FEATURE
Arthur Callis Life and Legacy on page 30, Murray said, “But when the idea of organizing a colored fraternity was suggested, he (Poindexter) did all he could to discourage the idea, and the majority of the Founders agreed that for that reason his name should never be linked with the early history of Alpha Phi Alpha. When asked for financial aid he turned a deaf ear to our plea. In the early years when his advice and experiences would have been a great help to us, he was very antagonistic.” In The Talented Tenth, The Founders and Presidents of Alpha by Bro. Herman Mason, Bro. Oliver B. Cassel of Alpha Chapter disputes that notion. On page 278, Cassel detailed an interview he had with Edward Newton about the fraternal founding. Cassel referred to Poindexter as a “Jewel” and a “founder.”
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• In addition to the above documentation, the following information provides additional context to Poindexter’s role in the early years of Alpha Phi Alpha: •
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Poindexter, worked at Cornell serving as a personal secretary under Thomas F. Hunt between 1903-1907 Poindexter served as Director of Agriculture at the Institute for Colored Youth in Cheyney, Pa. 1904-1905; Director of Agriculture at the American Church Institute for Negroes at St. Paul’s School in Lawrenceville, Va. 1907-1909; and joined Fisk in 1909 as Professor of Agronomy and Biology until his death in 1913 Poindexter only attended Cornell as a student between 1905-1906 Poindexter was with the Alpha Phi Alpha group for the entire year, December 1905-November 1906 Murray stating in 1906 that Poindexter was against the fraternal idea, has not
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been supported by either direct documents found from the time or by surviving members from 1906 The fraternal name, colors, and procedures for conducting meetings and processes for preserving records occurred while Poindexter was in charge The process for and initiation of new members was implemented under his leadership The early history books that contained only three meeting minutes were printed over a 23-year period of time Poindexter oversaw activities and gatherings eight times between the meetings conducted on October 23, 1906 and December 4, 1906 Those activities took place on October 27-30 and November 2, 6, 13, 22, 23, and 30, 1906 Meeting minutes show the group needed clarification regarding Poindexter’s resignation letter, which was not accepted until January 8, 1907 Poindexter was living and working in Virginia in January 1907
A final item of note, in a January 15, 1929 letter that Callis penned to Wesley, he said in the last paragraph, “I have been one of those who favored the retention of the name C.C. Poindexter. In the study of data so carefully arranged and presented, I become perfectly satisfied with the retention of Morton’s name to the exclusion of others.” Efforts have been made to locate any record of a Black student named James H. Morton at Cornell University, during the founding of Alpha Phi Alpha. He is listed at the Cornell Medical College in the incorporation papers of January 1908. With the assistance of National Historian Bro. Dr. Harris, we have learned that no transcript or record of Morton could be THE SPHINX