SUMMER 2022
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3Summer 2022 09 GOOD HEALTH WINs Partnership A LEGACY OF LEADERS 38 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? PAST INTERNATIONAL 2ND VICE PRESIDENTS 53 SIGMA LEGACIES CONTENTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Steve E. Ballard CONTRIBUTORS Steve E. Ballard Dr. Kent L. Poindexter Reginald Barrington Dr. Kevin EricChristianJaffe MalwanJanelDeanJohnsonO’BrienMarkPacichBlangoRossSt.John LAYOUT & DESIGN Christopher P. Fleming Ann Alphonse Studios EDITORIAL OFFICE Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. 145 Kennedy Street, NW Washington, DC www.phibetasigma1914.org(202)20011-5294726-5434 The Crescent Magazine is published twice annually by Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Chris V. Rey, JD International President POSTMASTER Please send address changes to: The Crescent Magazine Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. 145 Kennedy Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-5294 3412 INTERNATIONAL 2ND VICE PRESIDENT: POSITIONED FOR SUCCESS 44 THE LEGACY OF STEPPING 61 AROUND THE REGIONS
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I love to step! Stepping is steeped in the culture of Black Greek-Lettered organizations. In this edition of The Crescent, the legacy of stepping and the evolution of this artform in Sigma is explored.
Fraternally, FROM THE INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT Honorable CHRIS V. REY, J.D. 36th International President I BELIEVE IN THE PRINCIPLES OF PHI BETA SIGMA
And what about being a “legacy”? I’m proud that my son Jonathan chose to continue the legacy of Phi Beta Sigma in our family. We are pleased to feature nearly 100 Sigma Father and Son teams who responded to the call to be featured in this special gallery.
Welcome to our Legacy Edition of The Crescent. Throughout the pages of this dispatch, we celebrate, recognize and share the rich heritage of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity in various forms. Our Legacy of Leaders presents all of the living Past International Presidents, sharing some of the historical achievements which took place during their respective administrations. They also demonstrate how building upon the achievement of predecessors continues the elevation of the fraternity.
. . .
GREETINGS SIGMA BROTHERS,
In January 1914, our illustrious Founders engaged in pursuing a “grand idea for a new fraternity.” They endeavored to develop an organization of college-trained men that would help to lead the nation through education, culture, arts, and society at large, in eradicating inequities throughout American society. I believe in the vitality of this mission and the principles they envisioned. They started a legacy which still stands strong today. My loyalty to the principles transcends my personal responsibilities, as I’m a living bearer of this legacy. Under this administration’s motto “Empowering Generations of Men to BELIEVE in Advocacy, Community Service and Engagement”, the Brotherhood continues to carry forth the grand idea. We represent the ones who’ve been blessed to obtain higher education and a better life. We are also tasked with continuing to improve the quality of life for others. I’m forever proud of this legacy.
I stand on the shoulders of these amazing men as I sit in the seat from which only a select group of Brothers have governed. From its inception, Sigma has shaped and molded collegiate leaders.
As the highest ranking undergraduate leader, the International Second Vice President has a unique opportunity to absorb all of the tutelage needed to equip himself to be successful in his future career. For this special issue we reached out to all of the living members who’ve served in this position and we’re excited to share with you where they are now!
So, take time to fully immerse yourself in this special issue of The Crescent. I’m confident that it will be treasured as one of your favorites.
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT YEARS AGO, PEACE FELL ONTO THE CAMPUS OF HOWARD UNIVERSITY IN WASHINGTON DC!
Three young men asked the Holy Spirit to guide them. They were led to tell the good news, do the good work and give God the glory! It was the birth of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
One hundred and eight years ago, a pathway was created that allowed three young Black men to fulfill their destiny and thereby establish a legacy. Legacy is defined as creating something in the richness of life, the fullness of life and leaving that something for others to enjoy and cherish. So from Beale St. in Memphis, TN, to the 12th St. YMCA in the DC NW district and then to the Howard University campus off Georgia Avenue, to over 200,000 men and 850 chartered chapters in 8 different countries and on four different continents, the legacy was accepted and nurtured and passed along until we were able to stand and say all was well in the family!! We got something!! We got something that no one can take from us!!! That something was a legacy of brotherhood, scholarship and service to our Legacycommunities.isabout
5Summer 2022 FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Over the years, the brothers of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. have focused on doing good work. We have added the tenets of recruitment, reactivation, and retention to our portfolio. And good talent! And good tokens!!! And it requires good work! But to whom much is given, much is required, so we did it, and we do it. That good work enhances the legacy. And now Sigma continues adding to the “R” portfolio, that being Relationships.
creating a successful, purposeful and intentional body of good work. And sometimes that good work is good trouble, as was stated by the late Honorable Bro. John R. Lewis. Creating a body of good work that is appreciated and then enhanced by others who will eventually inherit the “space” that was formerly occupied by others is just as human as locking and gripping. It is a shareable process!
There can be no legacy without a relationship. Without the relationship, we operate in a silo. You are alone. There is no one to inherit what you are destined to leave. Something that you worked hard to achieve, and you really care about it. For the potential inheritors of the legacy, it is hard for you to cherish something when you don't know what you have and why you got it. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, there was something left for us by those who came before us. This inheritance can be increased and then passed on to others who follow us. Because of this legacy that was left from that time and the relationships that allow us to receive that legacy and to endow that legacy, no one else can have it. No one can take the relationship from us. There is uniqueness in our Greekness, and it should live forever. It’s the Sigma legacy! Long live Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.!!!
Honorable DARYL A. ANDERSON ExecutiveInternationalDirector
STEVE E. BALLARD Editor-In-Chief
When you canvas the LEGACY GALLERY, I’m confident that you will be touched by the sampling of Sigma men who’ve been blessed to pin their seeds as Sigmas – carrying on the legacy. Enjoy these and all of the other special features as we celebrate this issue of The Crescent, OUR LEGACY!
6 The Crescent Magazine FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
GREETINGS MEN OF SIGMA,
On April 2nd of this year, I happily celebrated 40 years in the Brotherhood of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated. In recalling my thoughts about joining a fraternity, I was clear that I wanted to be a part of a historical organization rooted in the American college experience, and also the rich traditions of historically Black fraternities. I was sure this was exactly what I needed to enhance my college career, as I recalled the experiences mentioned by so many public figures and my favorite high school teachers. Once I researched the groups and became more enlightened about the history and impact of “Culture for Service and Service for Humanity”, as well as witnessing the campus-wide effect the men in Blue & White maintained on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois, my choice was undoubtedly Phi Beta Sigma. Today I can truly appreciate the gift or being part of that legacy, initially bestowed upon me by those men at Epsilon Chi chapter who responded yes to my desire to belong. But its initial transmittal was received from the Founders and transmitted to over 185,000 men since the inception of our great Fraternity.
“OUR LEGACY” is the collaborative celebration of the gift each of us share as men of Sigma. Decade after decade we’ve added significant leaders to our rolls, each unique in his own character, yet forever in sync with the historical tag “the inclusive we, rather than the exclusive we.” To ascend to the very top level of leadership in any organization is a major accomplishment within itself. The exceptional Sigma men who have served as international leaders have given of themselves at lower leadership levels, learning the necessary lessons of living, giving and sharing, in order to serve at the highest level. In “LEGACY OF LEADERS”, we sit at the leaders’ feet to comprehend through their words the lessons learned, critical challenges faced and most cherished moments of their administrations.
This legacy began with undergraduate college men in 1914. Collegiate members continue to be our lifeline as they prepare for future roles as servant leaders. In Sigma, we begin preparing them for the future by providing a place in international leadership as collegians for them to have their voices heard, through the establishment of the office of the International Second Vice President. Those who are elevated to this office are positioned to be molded, developed and groomed into dynamic leaders in corporations, politics or community service. In this issue, we also take time to celebrate those who have served, and lift up the living past national second vice presidents and share where they are today.
On a personal note, I was one of my chapter’s best steppers – and still love to step and stroll today! The cultural tradition of stepping has a rich legacy of its own. We called upon some of the passionate masters of the art form, to shed light on the historical significance of stepping and share its legendary evolution.
THE OFFICIAL PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY, INC. SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES TagFollowLikeCommentShare Facebook/pbs1914 | Instagram @pbs_1914 | Twitter @pbs_1914 Official Hashtags: #pbs1914, #pbs107
CHAMPIONS OF GOOD HEALTH AND INFORMATIONGOOD
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the nation’s health protection agency, which is responsible for saving lives by providing guidance to protect people from health, safety and security threats. The national health organization sought trusted messengers to aid in its efforts to combat the spread of misinformation about COVID-19. One organization selected was the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) which received a grant to the organization’s Women Immunization Networks program to leverage networks to fight for vaccine equity and accurate communication.
The NCNW proposed the partnership to the National Pan-Hellenic Council’s Council of Presidents and a 5-year grant was awarded to the group. Through the Good Health WINs program, each organization will receive $318,000 ($150,000 for Iota Phi Theta Fraternity) per year to advocate for positive engagement and to provide accurate information in communities for the prevention of COVID-19 infections and deaths.
After accessing a network of 2 million in only 12 states in 2021, the CDC reached out to the Divine Nine in 2022 to add another 2.5 million, making for potentially 4.5 million trusted messengers.
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity launched its foray into the program with a public service announcement campaign to educate the general public about vaccine equity, flu-related information and social distancing. Various members of the General Board recorded PSA videos with messages addressing the illness, members, neighborhoods or communities, race, occupation, insurance, or social Brotherdistancing/masks.MalwanJohnson, International Director of Social Action is Sigma’s POC and facilitator of the program shared “The fraternity is fully engaged in the partnership which involves us making quarterly reports tracking COVID-related activity to CDC
Since the onset of COVID-19, over 6.3 million deaths occurred globally, with over 1 million reported in the United States. The devastating loss of human lives in America could have been prevented if not for the widespread misinformation and the impact of political posturing.
GOOD HEALTH WINS
Sigma’s partnership efforts, Brother Johnson encouraged chapters to do programs offering free PPE and hand sanitizers while sponsoring other events and making sure they report on those activities. “Our goal is to have 10% of chapters in grant processing,” says Brother Johnson. Chapters can apply for the grant on the BluPrint site.
This summer, Good Health WINs will be a lead sponsor supporting the Summer Strategic Session on July 22 – 23rd in Philadelphia, PA. Registrants will have the opportunity to continue advocating for trusted information relating to COVID-19 safety and prevention. As Year 2 approaches, Sigma plans to expand the partnership with other groups, such as cities. Additionally, collegiate chapters can partner with their universities. The PBS program is hoping to issue 50 grants of $2,000 and 50 grants of $1,500.
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF NEGRO WOMEN , INC . and through community practice meetings. We came together on one call to highlight what chapters are Throughdoing.”
HEALTH GOODWINS
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President Chris Rey is excited about the awesome partnership: “Phi Beta Sigma continues to move the needle as it relates to truly being in the room and at the table making decisions that impact our communities. When we’re ‘All in Good Health WINs!”
In March of this year, Brother Johnson facilitated a Town Hall video recording highlighting COVID-19 safety and behavioral tips, featuring Honorable Brother Chris V. Rey, International President and six of the past international presidents, Hon. Bro. Carter D. Womack, Hon. Bro. William E. Stanley, Hon. Bro. Peter M. Adams, Hon. Bro. Arthur R. Thomas, Hon. Bro. Paul L. Griffin, Jr. and Hon. Bro. Micheal E. Cristal.
The Crescent assembled and interviewed our esteemed Legacy of Leaders to document and glean, from their voices, their contributionsachievementsadministration’sandtoPhi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. We invite you to take this opportunity to discover the many historical nuggets offered from each leader.
LEADERS A Legacy of
Since the founding of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. 35 men have been elected to sit in the seat of President. These notable gentlemen have the unique experience that can only be shared amongst themselves. They represent a legacy in leadership that will forever inspire, motivate, and teach past, present and future generations of Sigma Men.
JF: In my long journey from chapter president to international president the ideals of good communication were with me, especially between our undergraduates and graduates. I saw a great need for our undergraduates in verbal communication with persons outside of the fraternity. As I traveled, generally, with our second vice president and director of undergraduate affairs, we talked to our undergraduate brothers about building a strong SIGMA communications network. Having great speakers and debaters would enhance our communication within, as well as, outside of the fraternity. Developing a great national system of Sigma speakers and debaters was the aim, the problem was convincing nationally our brothers that we were serious in helping to build such a system. The answers were in our deeds not rhetoric. With this thought in mind, to help with the program’s formulation, the 2nd vice president, national director of undergraduate affairs, National Director of Education and Executive Director were designated— thus the program was funded and launched. Great assistance in topic and program development was provided by scholarly brothers throughout the country. All national officers and staff bought in, individual chapters bought into the programs nation wide with chapters and regions talking, speaking and debating with scholarships funded at all levels. With this new involvement and participation by the undergraduates other programs such as our National Miss Phi Beta Sigma Beauty Pageant developed a renewed interest and funding. Undergraduates participated in National Conclave planning and programs so much so, that our conclave concert became a program favorite and the O’JAYS became a SIGMA fixture
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TC : THE THEME FOR THE FLOYD ADMINISTRATION WAS “A RENAISSANCE IN BROTHERHOOD: FOCUSING ON GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE RELATIONS.” WHAT WAS THE STATE OF THE BROTHERHOOD THAT ENCOURAGED THIS FOCUS?
Honorable JAMES T. FLOYD 25th International President
TC : DURING YOUR ADMINISTRATION, THE REAGAN ERA ECONOMY WAS HAVING SERIOUS EFFECTS ON THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY. HOWEVER, THE FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE FRATERNITY WAS IMPROVED AS REFLECTED BY AN IMPROVEMENT IN MEMBERSHIP SERVICES. WHAT OTHER FRATERNAL OPERATIONS WERE POSITIVELY IMPACTED DURING YOUR ADMINISTRATION?
JF: The newfound interest and confidence that we experienced at the chapter, regional and national level paved the way for continued growth in what could have been troubled times. Because of innovatively funded programs, brothers not only joined but remained active and involved.
JF: These two great programs suffered and lingered simply because of an unsure commitment by Phi Beta Sigma and the lack of a definitive planning and communication process. As an organization, we recognized the need for the PBS Credit Union early on but did not realize we had the organizational and management skills required within Sigma. By soliciting the assistance of the eastern regional director and the eastern region, we were able to meet the organization’s goal and the requirements on the National Federal Credit Union and formed the PHI BETA SIGMA CREDIT UNION. One basic need for the Credit Union is to provide a “life-line” for our undergraduates who have not yet established credit lines. The need for affordable housing was great during the 1980s and continues today. Sigma saw this need early and established a foundation to assist with addressing this need.
TC : AS WE CELEBRATE OUR LEGACY OF LEADERS BY BUILDING UPON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR PREDECESSOR, WHAT PROGRAM, INITIATIVE OR FOCUS AREA IMPLEMENTED BY THE NEWTON ADMINISTRATION DID YOU ADVANCE DURING THE FLOYD ADMINISTRATION?
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TC : THE PHI BETA SIGMA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION WAS FINALLY CHARTERED ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1987 AFTER PLANS BEGAN IN 1979; AND THE PHI BETA SIGMA NATIONAL HOUSING FOUNDATION WAS ESTABLISHED ON JANUARY 9, 1987.
JF: The Oratorical and Debate program development and the Needs Assessment started under the Demetrius C. Newton administration and became full focus later and are doing well today. Being a dynamic speaker himself, as national president, Newton made every effort to insure Phi Beta Sigma had quality and well-known speakers for all programs, which brought many other brothers and outside guests to the Fraternity. We contin ued this trend and invited and funded top level speakers which brought many guests to Conclave public programs.
CW: The whole focus on Our Pride Is Showing relates to Phi Beta Sigma, in my assuming the position as the 27th International Ipresident.tellpeople that I was elected as the national president at the age of 34. The whole focus was about how do we elevate Phi Beta Sigma’s brand and recognition within the National PanHellenic Council and the broader community. I want the world to know about Phi Beta Sigma!
Honorable CARTER D. WOMACK 27th & 29th International President
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Because the belief was then, and still is, that we are in this competition with the other organizations to grow the brand and have impact.
CW: Those things would be coupled with the whole pride piece, and the focus was, as we said, if we’re going to move America forward from an African-American perspective, that Phi Beta Sigma with our rich heritage in history from 1914 -- we had to find our niche and; our niche was already there with our Sigma Beta Club. The fraternity established the Sigma Beta Club in 1950 under the leadership of Honorable Brother Dr. Parlett Moore. And we’d never really put a lot of effort in promoting the Sigma Beta Club, bringing young men into the fraternity, develop ing them to be successful graduates from high school and then supporting them to move into colleges and universities. And, at the same time, working with those young men such that they would then want to ultimately join the fraternity; gradu ate, join an alumni chapter and they continue to grow the brand. This whole focus on issues that impact the African American male was very critical to the whole branding and image of the organization which was critical for us, if we were going to grow and be impactful. And more importantly, it gave us the opportunity to measure our impact so we can know how many young men were in Sigma Beta Clubs across the country. We can know how many went to college, how many graduated and ultimately, how many of those young men joined the fraternity after graduation; joined an alumni chapter and built a base that gave us a brand that no other fraternity had.
TC: THE WOMACK ADMINISTRATION CELEBRATED A DRAMATIC ELEVATION OF PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY’S OVERALL BRAND THROUGH THE THEME “OUR PRIDE IS SHOWING.” WHAT WAS THE VISION THAT SERVED AS THE IMPETUS AND SOME OF THE TANGIBLE OUTCOMES OF THIS MAJOR OVERHAUL?
And you talk about pride -- that means you want people to feel good about themselves. They want to look in the mirror and say I’m excited to be a Phi Beta Sigma man. Our theme, coupled with our focus on issues that impact African American males to strengthen America’s community, was all part of that whole branding piece that we thought was important for us to do. This was our rally cry … “Sigmas Focused on Issues that Impact African American Males to Strengthen America’s Community”
TC: DURING YOUR ADMINISTRATION, NATIONALLY, THERE WAS A DRAMATIC DROP-OUT RATE AMONG BLACK MALES IN HIGHER EDUCATION, WHICH PROMPTED THE FRATERNITY’S EMPHASIS ON “SAVING YOUNG BLACK MALES.” WHAT KEY DEVELOPMENTS WERE REALIZED AS A RESULT OF THIS FOCUS?
That was a part of that whole push. There were other things that were important for us at that time. We needed press and we needed to be in the newspapers, on radio and TV telling the stories of our great history and all the works we were doing. People needed to read about Phi Beta Sigma. Back then there was no internet, there was no Facebook, there was no Twitter, there was no Instagram. The team that had been assembled made it happen. Because of their work, Sigma Brothers were showing their SIGMA PRIDE--OUR PRIDE WAS TRULY SHOWING.
People did not know about Phi Beta Sigma. Our membership numbers weren’t as strong as they should have been. And our image was not as visible as it should have been. With that in mind, me and the team came together and talked about how we move Phi Beta Sigma forward with the whole thing about pride.
17Summer 2022 Continued on Pg70 If you look at what Phi Beta Sigma was doing, my administra tion among the Divine Eight or the Great Eight, because there were not nine members of the NPHC, we were ranked number four out of four of the fraternities from the standpoint of membership engagement and visibility. We would always say at national meetings that you have joined the greatest fraternity in the world. And my response was that’s not true. Was it well-received by the brothers? No. But my job as the international president was to tell them the truth and say, we can be the greatest fraternity, but it’s going to require you to be financially active, contribute to the organization, wear your paraphernalia, wear your frat pins all the time, get your Sigma license plates and show that pride; so that people would then elevate us from being four of four to being one of four. There were other things that we did. We introduced the first fraternity plastic credit card type membership card. Before, the membership cards were a piece of paper, laminated and sent to brothers. We brought in the credit card membership cards that we now have as Sigmas. We made ourselves visible in every major activity, even though back then we didn’t have a lot of money. So, a part of that “pride is showing” was to get brothers to want to give to support the organization
CW: The fraternity, for many reasons, had not reached out and dealt with this whole thing about corporate partnerships and gaining support from corporate and governmental organizations. A lot of that had to do with the fact that many of my predecessors were not connected to corporate organizations. Also, we must realize that corporate organizations back then did not hire us or see Black organizations as having anything to offer them. We brought in a new era to Sigma and thus was born the Corporate, Business and Governmental Relations partnerships that exist today and continues to grow. I think that I was probably the second person to serve in this role that was a corporate person. The president prior to that was Honorable Brother Charles B. Wright, my mentor. Charles worked for the March of Dimes at the corporate senior level. We never went out and asked corporate America to be a part of the organization. We had always had programs where we asked brothers to give, but not at the level that we knew we had to take it, if we were going to move the fraternity, not just from a visibility standpoint but to a prestigious standpoint. We needed the funds to make the fraternity more viable and able to present programs and services to the community.
TC: YOUR LEADERSHIP SHINED A HUGE LIGHT ON THE CORPORATE EXECUTIVE LEADER. GIVING CLUBS WERE INSTITUTED TO RAISE THE FRATERNITY’S NATIONAL PROFILE THROUGH PHILANTHROPY. WHAT WERE THE FRUITS OF CONNECTING WITH NATIONAL CORPORATE SERVICE PARTNERS?
Corporate partnerships were a must. When I was elected president, I was working with Ryder Truck Rental and a Brother said to me, “Why are you standing in front of that Ryder truck on the cover of the first issue of The Crescent Magazine?”, which was done by Brother Steve Ballard and Steve was very instrumental in the development of our brand, the designing of the membership credit card, the redesign of The Crescent and rebranding the magazine. I stood in front of a Ryder truck and people said, Wow, Ryder. I said, “because Ryder gave us, at my request, $15,000 every year, when I was international president and I worked for Ryder.” But that launched us in other corporations to say, wow, Phi Beta Sigma has a membership that we want to tap into. And it also gave our chapters and brothers something to feel good about, and they had a story to tell: to recruit other people like me and others to assume the role of president and lead at all levels.
TC: YOU HAVE THE HISTORY-MAKING ACHIEVEMENT OF SERVING TWICE AS INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT. AS WE CELEBRATE OUR LEGACY OF LEADERS BY BUILDING UPON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR PREDECESSOR, WHAT PROGRAM, INITIATIVE OR FOCUS AREA IMPLEMENTED BY THE MCCLENDON AND STANLEY ADMINISTRATIONS DID YOU ADVANCE DURING THE WOMACK ADMINISTRATIONS?
CW: Hon. Brother Moses McClendon served as 26th Interna tional President and Brother McLendon was, I would say, a soft leader in leading the fraternity. He led with a commitment to build the organization. He created a great relationship with brothers and brought this whole concept that we need to be stronger as brothers, working and collaborating together. I took many of the things that McClendon did to create this great bond of brotherhood and relationships and expanded on that. We got brothers more engaged and communicating with each other, sharing information with each other. Brother McClendon gave that sense that we are one organization, one brotherhood, and we did that as a part of Our Pride Is Showing Campaign.
WS: When I came into office, we had just come off of a low membership count because it was mandated by the General Board to be a financial member, you had to pay a headquarters assessment fee. I think it was like 100 bucks and a lot of brothers just didn’t pay their dues. Our membership dropped, to what I thought was, an all-time low. My administration repealed the mandate. I felt like I was a cheerleader during that time, and because I was a military sales manager for The Clorox Company, had a corporate credit card, I could go anywhere in the world I wanted to, and I did. In the course of my working with my people around the world, I visited the brothers while I was in the market in places like: Germany, Japan, Korea, Alaska, Hawaii, all the regional conferences, and chapters all over the country without charging Phi Beta Sigma a penny because, I was able to use my credit cards and frequent flyer miles.
Honorable WILLIAM E. STANLEY 28th International President
I also believe that as a result of the Million Man March, a lot of organizations prospered because men started going back to their organizations, the Masons and other fraternal organizations. I think the March gave everybody a lift in membership.
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TC: THE STANLEY ADMINISTRATION AFFORDED THE BROTHERHOOD AND NATION THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE AND IMPACT OF ALLIANCES WHEN YOU APPROVED THE SUPPORT OF THE MILLION MAN MARCH. WHAT WAS THE VISION FOR AND RESULT OF THIS COLLABORATION?
WS: I knew Brother Benjamin Chavis, who’s an honorary mem ber, when he was in Oxford, North Carolina. He, along with Howard Fuller and Floyd McKissick, you probably heard some of those names; were some of the civil rights leaders in our area. Benjamin Chavis Muhammad was the executive director of the NAACP, and he lost that position. He was planning the Million Man March but he lost his office where he was planning the march. So, I gave him space at our international headquarters office -- space to plan the Million Man March. The interesting thing is when I used to go up to Washington, the Fruit of Islam (FOI) was standing out front guarding the building 24 hours a day. Several people were coming by taking pictures of it. We became the headquarters for the Million Man March. At our Conclave, Brother Bob Greaux, National Director of Social Action, and his committee went out and came back with the national Social Action Program. He was chairman of that committee. I asked, “so, did you guys come up with a decision on what we were going to do about the Million Man March?” And he said “brother president, we didn’t discuss it.” And I said, “well, you can’t report.” So, I sent them back before they even came to the Conclave floor to make their presentation. And I sent members of the Nation of Islam to talk to them about the Million Man March. They came back and made the recommendation, that we support the Million Man March. Of course, I did. We were the first and only fraternal organization to support the Million Man March publicly until it was popular to do so. And the interesting thing is, when Louis Farrakhan made his speech at the Million Man March, he thanked all of the fraternities and sororities that supported it. And his words, “especially Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity.” And then he said “and it’s wonderful, wonderful president.”—he was talking about me! So that’s how we supported the Million Man March, but I really believed in the mission of the march. Marching is in Phi Beta Sigma’s DNA. A. Philip Randolph lead marches, John Lewis lead marches, and Hosea Williams lead marches.
