Sphinx | The World Around Us: Global Impact in an Evolving Society

The Innovation Issue | Volume 12, No. 1

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity

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THE SPHINX

CONTENTS

features

in this issue

8

4

Alpha’s New Black Wall Street: Disruptive Entreprenuership

Letters

14

16 News

A Monument Bigger Than One Family, A Legacy

24

18

Advocacy

History

30

Retracing Steps: The Pan African Congress Centenary Pilgrimage

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27

42

General Convention Features Advance Screening of Brian Banks

Education

35 Staying Woke, Unapologetically Black and Faithful

Religion

45 Health

50 Personal/Professional Development

54 Brothers on the Move

35

59 Literary

65 Chapter News

71 Omega Chapter

76 Leadership Directory

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CONTENTS

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Official Publication of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity THE INNOVATION ISSUE | Volume 12, No. 1 www.apa1906.net EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Henry A. Stewart sphinx@apa1906.net MANAGING EDITOR Eric Christopher Webb sphinx@apa1906.net LAYOUT EDITOR AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR Malik Whatley CONTRIBUTORS Everett B. Ward, Jamie R. Riley, Henry A. Stewart, Eric Christopher Webb, Robert L. Harris, Marshall Glaze, Kevin Williams, Dwayne Crawford, Roland S. Martin, Jonathan C. Augustine, Kevin Dedner, Corey Hebert, Nehemiah Bester, Arthur D. Vaughn, Rick Blalock, Duane C. Jubert PHOTOGRAPHERS Malik Whatley, Chris Palmer PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE Ramon E. Peralta, Jr., L.H.D., Chair Paul E. Brown, Lawrence Buirse, Ricardo P. Deveaux, Wendel Eckford, LaMarcus Hall, Aaron Jones, Steven Misher, Donald Ross, Jeffrey E. Sterling, Marvin Venay

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EDITORIAL OFFICES Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity 2313 St. Paul Street Baltimore, MD 212I8-5211 (410) 554-0040 www.apa1906.net ADVERTISING AND SALES ads@apa1906.net DESIGN AND PRINTING Mercury Publishing Services, Inc. (800) 634-9409

ON THE COVER Alpha examines the future of business, advocacy and innovation

FALL 2018

© 2019 Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. | All Rights Reserved

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FROM THE GENERAL PRESIDENT

Letter from the General President My Brothers of Alpha, It seems like only yesterday when my childhood was greatly influenced by a community of African American businessmen. Starting with my father, uncles and grandfather, I had the privilege to witness a thriving community benefit economically from black owned businesses. In this continuously evolving business environment, it’s critical that Alpha men preserve and advance African American entrepreneurship.

This issue of the Sphinx magazine as well as the 113th Anniversary Convention and 95th General Convention focus on African American entrepreneurship. I encourage you to read the article, “Alpha’s New Black Wall Street: Disruptive Entrepreneurship: Everett B. Ward, Ph.D. General President Twitter: @AlphasforWARD

The State of Black Business and Our Economic Impact.”

During the Las Vegas General Convention, entrepreneurship and business opportunities will be a central focus. The John H. Johnson Alphapreneur Level-Up Pitch Competition for Entrepreneurs will financially support an emerging business developed by an Alpha brother. Additionally, a business opportunity forum dedicated to providing access to valuable resources that will enhance brothers’ chances for business success will be a featured component of the convention.

On July 4th, American citizens gathered to celebrate the founding of this nation and the fundamental tenets of American democracy. However, with each commemorating speech, evening fireworks and red, white and blue rally, I was reminded that our freedom was derived from courageous struggle and unmatched perseverance.

Brother Dr. Robert Harris, National Historian, wrote an article on the “Red Summer” of 1919. It serves as historic reminder that we must never abandon the fight for freedom and equality. The current resurgence of racism, hate crimes, and targeted racial profiling requires men of Alpha to remain united and steadfast against injustice.

In closing, I leave you with the words of Frederick Douglas: “The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought light and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.” S

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The InformaTIon you need. rIghT When you need IT. Stay connected with your fraternity on your mobile deviceS. Scan the Qr code below, go to bIT.ly/aPhIaaPP or Search “alpha phi alpha” in your app Store today. the future of alpha iS here. iPhone | Android | BlAckBerry | WindoWs | online

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Letter from the Associate Executive Director Dear Brothers: The Fraternity and our Brotherhood have always been trailblazers and on the cusp of innovation. Today, however, we have reached a place in our history, where we are all beginning to fully embrace it across various industries, but especially in business and technology. Therefore, it makes sense that we highlight that area of endeavor with this issue.

Our Brothers have found and created new platforms and ways to fulfill voids, improve Adrian Scott Executive Director/COO

access, and provide services that have not only disrupted traditional systems, but revolutionized activities in their industries.

Even with our upcoming 113th Anniversary and 95th General Convention at Bally’s Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, our embrace of innovation is evident. We have partnered with CVent to improve the efficiency of our convention registration and check-in experience through a totally automated-kiosk system.

In addition, old and new partners have also created spaces for members to not only learn more about their services, but to also establish sustainable partnerships with the Fraternity to increase brand awareness, leadership development, and employment opportunities for Brothers.

In Baltimore, as a Corporate Headquarters, we are much closer to abandoning AlphaNet and fully integrating our new data management system in November, which will transform and streamline how Brothers access and update information, register for conventions and meetings, pay invoices, and request materials. Our partner, ProTech, will also be on hand to provide demonstrations of the system at the 95th General Convention.

Overall, the Fraternity’s embrace and integration of innovation will only broaden, and we will be better. S

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FROM THE EDITOR

Letter from the Editor-In-Chief “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

—Mark Twain Dear Brothers: The motto of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is “First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend all.” History has taught us that the true comparative advantage for any group of people is their ability to be transcendent. The ability to transcend is predicated on an understanding of the past and a futurist view of the present.

Henry A. Stewart Editor-In-Chief sphinx@apa1906.net

Futurists are people whose specialty or interest is the attempt to systematically explore predictions and possibilities about the future and how they can emerge from the present, whether that of human society in particular or of life on Earth in general.

As members of an organization that has blazed trails into unchartered territory Alpha Phi Alpha men have always been at the vanguard of societal trends and movements.

The list of Alpha men who have been called first or founder is a long and impressive list filled with innovators and courageous change makers.

We are in the midst of a historical transformation. Many of the norms that have characterized society have proven obsolete while new ways of thinking and doing business are thrusting us into a digital economy where what is new, next, and greatest changes almost weekly. In order to compete in a global market place we must look at trends and examine how those trends directly affect the African American community.

One of the key elements that still spurs wealth accumulation in the African American community is entrepreneurism. As of the latest census data release, there were 2.58 million Black-owned businesses in the United States, generating $150 billion in annual revenue and supporting 3.56 million U.S. jobs. In fact, there is a long history of entrepreneurship among Black Americans going back to the earliest days of this country and continuing via waves of immigration from the Caribbean in the 1900s and from Africa more recently, as well as from other countries. Black business owners are wealthier than their peers who do not own businesses, and business ownership creates new wealth faster compared to wage employment. At the same time, small businesses tend to hire from the community, creating jobs for neighborhood residents. Therefore, opportunities for Black entrepreneurs to succeed are critical for economic empowerment in Black communities, where currently there is virtually zero liquid wealth, coupled with higher than average rates of unemployment.

The current and future viability of our community depends on us paying attention to the present, but also undertaking an intentionally futurist view of business and entrepreneurship and what effect does that have on how we will thrive as a people going forward. We must continue to move onward and upward always! S

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FEATURE

BY HENRY STEWART, ALPHA RHO ’99, MU LAMBDA

ALPHA’S NEW BLACK WALL STREET: DISRUPTIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP THE STATE OF BLACK BUSINESS AND OUR ECONOMIC IMPACT

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hile entrepreneurship and small business ownership for people of color, including African-Americans, has made some progress over the past 60+ years, there is still a great deal of ground to cover. In his famed 1968 speech “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” that emphasized the necessity of black selfreliance, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called on those in the black community to strengthen black institutions and businesses by moving their money away from the white run business and banking establishments and depositing their dollars into black-owned institutions. This idea, that buying and banking from black-owned businesses would empower the black community and close the racial wealth gap, has been widely embraced, historically by a diverse array of Americans including Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey, Richard Nixon, and recently, by former President Barack Obama.

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THE SPHINX

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But what is the state of black business in the United States today and have we made broad progress or incremental progress?

As of the latest census data release, there were 2.58 million Black-owned businesses in the United States, generating $150 billion in annual revenue and supporting 3.56 million U.S. jobs. In fact, there is a long history of entrepreneurship among Black Americans going back to the earliest days of this country and continuing via waves of immigration from the Caribbean in the 1900s and from Africa more recently, as well as from other countries.

Black business owners are wealthier than their peers who do not own businesses, and business ownership creates new wealth faster compared to wage employment. At the same time, small businesses tend to hire from the community, creating jobs for neighborhood residents. Therefore, opportunities for Black entrepreneurs to succeed are critical for economic empowerment in Black communities, where currently there is virtually zero liquid wealth, coupled with higher than average rates of unemployment.

Black-owned businesses in America lag behind other firms in the United States and have done so for decades. There are fewer Black business owners than we might expect given the population size; businesses that do exist have fewer employees than nonminority firms; and revenues are much smaller for Blackowned firms, even when comparing the same industries.

Black business does not operate in a vacuum, separate and apart from other economic, political and societal institutions and policies that distinguish American life and thought today. Particularly, one cannot ignore the impact of contemporary American culture in addition to the impact of religion and SUMMER 2019

spirituality, societal morals, values and ethics as well as both criminal and environmental justice issues — all influential aspects of American life and culture At the turn of the century, Black America’s first futurist William E. B. Du Bois said: “The problem of the twentieth century will be the problem of the color line.” Indeed, for the twenty-first century, it appears that in America the color line not only persists but also is expanding in its racial and ethnic diversity.

Up to the end of the twentieth century African-Americans constituted the largest minority group. At the turn of the century, Hispanic Americans comprised the largest minority group and by 2050 non-Hispanic Whites will comprise only 50% of the nation’s population. Much as California today as well as cities such as San Antonio, Texas, while the Asian population will slowly increase to match that of African Americans.

Yet, in an increasingly multicultural nation and from the present comparative perspective of the numbers of business enterprises and percentage of zAmericans in the twenty first century does not look good. There will always be black businesses in America today, as in the historic past.

Another critical issue to consider is to what extent will continuing innovations in the high-tech industry and the expansion of digital technology impact African American employment, particularly since the trend has been that a correlation of employment downsizing with increased technology. In this respect Du Bois, as a futurist, in 1920, also predicted in his book, Darkwater: Voices Beyond the Veil that: “[just] as the intricacy and length of technical production is increased, the ownership of these things 9

FEATURE

becomes a monopoly, which easily makes the rich richer and the poor poorer.�

Disruptive Innovation as A Pathway to Our Business Future As we look critically at African American business and realize that although rising from past numbers, they still lag behind compared to their white counterparts. This cast the African American entrepreneur as somewhat of an outsider hidden in plain sight of the rest of the business community. Several business scientists suggest that an advantageous course of action for African American business owners is to embrace disruptive innovation.

In business theory, a disruptive innovation is an innovation that creates a new market and value network and eventually disrupts an existing market and value network, displacing established market-leading firms, products, and alliances. The term was defined and first analyzed by the American scholar Clayton M.

Christensen and his collaborators beginning in 1995, and has been called the most influential business idea of the early 21st century.

Disruptive innovations tend to be produced by outsiders and entrepreneurs in startups, rather than existing market-leading companies. The business environment of market leaders does not allow them to pursue disruptive innovations when they first arise, because they are not profitable enough at first and because their development can take scarce resources away from sustaining innovations (which are needed to compete against current competition). A disruptive process can take longer to develop than by the conventional approach and the risk associated to it is higher than the other more incremental or evolutionary forms of innovations, but once it is deployed in the market, it achieves a much faster penetration and higher degree of impact on the established markets.

FROM THE

Annual Revenue:

$441,839

Years in Business

< 2 Years

12%

Annual Revenue:

$1,421,890

2-4 Years

18%

TOTA L N U M B E R O F

5+ Years

69%

Annual Revenue:

$1,602,443

55

Years in Business

%*

Annual Revenue:

$161,620

35%

< 2 Years

15%

Annual Revenue:

$286,600

2-4 Years

*

5+ Years

21%

64%

Annual Revenue:

$776,289

EM

P Ow LOY ne ER d b FIR EM y M P Ow LOYER MenS ned FIR

by W MS om en

BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES

INSIDE OUT

THE BLACK OWNED BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

I N T H E U. S .

2,584,403 Years in Business

4%

Annual Revenue: Annual Revenue:

$11,651

ARE

EMPLOYER FIRMS

96%

NON-EMPLOYER FIRMS Owned by

Men

39%

Annual Revenue:

$22,016

< 2 Years

33%

5+ Years

46%

2-4 Years Annual Revenue:

21%

$23,876

33%

23%

Annual Revenue:

$18,276

NON-EMPLOYER Years in Business

43%

5+ Years

2-4 Years

ARE

FIRMS

< 2 Years

NON-EMPLOYER FIRMS Owned by

Women

60%

Annual Revenue:

$47,639

$33,587

*10% of Employer Firms are co-owned equally by men and women Source: U.S. Census, Survey of Business Owners 2012

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The Tapestry of Black Business Ownership in America

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Untapped Opportunities for Success

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THE SPHINX

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Several Alpha men have embraced this ideology of looking at the market place and looking for places where they can use new ideas and new concepts to disrupt the market place to make room for new firms that were formerly known as outsiders.

Brother Everette Taylor is a serial entrepreneur, marketing executive, and public speaker. His entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 19 when he started an event marketing technology company EZ Events which he successfully sold 2 years later.

Since then, Everette has been a leader in the world of entrepreneurship and marketing, building several multi-million-dollar brands.

He has been called a “marketing genius”

by Forbes, a “marketing star” by Fortune Magazine, and “an innovator who’s changing the consumer marketing game” by Black Enterprise. Most recently he was named one of the “100 Most Influential African-Americans”

by The Root and Forbes 30 Under 30.

As CEO of ET Enterprises, Everette oversees a diverse portfolio of companies that include PopSocial a social media software company, MilliSense a digital marketing firm, Hayver a drug and alcohol prevention app, and ArtX a media and technology company started to elevate visual art and provide a media platform to highlight emerging artist.

As a marketing executive, he helped lead both Qualaroo (acquired by Xenon Ventures) and Skurt (acquired by Fair) to successful acquisitions, oversaw growth for new mobile apps for Microsoft China, and led e-commerce company Sticker Mule to unprecedented growth as their youngest executive ever.

In a recent interview with the Sphinx, Taylor explained his thoughts on disruptive SUMMER 2019

innovation and how it can lead to success for smaller firms and start ups.

When it comes to growth and marketing, Taylor says too many startups fail to listen to their audience and do the proper research.

There are ways to save time when launching a business, but taking shortcuts with your customer will only hurt you in the long run.

“It’s less about tricks and more so about taking time to get to know your audience and develop the product so that you have product/market fit.

You can promote your app all you want but if it’s not something people want, you’re wasting your time,” he says. “Make sure you’re putting in the time to get a feel for your audience and from them you’ll get inspiration for marketing strategies.”

Brother Everett Taylor, founder and CEO of ET Enterprises which includes the marketing firm MiliSense, social media software company PopSocial, Art Noire and Growth Hackers.

Taylor also says that disruptive innovation for African American entrepreneurs is found in finding an environment and knowing everything there is to know about that particular industry. Properly identifying the dysfunction in an industry and then applying innovation to fill a need this will inevitably lead to determining a market fit.

An example of the thinking that Taylor refers to can be found in the start up developed by Brothers Alfred Dunn ( Alpha Rho ’99) and Joshua DuBois ( Eta Lambda ‘11). Dunn and DuBois found themselves observing a dysfunction in the corporate world. They found themselves asking how can we make sure our voices are really heard? Dunn and DuBois 11

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developed and employed groundbreaking technology to answer that very question.

We’ve all seen the insensitive, explosive advertising disasters that have made national news. The Burberry necklace that looked strangely like a noose. And who can forget the H&M advertisement where a beautiful Black boy was asked to wear a “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” shirt. How can these things continue to happen?

The reality is, these issues happen –because of the people who are in the decision-making room, and the people who are not in the room. Over and over again, companies and brands make executive decisions and conduct focus groups and other market research without ever talking to individuals who actually know the communities they’re seeking to reach. Experts, tastemakers, influencers who understand community trends, sensitivities, and the most effective ways to engage.

Brothers Dunn and DuBois have created a platform that solves this problem. A little under two years ago, they founded Gauge

(http://gauge.ai). Gauge is a mobile app that convenes tastemakers and experts from diverse communities to participate in focus groups, right from your phone. You can download Gauge in the app stores (search for “Gauge Research” in the iOS and Google Play stores) and participate in a focus group right now.

What’s unique about Gauge is who they reach, how fast they move, and how you give feedback. First, Gauge tries to match its surveys to your interests and expertise.

Concerned with issues related to Black men and boys? Gauge connects you with brands on that issue. Are you a teacher? Gauge might send you education surveys. An expert in sports marketing? Gauge might link you with firms in that space.

You get paid for every focus group you take in Gauge. It might be $1 or $5 for a quick question or $50 for a 20-minute deep dive.

And the way you send feedback is important – you send video messages and audio messages in the Gauge app, which picks up your nuanced opinion in a way that traditional surveys miss.

L-R: Joshua Dubois, Eta Lambda 2011, Alfred Dunn, Alpha Rho 1999, Brandon Andrews

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Gauge then delivers reports to clients that contain video and audio from experts, rigorous analytics, and recommendations.

Bro. DuBois came to Gauge after leading the White House faith-based initiative for President Obama and starting a successful marketing and community affairs consultancy which he still runs.

Bro. Dunn is a statistician and program evaluation expert, working with schools, nonprofits and other organizations to evaluate their policies and programs. They started Gauge with another co-founder, Brandon Andrews, and their growing team works out of offices in Washington, D.C. Gauge’s current customers include global brands, nonprofits, entertainment companies and more, including Procter & Gamble, NBC Universal, Success Academy Charter Schools and others. They’ve also recently been profiled in Ad Age and AfroTech magazine, and buzz about the company is growing.

“We’re proud to say that we are delivering a research product that companies simply haven’t seen before,” Bro. DuBois noted.

“We’re closing the gap between communities who have real, untapped wisdom and brands

who need that wisdom – it’s a win/win for all involved.”

Bro. Dunn added, “And we’re layering rigorous analytics and cutting-edge technology on top of all of that. The bottom line for us is, we want to make sure diverse voices get heard.

We’re excited about how Gauge is doing just that.” The strategy behind Gauge and the suite of companies owned by Brother Taylor give us a blueprint on how we build the next Black Wall Street by way of the information superhighway.

It will require our community to take think outside of traditional strategy and process and invent new ones that build on the frustration of past experience. S Aspiring entrepreneurs have to actually do something that they feel strongly passionate about, and in most cases they should seek inspiration from their own experience… If you had a terrible experience, you should despise the experience to the extent that you are continuously seeking a solution for it.”

— Best Ayiorwoth

Works Cited Broadnax, Jamie. “Opinion: What The Heck Is Afrofuturism?” HuffPost, HuffPost, 16 Feb. 2018, www. huffpost.com/entry/opinion-broadnax-afrofuturism-black-panther_n_5a85f1b9e4b004fc31903b95.

GORMAN, inGRID. “The Tapestry of Black Business Ownership America: In Untapped Opportunities For Success.” The Tapestry of Black Business Ownership America: In Untapped Opportunities For Success | The Cook Center on Social Equity, 20 Mar. 2017, socialequity.duke.edu/news/tapestry-black-businessownership-america-untapped-opportunities-success.

LaFerla, Ruth. “Afrofuturism: The Next Generation - The New York Times: ‘Syzygy,” by the Artist Lina Iris Viktor, Who Paints Queenly Self-Portrai...: AfroFutureSexyCool in 2019: Art, Art Photography, African Art.” Pinterest, 10 Apr. 2019, www.pinterest.com/pin/26317979055858236/.

Marshall, Brian K. “Are We There Yet? The State of Black Business .” BLNDED Media, 13 Feb. 2019, blndedmedia.com/.

Wallace, Mark, and US Census Bureau. “US Census Bureau Business and Industry Main Page.” Census.gov, 25 Feb. 2009, www.census.gov/econ/overview/mu0200.html.

