questions of social equality is the extremest folly and that progress in the enjoyment of all the privileges that will come to us must be the result of severe and constant struggle rather than of artificial forcing.... It is important and right that all privileges of the law be ours, but it is vastly more important that we be prepared for the exercises of these privileges. The opportunity to earn a dollar in a factory just now is worth infinitely more than the opportunity to spend a dollar in an opera-house. Now let me be clear – this is not an attempt to spend an evening criticizing Booker T. Washington; that’s a subject for another evening. But this is to show the kind of headwinds Minton was flying into when he created Sigma Pi Phi. And please understand, this was before there was an NAACP, before there was a National Urban League, before there was an SCLC, before there was a National Action Network. It was before there was an Alpha Phi Alpha, before there was a Kappa Alpha Psi, before there was an Omega Psi Phi, before there was an Alpha Kappa Alpha or a Delta Sigma Theta or a Zeta Phi Beta. The creation of the Boulé was before any other black Greek-letter organization or any civil rights organization as we know them today. Our founding came during a time when America had its own apartheid system. And American apartheid, just like South Africa’s in its darkest days, was more than just racial segregation. It was more than just racial separation. It was more than just “white only” signs in restrooms and at water fountains. It was a sophisticated system of racial domination, of political oppressions and of economic exploitation. That was the America that welcomed the birth of Sigma Pi Phi. Now, I believe that every person has a calling, a gift, and it is within every person to find his or her calling. The great challenge for everyone is to not only hear that call, but to embrace it when it comes. And in 1904 Henry M. Minton found his calling. He dared to dream that he could create an organization of black men who were not only college graduates, but post-college graduates trained in the medical profession. What audacity! What boldness! What a vision – to believe that in this America, in 1904, you could build such an organization! And what makes this so phenomenal is that, according to the 1900 U.S. census, the total number of Negro college graduates in the entire country had been increased to only 7,488. And while there was an important number of black graduates from northern colleges, the majority of these graduates were the product of black colleges in the South. And what

made Philadelphia ideal for the founding of the Boulé is the fact that the state of Pennsylvania was the first of the states to adopt emancipation and to devote its legislation to freedom. And Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, had the greatest proportion of free colored people of any city in the North. And in 1904, in the city of Philadelphia, Henry M. Minton, then a pharmacist, who soon thereafter became a medical doctor, was able to assemble four other physicians and a dentist to form Sigma Pi Phi. Now, I don’t know about you, but I grew up in Houston, Texas, and in all honesty, until I arrived on the campus of Howard University in 1953, I had only seen one black physician and one black dentist, and I had never seen a black attorney. So to me, to have a fraternity of six black male professionals of the caliber of these gentlemen in 1904 was not only unique, but they represented the most elite of our community. And how did we get there, and what was the framework for his thinking? Well, when you understand the model he used to create the organization, it becomes quite clear. Henry Minton confessed that his model was the undergraduate senior secret society at Yale University, Skull and Bones. And when you understand that Skull and Bones was founded in 1832, not for socialization, but rather after a dispute among three of Yale’s debating societies over that season’s Phi Beta Kappa awards.... So, from the very beginning, Minton’s focus was on men who were scholarly and who had a record of demonstrated achievement. And when you understand that black people had been viewed as three-fifths human and given no respect throughout the country, then you can understand why just getting recognition for black professionals in those days was a major accomplishment. So when you crack the code, Henry M. Minton’s initial goal was to build an organization where black professional men could come together and help one another in their own development and by extension get America to recognize them as talented, accomplished professionals. Some eight years later this great organization moved to its farthest point west and formed Eta Boulé, right here in St. Louis, Missouri. And, while it will come as no surprise to you, they were able to find in 1912 thirteen candidates of the same quality of men they had found in Philadelphia to create the Fraternity. The chartered members of this boulé consisted of physicians, dentists, engineers, school principals and teachers. They were products of Howard University, Purdue, Cornell, Harvard, Oberlin, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania and Meharry Medical, just to name a few. And the greatness of this organization continued to grow as it was able to identify, time and time again, the best and the brightest in city after city. But the criticisms of the Fraternity also grew. And those criticisms were due to a belief that we were only concerned about ourselves, that we were not concerned about the least among us, that we had failed to use our talents and skills and scholarship to provide leadership to a people in need of empowerment and development and liberation. It was in our sixtieth year of existence, at the 27th Grand Boulé, that Sigma Pi Phi changed course, with

Archon Percy Julian

the overall thrust of that convention being “sharing the action of the times.” The Fraternity was challenged to expand its interest, its goals and the way it did its work. This message was forcefully presented by the “distinguished Archon Percy Julian, internationally renowned scientist by training and profession, and a humanist by choice and outlook.” Archon Julian titled his address “Faultless Prophets,” a quotation from Paul’s Epistle to the Thessalonians. The point he was making was that the original founders could not be held responsible for the behavior of today’s Archons. That they had in fact created an organization made up of men who were best prepared to handle any set of circumstances confronting our people and our communities. Our founders’ challenge was to get us recognition. But the challenge in 1964, and our challenge today, is to get us respect. His point was that the fight for civil rights was not a spectator sport; that while our founders had built this organization with scholars, and while some of us had participated in the struggle as individuals, for sixty years we as a group had sat on the sidelines. Since our founding, this country we call America had become a very different place. We had had the decision in Brown v. Board of Education. Rosa Parks had refused to give up her seat on a Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Features

bus and launched the longest bus boycott in our history. We had had the murder of Emmett Till. We’d had COREsponsored bus rides through the South. We had those five young men from A&T College in Greensboro sitting in at the white-only lunch counter at Woolworth. We’d had the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the Civil Rights Act of 1964. And while Archon Julian thought the Fraternity should be proud to have continued for sixty years, he also thought that it wasn’t enough to be scholars, but that we should also use our scholarship to be leaders and a voice for the voiceless; that we should roll up our sleeves and get involved. For America was being put on display for the whole world to see the meanness within our borders. The tenor of Archon Julian’s words was this: While our founders could be judged faultless prophets, if we continued to look the other way, we would run the risk of being seen as shameful descendants. And if we continued along that path, how could we look at ourselves in the mirror? How could we face our children and grandchildren? What would our answer be when they ask us what were we doing during the great civil rights revolution? The 27th Grand Boulé answered that question in 1964 with the creation of a Social Action Committee. But I believe our answer in 2012, as we celebrate our hundredth anniversary, has to be

even more pronounced when you look at graduation rates. At my alma mater, Howard University, the capstone of African American higher education, I was struck by the fact that in the entering freshmen classes for the past several years the ratio was two-thirds female, one-third male. And it is not just Howard; it is true of every coed college and university throughout the nation. And I assure you, for the future of our community and our fraternity, particularly when you face the fact that the number-one criterion for membership in this organization is a college degree, this situation represents a very scary possibility. If fewer and fewer young black men are entering college, how will we grow this fraternity? If fewer and fewer black men are entering college, who will we have to marry our daughters? If fewer and fewer black men are graduating from college, how will we fuel the labor force? They all can’t seek their fortunes in the NBA or NFL. And even if they could, those careers come to an end at a very early age, even for the best of them. And then what? They all can’t become color commentators. And if they don’t have good verbal skills, even those jobs are off the table. So what am I suggesting as a role for the Boulé, and more specifically for the Archons of Eta Boulé? And I would add that it need not be just a challenge that is taken on by Eta Boulé. The great thing about the Boulé is that it is really an assembly of the best and brightest of all the

a Social Action Boulé – a Social Action Fraternity. The challenge for Eta Boulé is to find ways to use our scholarship to become a leader on critical issues for our community – to become as a group a voice for the voiceless. So what can we do that will have a profound impact for some time to come? What will be our answer to the call? Well, here is a thought I would like to suggest for your consideration. It is an issue, if not treated in the near future, will devastate the African American community, this fraternity and this nation. I am referring to the poor performance of young black males in our public school systems throughout the nation. According to the 2009 State of Black America report, published by the National Urban League, in 1964, the year of our 27th Grand Boulé, “a high school dropout earned 64 cents for every dollar earned by those who held at least a high school diploma. In 2004 the numbers changed drastically, as the dropout earned only 37 cents for each dollar earned by the graduate and continues to fall even today.” The report also reveals that, of the students taking the 2008 ACT examination, only one in five is prepared for entry-level college courses in English composition, college algebra, social science and biology, while one in four is not prepared for college work in any of the four subject areas. This assessment is borne by the ratio of black males to black females entering colleges and universities, and

black Greek-letter fraternities. It is a place where young men, who, as undergraduates, competed hard against one another other as Kappas and Alphas and Q’s, now in this arena, under the umbrella of the Boulé, have put those battles behind them and come together as brothers. And, that has the making of a strong army to take on the proposal I would like to make.

Be loyal to yourselves, your skin, your hair, your lips, your southern speech, your laughing kindness.

14 Features / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

Again, according to the 2009 National Urban League’s State of Black America report: A 2006 Philadelphia study found that there are four powerful factors, both individually and in combination, that can predict which sixth graders will ultimately fall behind and off track: • Attending school 80 percent of the time or less • Receiving a poor final mark in behavior • Failing math • Failing English A sixth grader with any of these four indicators has only a 10 to 20 percent chance of graduating with his or her peers. Researchers have begun to label these students as “early dropouts.” Although some students may stay in school until no longer

legally required to do so, many simply do not have the skills necessary to transition to the next grade or educational setting successfully. Given that these four factors can be used to predict which sixth graders will ultimately fall behind and off track, I am suggesting that Eta Boulé mobilize all of the black fraternities in St. Louis and together select several elementary schools in this community and ask the schools to identify the young black males in grades 3, 4 and 5 that fit the profile for ultimate failure. In other words, let’s not wait until they are in the sixth grade and considered hopeless; let’s provide early intervention and head off the problem. I am suggesting that you, with your partners, offer your services to those young boys. Mentor them, teach them and guide them to the next level. I think they can be saved, and I think the members of Boulé, both as individuals and as a group, have the power, influence, prestige and relationships to save them. By doing so, we just may save ourselves. For after all, these are our children, they are our grandchildren, they are our future. Just your presence in their lives and interest in the performance of their schools will make the schools pay more attention to these young boys and in turn, I predict, make these schools better for all their students. I would like to close with the prophetic words written by a great African American writer, director and actor,

my good friend, the late, great Ossie Davis. Ossie writes in his hit play, Purlie Victorious, these words as Rev. Purlie is about to take his leave: Tonight my friends, I find being black a thing of beauty, a joy, a strength and secret cup of gladness; a native land in neither time nor place; a native land in every Negro face! Be loyal to yourselves, your skin, your hair, your lips, your southern speech, your laughing kindness. The Negro kingdom is as vast as any other! Accept in full the sweetness of your blackness, not wishing to be red nor white nor yellow nor any other race or face but this. Farewell my deep and Africanic brothers. Be brave. Keep freedom in the family. And do what you can for the white folks. Now, may the Constitution of the United States go with you, the Declaration of Independence stand by you, the Bill of Rights protect you, the State Commission Against Discrimination keep the eyes of the law upon you, and may your own dreams be your only boundaries, now henceforth and forever. Amen. Amen. Amen. Happy Birthday, Eta. And God bless you all.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS ! 2013 SCHEDULE OF REGIONAL BOULÉS Central region • Des Moines, inDiana

JULY 19 –21

northeast region • greenwiCh, ConneCtiCut

septeMber 26 –29

paCifiC region • saCraMento, California

oCtober 3 – 6

western region • oklahoMa City, oklahoMa

oCtober 17–20

southeast region • MeMphis, tennessee

oCtober 24 –27

Spring 2013 2013 // The The Boulé Boulé Journal Journal 77•1 77•1 // Features Features 15 15 Spring

Give Poor Kids What Rich Kids Pay For: Closing the Rich/Poor Achievement Gap By Archon Melvin I. Douglass, Alpha Sigma Boulé

and the have-nots, who were predomiroviding poor kids with the educanately black. tional opportunities rich kids pay for After three generations of desegregation, will close the academic achievement the rich/poor achievement gap has not gap. My own extensive research and years been eradicated. Rather, it has increased of experience in the field of education exponentially. In fact, as reported in a Febhave led me to this conclusion, which is ruary, 2012, New York Times article, “famthe premise of this offering. The rich/poor ily income appears more determinative of achievement gap has been in the making educational success than race,” according for more than seventeen generations. It to Stanford University sociologist Sean began when settlers to the New World Reardon (Table 1). Sabrina Tavernise, established a two-tiered academic system author of the Times article, suggests this – one for the rich and one for the poor. may be due to the fact that the rich were The rich received a classic education spending five times as much per child as from private tutors, which enabled them the poor in 1972 and nine times more than to enter into the professions; whereas the poor by 2007. This is a major increase the poor received vocational training in over the marginal increments in expendiapprenticeships, which enabled them to tures per poor child. Policymakers fear enter into a skilled vocational labor force. that this trend could continue because it is Vocational training was second tier. The detrimental to the welfare of individuals, agreement between the apprentice and in particular, and United States, in general. the master craftsman was that the former They are looking for model programs that received basic instruction in reading, are closing the achievement gap and can writing and mathematics along with his be replicated. vocational training. This informal eduGeoffrey Canada is the executive direccational arrangement went on for many tor of the Children’s Zone located in years until the introduction of free labor Harlem, New York. The majority of his stuin the form of slavery. dents come from families whose income is Slavery introduced a third tier – the below the poverty line. Canada is aware teaching of skills associated with plantathat the statistical portrait of Harlem is tion life. Slaves were prohibited by law not encouraging at this time (Table 2). from being taught to read, write or do However, he is not deterred from the chalmathematics. This legacy of the third tier lenges brought on by these statistics. survived the abolition of slavery and was In order to overcome the adverse situlegally maintained as the Jim Crow law of ations many of his students face, Canada the land until 1965. And that legacy has suggests there needs to be at least a 65 generated the largest educational gap in Table 1: Achievement gap based on income percent buy-in from all of the stakeholdthe three tiers. ers in order for change to be systemic and It was not until 1865, when the Emansustainable. He seeks the aid of corporate cipation Proclamation was signed, that former slaves could legally attend schools, which were segregated. Unlike the schools their white counterparts attended, these were, for the most part, sorely lacking in many areas, including instructional quality, curriculum materials, physical plants and government funding. Because of the academic shortcomings of these schools, many of their graduates were not prepared to compete for positions at the highest levels of their professions. After a close examination of the data, legal action was taken to provide educational parity. In 1954 the United States Supreme Court overruled the “separate but equal” policy in public educational facilities. This decision was intended to close the achievement gap between the haves, who were predominately white, Table 2: A statistical portrait of Harlem 16 Features / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

donors who are committed to community outreach and providing culturally and educationally rich opportunities that are designed to enhance academic achievement. Canada’s strategies seem to be changing the odds in favor of these students.

Hypothesis It is my belief that providing poor students with resources that are usually associated with wealthy students will increase their levels of academic achievement. If interfaces are created connecting major stakeholders, then social, corporate and government networks can be developed, increasing the resources of students whose family incomes are below the poverty line. This has the potential to create stronger classroom instruction for all children and stronger family ties to schools, thereby closing the achievement gap. Without an increase in resources, programs and initiatives will lack sustainability.

Methodology In his book, The Fifth Discipline, Peter Senge refers to agents of change or opportunities for change as “leverage points,” whereby all constituents can be viewed as potential agents of change in the form of resources. Each possesses resources that may be used as leverage points if the necessary interfaces are nurtured or developed. The information used to substantiate the ideas proposed here was gleaned from data provided by the New York State Department of Education. That data focused on third through eighth graders who attended the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York and who were administered the English Language Arts and Mathematics assessments. The New York State English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics assessment data were mined for evidence of increased levels of achievement. The state assessments were used because the content validity and reliability are good. The assessment examinations were given at the same time across New York State. There were on average thirty items on each multiple choice assessment exam.

Table 3: Performance of NYS charter schools managed by Harlem Children’s Zone, Inc., on the ELA and Math State Assessments compared to the school district of another location (CSD 5)

These data from the New York State report card seem to bear witness to the fact that the majority of students in both the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) and Community School District 5 (CSD5), who come from families living below the poverty line, scored proficient on mathematics and reading assessments (Table 3). The data from this chart reveal that the scores in mathematics for students attending the Community School District 5 (CSD 5) increased each year. Furthermore, it showed that 72 percent of the CSD 5 students scored 3 or 4 on a scale of 1 to 4, which indicates proficiency in the subject tested during the academic year 2008-2009. However, the data also reveal that scores in mathematics for students attending the Harlem Children’s Zone Academies (HCZ Promise) increased significantly. The data indicate that students enrolled in the HCZ Promise Academies scored higher (98.5 and 88.1, respectively, as indicated in Table 3) than CSD 5 in mathematics. Moreover, the data show that students in CSD 5 and HCZ Promise Academies were struggling to pass the English Language Arts (ELA) assessments for all of the periods under investigation. Taken together, these data seem to suggest that low language-skill acquisition in reading and writing appears to be associated with poverty. Based on the academic success of the HCZ Promise Academies in mathematics, it would seem that when poor kids were given the opportunities that rich kids pay for, their academic trajectory was altered.

Discussion According to a report, “The effects of poverty on academic achievement” by Misty Lacour and Laura D. Tissington in Educational Research and Reviews (2011), poverty indicates the extent to which one does without resources. It is for this reason that poor students are challenged to reach the same levels of academic achievement attained by wealthy students. Family income, therefore, affects achievement levels in reading and mathematics. This is precisely why Canada’s strategy of plugging into the various external resources that are available to him has proven to be an asset in closing the achievement gap. Based on the data, these findings should encourage schools and educators servicing children coming from family incomes that are below the poverty line to utilize outside resources that would help them to level the academic playing field. The limitations of this study have to do with the fact that the school under investigation is located in Harlem, New York, which is a major metropolis with many resources to plug into, and the school’s student body is predominantly of African descent. However, it is not unreasonable to assume if it can happen in New York, with all of the challenges that big-city life poses, then closing the rich/poor achievement gap can be accomplished elsewhere in the United States. The current dismal economic situation has more and more families slipping towards or below the poverty line, which is the making of a major crisis. This research is imperative because low family income should not mean that a student’s academic achievement level need be low, too. In other words, a person’s circumstance should not dictate his or her future academic potential. Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Features

impact on alpha sigma boulé The impact of this research and its findings on Alpha Sigma Boulé was significant, as it helped the Alpha Sigma Boulé Foundation establish the kind of scholarship program that would ensure success for its scholarship recipients. The unique scholarship that Alpha Sigma Boulé created is awarded to students whose family income is at or below the poverty line. The scholarship is given to students when they are exiting eighth grade, and it continues until the recipients finish college. Recipients are provided with many of the cultural, educational and social experiences that rich kids pay for, including mentoring, counseling, financial support and employment opportunities. The Cave-Whiteman Scholarship, named for the late Alpha Sigma Archons Vernal G. Cave and Herbert W. Whiteman, Jr., works by “connecting destinies,” which means that a person’s future success is linked with the

success of others. In order for the men of Alpha Sigma Boulé to best address the needs of the recipients of the Cave-Whiteman Scholarship, we developed a model in which three major stakeholders interface. This triad consists of family, community and school, with the recipient’s salient characteristics as the central focus (Diagram 1).

influences of the wider society Using the Octagon Model (Diagram 2) I developed for the program, the extrinsic and intrinsic characteristics of each recipient are examined to determine their strengths and weaknesses. The Archons of Alpha Sigma Boulé are plugged in to maintain the recipient’s strengths and develop areas of weakness. As a result, the model is consistent and sustainable. The success of the men of Alpha Sigma Boulé means the many needs of each recipient can be connected to

influences of the wider society Diagram 1: triad Model for academic success 18 Features / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

someone who can help shape his or her destiny. As a result of the efforts of our members, many opportunities have been created for students to attend rigorous public

schools, outstanding prep schools and prestigious universities. Alpha Sigma Boulé would like to offer this model as a framework for a national scholarship initiative.

octagon Model for human understanding

Diagram 2: octagon Model for human understanding references Ainley, M. (2004). What do we know about student motivation and engagement? Paper presented at Australian Association for Research in Education, Melbourne. Douglass, M. I. (2012). Research paper presented at Harvard entitled: Give Poor Kids What Rich Kids Pay For: Closing the Black/White Achievement Gap Douglass, M. I. (2005). Research presented at Oxford Roundtable, Oxford University, England, using Octagon Model of Human Understanding and Triplex (Triad) Model for Academic Success. Harlem Children’s Zone. Retrieved from http://www.princeton.edu/futureofchildren/ publications/docs/07_02_03.pdf History of Education in America. http://www.chesapeake.edu/Library/EDU_101/eduhist_ colonial.asp

Lacour, M . & Tissington, L. (2011). The effects of poverty on academic achievement. Retrieved from http://www.academicjournals.org/err/pdf/pdf%202011/july/lacour%20and%20 tissington.pdf National Center for Education Statistics. Achievement Gaps: How Black and White Students in Public Schools Perform in Mathematics and Reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress Statistical Analysis Report. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/ nationsreportcard/pdf/studies/2009455.pdf New York State Education Department, (2001). “Essential Knowledge And Skills For Effective School Leadership,” based on work of the Blue Ribbon Panel on School Leadership. Senge, Peter (1993). The Fifth Discipline, New York: Doubleday. Tavernise, S. (2012). Education gap Grows Between Rich and Poor, Studies Say. http://www. nytimes.com/2012/02/10/education/education-gap-grows-between-rich-and-poor-studiesshow.html?pagewanted=all

Melvin I. Douglass is the Sire Archon of Alpha Sigma Boulé and chairman of the Cave-Whiteman Scholarship Committee. He received his doctorate from Columbia University and is pursuing an advanced degree at Harvard University. Douglass is a senior research associate at Touro College Graduate School of Education and adjunct associate professor at New York Institute of Technology Graduate School of Education.

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Features

Roy Roberts Leads Change for Detroit Schools By Archon Oscar Britton, Grapter, Iota Boulé

ota Boulé Archon Roy Roberts, after sixteen months as emergency manager of Detroit Public Schools, believes that real progress is being made in transforming Michigan’s largest public school district. There are many successes to which he can point, but there are two recent examples that stand out in his mind. First is the positive outcome of the district’s fiscal year (FY) 2012 financial audit, which was announced on December 13, 2012. Not only did the audit get completed on time (which was previously the exception rather than the norm), but the results of the audit were the best in decades, including an overall unqualified opinion and a 33 percent reduction in findings across the board. The second proof point is perhaps the district’s best start to a school year in more than a decade. With mandatory attendance requirements being met by the second day of the school year (which had in past years taken up to three weeks), and a new state-mandated teacher evaluation process assisting the district in placing the most qualified teacher at the front of every class, teaching and learning are taking place each and every day in Detroit’s public schools. Further evidence of progress is provided in the district’s deficit, which has been reduced from $327 million to $76 million in just over a year, and the fact that there have been two consecutive balanced budgets with operating surpluses. The district has also seen a gain in academic achievement over last year, with a statistically significant increase in the percentage of A’s and B’s earned and a corresponding decrease in C’s, D’s and F’s awarded since school began in September. With all of this in mind, the case for real progress is compelling. To meet the task of transforming the Detroit Public School (DPS) System back into the educational leader it once was, Archon Roberts is drawing on his decades of managerial, financial and organizational experience, first with the Aerospace Division of Lear-Siegler Corporation, and subsequently with General Motors, where he was at one time the highest ranking African American executive in the automotive industry. Most recently, he was managing director of Reliant Equity Investors. Many people questioned Archon Roberts when he agreed to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s request that he become the change agent for Detroit’s public schools. But he and his Archousa, Maureen, felt it was something they needed to do. “I came from a background almost identical to that of a lot of these children – a single parent household with multiple mouths to feed and pressures pulling at my father from all ends,” said Archon Roberts. “I know the impact an education can have on a child because, quite frankly, education changed my life.” Archon Roberts credits his teachers and mentors with helping him grow not only his mind, but also his character. “I am where I am today because of my education. It was basic to my sojourn in the corporate world, then private equity and now public education.” 20 Features / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

Although Archon Roberts has served at the highest echelons of business, his work at Detroit’s public schools has been the most challenging of his career. He is quick to tell you, however, that it has also been the most rewarding. He knows that all of his actions are making a real difference in the lives of the children of Detroit. From the beginning, Archon Roberts called on his extensive business background and took a data-driven approach to education policies and budget priorities. That meant assessing an employee’s work product against reasonable expectations for success. If the employee continually came up short, he or she was gone. No more excuses. “We are saying mediocrity cannot exist in Detroit and DPS anymore,” said Archon Roberts. “In the automobile industry, those who are on top are those who are able to produce an outstanding product. In this line of work, your goal is to produce a successful student. If you deal with the data in both situations, then you get to the right decision.” Detroit Public Schools’ FY 2012 budget directs 85 percent of all resources to classrooms and related academic programming. However, Archon Roberts is not satisfied with this percentage. His ultimate goal would be to have all funding go toward classroom education in the district’s 100 schools. In order to get there, he and his team of dedicated professionals have been working diligently to put processes and procedures in place that were previously non-existent. This is the type of work that is never sexy and certainly does not garner a lot of media coverage. It is, however, the type of behind-the-scenes, gutsy work that is essential to fixing any system. One specific area where outstanding results have been achieved is in procurement and logistics. Over the last year, the department was redesigned to focus on quality, service, collaboration and cost, not just contracts. This

was a huge change for DPS and, in turn, huge gains have been made in just one year. Thanks to the department’s focus on strategic sourcing and its work to bring all vendors in line with the district’s goals and objective, more than $4.4 million in savings have been realized since July 1, 2012 (the start of the 2013 fiscal year). It is also important to note that because of the difficult decisions Archon Roberts has made, including the closing of nine schools and the chartering of two more, as well as the multitude of belt-tightening measures that were implemented, the district reduced its total expenditures by 25 percent in the last fiscal year. At the same time that Archon Roberts was putting the district on a firmer financial footing, he was also working to create a stable environment for learning in the district, which had not existed for some time prior to his appointment, in part because there had been as many as seven or eight leaders in as many years. His goal, he says, was, not to shock the system, but to challenge it and make it better. “I’d be shocked if you always do what you’ve always done and get a better result,” is a favorite mantra of his. Included in this new approach was the creation of nine self-governing schools with decision-making power resting with the principal and a governing council made up of parents and committed community and business volunteers. These schools are called Detroit Rising College Prep Schools, and although they have been underway only since September, there’s a great deal of excitement surrounding them. “I believe this educational model holds real promise for DPS in not only retaining students, but potentially helping to capture new market share – which will assist the district in further reducing its deficit and focusing more resources on the classroom,” said Archon Roberts. Looking forward, Archon Roberts believes the future of education in Detroit is all about competi-

tion, which he does not view as a bad thing. In fact, he thinks it’s healthy. “No one should have a monopoly on the education of our children,” said Archon Roberts. “We should all be competing with each other to provide children with the best education possible. The simple fact is that when we compete, our students win.” When he worked at General Motors, Archon Roberts said that there was nothing that made him prouder than converting the owner of a competitor’s product to the owner of a GM vehicle. He is, however, careful to note that while he is not comparing children to cars, he believes that that same spirit of competition should be embraced in education. “We owe it to the children of Detroit to develop the best educational programming options possible, and then it’s up to their parents to select the best model available for their child. “At DPS, I’m confident that the academic programming we’re developing and implementing – including individualized learning plans for every child in our 100 school buildings, nine self-governing schools and our schools with specialized curriculums, such as FLICS, Davis Aerospace, Ben Carson Academy, Detroit College Prep and Detroit International Academy – are strong options for our parents and students and will provide us with the opportunity to maintain and grow our student population.” This is the trend that DPS has documented since the start of this school year. Fall count statistics include more than 1,500 students returning to DPS from charter schools, and more than 1,900 students coming back to DPS from outside school districts. Archon Roberts is encouraged by these numbers but is adamant that DPS cannot and will not take them for granted. He knows that he and his team need to do everything in their power to keep Detroit’s children in school all day, every day…year after year to make sustainable progress. Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Features

22ND BIENNIAL CENTRAL REGIONAL BOULÉ Hosted by Gamma Eta Boulé, Des Moines, Iowa July 18–21, 2013 Prairie Meadows Hotel Racetrack and Casino The 22nd Biennial Central Regional Boulé convenes this summer in Des Moines from July 18 to 21 at the new Prairie Meadows Hotel Racetrack and Casino – one of the most beautiful multipurpose casinos in the United States. Adjacent to the hotel are amusement and water parks with sporting activities that can keep the young and the young at heart occupied for days. The site of such nationally renowned events as the Drake Relays, the Hy-Vee Triathlon, the Principal Charity Classic golf tournament and the World Food Prize, Des Moines is also the nation’s second largest headquarter location for insurance and financial-services companies. The National Bar Association was founded in Des Moines in 1925. The city is home to Fort Des Moines,

the training location for black officers during World War I and the Women’s Army Corps in World War II. Des Moines has everything you want in a city, whether it’s a Friday night at a Broadway show, a Saturday morning at the Des Moines Farmers Market, a night at your favorite restaurant or enjoying laid-back music venues, shopping trips to an East Village boutique or an inspiring visit to our downtown sculpture park. You can do all this and more in Des Moines. The Archons and Archousai of Gamma Eta Boulé are planning a fun and enjoyable weekend for you. We are delighted that you are coming to our city and will work to make every moment of your visit memorable. For additional information, we ask that you visit www.gammaetaboule.com.

www.GammaEtaBoule.com

22 Features / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

Forum

What Do Blacks Want? By Archon Frederick McKinney, Grapter, Beta Tau Boulé

ow that the reelection of President Barack Obama is a “mission accomplished,” it is time to focus on the task typically undertaken as the first order of business after any highly contested election: deciding the spoils. We are not so crass as to suggest that this election was all about what the President can do for his most loyal voting constituency, but we are also not so naïve as to think that we will receive without having to ask for what we want. For some constituencies, the ask of the returning administration is fairly straightforward. Gays want marriage equality. Women want pay equality. Hispanics want immigration reform. So the question is, What do blacks want? Apparently, this was the topic of several highlevel administration meetings after the election. Black leaders, including Reverend Al Sharpton, Urban League President Marc Morial and NAACP President Ben Jealous attended a White House meeting to discuss how President Obama should address the pressing needs of African American voters, who came out in large numbers to support his reelection. I also understand that the White House response to black leaders is for them to boil down their requests into one primary policy objective. We know, as intelligent observers, that everything is connected and that there are numerous problems facing our community. But what would that one thing be? Given the array of social and economic problems facing the black community at this time, I think the case can be made that the one thing that blacks should demand of the administration is a laser focus on closing the gap in the unemployment rate between blacks and whites. We have not had a national discussion ever that includes real or aspirational goals regarding black unemployment rates. It seems to me we should have a policy goal of equalized employment rates for blacks compared to whites. The achievement of

this goal would, in the process of its accomplishment, effectively address many of the problems associated with poverty, ignorance, criminality, health and family formation. The national unemployment rate declined to 7.7 percent in November 2012. This was down from a peak of 10 percent in October 2009. In that same month, the unemployment rate of whites declined from 7.0 percent to 6.8 percent. While the unemployment rate for blacks declined from 14.3 to 13.2 percent. The decline in the rate of black unemployment was significant, yet it remains stubbornly almost twice the rate of white unemployment. If employment/unemployment rate equality were achieved today, more than 1.1 million more blacks would be working than are working today. Closing this gap is achievable if there is the political will to accomplish the goal. The question is how? Economists look at unemployment as having various forms. Closing the gap will require attention to addressing each of the several causes of Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Forum

Features unemployment. The key types of unemployment are frictional, structural and cyclical. Frictional unemployment is unemployment that is, or at least was, considered to be “good” unemployment. Frictional unemployment occurs because workers may need to become unemployed in order to search for a better job. Frictional unemployment can be reduced by doing a better job of providing information about job opportunities for unemployed workers, creating better social networks for unemployed workers and better transportation systems to get them to where the jobs are. All of these solutions also bring up the issue of race and the legacy of discrimination. Blacks in general do not have the social networks that give them access to the highest quality opportunity information. Blacks in general do not have connections with decision makers who can make an unemployed worker an offer based on those connections. Some part of the unemployment gap is due to blacks having higher frictional unemployment than whites. This is not a problem without solutions, but it is a problem that requires resources to solve. Structural unemployment is caused by the difference between the requirements of the job and the skills of workers. We are well aware of the achievement gap in public education. The impact of the achievement gap is to increase unemployment rates for blacks relative to whites once those students enter the labor market. Black workers are less prepared for work because of the nation’s failure thus far to address the achievement gap. Granted the achievement gap is a complex mix of social, economic and political problems. Closing the achievement gap, we know, is easier said than done. To make matters worse, the structural unemployment gap has widened as a direct result of the globalization of labor markets. Workers in the U.S. now compete not only against each other; we compete against workers everywhere. This global competition for jobs is particularly pernicious when it comes to the lowest skilled workers. Globalization has resulted in the lowest skilled jobs going to countries with the lowest wages. Unfortunately, blacks are more likely, because of the achievement gap, to be more vulnerable to global competition

Forum / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 20132012 Features / The Boulé Journal 76•2 / Summer

than whites, thereby increasing the effect of structural unemployment. The structural unemployment problem will require dedication reminiscent of that which carried out the Marshal Plan to rebuild Europe after World War II. Without this type of commitment, it is unlikely that unemployment gap between blacks and whites will ever be closed. A third form of unemployment is cyclical unemployment. This is the joblessness that is tied directly to changes in macroeconomic conditions. In general, black and white unemployment rates move together in relation to economic conditions. However, there are too many situations in which black and white unemployment rates disconnect and diverge. In December 2011, white unemployment rates declined from 7.6 to 7.5 percent, while black unemployment rates increased from 15.5 percent to 15.8 percent. We are all familiar with the phrase, last hired, first fired. The cause of this is discrimination. The effect of this discrimination is higher unemployment rates. There are other forms and causes of unemployment, but these three – frictional, structural and cyclical – are the primary reasons why we have a very costly unemployment gap. Closing that gap is important, and not just for the people who are experiencing unemployment. Closing the unemployment gap translates into economic power. An additional 1.1 million black workers today at $40,000 per year represents more than $44 billion in additional income. This is money that supports our families, our businesses and our communities and contributes, through tax revenues and consumer spending, to the economic health of the nation. To put this financial gap in perspective, over the eight years of the Iraq War, it is estimated that we spent between $3.2 trillion and $4 trillion! In order to close the gap in the unemployment rate, leadership from corporate America, black-owned businesses, state and local federal government, and President Obama is needed. Black workers, black families, teachers and community leaders are also part of the solution. It will not be easy, but like many grand and worthy causes, dedication and commitment to a firm goal is the first step. This is the one thing we should be asking of our President. 

On the Social Action Front

Beta Begins High-School Mentorship Program

Archons Christopher Melvin, G.A. Finch, Trevonne Thompson, Donald Stewart, Roland Burris, Derek West, Michael Watkins and Chadrick Cross

hicago’s Beta Boulé recently teamed with the Urban Prep Academies in September 2012 to develop a new mentorship program between their students and our Archons. The program, based at Urban Prep’s Englewood campus, centers around the eight Urban Prep core values of accountability, exceptionality, faith, integrity, relentlessness, resilience, selflessness and solidarity. The Urban Prep Academies is a nonprofit organization that operates a network of three all-male public high schools in Chicago. The schools have made headline news recently for having 100 percent of graduating seniors, nearly all from disadvantaged backgrounds, accepted into colleges and universities. The first school, the Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men–Englewood Campus, opened in 2006. Of the many notable distinctions of Urban Prep Academies students is the uniform worn by each: khakis, a blazer with the Urban Prep crest, and a necktie. To kick off the new program, Beta Archons recently sponsored an outing to a Chicago White Sox baseball game

with the students who will be mentored. All enjoyed great baseball and fellowship, and the Urban Prep students left with a lasting impression. Their etiquette, conversation and questions to the Archons were far above what would ordinarily be expected of high-school students, which is a testament to the hard work put in by the students, their families and the Urban Prep staff. The mentorship program represents Beta Boulé’s continued support of the Urban Prep Academies. For the past three years, Beta has provided contributions to the Englewood Campus to help students obtain their necessary uniform blazer, donating more than $50,000 to the Englewood campus solely for this purpose. Beta is pleased to continue the relationship with Urban Prep through this mentorship program. Archon Trevonne M. Thompson Grapter, Beta Boulé

Urban Prep students and staff with (center front) Archons Roland Burris and Christopher Melvin

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / On the Social Action Front 25

Chi Boulé Awards Social Action Scholarships

Archon Forrest E. Harris, Sr., president of American Baptist College; Archon Walter Clair, social action chair; Randolph Knighten, Jr.; Gerald Onuoha; and Sire Archon Walter Owens

hi Boulé, Nashville, presented social action scholarships, each in the amount of $3,000, to Randolph Knighten, Jr., of American Baptist College and Gerald Onuoha of Meharry Medical College on September 27, 2012. These awards are given annually to students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Nashville who engage in a worthy social action project during the summer prior to their junior or senior undergraduate year or after their first year of graduate or professional school. Randolph Knighten focused on reducing violent conflict among youths in the African American community through the use of conflict-resolution training. The training was divided into four parts: empowering others, engaging difficult issues, resolving conflict and role-playing. The young people were fully involved in the project.

Gerald Onuoha’s project, “Dream,” inspired African American students at an inner-city magnet high school and first-year college students at Tennessee State University, an HBCU in Nashville, to pursue careers in the health professions. The program offered seminars as well as mentoring from Meharry Medical College medical and dental students. This ongoing project has engendered tremendous excitement and active participation from both high-school and college students. The scholarships represent Chi’s longtime commitment to providing support to HBCU students. The goal is to assist with summer living expenses and to provide financial assistance for the following academic year.

t u a l r a g t n i o o n s C

26 On the Social Action Front / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

Archon Billy R. Ballard Grapter, Chi Boulé

Alpha Mu Salutes Project BBUILD Young Men

lpha Mu Boulé, Augusta, Georgia, hosted the young men of Project BBUILD (Boulé Brothers Uplifting, Influencing, Leading and Developing) and their families for An Evening of Elegance at the DoubleTree Hotel on December 15, 2012. It was the fourth such occasion, held as part of the boulé’s Christmas celebration, saluting the outstanding efforts of the BBUILD participants and the volunteers and staff who have made this program an award-winning success story. For its inaugural holiday event several years back, the young men elected to have a formal dinner of recognition and family fellowship rather than attending a more casual sporting event or other form of entertainment. Since then, the Archons and Archousai of Alpha Mu have provided formal attire for each of the young men and hosted their parents or families at the much-anticipated evening. Project BBUILD is Alpha Mu’s mentorship partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Augusta and the Richmond County Board of Education. The all-inclusive program – recognized as an effective template for focused community action locally, regionally and at the Grand Boulés in Las Vegas in 2010 and Boca Raton in 2012 – targets young men in Richmond County middle schools and features weekly sessions in which Archons, Archousai and other volunteers cover such topics as gentlemanly behavior, fiscal responsibility and financial success, manners, citizenship and volunteerism and offer focused tutoring in mathematics, writing, public speaking and English literature. Founded by Past Sire Archon Ronald Brown after a call to action at the Youth Symposium of the Centennial Grand

Boulé Brothers

Uplifting,

Boulé in Philadelphia in 2004 to target and positively influence young African American males, Project BBUILD has benefited from the stellar leadership of Archons Ronald Brown, Charles Lamback, Hardi Jones, Samuel Sullivan and Clarence Williams, Jr., and Archousai Lucinda Sullivan and Mary Brown. Alpha Mu remains committed to providing what is necessary to move these young men forward individually and collectively to achieve their life goals and to encourage them to contribute toward the advancement of their communities. Past Regional Sire Archon James E. Carter III, a noted local historian, retired associate dean of student affairs at the Medical College of Georgia (now Georgia Health Sciences University) and an ardent supporter of Project BBUILD, gave the keynote address this year. He detailed specifics of Augusta’s history and provided entertaining and stimulating commentary about the legacy of excellence of the many “giants” who laid the foundation and created the protective fabric of the African American community locally and beyond. After a wonderful meal and a superb musical interlude, Archon Hardi Jones and Sire Archon Eddie Johnson made special presentations to the young men, who cut striking figures as they paraded to the podium. Each student was individually introduced and asked to introduce his parents or family. It was a thoroughly enjoyable event that continues to be a central jewel in the crown of Project BBUILD. Archon Mac Andrew Bowman Grapter, Alpha Mu Boulé

Leading

Influencing, and Developing

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / On the Social Action Front 27

Gamma Theta Sponsors Scholars Program

Scholars with their parents and Archons at the Delmarva Discovery Center

amma Theta Boulé, Eastern Shore, Maryland, working with students from Mardela Middle and High School in Mardela Springs, has completed a semester’s program – the William O. Hull Boulé Scholars at MMHS – named in honor of Gamma Theta founder Archon William O. Hull, 92 years young, who has contributed substantially toward its establishment. The participants, handpicked top-level sixth, seventh and eighth graders, who are eager to continue the process of improvement, have been focusing on their STEM courses, especially math. Archons from Gamma Theta have found it gratifying to function as mentors to these youngsters, and the results have been positive from the point of view of both students and Archons.

28 On the Social Action Front / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

On December 15, 2012, the group completed the year with a trip to the Delmarva Discovery Center in Pocomoke City, a living museum, where the exhibits focus on the ecology and the human history of the Pocomoke River and the Delmarva Peninsula. It is a source of learning and discovery through the preservation and interpretation of the cultural and natural heritage of the Eastern Shore. The trip was capped off with a visit to the restored Sturgis One-Room School House, which served the African American children of Pocomoke from 1900 to 1937. The scholars were awed by the conditions under which their great-grandparents gained their education. Archon Vernon Rivers Grapter, Gamma Theta Boulé

Gamma Iota Boulé Invests in Three Scholars

2012 Gamma Iota Boulé black scholars Jason Mitchell, Alexander Brumfield and Khari Thompson proudly show off certificates presented to them by Archon William Castle (right) at the Urban League of Rochester 33rd Annual Salute to Black Scholars Recognition Dinner.

rchons of Rochester, New York’s Gamma Iota Boulé once again met their annual pledge to invest in the lives of promising young African American males in the city. The top three black-male scholars selected for the coveted Gamma Iota Boulé scholarship were Alexander Brumfield, from the School of the Arts, who will be studying psychology and sociology at the Rochester Institute of Technology; Jason Mitchell, a graduate of Rush Henrietta High School, who will pursue studies in imaging science at Rochester Institute of Technology; and Khari Thompson, also a graduate of the School of the Arts, who is headed for the Cleveland Institute of Art. Eligible black scholars undergo a rigorous application process overseen by the Gamma Iota Boulé scholarship committee in partnership with the Urban League of Greater Rochester. Archon William Castle, chair of the scholarship committee, said he was extremely pleased with the pool of candidates who applied for the scholarship in 2012. Many applicants emphasize need; others express enthusiasm to pursue baccalaureate education. The 2012 pool of candidates emerged based on need, demonstrated academic performance and community

leadership potential. “It was not an easy choice to make,” said Archon Castle. Khari Thompson, who received the first-place prize of $3,000, has been very active in the community. The founder and organizer of Youth Energy Summit, he is an artist who was featured at the First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival last September. Alexander Brumfield, in second place, was awarded $2,500. Third-place awardee Jason Mitchell, who received $2,000, is a 2012 winner of the New York State K–12 Science and Technology Entry Program’s Annual Research Project Competition. “Investing $7,500 in black scholars to enable them to succeed in the best arts and science programs in the nation is a small cost, given our expectations of high returns to society,” said Gamma Iota Sire Archon Maurice Snipe. “The amount of the scholarship has grown over the past year, and Gamma Iota remains committed to supporting the academic achievements of Black male youths in Rochester.” Archon Hoffman M. Lantum Grapter, Gamma Iota Boulé

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / On the Social Action Front 29

Delta Mu Boulé Hosts ‘Train for Success’

Archons of Delta Mu join young attendees during the railway youth event.

ort Worth–Arlington, Texas’s Delta Mu Boulé hosted “Train for Success” on Sunday, October 21, 2012, on board BNSF Railway’s vintage business cars in the Fort Worth Stockyards. The two-and-a-half-hour train event provided a unique mentoring and career-guidance experience for more than 300 young participants in the Fort Worth and Tarrant County area. Delta Mu Archons were separated by profession – law, medicine, education, business and science. The youths were assigned to their particular areas of interest, where they received guidance and direction on the educational requirements needed to pursue various careers. The student participants were members of the Boys & Girls Club of Fort Worth; Christian University Upward Bound Program; Hope Farm, Inc.; and the Gentlemen’s Society. Each of these programs has a particular focus on and interest in providing educational assistance to firstgeneration low-income students. Delta Mu Boulé and the Delta Mu Boulé Education Foundation will partner with these organizations and will award five $1,000 academic scholarships to graduating male students in May 2013, to be available for use during the 2013–14 academic year. Archon Harry Croxton, president of the Delta Mu Education Foundation, and Archons Donald Washington and Ernest Thomas, cochairs of the Delta Mu Boulé Social Action Committee, were instrumental in coordinating “Train for Success” and establishing the scholarship awards.

30 On the Social Action Front / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

Archon Harry Croxton discusses careers in finance with “Train for Success” participants.

Epsilon Zeta Offers Thanksgiving Meals

Archons and their families gather to box and distribute Thanksgiving meals to families in need.

psilon Zeta Boulé, Loudoun County, Virginia, held its fourth annual Thanksgiving Day Meal Drive on November 17, 2012, at Sugarland Elementary School in Sterling. Archons, Archousai, children and friends of Epsilon Zeta gathered to assemble and distribute food boxes, each of which contained a turkey, macaroni and cheese, canned vegetables, stuffing, corn bread, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and other holiday favorites. Archon Howard A. Foard, chairman of the Epsilon Zeta Social Action Committee, said, “Our boulé looks forward to this event, and each year we raise the bar for a successful drive.” This year the boulé family

spent almost the entire day packaging the food and distributing it to families in need as they arrived at the school’s cafeteria with grateful and smiling faces. The boulé also served turkey dinners with all the fixin’s – approximately 2,500 pounds of food – to 125 Sugarland Elementary School families. For those who did not receive turkeys with their side dishes, gift cards valued at $20 each were provided to twenty-five additional families, to be used toward purchasing a turkey.

Archon Tommy Walker, Lauryn White (niece of Sire Archon Robert Greene), Archousa Michele Greene and Archon Alonzo Fulgham sort items in preparation for the final assembly line.

Front to back: Layla Leestma (granddaughter of Archon Earl Simms), Mackenzie Fulgham (daughter of Archon Alonzo Fulgham), Ellison Cook (daughter of Archon William Cook) and Lauryn White place labels on the food boxes.

Archon Patrick W. Brown Grapter, Epsilon Zeta Boulé

Thanksgiving Day Meal Drive

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / On the Social Action Front 31

The Boulé Journal SIGMA PI PHI FRATERNITY

SUBMISSION DATES 2013 – 2014

ATTENTION ALL GRAPTERS!

EDITORIAL DEADLINES

All articles submitted for publication must cover events which have occurred no more than three months prior to the submission deadlines published below. Please do not wait until the editorial deadline to submit your article. Submit article immediately following the event you are reporting on.

Volume 77 Number 3

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: June 15, 2013

Volume 77 Number 4

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: September 15, 2013

Volume 78 Number 1

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: December 15, 2013

Fall 2013

Winter 2013

Spring 2014 Volume 78 Number 2

*EXTENDED DEADLINE

Christmas Is for the Archousai ONLY: 1/15/14

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: March 15, 2014

Summer 2014 *Special extended deadline as per Grand Grapter Khephra Burns

Grapter guidelines and full submission requirements available: SigmaPiPhi.org

UPLOAD TO: http://www.sigmapiphi.org/home/updated-submissions.php 32 On the Social Action Front / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

The New Archons

NEW YORK CIT Y THREE LEADERS JOIN ZETA BOULÉ

Archons William Hunter, Christopher White and St. Clair Davis

s its centennial year drew to an end, New York City’s Zeta Boulé inducted three men who are the embodiment of the boulé’s founders’ vision. Leadership, achievement and commitment have been at the foundation of Zeta Boulé over its one hundred years, and these qualities are an integral part of the lives of Zeta’s new Archons. Archons St. Clair O. Davis, G. William Hunter and Christopher L. White were inducted into Zeta Boulé at an induction ceremony held at Weill Cornell Medical College’s Griffis Faculty Lounge in New York City on October 13, 2012. Sire Archon Ralph Dawson presided over a traditional yet inspiring induction ceremony that was followed by a black-tie dinner, where he introduced the new Archons and Archousai and reminded them of our founders’ vision and goals. Sire Archon Walter White of the newly founded Epsilon Xi Boulé in London spoke passionately about what Sigma Pi Phi meant to him and encouraged the new Archons and Archousai to stay involved and enjoy the organization. Archon St. Clair O. Davis is a seasoned vice president and associate general counsel for AXA Equitable Life. Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, he received his B.S. degree from Brooklyn College and his juris doctorate from the University of Michigan. He has received numerous awards and recognition for his community activities and is an active member of Stamford (Connecticut) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and a deacon for Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, New York. He lives in New Rochelle with

his Archousa, Kimberly Lorraine Davis, a banker, and their two daughters. Archon George William “Billy” Hunter is the executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, the players union of the National Basketball Association. A former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins, he graduated from Syracuse University. Following his football career, he attended Howard University and Boalt Hall Law Schools. A member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., as well as other community, civic and religious organizations, Archon Hunter has three adult children and lives with Archousa Janice W. Hunter, a retired educator, in New York City. Archon Christopher L. White is currently senior vice president of public finance for the Bank of America. Prior to this position, he held similar positions at Merrill Lynch and Moody’s Investor Service. A native New Yorker, Archon White, an active community and civic advocate, is involved with many boards and volunteer organizations – West Side One Stop, Dance Theater of Harlem, INROADS and Project Reach Youth. Archon White did his undergraduate work at Hunter College and received his M.P.A. at New York University. He is married to Archousa Tracey J. Knuckles, an attorney, and the couple live in New York City with their young son. Archon, Samuel J. Chisholm Grapter, Zeta Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The New Archons 33

S t.