TC: AS A CORPORATE LEADER SERVING AS INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT, HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY TRANSFORM YOUR CORPORATE LEADERSHIP SKILLS TO ADVANCING AN INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD ORGANIZATION?
Remember, we worked in and out of Bill’s garage and house at 1006 Carroll Street in Brooklyn, New York, and we moved from a part time executive secretary to a full-time executive director in our newly acquired headquarters building. I was on the front end of some of that. So, we had some growing pains and a lot of internal things to do. I would like the brothers to know that I’m one of the leaders that helped to carry this organization on his back, so as to hand it off to the next brother to carry it on his back, until we finally got to the point that the organization is standing alone; without being on someone’s back.
WS: Brother Carter Womack and I were in lockstep when it came to the intake process and the elimination of hazing. When Carter was President of the NHPC, the Pan decided to eliminate all hazing during the pledge period. We had a lawsuit, as did the other organizations and hazing was not an activity that made better brothers. I always believe that. When I first became president of my chapter, we cut dangerous hazing out. When I was National Director of Collegiate Affairs, I worked with Gerald Smith, who was the Executive Director and rewrote the ritual because there were things in the ritual that we were kind of like problems. You know some brothers, if they did not like what was written they would get a little creative and it turned into hazing. So, we had to write all possibilities for hazing out. Carter went up to a point of cutting hazing out, but we did not have a clearly defined intake process. So, Brother Peter Adams who was my International 1st Vice President, took the lead in developing a specific intake process.
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I’ve had all kinds of training. Clorox is a very good company when it comes to training. First of all, they hired people that were already trained. Procter and Gamble gave me a good back ground, but then they developed individual training programs where it felt that you needed to upgrade personal skills. I went to public speaking and leadership training. In fact, I went to the Center for Creative Leadership course which was held at the University of Maryland. I was able to hang out with the collegiate brothers when I was there. And the United States Army sends all of their key people, particularly all of the Generals, to that course. There were three generals in my class, and we learned a lot of things about leadership skills. So, I’ve carried a lot of that with me. Also, we had individual training by the Clorox H.R. Department and Sales department. So those skills became, I guess, ingrained in me, and I kind of used them as I still use them today. And I spent some time even with my children teaching them how to use those as they pursue their careers.
WS: Well, obviously I was the main supporter of the Million Man March. I did some things internally that we can’t talk about. I can talk about getting the shield copyrighted. Some things like that had just not been thought of as we grew so fast.
All of the presidents of that era had to try to raise money for the organization and build membership. So, I was in lockstep on those initiatives, as well. TC: WE’RE CELEBRATING OUR LEGACY. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOU HOPE TO BE YOUR LEGACY?
TC: WHO WERE YOUR PROMINENT SIGMA MENTORS AND HOW DID THEIR MENTORSHIP IMPACT YOU?
WS: First, there was Brother O.A. Dupree. He lived in Raleigh and he worked at Shaw University; he was a mentor and, on my campus, we had Brother Ed Ramsey, who worked in the econom ics department. J. Neil Armstrong came over from North Carolina A&T--he was regional director. Jim Floyd was a mentor of mine. And Sheryl Gilbert, Sr. was a mentor of mine in St. Louis. On the West Coast: Brothers Bill Riley, Richard Hall, Alfred Simmons and Oscar Morgan were influences. And then, of course, when I moved to Atlanta, I attached my wagon to Hon. Brothers R.O. Sutton and Demetrius Newton. So those are the ones off of the top of my head. But there are a lot of people that contributed to who I am today. Gil Francis. (I can’t start calling names because I know too many people.) And of course, Bill Doar. I had my first one-on-one conversation with brother Doar when he was executive secretary and lived at 1006 Carol St. in New York. I went over to visit the national headquarters as it were, he let me look into the files and encouraged me to become a life member which I did when I was a collegiate brother. When Brother Doar was planning the San Francisco conclave, he actually stayed in my apartment in Oakland.
TC: AS WE CELEBRATE OUR LEGACY OF LEADERS BY BUILDING UPON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR PREDECESSOR, WHAT PROGRAM, INITIATIVE OR FOCUS AREA IMPLEMENTED BY THE WOMACK ADMINISTRATION DID YOU ADVANCE DURING THE STANLEY ADMINISTRATIONS?
PA: As you might imagine, that was a very exciting time for everyone who was alive in the nineties, approaching a new century. But yes, there were challenges as well which went along with that for our fraternity. There were indeed opportunities for technology which we embraced. Foremost among our immediate challenges were some stormy financial clouds. We had existed for 80 years, but in the process, as other organizations experienced, we had developed a particularly large debt around that time, which posed a great challenge for the fraternity. Let me first mention the harsh reality of coming into office when we were faced with a million-dollar debt and under-valued assets. We needed to get appropriate funding to see our way through. But, we are Sigmas -- have no fear, we got it done through a three-pronged approach. The brothers rallied, the leaders of the organization rallied and a strategic plan was mounted that protected the Headquarters and our financial First,footings.we successfully performed a re-appraisal of key assets which increased the appraised value by some 63%. Second, an external audit was commissioned which gave us a clean report with no exceptions, along with a great credit history. Third, we instituted a capital campaign and in a direct appeal to the brotherhood raised significant cash and pledges, and generated good sales from a re-printed “Our Cause” history book, as led by now Past President Paul Griffin. We reduced our debt, and obtained the necessary funding and commitments which allowed us to burn the mortgage in a few years. At the same time, we implemented a period of austerity. We suspended printing of The Crescent. Just like you might do in your home when you encounter large debt, you want to cool it. You want to make sure that you are on firm financial ground. That’s what we did as a national body and we positioned the fraternity for years to come. The strong position we experience today began with that foundation laid then and there - the brothers rallied.
TC: THE ADAMS ADMINISTRATION USHERED THE FRATERNITY INTO THE 21ST CENTURY. WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES AND HOW DID YOU NAVIGATE THEM?
TC: THE THEME OF THE ADAMS ADMINISTRATION, 1997 –2001 WAS: “SIGMAS CHAMPIONING MALE RESPONSIBILITY, ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE THROUGH BROTHERHOOD, SCHOLARSHIP AND SERVICE”, EXPLAIN THE RELEVANCE TO THE TIME AND THE PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED.
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It was a time of rapidly emerging technology - we embraced technology. You might say that ours was the technology administration because many of you younger brothers would not recognize the fact that we really didn’t have websites back then, but Phi Beta Sigma, under this administration put a website in place. We had national officers with email addresses - who knew? That was with the help of technologically savvy brothers like Brother Alvin Blackshear and Brother Reginald Reed. Those brothers and others gave us the national technology team. We conducted a reassessment of the data-processing and communications capability of the headquarters to service the membership. And we put in place, some new technologies that allowed us to better serve the membership and gain capacity. To be effective and grow as an organization, Sigma must constantly earn and sustain “goodwill” both internally amongst members and externally with the communities and supporters. A smart use of technology in messaging, documenting and sharing stories of Brothers helping others was a conscious part of how my administration sought to generate “goodwill” and position the fraternity for success.
PA: The theme placed emphasis on “Sigmas” - the doers, the exemplars; “Championing” - asserting performance and stal warts of male responsibility; committed to “Excellence” always in standards and achievements. We are a fraternity! We are keenly Honorable PETER M. ADAMS, ESQ. 30th International President
PA: History, my brother, is so important. If we are going to do the work of Sigma, we have to understand and inculcate in our actual mission the principles our Founders envisioned for Sigma from the start. Other fraternities had already come on the scene, but our Founders said “we want to establish a fraternity which will excel among the rest”. They didn’t say our goal was to overshadow them, outstrip them, but we had a standard of excellence in serving others through “Culture for Service and Service for Humanity.” We have been true to that charge. There is much to show and celebrate for the impact of Sigma men as we have excelled through the decades.
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Remember now during that time, the black male in particular was beset by very low numbers attending college, and high numbers in prison. Indeed, today’s statistics demonstrate a continuing need for the Backprogram.thenwas the time of the Million Man March. There was some concern for the standing of the black male. And, this was the perfect time for us to double down on what we had always been doing since 1950 when Past President Dr. Parlett Moore, estab lished our Sigma Beta Clubs, and for us to focus greater energies on mentoring. Brother Dr. Kevin West led the way as an exemplary Weadvisor.implemented Project SWWAC: Sigmas Waging War Against Cancer, as a brand new national partnership with the American Cancer Society. After the untimely death of Brother Attorney Tyrone Key, a young brother, Eastern Regional Legal Counsel, our now past President Jonathan Mason, offered up this program focus back then. We put him in charge of that program as the National Director of Project SWACC, and the program has served us well. Without going into other programs, we were pleased how the national partnerships were strengthened and expanded with formal MOUs. There was opportunity to participate on national and local planning boards and committees, obtain internships, sponsorships and financial underwriting of programs. A special mention as well of a partnership in which we included our Zeta sisters in working with the National Urban League and its then President Hugh Price with a focus on “Education Matters” and really starting in the early grades to prepare our youth, black youth in particular. A special Presidential initiative provided voluntary aid to Bugando Hospital, the only tertiary care center in Tanzania.
TC: THE HISTORY OF PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY WAS A TOP PRIORITY OF YOUR ADMINISTRATION. THE SIGMA MUSEUM WAS A MAJOR INITIATIVE TO COLLECT AND ARCHIVE THE HISTORY. WHAT WAS THE IMPETUS FOR AND OUTCOME OF THIS VISION?
21Summer 2022 concerned with preparing male youth, collegiate brothers and others for responsible leadership in the larger community and using our national programs of Brotherhood, Scholarship and Service as key vehicles. What specific programs? Well, we are not here to reinvent the wheel, but enhanced some programs and introduced others. We embraced our three tried-and-true major programs, with emphasis on service and education. We focused on completing education, mentoring, career opportunity and financial stability. As Vice President, I had celebrated and recognized graduates, presenting them with Certificates of Recognition by their Frater nity. Notably, our National Second Vice President Abby Raymond pronounced that “the greatest gift an undergraduate can give his Fraternity is to graduate college” and as a testament he literally presented his college degree that was displayed in Headquarters. I advanced that sentiment and the power of education.
All three national programs of Education, Social Action and Bigger & Better Business have education as an essential theme, whether it’s academics, or voter engagement, or entrepreneurship. Our ability to deliver for our families and the community depend on how we comprehend and smartly navigate pathways and access resources to achieve goals. As college-educated men, we have the capability and responsibility to share and motivate. Central to our ability to achieve our goals was demonstrating “economic wisdom” and the “worth of organization”. We pushed forward what I take great pride in having started, our very own financial cooperative. We started the Phi Beta Sigma Federal Credit Union under my leadership as Eastern Regional Director in 1986 and delivered that on a silver platter to the larger fraternity. We made sure that the credit union received promotion and was available as a tangible member benefit for both Sigma and Zeta families. The credit union provided some early funding for our national fraternity’s needs. In time, the Credit Union could gain capacity and underwrite larger projects.
We updated and enhanced existing Social Action partnerships, for example, “SATAP”, adding another “P”, making it “SATAPP”, Sigmas Against Teenage Pregnancy Plus. This was a program with the March of Dimes focusing on preventing teenage pregnancy. Well, teenage pregnancy numbers had rather improved at that time. But the sec ond piece was setup as a “plus”, referring to male responsibility in general, not just in prevention, but in standing up in the family.
AT: We had problems in maintaining membership in our organization, so the Life Membership opportunity within the Fraternity provided another vehicle in keeping our brothers active and engaged. We saw the need, you know, to give our brothers an opportunity to be able to achieve a Life Member status by paying a certain amount of money annually, which kept him active for a number of years. with the ultimate goal of keeping them active for the rest of their lives. As a result of Life Membership accessibility, it allowed the fraternity to maintain growth, throughout the period of my administration, to include the present, while creating and securing a level of financial solvency. In fact, Life Membership helped us to actually raise a substan tial amount of funds which provided us with the opportunity to address other pressing needs, The Sigma Recognition Wall, which I will discussed below, was a good example of our fundraising efforts, which helped the Fraternity to address renovation needs of our Headquarters, while creating funds to address other needs and in insuring financial solvency within Phi Beta Sigma. That goal occurred, in concert with promoting different types/levels of Life Membership within our Fraternity.
TC: DURING THE THOMAS ADMINISTRATION, VARIOUS ACTIONS AND SERVICES WERE PARAMOUNT TO THE IMPLE MENTATION OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES DESIGNATED BY HIM. SUCH PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS SUCH AS PROJECT SWWAC: SIGMAS WAGING WAR AGAINST CANCER, THE SIGMA RECOGNITION WALL AND THE NATIONAL SIGMA BETA CLUB FOUNDATION AND THE MS PHI BETA SIGMA PAGEANT, WERE PRIME EXAMPLES OF THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES HE DESIRED TO ACHIEVE DURING HIS ADMINISTRATION. SO PRESIDENT THOMAS, WHAT WAS THE DRIVING PASSION THAT PROPELLED YOU TO SELECT THOSE CAUSES TO ADVOCATE?
AT: So, let’s take a look at my administration’s efforts in address ing illnesses related to Cancer. Well, as you may know, there was a period of time in our recent history that African-American males, in particular, were exposed, substantially, to life threatening health problems, such as prostate cancer, another form of cancer, which were devastating, specifically to the African American Family, in light of the fact early diagnosis and treatment were, oftentimes, simply ignored. This lack of attention, to include the failure to obtain early diagnosis resulted in death and substantial financial hardship, related to expensive medical care and costs and chil dren, without the nurturing and support of a male figure in their homes. As I reflect on the state of its devastating impact on African American Families, a substantial portion of these families had to endure life without the presence and financial, physical, and moral support of a Black male figure in their lives. During my adminis tration, I had the opportunity and pleasure of attending a number of meetings with the leadership of American Cancer Society (ACA), which prompted me. As President of Phi Beta Sigma, to consider partnershipping with ACA and its substantial impact it would have in addressing early, the underlying inequities, in the diag nosis and treatment of cancer related illnesses of our members, specifically prostate cancer. It was equally necessary in exploring the idea and commitment of getting oru Sigma Family, to commit financial resources in assuring the need of getting our Sigma Brothers aware of early screening for Prostate Cancer, prior to being diagnosed with this deadly cancerous disease. So, through the efforts of our Social Action Director, Hon. Bro. Jonathan Mason, who served as Social Action Director during my administration, we were successful in addressing the needs of early screening, to include information on the treatment and care of our members through Sigma’s workshops and promotion of our National Social Action Program, Sigma Waging War Against Prostate Cancer.
TC: AFTER DECADES OF MINIMUM ATTENTION, LIFE MEMBERSHIP WAS A MAJOR PRIORITY DURING YOUR TERM. WHAT WAS THE RATIONALE AND OUTCOMES OF THIS FOCUS?
22 The Crescent Magazine Honorable ARTHUR R. THOMAS, ESQ. 31st International President
TC: AS WE CELEBRATE OUR LEGACY OF LEADERS BY BUILDING UPON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR PREDECESSOR, WHAT PROGRAM, INITIATIVE OR FOCUS AREA IMPLEMENTED BY THE ADAMS ADMINISTRATION DID YOU ADVANCE DURING THE THOMAS ADMINISTRATION?
AT: Well, myself and Peter talked a lot about the kind of things that we were doing. But I think during that same era, we were moving toward addressing issues of teenage pregnancy through the Sigma Against Teenage Pregnancy initiative, and in other areas that we thought were vital in sustaining the financial growth; of Phi Beta Sigma which was one of the other focuses of the Peter administration in bringing stability in terms of financial support of the organization.
AT: I’ve always believed in promoting excellence and getting more of our membership involved in all aspects of the Fraternity. But the idea of looking at how we can succeed in accomplishing this goal would require the support and involvement of our colle giate members, as well as our alumni members. I discovered that our organization really did not have substantial and continued growth without stimulating the idea of getting our collegiate members more involved. So, one of my adminis tration’s goals was to do just that by giving our collegiate mem bers the opportunity to establish campus related programs and activities to accomplish those goals, to include a Ms National Phi Beta Sigma Pageant couple with a National Step Show Competi tion at the Chapter, State, Region and National Levels. I feel great about the fact that we have made a lot of progress, as a result of the involvement of our collegiate members. Especially in predominant ly collegiate activities, such as step shows and Ms Phi Beta Sigma Pageants on their college campus in competition with Sigmas on other college campuses. I’m hopeful that we continue to look at our programs and projects at the collegiate levels to ensure that we can provide the kind of guidance and assistance to ensure continued growth within our Fraternity.
23Summer 2022
The various fundraising activities during my administration, especially The Sigma Recognition Wall, is a good example of our leverage we had in raising funds to improve the facade of the National Headquarters, and creating that kind of visibility that we felt our brothers would feel great about and support through members’ donations and other fundraising campaigns. Prior to this fundraising and reconstruction of the Headquarters, a substantial portion of our Sigma brothers had not visited the headquarters. When they had walked into it, they had that awful and discerning look, “is this where we are with the expression? We can do better.” We have to do something to improve it and real quick. The Sigma Recognition Wall became that tool to do just that, by inviting our members to contribute to the renovation of our Headquarters. By financially supporting this fundraising effort, in doing so, they were definitely committed to and overwhelmingly supported it throughout my administration into the administra tions of my predecessors. So, if you were to walk into the National Headquarters today, one of the first things you see in the middle of the foiyé is “The Sigma Recognition Wall” with the names of brothers and chapters enshrined on that wall. This successful venture just made me feel great to know that our brothers supported my administration’s goals and objectives through the renovations of our National Headquarters at all levels of the AndFraternity.then the other great thing about this fundraiser, it revealed the support and commitment of our members in raising badly needed funds while ensuring growth and commitment to the growth and financial solvency of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. So that opportunity allowed us to do just that–one of my administra tion’s noteworthy achievements.
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TC: FINANCIAL SOLVENCY PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE DURING THE THOMAS YEARS. THE SIGMA RECOGNITION WALL WAS A THREE-YEAR INVESTMENT THAT SUPPORTED THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF FRATERNITY. HOW DID THE IDEA COME TO FRUITION AND WHAT WAS ITS IMPACT?
TC: AFTER DECADES OF OPERATING, UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, PHI BETA SIGMA WAS PRESENTED WITH A FIRST-IN-A-LONGTIME STRATEGIC PLAN. WHAT WAS THE STATE OF FRATERNITY, SUCH THAT THE PLAN WAS NEEDED AND WHAT WAS THE ACHIEVED OUTCOME?
Honorable PAUL L. GRIFFIN 32nd International President
The 1970’s and 1980’s were politically charged times within the fraternity. This history provided a perspective for change. Nevertheless, I made a conscience decision to bring the fraternity together and utilize the strengths of all brothers. So, we brought together experienced corporate professionals, to start the process of thinking critically about our vales, vision, operations, assets, funding, programs, policies, procedures, image, branding and marketing, technology, leadership development, and organiza tional structures. We knew there was a need to develop and longterm plan with a process for the General Board to begin acting as “Strategic Thinkers” for the fraternity, so we could effectively start making not just good decisions, but great decisions, and to intelligently monitor progress, while creating the opportunity to
PG: The brotherhood gave me the honor and privilege to serve as International President in July of 2005 in Los Angeles, CA, and my tenure ended in July 2009 in Philadelphia. But prior to being elected President, I had the opportunity to work within the administration of three International Presidents starting in the mid 1980’s, with Hon. James T. Floyd, our 25th International President. He appointed me to the position as the national Interorganizational Liaison, to the D-9, for the National Assault on Illiteracy Program, a national program that focused on eradicating adult illiteracy. Next was Hon. William E. Stanley, Jr., our 28th. At the time, I was a current member of the General Board serving as Gulf Coast Regional Director and was appointed to serve as Secretary to the General Board. In that role, I monitored and re corded all motions and key action items occurring during General Board meetings. The third was Hon. Peter M. Adams, our 30th In ternational President. He appointed me as Chairman of S.O.A.R., “Sigma’s Obligating Available Resources”, an international cam paign to raise dollars to pay off the fraternity’s debt after the fraternity lost a hazing lawsuit in Atlanta during the early 1990’s. Through S.O.A.R., the brothers donated close to a half million dollars that allowed us to refinance the mortgage on the IHQ. Each of these roles allowed me to work closely with these Presidents, thereby, the General Board. I watched and learned the actions and inactions of the General Board that allowed us to capitalize on opportunities and regrettably, those we missed. Those experiences taught me that the General Board is the most important entity in the fraternity. Many in the Brotherhood would say it’s the Conclave, and some might say the President. But my experiences have convinced me, it’s the General Board. Now, we all know the Conclave, when in session, is the most powerful entity. But, the Conclave, by constitution, only meets once every 24 months, and gives its power to the General Board between meeting of the Conclave. Therefore, the General Board is the most important, therefore, powerful, entity in the fraternity. Also, the General Board can meet many times a year and there are no limit to the number of times it can meet. The General Board decides what gets approved and get done on the national level. It determines all major and minor actions that affect the fraternity’s membership, programs, finances, assets, meetings, officers, committees, image, and more. So, during the years serving with those 3 leaders, I learned that Presidents can only recommend what they want to happen. It’s the General Board that decides what will happen. You asked what was the state of the fraternity that made the strategic plan a need. Well, let me say it this way. I have been involved with several Presidential campaigns in the fraternity since joining the fraternity in 1975. All the campaigns were about what the candidate wanted the fraternity to be and do. And that’s ok, I did the same when I ran for President. But once elected, I wanted us to build a strategic plan, that one big thing, created and approved by the entire Brotherhood that the membership could call their own. So, during Conclave 2007 in Charlotte, NC, the entire Brotherhood voted to approve a Strategic Plan. This had not been done in modern times and we have not found it occurring within the annals of our history.
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Now, creating it was a long tedious process that officially started in August of 2006 with our first meeting with the leadership to refine our mission and vision. In September, we held a Blue-Ribbon Commission meet ing in Houston, Texas to lay the framework for the Strategic Plan and held our first meeting with the committee’s leadership. In December of 2006, we met with the entire committee to review our work and conducted and SWOT analysis. And, after the development of the plan, in February of 2007, we presented a comprehensive Strategic Plan the plan to the General Board, and it was approved. In Charlotte, the delegates gathered for the 2007 Charlotte Conclave and formally adopted the Strategic Plan.
PG: Yes, our complete theme was “THE POWER OF ONE: Sigma United for Next Level Service”. It was not established of any one specific purpose. It was a comprehensive theme to encompass the whole fraternity. However, The Power of ONE was an important way to inform the brotherhood that each one can make a difference. It was approximately six weeks into my administration. We were working hard to get the work of the administration done (having conference calls, forming teams, and scheduling meetings to bring into action the initiatives we shared during the campaign). Then it happened. At 6:10 am, Central time, on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall bringing 145 m.p.h. winds and rain ashore. Hurricane Katrina devastated my hometown of New Orleans and other parts of the south. The Emergency Relief Fund established in 2005 was created out of an absolute need. This lone circumstance prompted the creation of Emergency Relief Fund. I will never forget those days after landfall. The destruction, the homelessness, the hunger, the desperation, the displacement, and most tragically the deaths. The loss of life was devastating, and many brothers lost everything. But the Power of ONE manifested itself throughout the brotherhood. The call for assistance was made to the brotherhood across the globe and they answered the call to aid the membership. This was the first demonstration of The Power of ONE making a difference.
TC: YOUR ADMINISTRATION’S THEME WAS “THE POWER OF ONE.” THE MESSAGE THAT ONE BROTHER CAN MAKE A CONSIDERABLE DIFFERENCE HELPED TO MANIFEST THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND. WHAT PROMPTED THIS CAUSE
Donna Summer said it best in her song the Power of One. She said, “… Each of us is chosen, there’s a mission just for you, just look inside, you’ll be surprised, what you can do, the power of one, begins with believing, it starts in the heart, then flows through the soul and changes the world, each of us holds the key to the power of one!” Our brotherhood strongly supported the mission to Thegive.international headquarters team collected and recorded the donations received. Two brothers were appointed to serve as ad ministrators to assess the need and disperse the funds. Brothers Charles T. Edwards out of Texas and William Fails, out of Alabama provided the leadership to administer the fund and disburse the Thefunds.fund was effective because it immediately provided brothers with cash during a time of need. One by one the fraternity came to the aid of the membership to help their families. I am happy the Emergency Relief Fund remains a part of the fraternity’s operations.
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AND HOW WAS THE FUND EFFECTIVE?
