Historical Moment Brother Thomas D. Powlev
Honorary Memberships
E
arly in its history the Fraternity began the practice of inducting honorary members from among esteemed citizens of the community in which the chapters were located who had completed their formal education. Alpha Chapter established the tradition when it initiated two local citizens as honorary members. On April 26, 1907, George Fletcher, a former law student, was initiated. According to Dr. Charles Wesley, "Brother Fletcher was the first honorary member and the custom of later years was begun with his admission (History - 44). The following year Rev. E. A. Brooks, a graduate of die Cornell University Law School, became die second honorary member. On May 15, 1909, the Chapter decided not to initiate additional honorary members because "(it) deems it wise in its present stage of development not to admit (them)." (History - 45). Meanwhile, Beta Chapter, after receiving the official sanction of President Thirkfield of Howard University, reported to Alpha Chapter that it was seeking honorary members among the faculty. One such inductee was the distinguished scholar Dr. Kelly Miller
44 A The Sphinx •
Fall 1995
who addressed die First Annual Convention in 1908 "giving very wholesome advice to the fraternity for the building of its future" (History - 49). Another early inductee was the eminent Dr. W.E.B. DuBois who was initiated into Epsilon Chapter while visiting the University of Michigan in 1909. He was the spiritual inspiration for Alpha Phi Alpha.1 These early honorary members were all college graduates and with the exception of Brother DuBois, local residents. They were admitted into the largely undergraduate brotherhood —chapters composed of students. At the Second Annual Convention at Richmond, Virginia, in December 1909, one of the subjects discussed was direct taxation of honorary members. Although we do not know what action was taken we can infer that honorary members were not being required to pay dues and that there were enough of them to cause the five existing chapters at this "split" convention to be concerned. : For more dian a quarter of a century thereafter the induction of honorary members into the Fraternity was sanctioned.