THE WALL ST. ALPHA REPORT The official Wall Street Alphas newsletter, Kappa Xi Lambda Chapter, NYC
February / March 2008
Vol. 1, No. 4
KXL Visits the African Burial Ground By Bros. Jioha Amatokwu and David Jones Kappa Xi Lambda is partnering with the New York Urban League Young Professionals (NYULYP) and the Black and Hispanic MBA Association (BHMBAA) at Fordham University to tour the historic African Burial Ground (ABG) in Lower Manhattan in celebration of Black History Month. From the 1690s until the 1790s, both free and enslaved Africans were buried in a 6.6 acre burial ground in Lower Manhattan, outside the boundaries of the settlement of New Amsterdam, later known as New York. Lost to history due to landfill and development, the grounds were rediscovered in 1991 as a consequence of the planned construction of a Federal office building. A memorial at the African Burial Ground National Monument honors the memories of the estimated 15,000 Africans buried at the site in the 17th and 18th centuries. The tours will be held on Saturday, Feb. 9th and 23rd at 2pm meeting close to the Federal Building at 290 Broadway (near Broadway & Duane). Please visit www.wallstreetalphas.com/events/abg/ for more details and to RSVP. Space is limited.
Black and Male in America By Bro. Brian Pruitt and Kelso Anderson Kevin Powell’s Black and Male in America (BAMIA) conference began on Father’s Day 2007. Since that time Powell has focused on some aspect of African-American self development in monthly workshops in Brooklyn, NY. January’s workshop was led by poet and author Mo Beasley who led an interactive exchange between the fifty or so black male audience members around the workshop topic entitled: “Black Males & Understanding Self Hate.” Using sprightly dramatization and spoken word, Beasley captured the essence of black male self-hate in his own life by reminiscing on personal experiences he had resolving conflict with family members. Beasley’s presentation was well-received by the audience who collectively appeared to nod knowingly when Beasley recounted his experiences. Continued on page 6
President’s Letter Dear Brothers: By the time you read this letter, we would have had our first meeting of 2008 under our belt and this year promises to be one of great significance to us as a brotherhood and a country. Alphas everywhere are faced with participating in not one but two elections this year! As you know, we are electing our 33rd General President and electing a new president of our country. Fortunately for the fraternity, we have two outstanding candidates, one of whom will be charged with reinvigorating the brotherhood, rescuing us from the margins of irrelevancy and continuing to push us into the technological age of the 21st century. All financial brothers will receive a ballot in the mail from the General Office in April 2008. Brothers, please don’t take this election for granted. We, as an organization, need to send a message to the next General President that we have concerns and issues that need to be addressed in order to continue the grand legacy of “manly deeds, scholarship and love for all mankind.” I am imploring all brothers to vote and send a clear mandate that the brotherhood has an expectation of our next national leader of commitment, innovation and service. Whether you are partial to Bro. Skip Mason or Bro. Darryl Peal, all that matters is that you vote. My hope is that we receive the ballots early enough so that a brother can bring his ballot Continued on Page 2
Inside this Edition 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
President’s Letter Editor’s Report What is Brotherhood? A Voteless People is a Hopeless People 227 Abolitionist Place – Freedoms Front Door 7 Questions – Bro. Marc H. Morial A Frat and Soror story
President’s Letter Continued from Page 1
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to the April or May meeting where we can fill it out at the chapter meeting together. If you are unfamiliar with either of the candidate’s platform, please visit their respective websites. As for the United States presidential election, this has proven to be a historic election in that the country could finally elect a woman or AfricanAmerican as the Democratic candidate or even president. Of course, if you know your history you know that two black women made a run for the presidency before Hillary Clinton: Rep. Shirley Chisholm of Brooklyn and former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois. Of course, black men have run for the presidency before Sen. Barack Obama: Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Allen Keyes. We even have aspirant interest from a young man running for a seat in the House of Representatives out of Brooklyn. If the time isn’t ripe for us to implement a “Wall St. Chapter” Voteless People is a Hopeless People campaign, then I don’t know when would be.
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You see brothers, voting is also a service to the community. There are many issues to address such at the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the economy with its impending recession, national security, healthcare, education, etc. Therefore, it’s imperative that every Wall St. Alpha get involved in both elections. Your vote can make a difference. It’s always easy to throw rocks from the sidelines, but what are YOU doing to make a difference in the lives of your brothers or your community? KXL must be known for more than “hot social events”. We need a balance of service and social. Please join with me and others to bring back that much needed balance. More detail will be given at the February meeting in that regard. But always remember, if you have an idea or suggestion bring it forward. It’s not only our obligation it is our duty.