25Summer 2022 enhance our ability to effectively execute. So, we organized a few of our intellectuals to form the nucleus of the Strategic Plan Lead ership Team, which included three Brothers, Honorable Brothers Dudley Flood, Jesse Williams, and Theo Woodard. Then, we created strategic plan committee participants, one from each region, with Hon. Brother Theo Woodard serving as chairman. Out of the nine Strategic Plan Committee participants, one-third of them went on to become national leaders in the fraternity. Two of the strategic plan committee participants would go on to become International President of the fraternity and one President of the Distinguished Service Chapter. You also asked what the achieved outcome was. Well, let me say the Strategic Plan focused on nine (9) areas. 1) Our Headquarter Building, 2) Headquarters Staffing, (operations, communications), 3) Fund Development, 4) Community Initiatives, 5) Operating Poli cies and Procedures, 6) Branding and Marketing, 7) Technology Sys tems, 8) Leadership Development, and 9) Organizational Structure, (general board composition, regional realignment). To close this answer, the fraternity’s strategic plan (once approved) was one of many accomplishments made by the fraternity during my administration. Let me end by listing a few many are proud to cite. The appointment of the Centennial Planning Committee (3 International President Co-Chairs appointed seven years before the celebration commenced); the establishment of the Alain Leroy Locke Honors Chapter, the establishment of the Sigma Leadership Academy, the burning of the HQ mortgage; the successful award of a $500,000 grant from the Center for Disease Control for AIDS awareness; the creation of the PIA reporting system and the Sig ma Wellness Brand, and the building of a $85,000 Habitat for Hu manity Home at Conclave New Orleans; the approval of Honorary Members President Bill Clinton, Harry Belafonte, Rev. Al Sharpton, Ramsey Lewis, to name a few. Strategic Planning is great but when a leader creates an environ ment that can bring together, a team of good quality thinkers, that are dedicated, passionate, and unselfish. We will always make big things happen, when, it’s combined with quality decision-making that’s been properly vetted. Thanks for the question.
TC: YOUR ADMINISTRATION WAS PIVOTAL IN ADVANCING THE PRESERVATION OF THE FRATERNITY’S HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS AND RECORDS THROUGH DIGITIZATION. WHAT WAS THE PASSION FOR THIS INITIATIVE AND ITS IMPACT ON FRATERNITY OPERATIONS?
JH: During my administration, unfortunately, we were faced with several hazing lawsuits and challenges. We implemented a moratorium on membership intake and had to change and revisit the MIP. Critical was the implementation of mandatory training in the intake process and risk management for Fraternity leadership, inclusive of chapter presidents and advisors.
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Honorable JIMMY HAMMOCK 33rd International President
JH: It was our vision that we make an impact through strategic program implementation and measurement to ensure that we continue to Change Lives Through Service! This value proposition became a reality through the implementa tion of three key opportunities: (1) Putting Brothers First (2) Model and Develop Sigma Leaders -Reducing Our Leadership Variance (3) Making Impact Through Our Fraternity Signature Programs Project Vote was launched to register over 100,000 new voters across the country along with voter education. We also began to focus on advocacy through our partnerships with the American Cancer Society, NAACP, and March of Dimes.
Under my administration, three Crescent Magazines were pro duced each year. We increased the use of technology, development Membership Recruitment Tools, presented Executive Reports to financial Brothers and telling our story through development of the History Book.
Each chapter were required to remove all descriptive references from anything associated with the chapter’s name. We required submission of the new Anti-Hazing Acknowledgement Forms for all chapter members to the International Headquarters. All chapters were required to post on their websites the Fraternity’s, university, and their state’s laws on hazing. All advisors, chapter presidents, and MIC had to participate in a webinar recertifying each in the MIP Process and updates on important issue.
TC: THE CULTURE OF BLACK-GREEK LIFE ON THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL HAD CHANGED IMMENSELY DURING THE EARLY 2000S. YOUR ADMINISTRATION ESTABLISHED THE NATIONAL ANTI-HAZING MOVEMENT. WHAT WAS THE DRIVING FORCE OF THIS CAUSE AND WHAT WAS ITS IMPACT ON THE WHOLE GREEK-LETTERED ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE?
TC: THE THEME FOR THE HAMMOCK ADMINISTRATION WAS “CHANGING LIVES THROUGH SERVICE.” AS A SIGN OF THE TIMES, ONE OF YOUR ADMINISTRATION’S PRIORITIES WAS REINSTATING PROJECT VOTE WITH A FOCUS ON VOTER REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION. HOW WAS THE REVAMPED INITIATIVE’S IMPACT?
JH: When we discovered a major gap in the preservation of and saving our history, the General Board and administration created strategies to ensure that the Fraternity own its story. We began a series of digitizing records for preservation. For far too long, we did not store or archive our history at the International Headquarters. The action we took allowed our history to be digitized and archived, inclusive of The Crescent magazine and historic photos. With regards to Putting Brothers’ First, we delivered on Protecting and Enhancing Our Brand by creating the first brand policy and standards, and developed holistic marketing and branding solutions for the fraternity to further our Brand. We also developed and implemented strategies for brand consistency; and reviewed all approved visual branding components to ensure we were providing the look that shared the spirt of the Fraternity.
TC: FOR DECADES THE NPHC CULTURE HAVE BOAST OF INTERNATIONAL MEMBERSHIPS. YOUR ADMINISTRATION PUT WORDS INTO ACTION BY RENDERING GLOBAL SERVICE WITH THE GHANA SCHOOL PROJECT. HOW WAS THIS INITIATIVE BORN AND WHAT HAS BEEN ITS IMPACT?
27Summer 2022
JH: We begin talking about hosting a board meeting in Ghana under the Griffin Administration. The conversation continued and The Ghana School Project came to fruition while planning the Centennial Celebration. We targeted the project to be completed and implemented through the Centennial. The Fraternity has a rich history that ties to Ghana. Being the first Fraternity to charter on the continent, it was important to work with the great people of Ghana to build and open a school.
TC: AS WE CELEBRATE OUR LEGACY OF LEADERS BY BUILDING UPON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR PREDECESSOR, WHAT PROGRAM, INITIATIVE OR FOCUS AREA IMPLEMENTED BY THE GRIFFIN ADMINISTRATION DID YOU ADVANCE DURING THE HAMMOCK ADMINISTRATION?
JH: Despite our challenges as President, the state of our nation’s economy at the time and legal challenges during my administra tion, I was pleased to report that Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity was alive and well, the State of Sigma was solid, and we were poised for greatness. I was thankful for the opportunity to serve. I am still excited about our future. I was excited to lead Sigma from being a solid organization to a high performing, community impact organization. We had the opportunity implement the Fraternity Strategic Plan adopted at Conclave 2009 during the Griffin Administration. We continued to carry out the Conclave mandate for leadership development and focused on the fraternity’s capacity, program evaluation and measurement of community programs for collec tive impact. As an administration, we continued to sharpen our approach to Fraternity programming through the Sigma Wellness Initiatives.
Before we lifted moratorium, members had to implement Hold Harmless Agreements and Notice of Anti-Hazing rules prior to approval of MIP. We invested in the training and development of membership thus establishing the National Anti-Hazing Movement in collaboration of all Divine 9 organizations. The changes implemented were a key part of our Risk Management Processes, which exist today.
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TC: THE THEME FOR THE MASON ADMINISTRATION WAS “ONE FRATERNITY WORKING TOGETHER TO TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITIES.” YET THE GREATEST TRANSFORMATION WAS PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY ITSELF! THE NATION’S AWARENESS OF THE FRATERNITY WAS EXPLOSIVE, A PHENOMENAL ELEVATION OF MAJOR PROPORTION. WHAT WAS THE MISSION, PASSION AND STRATEGY THAT DROVE THE ORGANIZATION’S NEWFOUND POSITION?
JM: First and foremost, I want to share with you that, it was an in credible honor and privilege to serve Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. as the 34th International President. It was one of the joys of my life to be able to work for my fraternity on a full-time basis. To execute visions and plans and ideas that were collected from brothers all across the country over a period of years. So, at the end of the day, serving as president, being one of the 35 men in the 108 years that have had the opportunity to sit in that seat – what an honor, what a Beforeprivilege.Ican answer the question, I have to start off by sharing with you a conversation that I had with a gentleman who is one our trailblazers in media. His name is Byron Lewis, the founder of Uniworld Media Group. In fact, Mr. Lewis was the first African American to own an advertising agency. He was the money, influence and the strength behind a number of New York politicians who rose to fame in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s. As it relates to Phi Beta Sigma, Mr. Lewis and his team developed our Anti-Hazing Promotional Campaign that we executed in 2011 and 2012; a campaign which, I believe, absolutely helped change the culture of hazing that previously existing in our fraternity. Mr. Lewis, a member of the Divine Nine, and I were talking, and he just could not understand why our Greek-Lettered Organizations were not seated at the national table of change. What do I mean by that: we had a Black president at that point. You did not see Divine Nine organizations interacting with the Obama Administration. You did not see us on the forefront—on the ground dealing with a number of the major social justice issues of the time. As we were discussing that and discussing the origin of our organizations—all of our organizations were founded after Re construction. If you study the history of our organizations, the goal was for us to be active in activism. In some way and somehow, we got away from that. He said, the reason many of our organizations are not seated at the table of influence, is because we don’t see ourselves there. We’re not at the major seats of change because we don’t see ourselves there! And I started thinking about the history of Phi Beta Sigma and the history of men that came through Phi Beta Sigma. I made up in my mind that if I were to be blessed to become president, we were going to be seated at the major tables of Letchange.mebe clear, Sigma has always been a leader in the area of social action and advocacy. We’ve been doing that for the entirety of our existence. My goal was to see a brighter light shine on the works that we were doing. In order for that to happen, we needed to operate in new arenas and platforms. What do I mean by that?
As soon as we came into office, there was an opportunity for us to “attend” the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington. My conversation with Reverend Sharpton was not around attend ance, my position and my focus were on how do we “speak” and attend. How do we get on that stage where Dr. King spoke?
Honorable JONATHAN A. MASON 34th International President
Where Congressman Lewis spoke and was going to speak. After several conversations with Rev. Sharpton and his team, that included at the time Tamika Mallory as Executive Director of the National Action Network, we were granted an opportunity to be on that stage. So, not only did we charter buses from across the country to bring Brothers to Washington, free of charge, to participate in this TheMarch.reason why this commemorative March was important to Phi Beta Sigma, is because A.Philip Randolph, one of our brothers, was the visionary behind this March. His goal and idea to have this na tional March was started during the Roosevelt Administration and was now being brought to fruition during the Kennedy Administra tion. That’s another reason it was so important – because the last living speaker at the original March was Congressman John Lewis, one of our great brothers. So, it was important for the fraternity to have a position on that stage to speak at the March. Our positioned to speak happened to be three speakers before Rev. Sharpton, meaning we had the national spotlight—we had the attention. What an honor it was to represent the fraternity on that stage, literally in front of millions. In fact, the next morning while watching coverage, Melissa Harris-Perry had a show on MSNBC. One of the clips she showed was the clip of us speaking. We had thousands of Sigma brothers there, we spoke in front of millions. What pride and energy did that provide to inactive brothers—all across the world who saw that. What pride and energy did that
Another example. When President Obama unveiled his “My Brother’s Keeper” program at the White House, there were only two fraternities invited: Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. We were there with Colin Powell, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton and all of the Civil Rights leaders of the day. We were seated there in the front row when he made this announcement. Again, when we market that back to the brothers, what a source of pride. It builds engagement. Take a look at a bar chart of our membership numbers. Look at where membership growth really started to explode. It started during the tail end of the Hammock Administration when we did a couple of membership incentives. Then, it really took off in 2013 and 2014, leading up to our Centennial. We had to take advantage of that time period and bring brothers back home. We brought them home by allowing them to see their fraternity in places they never saw it before.
29Summer 2022 give to brothers who were financial and active and who had been toiling in the vineyard all these many years. It started the growth of momentum in the organization. Not only were we at the 50th Anniversary March on Washington, I also believed that, as opposed to us just being a part of events others hosted, that we could host major events ourselves. The first REAL TALK. For years we’d been going to the Congressional Black Caucus’ Legislative Conference. For years we’d also been attending others people’s events and activities. My thought was why don’t we host an activity where other people can come to us in large numbers. We put together a REAL TALK event were some of our speakers were Marc Morial, Al Sharpton, Lamont Hill, Michael Eric Dyson – the who’s who. What a source of pride to be able to look out into the audience and see Congressman John Lewis, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, so many congressional leaders participating in our event; along with over 500 brothers and sorors. When you share this information with the fraternity at large (financial and non-financial) they’re now saying to them selves “this is something that we need to be a part of!” Our frat is Ourmoving.strategy was for us to be seen doing that work that we’d been doing for years in the brightest light possible. That energy, enthusiasm would become contagious all across the country.
So, we hosted major events that the world was paying attention to. But then, we were focused on being able to share our message in the national media. We appeared on Politics Nation with Rev. Al Sharpton, Roland Martin’s show of TVOne, Heraldo Rivera Show on FOX, The Imus in the Morning, and on radio stations and television shows around the country. This was not about the president, this was about the fraternity – and allowing our members to see that their fraternity was alive and well and engaged in the events of the Duringday. our presidency, there were a lot of violent crimes against young black men. There were a number of crimes committed by police officers against unarmed black men. Case and point: Eric Garner was killed in Staten Island. All he was doing was selling cig arettes—he lost his life. Michael Brown was assassinated by a police officer in St. Louis—again unarmed. Well, our legacy of Social Action demanded that we be present in those situations; that we do more than send out a press release. We needed to be there physically! So, we brought our members to Missouri. We had a youth explosion there. We brought together young people from schools from all over the area and the police and we hosted a weekend of activities to help foster better relationships. When the anniversary of Eric Garner’s death was commemorated, we sponsored buses to bring our members and members of the community to Staten Island to protest. We were on the front line. Again, when our members see this type of energy, they become energized. Those that were engaged, now have a higher level of engagement. Those that were not engaged, now have a renewed energy and desire to be engaged. We were doing what we were supposed to be doing as a fraternity, but we were doing it in a way to bring our brothers back home. And get them involved in being this great army globally, of which I speak.
Continued on Pg74
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MC: Yes! I’ve been active with the fraternity for an extended amount of time…when I ran for office, I had a real vision for what I thought was needed and was prepared to build a Team who had the skillsets to bring the vision to fruition. The biggest opportunity I saw was for us to build an infrastructure for the future of the organization. When you think about our organization, we had a lot of entities within it: the Sigma Beta Club Foundation, the PBS National Foundation and the PBS Federal Credit Union. All very relevant, but we didn’t have a formal working relationship with either of them. So, what I and the General Board did was formal ize a working relationship with all three via MOUs…those MOUs allowed Phi Beta Sigma’s voice to always be heard as those entities were advancing their missions.
Honorable MICHEAL E. CRISTAL 35th International President TC: THE THEME FOR THE CRISTAL ADMINISTRATION WAS “A BROTHERHOOD OF CONSCIOUS MEN ACTIVELY SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES.” THIS VISION WAS CAPSULIZED BY SIX PILLARS
If you look at our performance as it relates to providing long term financial solvency to the organization; when I came in, the member ship had a concern around our finances, and we hadn’t positioned ourselves for long term financially. Our first order, we wanted to build trust with our members knowing that with the dollars being provided we were being great stewards of those dollars: investing in our membership and putting meas ures in place to support us long term. Because of the financial dis cipline we put in place, delivering a $1,000,000 net income year over year has now become our norm. I tend to believe with this new administration, one of the things we’ve got to start thinking about is not just the expected net income, but what will our long-term annual net income look like for the next 10 years.
Through Bro. Kevin Davis’ leadership, our Director of Branding, we put structure around our branding and released “One Sigma. One Brand” which provided branding expectations for our chapters and members.
THAT, IN RETROSPECT, WAS A MANDATE FROM THE LAST 30 YEARS OF FRATERNAL OPERATIONS. DID YOU REALIZE WHEN YOUR ADMINISTRATION WAS IMPLEMENTING THE VISION, YOU WERE PREPARING THE FRATERNITY FOR OPERATING IN THE 21ST CENTURY?
As a result of our MOU, the President of the Fraternity sat on the PBS National Foundation; the International Director of Education now sits on the Sigma Beta Club Foundation and the International Director of Bigger and Better Business sits on the Board of Directors of the PBS Federal Credit Union. The pillars identified (I won’t go through all six of them) Centers of Excellence within membership services, publications and our retail store, Sigma Beta Club being the centerpiece of our program matic focus area, improve our financial position long term; it was important that we develop an ecosystem that allows the fraternity operation to connect with our members in a meaningful way.
The last one I will speak to: branding the organization. I applaud Hon. Brother Jonathan Mason for advancing the brand of the frater nity, but the membership wanted guidelines on our branding. They wanted to understand what the guardrails were needed as they de signed their chapter moniker. How should we advance G.O.M.A.B?
When I came in office, we were mentoring about 800 SBC members. Through the Trilogy of Change we were mentoring over 4,200 SBC members -- we encourage those SBC members to do great in high school with the intent of going off to college. Our goal is to recruit the SBC members when they get to college to join the fraternity and upon graduation we will continue mentoring the young alumni as he transition into his career. As an example, we’ve been mentoring Brandon, if you will, who graduated from the University of Arkansas, moved to Memphis, joined the alumni chapter -- we’ve been mentoring Brandon since he was eight years old. And by the time he becomes a productive alumnus, we believe we not only changed Brandon’s life, but we changed the life of the community that Brandon is living in; that’s what the Trilogy of Change was about.
31Summer 2022 Continued on Pg77 When I think about my candidacy, I was very clear on where I want ed to take the Fraternity. As I transitioned from campaigning to wards governing, I worked in collaboration with many constituen cies within the fraternity for a better brotherhood experience. When you think about what our administration focused on, I believe we were successful in balancing investments within our members and the communities we serve while setting up the fraternity for long term success.
TC: DURING THE CRISTAL ADMINISTRATION, DEMOCRACY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE WAS SERIOUSLY CHALLENGED GLOBALLY. HOW WAS THE FRATERNITY ENGAGED IN MEETING THE CHALLENGE, WHILE STILL SERVING THE COMMUNITY?
MC: The year, 2020. Not only was that a defining moment for our fraternity, but it was also a defining moment for our nation as there were three critical national issues that occurred in the third year of my Duringpresidency.theyear of 2020, the global pandemic COVID-19, major social unrest within the country with the murder of Mr. George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. And the third one: some would argue was probably one of the most defining presidential elections in our history, the presidential election of 2020. When I think about all three of those critical national issues, Phi Beta Sigma was on the front line of every one of them. COVID hit In March of 2020, we paused and assessed where we were as an organization along with putting measures in place to educate our members on the health issues surrounding COVID so they could take care of themselves and their families and how we were going to support our headquarters staff. We put measures in place that balanced the safety of our members as well as supported chapters still being able to do the business of Sigma. I was very proud of the work we did educating and protecting our members while assisting the country flattening the curve. Very proud of the work we did addressing the social unrest, as described the murder of George Floyd, many people thought that murder was different. Not that we hadn’t seen that before because we had, but it shook the nation to its core, it shook the whole world. I believe the reason is because we witnessed the murder of George Floyd. We saw life come out of him. As a result, our members were anxiously wanting to get involved. We did what we were supposed to do, just like John Lewis did, just like A. Philip Randolph did, just like Hosea Williams did. Phi Beta Sigma has always been on the front line of Civil Rights and advancing the righteousness of people. And in 2020, we were right there AGAIN! We gave our chapters guidance on what participation might look like if they wanted to participate in civil unrest. We were very in tentional on advancing our message on police brutality, and it was a simple one: Enough is Enough. We were very frustrated and disappointed that too many people within our community were being killed by police officers. In collaborations with Ralph Lau ren, we had billboards across the country amplifying our “Enough Is Enough” message along with promoting our Sigma Beta Club mentoring program. We had two billboards in New York and one in Los Angeles. Lastly, I think it’s good to champion change, but I think it’s even more important to be a catalyst for sustainable change. We were there putting on a webinar centered around real reform: people, policies and policing. We brought in police chiefs from all over the country, (big cities, mid-size cities and small cities), along with social justice attorneys and attorneys general to give us their thoughts on what should be done to support our communities’ changing so Brandon, a young black man, has a level of confidence that the city, county or state had measures in place to protect him.
TC: ELEVATING THE BROTHERHOOD EXPERIENCE WAS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR THE CRISTAL ADMINISTRATION--THIS IS THE VERY FOUNDATION FOR A MEMBER’S AFFILIATION. WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES OF THIS FOCUS AREA? MC: The vision for our administration was a Brotherhood of Conscious Men Actively Serving Our Communities with a support ing mantra of Brotherhood First alerting our members to know they were our number one priority. When we talk about a Brotherhood of Conscious Men, we know the three principles: brother hood, scholarship and service, but I tend to believe that brother hood is the supreme principle. I wanted to elevate the brotherhood experience as it appeared to be lacking. I said before we could do anything, we needed to love on one another, we needed to create uplift for one another and we needed to showcase appreciation for one another. We were going to define who we were; not the media or anyone else…we are college educated, professional men and we are ded icated fathers. We are dedicated husbands. Before we could serve the community, we had to be a brotherhood of conscious men actively serving. We came out the gate campaigning on being a “Brotherhood of Conscious Men Actively Serving Our Communi ties” with a supporting mantra of Brotherhood First…we themed our vision and we branded it on everything we promoted.
THE INTERNATIONAL SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
Oftentimes that fresh fire turns into nervous jitters when for the first time, the new brother meets and engages with alumni or seasoned brothers. The unspoken pressure can be enormous as he grapples with the fear of saying the wrong thing or mishandling a “challenge”. Fortunately most neophytes manage to rise above the fears of the traditional rites of passage, as they become a standard memory held by most fraternity men. Those first meetings can become inspiration for the neo to seek out those who can provide wisdom and knowledge, and assist him in expanding his brotherhood network. Sigma collegians serve as “brand ambassadors” for Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity on the college campuses where they matriculate. In their service to the community and campus, they’re simultaneously learning, growing and adding value to a cause greater than themselves. The newfound excitement and commitment of neophytes to the organization only increases if they receive good guidance and encouragement. Oftentimes this encourages them to seek out greater ways to serve in Sigma as part of the leadership team on their campuses, regional conferences and at the International level.
The excitement of a brand new neophyte brother can be spotted a mile away, across a crowded campus or the hotel lobby at a regional conference or international convention.
Brother Maxwell McDaniel is a current collegiate leader positioned for success. A legacy born into the Blue & White Family, Maxwell is the son of Brother Timothy McDaniel and Chrischeryl McDaniel, a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. He started serving in 2009 as a charter member of the Sigma Beta Club of Theta Mu Sigma Chapter in Dallas, TX. The club regularly worked with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, March of Dimes, American Heart Association and Toys for Tots. Even before he attended college, Maxwell attended four Sigma Beta Club National Leadership Conferences and Conclaves. His attendance at these
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After serving nearly a year as International Second Vice President, The Crescent team spent some time with Bro. McDaniel to learn about his experiences in the position and to get some idea of how being in such a vital office has impacted his life.
TC: What inspired you to set your sights on the highest fraternal office representing the collegiate ranks of the Brotherhood? MM: To be completely honest, I have always possessed a high admiration for the fraternity and always wanted to serve it in the best way that I knew how. This was one of those times where others help you to see all that you can become, more than what you already see yourself. My father set a phenomenal example for me in Sigma and I wanted to follow suit. I have always felt passionate about being a catalyst for change within anything that to which I devote my time. Once I was made aware of the position, I thought it would be the best way for me to start my legacy and make an immediate impact on a broader scale.
The position of International Second Vice President is an intense, yet rewarding training ground for a young leader preparing to make an impact on his chapter and college campus, future employer, industry of choice, and the community where he lives and serves.
As an international organization of collegeeducated men representing a vast network of career disciplines, professionals and high achievers, the brotherhood is especially responsible for assisting young collegians in identifying their in-born skill sets and setting them on the career trajectories for which they are best suited. Phi Beta Sigma has three international-level positions that were specifically established for collegiate members: Second Vice President; Collegiate Member-At-Large 1 and Collegiate Member-At-Large 2. For those who are relatively new to Sigma, gaining the opportunity to serve at this level is no small feat. It takes a certain level of courage, commitment, discipline and flexibility to be effective in these positions.
conferences afforded Maxwell the opportunities to soak up knowledge and skills from various Sigma men and mentors, and to gain a sense of the role that Sigma played not only in the lives of youth but also in the African American community. As a senior Business Management major attending Prairie View A&M University, Bro. McDaniel joined the Delta Theta Chapter in Spring 2020. He immediately moved into leadership serving the chapter as historian and Step Master. He did this while serving on the Social Media team for the campus’ American Marketing Association, Director of Campus Development for the Student Government Association, member of NAACP and an official campus DJ, a business he started in high Volunteerismschool. was a way of life for Bro. McDaniel in his early years. He worked with a national award-winning step team coached by his father and remains active offering his time as an adviser, coach and DJ services for shows. In addition, Max puts in volunteer time at his elementary school in DeSoto, TX and works as a summer camp counselor.