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FEATURE

By Chester A. Wheeler III, 21st Southern Region Vice President

A MONUMENT BIGGER THAN ONE FAMILY, A LEGACY

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first met Brother Justin Gray (Beta Nu 1994) and the Gray family, decades ago when I assumed the role of Southern Region Vice President and Justin became the Assistant Southern Region Vice President. Even back then, Justin’s father, William H. Gray III, was an impressive yet gentle figure, an example of Brother Martin Luther King, Jr’s model of servant leadership, and a loving father to Justin and the rest of his family.

Today, a coalition of civil rights activists, educators, and business leaders are working to establish a permanent memorial for the legacy of William H. Gray III at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, and Justin has been tasked with making it a reality.

I sat down with Justin recently to talk about the memorial. He said to me, “The monuments our nation builds and dedicates are never simply about one man or one woman. They shape history and define a narrative for future generations. We are reminded of this in the recent national discussions on monuments. It is my hope that when passengers travel through Gray 30th Street Station it will create a learning moment.

One that educates and reminds people of what was happening during that period of history

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– what my father’s generation accomplished despite adversities, and the responsibility we all have to continue that legacy. A nation’s legacy.”

Gray represents the third generation of Alpha brothers who served in leadership positions both inside the fraternity and out in public service.

His grandfather, William H. Gray, Jr. (Beta Theta Chapter 1932) was also Regional Vice President for the Southern Region, and went on to represent Alpha excellence, first as president of two historically black colleges, Florida A&M University and Florida Memorial University, and then as senior pastor at Bright Hope Baptist Church in North Philadelphia.

Justin’s father, William H. Gray III, (Rho Chapter 1962) lived a life of public service that captured the attention of Presidents and civil rights icons. As the U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania’s 2nd congressional district, Congressman “Bill” Gray rose to become the first African American Majority Whip and first African American Chair of the House Budget Committee. He authored critical legislation that led to successful economic pressure on South Africa to free Nelson Mandela and dismantle apartheid policies in the country.

In 1991, Brother Bill retired from Congress to become President and CEO of the United THE SPHINX

FEATURE

The first exterior sign bearing Gray’s name was erected outside Philadelphia's 30th Street station, with another sign to follow at the entrance on 30th Street in the coming weeks.

Negro College Fund, where he strengthened the technology infrastructures of private HBCUs, improved access of UNCF students and faculty to technology and tech careers, and secured one of the largest gifts in philanthropic history ($1 billion) from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Bill was also a leader in corporate governance, serving on the boards of multiple public companies, including J.P. Morgan Chase, Pfizer, Dell and Prudential Financial. All throughout his career, he remained loyal to the Bright Hope Baptist Church that helped raise him, and served as the church’s senior pastor from 1972 through 2008.

Shortly after Brother Bill entered Omega Chapter in July 2013, President Barack Obama signed into law legislation to redesignate Amtrak’s 30th Street Station in Philadelphia as the William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, or “Gray 30th Street Station” for short. But the rededication didn’t happen overnight. For several years Amtrak delayed in making the change.

SUMMER 2019

Local Philadelphians and national allies launched an advocacy effort to compel Amtrak’s partnership and raise up Bill Gray’s deep commitment to economic opportunity, civil and human rights, and importantly, his continuous fight for funding Amtrak operations. In 2018, the William H. Gray Memorial Foundation formally entered negotiations with Amtrak leadership. Gray says they are close to finalizing the details of the memorial at 30th Street Station.

“My father’s deep commitment to justice, service and leadership was absolutely connected with his identity as an Alpha. That this train station will serve as a monument to those values and supplement the rest of our nation’s legacy, one riddled with both imperfections and inspirations, is a testament to what so many brothers do in their communities and for this country everyday. It is a legacy we must all invest to protect,” Gray said. S 15

NEWS

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. signs historic agreement with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ORGANIZATIONS WILL COLLABORATE ON EDUCATION, OUTREACH, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, MEMBERSHIP AND COMMUNITY BUILDING NEW YORK—Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American Men, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots civil rights organization, signed an historic memorandum of

understanding (MOU) during its Annual Meeting on Saturday, February 16.

The MOU allows the two advocacy organizations to formally collaborate nationally, regionally, statewide and locally on education & outreach, civic engagement, issue area advocacy priorities, leadership development, membership and community building.

“The signing of this memorandum of understanding is extremely special since it is the culmination of a week where we as a Fraternity recently sojourned to Paris, France to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the Pan African Congress which was established by our brother Dr. W.E.B. Dubois representing the NAACP,” says Dr. Everett B. Ward, general president of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Interestingly, the NAACP was founded by Dubois, one of Alpha Phi Alpha’s earliest and most pre-eminent members, as well as many of its top officials, including then-NAACP Legal Defense Fund attorneys, Thurgood Marshall and Robert Carter, were also men of the Fraternity.

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The two organizations, which were founded in 1906 and 1909 respectively, share common priorities and interests in ensuring the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and eliminating race-based discrimination. Because of the shared principle commitment to equal rights and social justice, and the significant impact which can be made through the magnitude of combined resources, expanded core capacities, and infrastructure, the NAACP and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated are collaborating to fulfill the mission of both organizations, according to the memorandum.

General President Ward adds: “We share similar goals so we share in your (NAACP) saying that ‘When we fight, we win,” but men of Alpha also have another saying that ‘Alpha men will fight until Hell freezes over and then we shall fight on the ice.’ The men of Alpha will fight against discrimination. We will fight against injustice; we will fight against intolerance, and we will fight against ignorance because as intellectual people we are committed to service and making sure all people have access to power.”

Aside from the Fraternity, the Black Entertainment & Sports Lawyers Association, Kappa Epsilon Psi Military Sorority, Inc. and NID Housing Counseling Agency also signed agreements with the NAACP during this annual meeting.

Last year, the Fraternity, as part of the National PanHellenic Council, signed a prior MOU with the NAACP designed to help mobilize voters for mid-term elections and increase membership.

“During our long history, the NAACP functions at its highest capacity when our partnerships with our allies, including those in our community and those with whom we have a strategic alignment, are operating with their highest potential,” says NAACP National Board Chairman Leon W. Russell. S THE SPHINX

NEWS

General President Everett B. Ward represented the fraternity in celebrating UNCF (United Negro College Fund), the country’s largest and most successful education organization is celebrating its 75th anniversary at its national UNCF “A Mind is…” Gala at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Washington, DC. The event, whose title echoes the organization’s iconic motto, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste,”® celebrated the 1944 founding of the organization by Tuskegee Institute’s (now Tuskegee University) president, Brother Dr. Frederick Douglass Patterson. The fraternity made a donation of twenty-five thousand dollars to support scholarships for deserving students at member schools. In addition, joining Brother Ward and the audience of luminaries and supporters was notable 2019 honoree businessman, and philanthropist Brother Robert F. Smith who received the UNCF President’s Award specifically in recognition of his founding director of the Fund II Foundation, and for his multi-million dollar backing of a STEM scholarship program at UNCF.

SUMMER 2019

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FEATURE

BY BROTHER ERIC CHRISTOPHER WEBB, DDIV., NU ’89, RHO TAU LAMBDA

RETRACING STEPS: THE PAN AFRICAN CONGRESS CENTENARY PILGRIMAGE

F

or General President Dr. Everett B. Ward, his idea to retrace the steps of the preeminent 20th Century African American scholar and Brother Dr. W.E.B. Dubois as well as Brother Rayford Logan who would later become the Fraternity’s 15th General President when they journeyed to London, England and Paris, France, 100 years earlier for the first Pan African Congress, seemed a bit surreal and overwhelming. But,

in a sense, once there, was affirming and celebrated not only the Fraternity’s legacy, but the duty we, as men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., have inherited.

“Alpha has been in the forefront locally, nationally, and internationally,” explains Brother Robert Harris, Ph.D., the Fraternity’s National Historian. “We need to remember our past accomplishments to inspire our Brothers to even greater achievement. We have immense talent in the House of Alpha. When DuBois needed help in French translation and in meeting organization, he found what he needed in Brother Rayford W. Logan.”

In February 1919, the first Pan-African Congress was organized by Brother DuBois and Ida Gibbs Hunt, wife of US Consul William Henry Hunt, who was at that time working at the American consulate in Saint-Étienne, France. With more than 57 delegates representing 15 countries, a smaller number than originally intended because British and American governments refused to issue passports to their citizens who had planned on attending, tasked themselves with petitioning the Versailles Peace Conference held in Paris at that time.

Brother Dr. W.E.B. Dubois

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Among the demands was to end colonial rule and end racial discrimination, stand against THE SPHINX

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imperialism as well as demand human rights and equality of economic opportunity. The manifesto given by the Pan-African Congress included the political and economic demands of the Congress for a new world context of international cooperation. The Pan-African Congress gained the reputation as a peace maker for decolonization in Africa and in the West Indies. Subsequently, seven of other Pan African Congresses would follow.

“They understood that democracy had to include people of color, both on the continent of Africa as well as in the United States of America,” says General President Ward. “I think, we, as a Fraternity, must continue that legacy today that where we see discrimination and racism that we stand in the forefront and be the leaders against those actions as they continue today.”

Brother Horace Dawson, Jr., chairman of the Fraternity’s World Policy Council and former United States Ambassador, adds: “Without a doubt, the wisdom, daring and audacity of these individuals at that critical time spired SUMMER 2019

other freedom movements and helped to focus widespread attention to Africa’s plight. The individuals, notably including Alpha men, should be recognized and honored for their vision and for their foresight and selflessness.

Although themselves quite accomplished individuals, they recognized the importance of pressing for the freedom of others, most of whom risked even further oppression for advocating on their own behalf and their countries.”

THE PILGRIMAGE From Thursday, February 7, 2019 through Wednesday, February 13, 2019, General President Ward, Brother Dr. Harris, Brother Ambassador Dawson, Brother Harold Daniels, Assistant Vice President for the Eastern Region, Brother Van Strickland, the Fraternity’s National Director of Conventions, and lastly, myself, Brother Eric Christopher Webb, DDiv., Assistant Director of Public Relations & Community Engagement and Managing Editor of the Sphinx travelled to London, England, and 19

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Brothers Van Strickland, Robert Harris, General President Everrett Ward, Harold Daniels, and Horace Dawson of the Pilgrimage Delegation.

Paris, France. Once there, the contingent was accompanied by Brother Ronald Sewell and, at times, a handful of brothers from London’s Rho Chi Lambda and Germany’s Theta Theta Lambda chapter, including Brothers Pierre Yves Boyton (Theta Theta Lambda), Abraham Tyler Walker (Rho Chi Lambda) and Christopher Buckley (Theta Theta Lambda) as they visited significant Pan African Congress locations and other historic sites for two days.

pictured in one of the Pan African Congress’ historic photos.

Among them, the Grand Hotel, now the Intercontinental Paris le Grand, where the actual Pan African Congress meeting took place and where Alpha’s current delegation stayed while in Paris. Since the hotel had been renamed in 1986 and the address was now based on a different entrance, it was not at first determined to be the site until the final evening of the pilgrimage.

Other locations visited in Paris, France, included the headquarters of the Pan African Association for the 2nd Pan African Congress, 8, Avenue du Maine; as well as the former residence of Past General President Logan, now an Astoria Hotel, when he lived in Paris at 41 Rue de Clichy, as well as the Lourve, and the Notre Dame cathedral.

While dining there, the delegation suddenly recognized portions of the interior ornate architecture and draperies from the room 20

“Identifying the meeting place happened to be the most memorable to me,” says Brother Daniels. “Ironic enough, on the last day over a meal, it hit us all. To note that the entire trip we put much of our efforts to finding this location, then (realizing) that we were in that exact space the entire time was quite compelling.”

In London, the delegation was also afforded a special guided tour of the British Museum’s African and Egyptian collections by Professor and historian Robin Walker, author of When THE SPHINX

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Westminster Abbey.

We Ruled, a historical synthesis on the history of Africa and its people, which established him as one of the United Kingdom’s top authority on the subject.

During the tour, Walker methodically dispelled many of the myths associated with the inferiority of African peoples as well as offered evidence of efforts to conceal their contributions and identity. Earlier, Walker had provided the delegation with an indepth lecture and analysis of the Pan African Conference and the subsequent eight Pan African Congress gatherings, discussing prominent figures, including Trinidadian lawyer and writer, Henry Sylvester Williams, who organized the Pan African Conference held at Westminster Town Hall in London in 1900, as well as others, their involvement and speeches.

“Henry Sylvester Williams dies and he’s out of the picture,” explains Professor Walker during his lecture. “Dr. W.E.B. Dubois grabbed the ball and ran with it and ran with it right SUMMER 2019

up until Pan-Africanism actually became a reality.”

Brother DuBois was a participant at the earlier Pan African Conference and his address “To the Nations of the World,” included what would become the defining statement of the conference: “The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the colorline.” Brother DuBois would become the torchbearer for the movement.

“We should understand the need for unity and common cause among people of African descent, says Brother Dr. Harris. “The First Pan-African Congress recognized the common plight of people of African ancestry. Although separated by geography, we faced similar disparagement and discrimination. What affected one group of Black people affected all.”

A MONUMENT TO OUR MARTYR – WESTMINISTER ABBEY In London, the Alpha delegation also visited the gothic Westminster Abbey, the 21

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United Kingdom’s most notable religious structures and whose west front displays four allegorical figures representing Truth, Justice, Mercy and Peace as well as 10 statutes of Christian martyrs of the 20th Century in the niches above the gothic lower part, among them, Brother Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Brother King is depicted as if preaching in a ministerial robe with a small child at his feet looking to the right.

The statue of King stands beside two Catholics — El Salvador’s Archbishop Oscar Romero, assassinated in 1980, and Maximilian Kobe of Poland, a Franciscan friar who was killed by the Nazis in 1941.

According to Christian Martyrs of the Twentieth Century, “These ten statues, unveiled in July 1998 are individual martyrs: but they are intended to represent all those others who have died (and continue to die) in similar circumstances of oppression and persecution.”

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A few blocks away, Nelson Mandela’s statute stands with other historic figures in Parliament Square. Both had a compelling impact on members of the delegation.

“Tying together Brother King among the martyrs engraved in the spires of Westminster and Mandela standing tall in the square with the purpose of our mission had tremendous impact for me as one who knows a bit about the “stony road” we have trod and what often seemed the reality of stillborn hope,” says Brother Ambassador Dawson.

General President Ward echoed a similar sentiment: “Seeing the statue of Brother King at Westminster Abbey, I thought of the image of Dr. King on the tidal basin. So here we are, our Alpha Brother is a world leader of social justice, and inclusion and equality that was a very proud moment as a member of this fraternity and then to go to see Nelson Mandela’s statue that said more to me than anything.”

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General President Ward and the delegation met with the university’s president and vice chancellor, Dr. Lawrence Abel to discuss the reactivation of the Beta Psi Chapter at American International University-Richmond Campus

INTERNATIONAL CHAPTER VISITS, ACTIVITIES & IMPACT At American International University — Richmond Campus — the seat of the currently inactive Beta Psi Chapter, which was originally chartered in 2011, General President Ward and the delegation met with the university’s president and vice chancellor, Dr. Lawrence Abel, who expressed his eagerness to see the chapter reactivate. The chapter was represented at every regional and general convention until their last member SUMMER 2019

graduated in 2016. The chapter became inactive due to the dramatic drop in the number of students attending the American International University and all United Kingdom colleges and universities as a result of the government revoking its free postsecondary education policies.

In response, Dr. Abel also discussed the possibility of providing scholarships to the fraternity from part of a recent major donor gift.

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The delegation on the tour of the Croyden Supplementary Educational Programme (CSEP) managed by Jacinth Martin.

In addition, the delegation toured Croyden Supplementary Educational Programme (CSEP), a center that provides support to the Black and ethnic minority community in Croyden, a metropolitan district and a large town in South London. CSEP offers a range of services and community-based learning.

Rho Chi Lambda collaborates with the CSEP, where it offers many of its youth outreach initiatives, including its Go-To-High/Go-ToCollege and Project Alpha National Programs.

There, the chapter also provides mentorship to boys ages 7 to 18 and is working to improve the center’s infrastructure, transforming the ground level room into a library and café.

CSEP is managed by Jacinth Martin, who the chapter also honored at an Alpha delegation reception and youth awards program for some of its CSEP youth.

WHAT THE FUTURE DEMANDS “Problems that are faced by people of African descent are the same,” explains Brother Dr. John H. Carter, one of the founders of Rho Chi Lambda during the delegation’s working 24

lunch session on developing its international community issues and establishing global impact strategy.

Brother Sewell also added that knife violence was also a pervasive issue in the communities there. Brother Dr. Carter, who also discussed local community issues faced by international chapters, also shared the International Region Strategic plan, which explored Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.’s identity as an international organization along with conducted a SWOT analysis and a strategy for the Fraternity’s further international expansion.

In 2018, Brother Carter and Brother Dr. Steven Carter were charged with establishing an international strategic planning committee upon the urging of Eastern region Vice President Lucien Metellus and under the authority of Brother Sewell, the General Convention International Affairs Committee Chairman.

Brother Carter believes not only should the Fraternity change our references from “General” to “International,” but also expand, THE SPHINX

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establishing alumni chapters in countries near U.S. military bases along with create an International region. He feels that our current organizational structure has allowed other National Pan Hellenic organizations to gain a greater hold.

plight or the plight of people just in the United States, even 100 years ago our Fraternity had the vision to think worldwide, and therefore, we, as a Fraternity, in 2019, be mindful and aware of global issues and be a part of those as well.”

“The prevailing idea is that if you establish a chapter and it goes inactive after a few years we shouldn’t have established a chapter,” he explains. “But if we do it and it goes inactive in three to five years what has Alpha lost and there is also an opportunity to reactivate.”

Continues Brother Ward: “The work of Alpha is indeed universal because to see the Brothers doing work in London in a very similar way as Brothers in Birmingham, Alabama says to me that we’ve got the right instrument and the right vehicle, and we’ve got to continue to build on that,” he says. “It also says to me that we have got to help the next generation of Brothers [to understand] that they have the responsibility for global leadership and not just the leadership within the United States. I know often we think of Brothers leading here in the United States; however, we’ve got to prepare that next generation of Alphas, and part of our strategic goals and objectives has to be preparing Alphas for global leadership.” S

Aside from talks of expansion, General President Dr. Ward ultimately believes the Fraternity must focus on preparation of global leadership as inspired by the examples of Brothers DuBois and Logan with their international efforts with the Pan African Movement.

“We have to understand they had a global vision,” he says of Brothers DuBois and Logan.

“They were not just limited to their individual

The Pilgrimage Delegation with brothers from Rho Chi Lambda during their working lunch session.

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HISTORY

DR. ROBERT L. HARRIS, JR. NATIONAL HISTORIAN, ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC.

“If We Must Die:” The Red Summer of 1919

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hen war broke out in Europe, during the summer of 1914 between the Triple Entente (Britain, France, and Russia) and the Triple Alliance (Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Italy), the United States sought to remain neutral. This was Europe’s conflict until German submarines attacked ships without warning within the German declared war zone around Britain, France, and in the Mediterranean.

This German aggression disrupted American trade and led to the loss of American ships and lives. On April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war against Germany to “make the world safe for democracy.” Many African Americans, such as labor leader A. Philip Randolph, opposed Black men risking their lives abroad for freedom

denied to them at home. Bro. W.E.B. Du Bois, editor of the Crisis Magazine, however, wrote that: “… while this war lasts, forget our special grievances and close ranks shoulder to shoulder with our white fellow citizens… (emphasis added).” 1 In a spirit of unalloyed optimism, African Americans answered the call to bear arms in defense of democracy.

The Army drafted Black men at a rate higher than their percentage of the nation’s population. Almost 400,000 African Americans served in the Army. The Marine Corps refused Black enlistees, while the Navy used them only as mess men and servants. Beta Chapter spearheaded a drive among Howard University students and faculty for the Army to establish an officers training camp for Black men.

While teaching English at Howard University, Brother Charles Hamilton Houston served as Chairman of the Press Committee for the group seeking an officers training camp.

He was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the 368th Regiment.

