Historical Moment BROTHER THOMAS D. PAWLEY III
The Selection of the Seventh Jewel The term "Jewel" as a designation for those who founded our Fraternity is unique to Alpha Phi Alpha. It stems of course from the fact that there are seven jewels in the Fraternity pin. However, Brother Vertner Tandy was not seeking to memorialize the "original seven" in 1907 in the manner that the American flag honors the original 13 states. Formal use of the term came much later and was based upon a coincidence in our history. There were seven men exclusive of Messrs Poindexter, Thompson, and Phillips who were not subjected to initiation. None of the first three initiates were originally considered to be founders although they were all members of the Alpha Phi Alpha Society on December 4, 1906. Apparently the term was used unofficially prior to its adoption at the 22 nd Annual Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, December 28-31, 1929, as the designation for the founders. Until 1952 Brother James H. Morton was recognized as the seventh "Jewel." He was a member of the Social Study Club and apparently not subjected to initiation although he was approved as an initiate. (Thompkins was also approved but later received as an old member.) The choice of the seventh founder continued in dispute for over two decades. It was argued by some that all of those who were members of the Society on December 4, 1906, were in fact founders,
especially Lemuel Graves, Gordon Jones and Eugene Kinckle Jones. Having adopted the term "Jewel" for the founders, the Brotherhood felt constrained to limit the number to seven. The problem could have been resolved easily by adding three jewels to the official badge in the same way that additional stars have been added to the American flag without changing its basic form. Such a change was never proposed, perhaps because the tradition of the "original seven" had become deeply entrenched. Perhaps also the furor which arose at the General Convention in Kansas City in 1950 when the Fraternal Design was first presented as an alternative symbol for the Shield may have served as
a deterrent to any proposal to add jewels to the pin. In 1952 General President Maceo Smith invited all the living Jewels to be present at the 28th General Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. Following the Convention address by Brother Eugene Kinckle Jones, the General President requested the Fraternity Historian, Brother Charles Wesley, to meet with Brother Jones and the Jewels present "for the purpose of evaluating any missing fragments of the early history of the Frateniity."' The group met on Monday, December 29, 1952, and decided that the history of the Fraternity for the year 1905-1906 should be revised "with a view to placing Brother Jones in his proper historical setting,"-1 and "that Brother Jones should be listed as one of the seven Jewels and that the name of Brother James H. Morton should continue to be carried among the first initiates."' The report— signed by Brothers Murray, Callis, Kelly, and Wesley—was adopted unanimously by the General Convention on December 30, 1952, and thus Brother Eugene Kinckle Jones entered the pantheon of Jewels. 1
The History of Alpha Phi Alpha by Charles H. Wesley, pp 331-332 : Ibid p332 i OpCitp334 Brothers are invited to make suggestions for subjects/topics for further "Historical Moments." They should be sent to Thomas D. Pawley HI, Historian, 1014 Lafayette Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101.
Spring 1994 • The Sphinx A 13