TC: Is serving at this level what you envisioned? MM: Serving at this level has been everything I envisioned and more. The bonds that I have been able to make are ones that I will always cherish. The amount of time I’ve had learning how to separate school, my personal life, and the fraternity has definitely been an eye opener. It’s taken a bit of adjustment from the beginning, but it is something that I have been grateful for every step of the way.
MM: I’m very passionate about the things and people that matter to me, as well as having a natural leadership ability that I’ve seen in other areas of my life. I also look at things objectively, seeing both sides of the coin and try to help the majority rather than a small minority.
TC: What do you find are the most difficult aspects of this leadership position? MM: The most difficult part of my position would have to be the same as the biggest lesson I’ve learned: figuring out how to properly prioritize your life and not just your time. It’s okay to care strongly about something but it is important not to let it become your entire identity. You must also put your mental health and peace of mind first and foremost because others won’t. Learning how to properly set time aside when you have so many obligations can feel overwhelming at times, but you need to step back and make sure you take care of your temple.
MM: I would advise him to know what it is that he wants to accomplish and don’t be afraid to speak his mind. If you take this position, it is YOUR journey and legacy -- it belongs to nobody else so they cannot dictate how it begins or determine its outcome. That is something that only you can do. If you have a passion, follow it. If Sigma is one of your passions, you owe it to yourself and the fraternity to give it your best and nothing less. The position is a lot of work but it is worth it.
TC: How would you advise another collegiate member who aspires to run for this office in preparing for the role?
TC: How will this experience enhance your collegiate educational experience? MM: Personally, I feel this experience will make me more appreciative of the opportunities to network that college offers. Greek life, in itself, offers that as well, but having those opportunities on a global scale gives me the chance to see and learn from people all over. I also get a sneak peek at what could potentially be down the road for me as a Business Management major once I enter the corporate world.
TC: What skill sets do you have that made you believe you could impact the organization as a leader?
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TC: How will this experience impact your future career perspective? MM: Before serving in this role I was all over the place as it relates to what I wanted to do once I graduate from college. This position has shown me what it is like to work at a high level and present ideas to people who are many years your senior, but who are still finding ways to be effective and contribute. I want to experience that same feeling of satisfaction that I get when helping a large group of people through this position once I enter the corporate world. This position has brought out my better qualities, forcing me to think bigger and more analytical.
TC: Having been in office for ten months, what has been your most surprising educational experience? MM: The most surprising educational experience has been seeing how powerful your words can be, as well as seeing what conducting real business at a high level looks like. I have experiences in internships and entrepreneurial experience, but nothing has been quite like participating in a General Board meeting and learning how to strategize, plan and make something happen on a global scale.
PAST INTERNATIONAL SECOND VICE PRESIDENTS: WHERE ARE THEYNOW?
Over its hundred-plus years, Sigma collegians graduated and moved to alumni status, which eventually led to the organization’s national leadership being primarily made up of alumni officers, experienced men entrusted with managing the growth and administration of the fraternity. In spite of this, the “collegiate brother” will always hold special priority within the organization’s ranks, given that college men represent “new blood”, and are the lifeline of the Brotherhood. This understanding was codified in 1937, as the Fraternity established a position on its General Board to provide a representative, leading voice which spoke to the aims and interest of the collegiate brotherhood.
Originally titled Junior Vice President, the International Second Vice President represents the highest level a collegiate brother can serve as an international officer. Serving in this capacity affords young leaders the unique opportunity to actively participate in the decision-making process of the fraternity, while gaining professional growth experiences and discovering the ways of the world. To date, nearly fifty young men have served in this capacity. The Crescent team reached out to Past International Second Vice Presidents to provide some sense of where they are today. This gallery represents those Sigma Brothers who have served in this prestigious capacity over the years.
From the visionary minds of three collegians attending Howard University shortly after the turn of the 20th Century evolved Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated. The idea of a group of educated African American men coming together for the cause of serving their community for decades to come appealed to potential new members, and subsequently would attract men for generations to come.
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Brother Meredith Jackson is a charter member of Delta Rho Chapter at the University of Michigan, initiated on April 17, 1970. He currently serves as Pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Camden Alabama and is the owner of JayPBSig Creations, a computer consulting, photographic services company, located in Valley Grande, Alabama. Since his initiation, he has served several chapters as President, among them:Delta Rho (University of Michigan); Alpha Beta Sigma (Houston, TX); Beta Beta Sigma (San Antonio, TX); Gamma Mu Sigma (Biloxi, MS), Alpha Sigma (Washington, DC); Epsilon Xi Sigma (Chattanooga, TN) and currently Xi Alpha Sigma (Chattanooga, TN). Jackson has also served as Secretary of National Programs and was appointed Centennial Project Manager for the Centennial Celebration and served as a computer consultant to the International Headquarters.
OF PAST INTERNATIONAL SECOND VICE PRESIDENTS
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1973 – 1975 | BROTHER MEREDITH B. JACKSON, LM #253
1978 – 1979 | BROTHER ANTHONY M. ESSEX (HONORABLE BROTHER DR. ANTHONY A. SAMAD), PLM #15
1972 – 1973 | BROTHER STEPHEN L. MCDANIEL, LM #161
Honorable Brother Dr. Anthony Asadullah Samad resides in Marina Del Rey, California. He is an active member of Phi Beta Sigma Chapter, Los Angeles, CA and serves currently as the Chapter Historian. Bro. Samad is currently the Executive Director of the Mervyn M. Dymally African American Political & Economic Institute at California State University, Dominguez Hills, a non-partisan public think tank established to study the history of African Americans in California and research the impact of public policy on African American communities,as well as mentoring and expanding the global worldview of the next generation of leaders in the public and civic arenas through public discourse and international travel. Bro. Samad is the author of six books and producer of five feature films. He served as the youngest Regional Director (Western Region) in the fraternity's history at age 24, elected President of the Los Angeles Alumni Chapter, served as National Director of Social Action, President of the Life Members Club, Editor of the fraternity's Centennial history book and director, writer and producer of the fraternity's feature film documentary. Bro. Samad was voted into the Distinguished Service Chapter (#158) by the Conclave in 2007. Phi Beta Sigma Chapter named its annual chapter Social Action Award, the Anthony A. Samad Social Action Award in 2021.
Brother Stephen McDaniel served during the administration of Honorable Brother Parlette L. Moore, 20th International President. He currently resides in Atlanta, GA and is a member of Lambda Sigma Chapter. A Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) with 40 years of higher education fundraising experience, he’s currently the Special Assistant to the President and fundraising consultant with the Piney Woods School in Piney Woods, MS. Brother McDaniel is also a consultant to Mrs. Billy Suber Aaron, the widow of legendary baseball great Hank Aaron, as she engages in a capital campaign to enhance Atlanta’s Sadie E. Mays Health & Rehabilitation Center. During his 52-years of consistent membership, Bro. McDaniel has served in many roles, including National Deputy Executive Director, National Director of Sigma Bea Clubs, Vice President, Board of Directors for Phi Beta Sigma Federal Credit Union, and National Conclave Logistics Coordinator for Charleston, SC Conclave 1981. He is a founder of the Zeta Upsilon Chapter at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.
WHERE THEY ARE NOW: THE GALLERY
Brother Donald Basilio served as the International Second Vice President in 1981 during Honorable Brother Charles Wright’s administration. He retired from the United States Secret Service as an Assistant Special Agent-In-Charge in 2015 after twenty-six years of service and returned in 2017 to serve as an instructor (criminal investigation section) at their training center. Brother Basilio has maintained active membership since serving as Second Vice President and has served as Chief of Staff for the Honorable Brother Paul Griffin; past President of Nu Sigma Sigma Alumni Chapter, and as an investigator for the fraternity’s Risk Management Team for the last five years. He resides in Maryland, has been married for 31 years to his wife, Danielle, and has three adult children, Brother Kevin, Brandon, and Sierra.
After graduating from Kansas State University with a B.F.A. in Graphic Design and Illustration, Brother Bobby Van Buren spent his first years working as a freelance designer in Ohio and then Minnesota, where he met his wife, Kristin. He was employed with the Minnesota Twins as a Community and Players Relations Manager before moving into sales. For the next fifteen years, Bro. Van Buren worked in Information Technology consulting sales with several consulting companies including Hewlett Packard and Capgemini. With a desire to get off of the road and spend more time with his family, Bobby obtained his insurance license and became a captive insurance agent with his own franchise. He recently expanded his business and partnered to form The Insurance Gurus, with two offices in GA. The Van Burens, along with their two sons Blake and Davis, currently reside in Marietta, GA.
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Bobby is very active in the Atlanta community and sits on multiple local boards. He is a member of Xi Chi Sigma Chapter.
1985 – 1987 | HONORABLE BROTHER KEITH PITTS
1981 – 1982 | HONORABLE BROTHER JEFFREY F. SNEED, LM #3324
Honorable Brother Keith Pitts currently resides in Clarksville, TN and married to Karen Gregory-Pitts. He’s a retired administrator for Tennessee State University, where he joined the fraternity, attended during his years as Second Vice President, and was the coordinator of Greek Affairs. After serving in the role, he went on to serve as Southwestern Regional Director. Bro. Pitts was inducted into the Distinguished Service Chapter as its #171 member, and currently serves as Vice President. Bro. Pitts is also the District Deputy and a Past Grand Treasurer of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge State of Tennessee AF & AM and member of Kirjathjearim Lodge #4 AF & AM in Nashville, TN. Brother Pitts is a Steward and Treasurer at St. Luke A.M.E. Church.
1987 – 1989 | BROTHER BOBBY J. VAN BUREN, JR.
Honorable Brother Jeffrey Sneed served as National Second Vice President from the summer of 1981 until December 1982. He currently resides in his hometown of Los Angeles, CA and is a member of the Kappa Delta Sigma Chapter. Since serving in the collegiate leadership role, Bro. Sneed has served in several capacities including the 32nd Western Regional Director, along with other regional offices. He chaired the Conclave Nominations and Grievances committees, and as a member of Law and Revisions. He also served as the Chief of Staff of the 35th International President, Honorable Brother Micheal E. Cristal and is currently an advisor to the 36th International President, Honorable Brother Chris V. Rey. Brother Sneed is most proud of being recognized as the 173rd member of the Distinguished Service Chapter.
1980 – 1981 | BROTHER DONALD BASILIO, LM #499
Honorable Brother Chris V. Rey splits his time between his home in Brandywine, MD and Charlotte, NC. He is a member of the Omicron Zeta Sigma Chapter in Prince William County, VA. He retired in 2022 after 22 years of military service, where he served as an Signal Officer in the United States Army and the Army National Guard. He currently is an entrepreneur where he serves as founder and CEO of RL9 Group, a disabled vet eran and black owned consulting company with a focus on cyber security, diversity equity and inclusion, and organizational compliance. He is currently building a nonprofit digital platform that focuses on providing internships for HBCU students. In addition to serving as International Second Vice President, Bro. Rey has served the fraternity as International Director of Collegiate Affairs, International Director of Technology, Southeastern Regional Director, International Director of Social Action and International First Vice President. Hon. Brother Rey was elected the 36th International President at Conclave Myrtle Beach in July 2021.
Honorable Brother Dr. Michael W. Hines currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia, where he is an educator and analyst in the Division of Continuous Improvement and Accountability for the third largest school district in the state or Georgia. He is an active charter member of the Phi Beta Sigma Sigma Chapter. Dr. Hines is secretary of the Distinguished Service Chapter (DSC) and a member of his chapter’s Collegiate Advisors Council. After his tenure as International Second Vice President, Brother Hines served as the Vice Director of the Southern Region, International Director of Education, International Director of Rituals, Protocols and Standards and as a member of the International Branding Committee. Hines was elected to the DSC during Conclave Detroit, 2017.
36TH INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT
Brother Brandon J. Wallace is a licensed attorney in the District of Columbia, where he has been a member of the D.C. Bar since 2018. He is a graduate of Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia School of Law. A former staffer at the D.C. Council’s Committee on Business and Economic Development, Brandon is founder and chief strategist of Apex Group and Apex Legal. His work with churches, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs has gained him recognition as the “local transactions lawyer”. He is committed to community service and serves on the boards of Black Millennials for Flint, End Time Harvest Ministries Inc., and The William Kellibrew Foundation. He is also the host of the podcast, “Lawyer-ish: A Podcast for the People”, a show designed to be a safe space for all to learn, grow, inspire, and be inspired.
2005 – 2007 | BROTHER BRANDON J. WALLACE
1999 – 2001 | HONORABLE BROTHER CHRIS V. REY
41Summer 2022 1994 – 1995 | HONORABLE BROTHER DR. MICHAEL W. HINES, SLM #157
1995 – 1999 | BROTHER DR. ABBY L. RAYMOND
Brother Dr. Abby Raymond received his Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Indiana University. He attended Howard University College of Dentistry, where he earned the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 2011 on a full academic scholarship through the U.S. Army Health Professions Scholarship Program. Dr. Raymond is in private practice in Northeast Mississippi and resides in Tupelo with his wife Asha, two daughters, Hasna and Sabrina, and son Zakaria. He is also an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4057 and the Theta Iota Sigma Chapter. Since 2018, Dr. Raymond has donated his time and resources to veterans who need major dental work to improve the veterans’ critical health needs. His goal is to achieve Diplomat status with the American Board of Oral Implantology. He is a Major in the U.S. Army and proudly serves as the Dental Surgeon for the 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) of the Alabama Army National Guard.
2012 – 2013 | BROTHER CHRISTOPHER COOPER
Brother Christopher Cooper served during the administration of Honorable Brother Jimmy Hammock and is currently a Member-At-Large residing in Chicago, Illinois, practicing law as a Senior Associate Attorney at the Gumbiner Injury Law Group, and specializes in Personal Injury and Workers' Compensation.
2009 – 2011 | BROTHER LONNIE G. WALL, II
2015 – 2017 | BROTHER JARROD D. BENJAMIN, LM #3504
2013 - 2015 | BROTHER PROFIT IDOWU
Brother Jarrod D. Benjamin currently resides in Denham Springs, Louisiana and is active with Rho Sigma Chapter. He is the Florida International University Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Program Director and Chief Executive Officer of The LEAD Firm. Brother Benjamin is currently serving as the International Sigma Leadership Academy Chairman. Since serving as International Second Vice President, he has served his chapter as MIP Chairman and on several international committees.
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Brother Profit Idowu currently resides in the state of Minnesota and is an active member in the Zeta Nu Sigma Chapter. He plans to relocate to Washington D.C. in December of this year. He was recently recognized with “32 Under 32” by the Advertising Federation of Minnesota (selected out of 118 top-performing advertising professionals in the state) representing his agency MONO as an Account Director.
2007 – 2009 | BROTHER DR. STEVEN D. KNIFFLEY, JR., LM #3424
Brother Dr. Steven D. Kniffley, Jr. currently resides in Louisville, KY with his wife of 10 years Brittney (member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.) and son Justice. Bro. Kniffley is a Board Certified Clinical Psychologist and is the Chief Diversity Officer for Spalding University, where he is also an Associate Professor in Spalding's School of Professional Psychology and the Director of the Collective Care Center Racial Trauma Clinic. Since serving as Second Vice President, Bro. Kniffley has served as First Vice President for Epsilon Beta Sigma Chapter, President for Beta Xi Sigma Chapter, and International Director of Education (2017-2019). He is a member of the Epsilon Beta Sigma Chapter in Louisville, KY.
Brother Lonnie G. Wall, II currently resides in Eastvale, CA, with his two children, Trinity and Lonnie, III. He is a Regional Controller for Granite Construction for the south coast region covering San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles and Ventura County. Since his time as Second Vice president, he most recently served as the Arizona State Director from 2015-2019.
1967-1969
1978-1979
Charles Brown, Memphis, Tennessee
Isiah J. Williams, II, Tallahassee, Florida
Anthony M. Essex, Los Angeles, California Gary Lang, Houston, Texas Donald Basilio, Houston, Texas
2001-2003
Jerry L. Young, St. Louis, Missouri
1981-1982
Stephen L. McDaniel, Atlanta, Georgia Meredith B. Jackson, Houston, Texas
Edmond D. Robinson, Nashville, Tennessee
1954 Charles Poindexter, Institute, West Virginia 1955-1956 Julius C. Simmons, Richmond, Virginia
2005-2007 Brandon J. Wallace, Washington, DC 2007-2009 Stephen Kniffley, Louisville, Kentucky 2009-2011 Lonnie G. Wall, II, Tucson, Arizona 2011 Gerald Grant, Norfolk, Virginia 2012-2013 Chris Cooper, Charlotte, North Carolina
Marco W. McMillian, Jackson, Mississippi
Garry S. James, Berrien Springs, Michigan
1981
1939 James A. Croaker, Orangeburg, South Carolina
1971-1972
1983-1985
1985-1986
Darlon L. Johnson, Lafayette, Indiana Kirk E. Crawley, Odenton, Maryland
Brother Dane D. Norvell II is the Immediate Past International Second Vice President. He resides in Memphis, TN, where he works in Identity Access Management for UMRF Ventures. He is a member of the Delta Nu Chapter at the University of Memphis and will soon transition to the Tau Iota Sigma Alumni Chapter. Since his tenure he has graduated with his MBA from the University of Memphis and will begin law school at Ole Miss in the fall.
James Hawkins, New Orleans, Louisiana
1949
Horace F. Johnson, Chicago, Illinois
1972-1973
1959-1960
Bobby J. Van Buren, Minneapolis, Minnesota 1989-1991
1955
BROTHER DANE D. NORVELL, II
Julius C. Simmons, For Valley, Georgia
1969-1970
SECOND VICE PRESIDENTS Roland W. Greene, Institute, Ezekial Bell, Chicago, Illinois
Fred G. Minnis, Jr., Washington, DC
1995-1997 Abby L. Raymond, Bloomington, Indiana 1999-2001 Chris V. Rey, Greenville, North Carolina
Julius C. Thomas, Chicago, Illinois George H. Branch, Institute, West Virginia
1977-1978
1980
1986-1987
1975-1976
1963-1964
Robert W. Drakeford, St. Albans, New York
2013-2015 Profit Idowu, Minneapolis, Minnesota 2015-2017 Jarrod D. Benjamin, Los Angeles, California 2017-2019 Frederick Bell, Gonzalez, Louisiana 2019-2021 Dane Norvell, Memphis, Tennessee 2021-2023
Maxwell McDaniel, DeSoto, Texas
Alan W. Harris, Houston, Texas
1958
1947-1948
Keith A. Pitts, Nashville, Tennessee 1987-1989
BROTHER FREDERICK D’WAYNE BELL, JR.
Dwight E. Daugherty, Wilberforce, Ohio St. Clair T. Garcia, Los Angeles, California
Michael W. Hines, Atlanta, Georgia
JUNIOR VICE PRESIDENTS
1951-1953
1964-1966
2017 – 2019 |
Brother Frederick Bell, a Louisiana native and Spring 2017 initiate of Iota Tau Chapter, currently resides in Washington, D.C. where he works as a senior associate at The Hub Project as a senior associate on the Democracy team. Bro. Bell serves with civil rights advocates, faith leaders, and other coalitions to create campaigns for a more just and equitable democracy. In addition to his prior service as International Second Vice President and co-chair of the National Pan-Hellenic Undergraduate Leadership Council, Bro. Bell currently serves as the National NAACP Liaison on the International Social Action team. – |
1966-1967
2019
Jeffrey Sneed, Los Angeles, California
1950 Moses Wright, Washington, DC
1991-1993 Duane Newman, New York, New York 1993-1994 Robert Johnson, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 1994-1995
West Virginia 1957
1974-1975
1940-1944
2021
As the world moved to the end of World War II in the 1940s, the fraternity continued moving and growing. Sigma men returned to their communities and many of them returned to continue their college education, while others entered college for the first time. Their service in the military provided lots of practical experiences which would serve them well as they pursued degrees to better themselves; boot camp: training, teamwork and fighting on the front lines of war all would inform how they survived in America and on campuses. Out of their military experiences emerged a more forceful singing or “chanting” which became a part of the culture of the Fraternity. The cadences to which they marched as their drill sergeants barked orders probably became part of the “new order” of marching and singing in Phi Beta Sigma. On the yard, one brother would take charge, calling cadences and changes, while the members would follow those orders. It is likely that some of the marching routines, songs, stepping and dances done by members were the beginnings of step teams and Step Masters. Historical evidence provides indications of how the 1960s ushered in a whole new attitude and culture as it pertained to Phi Beta Sigma. As the country experienced turbulence and tragedies as a result of the demands for equality and justice for all, Sigma chapters were heavily influenced by what was happening in the society around
AFRICA. GUM BOOTS. GOLD MINES.
It is almost impossible to trace the history of Black Greek-Letter stepping to an exact day, show, or even a specific organization. Since their beginnings, Black fraternities and sororities have always had specialized ways of expressing pride in their organizations in a public way. In the early days, this was usually done with singing. Some of the earliest Phi Beta Sigma men from the 1920s and going forward spoke with great pride that “Sigma had the best singers on campus. The ladies loved to hear us sing to them.” Phi Beta Sigma developed a large catalog of songs over the years. Unfortunately, most have been lost over time. Those left with us today are reminders of how pride in Sigma was represented in song. Throughout the years as Phi Beta Sigma grew in numbers and popularity, so did the public displays of pride exhibited by its members. New songs were crafted, with more complex rhythms and harmonies. A brother from the 1940s stated that the concept of the “Line” and “Unity” were always a significant part of Sigma’s history. He said it was a very common occurrence for the chapter to “march up” in line to the female dormitory on campus, singing the entire way. Their ultimate destination was right outside of the building, especially late at night, all the way singing and marching in line, showing the campus that Sigma Pride. In those days, not only did the Fraternity recruit the best and brightest orators, athletes, scholars, and popular students, but they also set their sights on those young men who could also hold a note and carry a tune. Singing and marching is part of the history of African civilizations and was responsible for the survival of enslaved Africans who worked on plantations in the early history of America. The idea of keeping in step with the vocals, changing the cadence for variety and creating new sounds are all concepts arising from African traditions. Before very long, entire chapters became their very own musical instruments, even their own orchestras. Stomping feet created the bass. Clapping hands became the treble. The singing voices tied everything together. Sigma’s poetic lyrics and harmonic sounds told a new story. In Africa, these were used to communicate with one another; on college campuses, these communicated a new message– this is WHO we are!
COMMUNICATION. CELEBRATION.
STEPPING The Legacy of
These are some of the words that come to mind when one talks about the origins of Stepping.
An entire book could be written on the origins of “Black Greek-Letter Organization Stepping.” The tradition of step shows began, and has evolved over the years, emerging from its rawest form through African men who worked the gold mines in South Africa, forbidden to hold conversations, who created and relied on the beats and rhythmic sounds of stomping and clapping in order to communicate. For this story, we will concentrate on the origins of Black fraternity and sorority stepping, and specifically how it has lived and thrived within Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity.
45Summer 2022
46 The Crescent Magazine them. The Civil Rights movement and the activists and influencers of the day were a driving force behind the attitudes and public exhibitions of many Sigma chapters. Pledge classes emulated the style and dress of their cultural heroes, dawning black berets, military jackets and dashikis on chapter pictures and at public events. While the attire and attitudes evolved, some things remained constant: the lines, marching, singing, and chanting. Eventually even these expressions changed. At public events, different formations were seen; while the “line concept” wasn’t abandoned, chapters were regularly seen in symmetric groups while performing their songs, marches, and “shows.” They were now engaged in more advanced choreographing, three lines of four brothers each, two lines of three brothers each, etc. Show formations were becoming the norm, and the bigger the chapter, the bigger the performance.
During this period music became an integral part of the step routine. The HipHop influence grew exponentially, and that growth was reflected in almost every “intro” and “outro” associated with a step routine. To go along with the music, step teams started to think strategically as they incorporated “themes” into their shows. What they presented were themes which reflected what was going on around them in society. African themes, Space-age shows, breakdancing and graffiti--even themes that reflected current cultural movies at the box office were incorporated into these shows.
Culture and the society have been a huge influence on Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, as it relates to stepping and the Step Show. Perhaps no decade’s influences had a bigger impact on the evolution of stepping than the 1980s. What was the spark that lit this soon-to-be inferno? The answer is Hip Hop culture and its four main pillars: the DJ, graffiti artist, MC, and breakdancer (or B-Boy). With this cultural phenomenon, the 1980s became the “Golden Age of Stepping” for Black Greek-lettered organizations. Step teams incorporated practically every aspect of Hip-Hop culture into their steps, routines, clothing, music, choreography, and themes. In addition, step teams worked hard to include expressions of African cultural pride into their performances. It was not uncommon to see chapter teams dressed in full Kenté cloth uniforms, or uniforms that were purely Red, Black, and Green. The large-scale growth and development of conscious Pro-Black and Afrocentric movements around the country were influences for the Hip-Hop generation which were heavy influences for African American college students.
Groups and MCs including X-Clan, Poor Righteous Teachers, Public Enemy, Paris, Run DMC, KRS-One, Brand Nubian, and N.W.A. were making loud statements through their music, and Black fraternities and sororities began including these influences in their public performances every chance they got.