Fraternally, Tony Johnson, Esq. President, Kappa Xi Lambda Wall St. Alphas
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Editor’s Report Greetings Brothers! I hope that Black History Month and this New Year find you in good health and spirit. The focus of this issue is history, both past and present. We salute our lovely sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. on their centennial and wish them an exciting year of celebration and reflection. On page 4 Brother Skip Mason provides an interesting look back at the founding of Alpha Kappa Alpha and how the early year’s of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity played a role. ’06…’08! Black history is filled with contributions from Alpha men who saw a need and filled a void. Jewel Eugene Kinckle Jones was of course one of the early Presidents of the National Urban League. In 2008, that organization is led by Kappa Xi Lambda Brother Marc H. Morial. Brother Morial provides insight into his N.U.L. leadership, challenges of the modern day, and fraternity issues in this month’s “7 Questions”. We find ourselves in the midst of another intense election period. With the ongoing war, civil rights challenges, and difficult economy, there’s plenty at
stake as we try to make an informed decision about our next President. Brothers, please don’t sit on the sidelines! We fought for so long for the right to vote, so we are obliged to do our part by being informed and exercising our vote. Based on 2004 figures on voter turnout, we have some room for improvement. There were 68% of the eligible African-American population who registered to vote. Of the number who were registered, 60% came out to vote. Bro. Professor Fredrick Harris discusses this year’s election on page 7. If you have not yet registered to vote, please take 7 minutes and do it. Information on registering online, by mail, or at a local office can be found here. Brothers, before you make a decision on your choice for our 33rd Alpha General President, be informed of the platforms of Bros. Mason and Peal by visiting their websites for the very latest. Brothers, as always, keep holding up the light. ‘06, Brian Pruitt Newsletter Editor Wall St. Alphas
80%
75% 68%
70% 60% 50%
60%
58%
65%
47%
Registered Voters 40%
% of Registered Voters who voted
30% 20% 10% 0% Hispanics
African Americans
Caucasians
2004 Presidential Election Voter Turnout
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The Ties that Bind: George Lyle and Ethel Hedgeman Lyle, Frat and Soror, Husband and Wife By Bro. Herman “Skip� Mason
What is the true relationship between Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority other than the fact that they were the first? Is it mere coincidence or divine intervention. Journey back to the campus of Howard University in the fall of 1907, when Cornell University student and Alpha initiate Eugene Kinckle Jones arrived on the campus of Howard University to establish the second chapter of the very young fraternity known as Alpha Phi Alpha at the request of the mother chapter Alpha. Contacts had been made and preliminary work had already been done through the assistance of the school's dean, Kelly Miller, who assisted Jones in selecting the nineteen young men who subsequently became charter members of the chapter known as Beta. Included in that sixteen was George A. Lyle, a native of St. Louis, Missouri and a junior. Lyle's girlfriend Ethel Hedgeman was also a native of St. Louis. They both had graduated from Sumner High School in 1904, where they were sweethearts even then. Upon arrival at Howard in the fall of 1905, both Lyle and Hedgeman were very active on the campus and was one of the more popular couples. George and these eighteen other men were initiated into the fraternity in Dec. 20 1907 certainly much to the delight of Ethel. This solidified her move to forge ahead with the sorority idea. The obvious fact is that Hedgeman was keenly aware of George's participation in the new fraternity. AKA Founder Margaret Flagg said" Because of Lyle and his connection with Alpha Phi Alpha, Ethel conceived the idea of the sorority." Not only was she aware of this new movement in brotherhood and sisterhood, she was inspired. According to the Marjorie Parker in the book "In the Eye of the Beholder," Hedgeman had returned to Howard inspired to organize a sorority. With her insight and vision Hedgeman approached her friend Lucy Slowe with the idea of establishing a similar group for women. Hedgeman and her nine friends engaged in research of the sorority idea, ascertained interest from other female students in the Liberal Arts College and submitted a proposal and constitution the Howard University Board of Trustees for the privilege to establish a sorority, the first in the school's history. They met on January 15, 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority was born. The establishment had also come with tremendous support from two teachers at Howard, namely Ethel Robinson and Elizabeth Cook. In the meantime, George and his new brothers experienced the growing pains of laying the foundation for the chapter and fostering the fraternity's idea. Ironically, the fall of the 1908 found both Ethel and George as presidents of the chapters during their Senior year. George hosted Alpha's first convention on the campus of Howard in December of 1908 and a social was held with the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Both Lyle and Hedgeman graduated in the Class of 1909. George went to New York and then Philadelphia for additional studies after his graduation. Ethel traveled to Eufala, Oklahoma where she taught music. She also taught in Centralia, Illinois in 1911. On June 21, 1911, they were married and later gave birth to one son, George, Jr. The Lyle's were very active in Philadelphia society and were members of the Mount Pisgah A. M. E.Church. Ethel chartered the Mu Chapter in 1911 and Omega Omega Chapter in 1926 in Philadelphia and George Lyle was very active Rho Chapter, also in Philadelphia. Their son George Jr., the father of two daughters. Ethel Hedgeman Lyle died in 1950 and George's exact date death is not known but his wife preceded him.