LOU I S

ETA ADDS EIGHT AT CENTENNIAL

Archons Clayton M. Evans, Michael P. McMillan, Lawrence E. Thomas, Richard J. Mark, Kelvin J. Taylor, Starsky D. Wilson, James E. Williams, Jr., and Jimmie M. Edwards

t. Louis, Missouri’s Eta Boulé welcomed eight exceptional Archons on November 30, 2012, the day of its centennial. Under the leadership of Sire Archon Larry Deskins, Eta conducted an exceptional ceremony at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark hotel. The dinner and induction event, a fitting commemoration of the 1912 establishment of Eta as the seventh boulé, was attended by Grand Sire Archon–Elect James O. Cole, Grand Grammateus–Executive Secretary Samuel W. Bacote III and Grand Grapter Khephra K. Burns. Archon Jimmie M. Edwards has been the circuit judge for the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri for the past twenty years and since 2008 the administrative judge for the family court and juvenile division. His prior positions include litigation attorney for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., general counsel for Sabreliner Corp., legal advisor to the Missouri circuit clerk’s office, and generalpractice attorney for a St. Louis law firm. He is currently chairman of the Supreme Court of Missouri’s judicial records and civil rules committees and the St. Louis Mayor’s Commission on Children. Past appointments include St. Louis Election Commissioner, Missouri State Public Defender Commission, and Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District board. Archon Edwards received his undergraduate and law degrees from St. Louis University. Archon Clayton M. Evans, vice president of community relations for Reliance Bank of St. Louis, is responsible for policy development, administration and reporting of

34 The New Archons / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

the Community Reinvestment Act and Home Mortgage Disclosure Act and related programs to ensure that the bank is in compliance with regulations and laws. Prior to his current position, he was a loss-mitigation manager and expanding-markets and business-development manager for Freddie Mac in McLean, Virginia, for fifteen years. Archon Evans’s community involvement includes membership on the boards of Beyond Housing in St. Louis, the St. Louis Equity Fund and Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation; he is a meeting planner for the Midwestern Province of Kappa Alpha Psi. Archon Evans is a graduate of Elisabeth City State University with a bachelor of science degree. Archon Richard J. Mark is president and CEO of Ameren Illinois, a $2.7 billion subsidiary of St. Louis– based Ameren Corp. The 2,800 employees of Ameren Illinois operate a complex system that delivers energy to more than 1.2 million electric and 813,000 gas customers. Archon Mark joined Ameren in 2002 as vice president of customer service and in 2003 became vice president of governmental policy and consumer affairs, then rose to the position of senior vice president of energy delivery before his appointment to the Illinois post. Prior to joining Ameren, Archon Mark was president and CEO of St. Mary’s Hospital in East St. Louis for six years and chairman of the East St. Louis School District 189 Financial Oversight Panel for ten years. In 2012 he was recognized as one of the 100 Most Powerful Executives in America by Black Enterprise

magazine. He received the NAACP’s Inspiring St. Louisan Award in 2011, the St. Louis Business Journal’s Ten Years of Influence honor and its Most Influential Energy Executive honor. Archon Mark earned a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University, a master’s from National Louis University, and a certification in reactor technology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Archon Michael P. McMillan is the youngest person to hold the position of license collector for the city of St. Louis. Elected January 2007, he is responsible for collecting approximately $60 million in revenue for the St. Louis Public School System, the Zoological Park and Museum district, the Community College district and other agencies. During his tenure he has expanded the role of the office to offer more outreach to business owners, creating a series of industry briefings to bring valuable information to hotel, restaurant and manufacturing businesses by giving them access to state, local and federal resources. Prior to this position, Archon McMillan was alderman of the 19th Ward of St. Louis for ten years, the youngest St. Louisan to be elected. He was also administrative assistant to the first African American mayor of St. Louis, Freeman Bosley, Jr. While alderman, he chaired the Convention, Tourism, Arts and Humanities Committee and was a member of the Ways and Means Committee; the Housing, Urban Development and Zoning Committee; the Personnel and Administration Committee; the PublicUtilities Committee; and the Intergovernmental-Affairs Committee. Chairman, vice chairman and treasurer of the African American Aldermanic Caucus, he was active in revitalizing the 19th Ward through educational development, housing construction and rehab, economic development, faith community development and overall neighborhood stabilization. Archon McMillan is a graduate of Saint Louis University. Archon Kelvin J. Taylor, the owner, CEO and president of Taylored Analytical Marketing, LLC, has held general management positions in customer loyalty as president of Maritz Loyalty Marketing and as president of Frequency Marketing, Inc. He has extensive marketing experience and industry knowledge with Fortune 500 clients in the retail, restaurant, financial services, utility and telecommunications industries. As a leading authority on loyalty marketing, he is a frequently requested speaker and has participated in marketing and trade conferences sponsored by the Direct Marketing Association, the National Center for Database Marketing, the Institute for International Research and many other organizations. Most recently, Archon Taylor was the chair of the Customer Loyalty Marketing Summit for the North American Conference on Customer Management. Before establishing his own firm, he worked for the U.S. Department of Labor, Experian and Fingerhut. A member of the board of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and the United Way of Greater St. Louis, he holds a B.A. in economics from Morehouse College. Archon Lawrence E. Thomas, a partner with the Edward Jones brokerage firm, joined the firm in 1977 as an intern in the equity research department while working toward a degree in business administration from Washington University. He became a partner in 1983

and has since served in several key roles, such as leading the University Channel for Financial Advisor Talent Acquisition. Archon Thomas, who received the St. Louis American Foundation’s 2011 Corporate Executive of the Year award, sits on the boards of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital, the Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club, the St. Louis Zoo, Forest Park Forever, the Bond Market Association and the Bond Market Foundation. He also serves on Washington University’s board of trustees and is a member of the board of governors. He sits on the national advisory council of the John M. Olin School of Business and is a member of its executive alumni association. Archon James E. Williams, Jr., owns and operates six McDonald’s franchises through Estel Foods, Inc., a business based in East St. Louis that he founded. He grew up in East St. Louis, where his father, James E. Williams, Sr., was the first African American mayor. After earning his political science degree at Dickinson College, he joined the U.S. Navy and was a pilot and officer for nine years while stationed in San Diego. In 1998 Archon Williams bought his first McDonald’s restaurant in Granite City, Illinois, and by 2001 had added two more, one in Pontoon Beach, Illinois, and another in Granite City; in 2006 he built one in Bellefontaine Neighbors, Missouri. The addition in Jennings, his fifth restaurant, is the second selfbuilt McDonald’s for Williams’s Estel Foods, Inc. Archon Williams is a member of the executive board for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Metro St. Louis. He also works with the East St. Louis Public Library, the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation and Mathews–Dickey Boys & Girls Club. He launched his own mentoring program, named after his father, five years ago with the help of Linda Lawson; it focuses on supporting young men and women with a mind for business. Archon Williams holds M.B.A. degrees from Lindenwood University and Northwestern University. Archon Starsky D. Wilson is president and CEO of Deaconess Foundation, a faith-based grant making organization devoted to advancing a culture of health and hope for children in the St. Louis region. The pastor of Saint John’s United Church of Christ, he serves the community on boards for Washington University’s Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences, FOCUS– St. Louis, St. Louis Regional Health Commission, Metropolitan Congregations United and the Mayor’s Commission on Children, Youth and Families, where he cochairs the Regional Youth Violence Prevention Task Force. Archon Wilson was previously on boards of the Interfaith Partnership/Faith Beyond Walls, United Church Neighborhood Houses, University City Children’s Center and the St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition. In addition to local work toward HIV/AIDS awareness with Faith Communities United, for several years he was a facilitator and speaker for the National Black Church Summit on Sexuality. He is a graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana and earned a master of divinity degree from Eden Theological Seminary. Archon Leo H. Ming, Jr. Grapter, Eta Boulé

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The New Archons 35

LO S A NG E L E S XI INDUCTS TWO NEW ARCHONS

Archon John Meigs, new Archon Wright, Sire Archon G. Bernard Brown, new Archon Pittman and Sire Archon–Elect Wes Coleman pause to recognize the induction of Archons Wright and Pittman into Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity.

i Boulé of Los Angeles welcomed two new Archons at the historic Wilfandel Club on November 8, 2012. Archon Alvin L. Pittman is a native of North Carolina, where he attended elementary and high school and graduated from North Carolina Central University. He went on to graduate from Howard University Law School, where he was a member of the Howard Law Journal. After being admitted to the North Carolina State Bar and Pennsylvania Bar Association, Archon Pittman worked for the National Labor Relations Board in its Pittsburgh office. He became vice president and general counsel to Pointer-Forbes Enterprises while serving as a consultant to the Law Offices of Leroy S. Walker, a firm specializing in employment and civil-rights law. He was subsequently admitted to the State Bar of California and opened the Law Offices of Alvin L. Pittman. Archon Pittman has been described as a modern-day freedom fighter, whose litigation successes have yielded millions of dollars for injured clients, prompting numerous institutions to adjust their conduct to comply with the law. In 1995 he founded the Alvin L. Pittman Youth Group to provide scholarships and summer field trips to underprivileged youths in his hometown and surrounding areas. He remains its sole funder. Archon Pittman is married to the former Carla Durham and has two teenage daughters. Archon Victor L. Wright, after attending elementary and junior high school in his native Compton, California, 36 The New Archons / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

went on to enroll at the notable Deerfield Academy, a boarding preparatory school in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, through the ABC (A Better Chance) program. From there he earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Southern California and a law degree from Yale Law School. He worked in private practice at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP, in commercial litigation as well as in real-estate, bankruptcy and First Amendment litigation. A series of legal posts in California, including at the Office of the County Counsel, exposed him to various county agencies, including the Sheriff’s Department, the Department of Public Works and the superior courts. One of his key posts was in the Sheriff’s Legal Advisory Unit, which managed all aspects of inmates’ lives. In 2006 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Archon Wright to a judgeship in the Los Angeles County Superior Court – Southwest District, a felony trial court. Archon Wright is a member of the executive board of the California Judges Association, the editorial board of The California Bench and the board of trustees of Deerfield Academy. He and his Archousa, Julie, have two young daughters and live in Los Angeles. Archon Harold C. Haizlip Grapter, Xi Boulé

MONTGOMERY PHI BOULÉ WELCOMES EIGHT

New Archons Alfonza Menefee, Warren Davis, Stephen Reed, Gregory Graves, Darryl Sinkfield, Major Holland and Edward Willis

labama’s Phi Boulé inducted eight new Archons on December 8, 2012, and January 3, 2013, in Montgomery. The Tuskegee and Montgomery residents are professionals in the areas of architecture, business, education, law, politics and veterinary medicine. Archon Warren L. Davis III, a retired education administrator, was a teacher, assistant principal, principal, technology coordinator and hearing officer during his tenure with the Montgomery Public School System. A leader in professional associations – as president of the Montgomery County Education Association, member of its board of directors, and delegate to the NEA and AEA representative assemblies – he is also active politically: He has served on the state and local executive committees of the Democratic Party and as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention since 1992. The new Archon has a B.S. from Alabama State University in mathematics and history, an M.S. in educational administration from Tuskegee University, and an Ed.S. in educational leadership from Troy State University. He and his Archousa, Tyna, have two children, Dr. Wartyna Davis and Dr. Warren L. Davis IV. Archon Gregory Graves is associate executive secretary of the Alabama Education Association (AEA). Prior to becoming associate executive secretary, he served as legal advisor to his predecessor, Phi Boulé Archon Joe

L. Reed. Archon Graves also has experience as a sixthgrade teacher and school principal. He attended Auburn University at Montgomery, earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education, along with certification in educational leadership. He earned his juris doctorate from Thomas Goode Jones School of Law at Faulkner University and was admitted to the Alabama State Bar. His Archousa is Tara L. Outsey-Graves. Archon Major Holland is a licensed architect with thirty-five years of varied experience as project manager, project architect, designer, architectural educator, principal and owner–president of architectural firms. In 2010 the Alabama Council of the American Institute of Architects chose him as Alabama’s Distinguished Architect. He received a bachelor of architecture degree from Howard University and has participated in numerous continuing-education seminars and workshops at Auburn University, Montgomery. He was associate professor of architecture at Tuskegee University and a lecturer and design critic at the University of Illinois, Chicago. He and Archousa Sceiva have three sons: Mark, Michael and John. Archon Alfonza Menefee is Macon County probate judge and owner–operator of the Menefee Enterprises Construction Co. At one time the largest African American soybean farmer in Alabama, he was a member Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The New Archons 37

Archon Gilbert Rochon is inducted during the January 3, 2013, ceremony.

of the first class of the Leaders Program, a collaborative effort between Tuskegee, Auburn and Alabama A&M universities that was sponsored by the Kellogg Foundation. The program involved extensive travel throughout the United States and several countries such as China, the Philippines and Japan for two years. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tuskegee University. Archon Menefee and Archousa Barbara are the parents of four children and the grandparents of six. Archon Steven Reed, son of Phi Boulé Archon Joe Reed, was recently elected as the first African American probate judge of Montgomery County. He has been principal in the Perry, Reed & Associates, LLC, governmentrelations firm, as well as senior aide to a former Alabama lieutenant governor. He was the only person from Alabama recently invited to the first annual Gen44 summit sponsored by the Democratic National Committee. Gen44 is a nationwide council to cultivate and empower a rising generation of leaders for the Democratic Party. Archon Reed earned a B.A. from Morehouse College and an M.B.A. from Vanderbilt University. He and his Archousa, Tamika, have three children: Kyla Reed, Joe Klein Reed and Karsten.

Archon Gilbert Rochon, Tuskegee University’s sixth president, was previously the director of the Purdue Terrestrial Observatory; senior research scientist at the university’s Rosen Center for Advanced Computing; and Purdue’s associate vice president for collaborative research and engagement. Archon Rochon held courtesy faculty appointments in Purdue’s earth and atmospheric sciences, agronomy and agricultural and biological engineering departments. His formal training includes a Ph.D. from MIT in urban and regional planning, an M.P.H. degree in healthservices administration from Yale University School of Medicine, and a bachelor’s degree from Xavier University of Louisiana. He is married to Patricia Saul Rochon, and the couple are the parents of Hildred Sarah Rochon and Emile Saul Rochon. Archon Darryl Sinkfield, the Alabama Education Association’s assistant executive secretary for field services, held former positions there of southern region manager and UniServ director. A longtime activist, national voting-rights expert and redistricting specialist with the Southern Regional Council of Atlanta and the Alabama Democratic Conference, he was a political leader beyond the Alabama state line. In 2001 he was selected as part of a seven-member international election-monitoring team from the United States that observed the campaign of the incumbent President Yahya Jammeh in The Gambia, West Africa. He earned B.S. and M.S. degrees from Alabama State University. His Archousa is Alisa Sinkfield. Archon Edward Willis, a veterinarian who for twenty-five years was chief of preventive medicine for the 908th Medical Squadron at Maxwell Air Force Base, retired from the Air Force Reserve at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was also veterinary medical officer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Archon Willis earned bachelor of science and doctor of veterinary medicine degrees from Tuskegee University. He also was an adjunct faculty member in the School of Veterinary Medicine at Tuskegee, where he has mentored numerous animal science and veterinary medicine students. He and Archousa Helen Willis have three children: Edward D. Willis, Dr. Dana Willis-Henderson and Andrew Willis. Archon Paul B. Mohr, Sr. Grapter, Phi Boulé

New Archousai Barbara Menefee, Tamika Reed, Tara Graves, Alisa Sinkfield, Tyna Davis, Helen Willis and Sceiva Holland

38 The New Archons / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

NA S H V I L L E CHI INDUCTS TWO NEW ARCHONS

Archon Wayne J. Riley, sponsor; Archon Ronald E. McFarland; Archon Charles I. Story; and Archon Ronald Corbin, sponsor

n December 7, 2012, Chi Boulé of Nashville, Tennessee, inducted two highly accomplished Archons at New Alumni Hall on the Meharry Medical College campus at its annual holiday gala. Sire Archon Walter Owens presided over the induction ceremony. Archon Ronald E. McFarland, M.D., is a Fellow of the American Board of Ophthalmology specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. Archon McFarland earned a B.S. degree from Johnson C. Smith University and M.D. from Meharry Medical College. He completed a residency in ophthalmology at Tulane University Medical Center Hospital, Tulane School of Medicine, followed by a glaucoma fellowship at Howe Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Archon McFarland’s honors and awards include the Hippocrates Award for Excellence in the Field of Medicine; being named America’s Top Ophthalmologist by the Consumer’s Research Council of America; the NAACP Golden Heritage Life Membership; and designation as Tennessean of the Year and Fred A. Rowe Volunteer of the Year. He is a member of several professional societies, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the National Medical Association, the Tennessee Academy of Ophthalmology, the Nashville Academy of Ophthalmology and the Chandler-Grant Glaucoma Society. He and his Archousa, Hortensia, live in Nashville. They are the proud parents of four children: Erica Julie; Ronald Eric, Jr.; Brooke Alicia; and Taylor Victoria. The McFarlands are active members of First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill, in Nashville, where Archon McFarland is a deacon. Archon Charles I. Story is president of ECS (Exceptional Coaching Solutions) Group, Inc., an executive-development company that provides strategic execu-

tive coaching and development solutions to corporations and organizations. The firm helps senior and high-achieving executives reach their greatest potential within the context of strategic organizational objectives. Archon Story has extensive corporate leadership experience in growing organizations as demonstrated by his stellar performance as president and chief executive officer (1993–2005) of INROADS: This leading minority nonprofit develops and places talented minority youths in business and industry and prepares them for corporate and community leadership. Archon Story grew the organization, developed strategic relationships with sponsoring companies, led the expansion of affiliate offices from forty to fifty-five with a combined revenue of $27,000,000 and opened offices in Mexico City, Toronto and Johannesburg. He originally joined the INROADS organization in 1978 as the first managing director of the Nashville affiliate. In 1987 Archon Story was an assistant commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. He was vice president with First American National Bank in Nashville (1989–91) and is currently director of Briggs & Stratton Corp., a position he has held since 1994. His community involvements include Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Rotary Club, Center for the Public Trust, and Regions Bank Advisory Board. Graduating summa cum laude from Fisk University with a B.A. in psychology and management, Archon Story completed a master’s degree in public administration in a joint program at the University of Tennessee and Tennessee State University. He and Archousa Deborah Ellis reside in Brentwood, Tennessee, and are the proud parents of Lachelle. Archon Billy R. Ballard Grapter, Chi Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The New Archons 39

DA L L A S ALPHA EPSILON WELCOMES TWO

Archon James R. Davis

allas’s Alpha Epsilon Boulé proudly inducted two distinguished Archons on December 2, 2012, during a ceremony at Maggiano’s restaurant. Archon James R. Davis is a native of Rock Island, Illinois, and the product of that city’s public school system. He is also a member of the Rock Island High School Alumni Hall of Fame, the Illinois State University College of Education Alumni Hall of Fame and the Illinois High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. Archon Davis received a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Northeast Missouri State University and a doctorate in education administration and leadership from Illinois State. In 1979 he became the first – and remains the only – African American to be elected mayor of Rock Island. Archon Davis, who spent more than thirty years as a teacher and public school administrator, has been active in community and civic endeavors all of his adult life. He worked in Illinois, Texas and Mississippi as a public school superintendent and ended his public school teaching and administrative career as the superintendent of schools in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. In Hattiesburg he was recognized for his reform efforts, which led to some of the highest student-achievement gains in the history of the school district. He was also an adjunct professor in educational leadership at the University of Southern Mississippi and a Distinguished Kramm Lecturer at Oklahoma State University. A recipient of a multitude of awards and recognitions, Archon Davis was awarded the Outstanding Educational Leadership Award by the Congressional Black Caucus Technology Think Tank in 2003. In addition, he was named 40 The New Archons / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

Archon Levi Davis

the 2005 Mississippi Superintendent of Distinction by the Mississippi Association of School Superintendents. He is a coauthor of the book The Changing Landscape of Education Reform, published by Aspatore Books in 2008. Archon Davis was appointed by President George W. Bush and approved by the U.S. Senate to sit on the National Board for Educational Sciences. He also sat on the National Commission on NAEP (National Assessment of Education Progress) 12th Grade Assessment and Reporting. Archon Davis made educational presentations to national and international audiences – including the Oxford Round Table at Oxford University – on myriad educational topics and consulted with numerous corporations and educational institutions on educational issues of the day. He also worked on educational projects in South Africa, France, Scotland and China. His most recent work was with the U.S. Department of Education as regional representative for Region VI under Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. In this capacity, he represented the department in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Louisiana. In 2009 Archon Davis joined Ray and Associates, Inc., as an executive-search associate in Dallas, where he assists colleges, universities and state and local education agencies in filling executive vacancies. He has been married for more than thirty years to Archousa Louise, a retired elementary school principal and now an educational consultant. They have two adult sons and two grandchildren living in Illinois. Archon Levi Davis, although an Ohio native, has been active in Dallas community affairs for more than thirty years as a municipal and business leader, edu-

cator and involved humanitarian. After completing his military service, he began his career serving Dallas in 1973 as director of the Action Center. He became director of the Office of Human Development in 1977 and was assistant city manager from 1978 to 1986 and again from 1990 to 1998. Archon Davis was responsible for the overall direction, planning and implementation of goals and objectives for multiple departments and functions, including police, fire, human services, environmental health, public consumer affairs, emergency preparedness and convention and event services. He has been involved in many key issues related to the city’s operation and growth, including financing the Convention Center expansion, financing and opening Reunion Arena, financing the expansion of the Water Utilities Treatment Plant, developing the police review process, developing the 911 and 311 systems, and financing and coordinating the 1984 Republican National Convention and the 1994 World Cup games. Between terms as assistant city manager, Archon Davis held executive positions in the financial services industry at Rauscher Pierce Refsnes, Inc.; the Hamilton Financial Group, Inc.; and Grigsby Branford Powell, Inc.

He also taught courses in public administration and government as an associate professor at Brookhaven Community College, El Centro Community College, Dallas Baptist University and the University of Texas at Arlington. Currently, he is the Western Region public finance director of Siebert Brandford Shank & Co., LLC, an investment banking firm. Archon Davis has sat on the Dallas County Blue Ribbon Committee for the construction and development of a new Dallas County hospital as well as the boards of the Methodist Health System, where he is chairman; the Dallas-area chapter of the American Red Cross; the Dallas Symphony; the Dallas Museum of African Art; KERA of North Texas Public Broadcasting; and the State Fair of Texas. He is also a member of the Salesmanship Club of Dallas. He completed his undergraduate degree at Texas Christian University in 1971 and received his M.A. in urban affairs from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1973. Archon Davis resides in Dallas with his Archousa of twenty years, Loretta R. Davis. Archon Johnnie King, Jr. Grapter, Alpha Epsilon Boulé

INDIANAPOLIS THREE ARCHONS JOIN ALPHA ETA

Seated: new Archons Kevin Adams, Shaun Hawkins and Ken Thorpe. Standing are their sponsors: Archons Martin Hill, Korlon Kilpatrick, Bill Mays and Matt Murphy.

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The New Archons 41

lpha Eta Boulé, Indianapolis, inducted three new Archons during its annual Christmas celebration at the Mavris Arts and Events Center on December 15, 2012. Presiding over the induction ceremony was Sire Archon Andrew Moore, who in January turned over his Sire Archon duties to Archon David Austin. Alpha Eta is pleased to welcome three accomplished men into Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity: Archon Kevin Adams, a vice president and general manager for Ozburn Hessey Logistics, one of the largest privately held global supply-chain management firms in the United States, provides strategic leadership for a logistics-center network in central Indiana consisting of nearly 2.7 million square feet and upward of 900 employees. Archon Adams began his career in the U.S. Army, where he received an honorable discharge and obtained the rank of captain. During his four years on active duty, he completed two major combat deployments, serving with distinction; he received numerous service awards and qualification badges. Active in the Indianapolis community, he was a subcommittee cochairman for the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl host committee. Currently serving as a board member on a public-safety review board for the city of Indianapolis, he is treasurer for the Indianapolis Alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. A native of Indianapolis, Archon Adams has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Military Academy and an M.B.A. from Indiana University. Archon Shaun Hawkins was named chief diversity officer at Eli Lilly & Co. in 2010, where his responsibilities include driving the development and implementation of Lilly’s workforce diversity and inclusion strategy. Prior to his new role, Hawkins was the director of Lilly’s Private Equity Ventures organization, where he built strategic investment syndicates and new entities that accelerate the development of early-stage innovation. He has worked with several community organizations and is currently on the board of directors for the EmberWood Center and Liberian Humanitarian

Foundation. He serves on the boards of Indianapolis-based biopharmaceutical firms ImmuneWorks, Inc., and Muroplex Therapeutics, Inc., as well as ProSyte International. Born in Springfield, Ohio, Archon Hawkins graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Tennessee in 1995 and received a master’s degree in business administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in 2000. Away from work, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and playing golf. He and his Archousa, Lisa, have three children. Archon Ken Thorpe is a successful entrepreneur and business consultant with more than fifteen years of professional leadership experience in the areas of business development, strategic planning and relationship management. He has always had innovative ideas, implementing one of them in 1998 when he started his first company, Thorpe & Associates, LLC. Today Archon Thorpe’s business empire includes eight companies ranging from real estate development to marketing and promotion to restaurant ownership. A handson entrepreneur, he is responsible for directing project managers; constructing estimates; devising, implementing and regulating budgets; negotiating with clients and vendors; coordinating subcontractors; monitoring the quality and schedule of work; and overseeing a range of other aspects of the businesses. He earned a B.S. degree at Indiana University, a master’s in information technology from Ball State University and an M.B.A. from Indiana Wesleyan University. A U.S. Army reserve officer, Archon Thorpe received an honorable discharge in 2005 with a rank of captain and demonstrates his passion for community commitment through serving on the board of Forest Manor Multi Service Center. He is a member of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce and the United Way Key Club. Archon Thorpe is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Archon H. Allen Wright, Jr. Grapter, Alpha Eta Boulé

A L PH A E TA 42 The New Archons / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

OKLAHOMA CIT Y FIVE WELCOMED BY ALPHA THETA

After their induction ceremonies at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, newly inducted Alpha Theta Boulé Archons Michael Lockett Garrett; Kent J. Smith, Jr.; Mark Phillip Temple, Sr.; Darryl E. Davis; and Major T. Berry, Jr., pose for a photo.

n the evening of December 8, 2012, at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma City’s Alpha Theta Boulé held its induction prior to the launch of its joint Christmas gala festivities with Tulsa’s Epsilon Iota Boulé. The chairman of the membership counsel, Archon Stanley L. Evans, and Sire Archon Robert H. Alexander, Jr., presided. All the candidates were duly inducted, welcomed as new Archons, and granted the privileges of new members. Regional Sire Archon Leodis Davis of Kansas City’s Theta Boulé made remarks and congratulated the Archons. Sire Archon Robert H. Alexander, Jr., presented awards of appreciation and outstanding service to Archons Dunn H. Cumby, Johnny R. Griggs, Charles W. Morgan III and John P. Temple. The evening continued with the annual joint Christmas celebration, hosted by Archons and Archousai Will and “Lady” Williams and Sam and Rita Combs of Epsilon Iota Boulé.

The five new inductees are as follows: Archon Major T. Berry, Jr., a native of Eufaula, Oklahoma, is the assistant city manager for Oklahoma City. He received his B.A. in criminal justice from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond and has worked for Oklahoma City since 1970, serving as chief of police from 1998 to 2003. Archon Berry is board treasurer for Leadership Oklahoma City and a board member of the following: American Red Cross Central Oklahoma, Homeless Alliance, SSM Healthcare of Oklahoma and United Way of Central Oklahoma. As a musician, he plays bass guitar for the Ambassador Concert Choir; he is a member of FBI National Academy Associates, Oklahoma Sheriff & Peace Officer Association, International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and the Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City. A deacon at the Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church, Archon Berry is married to Archousa Dianna Lynn, a huSpring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The New Archons 43

man-resources director and attorney. The couple are the parents of four children: Major T. III, Michelle T. BerryBaker, Myrissa T. Berry and Timothy L. Morgan II. Archon Darryl E. Davis is a retired sales manager with a wealth of experience and success since 1978 at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. He was inducted into the Pfizer Hall of Fame for his outstanding leadership, dedicated service and sales accomplishments. The Atlanta, Texas, native received his B.A. in business administration from Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins, Texas. A board member of St. John Christian Academy, Sickle Cell Anemia, Jarvis Christian College and the American Heart Association, Archon Davis is working with local churches to increase awareness of strokes and heart attacks, providing educational materials, videos and speeches and teaching others how to recognize the warning signs of these conditions. For the past sixteen years, Archon Davis has performed magic shows at the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital for children with sickle cell disease. He is a member of the S.E.T. Club, Phi Beta Sigma and the American Cancer Society. Active in his church, St. John Missionary Baptist, Archon Davis sings in the senior choir and serves in the VIP ministry. He is married to Archousa Cynthia, and the two are the parents of two sons, Derrick and Aaron. Archon Michael Lockett Garrett recently became the director of athletics at Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma. A native of Los Angeles, he served as athletic director at the University of Southern California for seventeen years until July 2010. During his tenure at USC, the program won twenty-three national titles (men’s tennis, women’s swimming, baseball, men’s water polo, women’s water polo, women’s track and field, women’s volleyball, women’s golf, football, and women’s soccer), as well as forty-eight conference crowns. Archon Garrett was USC’s first Heisman Trophy winner in 1965. A two-time All-American (1964–65) who set fourteen NCAA conference and school records in his three-year career, Garrett was also an All-League outfielder for the university’s baseball team. He batted 0.309 in 1965 and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers. Opting for football, Archon Garrett played eight seasons of pro football with the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego Chargers. An All-Pro who played in Super Bowls I and IV, he was inducted into the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame in 1985 and won the NCAA’s prestigious Silver Anniversary Award in 1990. In 2003 Archon Garrett was named one of “Southern California’s 25 Most Influential Executives in Sports” by the Los Angeles Business Journal (ranking sixth) and in 2004 was named one of the nation’s “101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports” by Sports Illustrated (ranking twenty-first). In 2005 he was named one of the “50 Most Powerful African Americans in Sports” by Black Enterprise magazine and was fifth in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Los Angeles’ Most Powerful Sports Executives.” In 2008 the Aquatic Foundation of Metropolitan Los Angeles honored Archon Garrett for his dedication to athletic endeavors, and he received the Whitney M.

44 The New Archons / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

Young, Jr., Award from the Urban League of Los Angeles, the Tradition of Excellence Award from the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame and the Leadership Award from the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association. In 2010 he was given the John McLendon Pioneer Award from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. He earned his B.A. degree in sociology from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and his J.D. from Western State College of Law in Fullerton. He is a member of the Bohemian Club. A resident of Edmond, Archon Garrett and his Archousa, Suzanne Marie, a practicing psychoanalyst, have four children: Sara and Daniel, both graduates of USC and Loyola Law and members of the California Bar Association; and 7-year-old twins, Michael and John. Archon Kent J. Smith, Jr., a professor of education, was named the sixteenth president of Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma, in June 2012. Archon Smith earned his B.S. in secondary education and M.E. in educational administration and supervision from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and his Ph.D. in education and human resources studies from Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Before arriving at Langston, he served as the vice president for student affairs, chief student-affairs officer and assistant professor of education at Ohio University in Athens. He is a former dean of students at Auburn University in Alabama, director of multicultural affairs at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio and assistant director of black student services and adjunct professor of education at Colorado State University. A native of Baton Rouge, he is a member of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He and his Archousa, Tiffany Hill-Smith, an attorney, are the parents of three sons: Kent III, Tyler and Trent; and a daughter, Morgan. Archon Mark Phillip Temple, Sr., is a funeral director at Temple & Sons Funeral Directors, Inc. He received his B.S. in funeral services from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, where he serves as an advisory board member in the math and science department. In 2011 Archon Temple partnered with the University of Central Oklahoma’s mathematics and science department to establish a $25,000 endowment, the Earl M. Temple Always Central Forever Champions Foundation, which awards those students majoring in funeral science scholarship money to help with ever-increasing tuition. Archon Temple is a member of the Oklahoma Funeral Board, the Oklahoma State Embalmers & Funeral Directors Association and the National Funeral Directors Association. A life member of the NAACP, he is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity–Oklahoma City Alumni Chapter and the Black Liberated Arts Center, and is a partner of the Wonderfully Made Foundation. Archon Temple has two daughters, Keshanna and Morgan, and a son, Mark, Jr. A resident of Edmond, he attends Mount Carmel Baptist Church. Archon John P. Temple Grapter, Alpha Theta Boulé

W I C H I TA ALPHA NU BOULÉ INDUCTS TWO

Archousa Junetta Everett and Archon Victor Everett

ichita, Kansas’s Alpha Nu Boulé inducted two Archons at its Christmas gala at the Rolling Hills Country Club on December 15, 2012: Archon Victor Everett is a State Farm Insurance agent. The agency’s mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. He earned his B.A. degree in education at Wichita State University. His Archousa, Junetta Everett, is vice president of professional services for Delta Dental of Kansas. Archon Brian A. Black was Archon Everett’s sponsor. Archon Derek Morgan, the military certification manager for the Federal Aviation Administration, leads a

Archousa Kaye Monk-Morgan and Archon Derek Morgan

cadre of professionals committed to applying the FAA’s safety values, expert technical assistance, and innovative airworthiness integration techniques to the U.S. Armed Services. He earned his B.S. degree in aerospace engineering from Wichita State University. His Archousa, Kaye Monk-Morgan, is director of TRIO Programs at Wichita State. His sponsor was Archon Askia Ahmad. Archon Brian A. Black Grapter, Alpha Nu Boulé

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The New Archons 45

BATON ROUGE ALPHA XI ADDS TWO AT CHRISTMAS

Archon Albert Sam and his Archousa, Roberta Angelina Sam, with Archousa Melanie Megginson and Archon Brian Jackson

aton Rouge, Louisiana’s Alpha Xi Boulé welcomed two distinguished Archons at a festive evening with the Archousai at Baton Rouge’s elegant City Club on December 15, 2012. Sire Archon Raphael Baranco presided over the formal occasion. After the induction, both new Archons gave moving remarks. Archon Brian A. Jackson is the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, having been appointed to the federal bench by President Barack Obama in 2009. Prior to his elevation to the federal bench, he was a partner in the prestigious law firm Liskow & Lewis of New Orleans. During his legal career, he was an assistant U.S. attorney for sixteen years. Having received his baccalaureate in 1982 from Xavier University of New Orleans, his law degree in 1985 from Southern University in Baton Rouge and his master of laws degree in 2000 from Georgetown University, Archon Jackson is an active member of the legal and social communities, serving in a variety of positions. He holds memberships in the American, National and Federal Bar associations and is a fellow of the National Trial Lawyers Association and the Federal Judges Association. He is a past board member of the Ruby Bridges Foundation of New Orleans, the Metropolitan Crime Commission and Catholic Charities. He is a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He is married to Archousa Melanie Megginson Archon Albert Devon Sam II, an associate professor of clinical surgery and chief of vascular surgery at the Tulane Heart and Vascular Institute, was previously chief vascular surgeon at the Baton Rouge Regional Medical Center. He received his B.S. in 1989 from Morehouse and his M.D. in 1994 from Duke University. While completing a general-surgery residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago, he earned an M.S. in surgery from the UIC 46 The New Archons / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

graduate college, where his thesis resulted in a new druguse patent for the treatment of sepsis. After completing a fellowship in vascular and endovascular surgery at the Feinberg Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, he became one of the first physicians to be nationally board-certified in general surgery, vascular surgery and endovascular medicine. Archon Sam has also received an executive master of medical management degree from Tulane’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine’s Department of Health Systems Management. He has been a principal investigator for several national and international vascular clinical trials, including the largest and only NIH-sponsored stroke-prevention trial, whose results have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. He has authored more than thirty manuscripts in local and national scientific journals and was a national spokesperson for the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. His numerous awards include selection by the Baton Rouge Business Report as a “40 Under 40” award recipient in 2006. A graduate of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber leadership program, Archon Sam serves on the board of directors for the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Advance Baton Rouge and WRKF (NPR). A member of the River City Jazz Coalition of the Arts Council and the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge, in March 2011 he was appointed by Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal to a six-year term on the Louisiana Board of Regents. He and his lovely Archousa, Roberta Angelina Sam, a registered nurse, are the proud parents of four children: Brandon K. Wheeler, 24; Kennedy B. Sam, 16; Julian A. Sam, 10; and Albert D. Sam III, 5. Archon Luke A. LaVergne Grapter, Alpha Xi Boulé

MIA MI ALPHA RHO BOULÉ INDUCTS SEVEN

Seated: New Archons Anthony Hall, Ronald Holt, Robert Holland, Dewey W. Knight III, Calvin Hughes, Marc A. O’Ferrall and Gilbert Squires. Standing: Sponsoring Archons Douglas Seaton and Israel Milton, Grand Sire Archon–Elect James Cole and Archons Clint Gulley and Tony Rogers.

iami, Florida’s Alpha Rho Boulé had a very busy 2012. Its beginning was consumed by hosting duties for the 51st Grand Boulé in Boca Raton, Florida, and culminated in the induction of seven Archons. The ceremony took place on December 8, 2012, at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort. Among the event’s attendees were members of the newly chartered Epsilon Lambda Boulé of Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie Counties and several Grand Officers, including Alpha Rho’s own Grand Sire Archon–Elect James Cole and Immediate Past Grand Sire Archon Rodney Reed. The following seven inductees were welcomed: Archon Anthony Hall is president and CEO of Hall Consulting Services, which has been specializing in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for seventeen years. He began his career with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida’s Provider Audit Division. He supports the United Negro College Fund, Florida A&M University, the University of Miami and youth sports leagues in his hometown of Tampa. He was honored by ICABA in 2012 as Entrepreneur of the Year. Archon Hall

received his bachelor’s degree in business from FAMU, his master’s in business administration from Florida State University and his master’s in professional accountancy from Barry University. His Archousa, Ramona, also an entrepreneur, is a government and business development consultant and the owner of several Coffee Beanery franchises in Miami. They are the proud parents of a son, Kai, and daughter, Khloe. Archon Robert Holland is the founder and owner of the Law Offices of Robert W. Holland, a premier boutique law practice specializing in government relations (lobbying), procurement, zoning, administrative remedies and policy formation. Serving south Florida for more than twenty years, Archon Holland has represented a multitude of corporate majors. A noted public speaker, he has the distinctive ability to translate complex issues into universal experiences. As a community advocate and activist, he has been intricately involved in making local governments more responsive to the concerns of small, local and minority businesses. Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The New Archons 47

Archon Holland’s memberships and affiliations include Omega Psi Phi Fraternity; Prince Hall Freemason, Seminole #291; and The Florida Bar. He is also chair of the Miami-Dade Economic Advocacy Trust, formerly MMAP; former vice chair of the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority; and a former member of Miami-Dade County Charter Review Task Force. Archon Holland earned a B.S. in political science from Morehouse College in 1986 and a J.D. from the University of Miami in 1990. He and his Archousa, Tianika, a corporate strategic consultant for Humana, Inc., reside in Miami with their daughter, 6-year-old Brooke Raven, and two sons: Charles, 16, and Marcellus, 14. Archon Ronald Holt is president and chief executive officer of Hansberger Global Investors, Inc., a boutique asset-management firm headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He also sits on the firm’s board of directors. A chartered financial analyst, he is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of South Florida. Archon Holt has served on the basketball advisory committee at Columbia University and has been a Little League Baseball and basketball coach for many years. Archon Holt earned his B.A. in economics from Columbia University and an M.B.A. from New York University’s Stern School of Business. He and his Archousa, Kisha, are the proud parents of Jordan, Travis, Maya, Jayse and Nina. Archon Holt is a member of New Mount Olive Baptist Church. Archon Calvin Hughes is an Emmy Award–winning coanchor of Miami ABC television affiliate WPLG’s 5:00, 5:30, 6:00 and 11:00 P.M. evening news broadcasts. The Cleveland native has worked as an anchor-reporter in three of the nation’s top-ten media markets, including Philadelphia, Atlanta and Dallas. Active in the community, he has traveled to Haiti a number of times to report on disasters and worked as a volunteer with The Boulé Foundation to help identify recipients of its Haitian Relief Project grants totaling $1 million. Archon Hughes and his Archousa, Bacardi L. Jackson, an attorney, are the proud parents of two sons, Soloman and Roman, and a precious daughter, Sakala Danielle. Archon Dewey W. Knight III is the former president and founding partner of World Wide Concessions, which owns several Chili’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut and numerous other franchise concepts. He is currently a campaign and governmental consultant representing many Fortune 500 companies as well as local and regional companies doing business in South Florida. He has been a driving force behind some of the most successful political campaigns in Miami-Dade County history, including those of MiamiDade County and Miami Mayor Stephen P. Clark; MiamiDade County’s first executive mayor, Alex Penelas; and the newly elected mayor of Miami Gardens, Oliver Gilbert. A board member at New Horizons Community Mental Health Center, he is a founding member of the Liberty City Optimist Club and 100 Black Men of South Florida. Archon Knight is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and the historic St. Agnes Episcopal Church. Archon Knight and his Archousa, Sabrina Thomas Knight, have a daughter, Morgan Tayler Knight. Archon Knight, who graduated from Bethune-Cookman University in 1986 with a B.S. in political science, is the son of Archon Dewey W. Knight, Jr., and Archousa Clara Brown Knight, both deceased. 48 The New Archons / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

Archon Marc A. O’Ferrall grew up in a single-parent household, where his mother instilled in him the necessity of hard work and the value of a strong work ethic. With these virtues in tow, Archon O’Ferrall was awarded a scholarship to attend Bethune-Cookman University, later graduating magna cum laude with a degree in hospitality management. From this foundation he embarked on a ten-year career with some of the world’s leading brands in the hotel industry, starting with the historic Walt Disney World’s Epcot, where he was supervisor of the property’s largest restaurant. In 1991 he took on the role of corporate sales manager at the Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. In 1992 he became an associate sales manager at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, and in 1993 he accepted a position as national sales manager for Doral Golf Resorts and Spa. Archon O’Ferrall’s final position within the hotel industry was as director of sales at the Loews Hotel from 1995 to 2000. In 2001 Archon O’Ferrall became a McDonald’s owneroperator. Currently, he is vice president of the Southeast McDonald’s Owners Marketing Cooperative as well as vice president of meetings and conventions for the National Black McDonald’s Operators Association. In addition, he is a member of McDonald’s African American Consumer Market Committee and Brand Value Committee. The accomplishments in which Archon O’Ferrall takes the most pride are his philanthropic endeavors. He has partnered with the Andre Johnson Charitable Foundation, FCAA, Ronald McDonald House, Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Council for Educational Change. He received the 2012 Distinguished Service Award from the Black Hospitality Initiative and the mayor of MiamiDade County declared June 28 Marc O’Ferrall Day. Always a leader and a dominant force, Archon O’Ferrall has been featured in Black Enterprise magazine, Black Convention magazine and Black Meetings & Tourism magazine. Archon O’Ferrall credits the support of his Archousa, Andrea, as the catalyst for his success. The O’Ferralls have four children: Marc, 25; Ashley, 22; Justin, 21; Monique, 15; and one grandchild, Hendrix, 2. “There’s nothing more important in life than family,” says Archon O’Ferrall. “My first and most important job is to love and support my family. If my children understand the values of being conscientious and altruistic, then I have done my job.” Archon Gilbert Squires is a partner at the Law Offices of Squires Benson in Miami Beach and has extensive global experience in international energy, international arbitration, litigation, mediation and cross-border business and corporate law. Prior to creating his firm, Archon Squires was president of Conoco Mexico (now ConocoPhillips), where he managed the full petroleum operation for the country, and an engineer with Exxon Corp. Archon Squires, who was born and raised in Panama, is a native Spanish speaker who frequently appears on Spanish and English television to discuss international oil and gas as well as economic and political matters. In 1980 he graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in mechanical engineering; he also has an M.B.A. from Loyola University New Orleans and a J.D. from Oklahoma City University School of Law. A past president of the Miami Beach Bar Association, he is also an avid mentor and martial arts instructor.

HARTFORD ALPHA PSI WELCOMES ARNOLD WEST

Archon Arnold B. West with his sponsoring Archon, Thesauristes Eric V. Turner

artford, Connecticut’s Alpha Psi Boulé inducted another outstanding Archon into Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity on September 15, 2012. Archon Arnold B. West is senior vice president of institutional sales and relationship management at ING Investment Management Americas. A 1985 graduate of Brown University with a degree in organizational behavior and management and economics, he also has an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, both received in 1990.

A distinguished member of the business community, Archon West also has an extensive record of community service. A member of the Association of Investment Management Sales Executives and the National Association of Securities Professionals, he is also a member of the University of Hartford Board of Regents, the Hopkins School Board of Trustees and a commissioner for the City of Hartford Municipal Employees Retirement Fund. A life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Archon West resides with his Archousa, Nadine Francis West, in Hartford. Archon Glenn A. Cassis Grapter, Alpha Psi Boulé

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The New Archons 49

AKRON/KENT BETA RHO GREETS NEW ARCHONS

Newly inducted Beta Rho Archons (seated): James Whitley, Jr., Paul Stallings, Timothy Ivey and Charles DeBose. Sponsors of the Archons (standing): Sire Archon–Elect Bennett Gaines, Grammateus Willis Lonzer and membership chair Charles Greene.

eta Rho Boulé of Akron, Canton, Kent and Youngstown inducted the following four Archons at an impressive ceremony at the Sheraton Suites in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, on October 27, 2012. Archon Paul Stallings, a native of Akron, is a Goodyear executive with thirty-two years of service in various capacities ranging from banking to accounting, credit and collections and sales, property taxes, budgeting, forecasting acquisitions and business liquidations. He has a B.A. in economics from Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio, and an M.B.A. from Georgia State University. A member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, he has two sons, Paul II, 18, and Adam, 15. Archon James Whitley, Jr., a Cleveland native, is the director of corporate security and IT compliance for FirstEnergy Utilities, the nation’s largest energy company. He has served in the U.S. Air Force and was a commander in the Cleveland Heights Police Department. A state-certified police academy commander and an adjunct criminal-justice instructor at Cuyahoga Community College, he is a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. He holds a bachelor of science degree in psychology from the University of Maryland and a master’s in business administration from Baldwin Wallace College. He and his Archousa, Brenda, reside in Richfield, Ohio. Archon Timothy C. Ivey is assistant federal defender in a federal defender office that represents in50 The New Archons / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

digent defendants in criminal cases in the Northern District of Ohio. A member of the Ohio State Bar Association, U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Ohio, Sixth District Court of Appeals and Akron Bar Association, he served on the Summit County Criminal Advisory Board, the Summit County Public Defender’s Commission and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. A partner in Roetzel & Andress, LPA, in Cleveland, he has a B.A. in business administration from the University of Toledo and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Archon Charles E. DeBose, an adjunct professor in the English department at the University of Akron and professor emeritus of English at California State University in East Bay, has held numerous teaching positions at California State and in Oakland, Berkeley and Fresno. He worked on the adjunct faculty online program at the Payne Theological Seminary at Wilberforce and has authored many publications about the English language, Black English and African American literacy. Archon DeBose and his Archousa, Jacqueline Vivienne Orr-Debose, have two sons, Frederick DeBose of Berkeley and Charles DeBose, Jr., of Chigasaki, Japan, and a granddaughter, Mona DeBose of Chigasaki. Archon Albert E. Fitzpatrick Grapter, Beta Rho Boulé

N A S SAU DELTA LAMBDA ADDS THREE ARCHONS

Archon Michael N’Tari Darville

Archon Paul Andy Gomez

Archon Anthony Robinson

assau, Bahamas’s Delta Lambda Boulé inducted three Archons on December 15, 2012, in the prestigious Government House. Archon Michael N’Tari Darville is a dedicated medical professional, community leader and family man. Born and raised in Nassau, Archon Darville, who was influenced by an aunt who was a physician, decided at a young age that he would pursue a career in medicine and he was mentored early on by some of the country’s leading physicians. Archon Darville attended Queen’s College primary and high school – the country’s oldest private school – where he excelled academically and from which he graduated at age 16. He then attended Pine Crest, a preparatory school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Archon Darville went on to attend Morgan State University, where he graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in biology. He later received a scholarship to pursue an M.S. in physics at MSU. After earning an M.D. from Meharry Medical College in 2001, he completed the residency program in internal medicine in 2005 and promptly began his career as a hospitalist with Kindred Hospital, a long-term acute-care facility. While there, he was president of the medical executive committee. In 2007 Archon Darville moved back to Nassau to fulfill a lifelong dream of serving his country through medicine. Employed by Critical Care Associates,

he is now assistant clinical director of the intensive care unit at Doctors Hospital. He has proved himself during his tenure at the hospital and currently serves as clinical director of the pharmacy, clinical director of ethics and clinical director of advance cardiac and life support. Archon Darville is a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine, American College of Physicians, Society of Critical Care Medicine and American College of Physician Executives. Despite his busy professional life, Archon Darville finds time to be highly involved with the community. He has been vice president of the Pi Xi chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and is currently a member of the board of directors for One Blood, an organization focused on increasing the country’s emergency blood supply. A dedicated member of Bahamas Harvest Church, he has been part of its outreach teams providing medical and food supplies to less developed islands in the Bahamas and to Haiti. In addition, he leads an annual community-service outreach to provide clothing for children at Elizabeth Estates Children’s Home. Archon Darville and Archousa Yolanda, a freelance writer and community volunteer, have an energetic 6-year-old daughter, Maya. Archon Paul Andy Gomez is the managing partner of Grant Thornton Bahamas, Chartered Accountants. He founded the firm in January 1990 as Gomez & Co., which became Gomez

& Gomez. Grant Thornton Bahamas is now the fifth-largest accounting firm in the Caribbean and the Americas. Since 1995 Archon Gomez has also been chairman of PAJE Investments Ltd., a real estate investment company. Archon Gomez and his Archousa of twenty-six years, Cheryll Burke, have two children: Paul Andrew Gomez II and Adrienne A. Gomez. Archon Anthony Robinson – president and chief executive officer of FOCOL Holdings Ltd., a publicly traded company with annual sales of some $378 million, and Sun Oil Ltd. – has more than twenty years’ experience in the petroleum industry. After graduating from Queen’s College in 1978, he joined Syntex Corp. as a process operator. In 1980 he was awarded a scholarship to study at Jacksonville University, where he became vice president of the Student Government Association and president of the United Minority Alliance. After graduating in 1984 with a B.S. in chemistry and a minor in economics, he returned to Syntex as a process development chemist. From 1986 to 1988 he was a production shift chemist for Franklyn Chemicals, and from 1988 to 1991 he was the northern Bahamas sales manager for Shell Bahamas Ltd. Archon Robinson, who has been married to Archousa Christine for twentysix years, is the father of three children.

Archon Alpheus A. Finlayson Grapter, Delta Lambda Boulé

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The New Archons 51

PE N SACOL A DELTA PI WELCOMES TWO NEW ARCHONS

New Archons Jackson and Corbin

n a traditional ceremony on September 29, 2012, Pensacola, Florida’s Delta Pi Boulé welcomed two new members to its distinguished ranks: Archon Herbert W. Corbin is a pastor, administrator, church musicologist, liturgist and singer. A lyric baritone and scholar in the areas of music, Christian worship and Eucharistic theology, he is a 2010 graduate of Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, D.C., where he received his doctorate of ministry. Archon Corbin is pastor of Good Hope AME Church in Pensacola.

Archon Rodney F. Jackson, a Pensacola native, is a 1993 graduate of Delaware State University, where he obtained a B.S. in accounting. In 1998 he graduated from Florida School of Banking and continues to enjoy a distinguished banking career. At the time of his induction, he was a vice president at Coastal Bank and Trust in Pensacola. In December 2012 he accepted a banking position in Dallas, Texas. Archon Jackson is married to Trish Ann Jackson, and the two have three children.

52 The New Archons / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

C H I C AG O DELTA SIGMA INDUCTS TWO ARCHONS

Sire Archon Donald V. Goens, sponsoring Archon Lee Michael Hall, new Archons Neil L. Watkins and Louis P. Dodd, and sponsoring Archon Ronald W. Lee

hicago’s South Suburban Delta Sigma Boulé inducted two distinguished Archons on November 2, 2012, at the Flossmoor Country Club in Flossmoor, Illinois. Sire Archon Donald V. Goens presided over the ceremonial black-tie event. Archon Louis P. Dodd, an independent insurance agent and entrepreneur, is a Chicago native who finished Dunbar High School as its valedictorian. He went on to graduate from Chicago State University with a B.S. in education. The president and CEO of Dodd’s Insurance Agency, an affiliate of Allstate Insurance, Archon Dodd in the course of his career has received numerous company and business awards. He is the coowner of four hotels and motels and partner in the Rolls Royce Car Wash and Kermit Coleman Medical Center in the Chicago area. He has also served as the president, vice chairman and codirector of Chicago’s Highland Community Bank. He and Archousa Alma Dodd have three children: Archon Robert L. Dodd, Kimberly Yelverton and Courtney Dodd.