His experience in the military, in which he witnessed black soldiers being punished for alleged infractions without adequate legal representation, influenced him to become a lawyer. He was later initiated at Sigma Chapter, while attending Harvard Law School, where he became the first African American member of the Harvard Law Review editorial board, received a Bachelor of Laws degree and was the first African American at Harvard to earn a Doctor of Juridical Science degree (S.J.D.). He later became a mentor to Brother Thurgood Marshall while serving as Dean of the Howard University Law School and as Special Counsel for the NAACP.2 Alpha men predominated as commissioned officers at the camp established

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at Fort Des Moines, Iowa.3 The typical Black soldier worked in construction, labor, stevedore, and supply positions. Four regiments of the Ninety-Third Division, one of two all-Black divisions, fought as part of the French Army, because many white American soldiers refused to perform combat duty with African American soldiers. The 369th Regiment of the Ninety-Third Division, dubbed the “Harlem Hellfighters,” spent more time on the battlefront than any other American troops and also suffered more casualties. The unit received a regimental Croix de Guerre from the French for bravery in battle and was one of the most decorated American units during the war. Under the direction of James Reese Europe, the 369th’s regimental band introduced jazz to European audiences. Black soldiers sensed little racial discrimination among the French. The U.S. military, however, circulated a memorandum among the French “Secret Information Concerning Black American Troops” that warned against fraternizing with Black soldiers. It informed the French about American views of African American inferiority and asked them explicitly to prevent any intimacy between Black troops and white women.4

Black men returned from the war determined to enjoy freedom at home that they had fought to preserve abroad. They instead encountered racial hostility, discrimination, and segregation in education, employment, housing, recreation, and transportation.

During the summer of 1919, six months after the war, race riots broke out in some twenty-five cities and towns across the country. This violence took place throughout the remainder of the year. There were 76 lynchings, with 11 Black men killed while still in uniform.

Unlike the pogroms in previous attacks on African Americans when they were driven from their homes, African Americans fought back in pitched battles. Bro. Du Bois, who at the outset of World War I, believed that African American loyalty would be rewarded was now disappointed and wrote in the Crisis, May, 1919, “We return from fighting. We return fighting.”5 So much blood flowed in the streets of America during the summer of 1919 that author and poet, James Weldon Johnson, who served as NAACP Field Secretary, named the period “The Red Summer.” The Governor of Texas declared martial law after two days

At the end of September, the race riot in Omaha, Nebraska erupted when a mob of more than 10,000 ethnic whites from South Omaha attacked and burned the county courthouse to force the police to release a black prisoner accused of raping a white woman. They destroyed property valued at more than a million dollars. The mob lynched the suspect, Will Brown, hanging him and burning his body. They spread out, attacking black neighborhoods and stores on the north side. After the mayor and governor appealed for help, the government sent Federal troops from a nearby fort.

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HISTORY

of rioting in Longview, that counted five dead, more than twenty wounded, and many left homeless. In Washington, D.C., there were four days of violence, where the Secretary of War called out 2,000 soldiers after six deaths and more than a hundred injuries. One of the worse riots took place in Chicago, Illinois, where whites stoned to death a Black youngster swimming in Lake Michigan when he crossed a boundary separating white and Black sections of the beach. Violence broke out as white police arrived on the scene and refused to arrest one of the perpetrators identified by African Americans. 23 African Americans and 15 whites were killed and more than five hundred were injured during almost two weeks of violence that had to be quelled by the Illinois National Guard.6 What has been described as a “massacre” took place in Elaine, Arkansas, where Black sharecroppers organized for better payments for their cotton crops. On September 30, 1919, white vigilantes attacked their meeting place and in subsequent battles more than two hundred African Americans were killed according to Walter White, then NAACP Assistant Secretary, who investigated the atrocity.7 Writer Claude McKay published his famous poem, “If We Must Die,” in the socialist journal, Liberator, in response to the Red Summer. He wrote: If we must die, O let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed In vain; then even the monsters we defy shall be constrained to honor us though dead!

… Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!8 African Americans, North and South, showed new determination after World War I to take their rightful place as citizens of the United States with all of its rights and privileges. Membership in the NAACP swelled from less than 10,000 before World War I to more than 100,000 with most of the growth in the South.9 This period ushered in a new era in African American history as Black people began to shed the submissive image imposed on them.

They embraced their African heritage and defined a “New Negro” in art, dance, drama, literature, and music, who was proud and self-assertive.10 Given the example of “man’s inhumanity to man” in World War I, which was a “total” war that for the first time involved untold civilian deaths, white Americans and Europeans searched for new meaning to life and found it in Black culture. African American sensitivity and expression in the spirituals, blues and jazz became the envy of the world. Pablo Picasso, the renowned European painter and sculptor, owned the largest collection of African art in Europe and was profoundly influenced by African sculpture. The musical form, called “jazz” as cultivated by Bro. Duke Ellington, with its emphasis on improvisation, became the rage as white Americans and Europeans “let their hair down” and loosened the constraints of Victorianism.11 The quest for self-definition, cultural heritage, and racial equality declined during the Great Depression of the 1930s to blossom again after World War II. S

References 1. Julius Lester, ed., The Seventh Son: The Thought and Writing of W.E.B. Du Bois, vol. 2 (New York, 1971), p. 73.

2. The Sphinx Magazine, October, 1923. P. 5.

3. Charles H. Wesley, The History of Alpha Phi Alpha: A Development in College Life (Baltimore, 2008), pp. 116-119.

4. Jeffrey T. Sammons, Jeffrey and John H. Morrow, Jr., Harlem’s Rattlers and the Great War: The Undaunted 369th Regiment and the African American Quest for Equality. Lawrence, KS., 2014, and Jack D. Foner, Blacks and the Military in American History: A New Perspective (New York, 1974), p. 109-126.

5. Crisis Magazine, May, 1919, p. 14.

6. Robert L. Harris Jr., “African Americans,” in Ronald Gottesman, ed., Violence in America, An Encyclopedia, vol. 1 (New York, 1999), p. 42; William M. Tuttle, Jr. Race Riot: Chicago in the Summer of 1919 (New York, 1972), pp. 14-30.

7. Walter White, A Man Called White (New York, 1948), pp. 48-49.

8. The Liberator Magazine, July, 1919.

9. Patricia Sullivan, Lift Every Voice: The NAACP and the Making of the Civil Rights Movement (New York, 2009), p. 100.

10. Alain Locke, ed., The New Negro (New York, 1925).

11. Nathan I. Huggins, The Harlem Renaissance (New York, 1971).

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BY BROTHER ERIC CHRISTOPHER WEBB, DDIV., NU ’89 RHO TAU LAMBDA

GENERAL CONVENTION FEATURES ADVANCE SCREENING OF BRIAN BANKS Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. will host a special advanced screening of the major motion picture, Brian Banks, at the 113th Anniversary and 95th General Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. The film opens in theaters August 9.

The inspirational true story of Brian Banks (portrayed

by Aldis Hodge), who was an All-American high school football star committed to USC at the age of sixteen and finds his life upended when he is wrongly convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. Despite the lack of evidence, Banks is railroaded through a broken justice system and sentenced to a decade of prison and probation. Years later, with the support of Justin Brooks (portrayed by Greg Kinnear) and the California Innocence Project, Banks fights to reclaim his life and fulfill his dreams of playing in the NFL. The film also stars Sherri Shepherd and Melanie Liburd.

“When I read the script for Brian Banks, I felt empowered,” says Brother Tirrell D. Whittley, one of the executive producers of the film and producer for the Hank Aaron biopic feature film, Hammer, in a previous interview.

“Banks’ resilience and fortitude to stay the course in pursuing his innocence is more than admirable.” He added, “As an entrepreneur and marketing executive, I see marketing, strategy, and storytelling through a different lens. In an Executive Producer role, I am interested in films that inspire, educate, motivate, and enlighten those that may be less familiar with a particular subject matter and those with an affinity for the same.”

Brother Whittley, a Spring 1993 initiate of the Beta Nu Chapter at Florida A&M University and a life member of the Fraternity, is the Chief Executive Officer for Liquid Soul, a leading brand marketing agency specializing in advertising, marketing, social media and publicity for entertainment, sports and corporate brands. The company is responsible for the marketing and distribution campaigns for Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy, 42: The Jackie Robinson Story, War of the Planet of the Apes, Game of Thrones, Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Fast & Furious 6, Black-ish, The Voice, Empire, Power, and numerous others. S To watch the trailer, visit the official website at https://bleeckerstreetmedia.com/brianbanks.

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BY BROTHER ERIC CHRISTOPHER WEBB, DDIV.

Historic Alpha Days on the Hill Leads to National Civic Engagement Program and Introduction of Legislation FRATERNITY MEMBERS PAY TRIBUTE TO LEGENDARY ALPHA BROTHER AND CONGRESSMAN RONALD V. DELLUMS

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s part of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.’s historic inaugural Alpha Days on the Hill, the Fraternity announced its new national civic engagement program, one of its Members of Congress introduced legislation recognizing the first African American professional Senate Committee staff person and paid tribute to the late Alpha Brother and Congressman Ronald V. Dellums this week.

More than 100 Alpha brothers participated in the Alpha Days on the Hill, held in conjunction with the National Urban League’s State of Black America Summit from May 6 through May 8, which also uniquely featured Alpha Members of Congress as well as Alpha National Urban League and Alpha United Negro College Fund leadership. Among them, Congressmen Brothers Al Green, Robert C. “Bobby” Scott and Steven Horsford as well as 31st Past General President Harry E. Johnson, who is also a National Urban League Trustee, and Brother Dr. Michael Lomax, UNCF President and CEO participated in the issues forum and discussed pertinent legislation.

In addition, Alpha leadership and brothers met with members of the Congressional Black Caucus, other Members of Congress, staff and NUL CEO Brother Marc Morial about legislative issues of concern.

“Brother Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated that ‘Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,’” says General President Dr. Everett B. Ward. “Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity will not be silent on things that matter, and we will continue to be the leading voice for the voiceless.”

President Ward announced the Fraternity’s new national civic engagement program at its Issues forum on Wednesday, which will encompass efforts to address voter’s rights protections, critical legislation advocacy, and census integrity.

“Secure The Vote,” which partners with the NAACP, the National Urban League, and other members of the Divine Nine will combat organized voter suppression strategically 32

directed towards African American voters and other people of color; “Alpha Phi Alpha: Advocacy In Action” specifically advocates for state and federal legislation that: protects the right to vote, ensures access to quality education, provides affordable healthcare, and offers an adequate minimum wage for working Americans; and lastly, “I Am Counted,” which will utilize social media, door to door canvassing, and a national media campaign to ensure African American citizens and other people of color are counted during the 2020 Census.

President Ward also added that the Fraternity would support the United Negro College Fund’s top priorities for Historically Black Colleges & Universities, which include a strong Executive Order on HBCUs, fully funding Title III for HBCU programs, federal student aid reform, HBCU facilities and infrastructure investment, funding for new HBCU Centers of Innovation for National Needs as well as repeal and reform of burdensome higher education regulations under its advocacy component.

Other brothers, Congressmen Gregory Meeks, Danny Davis as well as Bobby Scott joined the Alpha contingent on the steps of the Capitol for an historic photo.

Earlier that day, Alpha Brother Congressman Scott introduced legislation to honor the life and legacy of Jewel Brother Robert Harold Ogle, who was the first professional African American Senate Committee Staffer. According to Senate records, he was originally hired in 1919 as a “laborer” for the Senate Appropriations Committee, then as a “Messenger” in 1921 and finally an “Additional Clerk” in 1930.

“It is important that we honor Jewel Ogle, who a century ago, paved the way for African American Congressional Staffers today,” says Brother Scott. “He established and exemplified the ideals of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity in leadership, scholarship, and service . . . As members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity visit the United States Capitol this week for Alpha Days on the Hill with a commitment to “Advocacy and Action,” Jewel Ogle’s “fighting spirit” goes with them, as well as with each of the Members of Congress who are proud members of this fraternity.”

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On Friday, May 10, members of the Fraternity held its ‘Omega Service’ tribute for legendary Alpha Brother and Congressman Ron Dellums, who died last July. Dellums’ career in politics spanned over 40 years as a Berkeley City Councilman, U.S. Congressman and Oakland, Ca. mayor.

The 11-term Congressman and Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee was known for his outspoken Anti-War stances and was the one of the foremost AntiApartheid advocates beginning as early as 1972.

Brother Dellums opposed every major American military intervention, except for emergency relief in Somalia in 1992, and his fight against Apartheid eventually led to his legislation finally being passed

14 years later, which called for sanctions against South Africa and immediate divestment by American corporations. While President Reagan vetoed the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986, that veto was overridden – the first the first override in the 20th Century of a presidential foreign policy veto.

Brother Dellums, whose fight against apartheid in South Africa was the subject of a Disney Channel made-for-TV film, The Color of Friendship released in 2000, was also a member of the Fraternity’s World Policy Council, a think-tank whose purpose is to expand the Fraternity’s involvement in politics, as well as analyze social, domestic and international policy concerns. S

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BROTHER STEVEN HORSFORD

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MEMBER OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NEVADA’S 4TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

s we embark on our 113 Anniversary and 95th General Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Sphinx magazine sits down with Brother Rep. Steve Horsford, a Democrat, who is serving as the U.S. Representative for Nevada’s 4th Congressional District since 2019.

Brother Horsford, a 2011 Eta Lambda Chapter initiate of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and member of Theta Pi Lambda, previously held that congressional seat from 2013 to 2015.

A member of the Democratic Party, Brother Horsford had served in the Nevada Senate, representing the 4th District, in Clark County, from 2005 to 2013. Brother Horsford was also the first African American to serve as Majority Leader (2009–2013) and the first African American to represent Nevada in Congress.

Here, Brother Horsford discusses his return to Congress, his own personal challenges, key legislative priorities and opportunities, as well as how we as Brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha can support and advance our mission through the challenge posed by the Urgency of Now. What do you believe is the most important legislative issue facing the 116th Congress? The most important issue I ran for Congress to take on the rising costs of prescription drugs. Too many families across the country— and particularly in my home state of Nevada—are being forced to choose between refilling a medication and putting food on the table. That’s unacceptable.

I’ve introduced legislation to shine a light on price gouging by requiring drug companies to justify their large price hikes. That bill has garnered support from both sides of the aisle and passed committee on a bipartisan vote of 40-0. I believe it’s an important first step towards reigning in sky-high drug costs. And it’s an issue I will continue to work on as long as I’m in Congress.

How has your adjustment been since returning to Congress, particularly during the rather contentious Trump administration?

I came back to Washington to help create stronger children, stronger families, and stronger communities.

I’m committed to fighting for policies that lower prescription drug prices, reduce gun violence, and help working and middle class families. I’ll work with anyone else who’s committed to making progress on those issues. It doesn’t matter who is in the White House, our focus remains the same. That doesn’t mean we will not take our constitutional obligation, to hold the Executive accountable, seriously. Simply put. Walk. Chew gum.

We can do both.

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What is your greatest challenge or the issue that your most concerned about?

In my first term I had a six way bypass surgery. I was blessed to have stellar healthcare as a Member of Congress that caught the blockage and allows me to pay for the 6 medications that keep me alive. What keeps me up at night is the single mom in North Las Vegas or the farmer in Yerington who doesn’t have the same access. Healthcare is a right. Full Stop!

How have the principles and mission of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. prepared or influenced your leadership?

“Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. develops leaders, promotes brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for our communities.”

Our mission is central to my work developing Nevada Partners and ensuring employment opportunities are available in my hometown. Also, in our drive to expand educational opportunities to the, “youth who march onward and upward. Moreover, as I am working to reduce gun violence, protect voting rights, and protect people’s access to health care, my commitment to “Love for all Mankind” rule my heart…you know the rest!

What key issues or legislation have you sponsored or have supported that is of special interest to the mission of the Fraternity?

I’m an original co-sponsor of the Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA), a bill to restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1964. Voting is THE SPHINX

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one of the most fundamental rights in our democracy and the VRAA addresses a wave of voter ID laws, racial gerrymandering, and other voter suppression tactics enacted at the state level. My chapter, Theta Pi Lambda, has committed to supporting “A Voteless People is a Hopeless People” and that is great. We register, educate and turn out our communities. However, if we don’t protect the vote that work is greatly threatened.

I’m proud of the fraternity’s work to help people participate in our democracy. Equally as proud to have the Brothers in Congress fighting to restore the Voting Rights Act to full strength!

With your appointments to the House Ways & Means Committee subcommittee and the House Budget Committee, how have you been able to influence or direct policy that impacts our communities?

Sitting on the Ways & Means Committee gives me a seat at the table on Congress’ oldest and most influential committee. I’m using my position on Ways & Means to fight for cheaper prescription drugs, affordable health care, to protect retirement security and to improve the health care and benefits that people in our community receive.

What would you encourage Brothers across the country to do to support you and your colleagues in perpetuating better lives for all Americans?

Whether you’re a member of Congress, a business leader, or you work at a non-profit, you have an

SUMMER 2019

obligation to work to strengthen the community around you. We made a commitment to “Manly Deeds.

Scholarship and Love for all Mankind”. As Alpha men we must meet the challenge presented to us by the Urgency of now! It’s imperative that every Brother recommits to be a Light in his community. We have National Programs Everybody’s skills are different. And we all must figure out the best way to help those around us. Each and every one of us have a responsibility to do something to give back. I’d encourage Brothers to take time to think about where they can best contribute, and to invest the time it takes to really help those around them.

What do you believe is our nation’s greatest opportunity? What are you most excited about?

We’re a few months into a new Congress that has already taken major steps to get big money out of our politics, reduce gun violence, and put government back on the side of working people.

I’m excited to see how much we can accomplish over the next year and a half. We have tremendous challenges in front of us. But we have an opportunity to make a lot of progress on behalf of the American people. We’re going to make the most of those opportunities. To quote Jewel Tandy, “We must fight until hell freezes over…then fight on the Ice!” S

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ADVOCACY

TEXAS ALPHAS LOBBY STATE CAPITOL

M

embers of Texas Council of Alpha Chapters (TCAC) recently lobbied the Texas State Legislature on issues of mass incarceration, bond reforms and protection of votersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rights. Texas Council President Brother Lewis Brewer of Dallas welcomed members to the Capitol.

During the day, about 100 brothers attended workshops, networked with legislative aides and met with State Representatives from across the state of Texas.

A press conference was held in the press room of the Texas House. Alpha Social Action chairs, Brothers Eric Moore of San Antonio and Ben Jackson of Dallas, stressed the importance of social engagement.

The brothers were joined by brothers who serve in various positions at the Capitol. Two members of the Texas House are members of Alpha Phi Alpha: State Representative Brother Ron Reynolds and Representative Brother Joe Deshotel of Beaumont while State Senator Brother Borris Miles of Houston serves in the Senate.

36

Brother Miles gave an overview of activities of the Senate and an update of his bills he has pending. He advised the importance of staying engaged on the local level and to remember that politics doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t end when the session is over.

Brother Reynolds, who said he was sponsoring some election protection legislation, explained that he was receiving some push back from some Republican lawmakers.

Brother Deshotel said that he was sponsoring legislation related to voting as well as emphasized the importance of knowing community leaders and holding them accountable.

At the end of the rally, Brother Daniel Keeling, of Dallas, gave a small presentation on the social media component that will be added to the social justice community in the coming years.

The Texas Council of Alpha Chapters was formed at Bishop College in Dallas, Texas 1964. S

THE SPHINX

FEATURE

By Brother Gregory J. Vincent, Alpha Rho Lambda ’ 87

STAYING WOKE, UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK AND FAITHFUL AN IMPERATIVE FOR CHANGE WHEN OUR TASK IS ENDLESS

(Originally presented as the General President Dr. Charles C. Teamer Fraternal Luncheon Address, 71st Southwestern Regional Convention, April 5, 2019)

I

am honored to present the address today named in honor of our 27th General President Brother Dr. Charles C. Teamer. Brother Dr. Teamer not only has demonstrated incredible leadership while serving General President of Alpha Phi Alpha and Grand Sire Archon of Sigma Pi Phi, but to the New Orleans community as well. He has been an exceptional mentor and has served us in the tradition of the Jewels. I would also like to thank Regional Vice President Brother Tarrynce Robinson and General President Brother Everett Ward for their outstanding work and leadership.

In his breakout 2017 hit, Get Out, Oscar award-winner, Jordan Peele, presented a brilliant and horrific satire on the state of “post-racial” America. He reminded us that even when liberal white elites like Dean Armitage, the father played by Bradley Whitfield, boasts that they would vote for President Barack Obama “a third time,” we know that being black today can be hazardous to your health—possibly even fatal.

So, is the America portrayed in Get Out just a nightmare or more disturbing? Did it portray a spot-on reflection of the current state of race relations as many have suggested? The evidence, of course, reveals that although we have made modest yet real progress since the 1950s, the quest for racial justice remains fleeting and never has this become clearer than in the time since the 2016 election.

SUMMER 2019

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FEATURE

Given this sober reality what must we do individually, as Alpha Men, and collectively as the Preeminent Intercollegiate Fraternity to address this dire situation? In May 1946, Jewel Brother Henry Arthur Callis articulated a powerful vision that is a clear today as it was 73 years ago: The chief significance of Alpha Phi Alpha lies in its purpose to stimulate, develop, and cement an intelligent, trained leadership in the unending fight for freedom, equality and fraternity. Our task is endless.