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What is Brotherhood? A Gentleman’s Agreement By Bro. Corey A. McDougle, Assoc. Editor to the Sphinx
The New Year provides us each the opportunity for a fresh start and a renewed sense of vigor in the pursuit of personal, professional, and spiritual happiness. Traditionally, we each make resolutions for the New Year of those things that we will strive to implement into our daily lives. Although we are already almost a month into 2008, I’d like to encourage each of us to resolve to enter into a gentleman’s agreement where we focus our efforts in 2008 on actively pursuing, developing, nurturing, and demonstrating arguably one of the greatest virtues of the very foundation that makes Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. such an important part of each of our identities – brotherhood. Per the Merriam-Webster dictionary the following definitions apply: broth·er: one related to another by common ties or interests broth·er·hood: the quality or state of being brothers; fellowship; alliance So, what are the building blocks of brotherhood? In my personal opinion, there are ten basic tenets of brotherhood: selflessness, hospitality, protection, helpfulness, honesty, forgiveness, accountability, honor, fun, and trust. Most, if not all, of these are self-explanatory and require no definition. No matter the circumstances, these are expected of each brother. It is important that these are followed because if they are not, the chapter – and ultimately the fraternity – will, after time, give way to chaos and will be destroyed. Think about it. How can one be in a true brotherhood where according to the above definition there is an alliance and fellowship when those involved are not selfless, hospitable, forgiving, or accountable? One must be careful not to fall into the traps of selfishness, prejudice, arrogance, or stupidity. If those basic tenets do not exist, the organization cannot subsist because people will become inactive due to frustration, resentment, or fear. Now that we know the tenets of brotherhood, how are we supposed to be a good brother? The answer is simple: choose to be thankful to others and remember to express it; be happy and prideful; spend time with your brothers, listen to them, and nurture your relationships; apologize when you are wrong; be helpful to the chapter thru your ideas, positive energy, and effort; and confront a brother who is in the wrong and give him your aid. These are the basic essentials to being a good brother. Now, you may have noticed that the majority of these criteria have others as the main focal point. If you look closely, you will notice that the main component in the word “brother” is the word “other”. This is not just a strange coincidence. One very important point is not to forget that true brotherhood extends to the brotherhood of all, and not just the fraternity. Think about our motto, “First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All.”
Continued on page 6
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What is Brotherhood? Continued from page 5
The preamble of our Constitution states that the aim of our fraternity is “To promote a more perfect union among college men; to aid in and insist upon the personal progress of its members; to further brotherly love and a fraternal spirit within the organization…” We all know the history of our illustrious organization and without question we recognize that Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is “the light of the world.” Let’s maintain the brightness of that light by focusing our efforts in 2008 on further developing true “brotherly love and fraternal spirit” by actively being involved in as much of what Kappa Xi Lambda has to offer. There are some great men in this chapter and collectively, we can’t help but continue the legacy of our founding Seven Jewels. There is much work to be done. Inasmuch as your professional life will allow, can KXL, and more importantly Alpha, count on you to join this agreement?
Rally on Wall Street “Restructure Loans, Not Repossess Homes” By Bro. Brian Pruitt
On December 10, the National Urban League, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, NAACP, and organized labor groups rallied on Wall Street to advocate restructuring of sub-prime mortgage loans in favor of repossessing homes. Joined by Reverend Jesse Jackson, Bro. Marc Morial spoke of a need for fairness in mortgage dealings and advocated a Homeowners Bill of Rights. What started in Jenna, LA as a grassroots effort to fight for civil rights has continued over into the economic front. To get involved, please check out these organizations.