Archon Neil L. Watkins, a certified ophthalmologist, is a native of Brooklyn. He attended Cornell University and earned his medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College of New York City. He shares that training and his time by being an active part of the faculty at the Methodist Hospitals in Northwest Indiana. In private practice since 1991, he owns and operates 20/20 Eye Specialists, which has offices in Gary and Merrillville. The president of the Northwest Indiana Chapter of the National Medical Association, he is an active member of the Academy of Ophthalmology, the Union League Club of Chicago, Veterans Evaluations Service and EyeCare of America, sponsored by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. An avid reader, traveler and sports fan, he particularly enjoys time with family. He is married to Archousa Desiree Watkins and the couple have one son, Christian, who attends Maryland Institute of Arts in Baltimore. Archon Wayne L. Baskerville Grapter, Delta Sigma Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The New Archons 53

AU S T I N GAMMA GAMMA INDUCTS A WINNER

rchon Ashton G. Cumberbatch, Jr., was solemnly inducted into Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity at the annual Christmas affair of Gamma Gamma Boulé in Austin, Texas, on December 8, 2012. A native of New York City, he was awarded an A.B. degree from Brown University in 1979, earned his doctorate of jurisprudence from the University of Texas Law School in 1982 and is a graduate of the 2002 Leadership Austin Essential Class. A resident of Austin for more than twenty-two years, Archon Cumberbatch has become an integral part of the community through his many outstanding and remarkable accomplishments and his loyal service. Currently the vice president of advocates and community relations for the Seton Healthcare Family, Archon Cumberbatch also provides legal counsel at Cumberbatch & Associates. An associate pastor at Agape Ministries, he also ministers at Austin Bridge Builders Alliance and serves on its board, a faith-based 54 The New Archons / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

intermediary that influences Christian and community leaders to build partnerships that connect the resources of the church to the needs of the community. He conducts cultural-competency training and is a coauthor of the Austin Pastoral Covenant for Racial Reconciliation and the Austin Commitment to Racial Reconciliation. Through these efforts, Archon Cumberbatch has provided exemplary leadership and service to the Austin and central Texas community. He began his illustrious career in Austin as a guest instructor for the University of Texas School of Law’s Advanced Trial Advocacy Program. He became a member of the Austin Police Monitor Citizen Review Panel and then a partner in the noted law firm of McGinnis, Lochridge & Kilgore LLP’s Austin offices. Selected as the city of Austin’s police monitor, he performed admirably for two years and then moved to administrative positions with the Seton Healthcare Family. He is active on the Austin Independent School District’s Community Bond Oversight Committee, the board of the Austin Crime Commission, the board of the African American Men and Boys Harvest Foundation, the Capital City African American Chamber of Commerce and the Austin Area Research Organization, where he chairs the executive and health-care committees. Archon Cumberbatch also served on the Austin Metropolitan YMCA Board, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce Board, the KLRU Board, Envision Central Texas Board, Austin Independent School District Community Bond Advisory Committee, the Austin Independent School District (as cochair of the five-year plan curriculum committee), the Austin Independent School District’s 2010–15 Strategic Plan Task Force (as tri-chair) and the Connexion House Board. Archon Cumberbatch has received numerous honors, including the 2005 Will W. Miller Volunteer Leadership Award from the Austin Metropolitan YMCA, the 2005 City of Austin Distinguished Service Award, the Austin NAACP Chapter Outstanding Service Award, the University of Texas School of Law’s Thurgood Marshall Legal Society Distinguished Service Award, the 2010 Garnet F. Coleman “Eternal Flame” Award, the 2010 Austin Area Interreligious Ministries Hope Award, the 2010 American Heart Association Power Award and the 2011 Austin Independent School District’s W. Charles Akins Award. Archon Cumberbatch has been married for thirty-two years to Archousa Jennifer R. Cumberbatch, who ministers to the Central Texas community through her gifts of teaching, preaching, counseling, singing, song writing and acting. They have been blessed with four children: Graham, Virginia, Benjamin and Elizabeth. Archon David L. Williams, Jr. Grapter, Gamma Gamma Boulé

WINSTON-SALEM GAMMA KAPPA WELCOMES FOUR

New Archons Blake D. Morant, W. Randy Eaddy, Cedric L. Russell and Alfred White

inston-Salem, North Carolina’s Gamma Kappa Boulé has inducted four new Archons in a formal ceremony at the Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Winston-Salem. Attending were Past Grand Sire Archon Robert L. Harris of Alpha Gamma, Archon Alvin V. Blount of Beta Epsilon and Archon Terrance G. Blount of Beta Nu. The four new Archons are: Archon W. Randy Eaddy is a managing partner with the law firm of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, LLP. He received his B.A. degree from Furman University and a J.D. from Harvard University. He is currently chairman of the board of trustees for Festival Stage of Winston-Salem and also serves on the board of directors at the Reynolda House, the Arts Council of Forsyth County, the Crosby Scholars and the Furman University Board of Trustees. Archon Eaddy is a member of the American Bar Association. Archon Blake D. Morant is the dean of education at Wake Forest University School of Law. He obtained a B.A. from the University of Virginia, his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and a doctor of laws degree from Pepperdine University. Archon Morant holds memberships with the American Association of Law Schools as an executive committee member and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He is married to Archousa Paulette, a Spanish teacher. Archon Cedric L. Russell, the business manager for Russell Funeral Home, holds a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A member of NFDMA, NFDA, NAACP and Saint Benedict Catholic Church,

Archon Russell is also on the board of directors for Mechanics and Farmers Bank and Omega Psi Phi. He is married to Archousa Lita, a distribution manager, and the couple have five children: Cedra, Cedric II, Chamberlain and Carledward – all students – and Chloe, an academic advisor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Archon Alfred White, senior logistics analyst with Reynolds American, Inc., graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.S. in business administration. He is a member of the Lewisville Civic Club, the Marvtastic Society, the Leadership Circle of United Way of Forsyth County and the Arts Council of Forsyth County. He is also a life member of the University of North Carolina General Alumni Association, a life member of the Kenan-Flagler Business School Alumni Association, a founding member of the Light on the Hill Society and the chairman of the board of finance and a member of the trustee board at Goler Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church. The past grand keeper of records and exchequer for Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and recipient of the Elder Watson Diggs Award, Archon White is married to Archousa Amy, a pharmacist who owns the Hawthorne Pharmacy. Their children are Alfred, a financial center manager with Wells Fargo Bank, and Amanda, a teacher at Walkertown Middle School and program facilitator at iCan House Services, Inc. Archon Alfred White Grapter, Gamma Kappa Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The New Archons 55

SA N

JO S E

GAMMA CHI INDUCTS NEW ARCHON

Archon Charles Jones, Archon Leon Beauchman and Sire Archon Hugh Burroughs

an Jose’s Gamma Chi Boulé inducted one Archon at its induction ceremony on October 27, 2012, at the San Jose Marriott Hotel in San Jose, California. Archon Leon Beauchman is director of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network’s wireless communications initiative, which aims to expedite and facilitate the deployment of wireless infrastructure in Silicon Valley. Prior to taking this position he was area manager of external affairs for AT&T, where he spent twenty-five years with the company in marketing, advertising and government and community relations. He graduated with dual bachelor of science degrees in business administration and economics from San Jose State University, where he then earned his master’s of business administration. A strong advocate for education, Archon Beauchman is a trustee on the Santa Clara County Board of Education and was previously on the Campbell Unified School 56 The New Archons / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

District Board of Trustees. He is president of the Santa Clara County Alliance of Black Educators and has worked on educational initiatives for Joint Venture and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. A member of the 100 Black Men of Silicon Valley, he received the NAACP Silicon Valley’s Social Justice Award in 2004 and the 100 Black Women of Silicon Valley’s Man of the Year Award in 2008. Archon Beauchman lives in San Jose with his Archousa, Nejleh Abed, a practicing dentist in San Jose and graduate of the University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry. They have three sons: Naseem, a graduate of the Yale University School of Medicine; Jihad, a graduate of Harvard Law School; and Jalal, a recent graduate of San Jose State University. Archon Eric Sibley Grapter, Gamma Chi Boulé

LOUDON count y EPSILON ZETA WELCOMES THREE

New Archons Terence Hosten, Mark Moore and Bernard Mustafa

n November 10, 2012, the Archons of Loudoun County, Virginia’s Epsilon Zeta Boulé gathered at the Westin Dulles Hotel in Herndon to induct three distinguished Archons. The ceremony, over which Sire Archon Robert Greene presided, was followed by a luxurious Archon and Archousa Presentation Brunch. Archon Terence Hosten is a highly experienced business executive most recently with Microsoft Corp. in Reston, Virginia. In conjunction with the U.S. public sector, Archon Hosten analyzes an organization’s critical business requirements, identifies deficiencies and potential opportunities, and develops innovative and costeffective solutions for enhancing competitiveness and increasing revenues. His prior executive positions were with BearingPoint in McLean, Virginia, and IBM Global Finance in White Plains, New York. A graduate of Tufts University with a B.S. in computer science, he has an M.B.A. from Columbia University. Archon Hosten resides in Potomac Falls, Virginia, with his Archousa, Shani; his daughter, Taylor; and his son, Nicholas. He enjoys golf, photography and outdoor activities with his family. Archon Mark Moore is currently the CEO of the Mark and Brenda Moore and Family Foundation in suburban Washington, D.C. His foundation generously supports numerous programs in the Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia region benefitting education, culture and the arts, health care and the Christian faith. Recently, his foundation made a significant contribution to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Other beneficiaries include the Inova Health System, the Posse Foundation, the Hopkins House, Antioch Baptist Church and the Bob Woodruff

Foundation. Prior to his retirement, Archon Moore served as the chief operations officer and executive vice president of Inmarsat Government and as CFO of mindSHIFT Technologies, ConXus Communications and USA Mobile Communications. Archon Moore, who started his career as a CPA, received his B.S. from the University of Buffalo and his M.B.A. from St. John’s University. He and his Archousa, Brenda, live in Oak Hill, Virginia; they have two children, Jenee and Markus. Archon Bernard Mustafa is owner and managing partner of Pleasant Valley Business Solutions, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner that focuses on providing enterprise resource planning systems to fast-growing government contractors. As managing partner, Archon Mustafa is responsible for the overall growth and profitability of the firm. His career encompasses affiliations with such major corporations as SCM Corp., Corning, Inc., and American Express as well as the entrepreneurial ventures Integrated Business Systems, Standard Technology, Inc., and Freidman & Fuller, PC. He also serves in numerous local and national organizations, including the NAACP, the National Black M.B.A. Association and National Black Accountants, and is president of his family organization, the Able-Williams Family. Archon Mustafa received his B.S. degree in accounting from the University of Baltimore and an M.B.A. from Morgan State University. He and his Archousa, Daphne, who live in Broadlands, Virginia, have five children: Bernard III, Wayne, Jerome, Kabrina and Kwight. Archon Patrick W. Brown Grapter, Epsilon Zeta Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The New Archons 57

T U L SA THREE INDUCTED AT HOLIDAY GATHERING

Newly inducted Archon Andronica Handie, Archousa Paula Handie, Archon Marvin Jones, Archousa Robin Jones, Archon King Morris and Archousa Anita Morris

he Archons and Archousai of Epsilon Iota Boulé, Tulsa, and Alpha Theta Boulé, Oklahoma City, had their induction ceremonies and joint annual holiday celebration on December 8, 2012, at the festively decorated Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa. Western Region Sire Archon Leodis Davis was present during the ceremony. The following Epsilon Iota Boulé Archons were inducted: Archon Andronica Handie, born in the Arkansas Delta and raised in a small town with a population of 3,840, became aware early on of the lack of access to healthcare facilities and personnel for citizens of the area and members of his own family. His conviction, he said, that such resources would have meant better management of disease and improved well-being and longevity for his relatives and friends later inspired him to pursue a career in medicine. With a B.S. degree in nuclear medicine technology from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 1996, Archon Handie completed an M.S. in biopharmaceutical sciences there in 1999. He attended the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, earning his D.P.M. in 2003, and did his surgical residency at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (now the Cleveland Clinic) in 2006. He has practiced at Tulsa’s Saint Francis Hospital since completing his surgical residency and is the current chief of the podiatric medicine and surgery section of the orthopedics department. Archon Marvin Jones is the executive vice president of Micah Tek, an information-systems and software-development company. He has held this position for the 58 The New Archons / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

past eleven years, overseeing all departments, which include information systems, software development, call center, distribution center, mail processing and website design. Prior to joining Micah Tek in 2001, Archon Jones, an ordained minister, was director of operations for an international ministry. He was also a project manager and programmer for AT&T. A business leader in the Tulsa community, Archon Jones said he believes that by helping others succeed, he succeeds. He cares deeply about the community of Tulsa and is a board member of the Tulsa Metropolitan Urban League, serving as its committee chair for fundraising. Archon King Morris, Jr., grew up in Sacramento, California, the middle child of five siblings. With a B.A. in human biology from California State University, he earned his M.D. from the University of San Diego School of Medicine in 1991 and did a residency in urology at the Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut. Currently practicing urology in the rural town of Cushing, Oklahoma, he brings state-of-the-art, specialized urological care to a community that truly needs it. Passionate about helping young people, Archon Morris mentors many through coaching and serving as a physician for Harmony Elementary School and Cushing’s Schools for Healthy Lifestyles program. Though he hopes to be a role model for all teens, he is especially devoted to mentoring young black males. Archon David W. Harris Grapter, Epsilon Iota Boulé

Kudos Kudos and and Commendations Commendations

Bernard Watson Honored as Emeritus

t its September 2012 meeting, Sarasota, Florida’s Gamma Xi Boulé acknowledged and congratulated Archon Bernard C. Watson on obtaining Emeritus status, recognizing his forty years of service in Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. Archon Watson was inducted into Alpha Boulé, where he was a member until moving to Sarasota and continuing his membership through Gamma Xi. Having served his home areas and the nation through his many professional accomplishments in education and on behalf of social and arts institutions, Archon Watson is chairman of the board of trustees of the Barnes Foundation, the world-renowned art collection in Philadelphia. Until 2004 he was a President’s Scholar at Temple University, an appointment made following his retirement at the end of 1993 as president and chief executive officer of Philadelphia’s William Penn Foundation. He assumed that position in 1981 after a distinguished career as an educator during which he was a teacher and

administrator in the public schools in Indiana, deputy superintendent of the Philadelphia public schools and professor of urban studies and urban education as well as academic vice president of Temple University. In honor of this author of three books, eleven monographs, chapters in thirty-one books, and thirty-three articles in professional journals, Temple University arranged an annual cash prize for the best social-service dissertation; furnished a graduate seminar room named for him; and established the endowed Bernard C. Watson Chair in Urban Education. In 2005 the Gary, Indiana, Board of Education named a school in his honor. Archon Watson earned his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. He and his Archousa, Lois, are the parents of two children: Barbra, an attorney, and Bernard, Jr., a journalist. Archon Jesse F. Anderson, Jr. Grapter, Gamma Xi Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 59

Frank Wilson Completes Wisconsin Ironman

elta Alpha Boulé, North Chicago, is proud to announce that Archon Frank Wilson demonstrated extraordinary strength and stamina in completing the Ironman Wisconsin. On September 9, 2012, he and 2,453 determined athletes (122 did not finish) began an extremely difficult journey to complete a tough, hilly course in the university town of Madison, traveling a total of 140.6 miles from start to finish in a race that contestants had to complete in 17 hours or less or be disqualified. The race included a 2.4-mile swim in Lake Monona; a 112-mile bike course through Verona, Cross Plains and Mount Horeb; and a 26.2-mile marathon. In a report Archon Wilson wrote describing his experience, he said that he finished in 16 hours 28 minutes and 20 seconds – a comfortable margin. He was happy about his performance in the swimming and the biking, but encountered numerous challenges during the run. Overcoming various obstacles, he recounted, he found it thrilling to enter Madison in the dark to the cheers of the crowd. Tackling the Ironman competition was Archon Wilson’s present to himself on his fiftieth birthday. Congratulations, Frank. Archon Robert H. Jordan, Jr. Grapter, Delta Alpha Boulé 60

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Archon Wilson crosses the finish line.

Archon Wilson during the 26.2-mile marathon 16 hours into the race

Archon Wilson on the 112-mile bike portion of the Ironman

Spring 2013 / The BoulĂŠ Journal 77â&#x20AC;˘1 / Kudos and Commendations 61

James Anderson Speaks at Chinese University

ayetteville, North Carolina’s Epsilon Alpha Archon James A. Anderson, chancellor of Fayetteville State University, was a guest speaker at the 60th Anniversary Celebration of Inner Mongolia Normal University in China September 7–9, 2012. He delivered the welcoming address on behalf of all the foreign universities and businesses that partner with IMNU. “I am pleased and honored that one of our partner institutions has issued this invitation for me to speak at the ceremony celebrating its anniversary,” Archon Anderson said. “Inner Mongolia Normal University has partnerships with some of the finest colleges and universities and some of the largest corporations around the world. For them to ask me to speak on behalf of all of these partners is truly humbling. This gesture speaks

volumes about what they think about Fayetteville State University and the relationship we have with them.” In addition to Inner Mongolia Normal University, FSU has partnerships with four other institutions of higher learning in China: Baotou Teachers College, Institute of Online Education at Beijing Foreign Studies University, East China University of Science and Technology and Hebei Normal University China. While in China, Archon Anderson visited Inner Mongolia Museum and participated in the Chinese Foreign University President Forum. He also had a tour of the university’s new campus, attended cultural performances and visited various national landmarks. Founded in 1952, Inner Mongolia Normal University is located in Hohhot, the capital city of Inner

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Mongolia Autonomous Region. It is known for its bilingual teaching in both Mongolian and Chinese. With thirty-two colleges, one independent college and three teaching and research centers, the university offers two doctoral programs, 112 postgraduate programs and six specialized postgraduate programs. It has 1,430 full-time faculty and nearly 40,000 students. Fayetteville State University, where Archon Anderson has been chancellor for approximately five years, is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina and the second-oldest public institution of higher education in the state. It offers nearly sixty degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels and, with close to 6,000 students, is among the most diverse institutions in the nation.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Phil Weiser, dean of the University of Colorado Law School; and Archon Trevor Faure

Faure Delivers Address on Smarter Law

ondon, England’s Epsilon Xi Archon Trevor Faure, global general counsel for Ernst & Young Global LTD and author of The Smarter Legal Model, was the keynote speaker at the 20th Annual Law Firm Marketing Partner Forum in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, sponsored by Thomson Reuters, The Hildebrant Institute and West Legal in January 2013. The keynote address, “The Smarter Legal Model: Replacing the Traditional Zero-Sum-Game Client Relationship With a Profitable Partnership,” was followed up by a panel, led by Aric Press, editor-in-chief of The American Lawyer, examining the book’s premise. A key element of the model is the reversal of the law firm–client tension that is heightened by economic globalization and the increasing commoditization of legal work. Archon Faure identifies inherent dysfunctionalities in the law firm–client relationship and demonstrates how the parties

can structure a modern, mutually profitable relationship, both behaviorally and financially. David B. Wilkins, vice dean and professor of law at Harvard Law School, wrote, “Like Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point and Jim Collins’s Good to Great, Faure’s The Smarter Legal Model is the rare book that will be read with equal interest and appreciation by both practitioners and academics. It is destined to become an important part of any conversation about the role of law and lawyers in the global economy.” Archon Faure was first introduced to the U.S. legal community last October when he was tasked with the introduction of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the U.S. Bench and Bar Conference. Archon Gregg Smith Grapter, Epsilon Xi Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 63

Everett Dargan Fund Awards First Scholarship

amed in honor of Archon Everett L. Dargan of Alpha Iota Boulé, Columbia, South Carolina, the Dargan Scholarship Fund awarded its first scholarship in August 2012 to Nzinga Robertson of the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, class of 2015. Established by the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, the fund has an endowment of $500,000, and income is used to fund a $40,000 scholarship paid over the course of four years. Archon Dargan, one of the first African American faculty members at the USC School of Medicine, is a preeminent thoracic, cardiovascular and general surgeon. Now retired, he has given his support to the School of Medicine over the years as a faculty member and donor, and has provided some of the seed money for the scholarship bearing his name. In 1945, at the age of fifteen, he won a scholarship to Morehouse College but was unable to afford the full tuition. After two years he transferred to the University of Buffalo in New York, where one of his aunts allowed him to live with her while he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology. He continued his education at Howard University College of Medicine, earned his M.D. and became a resident surgeon and then a staff professor in New York City, primarily at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and its affiliate hospitals in the Bronx. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. In 1978 he returned to South Carolina and began a private practice. Commenting on the obstacles he had to overcome, Archon Dargan said, “I understand firsthand how dreams of a college education can be shattered because the cost of education is too high for some students and their families to afford. I was fortunate. That’s why this scholarship is so important to me. It’s a way to make it possible for future doctors to fulfill their dreams.” He has made a difference in the lives of thousands of South Carolinians and is a role model for underserved minorities aspiring to enter careers in the field of medicine. In creating this fund, the USC School of Medicine has recognized the dire need for greater diversity among medical students in the state and for minority physicians to practice in South Carolina. The university hopes to continue Archon Dargan’s legacy by equipping a new generation of physicians who can serve as future role models. A founding member of Physician’s Health Plan of South Carolina, now Carolina Care Plan, Archon Dargan is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a former chief of staff at Palmetto Health Richland, a life member of the NAACP and a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. He is married to Archousa Carol Dargan and they have two children, Jennifer Dargan and Catherine Dargan Phelps (married to Peter), and three much-loved grandchildren, Addison, Morgan and Landon Phelps. Archon Dennis N. Cannon, Jr. Grapter, Alpha Iota Boulé

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Robert Dixon Honored as PepsiCo Leader

epsiCo, Inc.’s 2012 Global CIO Executive Summit in September 2012 honored Dallas, Texas’s Alpha Epsilon Boulé member Archon Robert Dixon as a Global Top 10 Breakaway Leader. This prestigious award celebrates high-performing PepsiCo CIOs who are revolutionizing their company’s competitive position through visionary leadership that elevates their people, partners and business. Archon Dixon and his fellow award winners were chosen through a highly selective process. An elite panel of CIO judges first narrowed the field to twenty finalists; then the global CIO community cast votes to elect the top ten, who were recognized at an Awards Gala Dinner in Aspen, Colorado. “In the five years that Robert has served as PepsiCo’s global CIO, he has transformed our IT organization into a capability engine for the company,” noted John Compton,

former president of PepsiCo. “His unwavering focus on enabling PepsiCo’s performance by elevating the performance of his IT teams continues to generate value for our business and all of our stakeholders. He also embodies Performance With Purpose – PepsiCo’s promise to do right for the business by doing right for people and the planet – as demonstrated by his steadfast commitment to developing the next generation of IT leaders. We are deeply proud of Robert and join his wife, Sheree; children, Robert Dixon III and Kiah; and the PepsiCo Business + Information Solutions organization in celebrating this tremendous recognition of his talents and achievements.” The members of Alpha Epsilon Boulé are proud of the accomplishments of Archon Dixon. Archon Johnnie King, Jr. Grapter, Alpha Epsilon Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 65

Robert Hilliard Recognized as Trailblazer

Archon Robert Hilliard, Archousa Janie Hilliard and family members

uring its Men’s Day Observance on September 23, 2012, historic St. Paul United Methodist Church in San Antonio, Texas, recognized San Antonio’s Gamma Phi Charter Archon Robert Hilliard with its Lifetime Membership Award. It is deeply meaningful that the mother of all African American churches, organized in 1866 by former slaves and freedmen, has made such a stellar addition to its pantheon of trailblazing leaders. A Howard University graduate with a bachelor of science degree and with an M.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch, Archon Hilliard was the first African American

doctor to perform ob-gyn surgery in San Antonio and the first African American president of the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners. To these firsts he added chairmanship of the San Antonio Housing Authority and the City of San Antonio Water Board. He was San Antonio’s second black person ever elected to serve on the city council and from 1982 to 1983 was president of the National Medical Association. Fluent in Spanish, Archon Hilliard is also CEO and senior obstetrician and gynecologist for the Women’s Clinic of San Antonio. His magnanimous service to the city’s diverse

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communities was reflected in his being given its second Benefactor de la Comunidad Award, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished Achievement Award in 2002 and the initial Humanitarian Award from the Baptist Health System in 2011. Joining in the celebration of this Lifetime Membership Award from St. Paul United Methodist Church were Archousa Janie Hilliard, other family and friends and fellow Gamma Phi Archons and Archousai. Archon William T. Burke III Grapter, Gamma Phi Boulé

Thomas Goss Joins National Park Board

ffective September 28, 2012, Archon Thomas A. Goss of Ann Arbor, Michigan’s Gamma Rho Boulé was appointed to the board of directors of the National Park Foundation. The U.S. secretary of the interior, Ken Salazar, made the appointment, which will extend through August 31, 2018. Archon Goss’s service on the board is expected to help this unique, congressionally chartered foundation fulfill its obligation of furthering the U.S. National Park Service’s mission of conservation of our natural, scenic, historic, scientific, educational, inspirational and recreational resources. Secretary Salazar stated in the appointment letter that he is confident that Archon Goss will find service

on the board both interesting and rewarding. He further commented that Archon Goss will be joining a group of directors who are truly dedicated to helping improve the nation’s national parks. The foundation’s support for the U.S. National Park System has grown substantially over the past several years. The board seeks to significantly increase private philanthropic gifts to the national parks in the coming years. Secretary Salazar affirmed that Archon Goss’s insight and experience will be invaluable to the board. To facilitate his smooth transition to the new appointment, Archon Goss will receive a formal orientation from the president and CEO of the board, J. Mulholland, and Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 67

the vice chair, John L. Nau. He will also work closely with William Shafroth, who is counselor to Secretary Salazar and also serves as his personal representative to the National Park Foundation. Archon Goss is very excited about the opportunity to use his knowledge, skills and experience to enhance and sustain this vital American natural resource and legacy.

Formerly the athletic director for the University of Michigan, Archon Goss is chairman of Goss LLC, a global insurance brokerage firm, and chairman of Goss Trading Services, an inventory supply-chain finance business. His other philanthropic leadership roles include serving as vice chairman of the Karmanos Cancer Institute and as a board member of the

African American Experience Fund, which provides financial assistance for educational programs of the nation’s twenty-six African American monuments. Archon Goss and his Archousa, Carol, live in Detroit and are the proud parents of three adult children. Archon Norman Howard Grapter, Gamma Rho Boulé

Archon Carl Stewart Appointed Chief Judge

hreveport, Louisiana’s Delta Kappa Boulé congratulates Archon Carl E. Stewart, who became the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on October 1, 2012. Archon Stewart is the first African American chief judge for the Fifth Circuit, which hears appeals from federal courts in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi. After graduating magna cum laude from Dillard University, Archon Stewart went on to obtain his law degree from Loyola University New Orleans School of Law in 1974. He practiced many phases of law as a military lawyer, a staff attorney with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, an assistant U.S. attorney, a special assistant city and district attorney and a private practitioner. In 1985 Archon Stewart was elected a district judge for the First Judicial District Court of Caddo Parish and reelected to another term without opposition. Subsequently, he was elected to the Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Shreveport. When President Bill Clinton nominated him in 1994 to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the U.S. Senate confirmed him unanimously. A charter member of the Harry V. Booth–Henry A. Politz chapter of American Inns of Court in Shreveport, Archon Stewart is vice president of the American Inns of Court Foundation Board of Trustees. A member of the National, Federal, Louisiana and Shreveport Bar associations, he is also a member of the Shreveport-Bossier Black Lawyers Association, the Federal Judges Association, the National Bar Association Judicial Council, the Louis Westerfield Legal Society and the Just the Beginning Foundation. Among Archon Stewart’s many honors and awards, he received the Thurgood Marshall Award from the Shreveport-Bossier Black Lawyers Association; the Pacesetter Achievement Award from the New Orleans chapter of the Louis A. Martinet Legal Society; the Louisiana Association of Educators’ annual Human and Civil Rights Trailblazer Award; the Raymond Pace Alexander Award from the National Bar Association Judicial Council; and the A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr. Award from the National Black Law Students Association, for his commitment to diversity in the judiciary. He has been named Citizen of the Year by the Rho Omega chapter and Ninth District of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, of which he is a life member; the fraternity also presented him with the Award of Excellence in 1998. Archon Stewart is a member of the St. James United Methodist Church. He and Archousa Jo Ann have three children: Carl, Jr., Karelia and Kyle; and three grandchildren: Karlie and twins Carson and Cholé.

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Warrick Carter Receives Distinguished Alumni Award

uring the 66th Annual Michigan State University Alumni Association Grand Awards reception on October 11, 2012 – held at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center on the MSU campus – Archon Warrick L. Carter of Chicago’s Beta Boulé was one of five individuals to receive the 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award. The award is given annually to alumni who have “distinguished

themselves by obtaining the highest level of professional accomplishments and who possess the highest standards of integrity and character to positively reflect and enhance the prestige of MSU.” Archon Carter has been president of Columbia College Chicago since 2000. He was previously director of entertainment arts for Walt Disney Entertainment. During Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 69

his tenure at the Berklee College of Music, he was dean of the faculty and then provost–vice president of academic affairs. His teaching experience includes appointments at Governors State University, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Northwestern University.

As a composer and performer, Archon Carter has created works for the National Endowment for the Arts, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association and the Chicago Chamber Orchestra; recorded on the Mark and Capital labels; and performed in concerts and festivals worldwide. He

sits on the boards and advisory boards of numerous civic, educational and professional organizations, including Interlochen, the International House of Blues Foundation, Rotary International and the Lincoln Library. He holds a master’s degree and a doctorate in music education from MSU.

Darrell Freeman Named to Board of Regents

overnor Bill Haslam of Tennessee appointed Archon Darrell S. Freeman, Sr., of Nashville’s Chi Boulé to the Tennessee Board of Regents, overseeing Tennessee’s public colleges and universities, on October 12, 2012. Archon Freeman is the executive chair of Zycron, Inc., a firm offering information-technology services and solutions, which he founded in 1991 in Nashville. Zycron employs more than 330 professionals across the country. He is also the cofounder of Reliant Bank and Pinnacle Construction Partners. At Tennessee-based Reliant, where he is also co-organizer, Archon Freeman sits on the board of directors, the audit-and-compensation committee and the executive loan committee. He is chair of Nashville’s Pinnacle Construction, which provides a full range of preconstruction-planning and construction-management services for the public and private sectors. Archon Freeman’s commitment to the Nashville community is evident through his recently completed, two-term service as chair of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. A board member of Centennial Medical Center, he is also former chair of the 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee. Other organizations on whose boards Archon Freeman sits or has sat include the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee; the Rotary Club of Nashville; the Museum of African American Music, Art and Culture; the Middle Tennessee State University board of trustees; and the Nashville Broadband Task Force. Archon Freeman is an instrument-rated pilot for Angel Flight, an organization that arranges free air transportation for charitable and medical needs. He and his Archousa of twenty years, Gloria, have four children: Ebony; Kenya; Darrell, Jr.; and Nathan. Archon Freeman holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University. Archon Billy R. Ballard Grapter, Chi Boulé

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Owen Garrick Joins Health Advisory Committee

he Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Human Research Protections (SACHRP) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) selected San Jose, California’s Gamma Chi Boulé Archon Owen Garrick for appointment, effective on October 15, 2012. Governed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, SACHRP provides expert advice and recommendations to the HHS secretary on issues pertaining to the protection of human research subjects. It has focused on areas such

as research involving children, prisoners and those with impaired decision-making capacity; informed consent and the use of biospecimens; harmonization of human subjects regulations and guidance; the reduction of regulatory burden; the HIPAA Privacy Rule; community-engaged research; and accreditation. The chief operating officer and director at BRIDGE Clinical Research, Archon Garrick manages the clinicaltrials and investigator-training business units and Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 71

oversees all the company’s financial, administrative and legal aspects. Before coming to BRIDGE, he was the director of corporate strategy and business development at McKesson Corp. and executive director and cohead of mergers and acquisitions at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. Prior to that he was an associate at Goldman Sachs, working with private

health-care companies as they sought to grow, raise capital and perform initial public offerings. He is the immediate past president of the American Medical Association Foundation’s board of directors. Archon Garrick earned his M.D. from the Yale School of Medicine and his M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business. He holds an A.B. in

psychology from Princeton University and serves on the university’s national fundraising board. He and Archousa Jocelyn Freeman Garrick (see Kudos and Commendations article in this issue) reside in Oakland and have three school-age sons. Archon Eric Sibley Grapter, Gamma Chi Boulé

David Washington Is a Distinguished Alumnus

rchon David B. Washington of Minneapolis–St. Paul’s Omicron Boulé received the University of Pittsburgh African American Alumni Council’s (AAAC) Distinguished Alumnus Award on October 13, 2012, at the AAAC Distinguished Alumni Awards Banquet. Archon Washington, who has been a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity for twentyone years, is the Grammateus of Omicron Boulé. A graduate of the university’s college and law school, Archon Washington served in the U.S. Army and then embarked on a career of law practice and public service. He held various executive positions within the Pittsburgh government and in 1995 was appointed a federal

administrative law judge. For several years he was chief administrative law judge of the Social Security Administration. Archon Washington is currently an administrative law judge at the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review in Minneapolis. A trustee of the University of St. Thomas School of Law and the Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies, Archon Washington is also a member of the Ramsey County Corrections Advisory Board and the Urban League and works with IaM Resources, a community agency focused on the education of African American youths. Archon Washington’s Archousa is Iris Cornelius, a national family-business consultant.

Herbert Corbin Performs at Christmas Event

ood Hope A.M.E. Church in Pensacola, Florida’s Warrington community is where Archon Herbert W. Corbin, Jr., of Pensacola’s Delta Pi Boulé serves as pastor, functioning as the administrator, church musicologist and liturgist. But he is also a renowned singer and was the guest baritone at the Cordova Mall event “A Christmas to Remember,” which took place on December 1, 2012. Archon Corbin gave a stellar performance that included sacred songs, Christmas classics and standard holiday favorites. A 2010 graduate of the prestigious Howard University School of Divinity – where he studied church musicology, worship and eucharistic theology while earning a doctor of ministry degree – Archon Corbin has

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appeared as the featured soloist in many operas, concerts, oratorios and recitals throughout the United States. Recently, he performed “An Evening in Black,” a concert highlighting African American composers, at the request of the Gathering Awareness and Book Center in Pensacola. He has also written, produced and performed in numerous original musicals. Before entering the professional ministry, Archon Corbin was an educator for Leon County Schools, where he was selected as Teacher of the Year and the Ida S. Baker Minority Educator of the Year and was an adjunct professor at Florida A&M University, where he taught English and general studies in the College of Engineering.

Wayne Riley Elected to Institute of Medicine

ashville’s Chi Boulé congratulates Archon Wayne J. Riley, president and chief executive officer of Meharry Medical College, who was elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies’ Class of 2012 for his contributions to medicine, medical sciences and health care. Harvey V. Fineberg, president of the IOM, made the announcement on October 15, 2012, during the organization’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

“To be recognized by one of the nation’s foremost medical institutions, alongside the world’s most innovative and influential minds in the field of medicine, is both humbling and inspiring,” said Archon Riley. “This distinction reaffirms my commitment to medical science, to teaching future leaders in health care and to positively impacting the well-being of others. I am profoundly grateful to the IOM for this honor.” Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 73

Founded in 1970, the IOM is the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences, which was established by an act of Congress and chartered by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 at the height of the Civil War for the advancement of science and its use for the greater good. This year seventy distinguished members from the United States, in addition to ten foreign associates, were elected. The IOM’s prestigious membership includes Nobel Prize laureates, eminent physicians, biomedical scientists, health policy scholars, social scientists and presidents of major research universities and foundations. In addition to his role as president and CEO of Meharry, Archon Riley

is a professor of internal medicine at Meharry and the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, as well as a senior health policy associate for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy at Meharry. He is also chair of the National Advisory Council on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health. Archon Riley received his B.A. in anthropology from Yale University, an M.P.H. in health systems management from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, his M.D. from Morehouse School of Medicine and his M.B.A. from Rice University’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business. Archon Riley trained in internal medicine

at the Baylor College of Medicine Affiliated Hospitals Residency Training Program. He is the first M.D. graduate of Morehouse to be elected to the IOM. “I am proud to represent Meharry – a leader in training doctors in the care of underserved communities – as a member of the IOM,” said Archon Riley. “At Meharry we believe that even the most disenfranchised of this nation have a right to the highestquality health care. I look forward to drawing from the expertise of the IOM and its members for the greater benefit of our faculty, students and the patients we serve.” Archon Billy R. Ballard Grapter, Chi Boulé

McPherson Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

hen Montgomery–Tuskegee, Alabama’s Phi Boulé Archon Thomas McPherson received the Montgomery Advertiser’s 2009 River Region Citizen of the Year Award, Cheryl Lindus, publisher and president of the Advertiser, said, “He is a visionary who has the ability to bring people together to make things happen in the community.” Three years later, on October 17, 2012, Lindus’s assessment of Archon McPherson was publicly reaffirmed when the Montgomery Area Council on Aging honored him as one of seven 2012 Seniors of Achievement for his significant lifetime contribution to the community. In his introduction of the 2012 honorees, Jeff Shearer, sports director of WSFA 12 News, said: “Throughout his career, McPherson has been both a manager of statutory enforcement activities and a manager of human relations. During that time he has focused personally on bringing people of varying points of view and ideologies together for the resolution of problems and the achievement of shared goals.” Archon McPherson is the principal in the private firm of Employment Dispute Resolution Services, which offers businesses and individuals mediation, fact-finding, EEO diversity training and case evaluation services and technical assistance in preventing and resolving employment disputes. He earned a B.A. from Morris Brown College and an M.Div. from the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta. His professional affiliations include the Association for Conflict Resolution and the Panel of Neutrals of the American Arbitration Association. He and Archousa Vanzetta Penn McPherson have four adult children and five grandchildren. Archon Paul B. Mohr, Sr. Grapter, Phi Boulé

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Lehman Benson Leads University Sports Program

amma Alpha Boulé of Tucson, Arizona, is pleased to announce that Archon Lehman Benson III was named executive director of the sports-management program at the University of Arizona on November 1, 2012. The program, which was developed by the department of management and organizations in response to a growing demand for courses related to sports industries, will offer students three options: a sports-management minor, a sports-management certificate and a sportsmanagement or sports-and-society concentration. In addition to completing new classes – such as Sport

Tourism and Event Management, Sports Negotiation and Compliance, Sports Communication and Sports Marketing Management – students will take other business classes offered at the university’s Eller College of Management. To facilitate greater job opportunities in the sports industry, students will learn from faculty members with sportsindustry contacts and guest speakers from professional sports organizations. Students will also participate in experiential learning and study trips to sporting events. The McCoy/Rogers Fellow of Management and Organizations at Eller, Archon Benson teaches courses in Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 75

organizational behavior, bargaining and negotiation, sports negotiation, leadership and human-resources management. He is engaged in ongoing research into the effects of stress, time constraints and feedback on judgment and decision making and has published numerous articles in journals such as Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Group Decision and Negotiation and the Psychological

Research Bulletin. He sits on the editorial boards of the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making and the Journal of Management. Beyond being a leading researcher and educator, Archon Benson is also a member of the university’s Intercollegiate Athletic Committee and teaches a time-management seminar for the men’s basketball team. In addition, he is chief executive officer of Lehman Benson &

Darden Consulting, which specializes in time-management training, personal-brand management training and leadership training. Archon Benson resides in Tucson with his lovely Archousa, Lisa, and their children: Lehman Benson IV and Marcus Benson. Archon Jomar N. Jenkins Grapter, Gamma Alpha Boulé

L. Clark Williams Chairs Operation Turnout

Archon Williams brings the crowd to its feet.

n October 2012 Archon L. Clark Williams of Delta Tau Boulé in Frankfort, Kentucky, served for the third year as the chairman of Operation Turnout, a movement designed to encourage voters to look at the issues and select wisely. It was organized in recognition of the fact that for minorities there has clearly been a basic lack of appreciation for our civil rights, a common disregard for our many contributions to the

welfare of this commonwealth, and a failure on our part to speak out against social injustice in Central Kentucky. As a pastor, Archon Williams was able to attract other local pastors, who raised thought-provoking topics and provided soul-stirring songs from local choirs. In the past there was no initiative that consolidated the efforts of churches, the NAACP, Greek-letter organizations and other community groups to ensure that our voices are heard.

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Operation Turnout was followed up on October 18, 2012, with a candidate forum in Lexington that included candidates for U.S. Congress, for the first and second city council districts, and for state house and senate seats. The candidates appeared along with representatives from each presidential campaign. Archon Tommy Z. Haynes Grapter, Delta Tau Boulé

Ronald Joe Receives Secretary of Defense Medal

Archon Joe (right) accepts the Secretary of Defense Award from Lieutenant General Fred Vollrath.

n a ceremony steeped in military tradition, retired colonel and senior Executive Service officer Archon Ronald M. Joe of Alpha Zeta Boulé, Tallahassee, Florida, received the Secretary of Defense Award for Outstanding Public Service on August 8, 2012. The ceremony, officiated by retired Lieutenant General Fred Vollrath, principal deputy assistant secretary for defense for readiness and force management, was a change of command for Archon

Joe, who led the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) for the past two years. Located at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, DEOMI is a joint service school that supports all Department of Defense and U.S. Coast Guard equal opportunity and equal employment program requirements. When he relinquished command to his vice commandant, Captain Yolanda Reagans, she became the first

Archon Joe exits the ceremony.

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African American female to lead the institute. The first civilian to lead the forty-year-old institute that he commanded as a colonel from 1991 to 1996, Archon Joe retired in June 1996 after thirty years of service in the Army. One month after leaving DEOMI, he received positive news regarding the institute’s reaccreditation status. The inspection, performed by the Council on Occupational Education (COE), looked at curriculum, facilitator training, and instruction using an objective set of eleven standards. A comment from one of the evaluators

stated, “This facility is probably one of the best educational facilities that I’ve had the experience of visiting.” Archon Joe, a 1966 graduate of Florida A&M University, is a life member of the FAMU Alumni Association, life member of the FAMU National ROTC Alumni Association, member of 100 Black Men of America, Inc., Tallahassee Chapter, and a subscribing life member of the NAACP. Archon Joe is the recipient of the FAMU Distinguished Alumni Award, the FAMU President’s Service Award and a member of the FAMU College of

Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame. He also served FAMU as director of student activities, associate vice president of development, executive director of the FAMU Foundation and interim vice president for university relations. A Daytona Beach, Florida, native, Archon Joe and his wife of forty-five years, Lenita, also from Daytona Beach, have one adult son, Ronald M. Joe II, and a granddaughter, Caitlin, a sophomore at FAMU. Archon Robert L. Lemons, Jr. Grapter, Alpha Zeta Boulé

Garricks Receive Community Impact Award

rchousa Jocelyn Freeman Garrick, M.D., and her husband, Archon Owen Garrick, M.D., M.B.A., of San Jose, California’s Gamma Chi Boulé were recognized with the Bay Area Blacks in Philanthropy’s 2012 Community Impact Award on October 19, 2012. The historic landmark One Leidesdorff in San Francisco was the venue for the third annual Bay Area Blacks in Philanthropy State of the Race conference and Celebrating Blacks in Philanthropy Gala reception. In recognition of their humanitarian deeds, they received Zimbabwean statues symbolizing the significance of African and African American culture and traditions. Attending physician Archousa Freeman Garrick is the Emergency Medicine Fellowship director at Alameda County Medical Center’s Highland Hospital in Oakland. She received her M.D. from the University of Southern California; after completing the Jacobi/Montefiore Emergency Medicine Residency at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, Archousa Freeman Garrick obtained a master’s in science in epidemiology from Cornell University. She is also the director of the Alameda County Health Pipeline Partnership, a consortium of programs that provide exposure to health careers and leadership development to youths and young adults in Alameda County. In 2007 she cofounded and became president of Mentoring in Medicine & Science, Inc., an organization whose mission is to increase the number of underrepresented health professionals while reducing health-care disparities through mentorship, leadership development and career exposure. The group has mentored more than 1,000 students in the Bay Area. Archon Garrick (see Kudos and Commendations article in this issue) is chief operating officer and director at BRIDGE Clinical Research. He and Archousa Freeman Garrick have three school-age sons and live in Oakland.

Archon Owen Garrick and Archousa Jocelyn Freeman Garrick

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Archon Eric Sibley Grapter, Gamma Chi Boulé

G.A. Finch Is Cook County Chief of Staff

eta Boulé, Chicago’s Archon G.A. Finch on November 1, 2012, was appointed chief of staff to Cook County, Illinois, board president Toni Preckwinkle. Archon Finch is a senior partner with Hoogendoorn & Talbot LLP and a member of its business, real-estate, employment and litigation practice groups. Having handled major real-estate and construction projects for more than twenty years, he has substantial experience in employment law, ethics investigations and counsel, government procurement, and governmental affairs. He

was Chicago deputy planning commissioner during Mayor Harold Washington’s administration and previously served as the general counsel for the Chicago Housing Authority. Archon Finch is a graduate of Amherst College and the University of Michigan Law School. He also authors a blog entitled Your Executive Life at yourexecutivelife.com. Archon Trevonne M. Thompson Grapter, Beta Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 79

Archon Calvin Reynolds, Archousa Sylvia Reynolds and Pastor Ricky Texada

Delta Mu Couple Host Golf Tournament

n October 19, 2012, at Bear Creek Golf Club at Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport, Archon Calvin Reynolds and Archousa Sylvia Reynolds of Delta Mu Boulé, Fort Worth/Arlington, Texas, hosted a successful inaugural golf tournament

for the newly established charity Mothers Abandoned or Widowed (MAW). The event included eighty participants and raised funds to assist four families in their plight to bounce back from a tragedy to a life of normalcy.

Golfer Hulon Robertson and other players warming up

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The fundraiser was one of many in MAW’s first year of operation to raise money for mothers who have been abandoned by their husbands or whose husbands have died prematurely. The 501(c)(3) organization provides transportation assistance for mothers to go to and from work or school; child care while they are attending classes or on the job; or tutors and books to help them continue their education. Archon Reynolds and Archousa Sylvia both recently retired from successful careers and have redirected their passion and energy toward founding this charity. Although there are thousands of families who fit into this category, the hope is that one day the charity and those who contribute to it can actualize the MAW vision: communities where abandoned and widowed mothers can live with dignity and respect through turbulent times.

AXA Recognizes Mackie’s Leadership Skills

elected by AXA Advisors, formerly Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States, Detroit’s Iota Archon Timothy Mackie became the company’s executive field vice president, heading a new tri-state branch office in New Orleans on November 1, 2012. A global corporation, AXA has branches in more than fifty countries; the new branch will cover Louisiana, Mississippi and southern Arkansas and will become a part of the AXA National Division. The sole African American field executive vice president at AXA Advisors, Archon Mackie is a registered representative and investment adviser representative who offers

securities and investment advisory services through AXA Advisors, LLC, in New York City; a member of FINRA–SIPC; and an agent who offers annuity and insurance products through AXA Network, LLC, and/or its insurance agency subsidiaries. He has strong personal ties to the tri-state region: Born and raised in New Orleans, he began his career with AXA Advisors there in 1987 and was promoted to district manager in 1989 and branch manager in 1998. He leaves his current post as branch manager in the Great Lakes Branch to return home. Before joining AXA, Archon Mackie was a captain in the U.S. Air Force. He has earned degrees from Southern Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 81

University (B.S.), the University of Alaska (A.A.) and the College of the Air Force (A.S.) and holds the designations of chartered financial consultant (ChFC) and chartered life underwriter (CLU). He is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants, Booker T. Washington Business Association, Tuskegee Airmen, 102nd U.S. Colored Troops Reenactment Group and the Double OO Riders Association. Archon Mackie has been a standout leader in his profession and a successful role model for giving back

to the community, in particular to the youths of Detroit. During his tenure as chairman of the board of directors of the Double OO Riders Association, the 501(c)(3) organization has affected the lives of more than 3,000 students each year from the Detroit public schools and surrounding school systems. Students at the African American– owned Double OO hear about the valuable roles of African American cowboys and cowgirls in the historic settlement of the U.S. western states. Through an evolving partnership with the Michigan State University College

of Veterinary Science, a Double OO– based program is being developed to introduce students to equestrian and veterinary careers. Iota Sire Archon Edward Thomas asks Sigma Pi Phi to join Iota in celebrating the accomplishments of Archon Timothy Mackie and wish the best for him and his Archousa, Karen, as they make the transition back to their hometown of New Orleans. They will truly be missed. Archon Oscar L. Britton Grapter, Iota Boulé

Paul McDaniel Receives Coveted Leadership Award

Archon McDaniel (right) receives the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Leadership Award from Archon Collier

t the thirtieth annual Equal Opportunity Day breakfast of the Urban League of Chattanooga on October 24, 2012, that city’s Gamma Pi Archon Paul A. McDaniel received the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Leadership Award. This award was established in part to recognize outstanding service by an individual or organization through rural or low-income urban outreach that has a positive long-lasting impact on the community. Archon Whitney Moore Young, Jr., a civil rights leader who spent most of his career working to end employment discrimination in the South, turned the relatively passive National Urban League into an organization that aggressively fought for justice. Archon McDaniel has been an advocate for social justice and civil rights since arriving in Chattanooga in August 1966. As pastor of the Second Missionary Baptist Church and chairman of The Unity Group (a civil rights organization), he has distinguished himself as a

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committed leader in all phases of community life and has shown great concern and understanding for the welfare of all people. His achievements include five terms as Hamilton County Commissioner, where he was selected to be chairman or vice chairman more times than any of his peers. He was the first black minister to be president of the Clergy Association of Greater Chattanooga; was board chairman of the Westside Community Development Corp.; and was chairman of the Church Koinonia Federal Credit Union. He also serves on advisory boards for various community groups and has been recognized as a civil rights advocate through numerous other activities. Gamma Pi Archon Curtis Collier, chief judge of the U.S. District Court, presented the award to Archon McDaniel. Archon John S. Adams Grapter, Gamma Pi Boulé

Kirk Law Honored With Purdue Award

urdue University’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering recognized Archon Kirk Law of San Jose, California’s Gamma Chi Boulé with its 2012 Outstanding Electrical and Computing Engineering Award on November 2, 2012, in Lafayette, Indiana. Since 1992 the school has presented the award annually to a select group of alumni who have demonstrated exemplary

accomplishment, leadership and service to community. Only 195 distinguished alumni have been recipients among a vast field of more than 20,000. The vice president of engineering for the manageability engineering group at Network Applications (NetApp), Archon Law is responsible for strategy, planning, development and technology partnering of storage systems Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 83

technologies. Before joining NetApp, he was vice president of systems and platform development for Cacheflow (now Blue Coat Systems, Inc.), a web acceleration company. Prior to that he was with SGI, formerly Silicon Graphics Computer Systems, where he had a primary role in its push to be a premier digital media systems and solutions provider to such entertainment media customers as Lucasfilm, Digital Domain, Disney and CBS. He became a senior director of

engineering, achieving a wide range of results: developing applicationspecific integrated circuits (ASICs) and managing system platform developments, software teams and products, and technical relationships with various partners and customers. Archon Law began his career at the David Sarnoff Research Center in Princeton, New Jersey, and then moved to a research and development center for RCA Corp. There he received several patents in digital TV processing technologies.

