HISTORY
However, he asked he and his son, William Haston
Sadly, on August 25, 2014, the Honorable A. Charles
(Beta, 1971), to be in attendance.
Haston died peacefully at his home surrounded by family, while Bro. Peters’ own condition took a turn for
They joined Bro. Peters on stage and cried together
the worse.
as the national body applauded their journey in the passing of this important legislation.
Through the years, Brother Peters’ loving wife, LeCresha, always told him she felt it was her purpose to
The Fraternity was then empowered to incorporate the
donate her kidney to him. However, Bro. Peters resisted
A. Charles Haston Brother’s Keeper national program
the idea of her undergoing surgery.
throughout its chapters. Eventually, as his condition deteriorated, she confronted Soon after, Bros. Haston and Peters attended fraternal
him.
conventions together. Bro. Peters was delighted to see his beloved messenger from God, the man who gave
“Listen, Ron, you are taking my kidney,” she declared.
so much and had been received with indifference,
“You have our boys to raise and I can’t do your job.
and celebrated as an icon. Hundreds of Alpha men
Do you understand? Do you understand me? You are
would stand in line to get his autograph and listen to
taking this kidney!”
his heart-wrenching stories of witnessing his father’s murder when he was 5 years old; being shot by
At one of the most helpless times in Bro. Peters’ life, he
Japanese soldiers as a second lieutenant in the Corps
just responded, “Okay,” and began to weep.
of Engineers while building a bridge that General Douglas MacArthur ultimately used to claim victory in
The A. Charles Haston Brother’s Keeper program is
the Philippines during World War II; his fraternal life in
a love story, the tale of how two Black women made
the 1930s at historic Langston University; his career as
two Alpha men whole in what they perceived as a
a highschool teacher, principal, and ultimately school
broken world. One of the men became an international
superintendent; and, most importantly, how he felt
symbol for God’s love and the other lives on with his
meeting his beloved wife, Doris, for the first time in
wife’s kidney. God’s will was done. Through the spirit
Hugo, Oklahoma.
of the A. Charles Haston national program, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. continues to be a driving force in
Due to their failing health, however, the pair could not
assisting underserved widows, seniors, and disabled
fellowship for long periods with Brothers at fraternity
people throughout the world. This program reflects our
conventions. They spent most of their time in their hotel
motto “First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend
room resting, talking, and passionately singing along
All.” S
to Frank Sinatra–Count Basie Orchestra love songs that reminded them of their wives. “Is it an earthquake or simply a shock? Is it the good turtle soup or is it merely the mock? Is it a cocktail, this feeling of joy? Or is what I feel the real McCoy?”
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THE SPHINX