To make this vision a reality I challenge my brothers and my beloved fraternity to do at least these three things.

First, we must stay WOKE. At the end of May, the Senate confirmed Donald Trump’s 100th federal judicial nominee, cementing his efforts to reshape the federal judiciary. The Senate even changed the chamber’s rules to speed up confirmations by reducing debate time to two hours thus ensuring Trump’s nominees would be confirmed and essentially put a kibosh on the Senate minority’s power.

Furthermore, Trump’s appointees are young, guaranteeing their imprint on the judiciary and its decisions for years to come. Just as troubling, recent Supreme Court nominees have refused to reaffirm or even discuss the decision made in Brown v. the Board of Education.

Historian Michael Long, editor of Marshalling Justice: The Early Civil Rights Letters of Thurgood Marshall, wrote in a Los Angeles Times editorial during the Brett Kavanaugh hearings that whenever a Supreme Court justice seat is to be filled, we must grapple with the meaning of the Constitution: Is it a living document or must it be plumbed for the founders’ original intent?

38

Long reminds us that during the nation’s bicentennial celebration of the Constitution in 1987, while others speaking aligned themselves with conservative jurists who found the original intent of the constitution inviolable, Brother Marshall addressed a group of lawyers at a celebration of the constitution. He stated the Constitution was “defective from the start, requiring several amendments, a civil war, and momentous social transformation to attain the system of constitutional government, and its respect for the individual freedoms and human rights, we hold as fundamental today.”

Marshall, who was a sitting justice at the time, also said the framers of the Constitution . . .could not have imagined, nor would they have accepted that the document they were drafting would one day be construed by a Supreme Court to which had been appointed a woman and the descendant of an African slave. ‘We the people’ no longer enslave, but the credit does not belong to the framers. It belongs to those who refused to acquiesce in outdated notion of ‘liberty, justice and equality,’ and who strived to better them.

We have seen a proliferation of those who hold fast to the view of originalism; it is up to those of us who consider this view extreme, as did Brother Marshall, to see to it that the Constitution continues to evolve and advance rights.

We must also stay woke to bad statistics. In his book No BS, Brother Dr. Ivory Toldson, bursts the biggest myth of all: there are more Black men in prison than in college—a myth long perpetuated even though there are currently approximately 600,000 more black males in college than in jail.

Brother Toldson wrote, and I urge you to consider, “I want to engage in a movement THE SPHINX

FEATURE

where we don’t use these static data points to define the lives and experiences of black people. We need to truly believe in black people enough to get the best information, the most compassionate understanding and the most reasonable policies to advance our case for all black people to benefit.”

While we are breaking myths, we need to be honest, clear, upfront and remain UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK. We don’t want to sugarcoat what has happened and what is happening in our country now.

The legacy of violent terror was and still is used as a means to reassert and maintain white supremacy. If that were not the case, the Stoneman-Douglas school shooting, the Charleston 9 massacre, the Oklahoma City bombing, and other horrific tragedies carried out by white supremacists would not be part of this tapestry. Instead of acknowledging them as violent terrorists, mainstream media repeatedly attempts to humanize the perpetrators of those monstrous acts.

They aren’t terrorists but a wayward youth, a misunderstood outsider, or a good man who made bad decisions. We must demand that our young black men stay safe especially when they encounter the police. Never are they equivocal to the imaginary boogeyman that black and brown people are portrayed as in the white imagination. We must continue to advocate for our permanent interests and institutions: the black church, the black press, HBCUs, advocacy groups like NAACP, the Urban League, The Legal Defense Fund and others.

Finally, we must stay FAITHFUL. It is no coincidence that the leaders in this room are men of faith. I again must use Brother Thurgood Marshall as an example. He is remembered as a “wise and godly man who knew his place and role in history and SUMMER 2019

obeyed God’s call to follow justice wherever it led.”

And of course, Brother Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stands as an iconic example of what it means to have faith and to carry out the civil rights and social justice work, which we must take part in now if we are to change this nation for the better of all black Americans. While in jail in Birmingham, King responds to clergymen who criticize his actions as “unwise and untimely.” He writes: I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial “outside agitator” idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds.

This passage is at the heart of Brother King’s actions and should be at the heart of what we must all do, as Alpha men, individually and collectively. We are indeed caught in a network of mutuality—it is up to us as educated men, as leaders in our communities to take action on behalf of our brothers and sisters at a time when the fabric of our nation is being stretched thin, when our institutions like our courts and schools and churches are under threat. I call on you to step up, to live up to the Jewels’ high standards to help others achieve higher social, economic and educational status while we preserve the institutions that we hold dear.

“First of all, servants to all, we shall transcend all.” S 39

CHAPTER NEWS

BY THE REVEREND BRO. JONATHAN C. AUGUSTINE, JD, MDIV.*

A Theology of Welcome to Strangers in a Foreign Land REFLECTIONS ON IMMIGRATION POLICIES IN THE GREAT MELTING POT

When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien.

The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt . . .+ I

Introductory Overview

From December 28, 2018 to January 25, 2019, the United States government was closed. The extended 35-day shutdown—the longest in American history—was the result of the executive and legislative branches failing to reach a budget compromise and pass an appropriation bill to fund governmental operations. The heart of this failure was both figuratively and literally, a wall of separation.

While there was unquestionably an ideological wall separating the Congress from President Donald Trump’s extreme stances on immigration, the fiscal division was over Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion dollars to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall.

The hotly contested government shutdown debate had very little to do with national security.

Instead, as a result of Trump’s race-based 2016 campaign rhetoric, the debate had everything to do with immigration policies stemming from a series of controversial Executive Orders and the administration’s enforcement of the same by punitively separating children from their families at the border. Passions were also further enflamed

regarding border separations, partially because thenAttorney General Jeff Sessions publicly attempted to justify the separation of migrant families by citing Romans 13—the same scriptural reference used to sanction slavery in the antebellum South.

While such immigration policies have fueled the weekly sermons of many politically progressive preachers (including yours truly), they have also created a tension for faith adherents. When the “laws of the land” conflict with what may popularly be called the moral “laws of God,” this tension arguably places people of faith in a conundrum. I use this essay as an opportunity to encourage Alpha’s faith community, especially brothers serving congregations in ordained ministry, to think seriously about immigration in the biblical narrative and the moral imperative that narrative provides in the modern day.

In using the biblical canon as a basis of support, I argue herein that, from a faith-based perspective, that the United States’ current immigration policies are flawed, and the appropriate response should be a theology of welcome. Although the concept of welcome might

*

The Reverend Bro. Jonathan C. Augustine [Beta ‘91] serves as the senior pastor of St. Joseph AME Church in Durham, NC and as national chaplain of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. A life member of the fraternity, Bro. Augustine won the Belford V. Lawson National Oratorical Contest (1994) as a college brother and was named Outstanding Alumni Brother of the Year (2017) as an alumni brother. Bro. Augustine is an active member of the Beta Theta Lambda Chapter in Durham.

+

Leviticus 19:33-34 (NRSV)

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THE SPHINX

RELIGION

manifest in any number of ways, I specifically urge people of faith to embrace the scriptural view of immigration. My interpretation suggests God used migration to bring people to a greater understanding of God’s will for human creation. Consequently, I argue that when churches provide sanctuary to those potentially facing deportation, they stand against “unjust laws” (executive orders) by distinguishing between laws that uplift human personality and those that do not square with the moral law or the law of God. To support the forgoing thesis, this essay proceeds in four parts. Part One serves as an introduction, detailing the theological tension between moral laws and laws of the land that are adeemed unjust. Part Two builds upon Part One’s foundation by providing a biblical framework for understanding immigration, as a moral guide, for people of faith and a basis for embracing a theology of welcome. In progressing, Part Three calls for action. It urges faith-based communities to respond to unjust immigration laws, using the same prophetic position of civil disobedience as did Alpha’s late brother, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., during the zenith of the American Civil Rights Movement.

Insofar as the Movement began in December 1955, with Bro. King’s civil resistance in leading the Montgomery Bus Boycott, it arguably reached a highpoint in April 1963 when he disagreed with “unjust laws” and wrote Letter From Birmingham Jail, a famous essay detailing a theologically-based rationale for civil disobedience.

Part Three therefore urges people of faith and congregational leaders to participate in a renewed Sanctuary Movement, a religious and political campaign that began in the 1980s whereby congregations offer sanctuary to migrant refugees. This essay ultimately concludes with Part Four serving as a synthesizing argument of the salient points addressed herein.

II

Immigration in Scripture

From a Judeo-Christian faith perspective, this essay argues that a theology of welcome is the appropriate response to America’s immigration policies, insofar as immigrants are not treated in ways that are consistent with biblical teachings. As a starting point, however, before exploring scriptural examples of immigration, it is important to first contextually define immigrants. In the American context, immigrants are typically classified as either documented or undocumented people who are nationals of another country but are living in the United States. According to Matthew Sorens and Jenny Yang, “most foreignborn individuals—about three out of four—are present lawfully. The rest of the immigrants currently in the United States—an estimated eleven million people— SUMMER 2019

have no legal status, meaning either that they entered the country without inspection or overstayed a visa.”

With this contextualized definition as a baseline, we now consider immigration in scripture.

Sorens and Yang note, “There are several words in the original Hebrew of the Old Testament rendered into English as alien, stranger, sojourner, foreigner, or immigrant, depending on the translation.”

Notwithstanding translations, however, the Bible is a sacred narrative of God’s interaction with humanity wherein immigrants play key roles in an unfolding story.

In Genesis 11, Abraham, later Abraham, is introduced as an immigrant from Ur to Haran. As an Ur-born immigrant, he later journeyed to Canaan, with a stay in Egypt. “Abraham’s decision to leave Ur and bring his family to Canaan parallels the stories of many historical and contemporary immigrants who leave the lands they know and cross borders in pursuit of . . . promise . . .” Indeed, Abraham’s immigrant journey of faith, a direct parallel to so many that have been detained and or deported under current United States policies, is a critical foundation of America’s three most popular religions, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, all considered Abrahamic faith traditions.

In Genesis 18, Abraham also serves as an exemplar for hospitality to foreigners. When three strangers who, unbeknownst to him were messengers from God, Abraham was eager to be hospitable. His evidenced theology of welcome was no doubt the consequence of his own experiences as an immigrant in a foreign land.

Moreover, a few generations later, Joseph, Abraham’s great-grandson, also became an immigrant. Unlike Abraham, however, Joseph’s journey into immigrant status was not a choice. It was, instead, like the many Africans who came to what is now the United States in shackles. From an African American perspective, therefore, one can argue that Joseph’s forced journeys as an immigrant, parallels the origins of the Black existence in America.

Furthermore, not all immigrants were from Israel. There was also migration into Israel. In the book of Ruth, the narrative’s namesake, a woman from Moab, married a foreigner in her home country. After her foreign husband’s death, however, Ruth decided to follow her mother-in-law, Naomi, to the foreign land of Judah.

In doing so, Ruth embodied the spirit of so many contemporary immigrants who leave their homelands for the sake of family unity. Indeed, while attempting to maintain unity, there are countless migrants that have been detailed at the Mexican-American border, with numerous children being separated from their families.

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RELIGION

Furthermore, in the New Testament, the most popularly contextualized example of migration is arguably the life and ministry of Jesus. Indeed, he was an itinerant preacher from Galilee. Matthew 2 records Jesus fleeing persecution, as an infant, because Mary and Joseph feared King Herod would kill them if they remained in Judea. Although the New Testament speaks less expressly about immigrants, there is an implied reference where the author of Hebrews advises readers to welcome strangers with hospitality because, in doing so, one may be entertaining angels without knowing it (Heb. 13:2). Canonical scriptures are therefore clear in portraying a pattern: God makes special considerations for foreigners and they should be treated with hospitality. This is the basis of my advocacy for a theology of welcome.

III A Faith-based Call to Action: Offering Sanctuary Through Civil Disobedience In light of scripture’s consistent position on immigration, an initial consideration must be whether the United States’ immigration practices reconcile with the believer’s moral compass. Although recently reignited, this debate and ongoing theological conundrum is not new. Indeed, the Sanctuary Movement began in the 1980s as a faith-based response to immigration policies that made political asylum difficult for Central Americans fleeing civil conflict. What, therefore, is a person of faith called to do when conflicted by civil laws that they morally deem to be unjust? In the context of desegregation, while battling Jim Crow’s racial discrimination in the South, Bro. King squarely addressed this tension in his famous Letter From Birmingham Jail.

On Good Friday, April 12, 1963, Bro. King was arrested for violating an injunction he deemed to be unjust.

His famous letter was written, while incarcerated, in response to an interfaith group of prominent clergymen who challenged his dissident actions, and leadership in the Movement, as “unwise and untimely.” In providing a basis for his actions, Bro. King wrote: You express a great deal of anxiety over our willingness to break laws. This is certainly a legitimate concern. Since we so diligently urge people to obey the Supreme Court’s decision of 1954 outlawing segregation in public schools, at first glance it may seem rather paradoxical for us to concisely break laws. One may well ask: ‘How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?’ The answer lies in the fact that there are two types of laws: just and unjust. I would be the first to advocate for obeying just laws. Conversely, 42

one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that ‘an unjust law is no law at all.’

Brother King then went further, in drawing a distinction.

He also wrote, Now, what is the difference between the two? How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust?

A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law of the land of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: an unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just.

Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.

Accordingly, to follow Bro. King’s logic, as applied to America’s immigration policies, the previous scriptural discussion shows, “it is evident from the many references to immigrants and immigration, aliens, sojourners, and strangers in both the Old and New Testaments that God has clearly commanded his people to welcome and care for foreigners.” I therefore argue a theology of welcome is the appropriate response.

The Old Testament prophet Micah calls on people of faith to “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” In conversely examining my call for civil disobedience, believers like Sessions, a Sunday School teacher in the United Methodist Church, arguably embrace a philosophy of “doing justice” by enforcing punishment for violating laws. The tension between just and unjust laws, for people of faith, is literally as old as the scriptures themselves. In highlighting some aspects of this tension and the moral imperative to disobey unjust laws, Soren and Yang write: In many situations throughout history, the laws of civil authorities have not been just according to the principles that God gives to his people. Nor were civil authorities in the Bible always just: the Egyptian government of Pharaoh commanded Hebrew midwives to murder newborn boys (Ex 1:15-21), Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar required people to bow before a statute of him image (Danial 3), and the authorities forbade the earliest apostles from proclaiming the name of Jesus (Acts 5:27-28). In response to these unjust laws, God’s people insisted that, ‘We must obey God rather than human beings’ (Acts 5:29), defying the unjust injunctions—while remaining nonviolently subject to the authorities . . .

Arguably, therefore, with respect to the renewed immigration debate, the Bible calls on faith communities THE SPHINX

RELIGION

to ascribe to a higher law, when the laws of the land do not reconcile with morality. Indeed, in writing to the Philippians, just as St. Augustine drew a distinction between just and unjust laws, the Apostle Paul drew a distinction between the morals of this world and a citizenship that is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). I respectfully urge congregational leaders and people of faith to embrace a theology of welcome, an immigration perspective that is consistent with both God’s law (Lev. 19:33-34) and eternal citizenship (Phil. 3:20).

IV Conclusion This essay calls on congregation leaders, faith communities, and individual adherents to take a position on America’s immigration policies that is consistent with their moral compass. In response to America’s recent immigration crisis and racebased rhetoric against Mexican nationals, a renewed Sanctuary Movement is underway. I have argued that such is not only appropriate, but I also encourage people of faith to be a part of the movement.

Although some people of faith clearly interpret certain scriptural references as a basis to punish those who violate immigration laws, a careful consideration of scripture reveals a clear and unambiguous theology of welcome for immigrants. Moreover, as a natural tension arises when one is unable to reconcile the laws of the land with the laws of God, the same scriptural canon provides numerous examples of why civil disobedience is morally appropriate. Indeed, at the zenith of the Civil Rights Movement, Bro. King’s most famous act of civil disobedience in 1963 arguably catapulted the Movement over the next two years with Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 becoming measurable hallmarks of the Movement’s success. Just as the fight for civil rights is an ongoing movement, so is the concept of immigration reform. Considering the United States’ current immigration posture, I urge all people of faith to take a position and be engaged.

Scripture calls on us to provide welcome to strangers in a foreign land. Just as the children of Israel were once strangers in a foreign land, African Americans were once, too. S

References 1. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Clayborne Carson, ed) (New York: Grand Central Publishing, 1998), 193.

2. Under current federal law, it is not illegal for congregations and faith-based organizations to provide ministry-related assistance to immigrants, whether they be documented or undocumented.

3. Matthew Sorens & Jenny Yang, Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion & Truth in the Immigration Debate (revised & expanded)(Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2018), 23.

4. Ibid., 85-86 (emphasis in original).

5. Ibid., 86.

6. See, generally, Rick Jervis and Alan Gomes, “Trump Administration has Separated Hundreds of Children from Their Migrant Families,” USA Today (May 2, 2019), available at https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/05/02/border-familyseparations-trump-administration-border-patrol/3563990002/ 7. See, generally, Judith McDaniel, “The Sanctuary Movement, Then and Now,” Religion & Politics (Feb. 21, 2017), available at https://religionandpolitics.org/2017/02/21/the-sanctuary-movement-then-and-now.

8. Ibid., 188.

9. Ibid., 193.

10. Ibid.

11. Sorens & Yang, 93-94.

12. Micah 6:8.

13. Sorens & Yang, 95.

SUMMER 2019

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EDUCATION

SOUTHWEST REGION SUPPORTS ASCENDING TO MEN MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

During the 73rd Southwestern Regional Convention in Houston Texas, Southwestern Regional Vice President, Tarrynce G. Robinson and General President Everett B. Ward presented a check to the Houston Independent School District to support the Ascending to Men program. In addition to the financial contribution Brother Robinson also pledged the support of brothers in the Houston area to serve as mentors for students in the program. The program is designed to pair young men of color with successful role models who would serve as a positive role model and advocate for students who need guidance and opportunities for educational, social, and professional growth. The Ascending to Men Project and the brothers in the Houston area are working together to cultivate these areas of growth for students of color in the Houston Independent School District.

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THE SPHINX

HEALTH

BY BROTHER OKECHUKU KELECHI ENYIA, MPH, MUMU ’97

You good? Medical Help-Seeking Behavior and Structural Determinants of Health Introduction It has been well established in the literature that African American men experience earlier onset of disease, more severe disease, higher rates of complications, and very limited access to medical care than European American men [1–6]. Specifically, African American men have greater odds for coronary artery disease, hypertension, stroke, cancer, and diabetes and other comorbidities [7–10].

Health starts where we live, work, age, learn, worship, and play. The notion of “personal responsibility” is an important one when it comes to health behavior; and has quality of life implications across the political spectrum. In fact, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that framing “personal responsibility” as an equal opportunity to make choices that lead to good health was better received by a wide range of focus group participants in their 2010 report [11]. This article discusses individual choice, examine the social and cultural factors that influence African American men’s medical help-seeking behavior, and consider where and how policies and programs may be most effective.

Framing the Narrative The reasons for the increased morbidity and mortality associated with being male are complex and involve biological, behavioral, and social issues. Males of all ages are more likely than females to engage in high-risk behaviors including tobacco use/overuse, alcohol, drugs, high-risk sexual activity, and violence [12,13]; [1]. However, this notion becomes problematic when attempts are made to explain unhealthy behaviors as a matter of individual choice without taking into account the social and environmental conditions that can have an adverse impact on men’s health. For example, African American men are often forced to reside in unfavorable neighborhood locations and high-crime areas. These unsafe areas encourage a sedentary lifestyle and poorer nutrition due to the food desert phenomenon [13,14].

Further, African American men’s health is often framed from a deficit perspective - assuming the confluence of ones’ quality of life is more a consequence of individual choices than taking into account an appreciable examination of social context [15]; [16]. The assumption SUMMER 2019

is that there are linear relationships between individual actions and communal health outcomes [2]. Efforts to improve the health of African American men must take structural factors into account while considering the larger cultural, economic, and socio-political notions of race, health, and masculinity.

While men’s tendency to delay health help-seeking is largely due to masculinity, there is a critical need to focus on African American men who face additional race-related, help-seeking behavior barriers [17–20].

How do we best create and cultivate a culture where help-seeking behavior particularly among African American men becomes better normalized?

Reimagining African American men’s health to the center of health equity research will provide more nuanced insights into mechanisms, pathways and strategies to improve their health; and meaningfully address health disparities across the spectrum of population health. Before examining medical helpseeking behavior, masculinity and hegemony will be defined to better contextualize the social constructs of race and gender.