A past Sire Archon of Gamma Chi Boulé and a former chair of its social action committee, Archon Law is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers and Eta Kappa Nu, Purdue’s electrical engineering honor society. With bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Purdue, he resides with his Archousa, Sheray, in San Jose, California. Archon Eric Sibley Grapter, Gamma Chi Boulé

Williams Is RIT Distinguished Minett Professor

Stephanie Paredes, the multicultural student life coordinator at the Office for Diversity and Inclusion at Rochester Institute of Technology, and Archon Kevin Williams

ochester, New York’s Gamma Iota Archon Kevin Williams, previously department head of materials science at Kodak Research Laboratories, on October 26, 2012, was appointed the 2012–13 Distinguished Minett Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology. During his tenure he will be attached to the School of Chemistry and Materials Science at RIT’s College of Science. Appointees receive a one-year honorarium and a lifetime ambassadorial relationship with the institution. The professorship recognizes and appoints outstanding African American, Hispanic and Native American professionals in the Rochester area to a college of 84

their choice. Minett professors are expected to share their professional knowledge and experience with RIT students, faculty and staff for one academic year. Bill Destler, RIT president, and Kevin McDonald, vice president and associate provost for diversity and inclusion, make the appointments. Archon Williams’s professorship will focus on instituting a graduate-level seminar course in materials sciences. Minett professorships have been awarded to other Archons since the position was instituted in 1991. These include Archons Matthew Augustine, then CEO of Eltrex Inc.; Clayton Osborne, then senior vice president of human resources at Bausch & Lomb;

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William A. Johnson, former mayor of Rochester; Michael Finney, then CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise; Emerson Fullwood, former senior vice president of marketing at Xerox Corp.; and James Norman, CEO of Action for a Better Community. Archon Williams joined Kodak in 1992 as a chemist in the dye-research laboratories, and his accomplishments since include thirty U.S. patents and numerous scientific publications. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers and the Research Scientific Council. His extensive knowledge in the photochemical and digital-printing industry will be a boon to the students and faculty in the college. With a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Lincoln University, Archon Williams earned his doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh. He was a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University from 1990 to 1992. He is married to his college sweetheart, Archousa Diana R. Williams, a pediatrician in private practice. The two have four daughters: Keana, a first-year law student at Pennsylvania State University; Devin, a senior at Spelman College; Kaiya, a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh; and Daria, a high-school sophomore. Archon Williams enjoys the outdoors and is an avid golfer. Archon Hoffman M. Lantum Grapter, Gamma Iota Boulé

Kip Holden Wins Third Term as Mayor

n November 6, 2012, Archon Melvin “Kip” Holden of Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s Alpha Xi Boulé was reelected mayor-president of Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish for an unprecedented third term, garnering 60 percent of the vote. Archon Holden, the first African American to be elected mayor of Baton Rouge, had served two terms with distinction but was cautioned about running for a third. Many were concerned that he could not win because no previous mayor had served more than two terms. Despite fierce competition from Republican opponent Mike Walker and two surprise no-party candidates, Archon Holden managed to pull off a third win in a district with a majority-white voting population.

“We love our parish; we’re not moving,” Archon Holden said to the crowd at his campaign headquarters. “We’re going to stay here; we’re going to be part of this parish; we’re going to continue to work. I still have a job to do, and we’re going to continue our job until the bitter end.” Archon Holden holds an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University, a master’s degree from Southern University and a law degree from the Southern University Law Center. He is the recipient of numerous awards and prizes for his community leadership. Archon Luke A. LaVergne Grapter, Alpha Xi Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 85

Columbia Urban League Honors Milton Kimpson

or his leadership in advancing social equality, Archon Milton Kimpson of Columbia, South Carolina’s Alpha Iota Boulé received the Whitney M. Young Award on October 30, 2012, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. The Columbia Urban League presented the award to Archon Kimpson and six other recipients for using their talents and resources to promote healthy communities for South Carolina’s residents. According to Columbia Urban League president and CEO James T. McLawhorn, “These honorees epitomize the essence of this year’s theme [Healthy Communities Promote Economic Empowerment] because they have continuously promoted healthy communities through their individual and collective efforts and support for social justice, civil discourse, corporate social responsibility, community service, volunteerism, philanthropy and education.” From humble beginnings in the cotton fields of Calhoun County to the cabinet of South Carolina’s governor, Archon Kimpson has traveled a storied path to great achievement while serving his community and state with distinction and humility. After graduating from Benedict College with a B.S. in mathematics and serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, Archon Kimpson began his teaching career at Booker T. Washington High School in Columbia as a mathematics teacher. He later distinguished himself as a principal at two of the city’s elementary schools before being selected as a supervisor of elementary education at the South Carolina Department of Education. In 1979 Governor Richard W. Riley appointed Archon Kimpson executive director of health, education and human services. While in this position, Archon Kimpson provided leadership and assistance to the governor in the passage of the landmark Education Improvement Act of 1984. Riley subsequently appointed Archon Kimpson to the South Carolina Workers Compensation Commission, where he was later named chairman. Archon Kimpson retired from state government in 1994 as the deputy commissioner for program services at the Department of Corrections. Among his many honors and awards, Archon Kimpson has received the Order of the Palmetto from the South Carolina governor and the Friend of Education Award from the South Carolina Education Association; he has also been named Man of the Year by the NAACP and Public Servant of the Year by the South Carolina Association of Minorities for Public Administration. Archon Kimpson had one of the buildings at his alma mater, Benedict College, named after him in February 2013. Archon Kimpson and his family are members of St. John Baptist Church in Columbia, where he is chairman emeritus of the deacon board and chairman of the advisory committee of the preschool education board and sings in the senior choir. Archon Kimpson and Archousa Wilhelmina Page Kimpson have three sons. Archon Dennis N. Cannon, Jr. Grapter, Alpha Iota Boulé

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NELI Honors Nikki Newton for Leadership

n Friday, November 9, 2012, at the InterContinental Kansas City, the National Eagle Leadership Institute (NELI) and CareerFocus magazine named Kansas City, Missouri’s Theta Archon Nikki F. Newton a 2012 honoree at the 20th Annual NELI Awards Gala. The event is a national salute to forward-thinking companies and executives who set a higher standard of business and community leadership. Archon Newton is senior vice president and director of global institutional marketing for Waddell & Reed Asset Management Group; as head of the institutional marketing group, he guides a significant portion of the company’s commercial investment efforts.

In nominating Archon Newton for this prestigious award, Waddell & Reed’s chief executive officer and chairman, Henry J. Herrmann, said: “Nikki and I have worked together for close to fourteen years. This gentleman in his personal and professional life behaves in a manner consistent with the highest ethical standards and with unquestionable integrity. He is broadly recognized and respected for his dedication, energy and character by all who work with him.” The 20th Annual NELI Awards Gala was sponsored by AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and WellPoint, and KCP&L joined Sprint in sponsoring the executive Leadership Exchange Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 87

– NELI’s pre-gala leadership development forum. Launched in 1995, NELI is the network for leadership in forward thinking; its programs help organizations develop, recognize, recruit and retain professionals who set a higher standard of leadership and strive to discover their highest potential. CareerFocus magazine launched the Eagle Award in 1993 and now shares the presentation with NELI. Recipients are nominated by the corporate chairman, president or CEO based on their leadership in the company.

The award carries privilege and responsibility. Winners accept a twoyear appointment to NELI’s Eagle Advisory Council, through which they are connected to a national network of leaders who are past Eagle Award recipients. Building the next generation of leaders, Eagle Award winners become advisors to NELI’s Corporate Bound Academy Leadership Challenge, where they inform, influence and inspire college students poised for corporate leadership. In commenting on the longevity and high standards required of annual honorees, Georgia L. Clark,

NELI’s founder and president, said, “Our honorees drive change, influence business trends and inspire us all to practice a higher standard of leadership.” The past board president of the American Jazz Museum, current finance chair of Operation Breakthrough, and vice chair of the Local Investment Commission, Archon Newton is married to Archousa Kim. Together they are the proud parents of one daughter, Piper. Archon Michael A. Bryant Grapter, Theta Boulé

Brown Authors Book on School Diversity

he twenty-second book authored by Chapel Hill, North Carolina’s Epsilon Gamma Boulé Archon Frank D. Brown, Diversity in Schools: Debating Issues in American Education, was published by SAGE Publication, Los Angeles, in October 2012. The book joins his more than 350 various publications. The Cary C. Boshamer Distinguished Professor and dean emeritus of the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Archon Brown is a state review officer for legal issues in special education for North Carolina. With a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in policy, planning and administration, he has held several academic and administrative positions: lecturer in education and acting director of mathematics and science education at UC Berkeley; associate director of the New York State Commission 88

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on the Quality, Cost and Financing of Elementary and Secondary Education; assistant professor and director of City College of New York’s Institute for Urban Systems; professor of educational administration at the consolidated Ph.D. program in public policy and director of the Cora P. Maloney College at the State University of New York at Buffalo; visiting professor at Qatar University; and visiting scholar at UC Berkeley. He is a graduate of Harvard University Advanced Management Program and Oxford University’s worldwide diversity program. Among his many publications are books, book chapters and articles in academic journals, and he has served on the editorial boards of several academic journals: Emerging Leadership, Education and Urban Society, Journal of Negro Education, Journal of the Alliance of Black School Educators, School Business Affairs, Educational Policy, Journal of Black Studies, Education Law Journal, and Brigham Young University Education and Law Journal. He is listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in Black America. His senior-level elected positions are vice president with the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and president of AERA’s Organization of Institutional Affiliates. He has served on the boards of directors of the Holmes Education group, Education Law Association, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Indiana University’s Center for Urban and Multicultural Education, the North Carolina Commission on Education for Economic Growth, and Graduate Record Examinations Board and Educational Testing Service. Archon Brown’s academic honors and awards include a fellowship at Harvard University’s Institute for Educational Management, a doctoral fellowship from UC Berkeley and graduate fellowships from Washington University, Oregon State University and the University of Oklahoma. He was recognized for outstanding service by AERA, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, SUNY at Buffalo, The Educational Law Association and the Buffalo Urban League among other local, state and national organizations. He specializes in school law, policy studies, local school administration and higher-education administration. Archon Joseph A. Battle Grapter, Epsilon Gamma Boulé

Keith Williamson Promoted to Executive VP

entene Corp. on November 28, 2012, announced the promotion of St. Louis, Missouri’s Eta Boulé Archon Keith Williamson to executive vice president, secretary and general counsel. Centene is a St. Louis–based multiline health-care enterprise that provides managedcare programs and related services to adults and children receiving benefits under Medicaid. In 2011 Centene posted a profit of $111.2 million on revenue of $5.3 billion. Prior to Centene, Archon Williamson spent eighteen years with Pitney Bowes, Inc., a Fortune 350 leader of mainstream solutions in Stamford, Connecticut. There he was a

divisional general counsel before crossing over to running the business side of the division in 1999. Archon Williamson is a graduate of Brown University, where he studied economics and sociology. After graduating, Williamson went on to earn both his J.D. and M.B.A. from Harvard University. He later added an LL.M. in taxation from New York University School of Law to his curriculum vitae. Archon Leo H. Ming, Jr. Grapter, Eta Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 89

Robinsons Cochair McDonald House Gala

Archousa Michele Halyard-Robinson and Archon Kevin Robinson

rchon Kevin L. Robinson of Gamma Mu Boulé, Phoenix, and his Archousa, Mayo Clinic physician Michele Halyard-Robinson, were the 2012 cochairs of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Phoenix’s A McNight to Remember in OZ Gala held Saturday, November 3, 2012, at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel. The gala is an elegant event attended by nearly 500 influential members of the Valley, or greater Phoenix, community. The evening featured dinner, dancing, Heart of the House Awards, a raffle and more than one hundred live and silent-auction items. All proceeds help Ronald McDonald House Charities of Phoenix (RMHC) provide comfort, support and a home away from home for families with seriously ill or injured children. In 2012 Archon Robinson served as the vice president on the board of directors for RMHC of Phoenix. Effective January 1, 2013, he began his term as the president. Archon Robinson explained that the Ronald McDonald House – there are two in the Valley, with a third slated for opening in the latter part of 2013 – offers all the comforts of home for families with children facing medical challenges, providing an atmosphere of comfort, hope and courage. Last year the “House” was home to 2,284 families, with an average stay of approximately fourteen nights. Of those families, 90 percent are from Arizona with the remaining

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10 percent from outside the state, including several from outside the United States. Archousa Halyard-Robinson said, “We get families from around the world. They travel to Phoenix for medical attention for their children. In what is clearly a very stressful and hectic time in their lives, the Ronald McDonald House becomes a haven for families.” Each evening dinner is prepared and served by a corps of volunteers, allowing the parents to concentrate on their ill or injured children. Families are asked to pay a small amount to cover expenses but those who are unable to pay are not turned away. Instead, proceeds from events such as the McNight to Remember in OZ Gala go to support them financially. Archon Robinson credited his Archousa and the terrific staff at the RMHC of Phoenix with the gala’s success: The event raised an all-time record high of $325,000. He added, “The proceeds will go a long way in providing that home away from home for thousands of families when they need it the most. It’s an honor and a privilege to be associated with such an organization.” Archon Kenny W. Harris Grapter, Gamma Mu Boulé

Archon Max Siegel Has a Drive to Succeed

hen most of us think of professional auto racing, we tend to think about one of the four major circuits: NASCAR (stock-car racing), the Champ Car circuit (formerly IndyCar and CART), the Indy Racing League circuit or Formula One. But whichever one is your cup of tea, the one common thread in auto racing is that it has not historically been a sport known for its racial diversity. Archon Max Siegel of Indianapolis’s Alpha Eta Boulé is doing his part to change that. In early November Kyle Larson won the 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship. Larson, a Japanese American driver, is also a graduate of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity (D4D) program – which Archon Siegel manages – and Rev Racing, a team that he owns. Archon Siegel has been in the sports-and-entertainment business for more than two decades, building a successful career as a music-industry executive and as a sports lawyer, representing figures such as Hall of Famers Reggie White and Tony Gwynn. Racing, however, was in his blood from a very young age, and he stayed close to that industry. “Growing up as a kid, I used to go to the Indianapolis 500,” he recalled. “Reggie White and I were best friends, and he was very passionate about racing. After he retired from the NFL, Reggie told me that there was a lot of opportunity in NASCAR for people of color and encouraged me to get involved in the industry.”

When Archon Siegel was named president of global operations for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI), in 2006, he became the first African American senior executive of a NASCAR franchise. From DEI he went on to launch Rev Racing, a developmental racing team aimed at increasing the presence of diverse drivers and crew members within NASCAR. Rev Racing is the competition arm of D4D, which focuses on recruiting and developing talent and providing the necessary skills for drivers and crew members to succeed. The program is also designed to broaden NASCAR’s appeal. Archon Siegel – who has created racing-themed television and film properties, including the 2010 BET Networks series Changing Lanes and the 2011 ESPN documentary Wendell Scott: A Race Story – also has a full-time job as CEO of USA Track & Field, a position he has held since May 2012. In addition, he is the author of Know What Makes Them Tick: How to Successfully Negotiate Almost Any Situation. Archon Siegel and his Archousa, Dr. Jennifer Satterfield-Siegel, a successful dentist, live in Indianapolis with their three children. Archon H. Allen Wright, Jr. Grapter, Alpha Eta Boulé

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George Brown’s Courtroom Portrait Unveiled

Archon George Brown and Archousa Lillian Brown

ovember 15, 2012, marked the unveiling of a portrait of Archon George H. Brown, Jr., of Memphis’s Delta Boulé in his former courtroom at the Shelby County

Circuit Court for the 30th Judicial District at Memphis. Before joining the judiciary, Archon Brown was selected to be director of Memphis Area Legal Services. He

was working in private practice when Tennessee’s then governor, and now senator, Lamar Alexander, asked him to serve as a justice on the Tennessee Supreme Court in 1980. Archon Brown was a circuit court judge in Memphis from 1983 to 2005. His many awards include the Sam A. Myar, Jr. Memorial Award for outstanding service to the legal profession and the community and the Chancellor Charles A. Rond Outstanding Jurist Award. The edifice in which his portrait – an acrylic painting by the talented artist Brenda Joysmith – will be hung is a historic Greek Revival stone and marble structure built in the early 1900’s as the Shelby County Courthouse, now renovated and modernized to last another century. Shelby County state courts have a tradition of commemorating their outstanding judges by commissioning their portraits to hang in the courtrooms; some portraits go back to the mid-nineteenth century. The community of Memphis is pleased to see Archon Brown’s portrait join the gallery of historic judges who have served the county, state and legal profession so well.

Edward R. Hills Receives Meharry Award

eharry Medical College School of Medicine alumnus Archon Edward R. Hills of Nashville’s Chi Boulé received the 2012 Axel C. Hansen, M.D., Distinguished Physician Award on October 8, 2012. The award is given to an alumnus who has demonstrated leadership and personal commitment to the Meharry mission of service through the exemplary practice of medicine. Archon Hills, a 1966 graduate of Meharry who also completed his residency at Meharry’s Hubbard Hospital, is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Meharry and director of the division of gynecology. Previously, he was a full-time faculty member in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Harvard University. Archon Hills has received many accolades during his thirty-three years on the Meharry faculty, including being honored at a recognition 92

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dinner during the 20th annual W.F.B. James Symposium in Obstetrics and Gynecology in April 2008 and, in May 2008, being given the Meharry School of Medicine Distinguished Professor Award. Archon Hills was the 2009 faculty recipient of the Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award and received the 2012 National Faculty Award from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology for promoting high standards in ob-gyn residency training. In 2011 Archon Hills became a member of Meharry’s Guardians of Our Legacy, a group of donors who have given $100,000 or more to the school, and also established an endowed scholarship at Meharry that bears his name. Archon Billy R. Ballard Grapter, Chi Boulé

C. Douglas Dixon Receives Service Award

estchester County, New York’s Beta Zeta Archon C. Douglas Dixon was honored with a service award on October 31, 2012, at an awards banquet for the National Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. (NMSDC), at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. Archon Dixon has served as NMSDC’s general counsel and corporate secretary for more than thirty-two years. The council’s mission is to provide a direct link between corporate America and black, Hispanic, Asian and NativeAmerican–owned businesses. The NMSDC network’s national office and thirty-six regional councils across the country have 3,500 corporate members, including some of the nation’s top publicly owned, privately owned and foreign-owned companies and universities, hospitals and other buying institutions. These businesses have purchased more than $100 billion in goods and services from certified minority suppliers during the past year. To capture global opportunities, NMSDC established a global link that led to the establishment of affiliate organizations in Australia, Canada, China, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Archon Dixon’s work within the organization did not go unnoticed: NMSDC’s president, Joset Wright, said, “C. Douglas Dixon has provided sound and expert legal advice in many areas for years.” With a B.A. from the University of Cincinnati and a J.D. from Georgetown University, this outstanding attorney has specialized in business and corporate law, handling the

purchase, sale and leasing of residential and commercial real estate; negotiating contracts for producers, managers and recording artists; and handling the acquisition of companies through stock and asset purchase agreements. He has been assistant general counsel to Sterling Drug, Inc., and counsel to the law firm Adorno & Yoss. Archon Dixon has shown a strong commitment to community through his service on the Westchester County African American Advisory Board, the Association of Black Lawyers of Westchester County and African American Men of Westchester, where he also is general counsel. He is a successful real-estate developer, serving as general counsel and shareholder in Hillside Development Corp. and Hillside Realty & Management Corp., two of Westchester County’s largest minority-owned real-estate companies. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and chairman of the Arthur S. Dixon Family Foundation. He has been married to Archousa Priscilla Dixon for more than thirty-eight years. The couple have a son, C. Douglas Dixon, Jr., and a daughter, Angela Patrice Dixon Allamby, and four grandchildren: Alexander Allamby, Alana Allamby, Emily Dixon and Charles Douglas Dixon III. They are active members of Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, New York. Archon C. Douglas Dixon Grapter, Beta Zeta Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 93

Highsmith Speaks at Philanthropy Event

ocusing on the theme “Bold Innovation for Changing Times,” the 28th Annual National Philanthropy Day in Connecticut Conference and Awards Banquet was held at the Trumbull Marriott on November 15, 2012. Archon Carlton Highsmith of New Haven, Connecticut’s Beta Tau Boulé was the banquet speaker. The conference, presented by U.S. Trust and cosponsored by the Connecticut and Fairfield County chapters of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, brought together experts in philanthropy and presented a wide range of educational programs for professional development in the field. Philanthropist and entrepreneur Archon Highsmith, who is the retired vice chairman of PaperWorks Industries of Philadelphia, was also the founder, president and chief executive officer of the Specialized Packaging Group, Inc., which was launched in 1983 and merged with PaperWorks in 2009.

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In his speech, Archon Highsmith spoke about the need for innovation in the face of current economic challenges, and how it was key to his own business success: “Innovation is a topic close to my heart because it was at the core of how I built and ran my business for nearly thirty years. In fact, there was no more important element to our success than innovation. It drove how we thought about and how we approached many of our greatest challenges.” He also talked about what nonprofits can learn from business. “We need to explain to donors why structuring and operating nonprofits more like high-performing business operations, with investment and growth strategies similar to those of the best market-based enterprises, creates an unprecedented opportunity to maximize their donor impact,” he said. ConnCAT, or the Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology, was one example of this concept in action that Archon Highsmith presented. Of the nonprofit adult job-training center, which he helped establish and fund in 2012 and where he is currently chairman of the board, he said, “We’ve been innovative in the selection of our people and how we have invested in them. When it came to hiring staff, they all had to be highly educated, highly trained, highly motivated and unemployed. We felt strongly that hiring folks who had themselves felt the sting of unemployment would give us a staff of keenly sensitized professionals who could identify on a more personal level with the people that we would serve.” Archon Highsmith, vice chairman of Quinnipiac University’s board of trustees and a member of its School of Business and Engineering Hall of Fame, made a $1 million endowment gift to the university in 2012 to support entrepreneurial programs at the business school. He also sits on the board of First Niagara Bank and is a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s New England Community Economic Advisory Council. He closed his speech with these inspirational words: “As we gather here today with different ideas about exactly where and how to expend our philanthropic efforts, deploy our many different skills and allocate our financial resources, I hope we are united in the deep and thorough passion that weaves through all of this important work. I hope we are all equally motivated by the fact that as we achieve the many wonderful things for which we strive, we, too, become filled with more joy, more satisfaction, more hope and more compassion for creating a dignified environment for our fellow human beings. Keep that as the basis for your work, and together we will continue to do extraordinary things through the challenging times ahead.” Archon Highsmith, who has a B.A. in economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, is a recipient of the University of Wisconsin Distinguished Alumni Award. He holds honorary doctorates from Quinnipiac University and Albertus Magnus College. He lives in Middlebury, Connecticut, with his Archousa, Leta. They have two daughters, Alexis and Jennifer. Archon Frederick W. McKinney Grapter, Beta Tau Boulé

Mayor Michael Bloomberg with Archon Frank Savage

Bloomberg Hosts Reception for Frank Savage

ew York City’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg, held a reception for Archon Frank Savage of that city’s Zeta Boulé on November 15, 2012, at the Bloomberg Family Foundation to launch his memoirs, The Savage Way: Successfully Navigating the Waves of Business and Life. The nearly 300 guests included members of Archon Savage’s family, Archons and Archousai of Zeta Boulé and neighboring boulés, local dignitaries, business associates and friends. Mayor Bloomberg commended Archon Savage for his insightful book, which lays out the principles that have governed his successful life and international business career. The story of Archon Savage’s rise from humble beginnings under the guidance of his entrepreneurial mother – Madame La Savage, as she was known in the business world – to the heights of international finance and ocean sailboat racing will serve as an inspiration to all, especially those from similar backgrounds. Archon Kenneth Chenault of Zeta Boulé said this about Archon Savage: “One of the qualities I’ve most admired

about Frank is that he has made his big dreams a reality. And he has brought others along with him, opening doors for many people and creating opportunities for minorityowned businesses.” Archon Earl Graves, also of Zeta, said this about the book: “Frank Savage could have stopped at writing an excellent and thought-provoking memoir. However, it has never been his way to do just enough. Savage goes further, sharing the valuable lessons of an extraordinary life, expressed through his love of sailing. Savage shows that not all paths to self-discovery and fulfillment are by land; sometimes the journey is by sea.” Sire Archon Ralph Dawson commends Archon Savage on his inspiring book and thanks him for his continued support of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity and Zeta Boulé. Archon Samuel J. Chisholm Grapter, Zeta Boulé

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John Williams Recognized for His Service

Archousa Karen Williams, Archon John Williams and Archousa Christine Price

impson Memorial United Methodist Church in Charleston, West Virginia, held its annual Men’s Day Celebration on Sunday, November 18. As part of the service, the congregation paused to recognize the 2012 Man of the Year, Archon John Williams of Charleston’s Upsilon Boulé. Archon Williams and his family have been active and instrumental members of Simpson Memorial United Methodist

for more than three decades, working tirelessly on behalf of various church interests. He is currently treasurer, managing day-to-day finances. A sage financial advisor and investor, he ensures the institution’s fiscal stability by overseeing its financial investments. Archon Williams also leads the external outreach effort through the Simpson Memorial United Methodist Church Outreach Foundation, which joins

with others to support downtrodden individuals in the community. He is married to Archousa Karen Williams, the daughter of deceased Upsilon Archon Charles Price and his Archousa, Christine. The couple have three children and are lifelong residents of West Virginia. Archon T. Ramon Stuart Grapter, Upsilon Boulé

Haynes Elected Frankfort City Commissioner

rankfort, Kentucky’s Delta Tau Archon Tommy Haynes entered his first political campaign in 2012 by declaring to run for a seat on the Frankfort City Commission. In the primary election, Archon Haynes finished fifth at the polls out of eleven. Eight went to the general election with the top four being named commissioners. On election night, November 6, the focus was on the Presidential

race, which many thought would be too close to call. While all eyes were on the nationwide voting, Archon Haynes jumped into the lead with a few precincts remaining, subsequently finishing second to the leader by fifteen votes and being selected as a commissioner. His campaign team received many compliments for informing the public of the candidate’s superior accomplishments through the use of

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advertisements and other strategies, making a relative unknown stand out in the pack. On the first Monday in 2013 Archon Haynes was sworn in as Frankfort’s second African American commissioner. Archon Tommy Z. Haynes Grapter, Delta Tau Boulé

Gus Ridgel Honored for Breaking Barriers

rankfort, Kentucky’s Delta Tau Sire Archon Gus T. Ridgel, who in 1950 was the first black student to attend the University of Missouri, was featured in an article in The State Journal on October 22, 2012, for overcoming segregation and racism at that institution. From August 29 to September 2, 2012, Archon Ridgel spoke to several groups of students and faculty at the university and many were brought to tears by his testimony. One student commented that his statements gave her hope and that extra push to pursue her degree. As a student Archon Ridgel sued the university at the behest of the NAACP – challenging the so-called separate but equal laws in place at the time – to be allowed entrance into the graduate program. His successful lawsuit attracted media attention in Missouri but went virtually unnoticed nationally. In his talk Archon Ridgel described living in a twoperson dorm room alone because no one wanted him as a roommate. Unable to afford two years of graduate school at the university, he completed the coursework of a two-year master’s program in one academic year. He was the first person ever to finish a master’s degree at the University of Missouri in two semesters; he graduated in June 1951 with a master’s degree in economics. A fellowship and a room in the school’s student union

have been named after him: The Gus T. Ridgel Fellowship, established at the university in 1987, supports education for underrepresented minority graduate students. Having secured his master’s, Archon Ridgel began a long career in academia, first as head of the department of business at Fort Valley State College in Georgia from 1951 to 1958. In 1957 he earned a doctorate in economics from the University of Wisconsin and subsequently became head of the business department at Fort Valley State College; visiting professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Bombay, India; professor and head of the department of business and economics and then dean of the business school at Kentucky State University; vice president for academic affairs, Central State University; and system vice president for academic affairs at Southern University and A&M College, among many other academic positions. Archon Ridgel, who retired from Kentucky State University in 1998, has had an amazing impact on students across the country. Archon Ridgel served as the first Sire Archon of the Central Region and was very involved in the formation and setting apart of Delta Tau Boulé. Archon Tommy Z. Haynes Grapter, Delta Tau Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 97

Watson Interviews Historic Veterans of Color

Sire Archon Charles Walker, Archons William Watkins and Bernard Watson, Past Sire Archon Herman “Bo” Bell and Archon Robert Fitzgerald

n November 28, 2012, and on January 26, 2013, the film Veterans of Color was shown at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia and the Schomburg Center in New York City, respectively. Sarasota, Florida’s Gamma Xi Archon Bernard Watson, who interviewed many of its subjects, was instrumental in bringing this film to fruition. The film has been a long time in preparation. In 2000 the U.S. Congress established the Veterans Project to preserve and make accessible oral accounts of American war veterans, which will enable future generations to hear directly from veterans about their

experiences and better understand the realities of war. The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) partnered with and endorsed the Veterans Project to assist in making sure the voices of African American veterans were represented in this endeavor. In 2008 Archousa Lois Watson, president of the Manasota, Florida, branch of ASALH, appointed a committee to launch the Veterans History Project locally. The team members included Gamma Xi Archons William Watkins, chairperson, and Robert E. Fitzgerald, as well as Archon Watson. The Ringling College of Art and Design’s

film department assisted the effort. Local veterans were contacted, and Archon Watson, an ASALH member, conducted thirty-one interviews of male and female veterans in 2008 and 2009. The interviews were sent to the Library of Congress, and each veteran received a DVD of his or her interview for personal and family use. When this phase was completed, ASALH had a film capturing major themes that would help the wider community understand the challenges faced by people of color during their lifetimes. A trailer was developed to facilitate fund-raising for the film; funding was approved, and the film was completed in 2011. The struggles and triumphs of black male and female veterans were featured, among them those who stormed the beaches in Normandy, flew as Tuskegee Airmen, experienced the pain and chaos of Korea and Vietnam, and suffered the humiliation and segregation of civilian and military life. Their experiences span the globe, and they later on went on to become successful in every field of human endeavor. Included in the film but now deceased are Archons Caroll Buchanan and Yenwith Whitney. Gamma Xi Boulé is proud to salute its veterans. Archon Jesse F. Anderson, Jr. Grapter, Gamma Xi Boulé

Spann Named to Senior Leadership Role

rammateus Thomas Spann of Loudoun County, Virginia’s Epsilon Zeta Boulé became vice president of sales and operations for ASG Federal, Inc., on November 17, 2012. ASG Federal is a $50 million subsidiary of ASG Software, a privately held enterprise automationmanagement software company that provides cloud enablement and big data-management solutions to roughly 85 percent of Fortune 1,000 companies as well as governments around the world. At ASG Federal, Archon Spann has overall responsibility for sales, marketing, product development, channel enablement and customer support.

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An eighteen-year veteran of the software industry, Archon Spann has a reputation for detailed strategic planning and aggressive execution of business plans – skills that have resulted in double-digit revenue growth for both start-ups and market leaders alike. He is also a former field-grade U.S. Army officer who held numerous staff and command positions as an elite Army ranger. An avid saltwater sport fisherman and golfer, Archon Spann lives in northern Virginia with his Archousa, Harvetta, daughter, Lauren, and son, Brandon. Archon Patrick W. Brown Grapter, Epsilon Zeta Boulé

Alvin Robinson Becomes a Centenarian

n Tuesday December 4, 2012, Northern Virginia’s Beta Nu Archon Alvin Robinson celebrated his one-hundredth birthday in Silver Spring, Maryland. Archon Robinson was born in McLean, Virginia, one of five children: four boys and a girl. As he discussed his childhood, he reminisced that he never really knew his parents, who both died when he was quite young. Members of his parents’ family took him and his siblings in. He and one of his brothers were raised by his Uncle “Tap,” Tascoe Theodore Robinson. Another relative took his other two brothers, and a family friend cared for his sister. When asked about the discrepancy between the boulé’s records, which list him as having been born in 1913, and his own information, he informed us that on one occasion while he was securing a copy of his birth certificate to travel abroad, the year of his birth was inadvertently changed to 1913 and he was never able to get it corrected. But he knew that he was born in 1912, so he never pursued the matter. Archon Robinson attended Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C., and after graduation he went on to Howard University, where he earned his baccalaureate and then his degree in medicine. He completed specialty training in obstetrics and gynecology at Howard University and was on the faculty until he retired forty years later. A sprightly and engaging person, Archon Robinson has a physical appearance and energy level that belie his one hundred years of existence. Wearing a smart jacket and tie and fashionable slacks, he entertained us in the sitting area of his assisted-living complex. We were told he had chosen not to add socks to his ensemble as his grandson had informed him socks were no longer in style, and he had chosen to keep up with fashion. When asked to what he attributed his longevity, he replied, “Walking! As a boy I walked everywhere. I lived on the Virginia side of Chain Bridge Road, and the trolley to Washington, D.C., arrived on the Washington side. So every day I walked from Virginia over to Washington, D.C.” He said his grandfather, the only black man to own land

in the McLean area, sectioned some of it into half-acre lots to sell to fellow black people who otherwise would not have been able to purchase land in that area during those years. When asked what he thought of President Barack Obama’s election as President of the United States, he was so overcome with emotion that he pushed his glasses up onto his forehead and covered his eyes with his hands to staunch his tears. After a long pause, he huskily replied, “Not in my lifetime, not in my lifetime, I never thought that I would see it in my lifetime.” Archon Robinson is a charter member of Beta Nu Boulé and on the program for the setting apart of Beta Nu in 1981, he is listed as a “lead Archon,” one who was instrumental in the formation of the Beta Nu Boulé. He

spends his days reading and watching his flat-screen television, where he keeps up with Washington politics and national news. He is an avid football fan and easily discussed the merits of the Washington Redskins and their quarterback RG3. He is also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and was affiliated with the Mu Lambda chapter in Washington, D.C. As I took my leave, Archon Robinson walked me to the elevator to bid farewell. While names sometimes escape him, events and occasions have not. In turn, my visit with him left me wiser and more knowledgeable than when I first arrived. Archon Ryle A. Bell Grapter, Beta Nu Boulé

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Cummings Reelected Ranking Member of House Oversight Committee

Press conference announcing the reelection of Archon Elijah Cummings as ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in the 113th Congress

n December 5, 2012, the House Democratic Caucus the challenges facing our economy and housing market, reelected Archon Elijah E. Cummings of Baltimore’s ensures effective implementation of ObamaCare and Gamma Boulé, representative of Maryland’s 7th improves government efficiency so that each of us has a

Congressional District, to serve as ranking member of fair shot at achieving the American dream.” the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in the 113th Congress.

During his tenure as ranking member, Archon Cummings has defended the President’s policies against the ideo-

“I am honored to continue serving as ranking member logically motivated agenda of the Republican majority and and look forward to working with committee members ensured that the President and his Cabinet are treated fairly on issues that go to the very heart of the lives of the by the Committee. He has also fought to hold the administraAmerican people,” said Archon Cummings. “I am hopeful tion to a high standard of excellence and to ensure efficiency the chairman and I can devise an agenda that addresses and effectiveness in the actions of the government of the 100

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President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Archon Elijah Cummings in the Oval Office of the White House

United States. Archon Cummings has also worked to iden-

As the main investigative committee in the House of

tify appropriate reforms that prevent waste, fraud and abuse Representatives, Oversight and Government Reform and that ensure government programs meet the needs of has jurisdiction to investigate any federal program and the American people. Regarding all matters presented to any matter with federal policy implications. Archon the Committee, he has worked to ensure that hearings are Cummings launched a number of investigations that conducted in a fair and balanced manner.

examined important issues such as drug speculation by

Under his leadership, Committee Democrats have “gray market” drug companies, executive compensation conducted vigorous oversight to address the housing and alleged efforts to suppress the vote. His legislative and foreclosure crisis, protect the health, safety and successes include passage of a new law to strengthen pocketbooks of Americans, increase diversity in the protections for whistleblowers and his work to help military and cut government waste.

service members stay in their homes. Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 101

University of Iowa Honors Leodis Davis

n November 28, 2012, the University of Iowa Foundation announced the creation of the Leo Davis Fund in the department of chemistry to honor the career and contributions of Western Region Sire Archon Leodis Davis of Kansas City, Missouri’s Theta Boulé. He spent the bulk of his academic career at the University of Iowa and distinguished himself as a great citizen of the university community. As a teacher, researcher, colleague and administrator, he brought commitment, integrity and great personal warmth to every role he filled during his tenure. A native of Kansas City, Archon Davis graduated from Kansas City University and went on to earn master’s and doctoral degrees in biochemistry from Iowa State University. After faculty appointments at Tennessee State University and Howard University, Archon Davis was appointed to the University of Iowa faculty in 1969 and named a full professor of chemistry in 1976. His service to the university community

included a term as chair of the chemistry department, associate vice president for academic affairs and senior associate provost of the university for budget and planning. He was designated professor emeritus upon his retirement in 1997. The fund, which will be used at the discretion of the chair of the chemistry department to support visiting lecturers and other needs of the department, will become endowed once the University of Iowa Foundation’s naming threshold of $50,000 is reached. When the fund reaches $250,000, the department will establish the Leo Davis faculty fellowship. In commenting on the announcement, former University of Iowa president Sandy Boyd said, “Leo Davis is simply a wonderful person all around. We look forward to celebrating him in a manner that befits his years of teaching, mentoring and service at the University of Iowa.” Archon Michael A. Bryant Grapter, Theta Boulé

Wilson Addresses First Bahamian MBA Grads

rchon Franklyn R. Wilson of Delta Lambda Boulé in Nassau, Bahamas, had the opportunity on December 9, 2012, to address the historic first graduating class of the M.B.A. program at the College of The Bahamas. Seventeen graduates – five men and twelve women – will receive the first independent graduate degrees from this institution as it proceeds on its path toward becoming a university. The occasion marked an important educational milestone in that Bahamians were able to remain in The Bahamas to pursue a graduate degree. The chairman of the College of The Bahamas from 2002 to 2007, Archon Wilson has always demonstrated an intense interest in education. When his chairmanship ended, he and his

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Archousa, Sharon, donated $1 million, the leading gift toward the establishment of the college’s Franklyn R. Wilson Graduate Business Centre. But as chairman of Arawak Homes and Sunshine Insurance and a chartered accountant, he has also had a stellar business career. Early on in this career, Archon Wilson was elected to the Bahamian parliament, where he served from 1972 to 1977. In his address to the first M.B.A class, Archon Wilson drew upon the many facets of his experience to inspire and encourage these promising future members of the business community. Archon Alpheus A. Finlayson Grapter, Delta Lambda Boulé

Warren Sworn in as Sacramento City Councilman

ast Sire Archon Allen Wayne Warren of Sacramento, California’s Gamma Epsilon Boulé was sworn in on December 11, 2012, as city councilman for District 2. It was a closely fought race: Archon Warren won by 139 votes. Archon Warren has indicated that his foray into politics was strongly influenced by his childhood friend, recently reelected Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, the former star of the National Basketball Association’s Phoenix Suns. He attributes his victory to a multitude of factors, including strong support from his lovely Archousa, Gina Warren, as well as their family and friends, the local

business community and voters. He also acknowledges the very solid support he received from the Archons of Gamma Epsilon; Archons Tommy Ross and Jim Lites were two of his very close campaign advisers. Archon Warren, who is the first African American to represent his predominantly minority district, states that he is eager to begin seeking solutions for his district as well as for the city of Sacramento. Archon Archie K. James Grapter, Gamma Epsilon Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 103

Archons Share Perspectives on Race with Students

Archon Don Hickman; Larry Ervin, Maryville director of multicultural affairs; and Archon Robert Kirk following speeches at the How It Works series

n November 28, 2012, Maryville College’s department of multicultural affairs hosted Knoxville, Tennessee’s Beta Theta Archons Robert Kirk, who founded the boulé, and Don Hickman to speak to students about racial discrimination and prejudice. Archon Kirk is the first African American full professor and academic department head at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Archon Hickman, a former FBI agent, Maryville College alumnus and past chair of the Maryville College National Alumni Association, serves on the Maryville College Board of Directors. Approximately twenty-five students from various backgrounds assembled in the Proffitt Dining Hall to listen to the two men discuss their unique experiences of racism. The department of multicultural affairs held this event as part of its How It Works program, a monthly series that hosts speakers who can bring light to issues of campus prejudice and discrimination. Recounting his personal experiences from desegregation to the present day, including earning an undergraduate degree at Fisk University, a historically black college, and a graduate degree at Indiana University, Archon Kirk stated that after being accepted to Indiana he was notified that, with his background, he would have to take two prerequisite courses. After much debate, he compromised with the dean, taking one of the “required courses.” However, the way he dealt with the issue was so impressive that the professor who had impeded him eventually became one of his closest colleagues. About his military service during the Korean War, Archon Kirk said that when he requested an exemption to complete his first year as a high-school teacher and coach, his application was denied, although white teachers were all granted exemptions. Apparent defeat later turned to victory, given the benefits that accompany military service: “It was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me, even though at the time I knew I was grossly discriminated against. I finally moved from considering myself a victim,” he said, to appreciating the opportunity his service offered. Then Archon Don Hickman spoke about his experience of bias in athletics, particularly in the South, where change does not come easily. His conclusion: People judge others based on whether or not they perceive warmth and 104

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Maryville College freshman Xavier Sales, Archon Don Hickman, Archon Robert Kirk and Maryville College senior Jerica Johnson discuss racial discrimination.

competence in them, especially during a first meeting. Telling the students how to avoid the prejudices of others while cautioning them against forming their own, he said, “Discrimination is much more subtle today than when I was your age. My advice is to pick your battles and make sure they are large enough to matter, but small enough to win.” He recalled the sage advice of his father in the mid-1960’s, when he was an All-State athlete in Tennessee with numerous college football scholarship offers: “The world is made up of black and white people, not black or white people. So go to a college where you can get a great education and learn to get along with others while you are young.” So Archon Hickman attended Maryville College, rather than an all-black school, which nevertheless has the distinction of being the first educational institution in the state of Tennessee to offer college education to African Americans and Native Americans. There he starred in football and was slated as a high-draft pick in the National Football League until the Vietnam conflict interrupted this plan. Following their remarks and a question-and-answer session, Archons Kirk and Hickman received thunderous applause and a standing ovation from students and faculty. Larry Ervin, director of multicultural affairs, expressed gratitude to them for demonstrating that “those who believe can achieve” in spite of prejudice and discrimination. Perhaps as important as this How It Works event is the possibility of a long-term relationship between Maryville College and Beta Theta Boulé. Following the speech, Maryville president Tom Bogart invited the boulé to hold its December monthly meeting on campus. Bogart served as host at the meeting and spoke about the importance of the connection with Beta Theta and other segments of the Greater Knoxville community in 2013. Archon Dennis R. Upton Grapter, Beta Theta Boulé Segments of this article and all photographs were used with permission of the editors of The Highland Echo student newspaper at Maryville College, Maryville, Tennessee.

GSF Promotes John Page to Senior Vice President

n December 14, 2012, in Irvine, California, Golden State Foods announced the promotion of Orange County’s Epsilon Epsilon Archon John E. Page from corporate vice president and general counsel to senior vice president and chief corporate social-responsibility and legal officer, effective immediately. He will oversee all social-responsibility efforts and initiatives and continue to manage legal matters for the company, ensuring that GSF’s goals are met. He will report to Mark Wetterau, chairman and CEO, and will keep an office in Irvine. “John has done an exceptional job building a solid social-responsibility team for the company as well as serving in his role as legal counsel,” said Wetterau. “As GSF has grown significantly in recent years to meet the needs and requirements of our customers, John has also taken on additional responsibilities in championing our

diversity efforts and sustainability initiatives as well as in the legal arena. He is an excellent example of GSF’s creed and values and a strong asset to our company’s leadership team.” Archon Page began his career at GSF in 2004 as general counsel and was promoted to corporate vice president and general counsel in 2006, where he has developed legal strategies for the organization including governmental regulatory compliance, contract administration, litigation management, labor and employment issues, corporate mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures, corporate governance, license permits and other legal responsibilities. He has driven GSF’s social-responsibility efforts including environmental, economic, social and community initiatives. During his tenure GSF was recognized with the California Association of Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 105

Black Lawyers’ David Cunningham Corporate Community Service Award and honored by the Black Women Lawyers of Los Angeles Foundation for contributions to children and families in the L.A. community and for supporting legal education. Archon Page’s honors include the Association of Corporate Counsel’s 2012 Matthew J. Whitehead II Diversity Award, Orange County Business Journal’s 2010

General Counsel of the year, and the National Bar Association’s C. Francis Stradford Award for leadership, integrity and legal skills. He is president of the National Bar Association and a member of the GSF Foundation’s board of directors. Originally from Brooklyn, Archon Page earned his B.A. in political science from Pace University, where he graduated cum laude with honors.

He received his juris doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was editor of the Law Review. The author of an uplifting book of essays, Bound for Excellence, he currently lives in Ladera Ranch, California, with his wife, Michele; the couple have three sons. Archon Ned Doffoney Grapter, Epsilon Epsilon Boulé

Alpha Phi Alpha Honors T. Ramon Stuart

Archons Charles T. Ledbetter and T. Ramon Stuart

n December 4, 2012, at a celebration of the 106th anniversary of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the members of Alpha Iota Lambda Chapter presented the 2012 Man of Merit Award to Charleston, West Virginia’s Upsilon Boulé Archon T. Ramon Stuart. The award honors the chapter member who has made the most outstanding contributions during a calendar year to area African American youths and to the African American community as a whole. The Alphas gave Archon Stuart the Man of Merit Plaque in recognition of his distinguished service to the youths and community of greater Charleston. As one of the visionaries of the chapter’s signature program, The Seven Stages of the Better Making of a Man, Archon Stuart played a key role organizing the event and as a facilitator, addressing participants about dress and etiquette. But the 106

highlight of his year of meritorious service was the Tuskegee Airmen Day at the Theater – a project he developed to preserve the legacy of the Airmen that treated more than 250 young people between 8 and 18 to a free showing at a local theater of the movie Red Tails, preceded by a pizza party and a lecture. This project was among the most enjoyable and informative activities ever held for black youths in Charleston. A 1999 initiate of Alpha Phi Alpha, he has life-member status and dual membership in Alpha Iota Lambda and Alpha Zeta Lambda chapters. He has held a variety of leadership capacities on the local and regional levels, including district director of West Virginia – the youngest member of the fraternity ever in this position. Archon Stuart is a 2008 initiate of Upsilon Boulé, where he played a significant role in the planning

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and execution of the 20th Biennial Central Region Boulé, leading to his selection as the Central Region Boulé Grammateus under the leadership of Archon William H. Jones of Beta Boulé. In his second term as Grammateus, he has led successful initiatives in the region, including the planning of the 21st Biennial Central Region Boulé, hosted by Beta Alpha Boulé, and the reactivation of Beta Omicron Boulé. On the Grand level, Archon Stuart cochaired two highly successful Young Adult Career Symposiums and was a member of the team that revised the current version of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity Protocol Manual; he currently serves on the Grammatei Best Practices Committee. Archon Stuart was recently named assistant provost and vice president of academic affairs at West Virginia State University, where he also teaches in the College of Professional Studies.

Comer Presents Commencement Address

eta Tau Boulé of New Haven, Connecticut, congratulates Archon James P. Comer, the Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine’s Child Study Center. Archon Comer presented the winter commencement address on December 15, 2012, at Coker College in Hartsville, South Carolina, and was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters. “We were honored that Dr. Comer accepted our invitation,” Coker College President Robert Wyatt said. “Since the Darlington County School District implemented the Comer School Development program in 2011, he has been an integral part of our community. “His life’s work vividly exemplifies the connections between scholarship, creative problem solving and service to others. It is especially fitting that we are able to honor him for his pioneering work in early-childhood education during this academic year, the year we opened the doors of the Wiggins School of Education at Coker College,” Wyatt added. Archon Comer is known nationally and internationally for his creation of the Comer School Development Program. Centered on teamwork, the program engages the collaborative efforts of parents, educators and community members to improve student development and academic learning outcomes for children that, in turn, help them achieve greater school success. Since early in

2011, he has been integral in the rollout of a comprehensive program to improve educational achievements of elementary-school students in Hartsville. The program, which is part of PULSE (Partners for Unparalleled Local Scholastic Excellence), is a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership involving the Darlington County School District, the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics, Coker College, Yale University and Sonoco. The five-year, $5 million initiative is funded by Sonoco and administered by the TEACH Foundation. Archon Comer’s work has been featured in numerous newspaper, magazine and television reports and has been published in many academic journals. A cofounder and past president of the Black Psychiatrists of America, he has been a consultant to the Children’s Television Workshop, which produces Sesame Street and The Electric Company, and has devoted his efforts to numerous local and national organizations serving children. He is also the author of ten books, including Maggie’s American Dream and Leave No Child Behind. Archon Comer received a B.A. from Indiana University, an M.D. from Howard University College of Medicine and an M.P.H. from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Archon Frederick W. McKinney Grapter, Beta Tau Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 107

Lynk Receives Spirit of Excellence Award

hoenix’s Gamma Mu Boulé congratulates Archon Myles V. Lynk – the Peter Kiewit Foundation Professor of Law and the Legal Profession at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law – for being named a recipient of the prestigious Spirit of Excellence Award, presented by the 108

American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession. The Spirit Awards Luncheon took place at the ABA’s annual Midyear Meeting in Dallas on February 9, 2013. The award – which has the Latin motto, “Ad astra per aspera” (“To the stars through difficulty”) – is presented annually to

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lawyers who excel in their professional setting, who personify excellence at the national, state or local level, and who have demonstrated a commitment to racial and ethnic diversity in the legal profession. Archon Cecil Patterson, a retired Arizona Court of Appeals judge, submitted a moving letter in support of Archon Lynk, who is the law school’s only current African American faculty member and only its second tenured black faculty member. Archon Patterson passionately delineated Archon Lynk’s many outstanding accomplishments and ongoing efforts to improve the lives of minority law students at ASU Law. Those contributions include the following: • Archon Lynk helped establish the John P. Morris Memorial Lecture, a public lecture series that brings national speakers to the law school to address the continuing issues of race and diversity in American law and society. • He helped revitalize ASU Law’s chapter of the Black Law Students Association, which facilitates interaction between black law students and African American alumni who live and work in the Phoenix metropolitan area. • Archon Lynk persuaded the Council on Legal Education Opportunity to select ASU’s Indian Legal Program as the host of a series of preparatory summer camps designed to help college students who are about to enter law school. • He proposed and participated in “Pride or Prejudice: American Indian Mascots and Imagery in the United States,” the national conference on the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s use of American Indian images. • Each spring, Archon Lynk organizes a diversity dinner at the law school, where students of all nationalities are invited to dine with faculty and alumni. The event facilitates the students’ greater appreciation of their similarities as well as the common obstacles faced by their individual communities. Archon Kenny W. Harris Grapter, Gamma Mu Boulé

Thompson Joins Colorado Aeronautics Board

orth Atlanta’s Delta Upsilon Archon William “T” Thompson was appointed to the Colorado Aeronautics Board in Denver in December 2012 by Governor John Hickenlooper. The board oversees the Colorado Division of Aeronautics, which is responsible for the Colorado Airport System and its seventy-six public-use airports, and the development of the Colorado Aviation System Plan. The former commissioner of aeronautics for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Archon Thompson is a seasoned aviation professional. Appointed by Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis in 1983, he was reappointed by the next two Republican governors; has the unique distinction of serving in both Republican and Democratic administrations; and is the longest-serving commissioner in the agency’s history. Recognized for his abilities at the national level, he was number two on the short list for both FAA administrator and secretary of the Air Force under President Bill Clinton. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Archon Thompson is a former Air Force instructor pilot and decorated veteran who received numerous awards during his seven-year Air Force career, including the Command Safety Award for safely bringing in an emergency aircraft. He left the service to fly with Delta Air Lines and retired in 2005 after twenty-five years as a senior check captain, where he both instructed and evaluated Delta’s domestic and international pilots.