Black and Male in America Continued from page 1 Powell explained the goals of the BAMIA workshops and its success to date: “The monthly Black male workshops have been an incredible experience for all of us, especially coming on the heels of the June 2007 national conference. Our goal was to create a safe space for all kinds of Black males to come together once a month, to share ideas, to laugh, to argue, to treat the gathering like a therapy session, to offer ways to mentor, find jobs, etc. And we are doing that. So I am very happy. The next step is to begin to move the group towards action via committees. We have some basic goals for 2008: 1) Create a New York metro area directory for Black males where we can find various kinds of services (education, job training, healthcare, etc.) 2) Publish this book: THE BLACK MALE HANDBOOK: A Blueprint for Surviving, Wellness, and Winning 3) Turn blackandmaleinamerica.org into a serious multimedia website and clearinghouse of information.” BAMIA has created a necessary dialogue among black men in the community and Powell expects the workshops will continue to generate a lot of interest among black males. For more information visit www.blackandmaleinamerica.org.
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AN HISTORIC PRESIDENTIAL RACE By Bro. Fredrick C. Harris, Professor of Political Science, Columbia University The 2008 presidential primary elections are the most contested in recent memory. Not since the presidential campaigns of Jesse Jackson in 1984 and 1988 have black voters expressed such a high level of interests in the Democratic Party’s nominee for president. For the first time in American history an American of African ancestry or a woman will become the presidential nominee of a major American political party. Both the Democratic and Republican contests have not been settled by the half a dozen or so contests that started with the Iowa caucuses the first week of the year and is now headed for “Super Tuesday,” where twenty-two states across the nation—including New York---will hold the largest number of primary contests on February 5. For the Democratic candidates who are seeking their party’s nominee, Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama are locked in a close race. On the Republican side, the contenders have dropped to three: Senator John McCain, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, and Arkansas Governor and Baptist minister Mike Huckabee. Decisive victories for either one of the Democratic or Republican candidates may settle the question of the nominees on Super Tuesday. If victories are equally shared between both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama, particularly in delegate rich states such as New York, Illinois, and California, the Democratic Party’s nominee may well be chosen by a brokered convention in August. Black voters could be critical to the outcome of Democratic primaries on Super Tuesday if they turn out in large numbers. Black voter turnout in primary contests in Nevada and South
Endorsing her first ever political candidate, Oprah Winfrey introduced star power to the Obama campaign in South Carolina.
Early on, Senator Clinton enjoyed frontrunner status, but key endorsements and unprecedented January contributions have made the Democratic race a toss up.
Continued on page 8
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AN HISTORIC PRESIDENTIAL RACE Continued from page 7
Carolina last month is telling. On the Democratic side both states doubled the number of participants from 2004, and black voters in Nevada gave Senator Obama a strong second place finish and a decisive victory over Hillary Clinton in the South Carolina primary. In both states Senator Obama received about 80% of the black vote. In South Carolina half of the Democratic primary voters were African American and a third were black women, demonstrating the level of enthusiasm that the Obama campaign has generated among black voters across gender and social class. As the contests move to large states like California, Illinois, and New York, which are rich in delegates that are needed to secure the nomination for both parties, black and Latino voters may well be decisive. At the moment California is leaning toward Senator Clinton and she is slated to win in her home state of New York. Senator Obama will win his home state of Illinois, but hopes to cut into Senator Clinton’s lead in California and New York by targeting black voters and college students. And he will likely repeat his success in Georgia and Alabama, states with large numbers of black voters that will also hold primaries on Super Tuesday. Though Senator Clinton will win New York, black voters in New York will be a test case for both the Clinton and Obama campaigns. With support from Harlem Congressman Charles Rangel, Abyssinian Baptist Church minister Calvin Butts and other members of New York’s black political class, the question will be whether black New Yorkers follow the political establishment by supporting Hillary Clinton or vote for a viable black candidate for president. African Americans are divided, at least in principal, on whether black people should vote in solidarity for political candidates. In a recent study released by Columbia University’s Center on African American Politics and Society, 56% of blacks in a national poll believe that black voters should always stand together in politics while 34% believe they should not. No matter which candidate you prefer, your voice should be heard on Tuesday. The Jewels must be smiling above at the historic nature of this election, reminding us all that a “voteless people is a hopeless people.”
Earvin “Magic” Johnson joined former President Clinton on the campaign trail in Iowa in support of Senator Clinton.