Masculinity and Hegemony Defined Culture has a significant impact on gendered behaviors.

For the purposes of this paper, masculinity refers to the expectations society has of boys and men (eg. ‘Boys don’t cry,’ ‘Take it like a man,’ ‘Be strong,’ ‘Get a job,’ ‘Sow your wild oats.’) [21]. According to Donaldson (1993) hegemony is defined as the ways in which a ruling class establishes and maintains its domination.

Therefore, hegemonic masculinity involves a specific strategy for the subordination of women or other historically subordinated groups [22]. Robert Connell (2005) in his study of Western masculinity makes distinctions between European notions of masculinity and African American notions of masculinity. He states that African American masculinities in the United States and elsewhere have long been associated with hyperphysicality, hypersexuality, and physical violence [23].

While Hooker et al. (2012) reported that African American men defined manhood as the leader of a family, provider, strong work ethic, responsible, and being man of character [24], other researchers identified European notions of masculinity to be defined as power, wealth, physical strength, emotional 45

HEALTH

control, self-sufficiency, and virility within the American context [12,25,26]. How do these social constructs inform the discourse related to masculinity and race-related factors as barriers to medical help-seeking behavior among African American men?

Medical Help-Seeking Behavior and Structural Determinants of Health Several studies affirm that men, relative to women, often fail to obtain preventive screenings, secure a usual source of care, and get timely medical interventions [27–30]. Further, there are a variety of personal, practical, and health system barriers that may lead African American men to delay or avoid medical services. Personal concerns range from not feeling empowered to utilize the health care system, feelings of vulnerability when it comes to whether to disclose an illness, and fear of a negative diagnosis without having a strong support system in place. Practically, there are financial constraints particularly if he would have to miss work or simply cannot afford to pay the medical bills. There may also be a lack of culturally relevant health materials and a general mistrust of the health care system due to historical and institutional racism [31–33].

While the notions that African American men should visit their doctor, exercise more, track their blood pressure, and stop the violence are encouraged and necessary, it may run counter to the larger cultural, economic, and political notions of “health.” In fact, these attempts to improve the lives of African American men may actually be bolstered by the very structures and institutions that are in place. For example, African American men work disproportionately in unsafe working conditions and reside disproportionately in prisons [1,2,34]. Evidence also suggests that tobacco, gun, and fast-food companies sell even more cigarettes, guns, and unhealthy foods to lower income African American men in urban areas [1,2].

Moreover, this raises the question of provider-level and patient-level factors as African American men interface with the healthcare system in terms of unequal treatment. While much of the existing literature focuses on patient-level factors, the role of provider-level factors has largely been ignored in public health literature. Health system–level factors are distinguished from social/behavioral risk factors in that they go beyond the individual’s control. In other words, what are the societal stereotypes and biases that affect health providers’ behavior? Provider-level factors specifically refer to biases, stereotypes, and clinical uncertainty among health care providers that manifest 46

as health care interactions and health care decisions [13,35,36].

Aversive racism theory, developed by Gaertner and Dovidio (2008), is particularly applicable when it comes to discriminatory decision making in the health care setting. This theory posits that one can consciously support racially egalitarian values and at the same time have unconscious negative emotions and stereotypes about specific racial/ethnic groups.

These aversive attitudes are likely to manifest when health care providers are under time constraints or are involved in tasks that require extensive thought and deliberation [37] As such, health care decision making is an important determinant of health among African American men and must be addressed with the goal of achieving health equity. This calls for increasing awareness on the part of health care providers, public health scholars, policy makers, and laypersons of these structural forces that produce, sustain, and even benefit from these barriers.

Recommendations Hook et al. (2016) posit that future research should ensure to take a phenomenological approach that examines the extent to which chronic exposure to racism affects the health and wellbeing of African Americans over the life course, thus facilitating a greater understanding of the lived experiences of African Americans—proposing meaningful solutions that empower African American men, families, and the community at large [38–40]. Studies demonstrate that when African American men are empowered, their families and the community-at large are empowered [13]. In a period of constantly evolving national health reform, the push must be to provide and implement innovative, substantive, and meaningful evidencebased interventions that poignantly address the health concerns of African American men. One must become much more solution-oriented by reframing the narrative to create a culture of health and empowerment that does not diminish the understanding and/or need to address health disparities for women and girls.

Furthermore, the focus of much of the social determinants of health and health equity policy literature has been on advocacy; but few researchers have examined why health-related public policies have not been adopted and implemented from a political and theoretical policy analysis perspective [41,42] This is due, in part, to (a) multiple causation between social conditions and health outcomes, (b) lack of technical feasibility, (c) life course perspective of policies with no immediate impact, (d) dominance of other policies, THE SPHINX

HEALTH

and (e) challenges obtaining data commensurate with social conditions and health outcomes. Therefore, a firm understanding of the diversity of current policies in their existing political, social, and economic settings will provide context for future analysis.

Long-lasting positive change can be achieved.

Funding agencies must show a greater willingness to support research and programs that address the social determinants of health among African American men. More support for diversity among health policy researchers and program developers would broaden research and targeted intervention agendas.

Strengthening anti-discrimination legislation in the area of employment relative to hiring and promotion; providing support for and increasing the numbers of African American male teachers and faculty; developing walkable communities; and implementing restorative justice to address the “pipeline to prison” phenomenon [13,43–46].

Furthermore, training to promote gender-specific and gender-transformative health services (e.g., health providers’ offices should be tailored to improve men’s access outside of working hours); training to promote race equity in health services by more substantively addressing the unconscious racial attitudes and stereotypes relating to African American men.

Interventions can draw on a social cognitive framework developed by Burgess, Van Ryn, Dovidio, and Saha (2007), which outlines evidence-based strategies and skills while addressing any shortcomings of culturalcompetency curricula [13,43–46]

Model of Success History is replete with the “invisibility” of African American men [47–49]. At the same time, history chronicles the indelible footprints of their historymaking achievements throughout the diaspora.

More targeted attention to the social determinants within the context of health equity can provide a

mechanism to empower African American men.

One example of this is the African American Male Empowerment Network (AMEN). This model was adopted from Gutierrez, GlenMaye, and Delois (1995), which includes personal empowerment—ways to develop feelings of personal power and self-efficacy; interpersonal empowerment—helping people to help others and learning how to influence the political process; and political empowerment—social action and social change [50,51]. The premise being that empowered African American men will make better decisions about themselves, their families, and their communities.

Pragmatic elements of the AMEN model included weekly small group meetings facilitated by African American male behavioral health professionals through a multi-sectional curriculum created by the Atlanta chapter of the Association of Black Psychologists.

Four parts were covered: spiritual health, mental health, physical health, and social health. The spiritual component involved the introduction to meditation, African history, defining African American manhood, and affirming the self. The mental health section focused on decision making, problem solving, and anger management among other areas. The physical health section focused on substance abuse, nutrition, cancer, and so on. The social health module included domestic violence, community organizing, financial planning, and practical legal advice. At the conclusion of the experience several weeks later, group feedback was that they overcame a fatalistic view of life and affirmed significant habit changes (e.g., more frequent physicals, improved nutrition, and more physical activity) [13].

At every level, African American men and boys must be better valued, validated, better targeted for interventions, and more involved in terms of health equity and the social determinants of health. It is when men and boys are empowered that they, in turn, empower their families and the society at large. S

References 1. Enyia OK, Watkins YJ, Williams Q. Am I My Brother’s Keeper? African American Men’s Health Within the Context of Equity and Policy. Am J Mens Health. 2014;10: 73–81.

2. Metzl JM. Structural health and the politics of African American masculinity. Am J Mens Health. 2013;7: 68S–72S. 3. Thorpe RJ Jr, Kennedy-Hendricks A, Griffith DM, Bruce MA, Coa K, Bell CN, et al. Race, Social and Environmental Conditions, and Health Behaviors in Men. Fam Community Health. 2015;38: 297–306.

4. LaVeist TA. Minority Populations and Health: An Introduction to Health Disparities in the United States. John Wiley & Sons; 2011.

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5. National Academies Institute of Medicine. Unequal Treatment:: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care (with CD). National Academies Press; 2009.

6. Powell W, Griffith DM, Blume A (art) W, Thorpe RJ. Eliminating health disparities among boys and men [Internet]. PsycEXTRA Dataset. 2016. doi:10.1037/e508762016-001 7. Bernard B, Muralidhar V, Chen Y-H, Sridhar SS, Mitchell EP, Pettaway CA, et al. Impact of ethnicity on the outcome of men with metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. Cancer. 2017;123: 1536–1544.

8. Williams RA. The Association of Black Cardiologists. Eliminating Healthcare Disparities in America. pp. 307–312.

9. Washington HA. Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present. Anchor; 2008.

10. US Department of Health & Human Services; Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Status [Internet]. PsycEXTRA Dataset. 2002. doi:10.1037/e371332004-001 11. A New Way to Talk about the Social Determinants of Health. In: RWJF [Internet]. 1 Jan 2010 [cited 9 Nov 2018]. Available: https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/research/2010/01/a-new-way-to-talk-about-the-social-determinants-of-health.html 12. Courtenay W. Engendering Men’s Health: An Evidence-Based Psychosocial & Behavioral Model [Internet]. PsycEXTRA Dataset. 2001. doi:10.1037/e314962004-001 13. Treadwell HM, Xanthos C, Holden KB. Social Determinants of Health Among African-American Men. John Wiley & Sons; 2012.

14. Williams DR, Collins C. Racial residential segregation: a fundamental cause of racial disparities in health. Public Health Rep. 2001;116: 404–416.

15. Gilbert KL, Ray R, Siddiqi A, Shetty S, Baker EA, Elder K, et al. Visible and Invisible Trends in Black Men’s Health: Pitfalls and Promises for Addressing Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Inequities in Health. Annu Rev Public Health. 2016;37: 295–311.

16. U. S. Department of Labor, Moynihan DP. The Moynihan Report: The Negro Family - The Case for National Action. Cosimo Reports; 2018.

17. Powell W, Adams LB, Cole-Lewis Y, Agyemang A, Upton RD. Masculinity and Race-Related Factors as Barriers to Health HelpSeeking Among African American Men. Behav Med. 2016;42: 150–163.

18. Mincey K, Turner BL, Brown A, Maurice S. Understanding barriers to healthy behaviors in black college men. J Am Coll Health.

2017;65: 567–574.

19. Calvert WJ, Paulette Isaac-Savage E. Motivators and Barriers to Participating in Health Promotion Behaviors in Black Men. West J Nurs Res. 2013;35: 829–848.

20. Cheatham CT, Barksdale DJ, Rodgers SG. Barriers to health care and health-seeking behaviors faced by Black men. J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 2008;20: 555–562.

21. Boys to Men: Teaching and Learning About Masculinity in an Age of Change [Internet]. 12 Apr 2018 [cited 9 Nov 2018]. Available: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/12/learning/lesson-plans/boys-to-men-teaching-and-learning-about-masculinity-inan-age-of-change.html 22. Donaldson M. What is hegemonic masculinity? Theory Soc. 1993;22: 643–657.

23. Connell RW, Messerschmidt JW. Hegemonic Masculinity. Gend Soc. 2005;19: 829–859.

24. Hooker SP, Wilcox S, Burroughs EL, Rheaume CE, Courtenay W. The potential influence of masculine identity on healthimproving behavior in midlife and older African American men. J Mens health. 2012;9: 79–88.

25. Courtenay W. Behavioral Factors Associated with Disease, Injury, and Death among Men: Evidence and Implications for Prevention. Int J Mens Health. 2002;1: 281–342.

26. Evans J, Frank B, Oliffe JL, Gregory D. Health, Illness, Men and Masculinities (HIMM): a theoretical framework for understanding men and their health. J Mens health. 2011;8: 7–15.

27. Addis ME, Mahalik JR. Men, masculinity, and the contexts of help seeking. Am Psychol. 2003;58: 5–14.

28. Mansfield A, Addis M, Mahalik J. “Why Won’t He Go to the Doctor?”: The Psychology of Men’s Help Seeking. Int J Mens Health.

2003;2: 93–109.

29. Cherry DK, Woodwell DA, Rechtsteiner EA. National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2005 summary. Adv Data. 2007; 1–39.

30. Viera AJ, Thorpe JM, Garrett JM. Effects of sex, age, and visits on receipt of preventive healthcare services: a secondary analysis of national data. BMC Health Serv Res. 2006;6: 15.

31. Griffith DM, Ellis KR, Ober Allen J. How does health information influence African American men’s health behavior? Am J Mens Health. 2012;6: 156–163.

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32. Griffith DM, Allen JO, Gunter K. Social and Cultural Factors Influence African American Men’s Medical Help Seeking. Res Soc Work Pract. 2010;21: 337–347.

33. Treadwell HM, Nottingham JH. Standing in the Gap. Am J Public Health. 2005;95: 1676–1676.

34. Alexander M. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. The New Press; 2012.

35. Penner LA, Dovidio JF, West TV, Gaertner SL, Albrecht TL, Dailey RK, et al. Aversive Racism and Medical Interactions with Black Patients: A Field Study. J Exp Soc Psychol. 2010;46: 436–440.

36. Institute of Medicine, Board on Health Sciences Policy, Committee on Understanding and Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. National Academies Press; 2002.

37. Dovidio JF, Gaertner SL. New directions in aversive racism research: persistence and pervasiveness. Nebr Symp Motiv.

2008;53: 43–67.

38. McElroy-Heltzel SE, Davis DE, DeBlaere C, Hook JN, Massengale M, Choe E, et al. Cultural humility: Pilot study testing the social bonds hypothesis in interethnic couples. J Couns Psychol. 2018;65: 531–537.

39. Hook JN, Farrell JE, Davis DE, DeBlaere C, Van Tongeren DR, Utsey SO. Cultural humility and racial microaggressions in counseling. J Couns Psychol. 2016;63: 269–277.

40. Hook JN, Davis DE. Cultural Humility. The International Encyclopedia of Intercultural Communication. 2017. pp. 1–5.

41. Embrett MG, Randall GE. Social determinants of health and health equity policy research: exploring the use, misuse, and nonuse of policy analysis theory. Soc Sci Med. 2014;108: 147–155.

42. Exworthy M. Policy to tackle the social determinants of health: using conceptual models to understand the policy process.

Health Policy Plan. 2008;23: 318–327.

43. Burgess D, van Ryn M, Dovidio J, Saha S. Reducing racial bias among health care providers: lessons from social-cognitive psychology. J Gen Intern Med. 2007;22: 882–887.

44. Cardarelli R, Chiapa AL. Educating primary care clinicians about health disparities. Osteopath Med Prim Care. 2007;1: 5.

45. National Research Council, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Committee on Law and Justice, Committee on Assessing Juvenile Justice Reform. Reforming Juvenile Justice: A Developmental Approach. National Academies Press; 2013.

46. van Ryn M, Burke J. The effect of patient race and socio-economic status on physicians’ perceptions of patients. Soc Sci Med. 2000;50: 813–828.

47. Franklin AJ. From Brotherhood to Manhood: How Black Men Rescue Their Relationships and Dreams From the Invisibility Syndrome. John Wiley & Sons Incorporated; 2004.

48. Franklin AJ. Gender, Race, and Invisibility in Psychotherapy With African American Men. Dialogues on difference: Studies of diversity in the therapeutic relationship. pp. 117–131.

49. Glynn M. Black Men, Invisibility and Crime: Towards a Critical Race Theory of Desistance. Routledge; 2013.

50. Empowerment in Social Work Practice with Older Women. Soc Work. 1995; doi:10.1093/sw/40.3.358 51. Gutiérrez L, Lewis E, Nagda B (ratnesh), Wernick L, Shore N. Multicultural Community Practice Strategies and Intergroup Empowerment. The Handbook of Community Practice. pp. 341–359.

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PERSONAL/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

BY BROTHER ERIC CHRISTOPHER WEBB, DDIV., CPLC., NU â&#x20AC;&#x2122;89, RTL

The Burden of the Past: Overcoming The Greatest Threat To Personal Development

H

ow we deal with or address our past is likely the greatest threat to our own personal development. The past can become a deadly albatross around our necks. It can cripple and anchor us to past experiences, mistakes and regrets, making us feel powerless.

Ultimately, our inability to release or overcome our past hinders relationships, career ambition, and upward mobility. One reason why personal development experts and life coaches focus so extensively on how the past effects of our thinking and actions. Likewise, a number of personal development systems and podcasts have been established, including The 7 Life Laws, and The Living On E Podcast, which both specifically address

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overcoming the past as well as other obstacles to living oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best life.

The Challenge of the Past For many, memories of our mistakes replay themselves on a continuously loop. They stand as an unforgiving and unapologetic judge and jury, where their defendants are left vilified and convicted without regard to previous circumstances or lack of options.

With that, some people become obsessed and focused on those past indictments. They are blinded and guaranteed to stumble and fall over the actual obstacles and issues in their present. They fail to realize that they cannot win a race or succeed looking backwards.

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PERSONAL/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

How the Past Becomes Belief or Destiny Subsequently, these same past memories transform themselves into beliefs, which dictate how people make their decisions and how they live their lives. No longer does a specific event represent itself. It becomes a declaration of an unchangeable outcome, state of being, capacity, or destiny.

A failed final exam becomes the belief that the person is a bad test taker.

Incidents of spousal abuse become the belief that the person is deserving of abuse or can never have a nurturing or loving relationship.

Memories of childhood teasing about a person’s appearance become the belief that the person was and remains unattractive.

How Blame Becomes the Solution Still others attempt to address or engage their past with an equally-damaging response. Instead, they chose to blame others for their past circumstances, indiscretions and mistakes. By doing so, they shirk their responsibility and never become accountable for their past choices or behavior. In the end, they negate their ability to change and transform their present lives.

For example, young people blame their parents for not pursuing their passions, but neglect the fact, they never took any interest seriously or truly committed to anything they ever pursued.

Addicts, who refuse to seek help for their addictions, fault their original circumstances, home life, and environment. They never acknowledge others who endured similar situations but did not pursue abusive lifestyles.

Unfaithful mates blame their spouse or partner’s inattentiveness or lack of affection for their cheating.

However, they never confronted their partner about his or her behavior nor did their own interaction with or demands placed on their partner.

How We Should Engage Our Past Our power and control are in the present. We must not relinquish it through fear, indecisiveness, procrastination, or apathy. The future depends on what we do now while our past provides the lessons learned for the present.

While we should not ignore or forget past experiences, we must first forgive ourselves for our transgressions SUMMER 2019

against ourselves. Then, we must engage our past not with scrutiny or blame, but with patience, objectivity, compassion, and empathy. “. . . a self-distanced perspective, where we almost picture the situation as a ‘fly on the wall’ leads to focusing on why an experience occurred, which can foster insight and closure,” according to Adam Gerace’s article, “How we think about our experiences affects how we can help others” from Theconversation.com.

In addition, consider the following strategies as a proactive and productive manner to engage and overcome the past.

Strategies to Overcome the Past Be Grateful.

Some people mistakenly equate being grateful with being thankful. The two are not synonymous. Gratefulness is not simply appreciation, as is thankfulness. Gratefulness embodies a state of acceptance and understanding.

It is the acknowledgment that everything we have experienced has worth and beauty, especially those things that have caused us pain and hardship. Gratefulness accompanies the gift of recognition. It is, therefore, incumbent upon us to receive and reflect on the lessons offered through our experiences and the process.

For example, gratefulness allows us to appreciate and not curse the storms in our lives as well as the havoc and destruction they bring. While our storms dismantle all that we have become comfortable with and accustom, they force us to withdraw from the action and cause us to seek shelter and remain still as they perform their function. If we chose to resist or fight against our storms, we find ourselves drawn into their chaos and confusion.

We become swept up in the devastation. As a result of our desperation, we move blindly. We make harsh, thoughtless decisions that pull us further into the abyss.

But when we chose to be still, our storms eventually remove all foes that have overtaken us. They turn our enemies against themselves. They become part of the destruction. Debris is everywhere.

In the end, our storms reveal who and what our enemies really are to us and the world. They are the broken ones and stood no chance. Suddenly, we can see clearly, and are better for it.

Accept Responsibility & Be Accountable.

We must own our mistakes. For better or for worse, we made them. The question is how does one move forward and ensure that we and others become whole for our transgressions. We must first pay the debt owed 51

PERSONAL/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

to ourselves through our own forgiveness. This allows us to free ourselves from our own shame and provides us the ability to do what we must. Then, if our mistakes injured others, we can genuinely make amends and do what we can to compensate others for the injury.