Archon Thompson finished law school, became a member of two state bars and founded The Summit Group in 1982. Through growth, acquisitions and mergers, he built the company into a small conglomerate, which owned Subway, Dunkin Donuts and TCBY fast-food franchises, a financial-services firm and an engineering-services company. He received several national sales and marketing awards and was nominated as Inc. Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year. The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Boston Globe and Black Enterprise magazine have chronicled his accomplishments, and he has been featured on NBC, CBS, PBS and National Public Radio. Active in the community, he is a past Sire Archon of Delta Upsilon Boulé and has served in numerous other positions of leadership. Archon Thompson has been president of both the Atlanta and Boston chapters of the National Association of Guardsmen; has served on the board of and been program chair for Leadership Atlanta; and is a graduate of the Colorado campus of the international Center for Creative Leadership. Additionally, he has been president of several other organizations and a member and chair of several boards, including the Boy Scouts of America and the American Cancer Society’s national board of directors. Archon Harold J. Logan Grapter, Delta Upsilon Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 109

Turnipseed Retires From Federal Reserve Bank

i Boulé of New York City announces that Archon Carl W. Turnipseed retired in January 2013 as executive vice president and head of the Financial Services Group of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and as a member of the bank’s management committee. During his forty-three-year career at the bank, Archon Turnipseed held management positions in a variety of areas, including accounting, information technology, payments and government-securities operations and foreign relations. “Carl’s contributions have been extraordinary and many. He has devoted his career at the bank toward achieving excellence in his responsibilities, promoting customer and community relationships and seeking out and nurturing individual talent,” said William C. Dudley, president and chief executive officer of the New York Fed. “Although Carl will be missed by the many colleagues and staff members who have benefited from his leadership and advice, the contributions he has made to the bank will continue to yield returns for many years to come.” Before becoming head of the Financial Services Group in 2000, Archon Turnipseed led the bank’s Buffalo branch. During his six years in Buffalo, he sat on numerous local boards connected with international trade, business and economic development and higher education. He also made valuable contributions in helping to address economic and financial issues in the Greater Buffalo business and civic communities. Prior to 1994, Archon Turnipseed was vice president in charge of personnel.

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“This is indeed a bittersweet day for me as I prepare to take leave from this extraordinary institution . . . one that I served with great honor and pride,” said Archon Turnipseed. “As the first African American to run a branch office in the Federal Reserve System and the first African American to become an executive vice president and member of the management committee of the New York Fed, I have seen the system evolve, always for the better and always with a deep commitment to the public good at every level. It has been a profound privilege to have been a part of the New York Fed.” During his career at the Federal Reserve, Archon Turnipseed played a key role in the transformation of paper-based securities and checks to electronic substitutes. He also oversaw the expansion of International Treasury Services operations. Today the system delivers U.S. government cross-border payments to recipients in more than 200 countries in more than 100 foreign currencies. A graduate of Morgan State College, Archon Turnipseed earned his M.B.A. from New York University. He is also a graduate of the Executive Management Program at Columbia University and the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. An active life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and the NAACP, Archon Turnipseed, along with his Archousa, Joyce, has endowed a scholarship at Morgan State in honor of his parents. Archon Samuel J. Chisholm Grapter, Zeta Boulé

Leon Haley Joins Health-Care Panel

n December 2012 Archon Leon L. Haley, Jr., M.D., M.H.S.A., was appointed to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality. Archon Haley will join a panel that offers perspectives on the health-care system and the most important questions that HHS research should address to promote improvements in the quality, outcomes and cost-effectiveness of clinical practice. A member of North Atlanta’s Delta Upsilon Boulé, Archon Haley is the deputy senior vice president of medical affairs and chief of emergency medicine for the Grady Health System and vice chairman for Grady Clinical Affairs. He is also associate professor of emergency medicine at Emory University. A native of Pittsburgh, he holds degrees from Brown University, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Michigan. The advisory council on which Archon Haley will serve falls under HHS Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The agency’s mission is to improve the

quality, safety, efficiency and effectiveness of health care for all Americans. As one of twelve agencies within HHS, AHRQ supports research that helps people make more informed health-care decisions. Recognized numerous times for his professional and community work, Archon Haley has received the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Healthcare Heroes and Up and Coming awards, Georgia Trend Magazine’s 40 Leaders Under 40 award and the Georgia Association of Physician Assistants’ Physician of the Year Award. He serves or has served on the boards of the Grady Foundation, National Public Health and Hospital Institute, Leadership Atlanta and the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine. Archon Haley and his Archousa, Dr. Carla Y. Neal-Haley, have three children: Grant, Wesley and Nichelle. Archon Harold J. Logan Grapter, Delta Upsilon Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 111 Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 111

Black Enterprise Recognizes Three Archons

Archon C. Edward Chaplin

Archons Earl G. Graves, Sr., founder of Black Enterprise magazine, and Rodney C. Adkins

airfield County, Connecticut’s Delta Nu Boulé congratulates three of its Archons who were recognized by Black Enterprise magazine as among its 100 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America for 2012. The following Archons were listed in the September 2012 issue and were honored on January 31, 2013, at a gathering at the New York Stock Exchange: Archon Rodney C. Adkins is senior vice president for IBM’s systems and technology group, which encompasses all aspects of the computer company’s semiconductor, server, storage and system software. IBM’s integrated supply chain also reports

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to him. A nearly thirty-year veteran of IBM, which generated $106.9 billion in revenues in 2011, Archon Adkins was most recently senior vice president of development and manufacturing for the systems and technology group. Archon C. Edward Chaplin, the president, CAO and CFO of MBIA, Inc., is responsible for its accounting, tax, treasury and investor-relations functions, financial planning, reinsurance, banking and liquidity management, information technologies and management services. The company’s total premiums for 2011 reached $454 million. Archon Chaplin is also CFO of MBIA, Inc.’s

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Archon William B. Plummer

principal operating subsidiary, MBIA Insurance Corp. Archon William B. Plummer, EVP and CFO of United Rentals, Inc., which boasts more than twenty years of financial leadership, was named to his current position in 2008. He is responsible for creating business and financial metrics to further drive the equipment-rental company’s growth. Prior to joining United Rentals, whose 2011 revenues totaled $2.6 billion, Archon Plummer was chief financial officer of Dow Jones & Co. Archon Charles E. Spaulding Grapter, Delta Nu Boulé

Stephens Named President of Suddenlink Division

uddenlink Communications announced on January 16, 2013, that Archon Kevin Stephens of Dallas’s Alpha Epsilon Boulé has been promoted to president of the cable operator’s Commercial & Advertising Operations (CAO) division, headquartered in Dallas. A seasoned and forward-thinking communications executive, Archon Stephens is responsible for leading Suddenlink’s fast-growing business services, carrier and advertising groups. He was instrumental in the formation of CAO and had led the division as senior vice president since joining Suddenlink in May 2006. Having more than doubled its revenues under Archon Stephen’s leadership, CAO is now a $350 million division providing targeted advertising sales and mission-critical data, voice and video services to business and carrier customers. Suddenlink is the seventhlargest cable operator in the United States, supporting the information, communication and entertainment demands

of approximately 1.4 million residential and commercial customers in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia and elsewhere. CableFAX: The Magazine has named Archon Stephens among the top 50 in its list of Most Influential Minorities in Cable every year since 2007. He is a corporate officer with Suddenlink and sits on the boards of directors for the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau, the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Collin County and the Institute for Communication Technology Management at the University of Southern California. He has an M.B.A. from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Michigan. Archon Johnnie King, Jr. Grapter, Alpha Epsilon Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Kudos and Commendations 113

African American Project Honors Thompson

midst grateful appreciation for his distinguished accomplishments and his contributions to the African American community, Archon Lancelot C.A. Thompson of Alpha Phi Boulé, Toledo, was inducted into the pantheon of African American legends of northwest Ohio by the African American Legacy Project of Northwest Ohio on October 6, 2012, in Toledo. The award was also give in recognition of Archon Thompson’s work in science education and education administration during half a century at the University of Toledo, where he has been emeritus professor of chemistry since 1988. The African American Legacy Project of Northwest Ohio seeks to collect, record, protect and disseminate news of the achievements and contributions of African Americans in Northwest Ohio to the community and the nation at large. Archon Thompson received his B.S. degree in chemistry from Morgan

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State University with honors in 1952 and his Ph.D. in physical and inorganic chemistry from Wayne State University with a research fellowship awarded by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. He has taught physics, chemistry and mathematics in the West Indies and principally inorganic chemistry at the University of Toledo. As an administrator he served the University of Toledo first as an assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, then as dean of student services, and later as vice president of student affairs. In these positions he acted as a role model and encouraged minorities and women to pursue education in science and technology at undergraduate and graduate levels. He has served on many community-outreach boards, including Bridge, Inc. (a drug-abuse prevention entity), the former Mary Manse College, the Health Planning

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Association Board of Toledo (now Northwest Ohio), the Toledo Labor Management Citizens Committee, the Neighborhood Health Association, Kiwanis International, the American Red Cross and the Connecting Point (an agency providing services for troubled youths). Among Archon Thompson’s other honors are the University of Toledo Outstanding Teacher Award, Phi Kappa Phi, and the Key to the Golden Door Award from the International Institute of Toledo for outstanding services to the city of Toledo and the country. He is a former Jamaican pan-American Olympian (1946 and 1950), and has been inducted into the Morgan State Athletic Hall of Fame; he regularly shoots lower than his age in golf. Archon Jason Ofori Grapter, Alpha Phi Boulé

Family Circle

Monica Wharton Named to Special Supreme Court

overnor Bill Haslam of Tennessee appointed Archousa Monica N. Wharton – who is married to recently inducted Archon Andre C. Wharton of Memphis’s Delta Boulé – to a Special Supreme Court in Tennessee on September 21, 2012. The Special Supreme Court will decide an appeal of the case Hooker et al. v. Haslam et al., which challenges the constitutionality of a Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals appointment by Haslam. The Special Supreme Court was required because all five Tennessee Supreme Court justices had recused themselves from hearing the appeal. Archousa Wharton, who is also the daughter-in-law of Archon A.C. Wharton, the mayor of Memphis, is senior vice president and chief legal counsel for the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, the mid-South’s leading Level 1 Trauma

Center and public hospital. Before marrying Archon Wharton and moving to Memphis, Archousa Wharton practiced law in North Carolina. Prior to joining the Regional Medical Center, she worked at a Memphis firm where she amassed extensive litigation experience in health care, employment contracts and medical malpractice. After graduating from Hampton University, Archousa Wharton went on to earn her J.D. from the William & Mary Law School. Active in professional and civic organizations, she is a board member of the Healthy Memphis Common Table, Facing History and Ourselves and the Association of Women Attorneys. Archon and Archousa Wharton are the proud parents of three sons: Andrew Coleman, age 6; Arthur Carrington, age 2; and Abram Clark, 2 months old.

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Lynn Paxton Works to Eliminate Malaria

uring October 2012 the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced that Captain Lynn A. Paxton had been appointed resident adviser of the President’s Malaria Initiative in Tanzania, with an effective date of January 1, 2013. Ms. Paxton is the daughter of Archon Lawrence Paxton of Xi Boulé, Los Angeles. With a B.A. from Princeton University, a master’s of public health from the University of California, Berkeley, and an M.D. from the University of California, San Francisco, she achieved the rank of captain in the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service headed by the surgeon general. There she had held increasingly significant leadership positions since 1992: as an officer of the Epidemic Intelligence Service; as chief technical adviser for the Rakai Project in Entebbe, Uganda, for Columbia University’s School of Public Health; and as team leader for studies of sexual transmission and 116

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injection drug use for the Epidemiology Branch of CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP). At DHAP Paxton supervised all members of the team, provided scientific guidance of all ongoing projects and protocols, and reviewed all manuscripts, abstracts and presentations originating from projects within the team. She was also principal investigator or co-investigator for the oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis trials in Botswana, Thailand and the United States. She is the CDC’s subject-matter expert for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, nonoccupational postexposure prophylaxis, and microbicides. In Tanzania she will draw upon her formal training and considerable experience as a public-health medical researcher to work on behalf of the President toward eliminating malaria throughout the world. Archon Harold C. Haizlip Grapter, Xi Boulé

Archousai Joan Foulkes and Marion Bethel and Archon Arthur Foulkes, Bahamas Governor General

Marion Bethel Leads Production of Documentary

ttorney and writer Archousa Marion Bethel of Delta Lambda Boulé, Nassau, Bahamas, led the production of the acclaimed documentary Womanish Ways, Freedom, Human Rights and Democracy as a producer, director and writer. The documentary explores and honors the heroic struggle of Kate Moss and Mary Prince, two women enslaved in The Bahamas in the 1820’s, and the women of the Bahamian Women’s Suffrage Movement, active from 1948 to 1962. The film concentrates on Mary Ingraham, Mabel Walker, Georgiana Symonette, Eugenia Lockhart and Dr. Doris Johnson, the first women who campaigned for the right of Bahamian women to vote. A considerable amount of resource material was accumulated in the course of the production, and Archousa Bethel lectured and made presentations on its behalf. The goal of the documentary was to raise awareness of the Women’s Suffrage Movement in The Bahamas and of the five women who founded and led it, but it also remembers the voices of the women who stood shoulder to shoulder with the leaders: Albertha Isaacs, Althea Mortimer, Norah Hanna, Gladys Bailey, Madge Brown, Veronica Lotmore,

Una Prosper Heastie, Ethel Kemp, Mildred Moxey, Marion Stuart and Mildred Donaldson. In addition to these movers and shakers, the women who voted for the first time on November 26, 1962, and the men who supported the right of women to vote in the Halls of Parliament were heralded. Finally, various international women’s organizations supported the Bahamian Suffrage Movement, whose legacy benefited not only women but also the entire community. On Monday, November 26, 2012, the fiftieth anniversary of the first women’s vote, current and former women parliamentarians read a speech Dr. Doris Johnson gave in the magistrate court to the parliamentarians of the day more than half a century ago. The documentary itself was first aired at the Bahamas International Film Festival in early December 2012. Archousa Bethel is married to Archon Alfred Sears, the former Bahamian minister of education and attorney general from 2002 to 2007 and now chairman of the College of The Bahamas. Archon Alpheus A. Finlayson Grapter, Delta Lambda Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Family Circle 117

Wallace Reelected Washington Township Mayor

outhern New Jersey’s Delta Epsilon Archousa Barbara A. Wallace was reelected mayor of the state’s Washington Township in November 2012. Archousa Wallace, who won last year’s special mayoral election to fill the remaining term of the previous mayor, who resigned, has spent decades volunteering to improve the quality of life in her state and community. Her long and accomplished record of public service was fueled by a passion to provide young people with access to quality education and recreational opportunities, which she put into practice in Washington Township. A former representative and director of constituent relations and intergovernmental affairs for U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg, U.S. Senator Jon Corzine and Governor Jon Corzine, Archousa Wallace has helped countless South Jersey residents navigate state and federal government, ensuring that their problems were resolved and questions and concerns received the attention they deserved. She also has significant private-sector experience: For eight years she was the vice president of administration at Rutgers Casualty Insurance Co., where, as manager and director of internal company procedures and operations, she was involved in all hiring, salary and benefits decisions and created strategies to control the bottom line. A fifty-five-year member of the Girl Scouts of America, she has been council president, vice president of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts Foundation, and a Girl Scouts national consultant and is a founding member of the Washington Township Education Foundation. Archousa Wallace served nine years on the Washington Township Board of Education and four years as its president. She is a national gymnastics judge, a field-hockey official and a retired softball umpire. Archousa Wallace received the 2012 New Jersey National Association for Girls and Women in Sports Award and the Gloucester County Education Association’s 2012 Friend of Education Award. She is married to retired New Jersey Supreme Court associate justice Archon John E. Wallace, Jr.; the two have five children and four grandchildren. Archon Steven E. Curtis Grapter, Delta Epsilon Boulé

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Archousa Wilhelmina Delco Honored by UT Austin

Archon Gregory Vincent, Archon Printice Gary, Archousa Wilhelmina Delco and UT president Bill Powers

he University of Texas at Austin honored Archousa Wilhelmina Delco, wife of Archon Exalton Delco of Gamma Gamma Boulé, Austin, with the Dr. June Brewer Legacy Award for her outstanding public service and work on civil rights. The award was presented at the sixth annual Community Leadership Awards Ceremony – cosponsored by the office of the president and the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE) – at the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center on December 6, 2012, with more than 150 members of the community in attendance. “It is with great pleasure that we are honoring individuals who have made exceptional contributions for many years and continue to do so today,” said Archon Gregory J. Vincent, vice president for diversity and community engagement at UT Austin, who emceed the event. “I’m especially pleased that we are able to recognize Wilhelmina Delco, who has been a role model for us all through her steadfast dedication to education, social justice and the Austin community.” In her lively acceptance speech Archousa Delco expressed gratitude for being selected and highlighted key facets of her long career. She applauded recent efforts by the university and the DDCE to reach out to the East Austin community, where many of the city’s underserved members reside. However, she reminded UT officials in attendance that more collaboration was needed with the residents and in the communities east of Interstate 35, and she made reference to the UT alma mater – “The eyes of East Austin are upon you” – issuing a challenge about the work still to be done and eliciting an uproar from the audience. Dr. June Brewer, for whom the award is named, was a revered educator who was noted for her broad-based community involvement and her impact on teaching and learning across the spectrum, from public-school classrooms to the halls of higher education; and her decades of experience, knowledge, understanding, skill and leadership have been highly acclaimed in Austin and across Texas until this very day. In Archousa Delco’s more than forty years of service, she has exemplified the educational standards of June

Brewer. Having been president of her high-school student body and a member of the National Honor Society at Wendell Phillips High School in Chicago, Archousa Delco graduated with honors from Fisk University in Nashville in 1950 with a B.A. in sociology. She and her husband moved to Austin in 1957, and as a concerned mother of four with a keen interest in the educational achievement of minority students, she became a leader in the PTA at her children’s school. Seeking to take her leadership to a higher level, in 1968 she campaigned for and was elected to the Austin Independent School District’s board of trustees – the first African American elected to public office in Austin. Hoping to become a driving force in statewide policy making, especially in the area of education, Archousa Delco ran for and was elected to a seat in the Texas House of Representatives and became the first African American at-large official elected in Travis County. She served ten terms in the Texas legislature and was a member of more than twenty house committees and a founding member of the Austin Community College board of trustees. In 1979 she was appointed chair of the house Higher Education Committee, where she remained until 1991, when she was appointed speaker pro tempore, thus making her the first woman and the second African American to hold the second-highest position in the Texas House of Representatives. She retired from the legislature in 1995 but remains an active force in the education arena as chair of the board of directors at Huston-Tillotson University and an adjunct professor in the Community College Leadership Program at UT Austin. She has received honorary doctoral degrees from ten institutes of higher learning. Archon Printice Gary, who serves on the University of Texas Board of Regents, Archon Vincent and UT Austin president Bill Powers presented additional Community Leadership awards to The Villager newspaper and to Nelson Linder, president of the Austin chapter of the NAACP. Archon David L. Williams, Jr. Grapter, Gamma Gamma Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Family Circle 119

Alpha Xi Son Takes Command of Destroyer

.S. Naval Commander Curtis Calloway, son of Archon Curtis Calloway and Archousa Louise of Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s Alpha Xi Boulé, was named captain of the U.S.S. James E. Williams, taking command of the guidedmissile destroyer on December 7, 2012, in Norfolk, Virginia. Commander Calloway, who earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Morehouse College, completed Naval Surface Warfare Officers School after his commissioning through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps. At sea, Calloway served on the San Diego-based command ship U.S.S. Coronado, flagship of Third Fleet, as auxiliaries officer. He was next assigned as auxiliaries officer to the U.S.S. Vincennes, where he conducted a homeport shift to Yokosuka, Japan. Ashore, Calloway was head of the standards-and-training department at Afloat Training Group in Ingleside, Texas. While serving there, he

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earned his master’s degree in public administration from Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. His most recent shore assignment was in the Surface Warfare Division of the Commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force. During this tour he also completed Joint Professional Military Education from the U.S. Naval War College through the College of Distance Education. Calloway’s personal decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (five awards) and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), as well as various service and campaign awards. He and Dr. Jacqueline Awazi Calloway are the parents of Zaria Maya and Sammara Joy. Archon Luke A. LaVergne Grapter, Alpha Xi Boulé

The Member Boulés

Eta Boulé Holds Its Centennial Celebration

Archon C. Savoy Brummer, Archousa Dena L. Brummer, Grammateus Richard B. White and Grand Sire Archon James E. Payne

n December 1, 2012, one hundred years and one day after its charter on November 30, 1912, and one day after it inducted eight new Archons into the fold, Eta Boulé, St. Louis, held its centennial celebration dinner at the Hilton Ballpark hotel in downtown St. Louis. Archon Wesley’s history of the Boulé tells us that the ritual for Eta’s first induction of Archons began at 8 p.m. on November 30, 1912, and concluded at 4 a.m. the following morning. No attempt was made to recreate that trial of endurance for Eta’s centennial inductees, for which the new Archons, their sponsors, visiting Grand Officers and all who attended are duly grateful. Eta was set apart at the urging of Archon Frederick L. McGhee of Beta Boulé in Chicago – at the time, the most westward boulé in the expansion of the Fraternity. Eta became the seventh jewel in the crown of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. Archon McGhee felt that the establishment of Eta would be of tremendous value to the Boulé, and that vision has proven to have been prophetic, given the great talent Eta has provided the Boulé over the past century. Such a milestone and momentous occasion in the life of the Fraternity could not pass without representative members of the Fraternity’s leadership making a pilgrimage to St. Louis to pay homage to the Archons and Archousai of Eta. The centennial celebration was thus attended by the following officers: Grand Sire James M. Payne, Delta Zeta Boulé; Grand Grammateus–Executive Secretary Samuel W. Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The Member Boulés 121

New Archons Jimmie M. Edwards, Kelvin J. Taylor, Richard J. Mark and Larry E. Thomas; Grand Sire Archon–Elect James O. Cole, Grand Grammateus–Executive Secretary Samuel W. Bacote III and Grand Grapter Khephra K. Burns; and new Archons Michael P. McMillan, Starsky D. Wilson, James E. Williams and Clayton M. Evans

Bacote III , Kappa Boulé; Grand Grapter Khephra Burns, Alpha Sigma Boulé; Western Region Sire Archon Leodis Davis, Theta Boulé; Western Region Sire Archon–Elect Averell H. Sutton, Gamma Phi Boulé; Western Region Grammateus Gregory J. Vincent, Gamma Gamma Boulé; and Western Region Thesauristes Charles A. Stewart, Jr., of Eta Boulé. Approximately 260 Archons, Archousai, Grand and Western Region officers and guests enjoyed a celebratory program featuring dinner, guest speaker John Jacob (Eta Boulé) and internationally known singer Howard Hewitt. Archon Jacob, who now resides in Florida, welcomed the opportunity to speak on the occasion of Eta’s 100th. His remarks were an inspirational and uplifting account of the struggle of young black men in the 1900’s and their audacity to start a fraternity of professional, college- and university-educated men, who wanted to know the best of one another. He further called for Eta and all Archons to accept the challenge to actively engage, mentor and as122

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sist black youth in their respective communities. Archon Jacob admonished that unless Eta, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity and other organizations join in the effort to mentor our youth, beginning in the third, fourth or fifth grade, black youth will not be relevant in the twenty-first century. The evening culminated with the melodic R&B stylings of Howard Hewett. Howard wowed the audience, especially the ladies, with renditions of such hit songs as “I’m For Real,” “Stay,” “A Night to Remember” and “Say Amen.” As lead singer for the group Shalamar during the 70’s and 80’s, Howard’s warm, soulful voice was well received by the evening’s revelers. There was dancing for the young at heart, which is to say all Archons, Archousai and guests who were present. It was the perfect ending to a once-in-a-lifetime weekend of celebration. Archon Leo H. Ming, Jr. Grapter, Eta Boulé

Beta Zeta Boulé Supports Food Charities

Archons Gregory Matthews, Thomas Wallace, Michael Smart, Felton Johnson, Kenneth Austin and Spencer Disher

he Beta Zeta Foundation of Westchester County, New York’s Beta Zeta Boulé held its second annual pantryawards ceremony on Saturday, December 15, 2012, at the Grace Church Community Center in White Plains. Each of seven food pantries in Westchester County received checks for $1,000 to help ensure that families in need received support during the holiday season. These financial contributions were especially crucial in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy’s devastation. In communities in Greater New York, many thousands of children and families were still living in shelters, and hundreds of homeless veterans were on the streets. Citizens on fixed incomes were still unable to properly feed themselves and their families. In addition, with many families afflicted by unemployment or underemployment, such food assistance was invaluable.

In this time of great need, the Beta Zeta Foundation of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity stands ready to help – not only with comfort and concern but with the concrete donation of food. The Fraternity has a long tradition of community service and food distribution, and the Beta Zeta Foundation has in the past worked effectively through food pantries: It organized the Westchester County Food Pantry Drive in 2009 and has provided $16,000 in assistance. The following food pantries in Westchester received grants this year: Greater Centennial AME Zion Church; Hope Community Services, New Rochelle; Community Center of Northern Westchester, Katonah; Grace Church Community Center, White Plains; Sacred Heart Church, Mount Vernon; Shepherd’s Flock, White Plains; and Ecumenical Emergency Food Services of White Plains.

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Beta Nu Preserves and Displays Original Charter

One-hundred-year–old Archon Alvin Robinson with the Beta Nu charter

n November 3, 2012, Northern Virginia’s Beta Nu Boulé unveiled its original charter, newly framed and matted, at its monthly meeting. Past Sire Archon Leroy Latten presided. The boulé was granted its charter by the Grand Boulé of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity on Sunday, November 15, 1981, at a ceremony held at the Capitol Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. The original charter, with a goldembossed seal and signed by then Grand Sire Archon Theodore A. Jones (Beta) and Grand Grammateus– Executive Secretary Butler T. Henderson (Zeta), was presented to Beta Nu’s first Sire Archon, Oscar “Bud” Ellison, Jr., who maintained possession of the document until his untimely demise on August 19, 1997. For the next thirteen years, the charter was maintained in pristine condition (despite a devastating house fire) by the Charter Sire Archon’s widow, Archousa Pauline A. Ellison, who subsequently turned it over to Beta Nu in late summer of 2011. During the nearly thirty years the charter was in the possession of Sire Archon and Archousa Ellison, Beta Nu, 124

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guided by the directions established by its pioneering charter members, transformed itself from a small Northern Virginia boulé into one of the largest and, arguably, one of the most influential member boulés in Sigma Pi Phi. Beta Nu held a special thirtieth anniversary celebration on November 12, 2011, at which Congressman and Archon James E. Clyburn (Alpha Iota) from South Carolina was the keynote speaker. The occasion was also used to induct six stellar new members into the Fraternity and to distribute the newly published History of Beta Nu Boulé. Beta Nu’s original charter has been framed, as pictured, to include the original program from the chartering ceremony and a picture of the charter members, with a separate picture of the Archons and their Archousai. Now the charter is not only preserved for posterity but it is also in a format suitable for display at Beta Nu functions as a dramatic reminder of its cherished memories. Archon Ryle A. Bell Grapter, Beta Nu Boulé

Delta Alpha Hosts Barbecue, Family Picnic

elta Alpha Boulé, Northern Illinois, held its annual family picnic in Highland Park on August 12, 2012. Archons, Archousai and guests numbering more than one hundred were in attendance for another successful get-together, this year in the form of a barbecue, and the occasion offered one more opportunity for Archons and

their families to get to know the best of one another. The event was also blessed by more than agreeable weather. Archon Christian E. Farr Grapter, Delta Alpha Boulé

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Epsilon Zeta Supports Run 4 the Homeless

Archons Kevin Wideman, Alonzo Fulgham, Earl Simms, Patrick Brown and Howard A. Foard, Jr.

ach November the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign against Hunger and Homelessness sponsor National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Month. Archon Patrick Brown of Epsilon Zeta Boulé, Loudoun County, Virginia, chairman of the Epsilon Zeta Boulé Foundation, played an active role in support of this effort. On November 10, 2012, in partnership with Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn and Volunteers of America Chesapeake – a faith-based, nonprofit organization that looks to inspire self-reliance, dignity and hope through health and human services – he spearheaded the Loudoun County 5K Run 4 the Homeless, with 140 runners taking part in the first annual event. The Stone Bridge principal, Mr. Person, kicked off the race with a warm welcome honoring the runners. Representatives from the Loudoun County Continuum of Care – a coalition of public, nonprofit and faith-based organizations that provide shelter and support services to homeless persons or those who are at risk of becoming homeless – were on-site during the event, manning information booths to educate the public about homelessness. Students took advantage of the opportunity by volunteering to earn service hours as part of the school curriculum as well as to support this worthy cause. The Epsilon Zeta Foundation conducted a Gift of Warmth Drive, which encouraged runners and sponsors to bring gloves, hats or toiletry items for distribution to area homeless shelters. The foundation seeks to make a difference in the county and surrounding area by operating exclusively for chari-

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table and educational purposes, supporting the homeless and/or economically disadvantaged and educating the public on the plight of such persons. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s 2010 annual report to Congress, there are approximately 770,000 homeless people in the United States. And the U.S. Department of Education reports that there are an additional 700,000 children without a place to call home, and they go to bed hungry each night. Archon Brown’s vision for this effort was cultivated in 2011 while he was deployed in Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. As a captain in the U.S. Navy, he came across many military personnel who were concerned about managing their households in the wake of a government shutdown. “It was disheartening,” Archon Brown said. “The government asked these folks to risk their lives for a global issue, but at the same time, they had the burden of managing their personal finances, securing mortgages or paying their rent.” In response, he decided to help the economically disadvantaged in his hometown of Loudoun County. The Epsilon Zeta Foundation and its partners raised more than $6,000 with the help of the 140 runners and sponsors from E*Trade, Capital One, Wegmans, Office Basics, HewlettPackard and Burke & Herbert Bank. The funds will be used to support homeless shelters in Loudoun County. Archon Patrick W. Brown Grapter, Epsilon Zeta Boulé

Epsilon Kappa Holds Fall Kickoff

psilon Kappa Boulé held its Fall Kickoff on September 30, 2012, with a formal dinner that took place on the campus of the historic Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University, which was established by an act of the Alabama State Legislature in 1873 as the State Normal School and University for the Education of the Colored Teachers and Students. It experienced a number of name changes over the years and became fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1963, adopting its current name in 1969. The president of the university and his wife, Archon Andrew Hugine and Archousa Abbegail Hugine, were hosts for the evening. During a reception before the dinner the Archons and Archousai mixed and mingled and enjoyed the array of hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, and Sire Archon Kevin Rolle formally welcomed everyone to this traditional event. Archon I. Chris Robinson III Grapter, Epsilon Kappa Boulé

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2014 GRAND BOULÉ Hosted By BETA BETA BOULÉ BOSTON

“Extraordinary Men Sharing Health, Wealth and Wisdom...”

SAVE THE DATES

July 18–24, 2014 Sheraton Boston Hotel 39 Dalton Street Boston, Massachusetts 02199 128

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The Regional Boulés

CENTRAL

Alpha Eta Hosts Central Region Cluster Meeting

he Central Region Boulé leadership, both regional and local officers, gathered on October 13, 2012, at the Sheraton Indianapolis Hotel at Keystone Crossing. Central Region Sire Archon William Greene of Lambda Boulé called the daylong meeting to order, and Sire Archon Andrew E. Moore of Alpha Eta Boulé, Indianapolis, welcomed visiting Archons from throughout the region. To begin the day, Alpha Tau Archon James A. Welch discussed in detail the parameters of the new insurance requirement for all member boulés.

After warm greetings and a delectable lunch that allowed Archons to get to know the best of one another, Archons representing eleven of the twenty-four member boulés engaged in the business of the hour. Officers of the Central Region Executive Committee reported on current events throughout the region. During the meeting Sire Archon Greene gave attendees an update on the latest events throughout Sigma Pi Phi, which included a recap of the 51st Grand Boulé and several other items discussed during the fall Grand Boulé Executive

Alpha Eta Archons at the cluster meeting

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CENTRAL

Q Archon James Welch discusses new insurance requirements.

Committee Meeting. Central Region Grammateus T. Ramon Stuart of Upsilon Boulé reported on the status of the Central Region and the nearly 750 Archons who comprise it, and he led a discussion related to the upcoming Central Region Boulé, which will occur from July 18 through 21, 2013, at the Prairie Meadow Hotel in Des Moines. Central Region Thesauristes Ralph Smithers of Lambda provided an overview of the Central Region Boulé budget; and Central Region Grapter Jerlando F.L. Jackson of Epsilon Theta outlined his future plans for his position and discussed Central Region articles that appeared in THE BOULÉ JOURNAL. The meeting included reports from the Central Region social action committee, led by Archon Ronald Johnson of Delta Alpha; the Central Region constitution and bylaws committee, led by Archon Lewis Hargett of Psi; the Central Region membership committee, led by Archon Clinton Brown of Sigma; and the Central Region audit committee, led by Archon Howard Patton of Delta Alpha.

To complete the eventful and productive day, visiting Archons and Archousai joined the Alpha Eta Archons and Archousai for a family-style dinner at Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant. During dinner, Central Region Sire Archon Greene expressed his sincere appreciation to Archon T. Ramon Stuart for organizing another well-planned Central Region cluster meeting. Archon Greene also commended the Alpha Eta leadership and expressed his sincere gratitude to Archons Michael Duff, Martin Hill and Korlon Kilpatrick for planning a memorable day full of style and grace, synonymous with Boulé quality. Archon Jerlando F.L. Jackson Grapter, Central Region Archon H. Allen Wright, Jr. Grapter, Alpha Eta Boulé

Central Region Sire Archon William Greene flanked by members of the Central Region leadership team

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AN ARCHOUSA: TO BE OR NOT TO BE

The Grand Boulé

By Archon Samuel Bacote III, Kappa Boulé Grand Grammateus–Executive Secretary

he spring BOULÉ JOURNAL is historically one of the larger JOURNALs each year and traditionally is filled with images from across our fraternity of member boulés following a venerated practice started more than eighty years ago. The year was 1929, marking our quarter century anniversary and the same for Alpha Boulé, the first of our 129 member boulés. The eleventh Grand Boulé met in Columbus, Ohio, under the leadership of Grand Sire Archon Carroll Langston, and nine years after it was established, Kappa Boulé hosted a spirited Ladies Night at the home of Archon M.S. Davage of Clark University. It was a seminal event, the character of which has reverberated throughout the Fraternity every December since. After more than a year of planning, more than twenty-five Archons representing Alpha, Gamma, Zeta, Sigma, Tau and Upsilon boulés sat down together with their Archousai, daughters and female friends to enjoy a most delectable feast on December 27, 1929, in Philadelphia. This formal banquet was the marquee event of an historic two-day anniversary celebration. The grand reception room was full to capacity when Archon Henry Minton, founder and first Grand Sire Archon of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, took his place at the podium as master of ceremonies. He eloquently and masterfully performed his duties throughout the night, which included introductions of addresses by Grand Grapter Carrington L. Davis and Archon Eugene T. Hinson and entertainment by Marion Turner, daughter of Archon John P. Turner of Alpha Boulé. As with similarly memorable moments, tales abound about the evening’s “completeness” and about how nearly everyone remained and reveled together until the early hours of the next day. The mood was likely helped by mere two-day old cherished memories of Archons and Archousai who had exchanged customary expressions of appreciation and love within their own intimate relationships during the Yuletide season. Unquestionably, this event was a success by any measure of earlier celebrations in the Fraternity’s history. The tradition of annual Christmas parties by member boulés was thus firmly established. This one event is credited for playing the leading role in establishing the Boulé affirmation that “Christmas is for the Archousai.” And it is, undoubtedly, the timing with the festive holiday, along with its resounding appeal for our Archousai (formerly known as “Ladies of the Boulé”), that cemented tradition with regard to how we would thereafter spend our time in December. We have done this for quite some time and, as evidenced by invitations for “Christmas is for the Archousai” from member boulés received in the Office of the Grand Boulé in 2012, last year proved to be no exception. The Grand Officers averaged five trips per weekend in December to attend the Christmas parties of member boulés. I attended celebrations at Eta, Kappa, Epsilon Alpha and Epsilon Theta boulés, where my Archousa and I were treated with a def-

erence normally reserved for esteemed dignitaries of high stature. It was all remarkable. While there were subtle differences and creative variations on the theme across all parties that distinguished each, I also noted the solemn commitment of Archons to maintain fraternal standards by adhering to our protocols. The reports from other Grand Officers are similar, and there were no areas of notable concern. In all the elegant and opulent pageantry, there is, now and again, that one moment where decorum may bump headlong into awkwardness if insensitively handled. In late 2011 the Protocol Revision Committee, formed under Immediate Past Grand Sire Archon Rodney Reed, undertook to update our protocol manual (the revised manual being first distributed during the Grand Grammateus Meeting at the 51st Grand Boulé and now available on our website) and to clarify some of its content. After several months of the committee’s diligence, the revised version resolved on the following language pertaining to female guests of unmarried Archons: The female guest of an unmarried Archon may receive any token presented to the Archousai. However, a female guest of an unmarried Archon shall not be included in any photographs identified as Archousai. Any group photographs must only contain Archons and Archousai. (Page 22, Protocol Manual of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, June 2012)

This particular protocol with its caution not to include female guests of unmarried Archons in photographs identified as Archousai should not be a source of consternation but consideration for decorum, the propriety of membership and the distinctions drawn between those who have been initiated, whether by induction or indoctrination, and those who have not. Membership has its privileges. If not and there is no distinction between members and nonmembers, what need is there of membership at all? The importance of properly identifying persons in Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The Grand Boulé 131

photographs that appear in THE BOULÉ JOURNAL should be obvious to all. Our history, including that which is documented in issues of THE BOULÉ JOURNAL, has too many unfortunate instances of mislabeled photographs. With regard to Archon portraits that were mandated by resolution at the 50th Grand Boulé, Grand Grapter Burns commented in an Executive Committee meeting: “We have photographs of persons we know are Archons but can’t identify because the photos aren’t labeled.” Unidentified and mislabeled images are a frustrating, time-consuming problem for THE BOULÉ JOURNAL, the Grand Historian and anyone attempting to determine who is and who is not an Archon or Archousa in a given photograph. It is also needlessly wasteful of the Fraternity’s resources. For these and a host of related reasons, the committee tasked with the revision of the Fraternity’s Protocols Manual determined the need to stipulate that formal group photographs of Archousai (Archousai being defined as wives of Archons) should depict only Archousai, just as formal group photos of Archons are expected to depict only Archons. At its discretion, of course, any member boulé may elect to have group portraits taken of members, nonmembers, perfect strangers, their families and pets apart from the formal “Christmas is for the Archousai” program. The Protocol Manual asks only that such photographs not be labeled “Archons” or “Archousai” and that they not be submitted as such to THE BOULÉ JOURNAL or the Fraternity. Above all, we are a group that prides itself in the accomplishments of its members and strives for excellence in all we do. It may seem a small thing, but our JOURNAL, as the official organ of the Fraternity, should adhere to our protocols. Any possible awkwardness or embarrassment that might result could certainly be diffused and even forestalled with an explanation that the formal Archousai group portrait is of Archousai. No reasonable person, male or female, would find cause for embarrassment at not being invited to sit for a formal portrait of the justices of the Supreme Court if he or she were not a member of the Court. Granted, relationships, even legally binding relationships, today are more diverse and dynamic than in times past. It can be a little more complicated than when Archon Henry Minton got up to speak that felicitous night of December 27, 1929. It is doubtful that questions like “what is a wife and what is an Archousa?” ever entered the minds of those Archons. But it was obvious then, as it is today, that we treat our Archousai – the vibrant red roses of our fraternity – with utmost care and deference because they represent an essential part of us we share in knowing the best of one another. Who is and who is not the wife of an Archon, and therefore an Archousa, is a matter best defined by the Archon and his “significant other.” The Fraternity should never get involved in such a personal intimacy, ask for evidence or justification. The Fraternity presumes that, as Archons – vetted, presented by sponsors and duly inducted into our august circle – we are all honorable men, mature and of serious purpose, settled in committed relationships or between them but appreciative of their importance and value to society, the black community and our family-oriented fraternity. As a stranger is not an Archon, a date is not an Archousa. Archons pass through a ritual of initiation. Husbands and

wives, similarly, seal their commitment in a ritual of initiation. The wives of newly inducted Archons, likewise, undergo the Fraternity’s ritual indoctrination, all of which separate the initiate from the non-initiate. Perhaps guidance on this matter is best offered in the orientation process, where it is most appropriate to include discussion about the Archousa’s role in the life of an Archon and our fraternity. For new Archons, especially those unmarried at the time, this discussion should clarify any ambiguity between a date and an Archousa. During the Columbus, Ohio, Grand Boulé there was an unrelated matter that challenged the meaning of brotherhood. In response Archon Carrington L. Davis wrote that “every Archon is a gentleman, or he has no business in the Boulé. He will therefore at all times and situations conduct himself as a gentleman.” As gentlemen, we understand these relationship differences among the sexes without much explanation from someone else. I recall the first time, as an unmarried Archon, I took the woman who is now my Archousa to Kappa Boulé’s “Christmas is for the Archousai” gala. With forethought and consideration expected of me as a gentleman, I explained to her in advance the nature of the group picture, both to forestall any needless misunderstanding and out of respect for those ladies who were being honored as Archousai. Today I tell her, as my Archousa, “you belong in that picture.” As previously suggested, there are options available and measures that member boulés can take to ensure that the moment of the Archousai group portrait is handled sensitively. I noticed in my visits to Christmas parties last December that one member boulé opted to not take a group picture. The only photos taken were of couples, and no one seemed to miss the group shot. They take their group pictures at other social events during a different time of the year when this protocol is relaxed. In addition to the traditional group portraits of Archons and Archousai, some member boulés elect to take various pictures to ensure that everyone feels like he or she has been included in the record of the evening’s festivities. Another option I noted was the taking of group shots before the start of the reception or cocktail hour that precedes the “Christmas is for the Archousai” gala. If the majority of a member boulé agrees to this earlier time, it allows Archons who bring dates to arrive after these pictures. The shortcoming is that those Archons will also not be pictured. Finally, invite more guests. Our Constitution allows for member boulés to open up their “Christmas is for the Archousai” events to non-members. Kappa Boulé follows this approach. In particular, if non-fraternity couples are invited it increases the number of men and women who are not taking group photos and eases that moment of discomfort when those taking pictures are away from the group. It also gives members of Kappa Boulé opportunities to see possible future Archons and Archousai. Once again, though, this potentially leaves out unmarried Archons who wouldn’t leave for the group photos. This is our fraternity, and Archousai are partners in our fraternity. Should we all be doing the same thing in every situation? Not hardly. But we have a protocol to follow. You can lean on the Office of the Grand Boulé for guidance as so many of us do.

The revised Protocol Manual was first distributed in print form at the Grand Grammateus Meeting of the 51st Grand Boulé. The manual is now on our website and new Archons receive them in their induction materials. 132 The Grand Boulé / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

The Boulé Foundation

THE 2012 ELECTION IS OVER THE 2014 RACE IS ON By Archon Eddie N. Williams, Epsilon Boulé Member of The Boulé Foundation Board of Trustees

onths before the 2012 presidential election, African Americans throughout the nation were confronted by laws and policies designed to disenfranchise them that harken back to the Jim Crow era. Several states had passed restrictive voter ID laws. Other well-financed voter suppression efforts included dirty tricks, intimidation and deceit. These were all aimed at limiting the access of low-income African Americans and Latinos to the ballot – especially the young and elderly. New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice estimated that five million Americans were at risk of disenfranchisement. The NAACP and other civil rights organizations challenged these measures in the courts and through the Justice Department. But it wasn’t enough. The Boulé Foundation was among those that realized the response to this crisis would also require a dramatically expanded black voter education, registration and mobilization campaign. So when the nonpartisan National Coalition on Black Civic Participation requested support for its Unity ‘12 Civic Engagement and Voter Participation Campaign, the Foundation responded with a contribution of $75,000. Foundation Chair Archon Anthony W. Hall, Jr., said: “The Boulé Foundation remains fully committed to efforts to achieve a more just and fair society. Full participation in the governance of us all has to be one of the highest priorities, and we believe that the right to vote is an undenied absolute.

Past Grand Sire Archon Eddie N. Williams

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Archons Bobby Scott, congressman (VA); William Harvey, president of Hampton University; James Clyburn, congressman (SC); and Past Grand Sire Archon Charles Teamer

The Coalition on Black Civic Participation was founded in 1976 to address the problem of low voter turnout in the presidential election of 1972 and the 1974 midterms. This posed the unacceptable prospect of voting rights secured through decades of struggle withering to insignificance just eleven years after passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. That was when NAACP Board Chair Margaret Bush Wilson, AFL-CIO Civil Rights Director Bill Pollard and I, as president of the Joint Center for Political Studies, convened black leaders from national labor, religious, fraternal and civil rights organizations to form the National Coalition on Black Voter Participation. In its first year, the Coalition launched Operation Big Vote, which was instrumental in turning out hundreds of thousands of black voters nationwide. The Coalition has grown to encompass eighty groups, with state-based affiliates and networks in twelve key states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia), and has enjoyed major success for more than three decades. It has carried out its mission of increasing civic engagement and voter participation in black and underserved communities through nonpartisan voter empowerment, organizing and training. Currently, the organization receives funding from foundations, labor groups, corporations and individuals to sustain its $2.8 million annual budget. “We’re a small organization that does big things because 134

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we leverage the power and additional millions of our coalition partners and affiliates,” says Melanie Campbell, Coalition president and CEO. The Coalition was a major force in the record black voter turnout in 2008 that was key to President Barack Obama’s historic electoral victory that year. The Boulé Foundation’s contribution to that effort was $50,000. The 2012 election, however, posed a greater challenge to the mission of the Coalition than at any time in its history. In the July-August issue of Harvard Magazine, John F. Kennedy School Professor Alexander Keyssar chronicled a cavalcade of assaults by state and local governments on voter access. To mention a few: Florida and other states restricted voter registration drives by organizations like the League of Women Voters. Several states shortened early voting periods and eliminated voting on the Sunday before Election Day. Some states enacted laws requiring those registering to vote to provide proof of citizenship. Private groups were responsible for intimidating billboards that appeared in black communities warning “Voter Fraud Is a Felony” and that such “crimes” were punishable by more than three years in prison and a fine of $10,000. A former Republican National Committee worker was caught trashing voter registration cards of Virginia residents. Targeted citizens in North Carolina were told they could vote by phone. For Melanie Campbell and the Coalition, this meant extending the Coalition’s outreach program to 300,000 new black voters and getting them to the polls in select-

ed battleground states. The Coalition targeted Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin, where the black vote could help determine the outcomes of presidential and congressional races. The organization also focused on Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, Indiana and Illinois. The Boulé Foundation helped fund the Coalition’s grassroots mobilization program that included registering tens of thousands of new black voters, upgrading its high-tech data research and micro-targeting voter mobilization and voter protection capacity. The organization also trained black leaders and young activists on engagement strategies and turnout. “The early investment from The Boulé Foundation was very timely in building our campaign capacity, as well as engaging our young people on the ground. It made a major difference in the success we achieved with our Unity ‘12 Campaign,” said Campbell. For the Boulé, meeting these challenges required more than writing a check to the Coalition. Boulé members participated in nonpartisan get-out-the-vote campaigns throughout the country. For example, Past Grand Sire Archon and Foundation Secretary Charles Teamer participated in the Coalition’s efforts in southern Virginia by inspiring and motivating students at a voter registration drive at Hampton University. He was joined by Archons William Harvey, president of Hampton University; James Clyburn (D-SC) and Bobby Scott (D-VA) in supporting voter registration through the Unity ‘12 Campaign.

Ultimately, The Boulé Foundation’s contributions – both monetary and personal – paid off. The Coalition exceeded its goal of mobilizing at least 300,000 new voters by more than 50,000, and its efforts had a profound impact on the election. According to post-election analysis by David Bositis, senior research associate at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the black share of the vote was strong in virtually all of the states targeted by the Coalition, especially Michigan and the pivotal state of Ohio, where it increased dramatically over 2008 numbers. Overall, African Americans cast 16.7 million votes or 24.1 percent of the total cast for President Obama in 2012. With this kind of success, it is vital that we not rest on our laurels. That’s what happened after the last presidential election. In 2008 black voters spoke with a strong voice at the polls not only in the presidential contest, but in Senate and House races as well. Much of that success, however, was eroded in the 2010 midterm election by a robust turnout from conservative voters fueled by seven and eight figure donations to GOP campaigns by rightwing billionaires and the rise of the Tea Party. The same thing can happen in 2014 when a third of the U.S. Senate, all of the seats in the House of Representatives and numerous governorships and state legislative seats will be up for election. That’s why the work of the National Coalition members over the next two years is crucial. We must assume that even though the 2012 election is over, the forces bent on diluting black voter strength Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / The Boulé Foundation 135

haven’t stopped to take a breath. Several states are moving ahead on legislation that would limit access to the ballot by poor and minority citizens. For example, while the highly restrictive voter ID law enacted in Pennsylvania was temporarily blocked by a state court for the November election, a new hearing will take place on the measure this summer for its final resolution. Furthermore, this year the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a challenge to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. As we confront the future, this is what Grand Sire Archon James E. Payne has to say: “I am very proud to serve an organization that not only understands the challenges facing our community, but is also willing to participate in making things better. During the last election cycle, we were fortunate to collaborate with the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation as well as other civic groups to ensure that our voices were heard. While

we are celebrating our successes, I am mindful that our work is not done. We must continue to position ourselves strategically to work for positive change as our constitutional rights and protections are challenged.” The continued support of organizations like the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation is vital to the interest of the forty million African Americans in this country because the unrelenting assaults on voting rights constitute real threats to black political power. I am the last one to suggest that we should not savor our recent success at stemming those assaults. However, we must look ahead to the 2014 midterm elections by organizing now. An anemic black turnout two or four years from now could wipe out many of the gains accrued in November. That need not happen if support for the Coalition and similar organizations from individuals, foundations, unions and the business community remains strong.

Past Grand Sire Archon Williams is president emeritus of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and chairman emeritus of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.

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In Memoriam

Floyd W. Alston

James Arthur Ulysses Carter, Jr.

Robert M. Duncan

Kathryn Harris Franklin

Carol Eve Pearson Carter

Carolyn McCraw Carter

Frankye Robinson Clarke

Belva H. Eiland

Agnes Clarice Taylor Gladney

Alan Eugene Green Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / In Memoriam 137

David D. Hamlar, Sr.

Kenneth N. Hylton, Sr.

Kerney Laday, Sr.

Henry Inman Martin

Clarissa Yvette McIntosh Robison 138

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Blanchard Tucker Hollins, Sr.