When Senator Kennedy came out strongly in support of Senator Obama, many viewed it is as a passing of the torch.
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227 Abolitionist Place: ‘Freedoms Front Door’ By Bro. Brian Pruitt
Brooklyn, NY - Built in 1848, 227 Duffield Street (a.k.a. 227 Abolitionist Place) is a home in downtown Brooklyn owned by Ms. Joy Chatel whose late husband’s family originally owned the property. In that day, the area was ripe with abolitionist activity at a time when the majority of New Yorkers supported slavery. After South Carolina, New York was the second largest slave holding state in the nation and the second to last to abolish slavery. It was at her residence that a number of abolitionists including Harriet Tubman and William Lloyd Garrison were believed to have held meetings and through her home that a number of escaped slaves made their passage to freedom. In fact, the original door from 1848 is still standing. Ms. Chatel decided to turn her home into a museum to celebrate the inspiring history of her home and the block. More than a dozen historians have studied the site, and they have come to the conclusion that in addition to abolitionist activity, the home represents the most exciting site for Underground Railroad slave safehouse research in the country. However, the NYC Economic Development Corporation wanted to confiscate the home using eminent domain, tear it down, and build an underground parking lot. After almost a four year’s struggle, in late 2007, the City agreed to let Ms. Chatel pursue her vision. 227 Duffield Street won a landmark case against eminent domain, but is in need of significant financial help to ward off foreclosure. Due to the extensive development in downtown Brooklyn, there is tremendous pressure against this homeowner. On Friday, February 29th , please join the Wall Street Alphas and many concerned citizens, ministers, and elected officials, in showing support for Ms. Chatel and her dream. We will be meeting at the home and art gallery of Danny Simmons (334 Grand Avenue, between Gates and Greene) from 7PM – 10 PM. Our purpose at this event is to raise public awareness about this historic site, begin to raise funds to fight off foreclosure, and continue the effort to turn 227 Duffield Street into a museum. This important cause cuts even closer to home as in speaking with Ms. Chatel, she disclosed that her late husband’s family were related to Bro. Frederick Douglass. Indeed she has been in touch with Frederick Douglass IV and it is their hope that through the support of the local community, her historic home can be preserved. Please come out on Friday, February 29th and help lead this effort! Help us to preserve black history and American history in this Black History Month. For the very latest information, visit the “Wall Street Alphas” Facebook page.
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2007-2008 Chapter Officers and Board Members Executive Board President:
Brother Tony Johnson
Vice President:
Brother Jacques Etienne
Recording Secretary:
Brother David Jones
Corresponding Secretary:
Brother Tony Thompson
Treasurer:
Brother Jioha Amatokwu
Financial Secretary:
Brother Brian Pruitt
Chaplain:
Brother Wiky Toussaint
Historian:
Brother Sean Gayle
Coordinator of Intake:
Brother Damon Culcleasure
Sergeant-at-Arms:
Brother Samuel Parker
Parliamentarian:
Brother Andrew Fisher
Dir. of Educational Activity:
Brother Plemmie Lawson
Assoc. Editor to the Sphinx:
Brother Corey A. McDougle
Wall Street Alphas Charitable Foundation Board of Directors President:
Brother Shawn A. Curwen
Treasurer:
Brother Roy A. Williams
Secretary:
Brother Tony Johnson
Assistant Treasurer:
Brother Brent Cohen
Fundraising/Sponsorship Chair: Brother Brandon V. Ray General Counsel:
Brother Gerard Brogdon
Board Member:
Brother Derrick Crawford
Board Member:
Brother Elvin Dowling
Board Member:
Brother Samuel Parker
Newsletter Committee Editor:
Brother Brian Pruitt
Assistant Editor:
Brother Chris Hunt
Contributors:
Brother Corey A. McDougle
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7 Questions…. with Bro. Marc H. Morial By Bros. Brian Pruitt and Brandon V. Ray As President and CEO of the National Urban League since 2003, Brother Marc H. Morial has led the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights organization into the new century and set a path for the League to take on the challenges of the day. We recently sat down with the former two term Mayor of New Orleans and current Kappa Xi Lambda brother to discuss the League, civil rights, the importance of mentorship, and the fraternity. You have been President and CEO of the Urban League since May 2003. What remaining goals would you like to achieve prior to the conclusion of your term in office? I’ve been here now 5 years, it’s been an incredible experience, trying to rebuild, transform, and take the Urban League to its second century. And what I hope to do in the conclusion of my time here, in the next 5 years or so, is to prepare the League for its second century. And for it to be clearly established as the premier civil rights organization in the nation on issues of economic empowerment, economic inclusion, and closing the economic divide in this country, and being able to create strategies and solutions to do the same. Periodically issues of racial injustice occur and strike a cord in