The decade of the 1970s sparked creativity in young people everywhere, and Phi Beta Sigma took it all in. In the midst of all of this, the Step Show experienced a casual progression. Chapters in the 70s introduced an introduction to what we know today. A step show circa 1977 showed Sigma brothers in a square formation with 4 rows of 3. One brother took the lead, initiating a chant as brothers marched in unison and in place, keeping a steady beat. The group followed the leader in his chants and proclamation. The beat persisted and brothers marched in lock step, eventually incorporating hand claps to go with the established beats. The leader slapped his thighs and pounded his chest and the brothers followed his lead. Every beat was on time and every chant was in unison. This display of Sigma pride and exhibition represented the beginnings of how stepping was evolving into a SHOW.
In some cases, the Stepmaster would be the prime recruiter of new members, as a result of his front and center visibility at public events.
Prior to the 80s chapters expected all brothers (with rare exception) to participate in step shows. This decade introduced specialized teams within the chapters, and eventually other specialized teams began to take form. All-Star teams, as well as City-Wide teams were among them. The most prolific and Influential team during this time was the New York City Step Team, known as the New York City Dream Team. They introduced the idea of actually auditioning members to make the team over a college Christmas break, which allowed brothers living in the New York area, who attended school
It was during the 1980s when the concept of the “Stepmaster” came into full fruition. This leader was usually the most-talented, innovative, and best stepping brother in the chapter. As stepping began to be recognized as a significant part of the chapter organization, the Stepmaster was expected to coordinate almost every aspect of the chapter’s presentation. He learned and/or invented the steps routines, taught them to the step team and in essence put together the show’s theme, practically everything from beginning to end. There was no greater sense of pride than being selected as the Stepmaster for a chapter.
The culture of the 1970s introduced two major influences to the world of Black Greekdom. Disco and funk music provided unique sounds, along with sometimes outlandish clothing styles, symbolism, and even its own language. Sigma chapters embraced the changes and emulated these cultural traditions even in their Black Greek lifestyle. Unofficial fraternity mascot and symbols began to appear across the country. Across the Black Greek-lettered universe hand signs were created and used on college campuses. Special words or calls, specific to each organization, became prevalent and spread like wildfire.
THE ART OF STEPPING AND GREEK SINGS – 1980s
As the numbers of chapters and members of Phi Beta Sigma Sigma grew in the 1970s and 1980s, brothers from Chicago and the Midwest especially were creating complicated and influential step shows using canes and staffs. While inventing step routines was no easy task, it was the creative minds of these two decades which developed most steps that we know and use today. Almost every step that was created was given a special name, which reflected the sound the step made or a song, and in some rare cases, the name of the Sigma who invented the step. For example, “Fermin’s Dream”, also known as the Sigma Blindfold Step, was created by Bro. Fermin Espinoza. From the 1980s came The Nutcracker, Intricate, Hot Damn, Juicy, Tricky, Under Pressure, Aw Shucks, Multi-Rhythm, Blue Magic, Rock Box, and Din Dada, to name a few. The most memorable step coming out of the end of the 1980s and early 1990s was the Mighty African Step. This step alone (performed for the first time by the New York City Step Team), brought every cultural element that lived within Phi Beta Sigma together, in one brief, yet powerful performance. The perfect step that symbolically showed the world: ”THIS is who we Are!”
Phi Beta Sigma shows event-ually incorporated a Stomp Master, the lead orchestrator of the show, and also a Freak-man, a sort of odd man out who didn’t always follow the program. His job was to work the crowd or add emphasis to a particular step, cadence or theatrical part of the show. The Freak-man was often great at dancing, improvising and drawing attention sometimes with comical intent. The stomp master was the more serious leader who kept the show moving and let the step team members know when the next step would begin. With the addition of the stomp master and freak-man, Phi Beta Sigma shows were different from other organizations. The stomp master would wear a more elaborate outfit or something signifying he was the odd man out. Similar to the libero in volleyball, this person stood out from the rest and very rarely got in formation unless it was to balance out an odd number of persons in a group. The stomp master was often the best stepper in the chapter and one who assumed much of the leadership role in teaching and organizing the show, as well as making sure the staging and all show aspects were in order. In effect, the stomp
47Summer 2022 elsewhere in the country to come together over a two-week period during the break. They had a short time to learn shows in preparation to perform at the Annual New Year’s show in New York City. This team was considered the best of the best, and would debut the “new steps” for the world to see. Visiting brothers recorded the shows (on VHS tape) so that they could take them back to their respective chapters to add to their own shows in the coming year. Visiting brothers and other Greeks, attended this event especially to see what innovations in stepping wouldbe presented by the men of Phi Beta Sigma.
“Stepping, stepping block shows, and Greek Sings (which were called “Greek Scenes’’ in the Midwest) were a primary recruiting tool for Black Greek- lettered organizations who comprised the National Pan-Hellenic Council of the 80’s era. These organizations, along with a social organization called Groove Phi Groove, could be found on college or university campuses deemed Historically Black (HBCUs). In the Baltimore-MD, Washington-DC, and I-95 Virginia areas, stepping and Greek Sings were a lucrative commodity and attracted students and alumni from all over, especially around Annual Homecoming time for colleges and universities. It is for these reasons that stepping began to evolve into major productions on campuses with large numbers of Black Greeks. Participating chapters began to incorporate stage uniforms, show props, themes, pyrotechnics, lighting and scripted music to make their individual efforts stand out. Some shows even made the acts part of a competition complete with faculty judges to crown winners of the fraternities and sororities separately, or a singular overall winner. The prize was usually a trophy and bragging rights. Eventually monetary prizes would be offered to competitors. Members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity took these competitions seriously and began to perfect the art of stepping and showmanship, partially as a result of the New York City Step team. In the 80s a Sigma show had to include standard uniforms, an elaborate intro onto the stage, hard steps, a line step, a doo-wop song or slow-shoe step, a ripple, a syncopated step, and a final step and exit that left a lasting impression. Shows used to end with a ceremonial “calling all Brothers or Sorors’ ‘ to the floor so that undergrads and alumni could all assemble together, showing a type of force in numbers. But after many shows became competitions, this practice was stopped due each organization’s limited time allotment.
Two stepmasters from competing Sigma teams began a conversation about starting an All-Star Sigma Stepteam, one that would be unlike any other and hopefully making history in the world of Black Greek stepping. Mark “Mallet” Pacich from Florida, and Eric “Soulman”
For Black Greeks, the decade of the 1980s provided opportunities for healthy competition through step shows, which grew significantly during this time period. The competitions were not just between members of the “Divine Nine”, but also within the ranks of Phi Beta Sigma. Chapters would participate in step competitions as state, regional and national conferences. The competitions often were the highlight of these meetings, providing time to relax and enjoy other members outside of business meetings. The competitions became organized to the point of having winners of the State conferences compete at the Regional level and regional winners would compete at the National level. Winning at the International Conclave was a huge undertaking and provided an even bigger sense of pride. Chapters would practice all year for the chance to represent their state or region on the National level. Step show competitions grew well beyond the Sigma-only events. HBCU Homecomings, Classic Football Weekends,
Out of these conversations The Phi Beta Sigma UnKNOWn Stepteam was born. Bro. Sarkissian suggested performing that one show in his home state of Arkansas, at the “End of the World Stepshow,” held annually in April. The stepmasters had two months to put an entire show together, with three brothers living in different States. The UnKNOWn Stepteam truly changed the game, because of the way they approached it. They learned routines from VHS tapes mailed to one another, learning the show without the benefit of being together until they came together in Arkansas to practice as a team -- two days before the show! On the night of their premier performance, history was Aftermade.the success of the show in Arkansas, everyone agreed that one show was not enough. There was more to achieve; the UnKNOWn Stepteam wanted to accomplish what the New York City
48 The Crescent Magazine
$2,500-$5,000sumsforIttoamountsnever-before-seenofferingofprizemoneythewinningteams.wasnotuncommonpromoterstoofferrangingbetweenforthe winners; in some competitions, the prize money was winner take all.
holiday weekends, Greek picnics, and All-Greek beach events began to use and promote Step shows as the premier event for those celebrations. Teams wanting to compete at these large events understood that a tight step routine, as well as the visual aspects of the performance had to be the best. More and more, Sigma teams began incorporating music, lasers, smoke, special effects, videos, and even pyrotechnics into their performances. In some instances, professional engineers were hired to help and assist. Teams used any available technology in order to stay one step ahead of the competition. Toward the end of the decade, concert and event promoters saw the interest in Black Greek step shows, as well as the huge crowds, and they jumped in full-force, helping the Step Show phenomenon to grow. The excitement and interest in step shows continued into the 1990s. Campus shows went off like clockwork every semester. Probate shows were the highpoint of a chapter’s new member intake program, and the public waited with great anticipation to see who was among the new group of Black Greeks on the yard, as well as to check out their stepping abilities. Homecoming and Classic Weekend step shows were all the rage, growing larger and larger every year. Promoters began putting a lot of financial backing in these shows, renting larger venues, recruiting teams from all over the country to compete, enlisting famous celebrities to host the shows, and
Jaffe from New Jersey discussed the idea of putting together a Sigma step team, made exclusively of Caucasian brothers to perform in a large, popular show, but for one show only. The two agreed that it was an interesting idea, and asked Bro. Chris Sarkissian from Arkansas to join them.
master was the main shot caller in terms of making sure the chapter put its best foot forward. On the other hand, the freakman was mostly unrehearsed and was primarily known for providing the surprise elements in the show. All this said, step shows for Phi Beta Sigma were a huge entertaining performance, much like an action-packed movie.
From 1990-1996, not much changed in the Step Show world. Stepping was bigger than ever. Indoor and outdoor venues were sold out for every competition. State, regional and Conclave shows were the largest attended. Eventually the stepping, teams, shows and most everything related to them experienced a stagnation. Often when something stagnates, it will either die or continue evolving. Fortunately Black Greek stepping evolved to even greater heights, beginning in February 1997.
49Summer 2022
Stepteam had, but on a larger scale. Their goal became to compete in every big show in every state in the U.S. For the first several years, the UnKNOWn Stepteam competed with a three or four man squad, winning its first 20 competitions. The momentum and recognition was insane.
The UnKNOWn Step team continued riding the wave of success, and at the turn of the millennium they made the decision to add brothers, which they believed would be beneficial to their continued success. Brothers primarily from the northeast were added, and those additions allowed the team to further evolve and dominate even more in the Stepshow world. This team influenced and changed the stepping genre, in part, because of the extraordinary talent and dedication of its members to providing a completely different approach to stepping. Its willingness to take on elaborate themes, dangerous pyrotechnics, and musical scores that accompanied the shows. “Competing teams respected what we were doing and how we were doing it. They had to construct THEIR shows specifically to counter what we were doing. It reached the point when teams who were registered to compete, would drop out of shows once they saw that we were also competing. Additionally, promoters would not allow us to compete, and instead, pay us a performance fee, for they knew our name and reputation alone would draw the crowd. We obtained a sponsorship from the basketball clothing line AND1 and found ourselves performing in festivals and concerts around the country. The UnKNOWn Stepteam became very well KNOWN. The dedication of this step team to presenting exciting and intriguing performances paid off–it had done what no other Greek step team had done!” shared Brother Mark Pacich. The results of their success and step teams nationwide was responsible for a significant increase in the numbers of city-wide, all-star, alumni, and even high school and non-Black Greek step teams. Some Sigma teams gained national notoriety, appearing in TV and movie productions. Among these were The Dirty Birds, Dem Boyz, and No Mercy, as well as All-Star teams from Las Vegas, Houston, Memphis, Chicago, and Atlanta. The competitions drew thousands of attendees, which in turn encouraged the teams to do whatever it took to enter the competitions. The prize money became ridiculous, oftentimes to the tune of $10,000 for the winning team. Even high school and non Black Greek teams were jumping into the game. Some began to recognize that this phenomenon had become too commercialized, as promoters from every corner of the United States were cashing in. Additionally, in 2007, the movie “Stomp the Yard’’ was released, focusing on the fierce competition between Greeks on an HBCU campus. It highlighted the animosity, fight for bragging rights and the reality that teams would go to any lengths to win. Phi Beta Sigma and the entire membership of the Divine Nine had to make some decisions–continue going with the mainstream, commercial flow, or go back to the traditions of their history.
50 The Crescent Magazine
By the late 1990s and early 2000s, strolling became a popular mainstay for Black Greeks. During this time, one could attend a campus party and spend the night watching Black Greeks stroll all party long, with limited dancing happening on the main floor. By 2010, a significant shift was occurring. Noticeably “traditional” stepping was less popular, as evidenced at the Atlanta Greek Picnic (AGP). While the step show was still the drawing card, the stroll-off took center stage as the picnic attraction and it without a doubt attracted the largest population of picnic attendees. The Black Greek organizations in attendance that year it seemed, looked forward to the stroll competition over the step show.
THE RISE STROLLINGOF
The entertainment element of Strolling dates back to the mid1980s. Back then, what is now called “Strolling” was called “Party Walking” by Black Greeks in the South and “Walking” in the Midwest. Since the 70s, “hopping” or “Que Hopping” was primarily associated with the brothers of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, and eventually imported by other fraternities in the early 2000s. Strolling typically took place during campus parties or Black Greek events when fraternities and sororities would break from dancing and enthusiastically join the strolling line as it weaved the outer perimeter of the dance floor. After a few strolls around the room and switching from one stroll to another, the Greeks would return to the dance floor.
Brother Reginald “Jeeda” Barrington describes the evolution and popularity of strolling on the Eastern shores: “In 2008, I was initiated into Phi Beta Sigma at Delta Mu Chapter, Bowie State University, bringing almost five years of step knowledge–two years performing and three years coaching Dem Raider Boyz High School step team. My chapter step team was doing at least two step shows a month, if not more. In the DMV, the culture seemed to be still flourishing. Legitimate shows, hosted by various Divine 9 organizations. Homecoming step shows were still selling out and the quality of step teams was high. I competed often against All Star teams from every Organization.”
In the years to follow, strolling teams such as the DMV Blue Magic Stroll Team (DMVBMST) and Blue Assassin Step Squad (B.A.S.S.) were formed and became a dominant and influential part of the strolling phenomenon. The teams were always compared to the UnKNOWns. While strolling was on the rise as a competitive event, stepping was still where the money was! By 2015, there appeared to be a complete takeover of strolling popularity versus stepping. DMVBMST won the Atlanta Greek event a third time, making history as the only team to win three times. Simultaneously, the AGP Step Show was won by Sigma Step teams as well in those three years representing a complete Blue and White takeover in the performance arena. Brother Barrington shares, “We decided to hang it up after setting that historical mark and winning more shows than we could count. Greek life was showing its ugly head where people were tired of us winning and sabotaged us twice in 2014, so we came hard all of 2015. They came in to take over AGP 2016 and 2017. It was at this point that I retired.”
Author: BRO. MARK “MALLET” PACICH (Spring 1991) International Historian Contributors: BRO. STEVE E. BALLARD (Spring 1982) BRO. BLANGO “STARCHILD” ROSS (Spring 1982) BRO. ERIC “SOULMAN” JAFFE (Spring 1988) BRO. DR. KEVIN CHRISTIAN (Spring 1995) BRO. REGINALD “JEEDA” BARRINGTON (Spring 2008)
In many people’s opinions, traditional stepping was super dead by 2018. “It hurt my heart to see historically popular shows like Howard Homecoming having only two teams competing on each side when it used to be all nine organizations represented,” says Brother Barrington. Even during regional and international conventions, few states and regions were represented during Step Show Competitions. “In my opinion, Greek life took a heavy hit in 2019 and 2020 as many things were becoming virtual and we lost hard work, intensity, and all the traditional elements of stepping and strolling,” laments Bro. Barrington.
For brothers who have been involved with the fraternity during the last 4-5 decades, it is very clear that the Phi Beta Sigma “Culture of Stepping” has drastically changed. From singing to marching to stepping to strolling, every decade has had its own contributions, individual influencers, and unique footprints of brothers who helped to pave the way. Hard work, dedication, time devotion, and love for respective cultural and fraternity and sorority histories are the only ways that stepping has a chance of ever returning to its former glory. I personally feel honored that I was able to witness, perform, and contribute to the Art of Stepping during these monumental years. I hope and pray that one day, hopefully soon, Phi Beta Sigma can once again take the stage and remind our communities of the fact that in the realm of stepping “This is Who We Are!”
51Summer 2022
Y OUR MISSION Y OUR PRINCIPLES Y OUR CULTURE Y OUR MOTTO Y OUR CREED YOUR MEMBERSHIP! GO TO members.phibetasigma1914.org
Gamma Beta Alpha Chapter @ Susquehanna University
Nu Upsilon Sigma Chapter, South Bend, IN
8. WILLIAM BRUTON (Father), SPR1985 Alpha Epsilon Chapter @ Johnson C. Smith University, current Eta Sigma, Raleigh, NC
9. KENNY BYRD (Father), FALL2013
3 GEORGE P. BARRETT, JR. (Father), SPR 1980
1. HON. DARYL A. ANDERSON, SR. (Father), SPR1979 Delta Nu Chapter @ Memphis State University, current International Executive Director
Zeta Upsilon Chapter @ University of Maryland-Baltimore County, current Nu Sigma Sigma, Baltimore, MD KEVIN BASILIO (Son), FALL2017 Nu Sigma Sigma Chapter, Baltimore, MD
Lambda Beta Chapter @ Ball State University, current Nu Upsilon Sigma, South Bend, IN COREY BOYD (Son), FALL2021
Gamma Epsilon Chapter @ Alabama A&M University
5. MICHAEL BECK (Father), FALL1992
DAVID KELSEY BAKER (Son), SPR1994
JALEN BARRETT (Son), SPR 2019 Xi Mu Chapter @ Oklahoma State University, current Theta Chi Sigma, Lawton, OK
KAREEM BECK (Son), SPR2022
Nu Upsilon Sigma Chapter, South Bend, IN QUINTON A. BRASFIELD (Son), SPR2010 Gamma Epsilon Chapter @ Alabama. A&M University
4. DON BASILIO (Father), SPR1976
KEVIN BRUTON (Son), SPR2020 Eta Sigma Chapter, Raleigh, NC
Xi Gamma Chapter @ University of North Carolina, current Eta Sigma, Raleigh, NC
C. ANTHONY BRASFIELD (Father), SPR1980
2 LATTIE BAKER (Father), FALL1962 Beta Xi Chapter @ Saint Augustine University, current Eta Sigma, Raleigh, NC
53Summer 2022 SIGMALegacy
Theta Psi Chapter @ Rowan University, current Rho Delta Sigma, Gloucester County, NJ
Delta Nu Chapter @ University of Memphis, current Tau Iota Sigma, Memphis, TN
6. NATHAN BOYD (Father), FALL1998
7. CLINTON A. BRASFIELD (Grandfather), SPR1956
Theta Delta Chapter @ University of Alabama
DARYL A. ANDERSON, JR. (Son), SPR2014
Delta Upsilon Chapter @ Virginia Commonwealth University, current Theta Chi Sigma, Lawton, OK
Nu Upsilon Sigma Chapter, South Bend, IN JULIAN BYRD (Son), FALL2018
JUSTIN COELHO (Son), SPR2021 Gamma Chapter @ Morgan State University
XAVIER DEGUZMAN (Son) 2015 Delta Chapter @ Kansas State University
KEN COOPWOOD, JR. (Son), SPR2022 Rho Gamma Chapter @ The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
JASON DARBY (Son), SPR2022 – Lambda Chi Chapter @ Bloomfield College
HENRY T. DIGGS (Son), SPR2001 Eta Chapter @ North Carolina A&T University, current Gamma Beta Sigma, Greensboro, NC
JOSEPH DARBY (Son), SPR2016 – Lambda Chi Chapter @ Bloomfield College
Lambda Chi Chapter @ Bloomfield College, current Chi Sigma Chapter
19. HENRY C. DIGGS (Father), SPR1974 Gamma Epsilon Chapter @ Alabama A&M University, current Upsilon Beta Sigma, Salisbury, NC
JONATHAN CALDWELL (Son), SPR2022 Xi Epsilon Chapter @ Long Island University
20. ELDER BARRY LEE. DOUGHTY, SR. (Father), FALL1972 Delta Zeta Chapter @ Norfolk State University (OMEGA CHAPTER)
BARRY LEE DOUGHTY, JR. (Son), SPR2015 Beta Sigma Chapter, Norfolk, VA
10. SAMUEL CALDWELL (Father), FALL1984 Xi Theta @ NJIT/Rutgers University, current Kappa Beta Sigma, New York, NY
54 The Crescent Magazine
18. VAUGHN DEGUZMAN (Father) 1999 Delta Chapter @ Kansas State University
15. HON. MICHEAL E. CRISTAL (Father), SPR1982 Theta Iota Chapter @ Mississippi State University, current Tau Iota Sigma Chapter, Memphis, TN
KAMERON S. CLARK (Son), SPR2022 Gamma Nu Gamma Chapter @ Rider University
17. FRANK DAVIS (Father), SUM1982 Lambda Chi Chapter @ Upsala College, current Kappa Beta Sigma, New York, NY
MICKAEL DAVIS (Son), SPR2011 Xi Theta Chapter @ NJIT/Rutgers University, current Alpha Sigma, Washington, DC
BRANDON CRISTAL (Son), SPR2014 Kappa Upsilon Chapter @ University of Arkansas, current Tau Iota Sigma Chapter, Memphis, TN
16. GEORGE DARBY (Father), FALL1998
14. DR. KEN COOPWOOD, SR. (Father), FALL1985 Zeta Psi Chapter @ Indiana State University, current Beta Rho Sigma, Charlotte, NC
CHARLES C. CONYERS (Son), SPR1974 Zeta Eta Chapter @ University of Virginia, current Sigma Sigma Sigma, Montgomery County, MD
13. CHARLES L. CONYERS (Father), FALL1967 Iota Sigma Chapter, Richmond, VA, (OMEGA CHAPTER)
12. NIGEL COELHO (Father), SPR1994 Xi Tau Chapter @ Jersey City State College (now Seton Hall University), current Chi Sigma Chapter, Northern NJ
11. TRACY S. CLARK (Father), SPR1991 Theta Psi Chapter @ Rowan University, current Rho Delta Sigma, ? NJ
22. RICHARD L. DUNCAN (Father), SPR1975 Zeta Kappa Chapter @ University of Florida, current Lambda Sigma, Atlanta, GA
DARIUS FARMER (Son), SPR2022 Zeta Kappa Chapter @ University of Florida
AVERY HALL, JR. (Son), SPR2022
Alpha Alpha Rho Chapter @ Appalachian State University
Eta Chapter @ North Carolina A&T State University, current Delta Zeta Sigma Chapter, Durham, NC
29. DR. S.E. GILBERT, SR. (Father), 1929 Alpha Chapter @ Howard University (OMEGA CHAPTER)
DR. SHIRL E. GILBERT, II (Son) 1964 Gamma Eta Chapter @ Harris Teachers College, currently Gamma Eta Sigma, Tampa, FL
XAVIER EASON (Son), SPR2019 Omicron Iota Chapter @ Old Dominion University, current Rho Beta, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
WILLIAM A. DUDLEY, JR., ESQ. (Son) – SPR1999
23. JAY G. ETHRIDGE (Father), SPR1992 Beta Gamma Chapter @ Hampton University, current Zeta Alpha Sigma Chapter, Columbia, MD
24. BARRY B. FARMER (Father), 2012 Delta Theta Sigma Chapter, Killeen, TX, current Nu Beta Sigma, Jacksonville, FL
27. NAPOLEON GEE, JR. (Father), FALL1980 Beta Xi Chapter @ St. Augustine College, current Beta Sigma Chapter, Norfolk, VA OCCASIO GEE (Son), SPR1998 Omicron Iota Chapter @ Old Dominion University, current Beta Sigma Chapter, Norfolk, VA 28. ARNESS GEORGETOWN, SR. (Father), SUM1991 Alpha Beta Chapter @ Jackson State University ARNESS GEORGETOWN, II (Son), SPR2022 Alpha Beta Delta Chapter @ Rhodes College
Zeta Nu Chapter @ University of Georgia, current Delta Mu Sigma, Athens, GA
TOMMY LEE GATHEN (Son), SPR2022 Epsilon Sigma Sigma Chapter
30. COURTNEY FAUNTLEROY (Father), FALL1993 Alpha Alpha Chi Chapter @ Duke University, current Delta Zeta Sigma, Durham, NC
RICHARD L. DUNCAN, II (Son), SPR2004
JACOB ETHRIDGE (Son), SPR2022 Beta Gamma Chapter @ Hampton University
55Summer 2022
25. BEN GAITHER, III (Father), SPR1972 Epsilon Psi Chapter @ The University of Maryland-College Park, current Sigma Sigma Sigma, Montgomery County, MD
26. THOMAS LOUIS GATHEN (Father), SPR1972 Beta Theta Chapter @ University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, current Gamma Psi Sigma Chapter
