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King, the atmosphere in Black America was one of "possibility" and we valued the competition of how much we had read and could discuss about African History, politics and social theory among each other. From the time of my initiation into the Fraternity, I have been overwhelmed with good fortune - both, in terms of the men that were made with me and the national leaders who mentored me. The friendship that I currently hold with my fellow initiates and the mentoring I received from older brothers is worth examining. I can certainly credit my parents and family for their nurturing, values, example and financial support to go to school. But, where did the inspiration and challenge come from to excel in school or business? It came from being surrounded by other Black men of my Theta Chapter pledge line, all of whom graduated from college and are successful today. We are not only "Ship Mates," but also "friends" who sponsor and host an annual dinner inviting other Alphas to meet and talk. One is a trusted CPA and another is a valued member of the UBM team. Brother Marv Wilson is a more recent addition to our company who serves as vice president for strategic planning, and continues the tradition of Alpha men playing key roles in my business development activities. This organizational genius is a key player in constructing a plan to make our firm multigenerational in the future. Do we foresee this type of closeness emerging among today's Black men and their families and lasting 40+ years? The point is made best by citing a recent meeting where a representative of the Chicago Public Schools was trying to get two high school students involved in construction jobs, but could not find one or two with enough confidence to stand out by availing themselves of this opportunity. Compare this mindset to that of Theta Chapter in 1957. We were encouraged to be different. Nobody took me to a "leadership class" and said these are the strategies and tactics for being an effective leader or that this is what you do to behave as an upright Black man. My pledge group selected many careers, including chemistry, civil engineering, accounting, pre-med studies, aeronautical engineering, etc. - but we were all expected to succeed by graduating and using our experience to help others. This absence of great expectations, mutual support, encouragement and commitment to service is often absent from our current scene. When I contemplated going into business, it was Brother Oscar Brown Sr. who afforded me an opportunity by giving me my first painting contract while I was still in college. He "schooled" me in the ways of doing business through the many times we talked, as well as through his personal and professional example. He would loan me payroll money, which I was always slow or late in paying back. But he never gave up and he would often counsel me by stating that I should "continue to try and never give up on myself.. .you have nothing to lose, but your own insecurity." What young man could not be successful with this kind of mentoring and positive intervention in his life? If the attacks on Affirmative Action led by Clarence Thomas CELEBRATING THE MILLENNIUM
EQUALITY
and Ward Connerly are not curbed, we will not only see a cessation of Black Business progress, but a decline in African- American youngsters' development of the confidence, self-esteem and skills provided previously through university Affirmative Action admission and hiring policies. Therefore, I would urge the Brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha who read this article to become more knowledgeable about and protective of Affirmative Action, and recognize the fact that, like it or not, it has helped us all. Alpha Phi Alpha, as the first Black fraternity, with thousands of leaders in all fields of endeavor, must take a lead in three key initiatives. 1) Educating our young brothers about the facts of the Civil Rights era, including Affirmative Action. 2) Developing models for intervention and mentoring. 3) Helping to meet the challenge of engaging Black men in the Information Revolution - a task that which I have developed a strong personal interest, along with the others. The Seven Jewels had a vision beyond our capacity to grasp. But it has sustained us for almost a century. Recently, we succeeded in developing [plans for] a Martin Luther King memorial in Washington, D.C., and one only needs to read The Sphinx"1 magazine to learn of historic achievements that Alpha men are making each day. Brother John Stroger, for example, the first Black President of Illinois' Cook County Board, controls over 27,000 jobs and a budget of close to $3 billion dollars. Yet, these individual and chapter accomplishments will pale against the enormity of the problems challenging young Black men. It is my fervent hope that by sharing our experiences through the new energy of The Sphinx91, we can institute a new sense of fraternal community, which is needed to offset the attacks on Black people's quest for full equality. The fact that I have benefited from fraternal life, particularly, the guidance received from older Brothers, challenges me to see ways to help younger Black students. This spirit led my graduate chapter, Xi Lambda, to adopt the Adam Clayton Powell Elementary School in Chicago, where an Alpha Brother was principal. We must realize that there is a tremendous body of information requiring "knowledge management", and we need a way to take the best ideas, concepts and practices that we have achieved and make them available to younger brothers. Perhaps the information revolution can yield devices for accomplishing this task. Finally, we must recognize that the social constructs which allowed Brothers Adam Clayton Powell, Martin Luther King, Ed Brooke, J. Herbert King, Judges Sidney Jones and Myles Paige, Clark Burrus, Brother Mayor Eugene Sawyer, Belford Lawson and Charles Wesley to talk to me and embrace me as a protege under their mentorship, no longer exist, particularly in urban areas. But just as Henry Arthur Callis had the vision to put an organization in place to successfully address the problems facing Black men during the early 1900's, it is our responsibility to make the Alpha Phi Alpha experience a relevant, exciting and necessary force in facing the challenges confronting Black men in this new century. My hope is to continue to participate in that struggle.