Brother Raymond Cannon interim committee that brought it into existence over the vigorous oppostion at that time of the white business people of that city who thought it would increasse the Negro population. After it was organized, difficulty was encountered in obtaining a budget from the Chest Fund. Brother Cannon became the spokesman for the delegation at the last hearing and a budget of only $5,000 was granted. But this was a fairly sizable sum in those days. About six years ago Brother Cannon was one of two living founders to attend the 50th Anniversary Banquet of the Minneapolis Urban League. The league then had grown and expanded its program to the extent of five offices in Minneapolis, a staff of 42 persons, and a budget of $225,000. Brother Cannon was appointed to the Minneapolis Fair Employment Practices Commission by Hubert Humphrey when he was Mayor of that city. This was the first such body on the municipal level in the United States, and Brother Cannon represented this commission in a conference called by the late President Eisenhower in the White House. It is interesting to note that, among his many activities, Brother Cannon refused his appointment to the Draft Board during the World War II era by Governor Youngdahl of Minnesota because of racial discrimination against 38
Negroes in the Armed Forces. The news media gave this wide publicity over the country, and one of the results was the issuance of an executive order by the Governor integrating the Minnesota National Guard. Brother Cannon served three terms as President of Phyollis Wheatley Settlement House and its recreational facilities at Oak Lake. This was one of the largest institutions of its kind in the country. Among other items noted were his services as attorney for St. Peters A.M.E. Church (6V2 years gratis, including several litigations). He served as deputy of the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite for Minnesota, South Dakota and Winnipeg, Canada, is a member of the Masonic Fraternity, 33°, former member of the Board of Directors of the Upper Midwest Region of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. He has received numerous citations and awards among which are the Richard Allen Award, City of Minneapolis, Opportunity magazine, University of Minnesota (medal for World War I service) and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Much of the foregoing was mentioned when Brother Cannon was presented for this honor by the University of Minnesota. Brother Cannon attended the University of Minnesota, the College of St. Thomas, the Minnesota College of Law (now the William Mitchell College of Law) and the University of Judaism.
At the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce annual meeting the prestigious Community Leadership Award for 1983 will be presented to Brother JAMES P. COMER. Comer is director of the Schools Unit at the Yale Child Study Center and professor of psychiatry. He is also associate dean for Student Affairs at Yale Medical School where he is in charge of student evaluation and progress. Comer's community involvement is diverse and far-reaching. In addition to his work at Yale, he is on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Energy Corporation (Southern Connecticut Gas Company), and Field Foundation. He is also a trustee of Connecticut Savings Bank, the Hazen Foundation, and
Wesleyan University. Comer is also on the Board of Advisors and Consultants for children's TV workshop ("Sesame Street"). Comer, a resident of North Haven, is married to Shirley Arnold Comer and they have two children.
Brother JOSEPH S. DARDEN, JR., Professor of Health Education and Chairperson of the Department of Health & Recreation at Kean College of New Jersey, has been selected as the recipient of the 1983 College / University Teacher of the Year Award for EDA, AAHPERD. AAHPERD (The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) is a national organization with approximately 48,000 members. It will celebrate its centennial anniversary in 1985. There are six districts included in the Alliance, EDA — The Eastern District - being the largest (from Maine to Maryland) with approximately 12,000 members. An educator of many "firsts," Dr. Darden was the first Black President (and the only one to-date of all the districts) of the Eastern District (1974-1975), and is the immediate Past District Representative to the Alliance Board of Governors (1979-1982) and the only Black to so serve, nationally. Known nationally as an authority in Sex Education, Dr. Darden has been at Kean College since 1964 (the second Black member of the faculty). The award was presented at the First General Session of the 60th Annual Convention of the Eastern District Association at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island on February 17, 1983.
m After six years as District Superintendent of the North District of the United Methodist Conference, Brother JOHN N. DOGGETT, former head of the local NAACP chapter, has been reassigned to pastor at a predominantly white church in the Central West End of St. Louis to add to his list of "first" positions he has held. Doggett, whose term will expire at the end of June, will assume pastorate at Grace United Methodist Church. Doggett is also President of the The Sphinx / Summer 1983