21. WILLIAM A. DUDLEY, SR., ESQ. (Father) – FALL1969
31. AVERY HALL, SR. (Father) SPR1992 Alpha Alpha Rho Chapter @ Appalachian State University, current Delta Sigma,?
Eta Chapter @ North Carolina A&T State University, current Eta Sigma Chapter, Raleigh, NC
BEN GAITHER, IV (Son), FALL2013 Sigma Sigma Sigma Chapter, Montgomery County, MD
ARMA’RAE HILL (Son), SPR2022 Nu Upsilon Sigma Chapter, South Bend, IN 42. BAKARI JACKSON (Father), SPR1992 Kappa Iota Chapter @ University of South Carolina
NICHOLAS L. HERRING (Son), SPR2013
Alpha Epsilon Chapter @ Johnson C. Smith University
41. ORLANDO RAY HILL (Father), SPR1979
32. HON. JIMMY HAMMOCK (Father), FALL1970
36. MOSES L. HARVIN, SR. (Grandfather), FALL1973 Omicron Chapter @ Claflin University, current Kappa Chi Sigma, Rockledge, FL
Beta Theta Chapter @ University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, current Mu Beta Sigma, Little Rock, AR
BRANDON HARVEY (Son), SPR2010 Xi Iota Chapter @ Southeast Missouri State University, current Kappa Sigma, St. Louis, MO
Lambda Beta Chapter @ Ball State University
SHERWIN G. HENRY (Son), FALL2012 Nu Eta Sigma Chapter @ Tokyo, Japan
ANDRE R. HAMMOCK (Son), SPR1998 Alpha Xi Alpha Chapter @ East Tennessee State University, current Epsilon Psi Sigma Chapter, Las Vegas, NV
56 The Crescent Magazine
JASPER L. HARRIS, JR. (Son), SPR2000 Xi Gamma Chapter @ University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Kappa Kappa Chapter @ University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA
BAKARI Z. JACKSON (Son), SPR2022 Kappa Iota Chapter @ University of South Carolina
Rho Chapter @ Southern University and A&M College
MAURICE HILL, JR. (Son), SPR2017
38. JIMMY C. HERRING, SR. (Father), SPR1978
39. LORENZO DOW HILL, SR. (Father), SPR1977 Upsilon Chapter @ Livingstone College
Gamma Gamma Chapter @ North Carolina Central University
LORENZO DOW HILL, II (Son), FALL2002
35. MIKE HARVEY (Father), SPR1981 Delta Phi Chapter @ Mississippi Valley State University, current Kappa Sigma, St. Louis, MO
BYRON HARRIS (Son), SPR2014 Rho Gamma Chapter @ University of North Carolina at Charlotte
JALEN LANGLEY (Grandson), SPR2022 Omicron Chapter @ Claflin University
JIMMY C. HERRING, JR. (Son), SPR2012
37. SHERWIN L. HENRY (Father), FALL2013 Epsilon Omicron Sigma Chapter, Gainesville, FL
40. MAURICE HILL, SR. (Father), SPR2007 Delta Iota Sigma Chapter, New Haven, CT
Beta Alpha Chapter @ Boston Metro, Boston, MA, current Delta Iota Sigma, New Haven, CT
KAMERON HARRIS (Son), SPR2016 Rho Gamma Chapter @ University of North Carolina at Charlotte
33. WALTER HARRIS (Father), SPR1984 Alpha Epsilon Chapter @ Johnson C. Smith University
34. DR. JASPER L. HARRIS (father), SUM1969
Rho Chapter @ Southern University and A&M College
TYWAYNE WIGGINS (Son), SUM2017 Nu Gamma Sigma Chapter, Belleville, IL
Theta Rho Chapter @ Sam Houston State University (OMEGA CHAPTER)
46. MICHAEL JOHNSON (Father), SPR1988 Mu Alpha Chapter @ Fitchburg State University DEVON JOHNSON (Son), FALL2020 Beta Alpha Chapter, Boston Metro, Boston, MA
47. DR. ROBERT C. JONES, JR. (Father), SPR2003
45. CHARLES M. JOHNSON, JR. (Father), SPR1993 Alpha Sigma Chapter, Washington, DC, current Omicron Delta Sigma Chapter, Southern Maryland
51. DAMIEN JAMES LAND (Father), FALL1997 Iota Pi Chapter @ University of Central Arkansas, current Lambda Gamma Sigma, Conway, AR DAYLON JAMES LAND (Son), FALL2021 Chi Chapter @ Morehouse College
57Summer 2022
53. JAMES A. LEE, II (Son) SPR2018 Alpha Iota Sigma Chapter, Lorman, MS 54. DAVID J. MARCEL (Father), SPR1991 Xi Alpha Chapter @ Baruch College-NYC, current Gamma Eta Sigma, Tampa, FL ERICK F. MARCEL (Son), FALL2018 Alpha Eta Chapter @ Florida A&M University, current Beta Lambda Sigma, Tallahassee, FL
JELANI JACKSON (Son), SPR2022 Eta Chapter @North Carolina A&T University
ANTWANN JACKSON (Grandson), 2014 Delta Omicron Sigma Chapter, St. Petersburg, FL
CHAD JOHNSON (Son), SUM2020 Omicron Delta Sigma Chapter, Southern Maryland
Epsilon Lambda Sigma Chapter, current Upsilon Sigma, Chicago, IL
48. RAYNER D. JOHNSON (Father), FALL1989 Kappa Beta Chapter @ Frostburg State University, current MAL RAYNER M. JOHNSON (Son), SPR2022 Theta Omicron Chapter @ Towson State University
Delta Epsilon Chapter @ Lane University, current Upsilon Sigma, Chicago, IL
JAMAHL JOHNSON (Son) – FALL2021
43. JOHN JACKSON (Father), SPR1984 Alpha Chapter @ Howard University, current Sigma Sigma Sigma, Montgomery County, MD
Epsilon Chi Chapter @ Illinois State University, current Zeta Xi Sigma Chapter, Fort Bend County, TX 50. JIM D. KELLY (Father) – SPR1984 Beta Gamma Chapter @ Hampton University, current Omicron Zeta Sigma, Prince William County, VA ALEXANDER E. KELLY (Son) – SPR2022 Beta Gamma Chapter @ Hampton University
44. THOMAS “JET” JACKSON (Grandfather), 1965 Gamma Tau Chapter, current Delta Omicron Sigma, St. Petersburg, FL
49. SHELBY JOHNSON, SR. (Father) – SPR1982
SHELBY JOHNSON, JR. (Son) – FALL2005
52. JAMES A. LEE, SR. (Father) SPR1982 Alpha Zeta Chapter @ Alcorn State University, current Alpha Iota Sigma Chapter, Lorman, MS
61. DR. KENT L. POINDEXTER (Father), FALL1974 Zeta Mu Chapter @ Bradley University, current Iota Nu Sigma, Chicago, IL
EMILIO O’BRIEN (Son), SPR2016 Alpha Beta Iota Chapter @ Florida Atlantic University, current Beta Zeta Sigma AUSTIN O’BRIEN (Son), FALL2018 Gamma Delta Sigma, Orlando, FL, current Beta Zeta Sigma
JAMES MOORE (Son), SPR2019 Beta Gamma Chapter @ Hampton University, current Sigma Sigma Sigma Chapter
CARLETON RIVERS, JR. (Son), SUM2018 Epsilon Lambda Sigma Chapter, East St. Louis, IL
CHRISTOPHER MOORE (Son), SUM2019 Sigma Sigma Sigma Chapter, Montgomery County, MD
JOSHUA MURPHY (Son), SPR2017 Alpha Alpha Rho Chapter @ Appalachian State University
60. MICHAEL OWENS (Father), FALL1980 Lambda Eta Chapter @ Arkansas State University KENNEDY OWENS (Son), SPR2020 Beta Gamma Chapter @ Hampton University
TRACY PROCTOR, JR. (Son), FALL2020 Sigma Sigma Sigma Chapter, Montgomery County, MD
JUSTIN L. POINDEXTER (Son), SPR2008 Alpha Chapter @ Howard University
57. LENNON MOORE (Father), SPR2021 Sigma Sigma Sigma Chapter, Montgomery County, MD 58. WILLIAM MURPHY (Father), SPR1992 Alpha Alpha Delta Sigma @ Appalachian State University
TARRELL MITCHELL (Son), SUM2021 Sigma Delta Sigma Chapter, Woodstock, GA
59. DEAN O’BRIEN (Father), SPR1982 Epsilon Kappa Chapter @ University of Pittsburgh, current Beta Zeta Sigma, Daytona Beach, FL
54. DONALD MCAULAY, SR. (Father), - FALL1981
62. TRACY PROCTOR, SR. (Father), SPR1984 Alpha Chapter @ Howard University, current Sigma Sigma Sigma, Montgomery County, MD
STEPHEN MILLS, JR. (Son), SPR2017 Epsilon Chi Chapter @ Illinois State University
64. CARLETON RIVERS, SR. (Father), FALL2010 Epsilon Lambda Sigma Chapter, East St. Louis, IL
Theta Upsilon Chapter @ Cal State University-Fullerton, current Delta Iota Sigma Chapter, New Haven, CT
58 The Crescent Magazine
DONALD MCAULAY, JR. (Son), SPR2008 Gamma Gamma Alpha Chapter @ College of William & Mary, current Delta Iota Sigma Chapter, New Haven, CT
55. STEPHEN MILLS, SR. (Father), SPR1987 Epsilon Chi Chapter @ Illinois State University
JONATHAN REY (SON) FALL2019 Pace University, Beta Psi Sigma Chapter, Westchester, NY
56. SAM T. MITCHELL, JR. (Father), SPR1993 Mu Zeta Chapter @ Rutgers University, current Sigma Delta Sigma, Woodstock, GA
63. HON. CHRIS V. REY (Father), FALL1996 Xi Nu Chapter @ East Carolina University, current Omicron Zeta Sigma Chapter
71. ANDRE THARP, JR. (Father), SPR1990 Omicron Zeta Chapter @ San Francisco State University current Iota Alpha Sigma Chapter, San Francisco, CA
COURTNEY SOUVENIR, JR. (Son) SPR2021 Gamma Chapter @ Morgan State University
WILLIAM GARRETT STANLEY (Son) – FALL2020 | Lambda Sigma Chapter, Atlanta, GA
EDGAR UNTHANK (Son)
65. DANIEL L. SCOTT (Father), SPR1995 Epsilon Chi Sigma Chapter, Chicago, IL, current Theta Mu Sigma, Dallas, TX
N’AITHAN L. SCOTT (Son), SPR2021 Alpha Alpha Theta Sigma Chapter, Pensacola, FL
66. THOMAS SMITH, II (Father), SPR1994 Alpha Alpha Lambda Chapter @ Troy State University, current Sigma Delta Sigma, Woodstock, GA
Kappa Epsilon Sigma Chapter, Vicksburg, MS
69. COURTNEY SOUVENIR, SR. (Father) FALL1990
BRANDON TOMPKINS (Son), SPR2015 Kappa Chi Sigma Chapter, Rockledge, FL, current Delta Iota Sigma, New Haven, CT
75. QUINTUS UNTHANK, SR. (Father), FALL1949
LaKEEM STAGGERS (Son), SPR2009 Phi Chapter @ Philander Smith College, current Mu Beta Sigma, Little Rock, AR
THOMAS SMITH, III (Son), FALL2017 Kappa Zeta Sigma Chapter, Warner State University, current Sigma Delta Sigma, Woodstock, GA
70. HON. WILLIAM E. STANLEY, JR. (Father/Grandfather) – FALL1968 Gamma Gamma Chapter @ North Carolina Central University, current Lambda Sigma, Atlanta, GA
72. WARREN THOMAS (Father), SPR1995 Mu Epsilon Chapter, Florida State University
59Summer 2022
68. DELARIOUS STEWART (Father) JACQUE HARVEY (Son)
ANDRE THARP, III (Son), SPR2020 @ University of Nebraska-Lincoln, current Rho Upsilon Sigma, Lincoln, NE
67. LARRY L. STAGGERS (Father), FALL1965 Phi Chapter @ Philander Smith College, current Mu Beta Sigma, Little Rock, AR
73. DEREK TOMPKINS (Father), SPR1982 Nu Lambda Chapter @Adelphi University, current Delta Iota Sigma, New Haven, CT
LARRY V. TYRONE, JR. (Son), SUM2016
Omicron Alpha Chapter @ Utica College, current Sigma Sigma Sigma, Montgomery County, MD
DEVIN THOMAS (Son), SPR2022 Alpha Eta Chapter, Florida A & M University
ERIC SMITH (Grandson) – FALL2020 | Lambda Sigma Chapter, Atlanta, GA
74. LARRY V. TYRONE, SR. (Father), SPR1976 Theta Eta Chapter @ University of Southern Mississippi, current Kappa Epsilon Sigma Chapter
Alpha Theta Chapter @ West Virginia State College
JASON DANIELS, SPR2016 | Alpha Alpha Alpha Chapter @ Virginia State University, current MAL CLAYMON A. STEVENSON, SPR2017 | Epsilon Psi Chapter, current Alpha Pi Alpha Chapter @ Robert Morris University
BRANDON WATSON (Son), SPR2021 Beta Lambda Sigma Chapter, Tallahassee, FL 82. DR. FREDDIE E. WILLS, JR. (Father) 1994 CHRISTIAN WILLS (Son) 2018 83. ROBERT W. WONGUS (Father), 1973 Gamma Chapter @ Morgan State University, current Nu Sigma Sigma, Baltimore, MD
60 The Crescent Magazine
ELIJAH WASHINGTON (Son), SPR2022 Alpha Beta Chapter @ Jackson State University
MILTON L. WASHINGTON (Son), SPR2017 Nu Zeta Chapter @ Baylor University
SEATING: SONS MALIK SMITH, FALL2016 | Gamma Chapter @ Morgan State University, current Zeta Sigma Chapter
76. HON. CARL WALKER (Father), FALL1982 Epsilon Xi Chapter @ University of Illinois at Champaign, current Upsilon Sigma, Chicago,IL
78. DAVID K. WASHINGTON (Father), SPR1974 Beta Gamma Chapter @ Hampton Institute, current Nu Sigma Chapter, Philadelphia, PA
MARSHALL WALKER (Son), SUM2018 Epsilon Lambda Sigma, currently Alpha Beta Sigma, Houston, TX
77. D’ANGELQUEAT WARREN, SR. (Father), FALL1997 Zeta Alpha Chapter @ Tennessee State University
DR. MICHAEL L. ZOLLICOFFER (Son), SPR1977 Zeta Upsilon Chapter @ University of Maryland-Baltimore County, current Nu Sigma Sigma, Baltimore, MD Zeta Sigma Chapter, Baltimore, MD multiple Legacies
DR. CLAYMON A. STEVENSON, II, FALL1984 | Epsilon Psi Chapter @ University of Maryland, current Zeta Sigma Chapter
ROBERT B. WONGUS (Son), FALL2010 Nu Sigma Sigma Chapter, Baltimore, MD 84. DR. LAWRENCE ZOLLICOFFER (Father), 1946 Eta Chapter @ North Carolina A&T State University, (OMEGA CHAPTER)
79. GERALD WASHINGTON (Father), FALL1984 Iota Alpha Chapter @ Chicago Metropolitan, current Iota Phi Sigma, Chicago, IL
80. RODNEY WASHINGTON, EdD (Father), FALL1990 Delta Phi Chapter @ Mississippi Valley State University
D’ANGELQUEAT WARREN, JR. (Son), SPR2022 Beta Zeta Chapter @ Le Moyne-Owen College
DAVID S. WASHINGTON (Son), SPR2000 Gamma Omicron Chapter @ Cheyney University, current Nu Sigma Chapter, Philadelphia, PA
STANDING: FATHERS WILLIE SMITH, SPR1989 | Zeta Upsilon Chapter @ University of Maryland, Baltimore County, current Zeta Sigma Chapter
WADDELL DANIELS, FALL1987 | Zeta Upsilon Chapter @ University of Maryland, Baltimore County, current Zeta Sigma Chapter
81. TERRY WATSON (Father), SPR1979 Lambda Beta Chapter @ Ball State University
AROUND THE REGIONS
Brother Marcus A. Daly, Omicron Chi Sigma Chapter
Nigel Coelho, Chi Sigma Chapter APPOINTED BOARD MEMBER OF THE YEAR
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AWARD MARCH OF DIMES
SIGMA BETA CLUB OF THE YEAR Kappa Upsilon Sigma Chapter
Corbin, Omicron Xi Sigma Chapter SOCIAL ACTION AWARD ALUMNI - Chi Sigma Chapter COLLEGIATE - Gamma Chapter COLLEGIATE AFFAIRS AWARDS COLLEGIATE CHAPTER OF THE YEAR Alpha Alpha Alpha Chapter COLLEGIATE ADVISOR OF THE YEAR Brother Elford Jackson, Zeta Sigma Chapter
62 The Crescent Magazine EASTERNJRREGIONReeves REGIONAL DIRECTOR EASTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE TOOK PLACE MARCH 31 THROUGH APRIL 3, 2022 IN PHILADELPHIA, PA REGIONAL DIRECTOR AWARD WINNERS ELECTED BOARD MEMBER OF THE YEAR
Brother Tonto
Beta Psi Sigma Chapter
C. MELVIN PATRICK AWARD
HON. DANIEL J. TANN RISK MANAGEMENT AWARD
SERVICE AWARD WINNERS
Kappa Beta Sigma
Brother Teon Frazier, Rho Tau Chapter
Brother Rodney Wright, Beta Sigma Chapter
Edmund Hardy, Theta Omicron Sigma Chapter STATE DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR Brother Rodney Wright, Virginia State Director Beta Sigma Chapter SIGMA MAN OF THE YEAR Brother Dr. Arthur Hill, Zeta Sigma Chapter BIGGER & BETTER BUSINESS AWARD ALUMNI - Beta Psi Sigma Chapter COLLEGIATE - Kappa Mu Chapter EDUCATION AWARD ALUMNI - Kappa Beta Sigma Chapter COLLEGIATE - Mu Delta Chapter TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Brother Stanley Price, Chi Sigma Chapter
WALTER M. CLARK AWARD
Hon. Brother Sydney Moshette, Jr. Golden 70 Years
Brother Frederick Holcomb Golden 65 Years
Brother Ben Alston, Kappa Beta Sigma Chapter
Brother Todd D. LeBon, Delta Pi Sigma Chapter
COLLEGIATE - Chapter
Brother Dominick M. Thomas, Zeta Delta Sigma Chapter
OTHER AWARDS
Brother Jenabu C. Williams, Chi Sigma Chapter
A. PHILIP RANDOLPH AWARD
Brother Darryl Curtis, Kappa Sigma Chapter
ALUMNI - Chapter
Brother
Brother
CHAPTER
SIGMA BETA CLUB AWARDS
SIGMA BETA CLUB ADVISOR OF THE YEAR
Brother Rogers L. Barnes, Zeta Alpha Sigma Chapter
Brother
Delta Delta
Brother Roscoe Redross, Jr. Golden 50 Years
Ross Hamilton, Nu Sigma Chapter CONTINUING EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP Brother Thomas Phillips, Jr, Epsilon Sigma Chapter
PROMINENT BROTHER SERVICE AWARDEES
REPORT AWARDS
63Summer 2022 GREAT LAKES REGION
ALUMNI CHAPTERS OF THE YEAR
Brother Earnest R. Jackson, Rho Eta Sigma Chapter
THE GREAT LAKES REGIONAL CONFERENCE WAS HELD IN CHICAGO, IL AT THE HILTON ROSEMONT/CHICAGO O’HARE APRIL 28-30, 2022.
Brother Timothy A. Johnson, Eta Alpha Sigma Chapter
The conference was very well attended by such Sigma dignitaries as Hon. Brother Chris V. Rey, International President, Brother Maxwell McDaniel, International Second Vice President and Hon. Brother Micheal E. Cristal, 35th International President. But it was Brother Avery L. Wells of the Epsilon Theta Chapter of Western Kentucky University, who was one of the meeting’s biggest winners!
Charles Jones REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Brother Kobee Marion, Gamma Pi Gamma Chapter
Brother Jeffrey B. Norman, Delta Xi Sigma Chapter
Brother Dr. Julius W. Dudley, Sigma Omicron Sigma Chapter
Not only was he elected and sworn in as the 2nd Vice Director of the Great Lakes Region, he received the inaugural Sapphire Award for his commitment to service and his accomplishments on campus through Phi Beta Sigma. In addition, the Black Student Alliance named him Man of the Year and the Student Government Association awarded Brother Wells a $250 scholarship. He said, “it was an honor to visit Chicago to convene with my fraternity brothers and learn valuable skills to continue to advance the work of Phi Beta Sigma. To be surrounded by trailblazing men who carry out the work of Phi Beta Sigma is truly a blessing. I’m thankful for their leadership and guidance on my journey of becoming.”
Brother Dr. Lamar R. Hylton, Delta Rho Sigma Chapter
Brother Tyrese L. Montgomery, Pi Psi Sigma Chapter Brother Karl S. Nichols, Nu Upsilon Sigma Chapter
Brother Joseph Tate, Theta Beta Chapter
CHAPTER AWARDS SAPPHIRE AWARD RECIPIENTS
COLLEGIATE CHAPTER OF THE YEAR Bronze - Nu Nu Chapter
Brother Sterling Massey, Alpha Rho Sigma Chapter Brother Donald McGee, Zeta Nu Sigma Chapter
Brother Shemarr Rice, Alpha Beta Mu Chapter
Brother Travell D. Weatherby, Lambda Gamma Chapter
Congratulations to Brother Charles L. Jones for being elected the 32nd Great Lakes Regional Director.
Sapphire - Omicron Alpha Sigma Chapter Gold - Beta Xi Sigma Chapter Bronze - Rho Chi Sigma Chapter
Brother Avery Wells, Upsilon Theta Chapter
Brother Clifford D. McBean, Zeta Xi Sigma Chapter
OUTSTANDING CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARDS
COLLEGIATE - Theta Chapter, Huston-Tillotson University
MEMBERSHIP AWARDS
Brother Charles Simpson, Theta Delta Sigma Chapter
ALUMNI - Zeta Xi Sigma Chapter, Ft. Bend County, TX
THE GULF COAST REGIONAL AWARDS WERE PRESENTED DURING ITS REGIONAL CONFERENCE WHICH TOOK PLACE APRIL 7-10 AT THE MARRIOTT WESTCHASE HOTEL IN HOUSTON, TX.
Iota Mu Sigma Chapter, Arlington, Texas OUTSTANDING EDUCATION PROGRAM AWARD
Brother Ramsey Cooper, Eta Rho Sigma Chapter
HIGHEST COLLEGIATE CHAPTER GPA
Brother Rufus Davison, Theta Beta Sigma Chapter
Bronze Level I COLLEGIATE - Zeta Zeta Chapter, University of Houston
Silver Level II COLLEGIATE - Iota Tau Chapter, Louisiana State University
REGIONAL DIRECTOR’S AWARDS
ALUMNI - Omicron Beta Sigma Chapter, Baton Rouge, LA OUTSTANDING BIGGER & BETTER BUSINESS PROGRAM AWARD
ALUMNI - Omicron Beta Sigma Chapter, Baton Rouge, LA
COLLEGIATE - Delta Theta Chapter, Prairie View A&M University
MILITARY AFFAIRS SIGMA OF THE YEAR
Brother Felton Greer, Jr., Zeta Xi Sigma Chapter
Diamond Level IV
ALUMNI - Theta Mu Sigma Chapter, Dallas, Texas OUTSTANDING SOCIAL ACTION PROGRAM AWARD
Brother Rufus Davison, Theta Beta Sigma Chapter
Brother Dorallo Fuller, Beta Beta Sigma Chapter
Brother Chadrick Williams, Beta Delta Chapter
Brother Torey Page, Iota Mu Sigma Chapter
LEWIS “SLIM” ENGRAM SCHOLARSHIP
C.Y. THOMAS ADOPT-A-SCHOOL GRANT Theta Mu Sigma Chapter, Dallas, TX
OUTSTANDING SIGMA BETA CLUB PROGRAM AWARD
Brother Blake Maness, Alpha Beta Sigma Chapter
Brother John E. Lewis, Omicron Beta Sigma Chapter
ALUMNI - Theta Delta Sigma Chapter, Killeen/Ft. Hood, TX
COLLEGIATE - Delta Theta Chapter, Prairie View A&M University
ALUMNI - Theta Theta Sigma Chapter, El Paso, TX Gold Level III COLLEGIATE - Delta Theta Chapter, Prairie View A&M University
Brother Christian Broussard, Theta Chapter
Marcus Sylvas, Omicron Beta Sigma Chapter
64 The Crescent Magazine GULF COAST REGION Earl Gamble REGIONAL DIRECTOR Congratulations to Brother Earl Gamble, elected Gulf Coast Regional Director!