the community provoking a grassroots reaction to the injustice such as Jena 6 and the Imus incident. Is there a way that organizations like the N.U.L., NAACP, and fraternal organizations like Alpha Phi Alpha can proactively affect society so that there are fewer of these incidents? Or is a reactionary approach such as the Jena 6 rally the best that we can hope for? There is always a place for us to be reactive to incidents of injustice. In that case we should not be seen as civil rights ambulance chasers, but as the ambulance itself, because we’re going to save, help, and uplift. It’s important to recognize the roots of Jena 6 and one of the roots of Jena 6 has been the utter disregard for the enforcement of civil rights laws. In Jena the initial noose incident was mishandled by the authorities who viewed it not for what it was which was a serious hate crime, but as a prank. They ignored it and it spiraled out of control. And it led to the incident which became celebrated and which African American teenagers retaliated against by the criminal justice system in Jena, Louisiana. We do need at the grassroots level to elevate the idea that promoting justice is the way to fight injustice. And promoting justice means teaching and encouraging people to live by the principles of inclusion, fairness, and economic opportunity. And that the laws that have been put on the books need to be seriously enforced and the responsibility for that falls first with the federal government, and secondly with the state and local governmental officials.
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7 Questions… Questions…. Continued from page 11
As a former Mayor of New Orleans I know that the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the slow recovery of that community must affect you very personally. Can you comment on the current stage of the recovery and how average citizens can help with that situation? Hurricane Katrina is a defining event in American History. There’s never been a more failed governmental response. The federal, state, and local government dropped the ball. They dropped the ball on the initial response, and they dropped the ball in terms of being able to effectively orchestrate a recovery. Any success that we have seen has been because of the determination of individual citizens, grassroots organizations, citizens who just insisted on saving their houses, their neighborhoods, their city, and their state. I think that average citizens still can support people in the recovery by supporting the historical black universities, churches, and community based groups. The institutions and organizations that are closest to the people need, deserve, and have earned the support of average citizens across the nation. The success that Senator Obama has had in raising money and garnering support for his Presidential bid is an encouraging sign in this country. Surely a Black man just 50 years ago would have no chance of running such a successful campaign. Have we reached a level playing field as Dr. King fought for or is the success of Obama more about a desire for change? The Obama sensation, the Obama phenomenon that has occurred is exciting but very difficult for anyone to really understand. But Senator Obama is an impressive candidate who has touched a cord with the people of this nation. He is in a field of Democratic candidates that is probably one of the strongest fields of Democratic candidates in a long time. There are a number of candidates who have a history of supporting equal economic opportunity and racial justice by their voting rights and by their personal commitments. That’s a fact. Senator Clinton, Senator Edwards, Governor Richardson, Congressman Kucinich have had all pretty good records. Senator Obama nonetheless may be judged as a historic figure. And it remains to be seen how far his candidacy can go, but he’s already come out of the gate like Secretariat. But it remains to be seen. The fraternity continues to be faced with the problem of underground pledging despite the National body making pledging illegal many years ago. Young Brothers apparently feel internal pressure to show that they pledged hard and "earned their letters" like Brothers back in the day when the practice was legal and above ground. Is there some way to bridge the gap and reclaim some of the old traditions while keeping the process safe and addressing the liability issues? Pledging as I knew it is dying. Pledging as I knew it is like going to boot camp. It was very intense. My pledging, it’s fair to say, did not have a great deal of physical components to it, but had a teeny bit (Bro. Morial laughed and smiled at the sarcasm). But pledging as we know it is changing as a tradition because serious minded men who want to join a serious minded organization will not always connect with the rationale…but pledging is an entry path into the fraternity. It’s about I think making a
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7 Questions… Questions…. Continued from page 12