Fear of judgment often holds us back from doing what we must. In addition, resistance to responsibility and accountability also represent an individuals’ inability to forgive themselves. Some view admitting their wrong or bad behavior as a permanent indictment of their character—a scarlet letter defining who they are, not who they were at that prior moment. Accepting responsibility and being accountable is the first step to true liberation.

Embrace A Spiritual Foundation & Practice.

Prayer and meditation promote healing. Various religious texts offer wisdom regarding the necessity to address or overcome the pain or trauma one’s past.

We all possess an inner yearning, a thirst for answers, a hunger for completeness. Often, physical pleasures or material things are used to silence that yearning, but we are left feeling empty. Having a spiritual foundation and practice is central to navigating both the triumphs and challenges life offers as well as providing a desired sense of fulfillment. Spirituality imbues life with hope, direction, and purpose. It also offers practices that encourage contemplation through meditation, prayer, yoga and journaling. These practices reveal and emphasize that we are all an intricate part of something greater than ourselves.

When we embrace a spiritual foundations and practice, our beliefs, values and, ultimately, our actions become inspired, directed, and centered to one consciousness.

We become able to interpret incidents and experiences with a transcendent, inner wisdom to make healthier

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choices. We are encouraged and able to forgive both others, and ourselves, which is one of the primary keys to accepting responsibility and becoming accountable.

Most importantly, that overall knowledge and inner wisdom helps us to realize that we possess and can access limitless potential.

Control your new narrative.

Ultimately, we must take an active role in overcoming our past since the world does not know we have accepted responsibility and are different people. Our past remains tethered to our prior actions and public presentation. So, the world will ultimately continue to acknowledge and treat us accordingly. If we want different, we must be visibly different from how we engage and interact with people to how we dress or present ourselves in public.

Our actions and behaviors must allow the public to believe we have changed so they can transform how they perceive, engage or work with us. Therefore, we must be sincere with our transformation since we cannot afford to backslide into any resemblance of our previous negative behaviors.

In the end, we must ask ourselves several questions.

Who are we today versus who we were yesterday? Are our actions consistent with who we are or profess to be? If not, what can we do to change them? S

Brother Eric Christopher Webb, DDiv., CPLC., Nu ’89, RTL, an award-winning journalist and National Black Authors Tour Bestselling author of five books, is an ordained interfaith minister, a certified professional life coach and a motivational speaker. For website and all social media visit: https://linkzter.com/profile/ WordsByWebb/

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PERSONAL/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

BY BROTHER RORY E. VERRETT, ETA LAMBDA ’04

Seven Tips for Building Your Professional Brand 1.

Find a mentor as early as you can in your career.

And remember—it’s your responsibility to manage the relationship.

2.

The first stage of your career is your experimentation phase. Don’t be afraid to try something risky. You have 30 years to figure it out, so be patient and be bold.

3.

Your interview is way more important than your resume. So make sure you have three to five stories about your greatest accomplishments ready to discuss in your interview. And practice it before the actual interview.

4. It is ok to get angry about something that happens at work. But never lose your anger at work.

Determine if this is a single incident or a trend. If it’s a trend and you can leave, express your anger by getting a new job.

5.

You never negotiate a raise. You ask your boss for more responsibility, crush those new responsibilities, and then later, ask that your compensation reflect your new, broader role.

6.

If you are a person of faith, don’t abandon your faith in your career. God brought you here, and He’ll get you there.

7.

Trust your instincts. They will rarely fail you.

Brother Rory E. Verret is the founder and managing partner of Protégé Search, a retained executive search and leadership advisory firm focused on diversity and public affairs.

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BROTHERS ON THE MOVE

BROTHER SOLOMON POTTER, NU ’17

ALPHA BROTHER AND TOP CIAA PERFORMER NAMED ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Nu Chapter’s Brother Solomon Potter of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania was recently named the 2019 Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association (CIAA) Outdoor Track and Field Men’s Athlete of The Year in voting done by the CIAA Track and Field Coaches Association.

The recognition caps off a string of top track and field career honors, including three-time discus champion, seven-time career All-CIAA Honors in shot put, discus and javelin, CIAA Field Athlete Events MVP at the Outdoor Track and Field Championships, as well as

in the javelin. “I’m very competitive so I’ve just always worked hard to be the best in what I do and its paid off.”

In the discus throw, the 23-year-old Brother Potter placed first three times, second twice and once in third place in seven regular season meets, including a conference best 47.74 meters (156’7”) at the Ursinus Invitational.

He also recorded top five finishes in all six meets he competed in the shot put, including a first-place finish at the Gwynedd Mercy Twilight Meet. He also threw 15.01meters (49’3”) at the Towson Invitational, which was the top distance in the CIAA heading into the conference championships.

During the regular season, Brother Potter also had two second place finishes in the javelin, throwing 44.71 meters (146’8”) at the Maryland Invitational and 41.99 meters (137’9”) at the Delaware Open.

Despite his discipline and dedication to athletics, the Spring 2017 Nu Chapter initiate served as chapter president this year, managed to maintain a 3.1 GPA as well as work as a resident advisor, which he did for the last two years.

East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division II Track and Field Men’s Field Athlete of the Month for his performances during the month of March and April 2019, and two-time CIAA Indoor Field Athlete of the Week recognitions this past season. Among Lincoln University athletics, he was also named Men’s Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field MVP. “Being named athlete of the year is definitely an amazing honor as well as the other recognitions I’ve received throughout my collegiate track and field career,” says the Williamstown, NJ native, who was the CIAA’s top performer in both the discus and shot put this outdoor season and was also ranked fourth in the conference 54

In addition, he served as vice president of the chapter the previous year and was a member of the student athletic advisory committee.

In May, Brother Potter received his bachelor’s degree in human services with a minor in psychology. He hopes to begin graduate studies in management and public health next Spring.

“I ultimately want to have my own youth center,” he explains humbly. “I want to give back to the community because not every day you see another black man striving to be the best he can be. Growing up, I never saw men graduating and working in suits. Now, I am the man who graduated and will be working in a suit.” S THE SPHINX

BROTHERS ON THE MOVE

SOUTHWESTERN ASSISTANT REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT SEEKS ARKANSAS STATE HOUSE SEAT For newly elected Southwestern Region Assistant Vice President Brother Russell Williams III campaigning for a leadership position on the Fraternity’s board of directors and navigating Alpha politics isn’t enough.

The 21-year-old Williams, who is currently majoring in political science at Philander Smith College, is now running to fill the vacancy of former Arkansas State Representative, Charles Blake, who resigned May 17 to become the chief of staff for the mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas. Blake’s second term had just begun in January 2019. That term ends in 2021. Blake represented Arkansas’ 36 district, which includes Woodson, Hensley, Parkers-Iron Springs, Little Rock, College Station and Sweet Home.

The member of Beta Chi Chapter and Opelousas, Louisiana native said he sees the resignation and vacancy as an opportunity to create change for the community surrounding his university.

“We deserve an Arkansas where your zip code doesn’t dictate if you receive a quality education, where your gender, faith, skin color, or sexual orientation don’t make you less than in our society (and) an Arkansas where access to clean air, drinkable water,

and quality healthcare, are basic human rights,” says Brother Williams. “Where the talent we cultivate in our education system and higher learning institutions is able to take root, work, and serve in our Natural State, making this a better place to start a family, begin a career, or grow a small business.”

Four others are seeking the seat as well, in the special election, Democratic primary on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, including: Denise Ennett, Phillip Hood, Darrell Stephens, and Roderick Talley. The winner will be unopposed in the General Election on Tuesday, November 5.

While his campaign, he says will be driven through social media, radio interviews and door to door visits, he hopes to utilize that strategy to survey the needs of the community.

He says his campaign’s biggest focus is to retain young professionals in Little Rock, Arkansas to generate new ideas and innovation for the city. Williams says he believes many young adults come to Little Rock seeking a quality education, but they tend to leave the city to improve the communities they came from.

If elected, Brother Williams hopes to also increase resources for the school districts and local youth programs. S

Brother Sidney Benson Jr., Beta Phi ’17

WILBERFORCE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT RECENTLY INITIATED INTO THE FRATERNITY The 22nd President of Wilberforce University, the first private historically black college and university (HBCU), was recently initiated into the Chi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. in Wilberforce, Ohio.

Brother Dr. Elfred Anthony Pinkard, who became president of the university on March 1, 2018, was initiated into the Fraternity on March 4, 2019.

Before being promoted to president of the university, Brother Dr. Pinkard served as the University’s provost and executive vice president. However, Dr. Pinkard’s SUMMER 2019

professional career education isn’t limited to the work he has done at Wilberforce. He also held positions at different universities such as executive vice president and COO of Johnson C. Smith University, founding executive director of UNCF Institute of Capacity Building, associate provost of Dillard University, and chief planning officer at Spellman College.

He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Morehouse College, and his master’s degree in master’s in educational psychology from Howard University in 1976. In 1983, he completed his Doctor of Education, Administration, Planning and Social Policy degree at Harvard University. S

Brother Sidney Benson, Jr., Beta Phi ’17 55

BROTHERS ON THE MOVE

BROTHER MARSHALL JOINS BIDEN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN Former Obama Administration Speechwriter and Communications Advisor Named Director of Strategic Communications for Joe Biden Presidential Campaign Democratic Presidential Candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden has named Brother Kamau M. Marshall as the campaign’s director of strategic communications.

Brother Marshall, a Spring 2010 initiate of Delta Theta Chapter at Texas A&M University, is no stranger to

former Vice President Biden having served as the speechwriter and communication advisor for the Obama Administration.

More recently, Brother Marshall worked as the deputy national press secretary and director of African American Media for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee this past year. Previously, he has served as the communications director for Brother Congressman Al Green and as Special Assistant to Congressman Elijah Cummings. S Brother Sidney Benson Jr., Beta Phi

HOWARD UNIVERSITY STUDENT ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT BECOMES POLITICAL COORDINATOR FOR KAMALA HARRIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN Recent Howard University graduate and former Student Association President, Brother Amos Jackson III, was recently appointed as the political coordinator for Kamala Harris’ Presidential Campaign.

Brother Jackson who is a Spring 2017 initiate of the Beta Chapter is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with the African American, Faith Based, Collegiate, and grassroots communities.

Brother Jackson, who worked closely as a legislative intern for the Senator Harris, a Howard University alumna, last summer, graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and African American studies.

While at Howard, he also served as president of both Beta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc and the College of Arts and Science Student Council, where he served over 2,700 students across 31 academic programs. S Brother Sidney Benson Jr., Beta Phi.

BROTHER GRASFORD W. SMITH HAS BEEN SELECTED BY LEGACY SOUTH FLORIDA MAGAZINE AS THE “CORPORATE EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR” FOR 2019.

A black-tie Gala reception was held on Saturday, May 4th at The Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, FL to honor the most powerful and influential black business leaders of the year.

Grasford Smith focuses his practice in the areas of complex commercial litigation, intellectual property litigation, cybersecurity, and transactional matters. He has represented a diverse clientele, including Fortune 500 companies, 56

government agencies, athletic leagues, technology companies, and a United States Congressman, in addition to a variety of small and medium-sized businesses. Grasford is actively involved in numerous professional and non-profit organizations and was recently re-elected to the Palm Beach County Bar Association’s Board of Directors. He is frequently recognized by his peers and industry publications for his leadership and preeminent legal practice.

Lastly Brother Smith has been named in the 2019 edition of Best Lawyers in America, an honor that recognizes the top 4 percent of practicing attorneys in the nation. S THE SPHINX

BROTHERS ON THE MOVE

BROTHER DR. JAFFUS HARDRICK, ZETA XI ’61

FLORIDA MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY NAMES ALPHA BROTHER 14TH PRESIDENT As Florida Memorial University (FMU) celebrates 140 years of service in higher education, FMU’s Board of Trustees appointed Brother Dr. Jaffus Hardrick as its 14th president of South Florida’s only Historically Black College or University (HBCU)—widely recognized as the birthplace of the Black National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing.

The board originally tapped Brother Hardrick to serve as interim president in July 2018. During the institution’s annual Founders’ Day observance, Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver G. Gilbert, III boldly declared, “Something is happening at Florida Memorial University. There is new energy and it is exciting.”

“Dr. Hardrick is an ambitious and visionary leader who has demonstrated a commitment to student success and academic excellence throughout his career,” says Attorney JoLinda Herring, chair of FMU’s Board of Trustees. “He brings a wealth of experience and we want to continue the momentum. It is truly a new day at FMU.” An award-winning academic executive, Brother Hardrick comes to South Florida’s only historically Black university with more than twenty years of experience in higher education. He worked for more than ten years at Florida International University (FIU) where he served as vice provost for Access and Success and vice president of Human Resources. Under Hardrick’s leadership, FIU earned national recognition from Forbes, Fortune, and the Chronicle of Higher Education, among other organizations. Prior to FMU, he worked at Baylor University for twelve years serving as assistant provost for Academic Affairs and vice president of Human Resources.

Since assuming the presidency, Brother Hardrick has promoted five strategic focus areas for FMU: Student Success, Operational Excellence, Financial Solvency, Academic Quality, and Relationship Development. Hardrick identified these as key areas that will drive FMU’s success into the future.

“I thank God for the opportunity to serve and lead FMU to the next level of academic excellence and national prominence. Under my leadership, FMU will be fully integrated into the greater community and focus on preparing students to compete in the global marketplace, transition to rigorous graduate and professional schools, or develop their own enterprises,” Brother President Hardrick says.”

An HBCU alumnus, Hardrick earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette; a master’s in Education in Counseling from Prairie View A&M University; and a doctorate in Educational Administration from Baylor University. His scholarship has been published in the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, Association of American Colleges and Universities. He is also co-author of Making Global Learning Universal: Promoting Inclusion and Success for All Students (Stylus).

“While the nation talks about the relevance of black colleges, 140 years affirms we are committed and ready to serve. I am looking forward to transforming FMU into one of the nation’s premier HBCUs,” says Brother President Hardrick. “In addition to being an economic engine in South Florida, FMU will play a key role in producing more talent for the nation’s workforce.” S

SUMMER 2019

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BROTHERS ON THE MOVE

BROTHER CORNELL “CHICO” CONAWAY

FROM PASSION TO PROFIT: NEW FITNESS & WORKOUT EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER HAS TIGHT GRIP ON MARKET For Brother Cornell “Chico” Conaway, a passion for fitness and a dislike for available fitness equipment on the market sparked not only an idea for his first product but birthed an upstart fitness and workout equipment manufacturing company.

With $5,000 in startup cash for his first order for inventory, LLC registration, website development and legal fees for a design patent filling, the Baltimore, Maryland-based, Gainz Sportsgear, LLC. and his patented, Load N Lock Grips were born in 2017.

holds a master’s degree in marketing from The Johns Hopkins University.

Overall, he explains, the total fitness product industry had an estimated $5.2 billion in sales in 2017. In his company’s first year, it did more than $15,000 in sales and then more than doubled that total last year, with about $35,000 in sales, he says.

While he has no plans for a branded, physical retail

“I just had a love for fitness,” says Brother Conway, who works full time as an obesity care specialist for a pharmaceutical company, a Fall 2006 initiate of Kappa Phi Lambda, and current member of Rho Tau Lambda chapter.

“More importantly, I love working out with grips. I just felt the grips on the market were too expensive and not long enough to my liking. So, the first product we developed was our Load N Lock Grips made to replace the traditional workout gloves offering a tighter grip with the secondary benefit of wrist support.”

Brother Conway says his grips, which cost about $32, half the price of most, are made of Kevlar, are the longest workout grips on the market, and provide a tighter grip with the secondary benefit of wrist support.

He explains that the specifically-designed extended grip pad is intended to offer more grip around the bar, dumbbell or machine.

The Load N Lock Grips, for men and women, currently come in array of colors of course as well as the signature black and old gold option.

Aside from the grips, Gainz Sportsgear, LLC., now offers apparel, wrist wraps, knee sleeves, weightlifting belts, as well as resistance bands online and in nine different Maryland locations, including select Gold’s Gym, GNC, Total Nutrition and Merritt Clubs. Prices range from about $13.50 to $70.00.

He adds that one of his biggest accomplishments was a custom order for the athletic department at Bowie State University, where he attended prior and received his bachelor’s degree in business. Brother Conway also

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store, Brother Conway hopes to increase his online business, maintain the locations, who currently sell his products, and work to add more locations in the future.

“What’s unique about my company is that there are a lot of black-owned fitness apparel companies, but how many black-owned companies can you name that are actually designing and manufacturing the fitness equipment,” he says. “This is what differentiate Gainz Sportsgear from other brands.”

For more information on Gaiz Sportsgear, LLC and its products, visit: GainzSportsgear.com or IG: @ Gainz_sportsgear. S

THE SPHINX

LITERARY

BY BROTHER ERIC CHRISTOPHER WEBB, DDIV.

Western Region Produces Coloring Book For Youth Engagement Resource

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or the Western Region Vice President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Brother Dondrell Swanson, the idea of producing a children’s coloring book was bigger than offering a giveaway to local school children.

The 24-page “Greatness In Color Coloring Book,” written by Christina De La Cruz and Cedrick Bridgeforth, which features 10 illustrations and profiles of prominent historical and pop culture figures of African descent from Cleopatra VII to Jay Z, has ultimately become not only a fun activity resource, but a tool for youth development and diversity promotion.

“We (were) very specific that this is an engagement opportunity not a distribution opportunity targeting K-3,” says Brother Swanson. “We’ve asked (brothers) to go into elementary schools or Sunday schools and use them as part of mentoring projects, offer coloring contests to expose the youth to different career paths among other activities. Essentially what we wanted to do was to take advantage of the opportunity to engage with young people (as well as) builds positive self-esteem with children of color.”

The coloring book, Swanson says, has also received positive feedback from non-communities of color.

“We’ve gone into schools and planned to partner with one class and three to four classes have shown up,” he says.

With the coloring book’s popularity, says Brother Swanson, the region is considering a second print run. Initially, 5,000 copies were printed, providing an allotment to ever district director in the region, Fraternity leadership, chapter representatives, Western Region Convention attendees as well as various other influencers.

The project, which costs about $12,000 and had been in the works for about two years, was financially supported by the region and various donors.

“It’s really given brothers another engagement opportunity and provides some personal impact with communities we don’t traditionally engage,” Brother Swanson says. S

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LITERARY

BY BROTHER (DARREN) DC LYONS, THETA RHO LAMBDA ’85

A Day in the Life in a Skilled Nursing Facility SHORT STORIES FROM A YOUNG MAN TRAPPED IN A NURSING HOME Publish Green (September 2018) 32 pages $5.99 Kindle ISBN-13: 978-1-54564- 609-0 Humor Essays Amazon.com Over the past 18 months, Brother (Darren) DC Lyons suffered numerous health issues, including two belowknee amputations, Stage Five Kidney Failure requiring dialysis three times a week and congestive heart failure. And for an eight-month period, he also used a vegetarian diet to lose more than 260 lbs.

A Day in the Life is 19 humorous, short stories chronicling Brother Lyons’ experiences recovering in a nursing home.

His story is one of triumph as he used his writing to help him “get back to life.”

Brother Lyons, who is a member of The John Maxwell Team as a trainer, coach, and speaker, obtained his master’s degree in Organizational Management from The University of Phoenix and a bachelor’s degree in History from George Mason University.

With a vision to create inspirational books and faith-based media projects, Brother Lyons and his wife, Elaine, founded Korrior, Inc. His memoir, “With Worn Out Tools: Navigating The Rituals of Mid Life” is scheduled for a Winter 2019 release. S

BY BROTHER IVORY A. TOLDSON, NU PSI ’92

No BS (Bad STATS) BLACK PEOPLE NEED PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN BLACK PEOPLE ENOUGH NOT TO BELIEVE EVERY BAD THING THEY HEAR ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE (PERSONAL/PUBLIC SCHOLARSHIP) Brill I Sense (February 1, 2019) 194 pages Paperback $28.00 Personal/Public Scholarship Series (Book 4) ISBN-10: 9004397027 ISBN-13: 978-9004397026 Schools & Teaching Amazon.com What if everything you thought you knew about Black people generally, and educating Black children specifically, was based on BS (bad stats)?

We often hear things like, “Black boys are a dying breed,” “There are more Black men in prison than college,” “Black children fail because single mothers raise them,” and “Black students don’t read.” In No BS, Brother Ivory A. Toldson uses data analysis, anecdotes, and powerful

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commentary to dispel common myths and challenge conventional beliefs about educating Black children.