SIGMA BETA CLUB Brother Mark Adams, Iota Mu Sigma Chapter
Theta Chapter, Huston-Tillotson University (3.4 GPA)
COLLEGIATE ADVISORS OF THE YEAR Brother Felton Greer, Jr., Zeta Xi Sigma Chapter
Founders Level V ALUMNI - Zeta Xi Sigma Chapter, Fort Bend County, TX Sapphire Level VI ALUMNI - Iota Mu Sigma Chapter, Arlington, TX
Omicron Beta Sigma Chapter, Baton Rouge, LA
Brother Brandon Bilton, Sigma Kappa Sigma Chapter
JAMES T. FLOYD HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
65Summer 2022 SOUTHEASTERN
Brother Darius McLaurin, Eta Sigma Chapter
Notable Brother Pedro Holley, Alpha Upsilon Sigma Chapter
DURING
Brother Wendell Hoskins, Golden 50 Years
Notable Brother Kelley S. Woodley, Beta Rho Sigma Chapter
Notable Brother Richard L. Boone, Delta Kappa Sigma Chapter
Notable Brother Tyrone Frasier, Pi Sigma Chapter
COLLEGIATE BROTHER OF THE YEAR Brother Kyseem Powell, Alpha Epsilon Chapter ALUMNI BROTHER OF THE YEAR
Hon. Brother Dr. Dudley Flood, Eta Sigma Chapter
SERVICE AWARDS
THE SOUTHEASTERN
Brother Isaac Everette, Silver 25 Years
Notable Brother Willie Conner, Delta Sigma Chapter
SIGMA LEGENDS AWARD
REGIONAL AWARDS WERE PRESENTED THE REGIONAL CONFERENCE HELD IN CHATTANOOGA, TN
Brother Nakia Montia Harris, Zeta Beta Sigma Chapter
REGIONAL DIRECTOR’S AWARD
Brother Timothy J. Foster, Silver 25 Years
Brother David Scott, Eta Sigma Chapter
Brother Arthur Benton, Epsilon Xi Sigma Chapter
Notable Brother Mark Allmon, Phi Sigma Chapter
Notable Brother Courtney Fauntleroy, Delta Zeta Sigma Chapter
Hon. Brother John Milner, Eta Sigma Chapter
Notable Brother Demond Nichols, Zeta Theta Sigma Chapter
Brother Jimmy L. Coples, Golden 50 Years
BROTHERHOOD OVER & BEYOND AWARD
Brother Kelley Woodley, Beta Rho Sigma Chapter
REGION Richard L. Boone REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Congratulations to Brother Richard L. Boone, elected the 21st Southeastern Regional Director, he hails from Delta Kappa Sigma Chapter in Sumter, South Carolina.
COLLEGIATE - Rho Beta Chapter ALUMNI - Delta Zeta Sigma Chapter EDUCATION AWARD COLLEGIATE - Pi Iota Chapter ALUMNI - Phi Sigma Chapter SOCIAL ACTION AWARD COLLEGIATE - Pi Chapter ALUMNI - Beta Rho Sigma Chapter, Charlotte, NC CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARDS
BIGGER & BETTER BUSINESS AWARD
Brother Robert Wares, Golden 50 Years
Bronze COLLEGIATE - Alpha Epsilon Chapter ALUMNI - Phi Sigma Chapter Silver ALUMNI - Eta Theta Sigma Chapter Gold ALUMNI - Gamma Beta Sigma Chapter Diamond ALUMNI - Zeta Beta Sigma Chapter Founders ALUMNI - Beta Chi Sigma Chapter
Brother Courtney Royster, Alpha Lambda Sigma Chapter
COLLEGIATE ADVISOR OF THE YEAR
J. NEIL ARMSTRONG AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Brother Dr. Arthur Holmes, Beta Mu Sigma Chapter
1ST PLACE - Brother Devon Cangé, Georgia State Director
The Southern Regional Conference was held April 7-10, 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama and hosted by the Tau Sigma Chapter, which provided all of the local logistics and entertainment for the well-attended conference. The conference ended with two of the chapter’s members being honored by the Southern Region. Brother Quentin Carter took home the Minority Businessman of the Year and Brother Leon Moody was elected the Southern Regional Director of Collegiate Affairs. Under the leadership of Southern Regional Director, Brother Dr. Errick Farmer, Alabama State Director, Brother Abraham Evans, III, Tau Sigma Chapter President, Brother Keon Jr. and Conference Chair Brother Perren Banks, the Southern Region’s first in-person conference was a huge success!
CHAPTER REPORT AWARDS COLLEGIATE CHAPTERS OF THE YEAR Bronze Level Beta Rho Chapter Silver Level Alpha Beta Chapter ALUMNI CHAPTERS OF THE YEAR Bronze Level Delta Omicron Sigma Chapter Silver Level Gamma Pi Sigma Chapter Gold Level Tau Sigma Chapter Diamond Level Rho Sigma Chapter Sapphire Level Xi Chi Sigma Chapter Platinum Level Lambda Sigma Chapter
Theta Iota Chapter, Mississippi State University
EDUCATION PROGRAM AWARDS
BIGGER & BETTER BUSINESS AWARDS
PIA AWARDS
REGIONAL DIRECTOR BBB AWARDS
1ST COLLEGIATEPLACE
ALUMNI - Alpha Alpha Theta Sigma Chapter
Alpha Beta Chapter, Jackson State University
66 The Crescent Magazine SOUTHERN REGION
- Theta Iota Chapter, Mississippi State University
Gamma Delta Sigma Chapter, Orlando, Florida
Alpha Psi Sigma Chapter, Columbus, Georgia
ALUMNI - Omicron Tau Sigma Chapter
THE SOUTHERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE WAS HELD IN BIRMINGHAM, AL
Dr. Errick Farmer REGIONAL DIRECTOR
2ND PLACE - Brother Sean Parker, Florida BBB Director
2ND COLLEGIATEPLACE - Alpha Beta Chapter, Jackson State University
Brother Dr. Marcus
Chanay
Brother Sean Parker, Alpha Alpha Theta Chapter
OUTSTANDING
Sigma
Brandon Hill
Brother Curry Atterberry, Eta Chapter
Brother Richard Bradley, Rho Chapter Brother Ruben Grant, Gamma Delta Chapter
Sigma
Brother Julius Wilson, Nu Psi Sigma Chapter
ALUMNI - Eta Beta Sigma, Tennessee Founders Level ALUMNI - Tau Iota Sigma,
Thaddeus Turner
REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Sigma, Missouri Gold
THORNTON BIGGER & BETTER BUSINESS MEMORIAL AWARD
Burgess
OUTSTANDING CHAPTERS Bronze Level
SOCIAL ACTION AWARDS MARCH FOR BABIES CIRCLE OF CHAMPIONS
COLLEGIATE CHAPTER WITH HIGHEST Phi Chapter 3.26 (Philander Smith College)
SCHOLARSHIP AWARD WINNERS
Brother Wellington Ferguson
Brother Frank Nichols, Delta Upsilon Sigma Chapter
Alpha, Tennessee
Delta,
Gamma Sigma, Arkansas
Brother Charles Thomas, Omicron Phi Sigma Chapter Brother Eddie Williams, Beta Lambda Sigma Chapter
COLLEGIATE - Kappa Omicron,
Brother Timothy Bridgeman Brother Steve Jean Charles
LEWIS GOOD TROUBLE AWARDS
ALUMNI - Delta Beta Level
Brother Omar El Hamdani Brother Justin Ikara Brother Donandre Orr Brother Jadon Pauling
COLLEGIATE - Theta
Sigma, Oklahoma Silver
Diamond Level
Sigma
Brother Vernon A. Rayford, Theta Iota Sigma Chapter Brother Louis Sutton, Gamma Epsilon Chapter
Joseph Wilson DANIEL MCDANIELS EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
COLLEGIATE - Alpha Gamma
Tennessee
Sigma
Brother Dr. Dale
COLLEGIATE WITH THE
GPA
Missouri
Tennessee
COLLEGIATE - Alpha Beta Tennessee
Beta Sigma
SIGMA AWARDS
Brother Teshaun Anderson, Jr.
ALUMNI - Theta Chi Sapphire Level
ALUMNI - Lambda
Alpha, Arkansas
Cecil McDonald GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER EDUCATION AWARD Brother Daryl Anderson, Jr. THE
Brother Antoine Jones, Nu Psi Chapter
Sawyer ARGEL OATIS SIGMA MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD Brother Joseph Wilson CHARLES I. BROWN SIGMA MAN OF THE AWARD
Brother Donald Prater, Nu Psi Chapter
Eta Sigma
HIGHEST GPA
COLLEGIATE - Delta Nu, Tennessee ALUMNI - Alpha Delta Sigma, Platinum Level
Brother Brother Gerard Brother Brother R. Brother JOHN T. Brother
Brother Jeffery Banks
Sigma, Oklahoma
67Summer 2022 SOUTHWESTERN REGION THE SOUTHWESTERN REGIONAL AWARDS WERE PRESENTED DURING THE REGIONAL CONFERENCE HELD IN LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
Brother Jamison Rimmer Brother Sanchez Rolle Brother Gabriel Smallwood Brother Tevin Tillman
Mario Ellis
Congratulations to Brother Brandon Hill, elected the 23rd Southwestern Regional Director.
ALUMNI - Nu Theta Level
Ian Boyd HON. BROTHER JOHN
Brother Nathan Seyoum, Omicron Eta Chapter (4.0)
Brother Kijan Edwards, Alpha Epsilon Sigma Chapter HON. BROTHER ANTHONY SAMAD ELECTED BOARD MEMBER OF THE YEAR
ALUMNI - Theta Dallas, Texas
Brother Colin Taylor, Phi Beta Sigma Chapter
Brother Dr. Stephen Rice, Phi Beta Sigma Chapter
AREA & STATE DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
Brother Raul Randle, Omicron Iota Sigma Chapter
HONORABLE BROTHER WILLIAM PERRY
OTHER AWARDS COLLEGIATE BROTHER WITH THE HIGHEST GPA
Brother Timothy Harris, Alpha Alpha Epsilon Sigma Chapter
CHAPTER AWARDS Level I Alumni Chapter of the Year Phi Beta Sigma Chapter Level II Alumni Chapter of the Year Sigma Zeta Sigma Chapter Level III Alumni Chapter of the Year Eta Nu Sigma Chapter Level II Most Improved Alumni Chapter Theta Alpha Sigma Chapter Level III Most Improved Alumni Chapter Theta Lambda Sigma Chapter
AT THE BEST WESTERN PLUS HACIENDA OLD TOWN IN SAN DIEGO, CA
Mu Sigma Chapter,
68 The Crescent Magazine WESTERN
Brother Dr. Stephen Rice, Phi Beta Sigma Chapter HON. BROTHER JEFFREY SNEED COLLEGIATE BROTHER OF THE YEAR AWARD Brother Victor Mikulin, Alpha Alpha Epsilon Chapter
THE WESTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE TOOK PLACE MAY 26-29, 2022
CHAPTER AWARDS
ALUMNI - Sigma Zeta Sigma Chapter
BROTHER DR. WILLIAM RILEY EDUCATION PROGRAM AWARD COLLEGIATE - Omicron Eta Chapter
Brother Dr. Michael Baslee, Phi Beta Sigma Chapter
ALUMNI - Sigma Zeta Sigma Chapter
Brother Greg Watkins, Lambda Iota Sigma Chapter
ALUMNI - Sigma Zeta Sigma Chapter
BROTHER HUEY P. NEWTON SOCIAL ACTION PROGRAM AWARD COLLEGIATE - Kappa Lambda Chapter
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE SOCIETY
Brother Sidney Jackson, Jr., Phi Beta Sigma Chapter HON. BROTHER RONALD CARTER APPOINTED BOARD MEMBER OF THE YEAR Brother Agha Ali Khan, Kappa Delta Sigma Chapter
SIGMA BETA CLUB OF THE YEAR Kappa Delta Sigma Chapter
Sidney Jackson REGIONAL DIRECTOR SIGMAS OF THE YEAR AWARDS HON. BROTHER JEFFERY WHITMORE ALUMNI BROTHER OF THE YEAR AWARD
BIGGER & BETTER BUSINESSPROGRAM AWARD
COLLEGIATE - Lambda Iota Chapter
CONFERENCE PLANNING AWARD
Brother Amari Jackson, Lambda Iota Chapter
Brother Chris Manigault, Theta Alpha Sigma Chapter
REGION Congratulations to Brother Sidney Jackson on his election as the 35th Western Regional Director.
COLLEGIATE ADVISORY TEAM OF THE YEAR AWARD Alpha Alpha Epsilon Sigma Chapter
BROTHER LINDSAY HUGHES
Brother Cecil Shelton, Lambda Iota Sigma Chapter
It is OK to be in this organization and be who you are and celebrate and develop the future of this fraternity. I want Brothers to remember that we are one organization charged with making a change. I want them to remember the work that we did with the Sigma Beta Club, the theme “The Next Gen eration of Leaders Accepting Responsibility and Loving the Challenge” was created by Carter D. Womack and expanded in this organization. Our brothers remember that G.O.M.A.B. was Carter D. Womack’s message that we were a generation. bop-bop-bopbop-bop. I want us to always remember those things as legacies. And that my commitment to the brothers has nothing to do with me. I want them to always know that they are phenomenal, that they are great, and they should never settle for less than the best in this organization. They got this from a brother who’s from Greenville, Alabama…never thought that he would be international president. I didn’t know anything about fraternities when I went to Alabama A&M University, but be cause of Honorable Brother Douglas Fales, who came to me from my hometown and said, you ought to be Phi Beta Sigma, I did. I want us to remember the names of the brothers that helped me: Honorable Brothers; Past President Charles B. Wright, Cliff Felton, Thomas Wright, Ron Carter, Past President Alvin J. McNeil, Jesse T. Williams and other brothers who helped along this journey; Ken White, Stephen McDaniel, Dr. Lawrence E. Miller, Gerald Diggs, Joe Copeland, Steve Ballard, Charles Talbert, Marco W. McMillian… oh, the list goes on and on…who gave me encouragement and my inner strength to continue when some brothers tried their best to cut me down, put me away! Yet, I rise because some of the older brothers who said to me that you would never, ever be president of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. So, when I got my first pin, I went to them and said, I’m in, and they embraced me. I will always remember Honorable President Roswell O. Sutton who said that to me, who campaigned against me vehemently, that I should never be president. But when I got elected president, past president Sutton was the first brother who came and shook my hand and stood before the brotherhood at the Conclave in Washington, DC and said, this is our international president, and I will be with him until the end. I called on Brother Sutton, and he chaired my Capital Campaign, The Giving Club and spoke on behalf of me. So that’s what I want brothers to remember: this victory. We might disagree, but at the end of the day, we are obligated to be Phi Beta Sigma men committed to our oath of membership for which we all took. My legacy is you and all these brothers that will read interview and hear this video; that will come up to me and say, Brother Womack, you got two numbers, why? I say it was God’s decision, not mine.
I had the opportunity to serve as the 27th and 29th International President of our global Brotherhood and I will forever be THANKFUL!
CW: I hope that brothers, who looked at Carter Devon Womack -- I will give the readers and listeners my middle name -- and I tell people my father named me; and my sister wanted to name me Lorenzo Womack. My dad said, no, this is the last one. He named me Carter Devon Womack. I tell people when they refer to me, I’m not Carter Womack, I’m Carter D. Womack. But for my legacy, I want to be is a brother that was committed to each and every brother in the organization. That I was not afraid to address tough issues such as AIDS and HIV in the community and among our brothers. We were the first organization, the only national organiza tion to put on the cover of the magazine, a story about AIDS and HIV. We did a story about a brother who was a collegiate member, my National Second Vice Presi dent, who was struggling with AIDS, and he was courageous and agreed to allow us to tell his story so that other brothers were aware of AIDS and to do everything to protect themselves and others. And what I want brothers to take from my legacy is that I went through this struggle of being in the closet, trying to figure out me, how to address the real me to my family, friends -- afraid that my GOD would reject me. I had seen how people treated openly gay men and heard how Sigma whispers about Brothers who were, or who they thought were gay. I had to stop, look myself in my mirror, prayed to my GOD and said let my GOOD WORKS, in Church, Sigma, Corporate America, City Hall as a City Councilman, in dealing with all types of people SPEAK for ME and who Carter D. Womack truly is. I had to move pass being chastised by brothers who tried to keep me from evolving to leadership in the Iorganization.amwhoIam, but I do and will always be respectful of the legacy and dignity of our Most Honorable Founders and all those men who came after them. I charge each brother to always, always do the same!
Hon. Bill Stanley served as the 28th Inter national President. Bill had a commitment to corporate relationships working with Clorox. We continued that piece and expanded on what we already started when I was with Ryder and getting more corporations to want to give to us. But I knew that we had to have some thing to sell. We just couldn’t go to corporate America and say, hey, give me some money. I had to be able to tell them about our growth, about our programs, about what was going on with the benefits they were going to receive from working with Phi Beta Sigma.
A HONORABLE CARTER D. WOMACK CONTINUED
70 The Crescent Magazine
LEGACY OF LEADERS:
TC: AS WE’RE CELEBRATING PHI BETA SIGMA’S RICH LEGACY, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR LEGACY IN THE ORGANIZATION?
PA: Well, quite frankly, I might be the only President who had the experience and opportunity to serve as First Vice President alongside two eventual Presidents, Stanley and Womack. Since I served as Vice President, I was involved in many key activities of their administrations. The Million Man March happened with President Stanley who with the General Board approved the use of our national office as Headquarters for the March. The introduction of the New Membership Intake process was approved by the Conclave as I assumed the office of Vice President and I chaired the committee that constructed the Manual and timelines and I created the Hold Harmless documents to be utilized. We put in place what the Conclave mandated.
A LEGACY OF LEADERS: HONORABLE PETER M. ADAMS, ESQ. CONTINUED
Talking history, naturally brings us to the Centennial, the one main event which caused us to look inward and look backward with pride; and that event my Brothers is history! I must say my experience and the opportunity to contribute to the fraternity as President is matched only by my service as Co-Chair of the Centennial. That gave me the responsibility to really study and establish some historical artifacts. As an example, with the assistance of Brother Harold Collins, City Councilman in Mem phis, we gained approval from the Shelby County Historic Commission and the City of Memphis to erect and formally unveil a two-sided historical marker on Beale Street, where Founder A. Langston Taylor conceived of Phi Beta Sigma. We also put in place on the campus of Howard University that remarkable Cen tennial Memorial Monument, which was the highlight of the Centennial. This was a labor of love and challenge that I personal ly worked with the university, the fabricator and construction company to make happen. I had the privilege of marshaling selection of the location, providing the elements for the design and personally composing the inscriptions on the monument at Howard and the historical marker in Memphis. And we were fortunate to have a good Brother Ranier Keith, Sr. create original sketched images of the Founders. Those are unique images you’ll find only on that monument.
When you talk about legacy, I do not think about lone actors, I remember my experi ence as a track athlete. The Legacy of Leaders is more akin to a relay race. Each president runs but one leg. I see it as really taking the baton from the previous president and continuing the race set by the Founders. So, the legacy really doesn’t start with the immediate past president. It starts with the Founders and what they placed before us as the mission of Phi Beta Sigma.
71Summer 2022
To have recorded and searchable history is very important in paying homage to our forebears and their contributions, and in documenting and preserving the reputation of our Fraternity. In our admin istration, we made progress in this area. We had not before had an established collection, a museum or a concerted effort to document the history other than in periodic updates to the Fraternity history books. Our Headquarters was the prime depositary of records. We did not have a curator of the artifacts.
From my view, I don’t know whether you can say that tomorrow is more important than yesterday, or that yesterday is more impor tant than tomorrow. I believe they’re equally
Interestingly, I have now been a Sigma for half of the Fraternity’s 108 years. I was initiated in 1968, 54 years after the Found ing, and 54 years later in 2022, here is where we are.
TC: AS WE CELEBRATE OUR LEGACY OF LEADERS BY BUILDING UPON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR PREDECESSORS, WHAT PROGRAM, INITIATIVE OR FOCUS AREA IMPLEMENTED BY THE STANLEY OR WOMACK ADMINISTRATION DID YOU ADVANCE DURING THE ADAMS ADMINISTRATION?
Several brothers, very much on their own initiative and inspiration took on that work. Foremost among them was Brother Mark Pacich, better known as Mallet. He had just come into the fraternity in ‘91, but by ‘95 he was really hard at work trying to find these artifacts and to document them. Worthy of mention as well, is former Executive Director, Brother Gerald Smith and Brother Dr. Kevin Christian. Brother Todd LeBon joined in also, and these and others made a pilgrimage to Kansas State University, the institution where Founder Charles I. Brown located after graduation Howard University. That university, to our pleasant surprise was most welcoming. They host ed quite a symposium with respect to the contributions of the men of Sigma who matriculated there and their professional Sigmapursuits.Brothers and their activities were documented in the University’s yearbooks.
What’simportant.also important is what we will do today to carry on the legacy of the Founders. I think that knowing the Men of Sigma as I do, Sigma is in good hands. It’s not what my administration did—what other administrations did. It’s what we collectively have done. I was president of the Distin guished Service Chapter. I would say to the brothers assembled at those inductions that while we gather to celebrate these men who were singled out to be recognized, it’s not as though there aren’t countless unsung brothers who have given so much to this fraternity and they are all celebrated and appreciated. We’ve had the privilege as presidents to lead, but it’s really the work invested by the brothers that has produced the Whatresults.Iremember and value most is, coming into Sigma, I brought to bear my professional experiences as an attorney, a litigator. I wanted to make sure that the
More importantly, the names of Brothers inscribed thereon provides a searchable history of the body of men who built our beloved Fraternity and a tribute to our dear Zeta sisters.
Those are some historical pieces that were put in place, and that was started with the effort to document our history back under my administration.
As to Sigma’s museum, and the collection amassed by Bro. Pacich, the display of that museum was also held at the Headquarters during the Centennial, and a travel exhibi tion was provided at prior Conclaves.
The University again rolled out the “blue” carpet during the pre-Centennial events in Kansas, when we journeyed back, tracing our Founder’s steps. We were hosted warm ly by the University officials and provided copies of the earlier symposium on Sigma.
72 The Crescent Magazine risks associated with operating a frater nity were well protected. As Regional Director, I believe I introduced the first Regional Legal Counsel position in the country, now utilized in all regions. I brought on board good insurance and contained the rates. I developed a Joint Statement Against Hazing for the Council of Presidents signed by the Divine Nine leaders.
Both Presidents Womack and Stanley were very involved with the National Pan-Hel lenic Council and Zeta Phi Beta and it was important for us to continually foster those relationships. As Presidents, each of us served admirably with and was supportive of our Zeta counterpart. I pay special recog nition and offer a note of gratitude for the cooperation of the very gracious Grand Basileus Dr. Barbara Carpenter during my So,terms.in
AT: I would say my greatest legacy is The Sigma Beta Club Foundation and in our commitment to mentorship followed by the establishment of Miss Phi Beta Sigma Pag eant. It began with my offering of a Consti tutional Amendment to create and establish Sigma Beta Clubs involving mentorship of young boys, primarily of African American descent, but not exclusively, to be managed at the Alumni levels, under the umbrella of a National Sigma Beta Club Foundation. That is indicative of who I am and the expe rience of mentorship that I had growing up in this little town called Ville Platte. So, the Sigma Beta Club was only one conduit we considered during my administration, cou pled with ideas, goals and objectives in sus taining and increasing membership growth in our organization. When we begin to take young boys/men at an age of eight years old and we mentor them throughout the period of their youth, there is no doubt in my mind that those kids are going to become Sigma Men and very productive citizens. But more importantly, I strongly believed then, as I do today, that our Sigma Beta Club members, through mentorship Sigma Beta Club Coor dinators Advisors provide, are going to be prepared for life in terms of their education al development, community service, and leadership skills. So, The Sigma Beta Club Foundation pro vided that opportunity for us to do just that by preparing our young boys/men through Sigma Beta Clubs to be ready for that chal lenge they were going to face in the future. Despite this achievement, I believe there were two other areas that I really wanted to focus on during my administration: 1) to ensure growth and sustainability within our membership, par ticularly at the collegiate level, and 2) the Miss Phi Beta Sigma Pageant coupled with a National Step Show Competition at the Collegiate levels during our State, Region and National Meetings and Conclave. The significance of these two activities remind ed me of the experiences I engaged in as a college student, inclusive of academic standards, which I believe influenced me to join the brotherhood of Phi Beta Sigma. But to build up your organization, you also needed the support of those individuals on those campuses and a Miss Phi Beta Sigma Pageantry was something that actu ally brought people together, especially our young folks. And when you have that type of support on a college campus, you end up having the individuals that you want to be a part of the organization to support you in the future. So, I know that the pageantry was something that brought it about. I know Brother Floyd instituted pageantry during his administration. And when I looked at the past and saw that we did not follow through with such an activity, I really be lieved that pageants on our college cam pus would be that spark for our collegiate members and chapters. And it did, and the results were the increase in member ship at the collegiate levels, in addition to other chapter related activities Our collegiate members were also able to net work more often with females and other individuals on those campuses, which I believe provided incentives in building morale within the brotherhood and secur ing the support of Phi Beta Sigma members at the Chapter, State, Region and National levels.
A LEGACY OF LEADERS: ARTHURHONORABLER.THOMAS, ESQ. CONTINUED TC: AS WE WERE FOCUSING, OF COURSE, ON OUR LEGACY FOR THE ORGANIZATION, YOU’VE HAD SOME CRITICAL IMPACT ON THE ESTABLISH MENT OF THE SIGMA BETA CLUB FOUN DATION AND MISS PHI BETA SIGMA PAGEANT. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO PRESIDENT THOMAS IS YOUR LEGACY?
celebrating the Legacy of Leaders, it’s not what I was able to continue from the immediate past presidents who I do appreciate, it’s how I, hopefully, success fully engaged and supported other Broth ers in delivering service to the community. I’m pleased I had the opportunity to serve the fraternity. As Past President Demetrius Newton would say, I have “toiled in the Vineyard of Sigma”; and I will continue as long as the good Lord gives me breath. Amen!