pledge program that matches the aims and ideals of the Fraternity. So I think an emphasis on knowing your history and the history of the Fraternity within the context of the history of Black America and America is absolutely basic and it’s almost as though there ought to be a standardized test that everybody has to take. Secondly, if you think about the aims of the Fraternity, manly deed, scholarship, love for all mankind…knowing the history and the context of the history within the context of Black America within America is certainly consistent with the aims of scholarship. Manly deeds and love for all mankind. I think a good pledge program ought to include visible outward participation in community service. I think it ought to be done not only by a pledge line or pledge group by themselves, but it ought to be done in collaboration with others….whether it’s other fraternities or sororities or other community groups, but an intensive requirement of community service. I think we can have an intense serious pledge program that doesn’t have violence. We need to understand that as times change, so should we, and that the change doesn’t mean to lose our traditions, it means the reshaping of our traditions to meet the needs of the times. Alpha Phi Alpha is not a social club. It’s not a good time organization although brothers know how to have a good time. It’s a serious organization with serious men who have serious aims and serious commitments and we don’t want to lose that. And sometimes old fashioned pledging trivializes the organization. I’m probably now at this point, falling into the old school category. And I’m not the kind of person who believes that because I had a 10 week pledge program, that to be a brother today you ought to do what I did 30 years ago. But I do value the fact that there was no way we were going to enter the Fraternity unless we knew the history, the Hymn, we knew House of Alpha, we knew Invictus, we knew the Greek alphabet… and you know what, I don’t mean just kind of pretend half way knowing them. You had to know them. Brothers are about to be asked to make a choice between Brother Peal and Mason. What issues will the next Alpha leader need to work on to ensure that the Fraternity remains relevant and prominent in the community over the next 100 years? Brother Peal and Brother Mason are both very good brothers. Both have paid dues to the Fraternity and been involved in the Fraternity and I think that’s a positive plus. I think the next leader of the Fraternity has to develop a plan for the next 100 years. And I think the next leader of the Fraternity has to re-inspire a commitment to what the Fraternity is all about. And I hope that the next leader of the Fraternity places a focus on saving Black boys and Black men which is something that Alpha ought to be right in the middle of. The rally on Wall Street to bring attention to the sub-prime loan crisis brought together several national organizations. Is there something in the works to follow up that rally and keep attention on that issue? The National Urban League has released it’s Homeowners Bill of Rights which outlines a number of very important steps to deal with the sub-prime crisis. We’re going to continue to push that as a big message because a sub-set of that message is a national anti-predatory lending law. Giving people a
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7 Questions… Questions…. Continued from page 13
right to restructure their loans. There’s so many things….steps that can be taken to try to save and help people. There’s no doubt that there’s some people who took on loans that they couldn’t afford. There are also people who were induced to taking on loans that they could not afford. There are also people who took on loans that they thought that they could afford and they found provisions in the fine print that increased their mortgage payments beyond what they expected. One explanation doesn’t fit everyone. So we need to make sure that we don’t blame the “victim,” but we also need to make sure that we don’t dismiss the idea that some people may have made poor choices. But, nonetheless, it’s in the best interest of the country to try to help most people restructure. Because we don’t want to lose homeowners who made progress, among them African-Americans, modest, but progress in the last 15 years increasing the Black homeownership rate. The home is the cornerstone of the American dream, the home is the foundation from which wealth is built. We don’t want to lose ground, and we already are losing some ground, because of this. Your Father "Dutch" Morial was the 17th General President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Can you share how he may have inspired you to achieve all that you have in your career? This year May 2008, makes 30 years since my father’s inauguration as Mayor of New Orleans. It’s interesting because his first election reminds me in a different time and certainly on a different scale of Obama’s quest for the White House. In those days, the big thing African Americans were doing politically was running for Mayor of major cities. Brother Maynard Jackson in Atlanta, Brother Richard Arrington in Birmingham, Tom Bradley (Los Angeles), Coleman Young (Detroit), my father, and before them Kenneth Gibson (Newark), Dick Hatcher (Gary, IN), Carl Stokes (Cleveland). After them David Dinkins (New York) and Harold Washington (Chicago). It was a significant step in our history when African Americans were elected and my father was one of the first. And I think that for Continued on page 16
Reverend Jesse Jackson and Bro. Morial at the rally against sub-prime loans and unfair lending practices on Wall Street in December 2007.