With provocative, engaging, and at times humorous prose, Brother Toldson teaches educators, parents, advocates, and students how to avoid BS, raise expectations, and create an educational agenda for Black children that is based on good data, thoughtful analysis, and compassion. No BS helps people understand why Black people need people who believe in Black people enough not to believe every bad thing they hear about Black people.S

THE SPHINX

LITERARY

BY BROTHER OKECHUKU ENYIA, MU MU ’97

Indisputable: The Story of a Favored Son Enyia Strategies, LLC 212 pages Paperback $24.99 ISBN-10: 173203110X ISBN-13: 978-1732031104 Social Activist Biographies / Memoirs Enyiastrategies.com Amazon.com Overcoming adversity . . . Finding purpose . . . The relentless pursuit of destiny . . . In the book of Genesis, Joseph carries a significant dream that includes others who are to be connected to him for great purpose. From every generation, these men and women have moved from the early stages of their walk with God into realms of revelation and the Word of God. Indisputable: The Story Of A Favored Son is Brother Okechuku Enyia’s memoir of self-discovery, from the maturation of his spiritual gifts through his deliverance processes. The book chronicles his experiences as a medical student, graduate student and professional of color; his time in Nigeria with a parallel to the movie, Black Panther; health equity and the social determinants of health, mental health and wellbeing, the opioid epidemic; key developmental relationships and the importance of mentorship for Black men and boys; staff diversity and employment on Capitol Hill; and his transition into entrepreneurship and higher education.

Brother Enyia, who is the Founder & CEO of Enyia Strategies, LLC., a health policy consulting firm that provides advising, research support, policy analysis, project management, and legislative strategy for individuals and entities seeking measurable ways to influence policy on issues related to health equity, health disparities, social determinants of health and health in all policies, also provides policy recommendations, peer-reviewed research, as well as several nuanced how-to tips on landing a job, succeeding on Capitol Hill as a staffer and an advocate; as well as how to navigate through challenging career transitions.

As a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Health Policy Fellow (2014-2016), Brother Enyia worked for three Members of Congress on a wide range of issue areas in the context of health, education, foreign policy, civil rights, and advocacy. He holds a master’s degree in Public Health from Chicago State University and a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Biochemistry from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois. S

SUMMER 2019

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LITERARY

BY BROTHER DR. S. DALLAS DANCE, GAMMA ’00

Deliberate Excellence: Three Fundamental Strategies That Drive Educational Leadership Corwin; First Edition (January 23, 2018) Paperback $25.95 Kindle $17.48 ISBN-10: 1506392016 ISBN-13: 978-1506392011 Education Administration Amazon.com Leadership isn’t just a title.

Be inspired by a passion for progress and the drive to maximize latent potential in all people. Learn along from Brother Dallas Dance as he shares the successful change efforts. He employed to transform Baltimore Public Schools. This true success story delivers great insight and inspiration. Readers will be moved and changed by the author’s three key success principles: • • •

Establishing equity over equality by providing exactly what individuals need to be successful Understanding change, how it happens, and what one needs to make it so Knowing people deeply and how that leads to accomplishment and organizational change

Internationally-renowned educator and speaker, Brother Dr. S. Dallas Dance envisions and leads change that creates opportunities for all young people­— including students of color and those living in poverty— to thrive as critical thinkers, thoughtful leaders, and lifelong learners. His calling is motivating teams of all sizes to develop young minds and working with leaders and organizations to build capacity to do greater work for all of the individuals within their community.

Numerous national awards and board appointments— from institutions including the White House, Microsoft, and ASCD—recognize his impact on organizational culture, rigorous instruction, vibrant leadership pathways, leveraging technology, and dynamic community engagement.

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In July of 2017, Brother Dr. Dance became a Partner with the Strategos Group, a value-creating team of public affairs individuals committed to facilitating high-impact business growth and transaction advisory for companies by leveraging our strategic relationships, business expertise, and political and policy insight.

In addition, he serves as Senior Vice President of Education for the MGT Consulting Group, a practice which has been providing comprehensive management consulting services to public and private sector clients for over forty years. Prior to joining both groups, Dr. Dance served as the Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools in Maryland with over 112,000 students, 173 schools, and over 21,000 employees. As leader of the nation’s 25th largest school system, he pioneered equity-centered shifts in teaching and learning to close the graduation achievement gap between black and white students, while increasing diploma rates overall.

Prior to his appointment in Baltimore County, Brother Dr. Dance served as one of three chief school officers responsible for the administration of nearly 300 schools in the Houston Independent School District, the seventh largest school system in the nation. Before his tenure in Houston, Dr. Dance served in executive leadership positions in Virginia that leveraged his expertise in curriculum, instruction, assessment, school improvement, and strategic planning.

He earned a doctoral degree in educational leadership and a master’s degree in administration and supervision from Virginia Commonwealth University. His bachelor’s degree in English is from Virginia Union University. S

THE SPHINX

LITERARY

BY BROTHERS LOPEZ D. MATTHEWS, JR. PH.D., DELTA LAMBDA ’07, RONALD ANTHONY MILLS, SR., MU UPSILON ’87, AND JOSEPH T. DURHAM, ED.D., BETA IOTA ’60

The History of Alpha Phi Alpha – Delta Lambda Chapter: A Century of Leadership The Foundation Publishers; First Edition (2019) 384 pages Paperback $24.95 ISBN-13: 9781095370049 History DeltaLambda.org/HistoryBook Delta Lambda Chapter was born during a particularly active period in American history, which saw African Americans increasingly active in the struggle for civil rights. The black middle class saw their fortunes slowly rise even in the face of extreme racism and prejudice. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. was beginning to connect brothers who finished college, but wanted to remain active with their fraternity; they joined what became known as graduate chapters (now alumni chapters).

It was in the spirit of fraternity that Delta Lambda chapter was born on May 23, 1919. The charter members chose to form a chapter to build a closer bond between brothers in the city. With the motto, “Watch Us Grow,” in their statement to the fraternity, the men announced that they felt “the ‘call’ of closer union” and wanted to develop a “better understanding and organization” amongst the brothers in the city. The trailblazers of Delta Lambda were Brothers William Norman Bishop, Simeon Saunders Booker, Heyward Elbert Caldwell, Raymond Tunstall Carpenter, Reverend Beal Elliott, Walter Benjamin Garvin, James Henry Hilburn, James “Jay” Garland McRae, Carl James Murphy, Louis Hezekiah Russell, and Joseph Lincoln Shelton.

Today, the roster of Delta Lambda is equally star-studded. Among our ranks are physicians, ministers, public servants, school teachers and administrators, lawyers, dentists, entrepreneurs, college professors and administrators, and retired personnel from many areas of community life.

For two consecutive years, 1999 – 2000, Delta Lambda was chosen as the Eastern Region’s Chapter of the Year and represented the Eastern Region at both the Dallas and Atlanta General Conventions. The Chapter won the Atlanta competition in 2000, thus being named the Millennium Alumni Chapter of the Year.

It is through the efforts of the men, depicted in these pages, Delta Lambda Chapter has become a standard-bearer in Baltimore, in general, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. specifically. S

SUMMER 2019

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LITERARY

BY BROTHER TWITTY J. STYLES, PH.D., GAMMA ’27, BETA PI LAMBDA

Son of Prince Edward County Dorrance Publishing Company (2019) 250 Pages Hardback $46.96 ISBN: 978-1-4809-9991-6 eISBN: 978-1-4809-9962-6 Amazon.com Bookstore.Dorrancepublishing.com Son of Prince Edward County is an inspirational memoir for those of any age and any race. While he shares the hardships he experienced in grade school, the military during the Korean War, and college, he also offers his firsthand experience with the two-week, student-led, strike that took place in Prince Edward County and Farmville, Virginia, which spurred an NAACP lawsuit challenging Prince Edward County’s racially-segregated school system. The lawsuit, Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County became part of the historic Brown v. Board of Education case that was argued by Brother Thurgood Marshall and decided on May 17, 1954.

Brother Dr. Styles, who is professor emeritus of biology at Union College, was also a former student of Dorothy Vaughn, who was one of the pioneering African American female mathematicians and computer programmers highlighted in the major motion picture, Hidden Figures for her important contributions to the early years of the U.S. Space program as well as was the first African American manager at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) – which later became part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

His wife, Dr. Constance Glasgow, is a 1960 graduate of Syracuse’s Downstate Medical Center and pioneering practicing pediatrician in Clifton Park, NY. Ultimately, Brother Styles’ story is an example of overcoming boundaries and working hard for what one wants and believes in as well as shows the glory of the people and students that he has affected over the years. S

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THE SPHINX

CHAPTER NEWS

BY BROTHER LESLIE ELUS

RE-ENVISIONING PHILANTHROPIC FUNDRAISING

SOUTH FLORIDA ALPHA PHI ALPHA CHAPTERS, HURRICANE GRILL & WINGS PARTNER TO RAISE MONEY FOR PREMATURE BABIES The Iota Pi Lambda (IPL, South Miami), Eta Delta (HD, University of Miami), and Zeta Alpha Lambda (ZAL, Ft. Lauderdale) Chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc. in conjunction with Hurricane Grill and Wings recently raised more than $4,600 in support of the 2019 March for Babies South Florida Fundraising Campaign.

company currently owns seven restaurant brands Fatburger, Buffalo’s Cafe, Buffalo’s Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Yalla Mediterranean and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses - with over 300 locations open and more than 300 under development in 32 countries.

That campaign, which was Phase II of a four-yearpartnership first initiated in 2016 by ZAL chapter with Hurricane Grill and Wings, whose corporate office is located in Coral Springs, FL - one of the municipalities of Broward County, was to extend the philanthropic partnership opportunity to additional chapters in South Florida.

The collaboration involved Alpha Phi Alpha hosting a series of team hot wing eating contests called “Wings for Babies” as well as the restaurants food servers soliciting donations, resulting in the doubling of total March of Dimes donations from years past.

The competition was aired via live stream on several social media platforms, which allowed viewers to pledge their support for March of Dimes and their favorite team. The winning teams received gift cards from either Hurricane Grill and Wings or Target, while individuals with the fastest times (speed champions) received prizes supplied by local partners of the March of Dimes.

IPL’s March of Dimes Team Co-Captain, Bro. Chris Stevenson, notes that “the support of our College Brothers was vital...Eta Delta was instrumental to the success of the wing eating contest.”

Collectively, Alpha Phi Alpha Chapters within the two counties have raised nearly $7,000 in support of March of Dimes.

Fouad Hatem, restaurant manager and franchise co-owner of Hurricane Grill and Wings-Kendall says that he is “committed to our cause...and the [brand] will do everything in its power to foster this relationship.”

The pact hopes to expand its local partnership agreement to the fraternity’s over 700 chapters located throughout the country, operating within the markets of FAT Brands, Inc. family of restaurants. FAT Brands is a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets, and develops fast casual and casual dining restaurant concepts around the world. The SUMMER 2019

Pictured above are representatives from the Iota Pi Lambda, Eta Delta, and Zeta Alpha Lambda Chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. along with several staff members and the manger of Hurricane Grill&Wings Kendall. From left to right, Bro. Ricky Stuart (ZAL), Bro. Jonathan Cola (HD), restaurant servers and Fouad Hatem (Hurricane Grill and Wings manager), Brothers Chris Stevenson and Gilbert Estime (IPL).

The March of Dimes and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. began collaborating on the fraternity’s Project Alpha national program in 1980. Designed to provide young men with the most current information on teen pregnancy prevention and reproductive health, Project Alpha consists of a series of workshops and informational sessions facilitated by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity brothers.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that preterm birth among African American women is about 50 percent higher than the rate of preterm birth among white women. Similarly, black women are 3-4 times as likely to experience birth complications as their peers.

Further analysis suggests that the lack of adequate reproductive health education, primary care resources, and healthcare provider biases remain primary factors to women of color having elevated risk for birthing complications.

This reality hits home, personally, for several brothers in the South Florida area who have had to face the challenges of preterm birth which resulted in terminal outcomes. For these reasons, Brothers have been working diligently to both educate the community and raise funds for this noteworthy cause. S 65

CHAPTER NEWS

BY BROTHER MOHAMAD MERILAN, KEA

BROTHER W.E.B. DUBOIS, HENRY STREET SETTLEMENT AND THE FOUNDING OF THE NAACP

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eople across the world have heard of, and many have benefited from, the work of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The organization was founded more than 110 years ago on February 12, 1909 in New York City.

On May 30, 1909, Brother W.E.B. DuBois presided over a critical meeting that was instrumental in the development of the NAACP. Many prominent members of New York society were present at the Niagara Movement conference held at the end of May in 1909.

DuBois and the other distinguished attendees assembled in Henry Street Settlement’s dining room for the opening reception of the conference on May 30, 1909.

At that historic conference, a group identified as the “National Negro Committee” established what we now know as the NAACP. In the platform adopted by the National Negro Committee, they denounced “the ever-growing oppression of our 10,000,000 coloured fellow citizens as the greatest menace that threatens the country.”

Founded in 1893 by social work and public health pioneer, Lillian Wald, and based on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Henry Street Settlement delivers a wide range of social service, arts and health care programs to more than 50,000 New Yorkers each year. Distinguished by a profound connection to its neighbors, a willingness to address new problems with swift and innovative solutions, and a strong record of accomplishment, Henry Street challenges the effects of urban poverty by helping families achieve better lives for themselves and their children. Henry Street has a staff of 700 full-time seasonal employees, an active Board of Directors, partnerships with several organizations, including the Wall Street Alphas, and a burgeoning alumni network.

On February 16, 2019, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated signed a historic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the NAACP at their annual board of directors meeting in New York City. The MOU will allow the two advocacy organizations to formally collaborate nationally, regionally, statewide and locally on education & outreach, civic engagement, issue area advocacy priorities, leadership development, membership and community building.

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Henry Street Settlement (265 Henry Street New York, New York 10002) circa 2014 Henry Street Settlement, circa early 1900’s.

The legacy of W.E.B. DuBois lives on in both the organizations he was affiliated with. His early leadership in the development of the NAACP show that one’s actions can have a lasting, positive impact on society. S

The Henry Street Settlement dining room where W.E.B. DuBois presided over the meeting that led to forming of the NAACP.

THE SPHINX

CHAPTER NEWS

THETA MU COMMEMORATES 45 YEARS AT SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY WITH BENCH DEDICATION AND SCHOLARSHIP DONATION

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pril 14, 2018 marked 45 years of good standing and presence of Theta Mu chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. on the campus of Sam Houston State University.

During homecoming, Theta Mu Brothers came together on October 27, 2018 to dedicate a granite bench commemorating the chapter’s establishment and anniversary in front of Brother William R. Powell Health and Counseling Building.

Ten of the 11 living charter members were in attendance for this historical event.

In addition, the chapter was recognized for its anniversary at the Black Alumni Gala that night the Chapter and its alumni brothers gave $5,000 to The William R. Powell Endowment Scholarship.

In 1972, the University hired its first African American Administrator of Student Life, Brother William R. Powell, a member of the Fraternity. He became financial with Alpha Eta Lambda, in Houston, TX – 77 miles south of Huntsville.

At the time, no National Pan Hellenic Council had chapters on the campus so brought students together to see who would be interested in fraternities and sororities. When it was established that there was a great interest in Black Greeks, Dean Powell with the help from Alpha Eta Lambda, brought Black Greeks from Texas Southern University, and The University of Houston, in Houston Texas to hold informational seminars, including Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. On November 12, 1972, 18 young men were called and started the pledge process for the Fraternity, and on April 14, 1973, 14 of the 18 were initiated and chartered Theta Mu Chapter at Sam Houston SUMMER 2019

State University. Theta Mu was the first Black Greek organization established on the campus, followed by the Deltas, and then the AKAs. The charter members were Brothers Melvin Green, a physical education major & football player, Regional Archer, a business major, Harry Hughes, a business major, Rickey Brown, a radio, television and film major & band member, Cornell Brown, a business major, Billy Jacobs, a criminal justice major & football player, Calvin Lewis Jr, business major, Ronald Evans, a music major & band member, Adolphus Moore Jr., business major & football player, Langston Johnson Jr., biology major, Rodney Williams, a business major, Steven Mays, a computer science major & football player, Ed Coleman, a math major, and Coleman Porter, physical education major & football player.

Brothers Hughes, Evans and Johnson, Jr., are now members of our Omega Chapter of Sweet Rest.

Notably, Brother Evans was the first African American to graduate from Sam Houston with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Ed, (Instrumentation) and after graduation he joined the US Army and directed military bands for 25 years all over the world.

In Theta Mu’s 45-year history, it has had a National Black & Gold Queen, Ms. Felicia Hatchet, and in 2016, the Chapter was recognized as the Texas Council of Alpha Chapters and Southwestern Region Chapter of the Year. S

Left to Right Charter Members: Melvin Green, Regional Archer, Rickey Brown, Conrell Brown, Billy Jacobs, Adolphus Moore Jr., Rodney Williams, Steven Mays, Ed Coleman, and Coleman Porter. Not pictured Calvin Lewis Jr.

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CHAPTER NEWS

THE ALPHA DERBY WEEKEND—SETTING THE BAR FOR FUNDRAISING, RETENTION, AND RECLAMATION

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he Alphas of Atlanta Foundation is a committee of nearly 20 brothers representing all eight alumni chapters in and around Atlanta, GA. The collective’s commitment to put chapter-centric views aside for the benefit of Alpha is underscored by their motto - “No chapters. Just frat”. Under the leadership of Chairman Michael Jones (Iota Pi, Spring 2001), the committee set out with three goals: increase reclamation, enhance retention, and develop events to elevate the Alpha brand.

One such event is the Alpha Derby Weekend.

The Weekend Event Series Chaired by Robert Cunningham (Beta Beta Lambda, 1995) and Michael Jones (Iota Pi, 2001), the #AlphaDerby (www.AlphaDerbyWeekend.com) has grown from a single event in 2015, to a full weekend of Kentucky Derby-themed fundraising. After a sevenmonth marketing push, which included in-person organization visits, media ad placements, television and radio interviews, the 5th edition of the event (sponsored by Toyota) began on Friday, May 3rd 2019.

The Friday night “Kick-Off Social and Concert” featured performances by old-school hip-hop artists Big Daddy Kane and Chubb Rock and was attended by 1,100 patrons. Then, on Saturday, 1,700 people took in the official viewing of the 145th Kentucky Derby. Silent auction, curated vendors, pours of Woodford Reserve bourbon, high-fashion, and a record setting “Swag Surf” performance all contributed to the awesome affair. The weekend then closed out with 500 patrons at the highly coveted, bottomless mimosas, Jazz Brunch.

The Results Proceeds from the weekend benefit the non-profit arms of the Metro Atlanta chapters are funding college scholarships, spring break college tours, ACT/SAT prep classes, and other community-centered programs for over 500 kids’ yearly.

Based on great local partnerships, corporate sponsorships, and the supporting public, #AlphaDerbyWeekend has made an impact to both the local chapters and community: During the previous five years, more than $750,000 were raised ($200,000 dispersed) to the non-profit arms of the metro chapters and to fund reclamation and retention efforts in the city.

Seven of eight chapters boast a year-over-year retention rate greater than 83%.

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Nearly 20% of one chapter’s roster is now made up of members that were reclaimed within the previous two fraternal years.

100% of metro chapters have a documented reclamation program executed annually with plans for a city-wide focused reclamation effort underway There has been anecdote after anecdote shared about brothers becoming filled again with that “Ole Alpha Spirit” and seeking local chapters to be reclaimed.

With #AlphaDerbyWeekend proceeds, chapters had partnered with youth Metro Atlanta court-appointed to create and funded diversion programs, mentees have been gifted Chromebook laptops, college brothers have been awarded book scholarships, and more, all due to the hard work, unity and brotherhood on display. With plans well underway for the 6th edition, the community will continue to benefit for years to come. Join them in the Winner’s Circle. S THE SPHINX

CHAPTER NEWS

AGING ALPHA: ON SENIOR BROTHERS, LEGACY, AND A LIFETIME OF SERVICE

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n the opening chapter of his Pulitzer Prize winning biography of Brother Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, the esteemed historian, David Levering Lewis, penned the following: “Legendary Dr. Du Bois (for few had ever dared a more familiar direct address) appeared to have timed his exit for maximum symbolic effect. Someone had told the actor Sidney Poitier and the writers James Baldwin and John Killens the news while they were standing with several others in the lobby of Washington’s Willard Hotel early that morning. “‘The Old Man died.’ Just that. And not one of us asked, ‘What old man?’” Killens recalled.”