I sought to strengthen benefits and resources by introducing the Phi Beta Sigma Federal Credit Union. I did so by establishing the Phi Beta Sigma National Foundation to serve us for the last 20 years, which enabled our efforts to attract funds for Conclaves, the Centennial, natural disaster relief, etc and be gener ally available to the fraternity. I was priv ileged to serve as Centennial Co-Chair with Presidents Bill Stanley and Carter Womack, named by then President Grif fin. This was a unique opportunity for Nos. 27, 28, 29 and 30 Presidents to celebrate the accomplishments of all Sigma men, in planning the activities of the five-year Countdown and grand Centennial!
73Summer 2022
TC: AS WE CELEBRATE OUR LEGACY OF LEADERS BY BUILDING UPON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR PREDECESSOR, WHAT PROGRAM, INITIATIVE OR FOCUS AREA IMPLEMENTED BY THE THOMAS ADMINISTRATION DID YOU ADVANCE DURING THE GRIFFIN ADMINISTRATION?
PG: Our three national programs are out standing. Bigger and Better Business, Edu cation and Social Action covers, just about any community service that we want to engage. For our Social Action initiatives, I am confident that the Sigma Wellness brand will continue to have positive impact on the fraternity and in among those we serve and partner. It’s been my experience that when something works well, you keep doing it. As the time passes, everything must be adjusted because things change. We adjust things every once and while and keep them updated as we continue to learn and grow. I would say the fraternity and the community benefits because it allows us to brand our service and we know brands are marketable. Cities, corporations, and foundations looking to find partners or to fund specific initia tives will see us as a viable entity. Sigma Wellness is a brand that can be promoted with ease of understanding.
I wanted to see the advancement of the Sigma Beta Club after my time as President and proposed ideas to raise funds. I creat ed a constitutional amendment that was approved by the foundation and the General Board. The amendment was to designate a specific dollar amount from each brother annually to support the foundation. It was submitted to for the 2013 Conclave in Philadelphia to enhance their Additionally,funding.
During each regional conference cycle, we continued to urge chapters to continue to add more Sigma Beta Club members and to start Sigma Beta Club if a chap ter didn’t have one. We urged Regional Directors to meet with chapters about the work of Sigma Beta Clubs. Working with our Black youth always remained a high priority for my administration and Phi Beta Sigma has been leading that charge for 72 years and counting. You can ask any Sigma Brother who has 20 years or more of being financially active; and I believe many, if not all, would agree with me that President Thomas and the Sigma Beta Club Foundation are like hand and glove.
PG: The Sigma Beta Club was started by our 20th International President, the Honorable Brother Parlette L. Moore in 1950, but it was our 31st International President, Brother Arthur Thomas who added a dimension to the Sigma Beta Club that really expanded its reach in the fraternity and in the community. He estab lished and incorporated The Sigma Beta Club Foundation. During my administra tion, we continued to place emphasis on the momentum during his administration. We wanted to strengthen our service to black youth, so we strongly focused on Sigma Beta Club support.
I approached our 33rd International President, Hon. Jimmy Hammock with an idea of having a foundation fundraiser during Conclave— during the mealtime slot that previously was designated as “On Your Own.” Pres ident Hammock was so gracious and gave the Sigma Beta Club Foundation approval to use that time slot to enhance the coiffures of the foundation. I was ex cited to see this idea implemented. It still is a great idea to raise funds and I’m hopeful future presidents of the fraternity will allow the Sigma Beta Club to be one of its own sources of success – to utilize a slot during the Conclave to raise funds for the foundation.
A LEGACY OF LEADERS: HONORABLE PAUL L. GRIFFIN CONTINUED
TC: SIGMA WELLNESS PROJECT CHANGED THE BRAND AND FUNCTIONALITY OF THE FRATERNITY’S SOCIAL ACTION PROGRAMS. HOW HAS THE FRATERNITY AND COMMUNITY BENEFITTED FROM THE OVERHAUL?
One I’m most proud of, is strengthening our partnership with Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. At that time, Soror Mary Breaux Wright was International Grand Basileus of Zeta Phi Beta. She and I formed an amazing partnership. The funny part, I’ll never forget, they were looking for housing, while ren ovating their international headquarters. In a meeting with her, I shared that what ever our brothers can do, whether it be fi nancial, space in our office complex, I want you to know that we’re there for you. Soror Wright began to cry and I asked her why was she crying? She said, Brother Mason, you’re the total opposite of what people said you would be. My point is that we’re constitutionally bound as brother and sister. If we’re not going to be there for each other, who’s going to be there for us? That meet ing led to so many wonderful events and initiatives that Sigma and Zeta did together. When I was invited to the White House for a reception, I invited Soror Wright to go with me. That was her first trip at the White House and her first time meeting President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. When we celebrated our Centennial, one of the keynote speakers for our January event; the one who I asked to give us our charge was Mary Breaux Wright. Boy, did she give us a charge that we’ll never forget.
74 The Crescent Magazine
JM: We had to operate that we were not an island unto ourselves. The goal was to involve as many partners in our ongoing efforts as possible – partners that could con tribute financially, as thought-leaders, with manpower and influence. Our goal was to involve partners at every level to help us bring our mission to fruition.
TC: PHI BETA SIGMA WITNESSED ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY DURING YOUR ADMINISTRATION. IT IS REVERED AS ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS AMONGST THE DIVINE NINE, WITH LINGERING BENEFITS UNSEEN BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. WHAT WAS THE COMBINATION THAT YIELDED SUCH SUCCESS ON A MASSIVE LEVEL?
TC: YOUR ADMINISTRATION WAS PIVOTAL IN ESTABLISHING HIGH-LEVEL AND FUNCTIONING PARTNERSHIPS WITH CORPORATIONS, NATIONAL NON-PROFITS, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS. WHICH PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES CHANGED THE COURSE OF OPERATIONS FOR THE FRATERNITY?
Soror Wright was at every major event for Phi Beta Sigma and Phi Beta Sigma was at every major event for Zeta Phi Beta during our administrations. We were linked during our Centennial Celebration. They had their Boulé less than a mile from us. And I will never forget, as long as I live, the Rededi cation Ceremony that we had at their host hotel. It still brings tears to my eyes. Soror Wright and many Zetas were present at our Centennial Monument Unveiling. Financially, when they were renovating their international headquarters, we were one of the first to give a major donation. When they needed housing, they came and stayed with us for nearly a year. That partnership still gives me pride to this day. It was my great joy to continue and expand our partnership with the American Cancer Society. That was program that I founded when I was the International Director of So cial Action in memory of Attorney R. Tyrone Key, one of my Sigma mentors who died as a result of cancer in 1996. We were proud to expand our partnership with the March of Dimes and see a higher level of engagement from our chapters. But I was supporting organizations like the National Action Network, organizations that focused on Civil Rights. That really was a priority to me. I truly believe in my heart of hearts, to this very day, that that’s what our organization should be about. We’re an organization of college-educated men, a majority of whom are African American, founded after Reconstruction. The purpose of our organizations was to uplift our com munities. When we see a wrong, we need to get involved and try to correct it. So en gagement and activities of that nature with organizations that were focused on Civil Rights were very important to me. One of the other great accomplishments of our administration was forming a partner ship with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. That was a partnership that allowed us to deliver to our membership jobs, internships and highlight the environment, outdoors as an important part of what is we do as an Iorganization.wasalsovery proud to expand our part nership with the Sigma Beta Club. I never looked at the SBC as another organization over there, outside of us—it’s ours. I truly enjoyed working with President Ar thur Thomas to grow the club and grow our commitment to the club during my administration. During my administration we approved an annual donation to the Sigma Beta Club and covered the cost of the club to have leadership conferences at our Conclave. It was important to me to show our commitment to this youth mentorship organization. Not only are they future members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, they’re future contributors to society. And we needed to be sold out for our Sigma Beta Club. Outside of non-profits and government agencies, because of my extensive sales background, it was my goal to partner Phi Beta Sigma with major corporations in an effort to bring dollars to the organization. I just believed that we needed to diversify our revenue streams. We were not just look ing to start new partnership outside of the fraternity, but we were looking to monetize vendor relationships that were already es tablished. So, if we were spending money with your company, at some point you were going to spend money with us. We started to approach our vendors for sponsorship of our major activities. The Centennial would not have been profita ble, had it not been for the several hundred thousands of dollars that were generated. During my administration as president, we generated over a $1 million in cash mon ey. As an organization that is focused on uplifting our communities, we have to, at all times, be presenting our initiatives to those that can support us financially. I was very proud to be able to deliver significant dollars to our organization to move our in itiatives forward.
A LEGACY OF LEADERS: HONORABLE JONATHAN A. MASON CONTINUED
JM: Wow, the Centennial. Sometimes I say to myself, I wish I could go back and relive it. Because I really did not get a chance to enjoy it – we were working so hard to make sure that our brothers, guests, partners and the community-at-large enjoyed our CentennialCentennial.
I’ll never forget, as we started to promote this, one of the members reached out to me and said, what are we having a Civil Rights Banquet? This will never work. Not only did it work, it sold out, not only our DC location, but six other locations around the country. I also wanted to figure out how we could be in more than one place at the same time. We chartered a private jet paid for with the corporate support for Centennial. We flew to the Southern Region and Southeastern Regional Conferences and spent time there, then we were back in DC, in time for our events that evening. Again, doing things in a big way to make brothers proud of being members of Phi Beta Sigma. To put a smile on their faces. January was turned out to be an amazing success for us. July was a larger project to tackle. My goal was to celebrate our Centennial by bringing as many luminaries to acknowledge our 100 years of work and success. When I look back at the list, they include Eddie George, Frankie Beverly & Maze, Slick Rick, Syleena Johnson, Pastor Shirley Caesar, Bobby Seals, President Obama sent a video message, and many others.
We had a meeting in DC with all of the local chapters. I knew that the Centennial could not be successful, unless every local chapter in Washington, DC was engaged. We then put together an international steering committee that also worked with the three past presidents who were serving as chairs. Then it was time to systemically to break down every piece of the Centennial—every day. We had a hotel and dates that were already selected and promises of a national simulcast of January events. Now it was our job in August of 2013 to prepare for January and July of 2014. It was our job to fill up all of the days, raise the money to pay for everything and maintain the commit ment that was made to our brothers. My thought was very simple: let’s make January successful and July will take care of itself. My goal of the team was to look back over the 100 years and celebrate many of the Civil Rights icons who had paved the way for the African American community, whether they be Sigma, a member of another Divine Nine organization or no affiliation whatso ever. Our goal was to acknowledge those whose shoulders we stood upon with the concept of “Stony the Road, We Trod” as our Astheme.Ithink back over it now, January, for me personally, was probably more fulfilling than anything else we did. Because we brought together many who fought in the movement who had seen each other in years, they included Hank Thomas, family of Hosea Williams, Harry Belafonte, Reverend Al Sharpton, Congressman John Lewis.
is a crowning achievement, not for my administration, but for the fraternity. One hundred years of Brother hood, Scholarship and Service. One hundred years of “Culture for Service and Service to Humanity”. One hundred years of cele brating the legacy of our revered Founders. That deserves a celebration of the highest magnitude, like none other than we’ve ever seen – that was my mentality, mind set and goal. When the brothers thought enough of me to elect me as their Centen nial President, a month after taking office, we hit the ground running.
JM: I’m thankful that I had an opportunity to serve Phi Beta Sigma as Vice President and President. I have to start with some of the achievements as vice president, because ultimately it served as well during the Wepresidency.hadin the basement of our headquar ters hundreds of thousands of archives that were sitting in boxes and lost some of the ar chives because of flooding. When I became vice president, I asked President Hammock for permission to find a company that would digitize our archives and them make them searchable. So that brothers would be able to pull up charters and historical documents that were relevant to their chapter’s history.
TC: THE LIST OF HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE MASON ADMINISTRATION ARE QUITE LENGTHY. WHAT ARE YOUR MOST CHERISHED ACHIEVEMENTS?
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We were told that there were over 12,000 Sigma, Zetas and community members that converged on Howard’s campus for the Whenunveiling.Brothers go back and look at the totality of their Centennial experience: the unveiling of the monument, the endowment that was given to Howard University, a commemorative 100-Year documentary entitled “What of the Day”, inducted the Civil Rights and Entertain ment Icon Harry Belafonte as an Honor ary Member, all of the day parties and concerts, involvement of the sitting Pres ident of the United States of America and our sisters of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, other elected politicians, corporate leaders and celebrities. They can look at it as a source of pride. If you were a financial member, you received a Centennial Certificate of Membership at your house and a commem orative brick. It was a fantastic experience for me to be president and proud to have assembled a team of volunteers in the local chapter, the board to bring this oncein-a-lifetime event to fruition. This event cost us $2 million dollars and we made a profit. The residual effects: our membership numbers increased and we have not seen a dip in our membership since. I’m proud of our Centennial. What made this Centen nial successful? A unified goal and purpose in teamwork.
The Unveiling of The Centennial Memorial Monument. When I came into office, the plan was to tax chapter to bring the mon ument to fruition. I thought there was an other way we could it. I thought what would be an incentive from the country to make a pilgrimage to that monument? I thought they’d come to see it, if their name was on it. We put together a plan where broth ers could put their name on our 100-year monument that would stand on Howard University’s campus. Though there were doubters, but I just believed. I believed that there would be enough brothers to pay for the monument and enough to yield a profit help us cover the expenses of other parts of our Centen nial. Brothers responded. Now, just go and look at the back of all those names of broth ers that helped to bring that project to frui tion. Not only will those brothers be able to come see the monument, but their children and children’s children.
JM: I served as the vice president for Hon. Brother Jimmy Hammock, 33rd International President. I actually had the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with him as a part of his administration. There were two initiatives that we carried forward into our Presidentadministration.Hammock inherited an organ ization that was overrun by incidences of hazing. There was truly a culture of hazing in the D9. He charged me to deal with this issue. I pulled a team together and we came up with a solution: we need to embark upon an anti-hazing marketing campaign that would include famous members being a part of this initiative. It would be a multi-platform campaign that would change minds and mentality. We presented it the NPHC Council of Presidents and it was not approved. I went back to President Hammock and said, we needed to do this on our own as an organization. To Ham mock’s credit, he said you’re absolutely right—let’s do it. We spent our own money, partnered with Uniworld Group, put the plan, materials and strategy together; and hosted a press conference at the National Press Club, where media from the across the country show up. We announced that Phi Beta Sigma was taking a stand against hazing and that we would not tolerate it any longer. This was a multi-year campaign to end deaths and lawsuits by hazing. We carried that forward into my administration.
I’m proud of the partnership we formed and endowment we gave to Howard University. We had never given money on that level and scale in our history. I’m of being one of the Founding Partners of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History. Our name is on the wall! We’d never participat ed in philanthropy at that level.
president, we rewrote our mem bership and certification process. The foun dation of the processes is still being used Duringtoday.
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I’m proud of Sigma Cares, created during my administration – the essence of what Phi Beta Sigma is all about – showing our brothers that they are valued members of our BluPrintorganization.wasvision prior to my term, but created during our term and is being used by the members this very day. The SigmaPAC was white boarded, created, and approved during our administration and is operational and working today.
President Hammock had a dream to build a technical school in Ghana—to help Ghanians to learn trades that would help them improve their lives. When I came into office, I embraced this initiative and asked Hammock to stay on as a committee member. I’m proud to say that what they broke ground on during Hammock’s administration was completed and became operational during my administration. We funded it and put together a Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Suhum. We went there for the opening of the school. Subsequent to my administration, unfortunately the project was defunded.
The theme of my administration was “TRANSFORM” and I do believe WE trans formed Phi Beta Sigma. Brothers were excited to be a part of this organization. Brothers can back to this organization because the efforts we executed togeth er. They also came back because of our communication. We consistently produced Crescent Magazines to share our message, we also instituted a weekly newsletter to share news of work that chapters were doing all across the country. We started to have international conference calls, where shared information of our efforts and heard from our brothers with questions. We transformed our major events. Our conclaves doubled in size during our ad ministration because we made them more than meetings. We made them events, not just for brothers, but the entire family and communities.
To President Hammock’s credit, he gave me permission to proceed. We found a company led by a Sigma brother. Over a period of a year, we digitized all of our ar Sochives.now when I see brothers posting pictures in groups of Charters from the 50s, 40s and 30s with pride – membership applica tions of Huey P. Newton, Emmit Smith and famous Sigmas, I always smile; because I know that that came as a result of a lot of Aswork.vice
TC: AS WE CELEBRATE OUR LEGACY OF LEADERS BY BUILDING UPON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR PREDECESSOR, WHAT PROGRAM, INITIATIVE OR FOCUS AREA IMPLEMENTED BY THE HAMMOCK. ADMINISTRATION DID YOU ADVANCE DURING THE MASON ADMINISTRATION?
our time as president, Sigma’s par ticipation in the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, our January Centen nial Celebration “Stony the Road, We Trod”, Centennial Celebration of July 2014, these are a great source of pride. The one that really sticks with me was at the end of our administration. Prior to coming into office there were a dedicated group of brothers who had been researching our history and trying to put a period at the end of the question, whatever happened to our Honorable Founder Charles I. Brown? We gave them the funding the support neces sary to finish their work. When they finally determined that Founder Brown ended up in Philadelphia, working for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and was buried, we pulled the fraternity together and announced it at the Serious Sigma Summit in Orlando, Florida. We brought the fraternity to Phil adelphia to give our Founder a weekend and an Omega Ceremony that he deserved. We placed a marker at his last place of employment and a headstone at his grave, which stands there today. That is a great source of pride for me as President of this Ourorganization.membership.
Get yourself a bar chart and take a 20-year look at our membership numbers. Look at the growth from 2009 to 2017, we’ve never achieved that level and percentage of growth before in the history of our organization. I always said, as presi dent, that those that came after me would be able to take advantage of not just the revenue that comes from membership numbers, but the energy, momentum, level of engagement and partnership that comes when folks know that you’re real and you’re there. All of that has come to fruition.
A LEGACY OF LEADERS: HONORABLE MICHEAL E. CRISTAL CONTINUED
MC: You know, I’ve been blessed. Before I became president, I served on the Gener al Board, maybe 18 or 20 years. I served in President Griffin’s administration. I served in President Hammock’s administration, and I was a part of President Mason’s ad ministration. I was regional director when President Adams was president. So, I knew a lot about the fraternity. I don’t want to say the wrong thing, and I don’t want the wrong message to come across. But I always felt I was very well prepared because I came with a lot of fraternity experience and cor porate experience. I knew when I got into the role what I wanted to accomplish, and the biggest thing I wanted to work on was address the infrastructure deficiencies we had and put measures in place to close the I’mgap.hopeful that my legacy will be not only did we secure placing the fraternity on a solid foundation, but we started to look at our organization on a larger scale and we were beginning to position ourselves for the future. How do we evidence that? When you look at the three big initiatives that we
I’m proud of the work President Mason did, proud of the opportunity to serve in that administration and very proud to support his vision becoming a reality.
TC: AS WE CELEBRATE OUR LEGACY OF LEADERS BY BUILDING UPON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR PREDECESSOR, WHAT PROGRAM, INITIATIVE OR FOCUS AREA IMPLEMENTED BY THE MASON ADMINISTRATION DID YOU ADVANCE DURING THE CRISTAL ADMINISTRATION?
By the time we came out of office, I didn’t have to say a Brotherhood of Conscious Men. Brothers could finish the sentence as we had scaled it with sustainable penetration among the members. We put measures in place to champion a value proposition. We formed the Sig ma Executive Leadership Council, col lege-educated professional men serving in senior level positions with the intent of providing internships for brothers as they Thinkgraduate.about our fraternity app we put in place. Brothers had been screaming for that -- this is in 2017 and the fraternity didn’t have an app.
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Think about our collegians. Yes, we had The Crescent magazine, but we introduced a new magazine that was dedicated to our collegians. We called it The Crescent On the Yard, 100% dedicated to our members and digitally produced; again, connecting with our members was AWESOME
The last one I am most proud of as I connect it with the Brotherhood Experience: think back to COVID. In 2021, the fraternity was faced with having to put on a conclave. We had to put on a conclave that was going to be supportive of the climate that we were operating in. As we went through it, we ultimately decid ed that we were going to put on a hybrid conclave—”One Conclave, Two Experiences” -- meeting brothers where they were. What did that look like, we had a small quantity of brothers that were invited to Myrtle Beach, SC and we offered a virtual experience as Wewell.got a tremendous amount of pushback from some brothers--very aggressively recruiting for us not to do an in-person Conclave. But leadership is about rising to the occasion and leadership is about responding to the situation. Leadership is about putting measures in place that pro vides the best outcome you can deliver. We used the science to guide our direction. Ultimately, we had the virtual conclave. We called it “One Conclave, Two Experiences” and it came off not pitch perfect, but pretty darn close. No serious or any kind of health issues. The brothers walked out of Conclave Myrtle Beach, I would say, proudly giving the best endorsement of the expe rience. And what was that? They said very loudly, the state of Phi Beta Sigma was strong. They also said very loudly, it was a great time to be a Sigma. When you think about elevating the broth erhood and connecting with our members, we thought we did a pretty good job there. But I’ll share, there’s always more work to be done in that space. As an organization, you must always attempt to answer how do we add a value proposition for our mem bers. We built off of some of the things previous presidents had done. We think we put some good new initiatives in place and I think we’re very well positioned to continue that as well.
TC: WE’RE FOCUSING ON OR CELEBRATING OUR LEGACY. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR LEGACY OR WHAT DO YOU HOPE YOUR LEGACY TO BE?
MC: I was an intimate player in the Ma son administration. I was blessed to serve as vice president. When I think about Pres ident Mason and his tenure, we did some amazing things. Probably the biggest one I would think just on my connection, we grew membership very aggressively. Dur ing the Centennial and post-Centennial, we brought that same level of energy into this administration. But when I think about two key initiatives that President Mason put in place, that we saw a lot of value in. One of them was we had made an investment through President Mason’s leadership to the Smithsonian National Museum of Af rican American History and Culture, where we had committed a half a million dollars to it. We stayed true to it. Not only did we stay true in honoring a Past President’s vision, but we were also able to pay that off three years early, which was something we were very proud of. President Mason also did something else. When we celebrated our Centennial in 2014, it was through President Mason’s leadership, and he got the General Board to support it, we created a half a milliondollar endowment at Howard University in honor of our Founders…the endowment was called, the Centennial Endowment. We paid that investment off early as well. When you think about the legacy, President Mason was infinite in his wisdom in scaling the brand of Phi Beta Sigma in perpetuity. If you go to the Smithsonian Museum now, you can see Phi Beta Sigma’s name on the wall. That was President Mason’s work. 30 years from now, there will be a student who’s going to walk on Howard’s campus and Phi Beta Sigma is going to provide that student with a scholarship. President Mason had the wisdom and vision to put that in place. We were able to help by getting it into the end zone and paying it off early.
The PBS Impact Foundation, Inc. and YES, under this President’s leadership and guidance, we walked away from the PBS National Foundation for all the reasons the organization knows…it wasn’t meeting the needs of the Fraternity. With the PBS Impact Foundation, we now have an entity that supports us creating long term finan cial solvency for the organization…most, if not all, of our programmatic focus areas will come through our foundation. Having only been around for 15 months, the PBS Impact Foundation has already secured over $800,000 in donations and grants.
78 The Crescent Magazine put in place, I know will be with us through perpetuity. During our February 2018 General Board Meeting, I advised the Board that the international headquarters didn’t represent the brand we wanted, and it certainly wouldn’t represent our brand of the future. So, I took the General Board on a two-year journey of determining the future of our IHQ and we ultimately decided to tear down our current international headquarters and build a brand new $30 milliondollar corporate headquarters, inclusive of affordable housing. Based upon the methodical work we did, we’ll have an opportunity to, yes, reshape the brand of the organization, but we can also create a new revenue stream for the organization.
The last one is SigmaPAC1914. You asked about social unrest and the presidential election; our members wanted their voice to be heard but because of our tax structure, Phi Beta Sigma cannot endorse candidates. But the voice of our members can be heard through our SUPERPAC, SigmaPAC1914. We can endorse candidates whose values are in alignment with ours. We also can recruit brothers who have desires to run for local office, city council, representative on the state level, federal officers, congressmen. One day a Phi Beta Sigma Man will sit at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and SigmaPAC1914 can play a major role in supporting that.
When I think about the Cristal Years, my legacy was about investing in our members through a better Brotherhood experience as we closed out our term championing “It’s a GREAT TIME to be a Sigma”, scaled the brand of Sigma on critical national issues, Sigma was recognized as a national organ ization focusing on mentoring boys and young men of color through our mentor ship of over 4,200 boys via our Sigma Beta Club, addressed many of our infrastructure deficiencies that supported the fraternity operating more efficiency, shored up our finances and positioned our fraternity for long term financial solvency and got approval from the General Board to redevelop our International Headquarters that will provide affordable housing to the community we reside in and provide a new revenue stream for the Fraternity….more than anything, I think my legacy will be that we positioned our beloved fraternity for long term success, that’s something I’m most proud of.
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