S5TH AKTOWRSARl' THE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF OF THE SPHINX
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Twenty-one Alpha Phi Alpha Brothers have been entrusted with editorship of The Sphinx™ magazine—some of them serving more than once—since the publication was founded in 1914. The position of Editor-in-Chief at the beginning was assigned to the General Vice President of the organization. It was quickly realized that the position of Editor should be something separate from the General Vice President's duties and made an office of its own. The Editor's position for many years was an elected position, while also it has long been argued that the position should be appointed. The position was removed from elective status in the mid-1970s where it has since remained. The magazine over the years has had offices in and outside of the Fraternity Headquarters. Thefollowing chronology and profile of the Editors-in-Chief of The Sphinx™ helps us to understand more about the 85-year history of the magazine. Raymond W. Cannon 1914 Brother Cannon, as General Vice President of the Fraternity, was designated as the first Editor-in-Chief of The Sphinx™ at the magazine's founding. Brother J.V. McKelvie, who was Chairman of the Printing Committee also served in the magazine's founding year as the first and only Business Manager of The Sphinx'™. At
Lucius L. McGee 1915 Brother McGee was the first "exclusive" Editor of The Sphinx™. He was elected to the position at the 1914 Convention. The Sphinx™ adopted a larger format—increasing to 12 pages per issue and moving to a 7" by 11" size—under Brother McGee's editorship. Brother McGee was elected Vice President in 1919 and General President in 1920. He was an initiate of Gamma Chapter at Virginia Union University. V.D. Johnston 1917 Brother Johnston was one of the initiates who reactivated Gamma Chapter in 1913. He was elected Editor-in-Chief of The Sphinx™ at the 1916 General Convention held in Richmond. During Brother Johnston's editorship, the publication grew from 16 to 20 pages. His tenure as Editor ended when he was inducted into military during World War I. In April 1917, Brother Johnston published the first "public" issue of The Sphinx™. 85lb AWMRSARY EDITION
the Seventh Annual Convention in December 1914, Brother Cannon recommended that the offices of Vice President and Editor be separated. His recommendation was adopted. Brother Cannon was initiated on April 12,1912 when he became a Charter member of Mu Chapter at the University of Minneapolis.
William A. Pollard 1916 Brother William A. Pollard, initiated at Beta Chapter, Howard University, was elected Editor-in-Chief at the 1915 General Convention and served in the position in 1916. He was the last of The Sphinx™ Editors to be elected to General President of the Fraternity, an office he held in 1917 and 1918.
V.E. Daniel, 1917 (Interim) Brother Daniel, initiated at Gamma Chapter, Virginia Union University, was appointed to complete the remainder of Brother Johnston's term as Editor-in-Chief by former Sphinx™ editor and then General President William A. Pollard. In his report to the December 1917 General Convention, Brother Daniel recommended that "matters of a secret nature" be omitted from The Sphinx™ and that a permanent office for the publication be established. Subsequently, the magazine became public and Washington, DC. was chosen as the site for the first office of The Sphinx™.