A Brotherhood Like No other

By: Chelsea Davis-Bibb, Ed.D.

The historic Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., was founded on January 9, 1914 by the Honorable A. Langston Taylor, Honorable Leonard F. Morse, and Honorable Charles I. Brown. The organization was built around the ideals of brotherhood, scholarship, and service. The founders created the organization with the community in mind and wanted each prospective member to be judged by their character and not by other elements such as race, status, etc. It was their vision and their foundation that has led the organization to 599 active chapters and 225K members initiated since its creation, and 109 strong years of brotherhood.

DeLance Frelow, president of Phi Beta Sigma Alumni Chapter, designated as Sigma Theta Sigma, one of the several unique Alumni Sigma Brotherhood cont. on pg. 3

Stevie Wonder PayS reSPect to Miola laWS

By: Afram News

At the age of 103, Miola Donahue Laws, also known as the matriarch of the Laws family, leaves behind a legacy that will be remembered forever. The funeral service for Miola Laws was held at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Among those paying their respects at her service was singer songwriter Stevie Wonder.

A Houston native, Mrs. Laws attended Blackshear Elementary, which was one of only three Black elementary schools during that time. She also graduated from Jack Yates High School, where she was recently honored as one of the matriarchs of her class of 1937.

The Laws family is known for their musical talents and were skilled at other talents as well. Mrs. Laws and her late husband Hubert Laws were parents to Hubert Laws Jr. (an international classical and jazz musician); Eloise Laws-Ivie (vocalist, actor, and author); Ronnie Laws (international jazz musician and saxophonist); Johnny Laws (a veteran and vocalist); Debra Laws (vocalist and Broadway actor); Blanche Laws-McConnell (former church minister of music and general manager of Angelus-Funeral Home in LA), Dr. Donna Y. Laws (a professor, author, inspirational speaker and classical dancer; and Charlotte Laws-Thompson (former author and poet who was an “Ikette” for Ike and Tina Turner.

Miola Laws will greatly be missed and leaves behind many friends and loved ones who will keep her memory alive.

President/Chief Editor

Contributing Writers Dr. Bobby Mills

the

Overflow

The course includes topics such as the Black Lives Matter Movement, Black Feminism, and reparations. It also includes topics about Black communism, and critical race theory. I don’t see what the issue is. These topics have been a part of Black history for years, and it is important that students are educated about it. The course started as a pilot last fall and is supposed to be offered across the nation in the 2024-2025 school year.

According to CNN, “It was developed over the last decade and is intended to be a multidisciplinary study of the African American diaspora that includes literature, the arts, science, politics and geography.” I think it’s beautiful that this course was proposed. We need more courses like this. Rejecting this course is like rejecting the identity of Black culture. This is a part of who we are, our culture, our identity. It seems as time progresses, more and more Black history is being watered down or not discussed all together. It is important that we voice our opinion and stand up for what we believe in. If we don’t then who? However, you can’t fight for something you know nothing about, so it’s important that we learn and know our history so we will know what we’re fighting for and why we’re fighting for it. We need history. We have to preserve it and talk about it so we can continue to learn from the past. Our ancestors fought for us, and when I mean us, I am not just talking about Black people, I am talking about America. They wanted a better America for everyone because they saw one possible. We can’t let that vision die. We can’t let history die. It’s not just about us, but about the generations that are coming behind us as well.

A revival of God Consciousness

Bobby Mills, Phd

The Immorality of the Presidency

In the history of America’s Presidency, we have had forty-six Presidents. How many were spiritual moral men who used the Bible as their leadership guide? It is historically recorded that George Washington, America’s first President never told a lie, but unfortunately, he lived a lie. He lived America’s original sin by owning 600 slaves! Among America’s initial sixteen Presidents,

12 were slave owners. Slavery is an act against God, and the spiritual moral teachings of Jesus Christ. Many of America’s Presidents have had moral character failings, and President Donald J. Trump leads the immorality list, because he instigated an overthrow of America’s democratic form of government. Boldly, Trump has the unmitigated gall to seek reelection in 2024. Moral Question: what restrained House Slaves from seeking retribution on slave owners? Possible Theoretical Answers: were they the offspring of Slave Owners? Or was it the Pie in the Sky Christianity slaves were taught?

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Chapters across Houston, discussed how the organization is composed of a group of men who believe in the three principles (brotherhood, scholarship and service) established by the founding members. He stressed the importance of brotherhood within the organization and how “individuals that are not even blood related become your brothers.”

Chapter Education Chairman

Dr. Don Prier explained that the organization is “a wondrous band of like-minded, highly educated individuals” and he joined not only for the brotherhood who he considers family, but also to help solve real life problems, and to have a group of people he can turn to for help. “We work in a wide range of industries, but we can all get together and provide each other advice…and we all have a skillset that makes us all successful,” he stated. One of the best parts is how this group of men are giving back through mentoring and guiding our youth. Dr. Prier said, “These men have made themselves available so that they can actually be there for our kids and actually provide mentorship opportunities as well as helping them develop their skill sets.”

When they are not mentoring the youth, they are out in the community giving back and being community activists. Recently, this chapter held a community event called Carver Day at George Washington Carver High School (G. W. Carver) in Aldine ISD. The purpose of the program was to invite the public to G.W. Carver and celebrate the legacy of the late George Washington Carver, an innovator in STEM and a prominent member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Additionally, it is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the school’s students, faculty and members of the Acres Homes community.

The beauty of Carver Day is that it also celebrates and unites all members of the Divine 9. The program is supported by the Sigma Theta Sigma Alumni Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta member Monikka Mann, owner of both the 44 Engineering Robotics Group and Gryphon Engineering and Technology. It was a great night as three Proclamations were awarded to the school (as well as a section of the Championship Bus robot named Victory) to be placed in the Carver Heritage Center. When discussing how the organization has evolved over the years, President Frelow mentioned the increase in membership and how the organization has shifted as the world has shifted. Dr. Prier and President Frelow proudly discussed the representation they now have in different entities than they did before. “We have opportunities that we necessarily didn’t have when the organization was first founded. We have representation in almost every field such as government, education, business… and because we have these guys in those different areas, it gives the younger or collegiate students an opportunity to advance …and that’s a great niche that comes with being a part of this organization.”