Robert E. Walden

Earl McKinley Lewis

Edward Reed

Roland Smith Watts

Floyd W. Alston

eaving a legacy of devoted community service, Archon Floyd W. Alston, 86, of Alpha Boulé, Philadelphia – visionary, business leader, educator and pioneer of social entrepreneurship – died on September 24, 2012, after a long illness. Born in Brooklyn, New York, on October 23, 1925, the second of two children of Isaac Floyd Alston and Goldie Benton Alston, he grew up and went to school in Philadelphia, graduating from Northeast High School and earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Temple University. At the start of World War II he was one of the first African Americans to serve his country as part of the historic Montford Point Marines, an all African American detachment created by executive order of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941. In 2012 Archon Alston was one of 402 Marines still living to receive the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his service. In roles that included vice president of First Pennsylvania Bank, president of the HOPE Development Corp. and manager of the Philadelphia Housing Authority, he initiated, managed or funded projects designed to improve the lives of those

who were disadvantaged or in need of assistance. After retiring from his career in banking, he was called upon by a Philadelphia-based philanthropy to direct a $26 million broadbased plan to revitalize the area of the city where he had grown up, and he became the first president and CEO of the initiative, which was known as the Beech Corp. The “total comprehensive community revitalization” included education and training programs, social services, and new and rehabilitative housing programs. When the philanthropy’s funding ended, Archon Alston renamed the corporation and led it into independence and sustainability. In 2005, after fifteen years of growth and successful community redevelopment, he retired as president and CEO of Beech Interplex, Inc. In 2008, in recognition of his deep longtime commitment to the North Central Philadelphia community, Temple University awarded him an honorary doctorate of humane letters, and former Temple president Ann Weaver Hart lauded him as having been “a catalyst for the kind of change that makes a real difference in the daily lives of Philadelphians. . . . In conveying Temple’s highest honor, we will pay fitting tribute to Mr. Alston’s remarkable accomplishments as a business visionary, neighborhood developer and public servant.” Former Temple president Peter J. Liacouras described him as “the most effective, organized, committed, respected and selfless community leader of the past generation in North Central Philadelphia.” Appointed to the Philadelphia Board of Education by Philadelphia mayor Archon W. Wilson Goode, Sr., Archon

Alston served as board vice president and twice as president between 1989 and 1999. He also lent his skills and talent in support of the arts as a board member of the Avenue of the Arts, Inc., and as board chairman of the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts. A man of faith, for twenty years he was a trustee of Jones Memorial Baptist Church, of which his family members were founders, and later a member of the diaconate of Grace Baptist Church of Germantown. Transcending all of his accomplishments, accolades and awards was Archon Alston’s devotion to his family. He is survived by his wife of sixty-two years, Archousa Marilyn Baker Alston; his children Craig E. F. Alston and M. Suzanne Alston Hodges, both of whom are attorneys; his sonin-law, Keith L. Hodges; two grandchildren, Cameron and Kendall Hodges; and many extended family members and friends.

Carol Eve Pearson Carter

urrounded by her immediate family, Archousa Carol Pearson Carter, wife of the late Archon James A.U. Carter, Jr., of Iota Boulé, Detroit, passed away on October 17, 2012, at Harper University Hospital, just two weeks after her eightieth birthday. She led a remarkable life of notable accomplishments. Born in Detroit on October 1, 1932, to Lenora and Edward R. Pearson, Archousa Carter was a WestSider and always cherished that part of her life. Her younger brother, Edward, with whom she shared a close, happy and sometimes boisterous relationship, preceded her in death. Reading at the early age of 2, she would get lost in the world of books, discovering faraway places from her bedroom on American Street. Her first foray into the world began when she devised a pedometer that allowed her to map out her neighborhood in steps, creating a walking tour. She was often seen with her favorite person, her grandfather, sharing stories and adventures as they explored her many routes. Later, when her brother came along, she spent hours devising ways to lose him on their walks to and from school. She graduated from Chadsey High School as class valedictorian and entered the

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University of Michigan, living at Helen Newberry dormitory and becoming a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. As she worked toward her B.A. in psychology, her academic prowess and aptitude were noticed by the faculty, and she was asked to apply to the University of Michigan Medical School. She was the only female African American among the handful of African American students in the graduating class of 1956. Leaving Detroit for an internship in New York turned out to be a life-changing event. Struggling to see all her patients while on call, she turned to a handsome internal medicine resident for assistance. James Carter saved the day, won her heart, and, after a romantic courtship of four months, wrote to her father asking for her hand in marriage, and they were married the following summer in Detroit. They enjoyed fifty-one wonderful years together and raised two beautiful daughters, Ruth and Lynne. The couple’s next adventure took them to Oscoda, Michigan, where Archon Carter served at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. In 1961, faced with the Oscoda community’s discomfort in providing housing for African Americans, Archousa Carter wrote a poignant letter to the editor of The Detroit News, which drew the attention of Congressman John Dingell. As a result of her persistence and the congressman’s efforts, the two young doctors found housing. Later they returned to Detroit to spend the rest of their lives creating noted professional careers, lasting friendships and extended families. Archousa Carter became the chief medical consultant for the Detroit public schools, the Oak Park 140

School District, the Hazel Park schools, the Troy public schools and the Wayne County Juvenile Court. She maintained a busy private practice and was an associate professor of psychiatry and lecturer for psychiatry residents at Wayne State University School of Medicine, chief of staff at Havenwyck Hospital and founding president of the Havenwyck Physicians, PC. Appointed by Governors William Milliken and James Blanchard, she served two terms on the Michigan Board of Medicine, and she was a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, recently recognized for fifty years of service. She remained active at her beloved University of Michigan, where she served on the Board in Control of Athletics and as chairperson on the Minority Affairs Advisory Committee and the Alumnae Council. She was a founding member and president of the Greater Wayne County chapter of The Links, Inc., and chairperson of the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, which was responsible for erecting the Black Presence monument at TriCentenial Park. Archousa Carter leaves to cherish her memory her daughters Archousa Ruth Carter, a judge, and Archousa Lynne CarterKeith, M.D., who has continued the family medical tradition; sons-in-law Archon Kevin T. Williams, Esq., and Archon Terrance Keith, also a judge; her sister-in-law, Ramona Pearson; nieces Leora and Ashli Pearson and many other family members and friends.

In Memoriam / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

James Arthur Ulysses Carter, Jr.

rchon James Arthur Ulysses Carter, Jr., of Iota Boulé, Detroit, internationally acclaimed physician, passed away four years ago on November 10, 2008, at the age of 79. He was born on November 8, 1929, to James A.U. Carter, Sr., M.D., and Ruth Christian Carter in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. His father, a prominent physician, died prematurely when James was only 3 years old, and his mother maintained the family’s lifestyle, raising him and his brother. At school he excelled in music, athletics and the sciences, and in his senior year in high school it surprised no one when he garnered the highest score on a statewide mathematics exam. He graduated from the segregated Booker T. Washington High School as valedictorian. Upon graduation, Archon Carter went to live with his brother, Charles, in Kansas City, Missouri, where he attended the University of Missouri and graduated in 1952 with a degree in chemistry. He continued the family tradition in medicine and for his internship chose to go to New York, where he received excellent training at Queens General Hospital. He had developed a true love of music as a child, learning to play the piano and organ. His first love was opera, and he had spent many Saturday

afternoons after football practice listening to Metropolitan Opera presentations on the radio. He was now in the city where it all existed. An internship in New York City seemed to be the culmination of his dreams, but life really changed when he met the love of his life, Carol Eve Pearson, a physician. They saw each other on the first day of internship, but their future was not cemented until a fateful night on call. Dr. Pearson was on twentyfour-hour duty and had a ward full of cardiac patients when Archon Carter stopped by to see how she was doing. It did not take him long to realize that she and the patients needed his help. Everyone made it through the night, and within the week the two young interns were on their first date, seeing the symphony perform at Carnegie Hall. After a brief and romantic courtship, just four months after they met, he wrote to Carol’s father, asking for her hand in marriage. Archon Carter completed his residency in internal medicine at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan, and received a fellowship in cardiology at the University of Illinois. He and his wife moved to Oscoda, where he served with distinction at Wurtsmith Air Force Base and was medical director of the Air Force Hospital. They returned to Detroit, and he maintained a private practice for the next thirty years and became medical director at Ypsilanti Regional Psychiatric Hospital and then medical director at Clinton Valley Center. A lifelong member of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, he continued the legacy of family affiliation, as his grandfather had donated the land and funded the con-

struction of the first C.M.E. church in Louisiana; and he was president of the board of trustees of St. John’s C.M.E. Church; a director of the board of Home Federal Savings Bank; a founding member of Michigan HMO, which later became United American Healthcare; a board member of the YMCA Fisher Branch and Healthcare Missions to Haiti; and a lifetime member of the NAACP, the Detroit Medical Society, the National Medical Association, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the Detroit Rogues. He was the penultimate father, forever loving, incredibly supportive, always forgiving, persistently encouraging. As a physician, he defined the perfect melding of the scientist and the caregiver, his compassion matched only by his knowledge. Other physicians viewed him as a doctor’s doctor; patients wanted to be helped by him; doctors wanted to learn from him; students wanted to mature and be him. Life was enhanced for all when he was there. He was wise, caring and fun, with an incredible sense of humor. Good music, good food, especially a homemade potato pie from Louisiana, good friends and family anchored his life. Those who loved him and have been loved by him are grateful for the time he graced their lives.

Carolyn McCraw Carter

rchousa Ca roly n McCraw Carter, 79, the devoted wife of Archon Alphonse H. Carter of Gamma Xi Boulé, Sarasota, Florida, departed this life on September 15, 2012, after a long illness. She had been living in Newton, Massachusetts, at the home of her daughter, son-in-law and grandson for the last eight years. Born on November 25, 1932, in Monessen, Pennsylvania, to Harry and Ruby McCraw, she graduated from Monessen High School, received a degree in registered nursing from the St. Frances Hospital School of Nursing in Pittsburgh in 1953 and was one of the first African Americans to serve as a head nurse at the hospital. She went on to the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned a B.S. in nursing, a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing and a Ph.D. in higher-education administration. In 1976 the American Nurses Association honored her with the Mary Mahoney Award, the highest national recognition granted to an African American nurse for demonstrated efforts to raise the status of African American nurses in their professional lives. Archousa Carter’s interests shifted to medical education in 1981, when she became second assistant

dean for student affairs and special student projects within the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Her contribution to the education of minority physicians during her tenure there was immeasurable, and she worked tirelessly to increase the readiness of minority high-school students for careers in medicine by widening their acceptance into medical schools and then insuring their successful matriculation. She accomplished this objective through the long, arduous process of grant writing to secure essential funding. Over the course of her academic career at the University of Pittsburgh, she served as director of minority affairs and assistant professor of psychiatric mental health (1976 to 1981) and associate professor of psychiatric mental health (1984 to 1990) within the School of Nursing and associate professor of psychiatry at the School of Medicine from 1985 to 1988. She retired from the School of Medicine in 1988, and a scholarship is named in her honor. A member of many professional organizations over the course of her life, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., she cherished most her membership in the Girlfriends, Inc. She is survived by her husband of fifty-seven years, Archon Carter; her daughter, Cynthia Carter Cole; her son-in-law, Norris V. Cole; her grandson, Zachary Alphonse; nieces Shelley Ramsey and Sharon Bailey; a nephew, Dale Simpson; and many other family members and friends.

Frankye Robinson Clarke

oted educator Archousa Fra nk ye Robinson Clarke, 82, of Mu Boulé, Northern New Jersey, departed this life peacefully at her East Brunswick home on February 8, 2012, following a brief illness. The third child of Jacob Clarence Robinson, Sr., and Theo Thompson Robinson, she was born on January 24, 1930, in Bennettsville, South Carolina. Baptized at Shiloh Baptist Church in Bennettsville under the pastorate of the Reverend Arthur J. Wright, Sr., she accepted Christ early in life and was a willing church worker, contributing her time and treasure at Shiloh and all churches where she held membership throughout her life. Her mother was a school principal, her aunt a school librarian and her sister a districtwide music supervisor and choral director. One of Archousa Clarke’s fondest childhood memories was sitting on the lap of Mary McCleod Bethune when the civil-rights leader visited the family home. Archousa Clarke attended public schools in Bennettsville, graduated from high school at the age of fifteen as class valedictorian and at nineteen earned her B.A. in sociology, graduating with highest honors from Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina.

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She embarked on a career in education that spanned more than forty years and included service in the public schools of Marion County, South Carolina; Robeson County, North Carolina; and Durham, North Carolina, after which she moved to New York City, where she resided with the widow of Countee Cullen, esteemed Harlem Renaissance poet. She taught in the New York City schools and was revered as a teacher and respected as an administrative assistant before becoming a vice principal. She participated in the exchange program between the New York City Board of Education and the University of Puerto Rico in the early 1960’s and did graduate work at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., New York University and Kean University. She and her late husband, Archon Arthur “Babe” Clarke, an internationally acclaimed musician – her beloved partner for twentysix years – moved to New Jersey in 1968, and she began her outstanding career as a social studies teacher, reading specialist and guidance counselor at Carl Sandburg Middle School and Cedar Ridge High School in the Old Bridge Township School District. A founding member of the Middlesex County Guidance Counselors Association, she was active in all local and state educationenhancing organizations. A driving force behind many effective community service initiatives and projects throughout the years, she was an active member of the Central New Jersey chapter of The Links, Inc., for thirty-six years, membership chairperson for several terms, and recognized as an expert on the constitution and bylaws relating to Linkdom membership. She 142

achieved platinum status at the last national assembly in Detroit and transitioned to alumna status in June 2011. She was also one of the organizers of the Central New Jersey Chapter of Jack and Jill of America. She valued the fundamentals: faith in God, love of family, regard for friends, dealings straight and forthright, plain words, truth unwavering, the giving of one’s best, respect and joy. Surviving Robert M. Duncan her and holding her in lovhe federal judge who ing remembrance is her only ordered the desegregason, Archon Arthur F. Clarke, tion of Columbus public Jr., Esq.; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and last- schools in 1977, Archon Robing friends remain to trea- ert M. Duncan of Lambda Boulé, Columbus, Ohio, sure her memory. passed away on November 2, 2012, at age 85. Born on August 24, 1927, in Urbana, Ohio, to Wanda and Benjamin Duncan, he attended Urbana High School, graduated from Ohio State University in 1948 and went on to the OSU College of Law, where he became class president and received his law degree in 1952. After serving in the U.S. Army from 1952 to 1956, he returned to Ohio to begin a private practice. His accomplishments include a long list of firsts for black lawyers in the state. He was the first black person appointed as general counsel in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, the first to be elected judge in Franklin County, the first to serve on the Ohio Supreme Court, the first to win a statewide election, the first to serve on the U.S. Court of Military Appeals – appointed by President Richard Nixon – and the first to be appointed a federal district judge in Ohio. Ohio attorney general William B. Saxbe, who would become his mentor, hired him in 1959, and in 1974 President Nixon appointed him to the U.S. District

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Court for the Southern District of Ohio. He retired from the bench in 1985, became a partner in the Columbus office of the Jones Day law firm and returned to Ohio State University to assume the roles of vice president, general counsel and chair of the board of trustees. He sat on many boards, making positive contributions to the improvement of the city, the state and the lives of its residents. Some of these include American Electric Power, the Red Cross, Columbus College of Art & Design, Franklin University, the Ohio State University hospital board and the Piney Woods School. He was a member of numerous civic, legal and social organizations including the American College of Trial Lawyers, People to People Ambassador Programs, the Sophisticats and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. He received numerous awards, commendations and honorary degrees with the greatest gratitude and humility. He is survived by his devoted wife of fifty-six years, Archousa Shirley Thomas Duncan; his three children, Linn Duncan, Robert Duncan, married to Wauvette, and Harriet Turner, married to Ronald W. Turner II; four grandchildren, Elijah, Jacob, Chanelle and Deja; and two great-grandchildren, Brielle and Baker. He was loved and admired by the entire community.

Belva H. Eiland

ifelong teacher and learner and a kind, compassionate person who embraced life with dignity and grace, Archousa Belva H. Eiland, 76, of Alpha Chi Boulé, Lansing, Michigan, passed away on September 24, 2012, at the University of Michigan Hospital. Memorial services were held on October 2 at Friendship Baptist Church, where she had been a dedicated member for more than thirty-five years. Born in Louisville, Mississippi, on November 25, 1936, to Garland and Mary Haynes, she graduated from Camile High School and earned her bachelor’s degree at Jackson State University and her master’s and Ph.D. at Michigan State University. She began her professional career as a teacher of social studies at Louisville High School and, after moving to Brookhaven, Mississippi, continued teaching at Alexander High School, where she was recently honored as a grand marshal at the school’s annual reunion. In 1959 she married her husband, Archon Lonnie C. Eiland, with whom she’d spend fifty-three years together. Archon and Archousa Eiland moved to East Lansing in 1970, and she accepted a position with the Lansing School District, serving as a fourth-grade teacher for

many years before accepting an assignment as a reading specialist. She retired in 1999 after thirty years of dedicated service. After her retirement she contributed to many community organizations, including Meals on Wheels, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Haven House and the Black Child and Family Institute. She was a life member of the NAACP and a charter member of the Chi Epsilon Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; the Lansing/ East Lansing chapter of The Links, Inc.; the Silhouettes of Kappa Alpha Psi; and Phi Delta Kappa. She devoted her love and herself to her family, and her greatest joy came from the quality time spent with them. She leaves to cherish her memory her loving husband, Archon Lonnie Eiland; her daughter, Tangee Gibson, married to Darwin; her grandson, Brandon; six siblings, Frankie Grandberry, Paul Haynes, Johnnie Gaines, Dianelle Carter and McArthur Haynes; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, inlaws and treasured friends.

Kathryn Harris Franklin

rchousa Kathryn Harris Franklin, 85, the widow of the late Past Grand Sire Archon Robert V. Franklin of Alpha Phi Boulé, Toledo, passed away on August 8, 2012, at her home. She had been in declining health. Born in Toledo in 1927 to Rebecca and Dr. Mayo Harris, she graduated from the former Palmer Memorial Institute in Sedalia, North Carolina, attended Fisk University and earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Toledo and an M.S.W. at Ohio State University. She married her juniorhigh-school sweetheart, Bob, on August 23, 1952, and they were together for fiftynine years before he passed away on November 29, 2011. They were blessed with two sons, Jeffery Mayo and Gary Robert. A social worker by profession, Archousa Franklin was a medical supervisor for Head Start in Toledo and a caseworker for what is now the Family Service of Northwest Ohio. She retired in the early 1980’s. “She liked children and working with children, and probably even more, she felt strongly about advocating for them,” said her son Gary. “She was very organized and could work well with people, and she cared about the families she served,” said her colleague June Landry.

Her life was filled with service to the community, social clubs, the church and Sigma Pi Phi. With her assistance during her husband’s term as Grand Sire Archon, the total number of new member boulés in the Fraternity grew unprecedentedly. She was the epitome of grace and elegance, a model of stability and a supporter of progressive views in the various organizations she belonged to. Her friends and those who knew her best describe her as a rare combination of beauty, intelligence, dedication to duty and friends, compassion and quick wit that made it so enjoyable to be in her presence. “That’s the way she was raised,” her son said. “Her mother volunteered in many organizations, and her father was a medical doctor and certainly a leader in the black community – on the board of the historic Indiana Avenue YMCA. She took responsibility seriously. If she committed to doing something, she would see to getting it done.” Archousa Franklin was a past trustee and officer for the YWCA in Toledo and on the boards of Planned Parenthood of Northwest Ohio, the Sight Center of Northwest Ohio and the Family and Child Abuse Prevention Center. In 1988 she chaired the metro division of the United Way and led a successful local campaign. She was honored as Outstanding Woman of the Year by St. Vincent Hospital Ladies’ Auxiliary in 1975 and by the Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club. A charter member of the NAACP and the Coterie Club and a former president and officer of the Girl Friends, Inc., she was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, presiding over two chapters at different times, and a past

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president of the Study Hour Club and of the Toledo chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Her husband was a longtime Lucas County Common Pleas Court judge with an extensive leadership record in community and civic groups, and she campaigned tirelessly behind the scenes for him and other progressive candidates for office in her community. A lifelong member and a trustee emeritus of Third Baptist Church, Archousa Franklin left her own legacy of service, said Dee Penn, a friend since the early 1960’s. “She was a good worker and easy to get along with, a thoughtful, concerned, considerate person. Wherever and whenever she was needed, she was there. She was gentle and gracious, a great hostess.” Her son said, “She was tenacious and strong-willed, a devoted wife and definitely a devoted mother.” She loved to garden, play bridge, dance “the Madison” and play golf. She is survived by her son Gary. Her son Jeffery passed away in 2006. Though she was an only child, she regarded her first cousin, Elizabeth Harris Lawson, who survives, as her big sister.

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Agnes Clarice Taylor Gladney

n November 26, 2012, exactly one year after the death of her husband of sixty-seven years, Archousa Agnes Clarice Taylor Gladney, 89, of Eta Boulé, St. Louis, passed from this life. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she grew up in a home where God, faith, family and community service were paramount. She embodied her father’s motto: “Our job is to each day make someone’s smile a little brighter, someone’s load a little lighter.” She graduated from high school in Okmulgee and in 1940 entered Talladega College in Alabama, where she met her husband, the late Archon John H. Gladney, whom she married after graduation. She received a master’s degree in speech pathology from St. Louis University and became a speech therapist for the St. Louis County Special School District, primarily serving in University City. Her profession complemented her husband’s ear, nose and throat medical practice. A member of Pilgrim Congregational Church UCC, she was an activist in her own quiet way. During her college years she joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, helping to serve in soup kitchens, schools and hospitals, and was always especially concerned about the wel-

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fare of members of the black community who could not speak up for themselves. She was honored posthumously on January 19, 2013, with the 2013 MLK Spirit Award. She is survived by her daughters, Connie Agard and Jud Gladney; a sister, Lillian Stephens Wilson; five grandchildren: Greer Gladney, Larmar Agard, Brianna Agard Stewart, Aaron Vickers and Erica Vickers Cage (Warren); and eight greatgrandchildren. Her son, John H. Gladney, Jr., preceded her in death.

Alan Eugene Green

urrounded by his family, Archon Alan Eugene Green, 66, of Alpha Psi Boulé, Hartford, passed away peacefully at home on June 21, 2012, after a long illness. Born on December 14, 1945, in Hartford, the only son of Charles C. Green and Hazel Gay Green, he graduated from Weaver High School in 1964 and received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Hartford and his juris doctorate from the University of Connecticut Law School. Six weeks after he met his future bride, Constance Belton, they became engaged. During his forty-year career in corporate and public service, he held positions as executive director of the Hartford Housing Authority, executive director of the New Samaritan Corp., principal in the consulting firm of Green Wilson & Associates, executive director of the New Haven Community Foundation and associate director of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. He initiated the demolition and redevelopment of Nelton Court, the last of the World War II–era federal housing projects in Hartford, and in an effort to increase commercial, retail and employment opportunities for residents, he brought needed

attention to the areas that surrounded public housing. In honor of his dedication to “paying it forward” by helping others, the Alan E. Green Hartford Housing Authority Scholarship Fund has been established at the Hartford Foundation. The fund will provide scholarships for graduating highschool seniors who have some involvement with the Housing Authority. Always a friend and confidant, Archon Green will be remembered for his love of family, giving spirit and personal integrity. Loving laughter and jazz music, he enjoyed spending time with family and friends, playing tennis, cooking, taking photographs, researching family history, and swimming and watching sunsets on Martha’s Vineyard. One of his proudest moments was holding his newborn grandson, Wesley, when the boy was just twelve hours old. As his family’s historian, he established Seymour Black History Month – an annual dialogue with relatives documenting the Seymour lineage. A member of the Sons of the American Revolution, he spoke at events throughout Connecticut on his family history. Among his many awards are the University of Connecticut Law School Distinguished Alumni Award, the National Conference for Community and Justice Human Relations Award, and recognition as a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford Alumni Hall of Fame. Inducted into Alpha Psi in 2007, he was also a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. The first African American chairman of the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ and a former chairman of the Connecticut Humanities Council, he attended Asylum Hill

Congregational Church and had long-standing family ties to Faith Congregational Church. He is survived by his wife of forty years, Archousa Constance Belton Green; daughters Lea K. Green, an attorney in New York, and Linnie Green Wright, a college professor in Boston; his son-in-law, Bruce C.T. Wright, a journalist in Boston; his grandson, Wesley Alan Coleridge Wright; two David D. Hamlar, Sr. first cousins, Bette Thomas of Atlanta and Linda Stewambda Boulé, Columart of Chicago; and a host of bus, Ohio, mourns the other family members and loss of Archon David D. friends. Hamlar, Sr., 88, who passed away peacefully on October 25, 2012. Born in 1924, he was one of nine children of Robert and Maud Hamlar of Roanoke, Virginia. Strong family values and an emphasis on education led “Duck” to Hampton Institute, after which he served in World War II as a U.S. Navy machinist and, upon discharge, attended the University of Toledo. As a scholar-athlete, he lettered in basketball, baseball, track and football and in 1985 was named to the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He graduated with a B.Ed., and after declining an offer to play for the Los Angeles Rams, he went on to earn a D.D.S. from Howard University College of Dentistry. He was married to his high-school sweetheart, the late Archousa Maxine Harbour, who passed away in 2001, for fifty-six years. Known for his easy manner, reasoned viewpoints and promotion of education, youth development and social justice, he led a successful dental practice for fifty-two years, served the community in many ways and was respected throughout central Ohio. One of his most memorable contributions was his role in leading the Columbus Board

of Education during the 1960’s and ’70’s, when it was racially divided and fighting a desegregation lawsuit. He led the fight, testifying in federal court in support of forced busing to integrate the school system, in effect giving every child an opportunity to have access to a quality education. He received an invitation to participate in a White House Conference on Strategic Arms Limitation with President Carter, was a dedicated member of the Urban League, the NAACP and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and held board positions with the Urban League, Columbus Children’s Hospital and the Columbus Academy, among others. He is survived by his children, Jocelyn Hamlar (Leighton Toney), David Hamlar, Jr. (June), and Deidre Hamlar; grandchildren Morgan, Sydney, Devin, Jenna and Tai; a brother, Beverly Hamlar; a sister, Shirley Wilson (Thomas); a niece, Brenda Saunders Miller; and a host of extended relatives and loving friends.

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Blanchard Tucker Hollins, Sr.

he first African American physician in Texas to be board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, Archon Blanchard Tucker Hollins, Sr., 83, of Nu Boulé, Houston, departed this life on November 24, 2012. He was born in Houston on November 3, 1929, to Willie Howard Hollins and Ollie V. Tucker Hollins. Graduating from Jack Yates High School at the age of 15, he received a scholarship to Wiley College in Marshall and received a B.S. in chemistry in 1949. He earned his M.D. at Meharry Medical College in 1953 and completed his internship and residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Homer G. Phillips Hospital in St. Louis before returning to Houston in 1958 to establish a medical practice. In the 1950’s the medical facilities in Houston were segregated, and African American physicians had to work in their own community hospitals. Archon Hollins embraced the opportunity to serve the residents of these communities, having grown up in the city’s segregated Third Ward. He joined the staffs of the Third Ward’s Houston Negro Hospital (later renamed Riverside), the Fifth Ward’s St. Elizabeth Hospital and Lockwood Hospital. In 1967 he took a part-time job with Baylor Medical Center, train146

ing medical students in obgyn clinics at Jefferson Davis Hospital for nine years. In 1968 he was part of a group of African American physicians who broke ground to build the Lockwood Professional Building in northeast Houston. While at Meharry Medical College he met Mary Alice Conway, a nursing student from East Chicago, Indiana, and they married in 1954 and eventually became the parents of seven children. Archousa Hollins preceded him in death in 2003 after forty-nine beautiful years of marriage. Archon Hollins was a member of several professional associations, including the National Medical Association, the Houston Medical Forum and the Chi Delta Mu medical, dental and pharmaceutical fraternity. He encouraged other African American physicians to join and participate in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Texas Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. In 2008 he took part in the People to People Citizen Ambassador Program as a member of the ob-gyn delegation to China and Tibet. He continued to practice medicine until his death, and throughout his life he served his community at local, state and national levels, advocating for the reproductive rights of women. He worked with his local Planned Parenthood chapter and became a board member of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America during the 1970’s. He sat on the board of the Lockwood National Bank, was treasurer of the Jack and Jill of America Foundation, Inc., for many years and belonged to the Houstonian Social Club. His professional, community and social

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accomplishments were balanced by a fierce love of golf. At an early age he worked as a caddy at the Hermann Park Golf Course, and in the 1960’s he became the first black amateur to play in the Houston Open. He was also a member of the Lone Star Golf Association and the Nomads, a national black golf association. Indeed, this passion took him to tournaments around the world and he never missed a Nu Boulé golf event. Archon Hollins’s son Blanchard T. Hollins, Jr., preceded him in death. He leaves to cherish his memory four daughters: Linda Hollins, Mary Floyd (Rodney), Vivian Clark (James, Sr.) and Allison Hollins; sons Barry Hollins and Kevin Hollins (Gina); siblings George Hollins, Sr. (Mary), Deloris Mitchell, Gwendolyn Sherman, Carmelita Gooden (Lamar), Jean Jones (Art), Carol Sadler (Cicero), Jim Hollins and Eva Kanneh; sisters-in-law Grace Hollins and Thelma Hollins; eight grandchildren; two greatgrandchildren; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and colleagues

Kenneth N. Hylton, Sr.

icknamed “Mookie” by his older brother and sister and recognized as intellectually precocious as a young boy, Archon Kenneth N. Hylton, Sr., 83, of Iota Boulé, Detroit, passed away on September 7, 2012, after several weeks battling throat cancer. Honesty, integrity, purpose and service were the threads of his life’s fabric as a lawyer, businessman, politician, civil-rights organizer and family man. Born in Roanoke, Virginia, on July 7, 1929, he grew up in a religious environment in which his father, the Reverend Dr. S.W. Hylton, Sr., and mother, Idenia Hylton, instilled in him unshakable Christian values. Although his father’s church was high up in the Blue Ridge Mountains, his home was a virtual annex of the church. In his youth he saw many heartwrenching instances of poverty and resolved early on to be financially independent and to work to alleviate the hardships he saw in the African American community of the segregated South. He graduated from Talladega College with a B.A. degree in 1950. While there, he met young Ethel Washington, the woman he would marry. He was admitted to Boston University Law School, where he befriended Martin Luther King, Jr., whom he would later help in orga-

nizing the Detroit prototype of the 1963 March on Washington. He graduated from law school in 1952, among the few African American attorneys of that generation who would tear down color lines around the United States and move this country toward racial equality. He continued his education at Wayne State University, earning a master’s degree in 1954 while serving in the U.S. Army. Discharged after three years of service at the rank of first lieutenant, he, his wife, Ethel, and first son, Kenneth, Jr., moved to Detroit in 1956. He built a reputation for integrity in his early years of practice, eventually finding his way into the city’s major law firms: Bailer, Lee, Long, Brown & Cain in 1957; Swainson, Dingell, Hylton & Zemmol from 1962 to 1967; Dingell, Hylton & Zemmol from 1967 to 1977; Kenneth N. Hylton & Associates from 1977 to 1980; and finally Hylton & Hylton, PC. The arc of his law practice paralleled his transition from politics and public life to an intense devotion to family. He was a member of the Wolverine Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the National Lawyers Guild, the American Trial Lawyers Association, the Fellows of the Michigan State Bar Foundation, a chairman and member of the State Bar of Michigan Grievance Commission board, and a referee for the Civil Rights Commission of the State of Michigan. Considered an expert in probate law and practice, including legal and fiduciary roles in the administration of estates of deceased persons, he had extensive trial experience in the areas of housing condemnation, realestate law and banking and commercial law, and he was legal counsel and consultant

for several corporations and business enterprises. Along with his passion for law, which saw him opening his office almost every weekday (and some Saturdays) during his fifty-six years of practice, his other involvements were many, including Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the Rogues, the NAACP, the NAACP Housing Corp. (for which he was counsel), the Westlawn Cemetery Association, the Michigan Democratic Party (vice chairman), the First Independence National Bank in Detroit (board secretary and legal counsel), the National Housing Conference (secretary and board chairman), OmniBank, Detroit (board secretary and general counsel), and the Talladega College board of trustees. His Archousa of fifty-nine years, Ethel Hylton, preceded him in death in 2010. His son, Kenneth N. Hylton, Jr., died in 2001 after a long struggle with cancer. He is survived by his sons Kevin Hylton and Keith Hylton; grandchildren Kenneth N. Hylton III, Cecilia Theodora Hylton, Ethel Louise Hylton, Antonia Alma Hylton, Norma Kimberly Hylton, Consuelo Karen Hylton, Margaret Maria Hylton and Keith Edward Hylton; his brother, Samuel Wiber Hylton, Jr.; his sister, Janice Hale; and many other beloved relatives and friends.

Kerney Laday, Sr.

oved and respected for his humanity and his extraordinary ability to connect with people, Archon Kerney Laday, Sr., 70, of Alpha Epsilon Boulé, Dallas, passed away on September 8, 2012. Born on March 14, 1942, in Ville Platte, Louisiana, one of ten children of Lillies and Sampson Laday, he graduated from James Stephens High School, received his B.S. in 1965 from Southern University in Baton Rouge and earned a master’s degree in counseling and psychology from Louisiana State University and an M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University. After serving in the U.S. Army Signal Corps from 1965 to 1968, he was honorably discharged with the rank of captain. Archon Laday began his professional career as the placement director for Southern University and then accepted an entrylevel position with the Xerox Corp., where, during his twenty-six years with the company, he held many positions, including vice president of field operations, vice president and region general manager, and vice president, national service, U.S. Marketing Group. He retired in 1997 and embarked on a new venture as president of the Laday Co., which specialized

in management consulting and business development. An exemplary businessman, civic leader and philanthropist, he believed that his close family was the source of his strength and that the family unit is stronger than any individual within it. An inveterate student, he continually challenged himself to remain relevant and current, and it was important to him to maintain a balance in life with respect to mental acuity, physical fitness and spirituality. A director and chairman of the board of Texas Health Resources and a board member for Rent-A-Center, TDIndustries, the Beck Group, the Texas Treasury Safekeeping Trust Co. and Texas Utilities Co., as well as such nonprofit organizations as the Salesmanship Club of Dallas Foundation and Bent Tree Country Club, he sat on the executive board of the Cox School of Business at SMU and the board of directors of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. He also belonged to the Dallas Together Forum and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He will be greatly missed by his former high-school sweetheart and beloved wife of fifty-two years, Archousa Floradese Thomas Laday; his three sons and their spouses: Marcus (Collette), Kerney, Jr. (Marcia), and Anthony (Karen); seven grandchildren: Simone, Jessica, Ryan, Morgan, Michael, Sophia and Grant; brothers Ernest (Hattie) and Alvin; sisters Juanita, Ella Joy (Clarence) and Annie Bell (Moses); and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins and other relatives.

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with his eloquence, his expectations of excellence and his emphasis on one’s obligation to serve with professionalism, competence and unquestionable ethical integrity. He began his career as a visiting instructor at Howard University in 1951 and assumed the chairmanship of the Department of Political Science at Prairie View A&M College of Texas, where he met and wed Hazelyn Scott. As a scholar of demography, social stratification and urban political systems, he believed that in order to effect change, one has to participate, and that he did, relentlessly. From serving as chairman of the San Antonio Community Development Advisory Committee, vice chair of the governor’s Texas Urban Development Commission, vice president of the United Way of Bexar County and board member of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce to organizing and chairing the Statewide Coalition for the Education of Black Children and Youth in Texas, Archon Lewis, as a member of the City of San Antonio Charter Revision Committee, influenced the shift from at-large to single-member city council elections in order to formulate a more democratic and multiracial leadership structure. Among his many awards were the city’s 1996 Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished Achievement Award, an honorary LL.D. degree from Our Lady of the Lake University in 1978 and an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Incarnate Word College in 1989. A “Celebration of Life” service, heralded by an exceptionally rare musical flourish from the campus clock tower, took place on the campus where Archon Lewis spent the bulk of his

A.M.

Earl McKinley Lewis

harter Archon and Charter Rhetoricos Earl McKinley Lewis, 92, of Gamma Phi Boulé, San Antonio, creator of the first community service program established by Gamma Phi for disadvantaged youth, passed away on October 13, 2012, in Houston. Born in McComb, Mississippi, on December 2, 1919, he was infused with a spirit that decades ago recognized intrinsic value in the ascension and the study of urban America, and he sustained an unbridled commitment to insure that all citizens had the unfettered right to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. He has inspired city leaders throughout America, and his legacy will live on long after his passing. As Trinity University’s first tenured African American professor and its first George W. Brackenridge Distinguished Professor of Urban Studies, Archon Lewis developed and directed one of the nation’s first urbanstudies graduate programs. With a B.A. from Tougaloo College in 1942, a master’s degree in American history from Loyola University in 1948 and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Chicago in 1951, he was ideally grounded with the knowledge and ability, as recalled by his students, to mesmerize them at 8:00 148

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professional career. His son Peter spoke of his father’s fearless work ethic, and his friend Reverend Dr. Raymond Judd, Jr., Trinity chaplain emeritus, observed that Archon Lewis kept the urban in urban studies: He was urbane, elegant, refined, strongly gentle, gentlemanly and a lot of fun. He is survived by his wife of fifty-seven years, Archousa Hazelyn Scott Lewis; two sons and daughters-in-law, Peter C. Lewis and Willow J. Sanchez, and Ronald C. Lewis and Marcia D. West; a daughter, Alicia L. Lewis; and a granddaughter, Lana E.H. Lewis. He and Archousa Lewis shared an enduring love of nature, cultivating many varieties of roses and flowers, and he introduced and educated their children to the joys and responsibilities attendant to horseback riding and horse ownership.

Henry Inman Martin

fter a long battle with cancer, Archon Henry “Harry” Inman Martin of Beta Mu Boulé, Suburban Maryland, transitioned to Omega Boulé on October 19, 2012. Born on September 25, 1922, in Englewood, Colorado, the second of three children of Julia Elliott Martin and Henry Herman Martin, he completed his primary, secondary and collegiate studies in Colorado before moving to the Washington, D.C., area during the 1940’s. He graduated from Colorado State University in 1943 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and worked for two years as a geologist with the Bureau of Reclamation. Acting on the advice of his uncle, Dr. Walter Napier, he applied and was accepted at Howard University’s College of Medicine, where he completed several rotations in different fields of medical specialization before settling on obstetrics and gynecology. He once commented that the internationally acclaimed dean at Howard, surgeon and medical researcher Archon Charles Richard Drew, suggested that he pursue a surgery specialization, but because of the longer interval for surgical postdoctorate training and pressing economic considerations, he decided to pursue ob-gyn.

After his internship at Freedmen’s Hospital (now Howard University Hospital), he joined the military, serving as captain in charge of obstetrics and gynecology at Mitchell Field Air Force Base. In 1956 he returned to the Washington area to teach at Howard University and start a private practice. With a thriving practice for forty years, he brought thousands of babies into world, including more than thirty births in a single month. He was an attending physician at the Washington Hospital Center for more than twenty years and an assistant professor at Howard School of Medicine for almost twenty. Archon Martin’s love of family was first and foremost in his life. He married the late Margaret Theresa Hill in 1945, and this union produced two children, Linda Louise Martin (deceased) and Harry Inman Martin, Jr. This marriage later ended in divorce, and he married Roberta Morning Palmer in 1964 and became stepfather to Gail Maurita Palmer. Archon and Archousa Martin completed their family with the addition of two daughters, Kathryn Ann and Allison Morning. Archon Martin was a pillar of our fraternity, joining Sigma Pi Phi as a chartering Archon of Beta Mu in 1981. For more than thirty years he served in various leadership roles, including Sire Archon, membership council chair and social committee chair, and by unanimous consent he was named Beta Mu’s social committee chair emeritus in 2008. His longstanding friend and golf partner, Archon Thad Mumford, said, “We will be forever indebted to the spirit, tone and, more important, the imprint left by Archon Martin on Beta Mu Boulé. He was an outstanding physi-

cian and an exceptional man who was truly my friend.” Archon Martin was an active member of the Indian Springs Country Club in Silver Spring, where he served on the club’s board of governors for many years, and a member of several professional, social, golf and service organizations in the Washington area, including the Pro Duffers, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Twelve Plus Bridge Club and the Nomads. In recent years he became active in the Saturday School, a tutoring and mentoring program for students in Montgomery County, Maryland, offered by the George B. Thomas, Sr. Learning Academy, Inc. A celebration of his exceptional life was held on October 22 at the Dunbarton Chapel of Howard University Law School, with the Reverend Michael Armstrong, Howard University chaplain, officiating. The standing-room-only event was attended by many from the greater Washington community, including Archons from Beta Mu, Epsilon and Beta Nu boulés. Archon Martin is survived by his loving wife of forty-eight years, Archousa Roberta Morning Martin; his children, Harry I. Martin, Jr. (Lina), Gail M. Goode (Harold), Kathryn Martin Brewer (John) and Allison M. Martin; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and his sister, Mary Martin Cruter. His memory will be cherished by his devoted and loving relatives, colleagues, former patients and friends. Donations may be made in memory of Dr. Harry I. Martin to the Howard University College of Medicine, 520 W Street, NW, Washington, D.C., 20059.

Edward Reed

he first black general surgeon to set up a practice in Memphis, Archon Edward Reed of Delta Boulé, Memphis, died on November 27, 2012, at age 92. He was born in 1920, and during his childhood years in Birmingham his curiosity about how the human body worked encouraged him to set on a course to become a doctor. His long and committed journey began in 1939, when he enrolled at Tennessee State University, but he completed only one year before he was required to leave because of financial restraints. Determined to finish, he returned and graduated with honors in 1944. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he taught in the Birmingham school system and enrolled at Meharry Medical College in 1955. He earned his M.D., took an internship in Seattle and a residency in Nashville, and came to Memphis in 1962 to set up a surgical practice. Because he was black, he was not allowed to join the Memphis and Shelby County Medical Society, the Tennessee Medical Association or the American Medical Association, but he blazed the trail for others to follow and was the icon who integrated the surgical staffs of Memphis hospitals in the 1960’s. A true humanitarian, he practiced at the highest level deep in the heart of African

American community, and he possessed the unique sensitivity and incredible skill to cure the ills – even in the face of noncompliant habits – of patients who lived at the poverty level. His decision to work in the inner city grew out of his training at Meharry, where doctors were taught to serve in poor communities to make a difference: It was called “paying back.” During his career he became a member of the teaching staff at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and also ventured into local politics in significant ways. He was a close adviser to former U.S. congressman Harold Ford, Sr., and served as his treasurer. Archon Reed leaves to mourn his passing his devoted wife, Archousa Gladys Reed, and two daughters, Cynthia Boyd, a dentist in Annapolis, Maryland, and Sandra Reed, an anesthesiologist in Memphis.

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / In Memoriam 149

Clarissa Yvette McIntosh Robison

amma Xi Boulé, Sarasota, Florida, mourns the loss of Archousa Clarissa Yvette Robison, 59, who made her peaceful transition from this earthly life on September 23, 2012, after a courageous fourteen-year battle with breast cancer. Born in Morganton, North Carolina, on March 19, 1953, to the Reverend Willie Flemon McIntosh and Nettie Mae McIntosh, she graduated with honors from Oak Hill High School and enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a women’s college at the time. She majored in home economics with a specialty in earlychildhood development, and she had a gift for working with children, getting their attention and engaging them in ways that proved fascinating to those who watched her. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from UNCG, she moved back home to Morganton, where she taught kindergarten and first grade at the Mull School. After three years of teaching, she went on to Florida State University in Tallahassee, where she earned her M.S. Her trek farther southward began in 1977, and she would remain in Florida for the rest of her life. Her first job after completing graduate work was with the Florida Department of Education Migrant Educa-

150

tion Program in Sarasota. Here she met Archon Louis Robison, and they were married on July 10, 1982, in Morganton. When Archousa Robison left Migrant Education, she went to work at Manatee Community College, now the State College of Florida. As a counselor, she helped hundreds of students map a direction toward their degrees, and she later became assistant director for human resources and then director of admissions and college registrar before leaving because of her illness. Diagnosed in 1998, she battled hard against the disease, and in June 2010 she was offered the opportunity to serve the community as manager of the North Sarasota Library. Of all her jobs, this was a labor of love like none other. There was never a day when she was actually “well” at work, yet she believed two things to her core: that the power of the Holy Spirit was working in her life each day and that “there are no reruns in the life of a child.” An accomplished musician who for many years served as pianist, organist and choir director for several churches and community organizations – including the Shiloh A.M.E. Church (the family’s home church) and the Green Street Presbyterian Church, both in Morganton – Archousa Robison was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer and a beloved member of the Lambda Omicron Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She received several honors, including the Freedom Award for Education, presented by the Sarasota branch of the NAACP, and the Women of Color, Women of Achievement Award from the West Coast Woman mag-

In Memoriam / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

azine. Through the years, her commitment to literacy and education for all were expressed by her contributions of time and talents to the United Negro College Fund, the United Way of Sarasota County and the American Heart Association, among others. Her immersion in literacy resulted in her significant contributions to the Early Learning Coalition and the Community Foundation of Sarasota’s LEAF (Literacy Empowers All Families) program. She is survived by her husband, Archon Louis Robison; a daughter, Carta, a 2011 graduate of Fisk University currently employed with the Northern Trust Bank’s Chicago office; a son, Maureik, a junior at Florida State University; stepchildren Louis Aundra and Shoneji; her parents, the Reverend and Mrs. McIntosh; a sister, Willette McIntosh; a brother, Willie McIntosh III (Rochelle); a niece, Connor Marie; a nephew, Willie IV; and many devoted family members, friends and colleagues, to whom Archousa Yvette would say: “To each and every one who contributed to my musical score, thank you for being an important note in my song of life! May God’s peace be with you!”

“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” – Proverbs 31: 10, 25, 26, 28

Robert E. Walden

eloved trailblazer in the fields of mental health and community medicine, Archon Robert E. Walden, 92, a founding member of Alpha Phi Boulé, Toledo, passed away on October 12, 2012. He had cardiovascular, lung and kidney problems and had been in declining health for several months. He was born on April 5, 1920, in Boston, and graduated from Northeastern University, Lincoln University and Meharry Medical College. During World War II he served stateside in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, then became a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve Medical Corps. He joined the Air Force Reserve after the Korean War and became a captain and a senior medical officer for a U.S. Air Force examining station, and he continued his service to this country in civilian life, helping to start a neuropsychiatric treatment facility at the former veterans hospital in Allen Park, Michigan. In the 1970’s he returned to military service as a lieutenant colonel in the USAR, retiring in 1984 with the rank of colonel. He also traveled to the Soviet Union as a civilian medical ambassador during the Cold War. Hired in 1968 by the trustees of the newly established Medical College of

Ohio (now the University of Toledo Medical Center) as an associate professor of psychiatry, he helped create the curriculum for the charter class of medical students in 1969; and as director of psychiatric inpatient services, he developed the first clinical psychiatric unit. He also served on the college’s affirmative action and admissions committees. He retired as emeritus professor of psychiatry in 1990. The psychiatry department at MCO was the first one at the college to start clinical operations and a residency program. “He had compassion for people who were mentally ill,” said one of his sons, “and he was ahead of his time in the way he viewed them. His whole thing was to bring psychiatric care into the modern era, treating people as people.” “He was extremely knowledgeable and kind, and had a human touch that made him really loved by everybody who came into contact with him,” said Dr. Shirley Ferguson Rayport, a neuropsychiatrist and retired MCO professor. “We were all pleased that he was able to bring his expertise to create this unit.” Archon Walden helped to humanize and reduce the number of chronically ill psychiatric inpatients by introducing innovative, humane therapy. He was also a strong advocate of reintroducing patients to society. In 1970 the University of Toledo Medical School asked him to plan and direct a health-services center, along the lines of the Model Cities Program, that included treatment of vision and hearing problems, mental health counseling and physical screenings. “It is important that people understand we hope to bring a first-class walk-in clinic to the community,” he said at the time. In 1971 the center

opened under his directorship and was named Cordelia Martin Health Center after an advocate of community health care. It is now the Neighborhood Health Association, which provides care for the majority of indigent and low-income residents of Lucas County. In 1972 Governor John J. Gilligan appointed him to a seven-year term on the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission. As his term ended, he said that his contribution was to ensure that programs for individuals with disabilities were also sensitive to their emotional needs. Archon Walden was a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, a past president of the Ohio Psychiatric Association and an international lecturer, presenting papers in the Philippines, Japan and the United States. He served as a deacon and trustee of First Congregational Church in Toledo and was active in the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches leadership. He is survived by his wife of fifty-nine years, Archousa Ethel L. Walden; his children, Kenneth Walden, Roberta Miller, Robert Walden, Jr., Dr. Mark Walden and Mary Mitchell, Esq.; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Roland Smith Watts

“O

ne of the most productive and best-known woodblock printers in the Southeast,” Archon Roland Smith Watts, 81, of Gamma Kappa Boulé, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was called home on July 28, 2012, to receive his heavenly rewards for his faithful and devoted service to God, family, the community and the world. Born in Philadelphia on March 5, 1931, to Dr. Maurice L. Watts and Garnelle Smith Watts, he spent his early years in Raleigh, where he attended public schools and was active in the Boy Scouts, earning the Eagle Scout Award. He spent summers at Camp Atwater in North Brookfield, Massachusetts, benefiting from valuable experiences that fostered the development of his life skills. He enrolled at North Carolina A&T College (now University), but his education was interrupted by two years of service in the U.S. Army. He returned to NCA&T, completed his undergraduate degree and an M.S., and went on to earn a master of fine arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He became a professor at Winston-Salem State University and chairman of the Fine Arts Department, and he provided support for student organizations and a number of university committees, retiring after thirty-nine years.

