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THE
SPHINX
February, 1946
THE
SPHINX
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BROTHERS SETTLE DOWN TO FIRST BUSINESS SESSION AT CHICAGO CONCLAVE
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, oldest of all the Negro College Greek-letter Societies in the world, during opening of the first business session of the Thirty-first General Convention at Chicago, Illinois. Shown in the accompanying picture are
approximately five hundred delegates, alternates, and visiting brothers, who have come from the length and breadth of the nation to participate in the first peacetime convention since the tri-parte gathering in Kansas City, Mo., 1940. Business
sessions were held in the beautiful auditorium of Corpus Christi Center, 4622 South Parkway. In keeping with its theme: "Peace and Reconversion," the Fraternity devoted much of its time (December 27-31st) to
constitutional revisions, and discussion of other changes in order to bring the organization in line with a program to help a war-battered world achieve the ultimate goal of victory. Left to right, front row:—Jewel Henry
A. Callis, Founders Speaker at the Convention: Andrew J. Lewis, II, member of the Election Committee; Walker H. Quarles, Jr., Convention Secretary; General Secretary Joseph H. B. Evans: Dr. Rayford W. Logan, General President;
Billy Jones, Assistant Convention Secretary; Dr. Reid E. Jackson. Sphinx Editor; Dr. H. Councill Trenholm, Director of Education: Dr. Lloyd Burrell, Eastern Vice-President: Dr. William N. Lovelace, Midwestern Vice-President.
metic origin. If we are Ethiopians, then let us be reminded that Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia, steadfastly denied that he or his people are Negroes, and he stubbornly maintained that position until Mussolini in his satanic fury laid claim to and invaded Ethiopia whereup on Haile Selassie in his hour of distress found it convenient to send emissaries, even one of his nearest of kin, to Amer ica to contact Negroes in our large cities many of whom upon being so "recognized" contributed freely to the relief and the defense of Ethiopia. The war being over, the same Emperor opened his country to all of the oppressed white people and Jews of war torn Europe, but there is no record that he extended any such invitation to the "war. time Ethiopians" in the United States or to people of our complexion elsewhere in the world who came to his rescue when he was sorely in need of succor. Shall we, then, continue to be Ethiopians? Here I call your attention to the Min utes of the 4th General Convention, December 27-30, 1911, at Ann Arbor,
Michigan, Page 8, third day session, Report of Committee on Applications, "Having carefully considered the information given by a group of 15 fellows at the University of Kansas con cerning the present enrollment of Ethio pian descendents and the encouraging prospects of a yearly increase in the school, etc. recommended the ac ceptance of the application of the now known "Loabe Club" of the University of Kansas." From this it appears even at that date we firmly believed that we were Ethiopians. Incidentally, it is very amusing, although irrelevant to this subject, to note the comment the same committee made with reference to the application from Pi Alpha Tau Club of the University of Minnesota of which I was a member, "the committee favors the application from Minnesota and feels that the Fraternity would be benefited exceedingly by the addition and co-op. eration of these boys." Since our fraternity is founded on an Ethiopian background perhaps we had better stop for a while and explore this
ancient country. We see references to Ethiopians in the Homeric Poems; it is a country of g tcry, superstitions and ignorance. Entymology of the name seems to have come from the Greek word meaning swarthy or burned faces, as applied to the inhabitants. Situated in the Northeastern part of Africa, bounded by the Nile, by Egypt and on the East by the Red Sea, it is a country of hills and mountains which have served as natural barriers to invaders. Most of its ancient culture appears to have been acquired from Egypt which conquered it in the XVIII Dynasty and made it an Egyptian province; and Ethiopia then paid tribute to Egypt in Negroes, Gold, Ivory, etc., and various other commodities. Ethiopia became in dependent about the 11th Century before Christ, and about the middle of the 8th Century B. C., it conquered Egypt. The yoke was finally shaken off completely about 660 B. C„ when Ethiopia once more became independent and maintained her independence until she was conquered by the Romans during
the . to 24 B. C. the Abyssinian Chronicles attribute the foundation of the kingdom to Menelik, the son of Sol omon and the Queen of Sheba. Ethiopia has experienced a more or less war like existence, conquering and being conquered, down through the ages. In 1896, Menelik II. repulsed the Italian invaders in a crushing and humiliating defeat. Peculiarly, no matter what fortunes it has in war. Ethiopia always eventually becomes free and independ ent. It is interesting to note that in our last great conflict Ethiopia was the first country to be invaded and taken, and the first to regain its lost territory and independence. I am going a bit into de tails because I believe we should determine whether the background of our fraternity should continue as Ethiopian or as of African origin. In examining the authorities on Ethi opia, I note that Princess Asfa Yilma of the Royal House of Ethiopia in her book HAILE SELASSIE, EMPEROR OF ETHIOPIA, published in 1936, states that of the human races inhabiting
Ethiopia, there is the Caucasian type like Bedowins with oval faces, keen nose and lips well formed which do not curl up: the Galas who have large well built bodies, straight nose and deeply sunken eyes; and a third whose hair is wooly and intensely curly and whose lips are thick. There are no Negroes in Ethiopia except as slaves." "She 'further stated that the main ra cial roots are to be found in Egypt, but that the Jewish and Negroid elements fused with the races in the Centuries before Christ. So that predominate characteristics are now lacking, and this is also due to migrations. The Gallas were war like and probably the military backbone of the country. The Negro or Negroid people of Ethiopia were termed "Shankala." There are numerous Mos lem tribes on the eastern boundary of Ethiopia. Then there still are other people termed "Falasha" who are Jews and these inhabit the mountainous dis tricts, especially around Lake Tana and the Gourage.
very little progress has been made in the way of modern civilization in the last three centuries. Abyssinia, and I might say that Abyssinia and Ethiopia are both proper names applied to the same country, remained a semi barbaric country with a feud system in which the leading princess and chiefs were nothing more than robber barons carrying on a cruel and ruthless warfare. There really was no centralized and constructive govern.. ment because the provinces were under the control of the war chiefs. Authority of the Emperor was based entirely on force.
Ethiopia is traditionally backward and
Savage customs, internal wars, fighting and certain adventures have dominated Ethiopia. By the majority of authorities they are classified as a mixture of Arabs. Jews and Hamites Shall Alpha Phi Alpha then continue with its Ethiopian background? with its Ethiopian ritualistics? Or should we once and for all time proclaim to ourselves that we are of African origin? Would such a change break faith with the Jewels who have departed this life? Or