ALPHA n j \ EXPERENCE:
THE I\ljr
FROM THE "MINORITY" PERSPECTIVE By Brother Gregory Scott Parks
t was an afternoon in July of 1999 when I found myself standing in the subway station at 125th Street and Lexington Avenue in Harlem, New York. I had been standing there feeling tired, hot and sweaty waiting on this brother to show up so that we could head across town to check out some sights. When dealing with Brothers at times like these it reminds me of how much I love Alpha—the Fraternal bonds particularly. I hadn't been waiting terribly long, when out of the lower level of the subway appeared the brother I had been waiting for. It was none other than Brother Andrew Zawacki, the white Brother who was the Rhodes Scholar, featured in The Sphinx® several years ago. He came through the turnstile, apologized for the tardiness and gripped me. Needless to say, it was good to see him. We proceeded to head across town—destination, the Audubon Ballroom, the site of Malcolm X's assassination. On our way, we engaged in some nice philosophical discussion about W.E.B. DuBois, Malcolm X, the Nation of Islam and of course Alpha. I must say that it was one of the more interesting conversations I have had on these subjects and the fact that the gentleman who was sharing his ideas on the subjects was white added to the uniqueness of the dialogue. When we reached the Audubon Ballroom, we stood in front of it and peered in as we continued our exchange of ideas. As we stood there, peering into glass front doors of the building, I began to reflect on what had brought us to this point—namely the specific sight, but also to a pretty significant level of friendship in only our second time meeting. What had brought Andrew—who was raised Catholic in a small predominantly white town in Pennsylvania—here to spend a few moments of his time to exchange ideas with me? More of a concern to me was how did I—a young Black male who as a teenager believed so strongly in the Nation of Islam's ideology—come to feel no qualms about opening up to this "white" man? On both of our parts, it was some level of maturity that we had developed since our teens. However, it was largely due to this thing we call brotherhood. I seemed to be so far from who I used to be, as I am sure Andrew felt about himself, and I had Alpha, partly, to thank for being that "school for the better making of men" that made me more open minded. What follows is an attempt to understand the rationale for why Brothers of Andrew's persuasion sought out Alpha in the first place and some of their experiences over the years. Also, there is an attempt to capture the historical landscape upon which their story is painted.
I
During the administration of General President Charles H. Wesley, the General Convention of 1940 authorized that the word 'Negro' be removed from the Membership Clause of the Fraternity's Constitution.1 This became the first official action, taken on the part of the Fraternity, to open its doors to all qualified youth. Apparently this issue was revisited two other times, once during the 1945 General Convention and finally, during the 1952 General Convention.2 In 1948, Jewel Henry Arthur Callis said of the Founders that "when Alpha Phi Alpha was founded, we foresaw the day when it would include others, besides those of the strictly Negro heritage; and the word 'Negro' did not occur in the Constitution limiting membership nor in the ritual."3 These were most significant actions, which took place on paper and in words. However, there were a number of key individuals who became the first white Brothers to be admitted into the hallowed halls of Alpha, thus exemplifying Alpha Phi Alpha's commitment to "love for all mankind." One such man was Bernard Levin,4 who had been born in Chicago in 1924 and enrolled in Wright College by 1941. After his graduation in 1943, he enrolled in the University of Illinois at Chicago's dental school. While matriculating there, a friend of his from DePaul University encouraged him to seek membership in Alpha Phi Alpha, as Levin was desirous in improving Black/white relations. Since other fraternities, according to Levin, were only social organizations, and since he deemed Alpha as being engaged in constructive activity, he sought membership in Alpha Phi Alpha.5 On Friday, June 21, 1946, Brother Bernard Levin was initiated into Theta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and became the first white man to be initiated into any Black fraternity. Along with Brother Levin, Brothers William Rhetta, Spencer Hardy, James Gaither and Hershel Wallace were also initiated into Theta chapter.6 After graduation, Brother Levin practiced dentistry in Chicago for five years, served in the Air Force for two, and eventually practiced in New Mexico for 12 years. In 1966 he joined the faculty at the University of Southern California's dental school where he continues to teach. Another gentleman by the name of Roger Lee Youmans7 was born in 1933 in Kansas City, Kansas. By 1951 he had enrolled at the University of Kansas where he was initiated into Upsilon chapter in 1954 along with Brothers Ralph Jones, Willie Brown and Robert Williams. Brother Youmans initially learned of Alpha from a friend of his, Herby Cates, who was his next-door neighbor as a child and president of Upsilon Chapter in 1954. Brother Youmans recounts how he had approached Brother Otis Simmons of THESPHIWT SUMMER 2000