Recog nized for his extraordinary talent as an artist, Archon Watts had his work shown in ten one-man exhibitions and twenty-nine group shows in several cities in North Carolina and other states. He designed the Chancellor’s Medal for Winston-Salem State University – a rod with an ornamental head that is carried on ceremonial occasions such as commencement – and the Ram Plaque used for the developmental fund. A past board member of several organizations, including the Gallery of Contemporary Art, Piedmont Craftsman, Inc., the Arts and Crafts Association and Art Gallery Originals, he held memberships with Associated Artists of Winston-Salem and the North Carolina Art Education Association. He was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and a former member of the Torch Club, and he attended Wentz Memorial United Church of Christ. Throughout his life Archon Watts derived special enjoyment from several hobbies: his extensive collection of model trains, photography, boating at his lake home and national and international travel. Similarly, he was intrigued by classic cars. A true gentleman, an accomplished artist and a thoughtful individual with a wit enjoyed by everyone, his life provides inspiration for all who knew him. He is survived by his loving wife of many years, Archousa Velma Gibson Watts; a daughter, Rolonda Watts of Los Angeles; a son, Brett Watts of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; goddaughters Kelli Luck Slade, Esq., and Susan Harrison; godson, Dr. Mark Oliver; and Turquoise B. Erving, who was like a daughter to him

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / In Memoriam 151

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In Memoriam / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

Christmas Is for the Archousai

Alpha

183

Beta

154

Delta

155

Epsilon

156

Zeta

157

Theta

160

Iota

161

Kappa

162

157

163

164

Tau

166

Upsilon

167

Phi

168

Chi

169

Psi

171

Alpha Beta

170, 212

Alpha Gamma

193

Alpha Delta

171

Alpha Epsilon

172

Alpha Zeta

186

Alpha Eta

173

Alpha Theta

174, 214

Alpha Iota

175

Alpha Kappa

176

Alpha Lambda

177

Alpha Mu

177

Alpha Nu

178

Alpha Xi

179

Alpha Rho

180, 186

Alpha Sigma

157

Alpha Tau

211

Alpha Upsilon

181

Alpha Phi

182

Beta Delta

211

Beta Epsilon

211

Beta Zeta

157

Beta Eta

183

Beta Theta

184

Beta Lambda

212

Beta Mu

185

Beta Xi

186

Beta Rho

187

Beta Tau

188

Beta Upsilon

189, 193

Beta Psi

190

Gamma Beta

186

Gamma Gamma

191

Gamma Delta

192

Gamma Epsilon

193

Gamma Theta

194

Gamma Kappa

211

Gamma Lambda

195

Gamma Mu

196

Gamma Nu

197

Gamma Xi

186, 198

Gamma Omicron 199 Gamma Rho

200

Gamma Sigma

201, 211

Gamma Tau

202

Gamma Upsilon

211

Gamma Chi

193

Delta Gamma

203

Delta Epsilon

204

Delta Lambda

205

Delta Mu

206

Delta Nu

207

Delta Sigma

208

Delta Tau

209

Delta Chi

210

Epsilon Alpha

201, 211

Epsilon Beta

193

Epsilon Gamma

211

Epsilon Delta

212

Epsilon Epsilon

164

Epsilon Zeta

213

Epsilon Eta

193

Epsilon Iota

174, 214

Epsilon Kappa

215

Epsilon Lambda

186

Epsilon Nu

186

Epsilon Xi

216

Spring 2013 / The BoulĂŠ Journal 77â&#x20AC;˘1 / Christmas Is for the Archousai 153

Black-Tie Event Enjoyed by Beta

Beta Archons celebrating twenty-five years with the Fraternity: Archons Everett White, Clark Burrus, James Reynolds, Garland Watt and Lester McKeever

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eta Boulé, Chicago, celebrated the Archousai at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in December. The Archons, handsomely clothed in black-tie attire, were a mere glimmer compared with the beauty and class of the lovely Archousai. After enjoying cocktails in the Glass Room, which features a floor-to-ceiling mirrored wall with a view of the greenery of the Terrace, everyone moved to the Concorde Room for a delightful dinner. A three-voice strolling choir entertained the group before the Clark/ Johnson Orchestra took over, providing smooth sounds throughout the remainder of the evening. The event included reflections from Sire Archon F. Christopher Lee; and Beta honored five Archons who have recently celebrated twenty-five years with our august fraternity: Archons Everett White, Clark Burrus, James Reynolds, Garland Watt and Lester McKeever. As a special treat, Archon Michael Foggs offered the traditional poetic tribute to the Archousai, and as is customary, each Archon presented his Archousa with a gift to mark the holiday season. Dancing followed dinner. The evening was a wonderful success, during which all enjoyed the best of one another. Archon Trevonne M. Thompson Grapter, Beta Boulé

Delta Honors the Archousai Memphis-Style

Sire Archon Anthony Holder making presentations to the Archousai

n the historic setting of the Continental Ballroom of the Peabody Hotel, Delta Boulé, Memphis, held its annual Christmas celebration on December 14, 2012. With great anticipation and excitement, the distinguished-looking Archons and fashionably attired Archousai gathered to celebrate Christmas Is for the Archousai Memphis-style. Special guests were Archon Marion L. Carroll, Jr., and his lovely Archousa, Lynda, from Delta Iota Boulé, Mobile. Alabama. In the midst of lively conversation and holiday libations, people mixed and mingled to the tunes of the Will Graves & Soul band, which provided festive and soulful music all evening. As the sights and sounds reached a crescendo, Archon Fred Lofton gave a blessing of thanksgiving, and everyone relished the annual tradition of sharing a holiday meal while enjoying the company of friends. Archon Esmond Arrindell, the planning committee chairman and gracious host, made sure that every detail was executed with precision. After the delicious meal, the Archons lovingly presented each lady with a beautifully wrapped token of affection. Sire Archon Anthony Holder took the opportunity to make personal presentations and brought each Archousa to the front of the room to receive hers. Following the conclusion of the program and photos, the dancing resumed and the revelers stayed late into the night celebrating another year of good health and achievement with hearty handshakes, hugs and well wishes.

Archon Albert Morris, Archon Esmond Arrindell, Sire Archon Anthony Holder and Archon Carl Carter, master of ceremonies

Archousa Olivia Coleman, Archon Jesse Westbrook, Archousa Joey Beckford, Archon Neal Beckford, Archousa Stephanie Dowell and Archon Stanley Dowell

Archon Albert W. Morris, Jr. Grapter, Delta Boulé Archousa Marianne Walter, guest Tomeka Hart and Archousa Merry Moore

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Christmas Is for the Archousai 155

Photo Credit: Jeffrey C. Davis

Epsilon Dances Until the Lights Go Out

Epsilon officers: Archons Robert Montague Wilkinson, Wendell Johns, Joseph Quash, Todd Pilot, Nigel Parkinson and John Brittain

uring their annual Christmas dinner-dance on December 7, 2012, the Archons and Archousai of Epsilon Boulé, Washington, D.C., dined and danced until the lights went out at the JW Marriott. Each Archon presented his Archousa with a long-stemmed rose as a symbol of his loving affection. With Bobby Felder and His Bluenotes featuring upbeat music, nearly everyone gravitated to the parquet dance floor to join in various versions of the Electric Slide, thus kicking off the holiday season with joy and blessings. The members of the dinner-dance committee – Sire Archon Robert “Monty” Wilkinson and Archons Carle E. Anderson, James R. Carroll, John C. Brittain, Miles Mark Fisher IV and John B. Parks – are to be commended.

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The new officers for 2013 are Sire Archon Wendell L. Johns, Past Sire Archon Robert Montague Wilkinson, Sire Archon–Elect Joseph A. Quash, Grammateus Todd A. Pilot, Thesauristes Nigel Parkinson, Rhetoricos John B. Parks, Grapter John C. Brittain and Archon Rodney Slater, membership council chair. Earlier in the year, Epsilon had inducted six worthy Archons. Epsilon is currently the largest member boulé in Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. Archon John C. Brittain Grapter, Epsilon Boulé

Zeta Centennial cochairman Archon Carl Turnipseed, Zeta Sire Archon Ralph Dawson, Grand Sire Archon James Payne and Zeta Centennial cochairman Noel Hankin

Zeta Hosts Four Hundred at Christmas Gala

Zeta Archousai

eta Boulé, New York City, played host to three other member boulés – Mu, Northern New Jersey; Alpha Sigma, Brooklyn–Long Island; and Beta Zeta, Westchester Country – for the Greater New York Metro Boulé Christmas Gala on December 8, 2012. Four hundred Archons, Archousai and guests attended. The event was held at Guastavino’s, an architectural masterpiece and New York City landmark. Situated under the 59th Street Bridge, the restaurant, with its soaring granite

arches and vaulted tiled ceiling, provided a very special setting for this very special event. The evening began with a cocktail reception followed by a short program and dinner. Sire Archon Ralph Dawson led the program, welcoming guests and thanking them for attending. Because it was Zeta’s centennial, he said, hosting the 2012 Christmas Gala was a special honor, the culmination of a yearlong celebration commemorating one hundred years of leadership, achieve-

Zeta Archons

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Christmas Is for the Archousai 157

Mu Archousai

Mu Archons

Grand Sire Archon James Payne; Archon Roscoe Brown, Tuskegee Airman; and Archousa Tracie Payne

Presentation to Zeta: Archon Marvin Pettus of Mu, Sire Archon Dale Akinla of Beta Zeta and Archon Burt Bunyan of Alpha Sigma

ment and commitment and a reaffirmation of the enduring goals and purposes of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity and the foresight of its founders. He also welcomed members and guests of Mu Boulé, as it was their first Metro New York gala, and he encouraged their continued participation. He then introduced Grand Sire Archon James Payne and Archousa Tracie Payne. Grand Sire Archon Payne congratulated Zeta on its centennial and said that he was delighted to partake in the celebration. He also pledged his commitment to move Sigma Pi Phi forward, and he encouraged each

member to do his part in assuring success through continued participation and adherence to the principals and ideals set forth by the organization’s founders. Mu Archon Marvin Pettus, Alpha Sigma Archon Bert Bunyan and Beta Zeta Archon Dale Akinla presented Sire Archon Dawson and members of Zeta with a token of appreciation for their support and acknowledged their hundred years of achievement. Archon Carl McCall gave the invocation. After the delicious meal, the remainder of the evening was spent socializing and dancing to the music of the Warren Daniels Band.

158 Christmas Is for the Archousai / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

Alpha Sigma Archousai

Alpha Sigma Archons

Beta Zeta Archousai

Beta Zeta Archons

Sire Archon Ralph Dawson, Archousa Lynn Hankin and Archon Errol Hankin, Christmas Gala chairman

To commemorate this special event, each couple was given a unique Christmas ornament that displayed the Sigma Pi Phi insignia and an image of Zeta’s founder, W.E.B. Du Bois. The evening was a smashing success, thanks to the hard work of the Christmas committee, led by Archon Errol Hankin and assisted by Archons Marvin Pettus and Mark Miller of Mu Boulé, Archon Bert Bunyan of Alpha Sigma Boulé and Sire Archon Dale Akinla of Beta Zeta Boulé. Archon Samuel J. Chisholm Grapter, Zeta Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Christmas Is for the Archousai 159

Theta Boulé Has a Very Special Celebration

he ninety-seventh Christmas party of Theta Boulé, Kansas City, Missouri, required a new and exciting experience in order to impress and enchant the unique and lovely Archousai of the Theta family. The old format would not do for the year 2012, and the entertainment committee Archons successfully called upon their collective creativity to conceive and execute a fabulous and unforgettable kickoff to the holiday season that began on Friday, November 30, 2012, in the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District at the world-famous Blue Room, the performing adjunct to the American Jazz Museum. This museum houses many unique artifacts of Kansas City’s golden era of jazz, which launched the careers of such luminaries as Charlie Parker, Mary Lou Williams, Bill “Count” Basie, Julia Lee and Jay McShann. Theta was in the house for a command performance by the Los Angeles–based jazz harpist Lori Andrews, who was accompanied by her husband, Bart Samolis.

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Consistent with tradition, the weekend culminated on Saturday, December 1, 2012, with a black-tie gala at Benton’s Prime Steakhouse atop the Westin Crown Center Hotel. Archons, Archousai and special guests enjoyed exquisite food, libations and a stunning panoramic view of downtown Kansas City, the Crossroads Arts District and Science City at Union Station. Sire Archon Gary Ballard toasted the occasion and introduced the special entertainment of the evening, Lori Andrews, who reprised her performance of the previous evening and was joined by Kansas City’s best-kept secret, vocalist Millie Edwards. Near the end of the evening the Archousai received keepsake gifts as mementos of a memorable start to a very special Christmas holiday. Archon Michael A. Bryant Grapter, Theta Boulé

Iota Boulé Goes All Out for the Archousai

rchon Hobart Sidney Jarrett, author of The History of Sigma Pi Phi: First of the African-American GreekLetter Fraternities, reminds us through an editorialized expression by the late Archon George Redd, that

reflecting the fine traditions of the Motor City in what might have been tagged the “Iota Boulé International Car Show.” Courteous attendants rushed to open the car doors for the arriving Archons, as if to announce The Archon and his Archousa the arrival of dignitaries, and the Archousai, draped in mink and are one in their love for and their dressed in beautiful sparkling dedication to the ideals of the gowns, bling-bling and makeup Fraternity. They are admitted into fitting movie stars – who always the fellowship of the organization exceed the expectations of their as one; and they are judged as Archons – stepped out under a one by the same rigid standards. covered walkway onto a red carIt becomes the ardent hope of pet that led to the grand lobby. every loyal Archon during his lifeInside they blended in with the time, that when he departs from earlier arrivals, everyone greetlife’s scene, the love and devotion ing one another with holiday well he nurtured for Sigma Pi Phi may wishes, hugs and kisses. continue its fullest expression Traditionally for this occasion, through his Archousa, whom he Iota goes all out, putting special leaves behind. And so it was in Detroit in emphasis on the presence of December 2012 that Iota Boulé’s Archousai whose Archons have ninety-five-year love of Sigma Pi passed away; and all Archousai Phi was manifested through its are warmly welcomed, entertained “Christmas is for the Archousai” and embraced. Warm family ties celebration, which was enriched created a feeling of strong conby the legacy and ever-evolving Archousa Anitra Thomas, Immediate Past Sire Archon Edward Thomas, nection as holiday cheer, coupled power of love for the Archousai. Archousa Maribodine Robinson (age 103) and her daughter, Ilene Robinson with Motown sound, lifted everyTo set the stage for this cold one’s spirits and caused great joy. winter occasion, Archons approached the entrance to the historic Detroit Country Club, the road snaking its Archon Oscar L. Britton Grapter, Iota Boulé way in close proximity to the ninth green, their chariots

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Kappa Celebrates Christmas in Grand Style

appa Boulé, Atlanta, celebrated the Christmas season in grand style at the luxurious St. Regis Hotel in Buckhead on December 21, 2012. The black-tie gala was dedicated to the more than one hundred Kappa Archousai. Nearly 500 people enjoyed a fabulous cocktail reception full of fellowship and merriment in the hotel’s swank ballroom foyer, followed by a splendid feast in the beautifully decorated ballroom. During a brief program, Sire Archon Calvin McLarin welcomed visiting Archons, Archousai and dignitaries, including Southeast Region Sire Archon Clifton Johnson of Gamma Psi, Delta Upsilon Sire Archon Brent Wilson

162 Christmas Is for the Archousai / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

and former Virginia governor Douglas Wilder. After recognizing the officers of Kappa, Sire Archon McLarin introduced Sire Archon–Elect P. Andrew Patterson, who greeted the celebrants and introduced the Kappa officers for 2013–14. The Archons of Kappa presented each lady in attendance with a beautiful gift, and everyone danced the night away to the soulful sounds of the Infinity Show Band. Archon Jeffrey E. Tompkins Grapter, Kappa Boulé

Nu Boulé Hosts a Fabulous Yuletide Bash

he Archons of Nu Boulé, Houston, Texas, hosted their annual Yuletide Gala on December 15, 2012, at the posh Hotel ZaZa in the Houston Museum District – an association of museums, galleries, cultural centers and community organizations within a 1.5-mile radius of the Mecom Fountain. The district is dedicated to collaborative efforts that maximize the use of artistic, scientific and educational resources, and it includes nineteen museums that all offer hours with free admission, twelve of which are free all the time. It attracts visitors, students and volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and ethnicities to learn about and celebrate art, history, culture and nature around the world.

More than 250 Archons, Archousai and guests enjoyed a lavish reception, a sumptuous meal and, most important, heartwarming fellowship. Those in attendance shared stories and danced the night away in the beautifully decorated Phantom Ballroom, with its floorto-ceiling windows, spectacular views of the city and dramatic chandeliers that create a Phantom of the Opera atmosphere. Archons Matthew Plummer and Thomas Jones, cochairs, are to be commended for this exceptional event. Archon Andrew C. Hughey Grapter, Nu Boulé

Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Christmas Is for the Archousai 163

Xi and Epsilon Epsilon Enjoy Luxurious Event

Xi Boulé Sire Archon Wes Coleman and Archousa Barbara Coleman

n December 15, 2012, two dynamic Southern California boulés, Xi of Los Angeles and Epsilon Epsilon of Orange County, combined their imaginative sensibilities to produce a luxurious “Christmas is for the Archousai” holiday event at the famed Bel-Air Country Club, where several Xi Archons are members. White-gloved attendants greeted more than 170 guests – the Archons in black tie and the Archousai in shimmering ball gowns – who arrived in spotless Los Angeles wheels. Twenty-foot Christmas trees and life-size dioramas created a welcome atmosphere as guests entered the lobby, and the promontory with the glittering Los Angeles skyline provided the festive visual ambience for this annual party. 164 Christmas Is for the Archousai / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

Archousa Michelle Page and Epsilon Epsilon Sire Archon John Page

Exquisite food; endless wine, champagne and cocktails; a blue crystal necklace for each Archousa; a band whose music kept three generations on the dance floor; and people engaged in animated personal exchanges around dinner tables all night made for the best party of the year. Everyone concurred that it will be difficult to top the 2012 celebration when the Yuletide rolls around in 2013. Archon Harold C. Haizlip Grapter, Xi Boulé Archon Ned Doffoney Grapter, Epsilon Epsilon Boulé

Archousai Deloise Maddox, Maude Johnson, Ruby Frazier, Xiaojing Bright and Gianna Drake-Kerrison

Archon Cliff Johnson, Los Angeles mayoral candidate Jan Perry, Archousa Maude Johnson, Archousa Michelle McKesson and Archon Clarence Daniels

Spring 2013 / The BoulĂŠ Journal 77â&#x20AC;˘1 / Christmas Is for the Archousai 165

Tau Boulé Hosts ‘A Night to Remember’

au Boulé, Cleveland, held its annual Christmas party on December 15, 2012, at the elegant Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood. Archons Dale Kates, Robin Weaver and Jeffrey Weaver were hosts for this memorable occasion, and the evening began with a festive cocktail hour where Archons, Archousai and guests were offered a delectable array of hors d’oeuvres. Winter temperatures did not dampen the spirit of the season as hearty handshakes, hugs and kisses were freely exchanged. Archon Jawanza Karriem Lightfoot Colvin gave the invocation; Sire Archon Audley Mackel III officially wel-

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comed everyone; Archon David Whitehead introduced the new Archons and Archousai; and Archon Leon Bibb explained the real purpose for the annual Christmas party: a tribute to the Archousai! Sumptuous food, good fellowship and dancing kept the revelers in fine spirits throughout the evening – from commencement to conclusion an extraordinary holiday celebration that will be fondly remembered for many years to come. Archon Ronald D. Holman II Grapter, Tau Boulé

Upsilon Boulé Honors their Elegant Archousai

Seated: Archousai Christine Price, Karen Williams, Nancy Hicks, Tootsie Coleman and Eva Ledbetter. Standing: Archousai Elaine Childs, Lucia Bacote-James, Mayola Boykin, Debra Patton, Marie Redd, Kimberly Cousins and Willie Haynes.

he Archons and Archousai of Upsilon Boulé, Charleston, West Virginia, gathered on December 1, 2012, for their annual “Christmas is for the Archousai” celebration. Under the direction of Sire Archon John Haynes, Archon James Russell, Jr., who holds emeritus status with the Fraternity, organized a festive evening full of style and grace and perfect for the beautiful, elegant and sophisticated Upsilon Archousai. The splendid decor of the Berry Hills Country Club provided the venue for all present to get to know the

best of one another. The evening started with appetizing hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and jovial conversation before Archons, Archousai, and guests sat down to a delectable full-course meal. After that, there was no stopping them as they danced the night away to the harmonic sounds of the Marshall Petty Groove Band. Archon T. Ramon Stuart Grapter, Upsilon Boulé

Seated: Archons Fred Childs, Isaiah Coleman, James Russell, Jr., Herman Canady and William Redd. Standing: Archons William Boykin, Elliot Hicks, Geoffrey Cousins, John Haynes, John Williams, Charles Ledbetter and Charles Patton.

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Phi Boulé Creates a Christmas Wonderland

Archons who were responsible for this scintillating occasion included Archons John Robinson, George Clay, Aubrey Ford, Alfonso Robinson, Robert Davis and Hal Bentley.

First row: Archousai Willanie Covington, Tamika Reed, Tara Graves, Jean Baker, Barbara Ford, Carol Gray, Patricia Clay, Sceiva Holland, Mollie Reed and Juanita Duncombe. Second row: Archousai Helen Willis, Patricia Pinchback, Vanzetta McPherson, Bernice Price, Alisa Sinkfield, Barbara Menefee, Jo Ann Carter, Katie Robinson, Cheryl Davis and Kymberly Holland. Third row: Archousai Virda Lester, Sonya Bentley, Lowri McGowan, Tyna Davis, Lawanda Gray, Bridgette Gray, Myrtle Davis, Gladys Gillis and guest Tuckcora Landrum.

First row: Archons Robert Sims, Clifford C. Baker, Joe Reed, Aubrey Ford, Paul B. Mohr, Sr., Milton Davis, George Clay, Hal Bentley and Lewis Gillis. Second row: Archons Tom Larkin, Alfonza Menefee, Robert Davis, Warner Pinchback, James Carter and Major Holland. Third row: Archons Thomas McPherson, Stephen Reed, Gregory Graves, Fred Gray, Jr., Fred Gray, Warren Davis, Joseph Jackson and Edward Willis. Fourth row: Archons Alfonso Robinson, Walter McGowan, John Robinson, Darryl Sinkfield, Charles Price, Earnest Holland, Stanley Gray and Farrell Duncombe.

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hi Boulé, Montgomer y/ Tuskegee, Alabama, the twentyfirst member boulé of Sigma Pi Phi, dramatized its seventy-fourth year with a spectacular “Christmas is for the Archousai” celebration on December 8, 2012, in the Grand Ballroom of the Tuskegee University Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center. Archon George Clay chaired the planning committee, which included Archons Robert Davis, Joe Reed, Alfonso Robinson and John Robinson, and they chose “A Christmas Wonderland” as the theme. Ornaments provided by Dana’s Floral Design accentuated the yuletide spirit, “The Will Ealey Show” offered a variety of musical genres that combined rock and roll and rhythm and blues, and Archon Warner Pinchback and his number one singer, Archon Robert Davis, created an atmosphere of exuberance as they led the Archons in singing such songs as “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Highlights of the evening were the introduction of new Archons and Archousai, the distribution of gifts to the Archousai and a feast fit for kings and queens. Archon Paul B. Mohr, Sr. Grapter, Phi Boulé

Chi Dances the Night Away at Holiday Gala

Seated: Archousai Deborah Story, Hortensia McFarland, Leslie Churchwell, Rose Ballard, Cathy Poole and Simone Sheats. Standing: Archousai Christie Sheats, Conra Collier, Jeannie Williams, Theresa Bailey, Patricia Mitchell, Edwina Hefner, Jackie Harris, Alberta Hinds, Charlene Riley, Renee Smoot, Yvette Boyd, Pamela Carter, Noralyn Hills, Yvette Rawlins, Helena Hill, Brenda Corbin, Ruth Manson, Gradie Knight, Arnetta Hamilton and Gloria Freeman.

he Archons of Chi Boulé, Nashville, honored their Archousai with a gala at the new Alumni Hall on the Meharry Medical College campus on December 7, 2012. The seasonal decorations accentuated the theme of this festive event, “Christmas is for the Archousai,” which was reflected throughout the evening. The elegant black-tie affair began with a cocktail hour, during which Archons and Archousai exchanged warm greetings and conversation and posed for photographs to commemorate the occasion and capture the beauty and luxurious attire of the Archousai. Sire Archon Walter Owens delivered formal greetings, and Archon Forrest Harris, Sr., offered the invocation before the beautifully presented dinner. After dinner, Archon Wayne Riley, chair of the membership committee, introduced the new Archons and their Archousai; Archon Darrell Freeman offered a tribute to

the Archousai, articulating the Archons’ appreciation for their support and contributions through the years; and Archousa Jackie Harris graciously accepted the tribute on behalf of the Archousai. The soothing musical accompaniment during the reception and dinner suddenly was, as if by magic, transformed into swing, rhythm and blues, and jazz – which kept people crowding the dance floor for the remainder of the evening. The Rock Williams Band maintained the perfect balance between vocal and instrumental music, affording everyone the opportunity to dance cheek to cheek and to “get down” before the lights came up. This was a memorable event that all will cherish for years to come. Archon Billy R. Ballard Grapter, Chi Boulé

Archons Phillippe Hinds, James Collier, Walter Owens, Reavis Mitchell, Edward Hills, Glenfield Knight, Benjamin Rawlins, Billy Ballard, T.B. Boyd III, Norman Hill, Michael Carter, Herman Williams, Robert Poole, Eddie Hamilton, Duane Smoot, Forrest Harris, Rahn Bailey, James Hefner, Richard Manson, Jimmy Sheats, Wayne Riley, Ronald Corbin, Lee Molette, Jimmy Sheats II, Darrell Freeman, S.L. Lampkin IV, Charles Story and Ronald McFarland

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Alpha Beta Celebrates at Museum of Fine Arts

Past Sire Archon Monroe Harris, Jr., Citizen of the Year awardee Clovia Lawrence and Sire Archon Steven Morgan

he marble halls of the magnificent Virginia Museum of Fine Arts created the perfect setting for the Archons of Alpha Beta Boulé, Richmond, to celebrate the Archousai and the season with their Holiday Gala on December 14, 2012. Dressed in elegant attire and buoyed by the holiday spirit, everyone enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, libations and fine conversation followed by a scrumptious four-course dinner with music accompaniment. Sire Archon Steven D. Morgan gave the welcome message and statement of occasion and presented the new officers and Archons. Immediate Past Sire Archon Monroe E. Harris, Jr., presented the Oliver W. Hill Citizen of the Year Award to Clovia Lawrence, known in Richmond as “Miss Community,” who serves the area with passion by tackling tough issues that affect the lives of people from all walks of life. This award – presented every two years in honor of Alpha Beta’s Civil Rights Era icon and Grand Sire Archon from 1964 to 1966 – recognizes outstanding service to the community. The delightful evening continued with a champagne toast and gifts presented to the Archousai by Past Sire Archon Barry J. Griffin, followed by merry entertainment and dancing to the fine music and splendor of the Trademark party band. Archon Charles A. Brown Grapter, Alpha Beta Boulé 170 Christmas Is for the Archousai / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

Psi Boulé Archons Salute the Archousai

he Archons of Psi Boulé, Louisville, Kentucky, held a celebration for their Archousai on December 1, 2012, at Vincenzo’s. At the dinner, Sire Archon Charles Matthews greeted the guests and introduced the new officers, and Archon Raymond Burse graciously accepted the honor of being named Archon of the Year for his exemplary work in the community. Each Archon introduced his Archousa or guest, paying tribute by offering her a special one-of-a-kind hand-

made silver cuff bracelet that was embellished with a single natural stone. Everyone joined in singing Christmas carols and were treated to the vocal stylings of the Songbird Duo. Many enjoyed dancing into the evening and getting to know the best of one another. Archon Gregory M. Woolfolk Grapter, Psi Boulé

Alpha Delta Boulé Enjoys Elegant Party

efitting the style to which the Archousai of Alpha Delta Boulé, Cincinnati, have become accustomed, their Archons delivered the goods with an elegant Christmas party where joie de vivre was the order of the day. Two hundred Archons, Archousai and guests were dressed to the proverbial nines, including Past Grand Sire Archon William A. McClain, who was on the cusp of his hundredth birthday, as well as Central Regional Sire Archon William Greene and a robust gathering of Cincinnati’s movers and shakers. The venue was fine, the food tasty, but it was the soulful music and line dancing that kept the party going until the midnight hour. Under the able leadership of Sire Archon Wendell O’Neal, Alpha Delta’s social com-

mittee scored high marks once again. Revelers paused to honor Archon Chester Pryor, whose great erudition and humility added to the reasons why he deserved the annual Sire Archon’s award for outstanding service. Heartfelt and poetic in his acceptance speech, Archon Pryor exemplified “the best of us.” The social committee members – Archons Keith Melvin (chairman), Howard Bond, Gary Dowdell, Emmitt O’Neal, Charles “Chuck” Whitehead and the lovely Archousa Nicole Dowdell – saw to it that all had a fantastical time. Bravo! Archon Bertie Ray III Grapter, Alpha Delta Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Christmas Is for the Archousai 171

Alpha Epsilon Archons Serenade Archousai

he annual Christmas party hosted by Alpha Epsilon Boulé, Dallas, at the Hilton Anatole hotel on December 7, 2012, was a fabulous event, attended by more than 250 Archons, Archousai and guests. Sire Archon Joseph Carlos was honored to present the 2012 inductees and their Archousai, and the traditional presentation of elegant gifts to the Archousai by the Archons added to the extra-

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special ambience of the evening. To top things off, the Archons serenaded the beautiful Archousai with Christmas carols. With dinner and dancing, everyone experienced Christmas joy and pleasure at this outstanding gathering. Archon Johnnie King, Jr. Grapter, Alpha Epsilon Boulé

Alpha Eta Boulé Hosts Four Parties in One

A contemporary art show kicked off the evening.

he downtown skyline viewed from the Mavris Arts & Event Center provided a wonderful backdrop for the December 2012 Christmas party hosted by Alpha Eta Boulé, Indianapolis. The center, which was built in 1883, was purchased by John Mavris in 1999 and restored to its original condition, creating a new landmark for the city. Upon arriving, the Archons, Archousai and guests had the opportunity to view a contemporary exhibition by a well-known local artist. The relaxing cocktail hour was punctuated by the traditional group photo and the presentation of perhaps the first official Christmas gifts of the season as each Archon honored his Archousa with an elegant token of his love, respect and appreciation. This was the first stop in a celebration that included four unique parties all under the roof of this beautiful facility. Following the jazzy art show and Bellini cock-

Alpha Eta showed its appreciation to Sire Archon Andrew Moore and Archousa Billie Poindexter Moore.

tail hour on the first floor, the partygoers moved to the second floor, where they were treated to an outstanding dinner and a light program that included the introduction of three newly initiated Alpha Eta Archons. After dinner the revelers went on to the third floor, where all enjoyed games, an outdoor “skyline” cigar bar and the music of rhythm-and-blues jazz vocalist Cynthia Layne. As the evening turned into early morning, the party moved to the lower lounge level of the building, better known as the Speakeasy. For some it was time to wind down with quiet conversation, while others chose to “take the party home” with dancing, further celebration of a fantastic 2012 and the finale of a spectacular event. Archon H. Allen Wright, Jr. Grapter, Alpha Eta Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Christmas Is for the Archousai 173

Alpha Theta Boulé Honors the Archousai

Alpha Theta Archons and Archousai. Front row: Archousai Jacquelyn G. Wilson, Joh’Re Temple, Tori D. Perry, Lois Mosley, Charleta Ward, Sharon N. Turner, Emily D. Burnett, Suzanne M. Garrett, Cynthia A. Davis, Annita M. Bridges, Dianna L. Berry, Katherine A. Tollett, Carolyn J. Sawyerr, Eudoxia M. Jason, Mautra Jones, Vicki R. Maillard, Rosemary Martin, Magnolia Cumby, Brenda J. Griggs and Carla Smitherman. Back row: Archons Eric Joseph, John Green, Jr., Charles Pollard II, Frank Wilson III, John Temple, Kevin Perry, James Mosley, Otey Colyn Moss, Christopher Turner, Sr., Willie Burnett, Sr., Michael Garrett and Darryl Davis; Sire Archon–Elect Stanley Evans; Sire Archon Robert Alexander, Jr.; and Archons Major Berry, Jr., Charles Tollett, Sr., Olaseinde Sawyerr, Norman Jason, Jr., Bernard Jones II, Kenneth Maillard, Brandon Martin, Dunn Cumby, Johnny Griggs, Louis Don Smitherman, Kent Smith, Jr., Mark Temple, Sr., and Charles Morgan III.

he Archons of Alpha Theta Boulé, State of Oklahoma, celebrated “Christmas is for the Archousai” with their Archousai and host Archons and Archousai of Epsilon Iota, Tulsa, on December 8, 2012, at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, which contains one of the top-rated golf courses in the country and has hosted several PGA events over the years. The celebrants gathered for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, and an Archousai-orientation program took place while the Archons conducted short meetings and inductions of new Archons for each boulé. Both boulés posed for photographs of new Archons and Archousai and group photos. Copper- and wine-colored decorations were spectacular on the pine Christmas tree, and

a beautiful green moss reindeer livened up the fireplace. Prior to the dinner, each new Archon stood to introduce himself and his Archousa to the entire body gathered for the feast, and each Archousa received a Waterford crystal picture frame as a memento. Looking absolutely magnificent, the Archons and Archousai danced to the music of Full Flava Kings. Other activities included a drawing for a Tahari designer bag, which was won by Archousa Magnolia Cumby. Hosts were Archon Will Williams and Archousa “Lady” Williams and Epsilon Iota Archon Sam Combs and Archousa Rita Combs. Archon Norman A. Jason, Jr. Grapter, Alpha Theta Boulé

Alpha Theta Archons Frank F. Wilson III, Eric A. Joseph, John P. Temple, Kevin S. Perry, Otey Colyn Moss, John E. Green, Jr., James L. Mosley, Charles L. Pollard II, Christopher C. Turner, Sr., Willie H. Burnett, Sr., Kent J. Smith, Jr., Michael L. Garrett and Darryl E. Davis; Sire Archon–Elect Stanley L. Evans; Western Regional Sire Archon Leodis Davis of Theta Boulé, Kansas City, Missouri; Alpha Theta Sire Archon Robert H. Alexander, Jr.; and Alpha Theta Archons Major T. Berry, Jr., Charles A. Tollett, Sr., Olaseinde I. Sawyerr, Mark P. Temple, Sr., Louis Don Smitherman, Kenneth G. Maillard, Bernard M. Jones II, Norman A. Jason, Jr., Charles W. Morgan III, Brandon E. Martin, Dunn H. Cumby and Johnny R. Griggs

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Alpha Iota Boulé Holds Yuletide Gala

Archon Kenzil F. Summey and Archousa Alison Lee Summey

Past Sire Archon Pat Hudson and Archousa Zina A. Hudson

n December 3, 2012, amid the tapestry and elegance of the newly renovated Palmetto Club, the Archons, Archousai and guests of Alpha Iota Boulé, Columbia, South Carolina, celebrated the Yuletide season. The evening began with a cocktail hour that was laced with good conversation, laughter and mellow libations. Sire Archon Noble P. Cooper, Jr., delivered seasons greetings, and Past Sire Archon B.T. Martin offered the invocation, which was followed by a gourmet dinner. Recognizing that Christmas is for the Archousai, the Archons presented their queens with exquisite gifts as tokens of their love and admiration. The holiday festivities were complemented by the music of Two Gentlemen and a Lady, who performed a

mixture of Christmas classics, jazz, and rhythm-and-blues selections that drew nearly everyone to the dance floor. Many adjectives could be used to describe this grand event: majestic, stately, regal and graceful, but the most fitting word would be gratitude. The boulé members are thankful for the gift of fellowship. The Book of Proverbs says that “iron sharpens iron,” and the unique gifts of every Archon and Archousa make each person better as an individual and extend to their communities the talents with which they have been so richly endowed by the Creator.

Archousai Carol Cooper and Traci Young Cooper and Sire Archon Noble P. Cooper, Jr.

Archons William H. Rutherford, Todd Rutherford, George C. Johnson and Steve Benjamin

Archon Dennis N. Cannon, Jr. Grapter, Alpha Iota Boulé

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Alpha Kappa Boulé Celebrates the Holidays

Seated: Archousai Cynthia Brown, Ophelia Nicholas, Dorothy Pappas, Cecelia Henderson, Gail Mitchell and Lois Dabney. Standing: Archousai Kathy Wood, Joyce Ford Quick, Rhona Osborne, Curlane Brown, Melinda Tolbert, Shonda Brock and Athena Mutua.

lpha Kappa Boulé, Buffalo, held its annual holiday party on December 15, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The Archons, Archousai and guests, all in formal attire, gathered in the main ballroom for cocktails and holiday greetings. The evening’s program began with Archon Leon Henderson, chairman of the social committee, introducing Sire Archon David Edmunds, who gave greetings and welcomed all to the festive occasion. Archon Winford Quick, social committee member, blessed the table; and special tributes were offered to

the widowed Archousai by Archon George Matthews and to active Archousai by Archon Bernard Tolbert. With the assistance of Archousai Cecelia B. Henderson and Joyce Ford Quick, each Archon presented a beautiful natural stone bracelet to his Archousa. After a delicious meal and wonderful conversation, everyone spent the rest of the evening dancing and having a grand time. Archon Leon Henderson Grapter, Alpha Kappa Boulé

Seated: Archons Mike Osborne, Leon Henderson, George Nicholas, David Edmunds, James Pappas and Carlton Brock. Standing: Archons Bernard Tolbert, Winford Quick, Makau Mutua, Lloyd Brown and George Matthews.

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Two Georgia Boulés Celebrate Together

he Archons and Archousai of Alpha Lambda Boulé, Savannah, and Alpha Mu Boulé, Augusta, Georgia, spent the weekend of December 7, 2012, at the Augusta Marriott on the mighty Savannah River to “celebrate and remember friendships at Christmas.” Since their joint beginning in 1963, there has been a joyful interaction between the two boulés and their mutually admiring Archons and Archousai. After their separation, the groups alternated every year between celebrations in Savannah and Augusta, but more recently they decided to have a conjoint party every third year, and the last one was in 2009. Alpha Mu hosted this year’s event. On Friday afternoon the Archons played a round of golf at the River Golf Club. For the first time in a while, the Alpha Mu Archons were victorious, and all enjoyed the outing, knowing that at the next gathering, the pendulum could easily swing back toward the talented duffers from Savannah. On Saturday a spectacular luncheon was served at the Boat Club, with entertainment provided by the well-known local youth chorus Creative Impressions, who wowed the audience and set the tone for the festivities. Everyone acknowledged the true “Reason for the Season” as they prepared to celebrate Jesus’ birth. The Alpha Mu planning committee – Archon Clarence Williams, Jr., Archousa Fay Hargrove, Archon Brian

Prince, Archousa Lori Prince, Archon Samuel Sullivan, Archousa Lucinda Sulllivan, Archon Charles Lamback, Archousa Judy Lamback, Archon Ellis Johnson, Archousa Ann Johnson, Sire Archon Eddie Johnson and Archousa Gladys Johnson – made a profound impression with the presentation of a historical picture book that summarized the times, people and events that spawned Alpha Mu and Alpha Lambda and brought them forward together as well as separately. Later on the group gathered at the Marriott for photographs and dinner and the toasting of the Archousai, warmly acknowledging the truism that “Christmas is for the Archousai.” A highlight of the evening was the presentation and recognition of Archon Clyde W. Hall, the remaining charter member of the original combined boulé. He and his beautiful Archousa, Maude Hall, provided a bittersweet reminder of the days the groups have shared, and many people remember their last combined meeting – at the home of Archon and Archousa Hall, where the vote was made to form separate boulés – and the coin flip that decided which would be Alpha Lambda and which would be Alpha Mu. The Archons saluted their Archousai and guests and presented the ladies with mementos of this special weekend, and everyone enjoyed dancing, games and frivolity into the early hours of the morning. Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Christmas Is for the Archousai 177

The groups reunited on Sunday morning for a memorial service to honor the legacies of past Archons and Archousai of both boulés. Alpha Mu installed its officers for 2013: Sire Archon W. Joseph Hillson, Sire Archon–Elect Clarence Williams, Jr., Grammateus Ellis Johnson, Thesauristes Zack Daffin, Grapter Mac Bowman, Agogos Alfred Reed and Rhetoricos Cedric Johnson. The installation highlighted new calls to service and acknowledged the service par excellence of Immediate Past Sire Archon Eddie Johnson. Archon Tracy Williams, Jr., who had honored Alpha Mu with superb and impeccable service as Thesauristes for the last three decades, was given a beautiful plaque, a

standing ovation and vocal kudos for the integrity, devotion and discipline he brought to his office. He leaves Alpha Mu on solid fiscal footing and will be a ready resource for Archon Zack Daffin. After closing remarks and words of gratitude from Immediate Past Sire Archon Johnson, the leadership baton was passed to Sire Archon Hillson. Alpha Lambda Sire Archon Otis T. Johnson offered words of thanks and an invitation to Savannah in 2015 for the next combined celebration. Archon Mac Andrew Bowman Grapter, Alpha Mu Boulé

Alpha Nu Boulé Celebrates at Rolling Hills

he Archons of Alpha Nu Boulé, Wichita, Kansas, honored their Archousai at Rolling Hills Country Club on December 15, 2012. Everyone gathered in the elegant parlor for cocktails and holiday cheer as soft music enhanced the mood of the evening. During the dinner program Sire Archon Thomas Scott introduced newly inducted Archons Victor Everett and Derek Morgan, who in turn introduced their Archousai, Junetta Everett and Kaye Monk-Morgan. All enjoyed a dinner buffet and after-dinner cordials, and the pro-

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gram concluded with each Archon’s presentation of a gift to his beloved Archousa. Sire Archon and Archousa Scott wished the attendees a happy, healthy holiday season and encouraged everyone to continue enjoying the party and to get to know the best of one another. Finally, Sire Archon Scott thanked Archon Terry Turner for planning such an auspicious occasion. Archon Brian A. Black Grapter, Alpha Nu Boulé

Indeed, Christmas Is for the Archousai

Seated: Archousai Brenda Birkett, Terry Baranco, Dianne Gaines, Jerri Caillier, Thelma Perkins, Louise Calloway, Joice White and Stacia Hardy. Standing: Archousai Harriet Pitcher, Danielle Dawson, Cathy Bryant, Deloris Vincent, Evelyn Tellis, Carmen Jones, Shirley Weston, Pamela Hall, Valerie Blunt, Mazie Doomes, Glenda Llorens, Belinda Mason, Exyie Ryder, Lora Willis, Roberta Sam, Phyllis White, Patricia Tyson, Melanie Megginson and Paula Kraft.

n exquisite extravaganza on December 15, 2012, at the City Club was the setting for the annual Christmas gathering of the Archons of Alpha Xi Boulé, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as they royally entertained their Archousai. The evening of dining and dancing opened with a welcome by Sire Archon Raphael Baranco, who introduced the guests and thanked the entertainment committee, chaired by Archon Tim Hardy, for arranging the elegant affair. After a cocktail hour filled with fellowship and good feeling, everyone enjoyed the five-course meal prepared by one of Louisiana’s top chefs. As is customary at the “Christmas is for the Archousai” celebration, the officers who guided the boulé over the

past year were thanked and the new officers for 2013 introduced: Sire Archon Timothy W. Hardy, Sire Archon–Elect Earl Doomes, Grammateus Huel Perkins, Thesauristes Charles Vincent, Rhetoricos Shelton D. Blunt, Agogos Melvin P. Jones, Grapter Luke A. LaVergne and Archon Claude Tellis, chairman of the membership council. The Archousai received their gifts graciously; everyone posed for photographs; and dancing continued late into the evening. Archon Luke A. LaVergne Grapter, Alpha Xi Boulé

Seated: Archons Luke LaVergne, D’ Orsay Bryant, Huel Perkins, Raphael Baranco, E.C. Harrison, Ernest Gaines, Timothy Hardy and Claude Tellis. Standing: Archons James Caillier, Ronald Mason, James Llorens, Leon Kraft, Brian Jackson, Freddie Pitcher, Jr., Albert Sam, Curtis Calloway, Earl Doomes, Warren Birkett, Jr., David Hall, Jr., Vernon Willis, Jr., Charles Vincent, Melvin Jones, William Ryder, Shelton Blunt and Charles Vincent.

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Alpha Rho Showers Archousai With Love

he Archons of Alpha Rho Boulé, Miami, Florida, played host to their Archousai and guests on December 8, 2012, at the luxurious St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, which is set among lush tropical gardens, sparkling white sand beaches and turquoise waters on Florida’s celebrated Gold Coast. Bal Harbour is an exclusive island village located on the south bank of the only inlet on the barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway of Miami Beach. At the welcome reception everyone enjoyed an open bar and sumptuous hors d’oeuvres, which were fol-

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lowed by a fine dinner, great music and dancing. The Archons presented words of gratitude and beautiful gifts in blue boxes from Tiffany to their Archousai and guests, and the Archousai basked in the love and appreciation they received. It was an evening enjoyed by all, a wonderful way to welcome the holiday season. Archon Joseph S. Gay Grapter, Alpha Rho Boulé

Alpha Upsilon Boulé Holds Festive Gala

Archousai Stephanie Palmer, Patricia Slade, Elizabeth Nelson, Roslyn Artis, Gloria Stephens, Michelle Woart and Linda Trigg

lpha Upsilon Boulé, Bluefield, West Virginia, held a festive gala at the elegant Black Knight Country Club in Beckley on December 1, 2012. The scenery and Christmas decorations provided the perfect setting, allowing the Archons to celebrate “Christmas is for the Archousai” in a very special way. Good wishes, a feeling of fellowship and lively conversation accentuated the cocktail hour and the posing for photographs. As is customary, impressive gifts were bestowed upon the Archousai and guests. Archon Matthew Nelson’s rendition based on a Paul Robeson song was greatly appreciated; Archon E. Ray Williams received particular recognition for his twenty-five years of service to the Fraternity; and Archon Selby Artis and Archon Nelson, cochairmen of the committee that produced this wonderful affair, received high praise for their effort. After a delicious meal, the evening’s dancing began, with music provided by Curtis Stewart, a.k.a. “DJ City Sid.” Archon Anglis Trigg, Jr. Grapter, Alpha Upsilon Boulé

Seated: Archons E. Ray Williams, Booker T. Stephens, James Palmer III, Floyd Anderson and Anthony Woart. Standing: Archons Selby Artis, Matthew Nelson, William Slade and Anglis Trigg, Jr.

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Alpha Phi Hosts Its Forty-First Holiday Party

Archon John Moore (center) receives his twenty-five-year Membership Award from Archon Pariss Coleman (left) and Sire Archon Thomas Winston.

N Seated: Archousai Odessa Rowan, Comfort Ofori, Dorothy Smith, Naomi Thompson and Mattie Sommerville. Standing: Archousai Juanita Stephens, Kelli Winston, Vickie Lawshe, Tracy Watkins, Tempie McConnell, Lera Doneghy, Beverly Baker, Cynthia Ford and Robin Barclay.

Seated: Archons Charles Doneghy, Lance Thompson, Joseph Sommerville, Allen McConnell and Jack Ford. Standing: Archons Paul Hubbard, John Moore, Alfred Baker, Thomas Winston, Charles Rowan, Jason Ofori, Calvin Lawshe and Pariss Coleman.

inety family members, friends, Archons and Archousai attended the forty-first annual “Christmas is for the Archousai” party hosted by Alpha Phi Boulé, Toledo, on December 1, 2012, at the Brandywine Country Club – an elegant reunion of old friends and partners. The holiday lights, flowers and decorations that bedecked the great ballroom enhanced the convivial atmosphere amid conversation and laughter, hugs and compliments. Easy-listening jazz accompanied dinner and later morphed into the Electric Slide and blues, and the sultry and seductive voice of Vicky Simpson Brooks and her ensemble put everyone in the mood to move. The dance floor filled with enthusiasts, and the music was accompanied by appreciative foot tapping and head bobbing by those so inclined in their seats. Sire Archon Thomas Winston praised the work of the organizing committee and extended everyone’s gratitude to Archousai Vicky Lawshe, Tracy Watkins and Kelli Winston for adding their touch of class to make the affair a most memorable one. Archons Allen C. McConnell, John Moore and Jason Ofori were recognized during a brief ceremony on the twenty-fifth anniversary of their membership in Sigma Pi Phi. Everyone went home content in the knowledge that in the cherished tradition of the high standards of Boulé affairs, this was indeed a great one and a fitting beginning for their holiday season. Archon Jason Ofori Grapter, Alpha Phi Boulé

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Beta Eta Hosts Alpha in Wilmington

Alpha Sire Archon Leroy Nunery, Archousa Gina Golson Nunery, Beta Eta Sire Archon–Elect Al Spencer, Archousa Martha Spencer, Archousa Paula L. Byrd, Northeast Region Sire Archon Phil Byrd, Archousa Anita Trotman, Beta Eta Sire Archon James Trotman, Archousa Beverly Coleman and Alpha Sire Archon–Elect Everod Coleman

n the evening of December 22, 2012, the Archons and Archousai of Alpha Boulé, Philadelphia, traveled to Delaware to join Beta Eta Archons and their Archousai at the Wilmington Country Club for an elegant evening of fellowship and holiday festivities, thanks to the gracious Beta Eta hosts. The attendees were enter-

tained well into the night by the music and vocals of the Breaking Point band. Archon Calvin B. Johnson Grapter, Alpha Boulé

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Beta Theta Parties in Style at the Orangery

Sire Archon–Elect Hallerin Hilton Hill sings “Who Would Imagine a King.”

n the evening of December 14, 2012, as diners arrived at the Orangery restaurant, they could not overlook a dashing, immaculately dressed African American man in the center of the lobby. His glowing smile caused several people to think that this debonair man was the restaurant owner expressing seasons greetings to the patrons, but he was none other than Archon Lonnie Jones, host of the annual Christmas party given by Beta Theta Boulé, Knoxville, Tennessee. Regaled in a classic black notch tuxedo, he greeted arriving members of Beta Theta with dignity and decorum, as if they were attending a state dinner. One couple asked him if, after weeks of careful planning, he was nervous about the party. “Absolutely not,” he retorted. “What you see in me is excitement, and there are three reasons why: Beta Theta is dining at the best restaurant in town; we will be treated to the best entertainment in town; and tonight we will collect clothes and toys to deliver to preschool children who might not receive anything for Christmas. For all of these things to occur during the season of joy and peace as we celebrate the birth of Jesus is the real meaning of Christmas.” As chair of Beta Theta’s social activities committee, Archon Jones is known for taking great pride in planning memorable events. And the Orangery is one of the best restaurants in town. It opened in 1971 and is filled with furnishings and unique antique architectural details strategically acquired from structures in Knoxville, New York, Paris and other cities around the world. It is named after Marie Antoinette’s greenhouse at Versailles and has remained a staple in Knoxville for the past four decades. As for “the best entertainment in town,” after months of planning, Sire Archon–Elect Hallerin Hilton Hill managed to create room in his schedule so that he could 184 Christmas Is for the Archousai / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Spring 2013

provide the vocal musical entertainment. He was accompanied by a talented trio: Kenneth Moore, a burgeoning vocalist mentored by him; Brandon Whittaker on keyboards; and Tyson Jordan, sound engineer. Archon Hill is the daily host of the top-ranked Newstalk on 98.7 FM WOKI, and he produces and hosts the weekly television program Anything Is Possible on WBIR, all while maintaining a rigorous travel schedule owing to countless bookings as a motivational speaker and trainer for corporate, educational, government and religious groups throughout the country. On this enchanted evening he captivated the entire restaurant when his silky-smooth tenor voice penetrated the atmosphere with traditional holiday songs, causing waiters, bartenders and guests attending events in other areas to stop what they were doing and listen to the musical magic. When he sang “The Cross Is My Christmas Tree,” the lead song he wrote in 2007 for his popular CD, most of the guests were seen wiping away tears, tapping their feet and offering affirmation through applause. But perhaps the loudest applause was reserved for his rendition of the ever-popular “Who Would Imagine a King,” cowritten by Archon Hill and Mervyn Warren. During an interlude, he provided insight on the development of this time-tested song. In 1996 he was contacted by Mervyn Warren, who sought assistance in developing a theme song for the movie The Preacher’s Wife, starring Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston. Warren was under contract with Disney as music director for the movie, and after the telephone call, Archon Hill began work on a theme and lyrics. The very next day he and Warren engaged in a three-hour telephone conversation (Warren in a music studio in Los Angeles and Hill at his piano in Knoxville) and completed the song. Later, Archon Hill was informed that the Disney corporate executives fell in love with the song the first time they heard it, and the movie sound track has sold 14 million copies to date. A week after the party, three carloads of clothes, toys and educational games were delivered to more than sixty children attending God’s Creative Enrichment Center. Observing the children opening their gifts, members of Beta Theta were overcome with emotion, and prior to leaving the child-care facility, Sire Archon Frank Robinson said, “The children do not realize that they have given us infinitely more today than anything we have given them. Their display of love and appreciation for receiving just one gift really puts Christmas in perspective.” This is the fourth consecutive year that Beta Theta Archons and Archousai have chosen to enrich the lives of children at Christmas rather than exchanging gifts with each other. Archon Jones was observed busily taking notes and soliciting input, as he is already planning Beta Theta’s Christmas party for 2013. Archon Dennis R. Upton Grapter, Beta Theta Boulé

Beta Mu Boulé Hosts More Than 350 Guests

Gamma Sire Archon Reed Winston, Beta Nu Sire Archon Ronald Childs, Beta Mu Sire Archon Donald Thigpen, Northeast Regional Sire Archon Phillip Byrd (Gamma), Epsilon Sire Archon Robert Wilkinson and Epsilon Zeta Sire Archon Robert Greene, Jr.

he Archons, Archousai and guests of Beta Mu Boulé, Suburban Maryland, experienced an enchanted evening that combined fellowship, fine dining, dancing and holiday festivities on December 15, 2012, at the boulé’s thirty-first anniversary dinner-dance in honor of the Archousai. The event, attended by more than 350 people, took place at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. After the traditional cocktail reception, the formal program began with welcome remarks from Sire Archon–Elect Reggie Felton, Agogos Joseph Davis and Sire Archon Donald Thigpen. Following dinner, Archon Thomas Pinder provided his inspirational and original poetic salute to the ladies. This composition, set to music, has become a highpoint of Beta Mu’s yearly celebration. “This year’s event was truly a historic occasion, with more than five area Sire Archons in attendance,” said

Sire Archon Thigpen. Beta Mu was honored to host Northeast Regional Sire Archon Phillip Byrd, Gamma Sire Archon Reed Winston, Epsilon Sire Archon Robert Wilkinson, Beta Nu Sire Archon Ronald Childs and Epsilon Zeta Sire Archon Robert Greene, Jr. The highly successful evening was the result of the exceptional teamwork, coordination and tireless efforts of Beta Mu’s talented social committee – Archons Haskell Arnold, Joseph Douglas, Ronnie Geathers, Edward Gray, Robert Hagans, Maurice Jourdain-Earl, William Taylor and Richard Wallace – and noted committee chairman Archon Reggie Felton. The evening was also dedicated to longtime committee member and social chairman emeritus Archon Harry Martin, who transitioned to Omega Boulé in October. Archon Walter H. Morris, Jr. Grapter, Beta Mu Boulé

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Beta Xi Hosts Statewide Weekend Celebration

rand Sire Archon James E. Payne and Archousa Tracie Payne were special guests at the “Christmas is for the Archousai” statewide boulé celebration at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando, Florida, on the weekend of December 14, 2012, which was hosted by Beta Xi Boulé, Central Florida, and included Alpha Rho, Miami; Alpha Zeta, Tallahassee; Epsilon Nu, Southwest Florida; Epsilon Lambda, Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie Counties; Gamma Xi, Sarasota; and Gamma Beta, Jacksonville – a total of more than 200 Archons, Archousai, and guests in attendance for this historic occasion. The weekend was planned and produced by the Beta Xi entertainment committee, chaired by Archon Michael J. Meares, and the festivities opened on Friday evening with a “Sweet Treats” reception, accompanied by a live band. On Saturday morning Archousa Connie Lumpkin conducted a well-attended Zumba class, and other activities of the day included golf, a Richard Petty Driving Experience, fishing, an Archousai makeup-and-martini luncheon and activities for children. Grand Sire Archon Payne witnessed the induction of four Beta Xi Archons: John S. Albritton, a physician

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and a partner in the Women’s Center for Health, LLC, in Winter Park; Byron W. Brooks, deputy county administrator of Orlando; William “Bill” Miller, CPA, president of Moore Stephens Lovelace, PA, in Orlando; and Charles W. Riley, owner of AAMCO Transmission and Auto Repair in Orlando. The celebration concluded with a gala dinner-dance in the Grand Ballroom, where Grand Sire Archon Payne delivered an inspirational and motivational message in which he stressed the importance of contributing to The Boulé Foundation, continuing to bring younger and more high-quality candidates into Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity and being involved with young black males in each community. Beta Xi Sire Archon Curtis Weaver said that “this was one of the greatest weekends in the history of Beta Xi Boulé of Central Florida” and thanked all member boulés for their participation in and support of this wonderful event. Archon Lewis A. Jones Grapter, Beta Xi Boulé

Beta Rho Toasts the Archousai at Christmas

he Archons of Beta Rho Boulé, Akron/Kent, Ohio, hosted a magnificent “Christmas is for the Archousai” party – a joyous evening of dancing and elegant dining at the Fairlawn Country Club on December 1, 2012. All guests were recognized, and the newly inducted Archons were introduced along with the new officers: Sire Archon Malcolm Costa, Sire Archon–Elect Bennett Gaines, Grammateus Willis Lonzer, Thesauristes Graham Lynch, Grapter Albert Fitzpatrick, Agogos Edward Gilbert, Rhetoricos Oswald Gordon and Charles Greene, membership chair.