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HOUSE OF ALPHA BY SYDNEY P. BROWN GOODWILL IS THE MONARCH OF THIS HOUSE, MEN UNACQUAINTED, ENTER, SHAKE HANDS, EXCHANGE GREETINGS AND DEPART FRIENDS. CORDIALITY EXISTS AMONG ALL WHO ABIDE WITHIN. I AM THE EMINENT EXPRESSION OF FRIENDSHIP. CHARACTER AND TEMPERAMENT CHANGE UNDER MY DOMINANT POWER. LIVES ONCE TOUCHED BY ME BECOME TUNED AND ARE THEREAFTER AMIABLE, KINDLY, FRATERNAL. I INSPIRE THE MUSICIAN TO PLAY NOBLE SENTIMENTS AND ASSIST THE CHEMIST TO CONVERT UNGENEROUS PERSONALITIES INTO INDIVIDUALS OF GREAT WORTH. I DESTROY IGNOBLE IMPULSES. I CONSTANTLY INVOKE PRINCIPLES WHICH MAKE FOR COMMON BROTHERHOOD AND THE ECHO RESOUNDS IN ALL COMMUNITIES AND PRINCELY MEN ARE THEREBY RECOGNIZED. EDUCATION, HEALTH, MUSIC, ENCOURAGEMENT, SYMPATHY, LAUGHTER, ALL THESE ARE SPECIES OF INTEREST GIVEN OF SELF INVESTED CAPITAL. TIRED MOMENTS FIND ME A DELIGHTFUL TREAT, HOURS OF SORROW, A SHRINE OF UNDERSTANDING, AT ALL TIMES I AM FAITHFUL TO THE CREED OF COMPANIONSHIP, TO A FEW, I AM THE CASTLE OF DREAMS, AMBITIOUS, SUCCESSFUL, HOPEFUL DREAMS. TO MANY, I AM THE POETIC PLACE WHERE HUMAN FEELING IS RHYMED TO CELESTIAL MOTIVES; TO THE GREAT MAJORITY, I AM THE TREASURY OF GOOD FELLOWSHIP. IN FACT, I AM THE COLLEGE OF FRIENDSHIP; THE UNIVERSITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE; THE SCHOOL FOR THE BETTER MAKING OF MEN. I AM ALPHA PHI ALPHA!!!
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MalbroughPhotos
Sorors and Bros packed Fashion 40 and got the year off to a good start. Congrats to Soror Jennaydra Clunis who was the lucky winner of the diamond and pearl “Centennial” pendant. The Wall Street Alphas would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of this incredible event: Luma Diamond Consultants, Cake Man Raven, Karen’s Body Beautiful, Black Enterprise Magazine, DJ Premonition, Alpha Audacity, Uncommon Schools, Inc., Fashion 40 Lounge, and Malbrough Photos.
Special Thanks to Cake Man Raven and Luma Diamond Consultants for their generous donations to our event!
7 Questions… Questions…. Continued from page 14
him, he will say to people that he learned how to lead through his involvement in Alpha Phi Alpha. He certainly always told me he learned how to preside over meetings by running Alpha meetings. He was a great inspiration to me and a great coach to me. Probably what he did more than anything, for my brother and I, is he took us around. And I think the message for parents is to bring your children around. You’ve got to expose them to things. So we went to Alpha conventions when we were children, we went to civil rights marches and rallies when we were children, we went to rallies at churches when we were little children and as we grew we went to NAACP meetings. As a child my mother used to be involved in teacher’s association meetings and we used to go when we just didn’t have a babysitter available or sometimes when we had five children, three of them went with my momma and two of them went with my daddy and what you don’t realize until later is that you got exposed to things. And you saw things. And that in itself is a learning experience. My father’s 16 inspiration was that whatever you choose, be the best. Keep reaching. And don’t take no mess. 16
Kevin Powell’ Powell’s 7th Annual Holiday Party and Clothing Drive
Author and activist Kevin Powell addresses his guests. This 7th Annual event was attended by well over 1000 guests.
Kappa Xi Lambda brothers and friends came out to offer support. This was KXL’s first year as an official sponsor of the event.
KXL Holiday Party – The Social Pt. 2 at Stone Creek Bar & Lounge
Neo’s Chris Hunt and Brandon Ray spearheaded the effort to bring KXL friends and family together to close out a busy 2007.
A party without sorors is no party at all. It’s a good thing that more than a few sorors stopped by for some holiday cheer.
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ΑΦΑ - 100 Years of Leadership - ΑΦΑ
Six sophisticated ladies of the ivy reflect the rich history of our sorors. Join the Wall Street bros in celebrating the centennial of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.: 1908 - 2008 Photography courtesy of Epsilon Sigma Chapter
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Kappa Xi Lambda Chapter P.O. Box 5382 New York, NY 10185-5382
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Visit us at www.wallstreetalphas.com