HISTORICAL FEATURE
AVP DISCOVERS ViESTERN GRAVESITE OF JEWEL MU HISTORICAL INFORMATION HAD ELUDED FRATERNITY HISTORIANS FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS
Brother Daniel Craddock, Western Regional Assistant Vice President, was tasked with uncovering apiece of Alpha Phi Alpha history that had eluded Fraternity historians for nearly 40 years. The 21-year-old UCLA student and member of Gamma Xi Chapter accepted the challenge, and set out to find the burial place of Jewel Nathaniel Allison Murray. After weeks of diligent research, which included combing through public records in the Los Angeles area, Brother Craddock's hard work paid off. He discovered that Jewel Murray was interned at the Valhalla Cemetery Mausoleum at 10621 Victory Boulevard, North Hollywood, California. The final resting place of Jewel Murray has always been shrouded in mystery, as Fraternal history and records were unable to determine many of his vital details later in life. Because of Brother Craddock's research, however, the dates of his birth-April 10, 1884—and death—December 12,1959—can now be added to our permanent history. Records show that Jewel Murray took ill around the time of the 37th General Convention in Berkeley, California in 1951. Unable to pay for the medical care that he needed, the Convention passed a resolution authorizing a $600 grant to cover his medical bills. The Brothers also voted to provide him with a monthly pension of $50 to help defray his mounting expenses. The display of love and camaraderie was in stark contrast to an unfortunate incident three years earlier when Murray, accompanied by Jewel Callis, was refused admission into a Convention banquet because he did not have a ticket.
Western Regional Brothers visit the final resting place for Jewel Brother Nathaniel Allison Murray fqUming a Southern California District Meeting 1'iclured (left to right) are Brothers John M. Williams, Western I ice Prfrklenl Kenneth I.. I enable. Western A17' Daniel Craddock.'/orn/tff'Western .11/' Ryan Ballard. Dan/on Hunter and William Jerriganm. THE SPHINX™ SPRING 1999