The Central Region Grammateus, Archon T. Ramon Stuart of Upsilon Boulé, Charleston, West Virginia, who was a guest at the celebration, said, “I want to pause and express my sincerest gratitude for the wonderful hospitality shown to me during my visit. Again, I have no doubt that Beta Rho understands the true essence of the Boulé, which is why I stand in admiration of this splendid event, full of style and grace, that exemplifies ‘Boulé quality.’ ” Archon Albert E. Fitzpatrick Grapter, Beta Rho Boulé

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Beta Tau Boulé Welcomes the Holidays

eta Tau Boulé, New Haven, Connecticut, held its annual “Christmas is for the Archousai” celebration on December 15, 2012, at Monty’s River Grille at the Great River Golf Club in Milford. The event was well attended by Archons, Archousai and their guests. Archon Frederick W. McKinney Grapter, Beta Tau Boulé

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First row: Archons Claude Montgomery, Robert Allen, Gary Desir, Marcus McCraven, Earl Yancy and Hiram Brett. Second row: Archons W. Martyn Philpot, Jerry Streets, Paul McCraven, Ron Manning, James Comer, Andrew Strother, Lewis Downing, Carlton Highsmith, William Lytle and Charles Warner. Third row: Archons Fred McKinney, Curtis Johnson, Walter Esdaile, John Norman, Dirk Johnson, John Turner, Ralph Gattison, Reginald Mayo, Curtis Patton and Jay Morris.

Beta Upsilon Archons Toast the Archousai

rchons and Archousai from Beta Upsilon Boulé, San Francisco, poured into the Meritage Resort and Spa of Napa Valley for a fun-filled holiday weekend hosted by Gamma Epsilon, Sacramento. It brought the six Bay Area member boulés together for their biennial Christmas Gala, and everyone luxuriated in the bounty of the valley, enjoying winery tours and tastings, golf outings, spa services and countless culinary experiences.

Christmas is for the Archousai, and that was most evident as the weekend climaxed with the “Holiday in Paris” gala on December 15, 2012. The Archousai were treated to the sounds of Howard Hewitt and “got their groove on” as they danced to his classics after enjoying a fantastic cocktail reception and dinner. The Archons gave a special toast – filled with love and thanks – to their most deserving and cherished Archousai.

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Beta Psi Boulé Enjoys Enchanted Evening

eta Psi Boulé, Albany, New York, hosted its glorious annual Christmas Gala on December 9, 2012, at the posh Albany Country Club in Voorheesville, where the Archousai were feted in regal and elegant style. An exquisitely prepared cuisine highlighted the occasion in this wonderful setting as the Archousai, beautifully arrayed, dazzled their Archons with their special charm and magic throughout the evening. Archon S. Earl Eichelberger, as emcee, introduced each Archon, who introduced his Archousa and shared a “happy family tidbit” with the guests. It was also a time to applaud Sire Archon L. Oliver Robinson’s excellent service to the boulé over the years as he passed the gavel to the new Sire Archon, Levester Cannon, and to salute the outgoing officers for their extraordinary service.

The toastmaster for the evening, Archon Gregory Owens, paid tribute to the Archousai in a melodious manner and said, “Together we have learned to share what life has brought our way.” He invited all Archons to join him at the podium, where each received a “special wrapped gift” for his Archousa – a stunning jeweled pin encased in blue velvet. Archons saluted their Archousai and returned to their tables to personally present the gifts as classical guitarist Charles Cook played appropriate Christmas music. And not long after that the band Solid Smoke, living up to its name, brought everyone to the dance floor and played and played as they danced the night away.

Archousa Amber Hurt and Archon Michael Hurt

Archons S. Earl Eichelberger, emcee; Henry Shadrick, chairman, golf committee; Sire Archon L. Oliver Robinson; and Gregory Owens, events toastmaster

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Archon Maurice Thornton Grapter, Beta Psi Boulé

Gamma Gamma Has ‘Affaire to Remember’

he Archons of Gamma Gamma Boulé, Austin, Texas, hosted their annual Christmas Affaire at the Renaissance Hotel on December 8, 2012, honoring their esteemed Archousai and setting the stage for the merriest Christmas and the happiest New Year. Seventyfour participants attended on a crisp fall evening. After being greeted by the members of the program committee, Archousai and Archons posed for photographs and met in the reception suite for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. While the Archousai gathered for an orientation and information session led by Archousai Angela Woods and Sarah Lee, the Archons assembled for a business meeting to induct Archon Ashton Cumberbatch and to elect and install the new officers for 2013–14. Newly elected Sire Archon Milton Lee made comments about his expectations and the directions he would seek in the future. The Archons rejoined the ladies and escorted them to dinner as the Just Us rhythm-and-blues band provided background music. Archon Carl S. Richie, Jr., program committee chair, was master of ceremonies, and Archon Freddie B. Dixon, Sr., gave the invocation before the meal. Immediate Past Sire Archon Leonard Woods thanked the Archons for all the support he received while in office and was warmly applauded for his leadership during the past two years. Sire Archon Lee focused on his outlook for the future and presented the new officers. Archon Gregory Vincent officially introduced Archon Cumberbatch, who said that he

felt privileged to become a member of Gamma Gamma and that he hoped to make a useful contribution to its future success. Archousa Jennifer Cumberbatch and Archousa Melonie Dixon, the new bride of Archon Freddie Dixon, were introduced and enthusiastically welcomed; and Archon Bergeron Harris, called upon to offer a toast to the Archousai, lifted the Archons’ appreciation of them to new heights with his laudatory verbiage. Archon Richie and Archon Albert Hawkins of the program committee graciously presented gifts to the Archousai to the sound of satisfying “oohs” and “aahs” as the packages were opened. Archon Richie closed the dinner program with praise for the fine work of his committee. He also expressed thanks to the hotel staff, the Just Us band and the photographer Michael McLennan for their outstanding contributions. Archousai and Archons were invited to get their dance steps together and demonstrate them with fervor on the dance floor. Highlighting the evening were the vocals and instrumentals of Archon John Butler, who dedicated his traditional blues renditions to the Archousai. The entertaining musical group belted out foot-stomping as well as slow-dancing tunes that were enjoyed by all. Indeed, the Archousai will keep this most enjoyable affaire etched in their memories throughout the year! Archon Kevin W. Cole Grapter, Gamma Gamma Boulé

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Gamma Delta Enjoys Christmas Tap Dance

amma Delta Boulé, Flint, Michigan, held its annual “Christmas is for the Archousai” party on December 15, 2012, at the renowned Flint Golf Club. The festive afternoon began with cocktails and the taking of photos, followed by a delectable dinner; and the exhilarating Ralph T. Quartet provided live music. Ralph, a tenor-saxophone virtuoso, was accomplished on both alto and Selmer soprano horns, and since the group was not genre specific, the audience could easily “wobble” to the beat or just kick back and appreciate smooth jazz. At the pinnacle of the day, the dancing pair Archon Samuel Dismond and his lovely Archousa, Janice, graced the audience with a special Christmas treat. Dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Claus, they performed an array of elegant dance steps, concluding with an astounding “Christmas Tap.” Each Archon had the opportunity to introduce his invited guests, and in Boulé tradition, each Archousa and every female guest received a Christmas gift. Archon David H. Pyatt Grapter, Gamma Delta Boulé

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Dressed as Mrs. and Mr. Santa Claus, Archousa Janice Dismond and Archon Samuel Dismond delight guests with the “Christmas Tap.”

Gamma Epsilon Hosts Gala for Six Boulés

Archon Otis Benning and his Archousa, Jere Benning

The Honorable Kevin Johnson, his wife, Michelle Rhee, Archousa Gina Warren and Archon Allen Warren

amma Epsilon Boulé, Sacramento, California, hosted a Christmas extravaganza on December 15, 2012, at the prestigious Meritage Resort Hotel and Spa in Napa. It included five other Northern California boulés – Alpha Gamma, Beta Upsilon, Gamma Chi, Epsilon Beta and Epsilon Eta – and some 450 people attended. Special guests included Immediate Past Grand Sire Archon Rodney Reed; Past Grand Sire Archon Robert Harris; and the former NBA star and mayor of Sacramento, the Honorable Kevin Johnson, and his wife, Michelle Rhee. The evening began with a twohour cocktail period that allowed guests sufficient time for socializing. The choice of wines included a highly regarded cabernet sauvignon from Black Coyote Wines in Napa Valley, of which Beta Upsilon Archon Ernest Bates, of San Francisco, is one of the partners. Event chairman Archon Allen Warren welcomed everyone before dinner was served and introduced Gamma Epsilon Sire Archon Kevin Mitchell, master of ceremonies for the evening, who in turn introduced the Northern California member boulé Sire Archons. Mayor Kevin Johnson invited everyone to attend the Pacific Regional Conference, which will be hosted by Gamma Epsilon in Sacramento in October 2013. Past Sire Archon Tyrone Glover gave an emotional invocation, offering a prayer for the families affected by the recent tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. To everyone’s delight, after the sumptuous five-course meal the entertainment included an extended performance by popular singer Howard Hewitt, and the wonderful party concluded with dancing until midnight. Archon Warren and committee assistant Archon Eugene Spencer were pleased with the evening. They offered a special thanks to the Archousai for their role in its success. Archon Archie K. James Grapter, Gamma Epsilon Boulé

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Gamma Theta Boulé Honors the Ladies

Seated: Archousai Diane Mitchell and Liz Brooks. Standing: Archon David Mitchell, guest Julius Zant, Archon Glen Brooks and Linda Zant.

Archousai Sheila Harleston and Kim Dumpson with Archons Otis Bynum and Robert Harleston in the background

n celebration of their Archousai, the Archons of Gamma Theta Boulé, Eastern Shore, Maryland, hosted a grand affair on December 7, 2012, at the Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel in Ocean City. The hotel decorations enhanced the festive holiday mood, and after cocktails and dinner, the evening’s program included readings and songs, selections by a concert tenor and everyone joining in the singing of traditional Christmas carols. New officers for 2013–15 were installed, including Sire Archon David Mitchell and Sire Archon–Elect Roland Finger.

The Archons honored the elegantly dressed Archousai by providing funds in their name to create a happy Christmas for needy families. The party continued in the hotel lounge with dancing to the music of the New Censation band. Guests who stayed overnight breakfasted together, continuing in the spirit of “Christmas is for the Archousai.”

Archon Henry Brooks and Archousa Carolyn Brooks

Guest William Dennis and Archons Henry Brooks, David Mitchell, Vernon Rivers and William Talley

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Archon Vernon Rivers Grapter, Gamma Theta Boulé

Gamma Lambda Boulé Holds Romantic Gala

ith a black-tie event bursting with Southern charm and hospitality, Gamma Lambda Boulé, Charleston, South Carolina, held its annual Christmas gala on December 18, 2012, at the Marriott Hotel – a perfect venue for a romantic evening of cocktails, dinner and dancing as the sun set over the Ashley River. In the spirit of our sacred fraternal organization, Sire Archon Harold Rhodes and Grammateus William Gilliard presided over the induction ceremony of two Archons, both men of outstanding professional achievement and exemplary character. Archon Marlon Kimpson, chairman and master of ceremonies of this year’s gala, began by requesting the audience to observe a moment of silence in memory of the children and victims of the mass shooting in Newtown,

Connecticut. Afterward, Sire Archon Rhodes welcomed all in attendance and encouraged the Archons to continue their community-outreach efforts and to motivate one another to excel in their respective professional endeavors. Highlighting the evening, Archon Bernard Powers, Gamma Lambda’s own “love doctor,” honored the Archousai with a poem fitting and proper for the occasion – stimulating hearts and wowing the minds of all assembled. An exquisite dinner followed, and then the First Class Band performed a mix of contemporary and old-school tunes that lured all to the dance floor while libations flowed until the midnight hour. Archon Angress Walker, Jr. Grapter, Gamma Lambda Boulé

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Gamma Mu Hosts Christmas at the Ritz

Archons are joined by Regional Sire Archon Johnny Gibbons.

hampagne flowed in crystal glasses on the rooftop of the Ritz-Carlton at the annual Christmas party hosted by Gamma Mu Boulé, Phoenix, on December 8, 2012. It began outside under the stars, and Archons tiptoed quietly to the Christmas tree to arrange their special gifts for their loved ones. Agogos Donald Bland and Archousa Yvonne once again delivered a fabulous evening, full of surprises. The theme was “A Winter Wonderland,” and each Archousa and female guest received a lovely white wrist corsage upon arrival, while Archons and male guests were pinned with white boutonnieres. Lifelong memories were captured on film as distinguished couples caught up on their holiday testimonials, preparing for the special evening to come. After descending to the main ballroom for dinner, where the tables were graced with delicate centerpieces made by Archousa Bland, the exquisitely clad crowd was serenaded by the Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church quartet, followed by a surprise visit from members of the Black Theater Troupe, who performed segments from the Chekhov play The Three Sisters. Our guest, Regional Sire Archon Johnny Gibbons and his Archousa, Sylvia, brought a warm welcome from Alaska (where it had been four degrees Fahrenheit the previous morning). Past Sire Archons M.C. Burton, Harold Fuller, George

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Archousai and guests proudly pose on the Ritz-Carlton staircase.

Logan, Bill Jackson and Proctor Houston and outgoing Sire Archon Larry Leverett received special recognition, and everyone was happy to learn that Past Sire Archon Lonnie Williams is engaged to be married in 2013 to the lovely Kelli Johnston. Not to be outdone, Sire Archon–Elect Karl Gentles shared pertinent details of his upcoming nuptials to Carla Wright. After the newly elected 2013–15 officers and special guests were introduced, Badness, our star-studded five-piece band, rocked the house with dance music, to the delight of all. Archons, Archousai and guests showed off their moves, style, and – for some – rhythm. The highlight of the evening was the procession of Archons bearing gifts and tidings of joy and love to their Archousai or female guests. Cheers, smiles and hugs followed at each table (as if it were covered in a veil of mistletoe) as the Archons presented their personal gifts. As a nightcap, everyone enjoyed special brandy Alexanders, a traditional after-dinner treat started by Archon Bland’s grandfather, a charter member and Past Sire Archon of Eta Boulé, St. Louis, which celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2012. Archon Kenny W. Harris Grapter, Gamma Mu Boulé

Gamma Nu Struts Its Stuff on the Dance Floor

amma Nu Boulé, Northern Mississippi, held its annual Christmas Affair at the minority-owned Fitzgeralds Casino and Hotel in Tunica on December 8, 2012. That “Ol’ Man River,” the Mighty Mississippi, served as a panoramic backdrop for an evening of good cheer, sumptuous food and live music as the Archons, Archousai and invited guests danced and “wobble-wobble-wobbled” the night away.

Each Archousa received multiple Christmas gifts from her Archon, and the revelers enjoyed a hearty breakfast the following morning prior to exchanging warm departing embraces all around and extending best wishes to all by all. Archon Jim L. Collins Grapter, Gamma Nu Boulé

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Gamma Xi Archons Sing to Their Ladies

amma Xi Boulé, Sarasota, Florida, kicked off its Christmas holiday season on December 18, 2012, with a fabulous dinner-dance for the Archousai at the resplendent Laurel Oak Country Club. The festive beauty of the ballroom setting was exceeded only by the dazzling Archousai, each of whom received a bottle of champagne and a long-stemmed rose from her Archon as the men melodiously serenaded the ladies with the song “Always and Forever.” The event also highlighted a number of special occasions. Gamma Xi took this opportunity to publicly announce and celebrate the emeritus status bestowed upon Archon Bernard Watson. The boulé also honored the birthday of its oldest member, Archon William Myers, who turned 93 on that day. And in

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the spirit of Christmas, in memory of Archon Lionel McMurren, her recently deceased husband, Archousa Jean McMurren presented The Boulé Foundation with a gift of $500, which was graciously received with much appreciation. Gamma Xi’s officers for 2012–13 are Sire Archon Charles Walker; Sire Archon–Elect William Watkins; Past Sire Archon Herman Bell; Thesauristes James Taylor; Grammateus Bruce Ballard; Grapter Jesse Anderson; Rhetoricos Robert Fitzgerald; Agogos Garvey Clark; and James Cleaves, George Mims and Major Gladden, membership council. Archon Jesse F. Anderson, Jr. Grapter, Gamma Xi Boulé

Gamma Omicron Parties on the Waterfront

Seated: Archousai Joyce Marsh, Denise Smith, Yvonne Duncan, Juel Smith, Bonnie Davis, Brenda Nixon, Angie Johnson, Nathalia Fort and Donna McRae. Standing: Archousai Jacqueline Cotman, Joyce Thornton, Carla Starling, Margarette Spears, Casey Curry, Ruth Bell, Mindee Ligon, Nancy Bryant, Phyllis Hollis, Joy McCloud, Betty Newsome, Debra Sheehy and Priscilla Williams.

amma Omicron Boulé, Tampa Bay, Florida, held its annual “Christmas is for the Archousai” event on December 8, 2012, at the Feather Sound Country Club on the waterfront in Clearwater, an elite and beautiful facility that is conveniently located to accommodate the Archons and Archousai who live in the St. Petersburg and Tampa region. The elegant black-tie party afforded an opportunity for socializing in an atmosphere that was festively decorated for the holiday season, and a local band provided the entertainment, which included vocals by songstress Theo Valentine, a renowned artist

well known to many Gamma Omicron members. A professional photographer took group and couples photos in front of the grand Christmas tree so that people could take home mementos of the occasion. The Archousai received gifts from their Archons, and expressions of gratitude flowed freely. This was yet another enjoyable event, during which everyone had a marvelous opportunity to get to know the best of one another. Archon Bennett W. Smith, Jr. Grapter, Gamma Omicron Boulé

Seated: Archons Reginald Ligon, Kenyon Fort, Bennett Smith and Bruce Curry; Sire Archon J. Cedric Thornton; Archons Gerald Bell, Ricardo Davis, L. Andy McCloud and David Smith. Standing: Archons John Smith, William Marsh, B. Jeffery Starling, Kevin Greenidge, I.V. Spears, Paul McRae, H. Earl Cotman, Paul Sheehy, Kenneth Bryant, Harold Nixon, Melvin Williams, Larry Newsome and Naaman Johnson.

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Gamma Rho Hosts Elegant Holiday Brunch

amma Rho Boulé, Ann Arbor, Michigan, hosted its twenty-fifth annual Holiday Brunch at the Inn at St. John’s in Plymouth, a luxurious hotel that has been etched in Michigan history and tradition for more than half a century. Its lavish Romanesque architectural detail includes polished marble floors, handcrafted woodwork and majestic stonework; and the Christmas trees and greenery decked out with colorful and whimsical ornaments of the season made for a festive atmosphere. At the cocktail reception, more than 275 Archons, Archousai and guests greeted one another in the “spirit of the Christmas holidays” while being serenaded with background music by a jazz pianist, creating a joyful ambience. Following the reception, everyone was invited into the Grand Ballroom, where Sire Archon Levi Thompson offered cordial words of welcome during a brief program

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prior to the serving of brunch. He commented on the elegance and radiance of everyone in attendance and extended best wishes to all for a wonderful holiday season and a fulfilling new year. After he pointed out that the purpose of the Holiday Brunch was to recognize and express appreciation for the Archousai, a poem written especially in their honor was read in tribute to them. At the conclusion of a delightful meal and libations, skilled musicians and a soulful singer provided music for dancing. Couples immediately filled the dance floor, moving to the music throughout the afternoon. The abundant laughter, intense conversation and general camaraderie were sure signs that people thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Archon Norman Howard Grapter, Gamma Rho Boulé

Gamma Sigma Archons Alvin G. Ragland, James A Wynn, Edward V. Ellis, Karl H. Stanley, Winifred L. Tillery, Peter Henderson, Marion Phillips, Leroy S. Darkes, George Wylie, Jr., Quincy Scott, Jr., Frederick D. Burroughs, James A. Smith, James H. Ward, Dudley E. Flood, Stafford G. Bullock and Terrence V. Burroughs

Gamma Sigma Thanks Epsilon Alpha for Stellar Event

amma Sigma Boulé, Raleigh, North Carolina, celebrated the holidays at a stellar event hosted by Epsilon Alpha Boulé on December 8, 2012, in Fayetteville. Led by Sire Archon George Wylie and his Archousa, Edna, Gamma Sigma showed up in strong numbers to support Epsilon Alpha and to enjoy a relaxed and fun-filled weekend. Tribute was paid to deceased Archons, and as is customary at Christmas, the widowed Archousai were honored along with all the Archousai. After a weekend of feasting and intellectual (and nonintellectual) dialogue, participants enjoyed an evening gala that featured Victor Fields, who offered several moving and soulful musical renditions, and the wellknown musical group Main Street under the direction of

George Freeman. Although the gala was planned as the high point of the entire weekend, those who stayed for the Sunday morning wrap-up were awed by the performance of four young ladies from the Fayetteville State University Choir who presented a concert worthy of their anticipated performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City in March 2013. The gathered assembly offered unsolicited support for the students’ pending trip. Gamma Sigma owes Epsilon Alpha a debt of gratitude for a well-planned event under the leadership of Sire Archon Floyd L. Shorter. Archon Quincy Scott, Jr. Grapter, Gamma Sigma Boulé Spring 2013 / The Boulé Journal 77•1 / Christmas Is for the Archousai 201

Gamma Tau Boulé Celebrates Yuletide

amma Tau Boulé, Racine/Kenosha, Wisconsin, held its “Christmas is for the Archousai” celebration on December 8, 2012, at the Meadowbrook Country Club. The party kicked off with a reception that allowed Archons, Archousai and guests to exchange pleasantries and engage in fruitful discussion, and a photography session provided the opportunity for individual and couples portraits. During dinner, event chairman Archon Derrell Greene welcomed everyone and introduced Sire Archon Edward Jenkins, Jr., who offered greetings. Archons proposed toasts in honor of the ladies, glasses were raised and all in attendance gave traditional introductions. After a special toast, each Archousa received a beautiful gift as a token of love and appreciation for her continuing support. The Christopher Project Band added to the festive atmosphere, and the excellent music accounted for many smiling faces throughout the evening. Newly elected Sire Archon Warrington Richardson

Archon Kenneth Harris Grapter, Gamma Tau Boulé

Seated: Archousai Jo Foster Murray, Callie Adams, Adelene Greene, Carla Harris, Minnie Chambers, Mildred Harpole, Ruth Riley, Pearline Terry, Pauline Mitchell, Kenge Adams, Cornelia Richardson, Chellie Wiles, Kimberly Jenkins and LuVerda Martin. Standing: Archons Everett Butler, Milous E. Adams, Derrell Greene, Kenneth Harris, Jr., LaRoyce Chambers, Reuben Harpole, Willie Riley, Lawrence Terry, Joseph C. Mitchell, Reginald Adams, George R. Stinson, Warrington Richardson, Julian Wiles, Immediate Past Sire Archon Edward L. Jenkins, Jr., and Archon Gregory Martin.

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Delta Gamma Boulé Celebrates in Style

elta Gamma Boulé, Tyler, Texas, honored the Archousai with a Christmas Gala at the Hollytree Country Club. Greeting each other with warm smiles, Archons, Archousai and guests were ready to celebrate in grand style. After the group pictures, individual portraits were taken of each boulé member as well as each guest. Archon Dallas Pierre, a dentist by day and an exceptional master of ceremonies by night, dazzled the company with his humor and charm throughout the evening, and Archon Harry Stewart, in his unique style, delivered a brief history of the boulé. Following the introductions of the Archousai and Archons, each Archousa was presented with a fabulous gift. Archon Garrett Floyd offered a blessing, and when dinner was over, people enjoyed the fellowship of one another’s company and danced the night away to beautiful music. It was an event to remember. Archousa Tina Wesley and Archon Waymon Wesley, Sr.

Archon Waymon L. Wesley, Sr. Grapter, Delta Gamma Boulé

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Aquarium Venue Enchants Delta Epsilon

he enchanted undersea world of the Adventure Aquarium, on the banks of the Delaware River in Camden, provided an elegant backdrop for the delightfully festive and engaging Christmas party and tribute to the Archousai hosted by Delta Epsilon Boulé, Southern New Jersey, on December 9, 2012. The fifthlargest aquarium in the country, it is the only one in the world to house hippos and the only one in the United States that exhibits great hammerhead sharks. After a tour of the facility and a splendid cocktail reception, the event kicked off, to everyone’s surprise, with the backdrop raised to display the picturesque 550,000-gallon Shark Realm. Archon George Kenner, master of ceremonies, delivered a warm welcome to the Delta Epsilon family and their guests,

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and Archon Van Buren led the room in a heartfelt and reverent blessing of the occasion. Archon Frederick Foard followed with a profound tribute to the Archousai, to which they responded with a tribute of their own, led by Archousa Barbara Darnell. The festivities continued with remarks and acknowledgments by Sire Archon Charles Nelson, who presented the Archousai with gifts in appreciation of all their support during the year. After a sumptuous dinner, people gravitated to the dance floor and for the rest of the evening danced to the soulful sounds of the Ingram Family Band. Archon Steven E. Curtis Grapter, Delta Epsilon Boulé

Delta Lambda Celebrates at Historic House

Archons and Archousai smartly attired at Government House

elta Lambda Boulé, Nassau, Bahamas, held its annual Christmas party on December 15, 2012, at Government House, the governor’s mansion, hosted by Archon Arthur Foulkes and his Archousa, Joan. Known outside the boulé as His Excellency Sir Arthur Foulkes, GCMG, governor-general of the Bahamas, Delta Lambda’s distinguished Archon gave his brothers a treat. The Archousai and guests enjoyed cocktails on the balcony overlooking a moonlit Nassau Harbor while the Archons withdrew to the library for a meeting, where three members were inducted: Archons Michael N’Tari Darville, a specialist in internal medicine and intensive care; Paul Andrew Gomez, a partner in the Grant Thornton accounting firm; and Anthony Robinson, president and CEO of Focol Industries, Ltd. Following the formal induction, Archons and Archousai united for a historic photograph and then repaired to the Grand Ballroom for dinner. The beauti-

ful location set the tone for the fare that put the skills of the nation’s highest-ranking chef on full display. The meal drew such unanimous praise that Agogos Philip Galanis summoned chef Rohema Forbes to the ballroom to receive accolades. The highlight of the evening came when each lovestruck Archon delivered a declaration of love and appreciation and presented a gift to his blushing Archousa. In prose, poetry and song, the men wooed the ladies and wowed the guests. As he expressed his affection to his Archousa, Archon Foulkes, a journalist and politician before his appointment as governor-general, demonstrated to his brothers the talents that have made him successful. The event rekindled fraternal affection and respect and strengthened bonds of love.

Archon Barry Russell (center) gets a laugh out of newly inducted Archon Anthony Robinson and Archousa Christine.

Archon Arthur Foulkes, the evening’s host, discusses issues of the day with Sire Archon James Smith.

Archon Alpheus A. Finlayson Grapter, Delta Lambda Boulé

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Delta Mu Boulé Appreciates the Archousai

Seated: Archousai Bette McNeil, Vera Ingram, Gloria Austin, Faye Barksdale, Sheilah Babers, Wenda Moore, Gloria Moran and Rose Maryland. Standing: Archousai Sylvia McElvy, Sandra Stewart, Sharon Croxton, Charda Green, Renita Smith (guest), Lisa Banks (guest), Elizabeth Slater, Lydia Cole, Gloria Legrand, Sylvia Reynolds, Anita Heiskell, Margaret Faust, Rosalind Miles, Gwen Edwards, Arlene Barnett, Kim Littleton, Doretta Battle, Rita Lynn Johnson, Veronica Austin and June Kelley Johnson.

elta Mu Boulé, Fort Worth/Arlington, Texas, held its annual “Christmas is for the Archousai” gala at the renowned Fort Worth Club on December 8, 2012. There was certainly much to be thankful for during this festive event, which gave Archons the opportunity to pause and admire just how lovely the Archousai looked in their holiday attire. The Archons honored them with gifts, fine dining, song and dance,

and extended additional blessings to invited guests and friends. Delta Mu also offered a warm welcome and a very special thank-you to Past Grand Sire Archon Cornell Moore and his Archousa, Wenda, for sharing this special occasion. Archon Michael J. Edwards Grapter, Delta Mu Boulé

Delta Mu Archons serenade their Archousai and guests.

Seated: Grapter Michael J. Edwards, Grammateus Willie R. Heath, Jr., Sire Archon Joseph A. Faust, Past Grand Sire Archon Cornell L. Moore, Sire Archon–Elect Donald C. Babers, Thesauristes Harry M. Croxton, Sr., Agogos Ronald J. Spencer and Archon James McNeil. Second row: Archons Douglas Greene, Stephen Littleton, Jacob R. Miles III and Maurice L. Barksdale; Immediate Past Sire Archon Donald L. Washington; and Archons Richard G. Stewart, Jr., Al Moran, John Barnett, Gerald W. McElvy, William T. Slater, Reginald Cole and Joseph Austin, Jr. Back row: Archons Vincent Adams, Michael Heiskell, Leon Johnson, Tyrus Ingram, Clinton Battle, Robert “Snake” LeGrand (Rhetoricos), James N. Austin, Jr., Johnny Johnson, Russell J. Maryland and Calvin Reynolds.

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Delta Nu Boulé Celebrates in Style

Archons and Archousai: Larry Morse and Pamela McKoin, Joseph Mayfield and Lee Mayfield, Charles Shepherd and Joan Shepherd, and Cliff Griffin, Jr., and Dia Griffin

Archons and Archousai: Orlando Ashford and Samantha Ashford, Sire Archon–Elect John Moton and Valerie Moten, Sire Archon Cornell Wright and Joanne Wright, and Phillip Miller and Cheryl Miller

elta Nu Boulé, Fairfield County, Connecticut, celebrated the holiday season and honored the Archousai at its annual December holiday party, hosted by Archon Joseph Mayfield and his gracious Archousa, Lee Mayfield, of Greenwich. Their beautiful home was adorned with Yuletide

decorations, a lovely backdrop for a gathering of Archons, Archousai and guests who spent the evening enjoying the best of one another.

Archons and Archousai: Anderson Livingston and Adrianne Livingston, Gary Ford and Marilyn Ford, Charles Burns and Elizabeth Burns, and Peter Boone and Gina Boone

Archons and Archousai: Archie Smith and Shirley Smith, William Callion and Melvina Callion, Irv Culpepper and Brenda Culpepper, and Ronald Woods and Jacqueline Woods

Archon Charles E. Spaulding Grapter, Delta Nu Boulé

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Delta Sigma Hosts Gala for the Archousai

elta Sigma Boulé, South Suburban Chicago, hosted its eleventh annual holiday gala for the Archousai on December 1, 2012, at the Flossmoor Country Club, which was decorated in stunning blue, white and silver for the occasion. Founded in 1899, it was one of the first and is one of the oldest existing clubs in the Midwest. The evening consisted of a reception, dinner, an after-dinner program and dancing. During the program segment, the Archons presented gifts and tributes to their Archousai, after which Sire Archon Don Goens welcomed guests and spoke briefly on the accomplishments of Delta Sigma’s social action programs and the

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formulation of the new foundation, the focus of which will be the support of education and scholarship. The special guests in attendance for the evening were Grand Sire Archon–Elect James O. Cole and Archousa Ada; Beta Boulé Sire Archon Chris Lee and Archousa Hillary; and Delta Alpha Boulé Sire Archon James Rickmond and Archousa Marlene. The libations were refreshing, the dinner delectable and the music stimulating, and a great time was had by all. Archon Wayne L. Baskerville Grapter, Delta Sigma Boulé

Delta Tau Boulé Hosts Christmas Ball

Seated: Archousai Jennifer Williams, Twanjua Jones, Virginia Cofield, Betty Gibson, Grace Adams and Sarah Rivers. Standing: Archousai Betty Bolden, Lynda Thomas, Marilyn Haynes, Marilyn Mason, Myra Lyons and Carmen Henry.

elta Tau Boulé, Frankfort, Kentucky, held its Christmas Ball on December 7, 2012, at the Capital Plaza Hotel. A relaxed social hour preceded the festivities, and the dinner tables were arranged in a U shape to allow people to see one another. After dinner, everyone sang Christmas songs, and each Archon introduced his Archousa before the evening’s activities began. Archousai Betty Gibson and Sarah Rivers took the floor to organize a secret Santa game in which presents were given and taken until every gift was levied and the use of cards for drawing was completed. This was followed by a game in which gifts were passed to the right or left to an edited version of the poem

“’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Some players pretended not to know their left from their right in order to hang on to large gifts, but they were always caught out. The Archousai received roses from their Archons, and Archon Wendell Thomas proceeded to take group as well as individual pictures. One by one, people exited the building, wishing everyone season’s blessings. A few stragglers seemed to want to stay all night, but everyone eventually grew tired and reluctantly headed home. Archon Tommy Z. Haynes Grapter, Delta Tau Boulé

Seated: Archons Steve Mason, Kenneth Gibson and LaVaughn Henry; Sire Archon Gus Ridgel; and Archons Robert Bradley and William Cofield. Standing: Archons Donald Lyons, Kenneth Jones, Wilbert James, Jr., Leon Clark Williams, Tommy Haynes, Reginald Thomas, Louie Rivers, Jr., James Adams, Jr., and Wendell Thomas.

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Delta Chi Archousai Enjoy Four-Day Retreat

Seated: Archousai Barbara Williams, Pearl Thompson, Jerri Singleton, Colleen Kilgore, Geneva Roache, Brenda Jamerson, Josie Pough, Saundra Glover, Mary Jeffries, Catherine Gordon and Ruth Bowden. Standing: Archons Cecil Williams, Willie Thompson, Richard Singleton, Charles Kilgore, Broadus Jamerson, Oliver Pough, Samuel Glover, Willie Jeffries, Robert Gordon and John Bowden.

itchfield Beach on the shores of Pawleys Island was the setting for the holiday festivities of Delta Chi Boulé, Orangeburg, South Carolina, from December 13 to 16, 2012. The entertainment committee provided top-of-the-line accommodations, activities, entertainment, meals and gifts for the Archousai and an outof-this-world reception and gala. When Archons and Archousai arrived on Thursday, they were escorted to their breathtaking accommodations, which provided the perfect atmosphere for relaxation, socialization, networking and bonding. The spacious living-dining suites featured fireplaces, modern kitchens, several bedrooms and screened-in decks overlooking the blue Atlantic. The group enjoyed a trip to Sandy Island, where a lifelong resident provided a guided tour, initially by pontoon, that explored the river and the sandy-soiled longleaf pine forest and offered insight into the culture, history and unspoiled beauty of the island’s African American community, including such historical landmarks as a school built in the 1930’s, the old Mount Rena cemetery, the school boat, the firehouse and the New Bethel Baptist Church, founded in 1880. Next was an evening tour of Brookgreen Gardens’ annual celebration, “Nights of a Thousand Candles,” in a magical setting where thousands of candles sparkled among the oaks and the garden paths. This National Historic Landmark offers strolls through the beautifully landscaped gardens, inviting relaxation areas under the oaks, the only accredited zoo on the coast of the Carolinas and the most significant figurative sculptures in the world. And shopping was a big treat for the Archousai as they shopped till they dropped at the specialty boutiques and malls. For those who were so inclined, each morning began with walking or bike riding throughout the neighborhood, and evening dining included feasting at the many local restaurants and enjoying delicious meals prepared by Archons and Archousai in their individual accommodations. The elegant black-tie “Christmas is for the Archousai” gala was held at Austin’s Ocean One ballroom at the Litchfield Inn, where the Jazz Etc. ensemble provided the music. Archon Cecil Williams, owner of Cecil Williams Photography, took pictures of everyone to mark the oc-

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casion and capture their beauty and luxurious attire. Past Sire Archon Willie Jeffries, master of ceremonies, welcomed everyone and introduced Sire Archon Broadus Jamerson III, who offered greetings. Each Archon introduced his lovely Archousa, and Archon Samuel Glover, entertainment committee cochair, gave the invocation and blessing. After dinner Grammateus Robert Gordon offered a resounding tribute to the Archousai. Archons Oliver Pough and Samuel Glover distributed gifts to the Archons for presentation to their Archousai, and each Archon presented his Archousa with a kiss and a specially designed one-of-a-kind gift, an exquisite semiprecious stone necklace handcrafted by Karen Roache, designer, of Another Phase by Karen Roache, the daughter of Archousa Geneva Roache and the late Delta Chi charter member Archon Lewie Roache, who passed away on August 28. Archousa Brenda Jamerson, wife of Sire Archon Jamerson, graciously accepted the tribute on behalf of the Archousai. Sire Archon Jamerson presented floral arrangements to Archousa Roache and to his own Archousa for her assistance. All evening the musicians maintained the perfect balance of vocal and instrumental music, and the spectacular event wound down with conversation and nightcaps in the beautiful living accommodations, where everyone continued “to get to know the best of one another.” The final activity was a Sunday brunch at the Nosh– Artful Dining restaurant, tucked beneath weathered old oaks, surrounded by age-old azaleas and camellias and exhibiting works by local artists. Archousa Brenda Jamerson presided, revealing to Archousa Geneva Roache that this “surprise” brunch was in her honor and offering her a seat at the head of the table. Archousa Catherine Gordon gave the occasion, and Archousa Jerri Singleton presented a beautiful corsage to a very surprised Archousa Roache. Archousa Pearl Thompson offered the blessing of the food, and after the delightful meal, “The Spoken Word” was delivered by Archon John T. Bowden, followed by remarks from Archousa Roache. Sire Archon Jamerson bid everyone farewell as they prepared to end four days of total bliss. Archon Timothy J. Autry Grapter, Delta Chi Boulé

Epsilon Alpha Hosts Seven Boulés at Gala

Sire Archon Floyd Shorter and Archousa Saundra Shorter of Epsilon Alpha and Archousa Lisa Bacote and Grand Grammateus–Executive Secretary Samuel Bacote enjoy the moment.

Archon Bacote presents a Resolution of Recognition to Sire Archon Shorter that commemorates the 2012 “Christmas is for the Archousai” celebration.

psilon Alpha Boulé, Fayetteville, North Carolina, hosted a gala holiday weekend for seven other North Carolina member boulés on December 7–9, 2012, at the Embassy Suites, a beautiful new hotel. More than 160 Archons and Archousai from across the state attended. The boule’s were Alpha Tau, Durham; Beta Delta, Charlotte; Beta Epsilon, Greensboro; Epsilon Gamma, Chapel Hill; Gamma Kappa, Winston-Salem; Gamma Sigma, Raleigh; and Gamma Upsilon, Asheville. During the event, Archon Jonathan Charleston offered a brief history, and Grand Grammateus–Executive Secretary Samuel Bacote III presented each boulé with a 2012 “Christmas is for the Archousai” Recognition Resolution on behalf of the Grand Boulé. “We are happy to welcome our fellow Archons and Archousai and extremely pleased to have the opportunity to showcase the Fayetteville area,” said Epsilon Alpha Sire Archon Floyd Shorter. “We are also proud to host Archon Bacote at our Fayetteville celebration.” Boulé members and their guests had a choice of weekend activities, including a golf outing at the Anderson Creek Club, a visit to the world-renowned Airborne & Special Operations Museum in downtown Fayetteville and other sites, and a guided tour of Fayetteville’s African-American Heritage Trail, organized in conjunction with the Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. The Archousai attended a luncheon and fashion show at the Metropolitan Room in downtown Fayetteville, where they were entertained by choral students from Seventy-First High School.

In addition, the Sire Archons, Sire Archons–Elect and Grammatei of the North Carolina boulés got down to business by having a “best practices” session with Archon Bacote. This traditional session was hosted by Epsilon Alpha and facilitated by Sire Archon Shorter. “I know that many of our guests went home with a positive image of greater Fayetteville,” he said. “In particular, I heard many comments about how much they enjoyed the Airborne & Special Operations Museum and the African-American Heritage Tour – coupled with a positive impression of the campus at Fayetteville State University.” He also noted that people who were familiar with the area but had not been back for some time were impressed with how much the community has grown and evolved. The festivities at the hotel included a Friday-evening jazz reception, with music provided by the well-known Fayetteville-based group Essential Elements, and a Saturday-night gala dinner-dance, where everyone danced to the multifaceted sounds of the Main Street Band and enjoyed a performance by national recording artist Victor Fields. Sunday’s breakfast featured a performance by Mane Attraction, a women’s choral group from Fayetteville State University. Also on display for the weekend was an art showcase, organized by the Arts Council of Fayetteville/ Cumberland County in collaboration with the Ellington White Project. The artwork, which was for sale, featured nationally known local artists and highlighted the Arts Council’s Friends of African & African-American Artists (FAAA) initiative, designed to raise public awareness and appreciation for African and African American art.

Archons of Gamma Sigma Boulé at black-tie gala

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Epsilon Delta Enjoys a Fantastic Evening

psilon Delta Boulé, Williamsburg, Virginia, held its annual Christmas gala on December 15, 2012, at Two Rivers Country Club at Governor’s Land. Archons and Archousai of Alpha Beta and Beta Lambda and other guests shared a fantastic evening during which the eclectic music provided the perfect environment for socializing. “A Holiday Salute to the Archousai” began with a cocktail hour and reception, with photo opportunities available for all. At dinner, Sire Archon–Elect Earl T. Granger III extended a cordial welcome that set the tone for a spectacular evening, and Archon Wallace Arnold offered the invocation and grace. In his salute to the Archousai, Thesauristes Tyrone Alexander announced that a contribution of $500 would be made on their behalf to Erase the Need Center, a nonprofit collaboration among Williamsburg–James City County schools, Virginia Peninsula Foodbank and Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center to help “erase the need” for healthy food for students of economically disadvantaged families, some of whom are homeless. This is

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the second year that the Archons of Epsilon Delta have honored their Archousai with a financial contribution to a nonprofit community organization. In his remarks Sire Archon John Anderson described his pleasure in the collaboration Epsilon Delta experienced during the year with several community organizations in the Greater Williamsburg area, executing diverse social action initiatives that often involved both Archons and Archousai. He also gave special recognition to members of the gala committee, chaired by Archon William Hampton, thanking them for arranging an elegant affair that reflected the highest standard of hospitality. Archons introduced their invited guests, and attendees spent the remainder of the evening getting to know the best of one another and dancing to the wonderful music of Glennroy and Company. Archon Laron J. Clark, Jr. Grapter, Epsilon Delta Boulé

Epsilon Zeta Boulé Holds Black-Tie Gala

Sire Archon Robert Greene, Archon Howard Foard, Jr., Angela Robinson and Archon Dimitrius Hutcherson

he theme “Christmas is for the Archousai” resonated throughout the evening on December 1, 2012, as the Archons of Epsilon Zeta Boulé, Loudoun County, Virginia, honored their ladies at the Belmont Country Club in Ashburn. The Belmont Manor House, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, was built between the years of 1799 and 1802 by Ludwell Lee, son of Richard Henry Lee, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The elegant black-tie affair began with a cocktail hour, during which everyone exchanged warm greetings, renewed old acquaintances and posed for individual photographs to mark the occasion and capture the beauty and luxurious attire of the Archousai. Sire Archon Robert Greene delivered season’s greetings, and Archon Earl Simms offered the invocation before dinner. Each year during its Christmas gala Epsilon Zeta presents a Simplicity of Service Award in recognition of out-

standing acts of generosity by the Archousai, members of the greater Loudoun County community or persons who are attuned to the call of Sigma Pi Phi. This year Sire Archon Greene presented the award to Angela Robinson, principal of Sugarland Elementary School in Sterling, for her sacrifice and service to her school and community. Archon Dimitrius Hutcherson presented John Brewer, principal of Dominion High School of Sterling, with the Epsilon Zeta Community Leadership Cup for his support of the boulé’s mentoring program. To complete a perfect evening, the effervescent music of the band Tres’ Theory pulled people from their seats to socialize and dance the latest line dances and strut their stuff doing the Wobble. Archon Patrick W. Brown Grapter, Epsilon Zeta Boulé

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Epsilon Iota and Alpha Theta Hold Joint Event

Epsilon Iota Archons and Archousai

he Archons and Archousai of Epsilon Iota Boulé, Tulsa, and Alpha Theta Boulé, State of Oklahoma, held their induction ceremonies and joint annual holiday celebration, “An Evening With the Archousai,” on December 8, 2012, at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, which was beautifully decorated for the occasion. The event was hosted by Archon Sam Combs, Archousa Rita Combs, Archon Will Williams and Archousa Rutha Williams; and Western Region Sire Archon Leodis Davis attended the

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induction ceremonies and the subsequent festivities. Sire Archon Preston Phillips of Epsilon Iota presided over the dinner program, which included prize drawings and a gift presentation to each Archousa and female guest. The attendees enjoyed the live entertainment and danced the hours away to the jazzy sounds of the Full Flava Kings. Archon David W. Harris Grapter, Epsilon Iota Boulé

Epsilon Kappa Donates to Christmas Charities

Grammateus Christopher Evans, Archousa Yvette Evans, Archousa Rosalind Strickland and Archon Van Strickland

psilon Kappa Boulé, Huntsville, Alabama, hosted more than 200 guests at its third annual Christmas Black-Tie Gala on December 22, 2012, at the famed Ledges Country Club, an English Tudor–style manor house perched on the western point of Huntsville Mountain, which offers a panoramic view of the city. This marks the second year that attendees provided gifts to the local organization Christmas Charities. The main ballroom, decorated in holiday splendor, provided a worthy background for the beautiful Archousai. The evening began with a social hour of mixing and mingling amid the smooth sounds of the KAYO Band, featuring

Kelly O’Neal. Gala committee chair Archon Van Strickland presided and introduced Regional Sire Archon Clifton Johnson. Archon Julius Scruggs eloquently blessed the food, and the formal dinner and entertainment continued with Sire Archon–Elect Lonzo Robinson toasting the Archousai as they received traditional commemorative personalized gifts from their Archons. The party continued throughout the night, with everyone dancing to the spirited sounds of the band. Archon I. Chris Robinson III Grapter, Epsilon Kappa Boulé

Grapter I. Chris Robinson, Archousa Cathy Robinson, Archousa Josephine Scruggs and Archon Julius Scruggs

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Epsilon Xi Holds Its First Christmas Party

psilon Xi Boulé, London, United Kingdom, celebrated its first annual holiday dinner on December 3, 2012, at Scott’s Restaurant in Mayfair. Archons, Archousai and select guests gathered in a private dining room and enjoyed canapés, champagne and aperitifs. Sire Archon Walter White ushered the group to the dining table and offered a welcoming toast to the Archousai. Since many Archousai and guests didn’t know one another, Sire Archon White suggested that each person at the table tell the group something surprising about himself or herself. This turned out to be great fun as people learned about the hidden passions and hobbies of members. Two special moments of the evening stand out. Archon Michael Webster shared the joy he and his Archousa, Deborah, experienced upon the adoption of their daughter, Tamera; their absolute delight that she, now age 9, is part of their life; and the important life lessons they learn from her every day.

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The other highlight was the introduction of special guest Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook, the U.S. ambassadorat-large for international religious freedom. Before being named by President Obama to this diplomatic role, Dr. Cook was a policy adviser to President Bill Clinton, a dean and professor of communications at Harvard University and a professor of theology at New York Theological Seminary. Her message of religious tolerance was totally in keeping with Epsilon Xi’s ecumenical spirit. Dinner ended about eleven P.M., but at the invitation of Archon Hardeep Nahal, a few hardy souls retired to the legendary Annabel’s, one of London’s most iconic private clubs, where the group enjoyed more champagne and danced until the wee hours. Archon Gregg Smith Grapter, Epsilon Xi Boulé