There is much to be extracted from this memory. Clear is the mention of one of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.’s most beloved sons — the distinguished Dr. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, whose intellect and social consciousness transformed the American imagination in a myriad of ways. There is also the news of his death; the eerily symbolic passing on the eve of the March on Washington. Yet, even more, there is the idea of how Brother Dr. Du Bois was both revered and respected among men who, in themselves, were deistic figures in the larger African American community. Nevertheless, most striking in this recollection is the choice of rhetoric – “The Old Man died.” That Bro. Dr. Du Bois was affectionately known as “the old man,” and that such a signifier needed no clarification at the time of its utterance, ought to encourage reflection on the significance of older men, and, more particularly, the importance of such men to the beloved fraternity.

When the Alpha Lambda chapter of Louisville, KY became the first graduate chapter on April 11, 1911 through the vision and tireless efforts of Jewel Bro. Eugene Kinckle Jones, the idea of alumni membership was not met with unanimous favor. Many felt, “the fraternity was for the undergraduates and that the graduates should be content with 4 years of activity and control.” For those in opposition, the idea of extending the fraternal experience beyond the college days that “swiftly pass” seemed both counterintuitive and undermining to the original scope and vision of the organization. Fraternities, for them, were as tethered to the collegiate experience as was participation in literary or debate societies. Inevitably, this idea would be challenged by the breadth of the fraternal body itself, as it began to articulate a need for its college members to aspire towards a life beyond the walls of the academy in which they would reach towards the SUMMER 2019

type of intellectuality transformed into civic duty that was exampled by the preeminent scholar of the day – Bro. Dr. Du Bois.

The change in the fraternity’s view towards graduate or alumni brothers, as evidenced by the proliferation of alumni chapters across the country, concretized to both the brotherhood and the world that “mature” men occupy a very unique and particular position in the social life of the world. These old men, or senior brothers, were the representations of the race, the personification of summum bonum, and the reflections of the possible for younger college brothers. Even more, they represented the quiet but powerful idea of limitlessness, alongside the demonstration of how the beauty of this brotherhood lies in one’s enduring commitment and untiring service. Indeed, to be an “old man” within the kingdom of Alpha has come to signify that you have lived and are living the fraternity’s most essential tenets, whether codified or unwritten.

This past year, under the presidency of Bro. Kevin Spragling, and through the motivating efforts of Brothers Palmer Mosby and Roger Deanes, senior brothers of the Alpha Delta Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. have collectivized the spirit of commitment and dedication outlined above. These “old men”, in addition to being active and participatory members of chapter meetings and activities, have coordinated monthly senior-brother luncheons devoted to men of a certain age, but welcoming of all. This “gathering of old men” is comprised of many past chapter presidents and even more life members.

And while they all proudly don the title of senior brother, their ages vary as much as their personalities.

Brothers John Strong and Melvyn Tuggle represent this spectrum, and characterize the amazing breadth of this intra-fraternal collective. Rooted in “fellowship and fun”, these gatherings provide an opportunity for senior brothers to foreground their usefulness to the fraternity as they strengthen the sinews of brotherhood between themselves, reflect on the days of the fraternity’s past, offer the wisdom or the history/mythology of the fraternity to brothers of a much younger “maturity”, and demonstrate without pretense or aggression the most central ideals of this beloved institution.

Unquestionably, the senior brothers of Alpha Delta Lambda understand the heart of fraternal life. Every month, in a more pronounced way, they remind us of how membership into this organization does not pass with college days. Through them we learn that one’s utility cannot be compartmentalized by age or 69

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youthfulness. In them we see the vision of the founders and earliest members — to develop a fraternity and organization strong enough to impact the world in all corners, and with the vast breadth to understand how every man has a place at the table of service.

Be it politics or race relations, religion or culture, the respect of womanhood or the scope of “manly deeds”, and the historic or “ritualistic” changes within the fraternity, these senior brothers dine and debate while flexing a fraternal knowledge with the philosophical dexterity of intellectual gymnasts, the sermonic power of southern black orators, and the skilled carefulness of surgeons. There is laughter in the space they create; there is tense dialogue as well. But more than anything else, there is brotherhood. The “old men” understand what the younger will be blessed to in the future – aging in Alpha is a wondrous journey, a majestic end.

These men, whom I call brother and sir and uncle and elder in one breath, hover above the initial prescriptions which attempted to curtail the fraternity to a fouryear experience. And in this hovering, they watch

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over all that pass through those mighty portals. If we have learned anything from our history, if we have respected the aims and ideals to which we pledged; if we know the true meaning of frater and service; then we know like Portier, Baldwin, and Killens’ knew of Du Bois — when someone says “The old men or the senior brothers,” we need not ask “Which old men, which senior brothers?” — as their work, their legacies, their lifetime of service and brotherhood have guaranteed the gift and privilege of knowing their names.

Bro. Secretary Fugett scripted the following in 1912: “It is as true with Alpha Phi Alpha as it is with the older and larger white fraternities that the strength of the fraternity lies in the alumni, an organized body of men who are taking their earnest part in the world’s work and who always have in mind their younger brothers who are preparing to take their part in the world’s work.” If this be true – if alumni brothers be the strength, then those we deem the “old men” or senior brothers, those we call elder or uncle, must be known as the heartbeat of our dear fraternity. S

THE SPHINX

OMEGA CHAPTER

BY BROTHER NEHEMIAH BESTER, THETA IOTA ’16

Brother Ron Dellums: A Champion for the Downtrodden

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rother Ronald “Ron” Vernie Dellums will forever be remembered as a champion for the downtrodden who throughout his political career, fought with incredible fierceness to mend the inequitable social and economic gap that disproportionately afflicted people of color. Ron Dellums was initiated the Delta Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. He entered Omega Chapter in July 30, 2018.

Born on November 24, 1935 in Oakland, California better known as the “Bright Side of the Bay,” Brother Dellums was born into a family of laborers. His father, Verney Dellums, was a Pullman porter and a

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longshoreman while his mother, Willa Dellums, was a beautician and government clerk. His uncle C.L. Dellums, who served as a role model and political influence, was one of the founders and organizers of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters along with civil rights icon, A. Phillip Randolph. That organization, which was founded shortly after the Civil War, recruited and employed former slavers to work on railroads.

Brother Dellums attended McClymond’s High School before graduating from Oakland Technical High School in 1953. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served from 1954 to 1956.

Upon the end of his service in the Marines, Brother 71

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Dellums continued down the path of education. He enrolled at Oakland City College where he earned an Associate’s degree in 1958, his bachelor of arts degree from San Francisco State College in 1960, and two years later, he was awarded a master’s degree in social work from the University of California at Berkeley.

After receiving his master’s degree, Brother Dellums worked in a number of social work jobs that enhanced his involvement with local politics and community affairs in the Bay Area. His social work career included working in psychiatry for the California Department of Mental Hygiene, directing several area programs like the Bayview Community Center, the San Francisco Economic Opportunity Council and Hunter’s Point Youth Opportunity Council. He was later employed at San Francisco State College and the University of California at Berkley as a lecturer while also being employed as a senior consultant at Social Dynamics, Inc from 1968 through 1970.

Brother Dellums made his first charge into the political realm when he won a seat on the Berkley City Council in 1967.

“I’d listen to and try to understand what people had to say, but then I’d act on my own beliefs,” said Dellums, “That’s the only way anyone should run for office.”

From his seat on the city council, Brothers Dellums became an advocate for those who could not advocate for themselves. He became a steadfast spokesperson for minorities and people in disadvantaged communities.

Brother Dellums was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1970 after being recruited by anti-Vietnam War activists to run against an incumbent who did not oppose the war.

After his reelection to Congress in 1972, Brother Dellums began his campaign to fight and end apartheid in South Africa after seeing the devastations happening to blacks in South Africa. He initiated the Comprehensive

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Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986, the first United States anti-apartheid legislation. Approximately 14 years later, the United States House of Representatives passed Dellum’s anti-apartheid legislation, which was one of the Congressman’s most profound accomplishments.

“This is the highest point of my political life, the most significant and personally rewarding. It’s been a long journey to this moment.”

Throughout his political career, Brother Dellums served as chairman of the House Committee on the District of Columbia and the House Armed Services Committee. He also served on the Foreign Affairs Committee, The Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Post Office and Civil Service Committee, and the Select Committee to Investigate the Intelligence Community. In addition, he also cofounded the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971.

Brother Dellums popularity led him to be reelected 11 times from his Oakland-based district.

It wasn’t until 1997 that he eventually announced his retirement from Congress and went on to open his own firm and work as a legislative lobbyist in Washington, DC. In 2006, however, Brother Dellums returned to the political arena as the 48th mayor of Oakland. He was 70 years old. There, he contributed to countless citizen task forces, public safety initiatives, and education programs in the city he grew up in.

Brother Ron Dellums was a figure larger than life who lived in service of mankind and the upliftment of humanity. His lifelong legacy lives on in the contributions he made to improve the social and political atmosphere of the United States and the world at large.

According to Brother Dellums: “Failure is not a crime, the crime is not trying.” S

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OMEGA CHAPTER

Omega Service for the Honorable Ronald Dellums

Remarks by Horace G. Dawson Jr., Ph.D., Chairman, World Policy Council, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity

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am Horace G. Dawson, a member of Mu Lambda Chapter, also chairman of Alpha Phi Alpha’s World Policy Council, an organization to which Brother Dellums belonged for well over a decade.

Long before that, in Fact, early in our acquaintance, he told me many stories about his upbringing in California. The most interesting of these, I always thought, was about a fight he had in school and his mother’s reaction to his account of it once he got home.

As Ron recounted the event, the boy, MEMBER OF A MAJORITY GROUP, bullied him, called him out of his name, and slurred him racially. Reacting swiftly, Ron said he lit into his tormentor and came out on top in the fight. Listening to all this, his mother, whom Ron expected to take pride in his victory, pulled him aside instead and expressed disappointment and sadness.

Indeed, he had to be proud, not apologetic about his heritage, she said, but also, he should not allow others to define him, to gourd him into action, in other words, to set the agenda. That, she asserted, , he should do for himself. This was a lesson, Ron said, which served him well for the rest of his life.

Ron Dellums was passionate about the war on poverty; about unequal living conditions in disadvantaged neighborhoods; about the vast expenditure of resources on weaponry in the face of dire poverty at home; about medical care for all, long before that was a popular cause; and about American investments in South Africa which, he argued, facilitated oppression.

Disinvestment in South Africa became his mantra.

In 1993, Ron Dellums made history as the first African American to chair the powerful House Armed Services Committee. He did so with distinction. This passionate peace crusader–through his advocacy of rational and necessary, NOT excessive spending on weapons of war—once again set the agenda.

Brother Ron set the agenda in a life of dedicated service hailed by all. Today, by special request, we, his brothers in Alpha Phi Alpha, honor his memory in recalling the familiar words of William Ernest Henley: Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.

And what a life it was - one of continuing and consequential public service; of advocacy on behalf of the poor and disadvantaged and of struggle in the cause of peace.

In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody but unbowed.

Over the next hour or so, you will hear much about the achievements of this visionary, this rebel, this angry warrior in freedom’s cause. And although time does not permit such detailing here, I would be remiss if I did not at least call attention to some of the causes to which he dedicated his life as a social worker, a member of City Council, a vastly influential congressman, and mayor of his beloved c[ty of Oakland.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

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It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishment the scroll, I am the master of my fate I am the captain of my soul. S 73

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BY BROTHER NEHEMIAH BESTER

Brother Dr. Lasalle D. Leffall: A Trailblazer in Medicine

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THE ARCHIVES OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS

rother Dr. LaSalle D. Leffall, Jr. was a highly skilled surgeon, oncologist, mentor, civic leader and a pioneering medical researcher and noted educator. He was initiated into Beta Nu Chapter Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. seated at Florida A&M University on April 27, 1947. He entered Omega Chapter on May 25, 2019.

Born on May 22, 1930 in the city of Tallahassee, the capital of Florida. Brother Leffall was born into a family of academicians.

His father was LaSalle D. Leffall, Sr., a professor of agriculture at Florida A&M University, and Martha Leffall, an elementary school educator. Brother Leffall, Jr. graduated from high school at 15 years old and received his undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University, graduating summa cum laude in 1948 at 18 years old. He attended Howard University’s College of Medicine, graduating top of the Class 1952.

Brother Leffall, Jr. finished his surgical training at Freedmen’s Hospital, now Howard University Hospital. From 1957 to 1959, he completed a surgical oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, New York.. While there, he was mentored by Jack E. White, the first black physician to train in surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a pioneering black cancer surgeon.

Following his fellowship, Brother Leffall took his talents to the U.S. Military. From 1960 to 1961, he served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps and Chief of General Surgery at U.S. Army Hospital 74

in Munich, Germany.

In 1962, Brother Leffall returned to academia, joining the Howard University faculty as an assistant professor and later became the chairman of the department of surgery eight years later, a position he held for 25 years. Having taught over 6,000 medical students and training over 280 general surgery residents, Brother Leffall became a beloved icon in the field of his study.

Many of his students continue to follow his wisdom of “paying it forward” as they advance further in the careers of their respective practices.

In addition, Brother Leffall exceptional background and experience led him to become the first African American to serve as national president of the American Cancer Society. While in that capacity, he created innovative programs addressing cancer disparities among ethnic populations with a focused observation on the increasing incidence and mortality rate of cancer among African Americans. He also the first African American president of other prominent medical organizations, including the Society of Surgical Oncology, the Society of Surgical Chairmen, and the American College of Surgeons.

His prolific contributions to academia include more than 150 publications, three books, 14 honorary degrees from American universities, visiting professorships at more than 200 international institutions, and honorary fellowships from six international college of surgery.

Overall, Brother Leffall’s towering intellect and trailblazing achievements further highlight his devotion to scholarship and his contributions to the field of medicine. S “There is always a quote you live by, mine is equanimity under duress.”

– Brother Dr. LaSalle D. Leffall Jr. THE SPHINX

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Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Icon Transitions to Omega

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he Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. mourns the death of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties icon and Judge, Brother Damon Keith. Brother Keith transitioned to Omega Chapter on April 28, 2019.

“Alpha brothers worldwide celebrate the courageous life and legal scholarship of our brother, Judge Damon Keith,” says Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. General President Everett Ward. “His tenacious resilience to fight against injustice serves as a role model as we continue to fight against discrimination.”

Brother Keith, who was the grandson of slaves and served in the segregated Army during World War II, was a November 30, 1939 initiate of the Alpha Zeta chapter at West Virginia State University in Institute, West Virginia. He was also a former member of the Gamma Lambda chapter in Detroit, Michigan.

For more than 50 years, Judge Keith’s rulings have had a profound impact not only on our community, but the country. Brother Keith’s stances and decisions epitomize the true spirit and courageousness of our great Fraternity.

Notably, Brother Keith has said he was inspired and always summoned the lessons of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brother Thurgood Marshall, who was previously one of his professors at Howard University.

During his long and prolific career, Judge Keith confronted efforts to limit African American voting as well as attacked racial segregation in housing, education, and employment with his decisions leading to the integration of both the Detroit Police Department and the Pontiac Public Schools.

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That latter decision was reportedly one of the first of its kind in the North and resulted in massive busing, attacks on school buses, death threats against Brother Keith and the conviction of Ku Klux Klansmen for dynamiting 10 school buses.

In addition, Brother Keith is also most recognized for his fearless defiance of the Nixon administration when he ruled that they could not engage in warrantless wiretaps. He not only faced an appeal, but the government personally sued him. The U.S. Supreme Court later affirmed his decision and the landmark case is notably known as “the Keith case.”

A year before President Nixon resigned, he even ordered the government to disclose whether it used sabotage, agent provocateurs and “other espionage activities,” including burglary at a law office, to make its case against the militant group, the Weathermen. Rather than undergo a hearing of how they obtained evidence, the government withdrew their case.

Nearly 30 years later, in another landmark decision, he prevented President George W. Bush from conducting secret deportation hearings of terrorism suspects, saying “Democracies dies behind closed doors.” The Washington Post even paraphrased him with their slogan, “Democracy dies in the darkness,” which they have credited him.

In a time when civil liberties are once again under attack, our nation desperately needs to remember and perpetuate the courageous legacy of leadership of men like Brother Keith whose life constantly teaches us to tirelessly champion the causes of justice. S 75

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FORT WORTH ISD COURTESY

Noted Educator and Famed Tuskegee Airman Transitions to Omega

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rother Dr. Robert T. McDaniel, a life member of the Fraternity as well as 1950 initiate and member of Beta Tau Lambda, transitioned to Omega Chapter on March 19, 2019.

Brother Dr. Robert Tennerson McDaniel was born on the February, 28,1923 to Alfred and Queen Ester McDaniel. He was named after his grandfather, Dr. 76

Robert Tennerson McDaniel, a pioneer Fort Worth physician. Brother McDaniel attended both Gay Street Elementary and I.M. Terrell High Schools.

Hero, are the first words to come to mind when describing this Fort Worth legend. Class president and valedictorian of the 1940 Class of Fort Worthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Historic I.M. Terrell High School, Brother McDaniel had always been destined for THE SPHINX

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great things. Drafted into the Army in September of 1943, Dr. McDaniel was placed in the Army Aviation Cadet Training Program. He would continue his aviation training as a pilot at the famous Tuskegee Institute.

Brother Dr. McDaniel was a member of the 447th Bombardment Group, which was involved in “The Freeman Field Officers Club Incident” that eventually led to the integration of all officers’ clubs and other military facilities.

Once he completed his military service, Brother Dr. McDaniel returned to Fort Worth and began a career in teaching in 1949. He served at various local schools, including as principal at James E. Guinn and Morningside Middle Schools. He also received commendations from school administrators and community leaders for the smooth transition of Morningside Middle School from a segregated school to an integrated school.

After 37 years of service, Dr. McDaniel’s retired from his career in education in 1985.

On February 23, 2006, Robert T. McDaniel was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Tuskegee University during its 125th Anniversary Celebration honoring those individuals trained as fighter pilots in the Tuskegee Institute Army Air Corps Program at Moton Field and Tuskegee Army Air Field.

He was also one of the Original Tuskegee Airmen awarded the Congressional Gold Medal

by President George Bush in the U.S. Capital Rotunda in Washington D.C. on March 29, 2007.

In addition, President Barack Obama invited him to attend his inauguration on January 20, 2009. That same year, Brother Dr. McDaniel was inducted into the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame on February 21, 2009.

He was married to Mrs. Hester Randle McDaniel for 55 years. S SUMMER 2019

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OMEGA CHAPTER

The following is a list of members who have entered Omega Chapter. For each member, included is: his name; the category of membership: college, alumni or life; life member number if available; chapter of initiation; date of initiation; last active chapter; and date of death. All of the information is based on what is submitted by chapters and family members and reconciled with the fraternityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s records.

Charles Alexander Alumni Beta Eta Lambda Beta Eta Lambda Omega: 2/9/19

Timothy Burrel, Sr. Alumni Epsilon Xi Lambda Epsilon Xi Lambda Omega: 3/8/19

Gregory L. Edmond Alumni Epsilon Zeta Phi Lambda Omega: 2/9/19

Rudolph Harris Life Beta Sigma Mu Lambda Omega: 4/16/19

Adlee Anderson, Jr. Life Alpha Eta Lambda Alpha Eta Lambda Omega: 12/13/18

Raymond A. Byrd Alumni Delta Beta Iota Beta Lambda Omega: 2/10/19

Lindsay G. Fields, Jr. Life Beta Upsilon Delta Theta Lambda Omega: 4/24/19

Sean K. Henry Alumni Beta Eta Gamma Iota Lambda Omega: 2/26/19

Wesley L. Ashley Alumni Alpha Upsilon Lambda General Organization Omega: 1/8/19

Jesse S. Chandler Life Beta Xi Lambda Omega: 3/1/19

James Frank Life Alpha Psi General Organization Omega: 1/26/19

James W. Humphrey Alumni Gamma Alpha Alpha Eta Lambda Omega: 2/17/19

Henry Bradford Alumni Beta Phi Delta Theta Lambda Omega: 3/15/19

Payton C. Cook Life Beta Sigma Theta Pi Lambda Omega: 12/25/18

Lowry B. Green, II Alumni Delta Sigma General Organization Omega: 1/11/19

James A. Johnson Life Zeta Lambda Zeta Lambda Omega: 3/23/19

Oswald P. Bronson, Sr. Life Delta Beta Beta Delta Lambda Omega: 2/20/19

Ivan L. Cotman Life Beta Mu Gamma Lambda Omega: 3/4/19

Adolfo E. Griffith Life Epsilon Nu Alpha Gamma Lambda Omega: 1/1/19

Warner R. Johnson Alumni Beta Rho Phi Lambda Omega: 2/9/19

Cowan H. Brooks Alumni Alpha Rho General Organization Omega: 1/10/19

Evans E. Crawford Alumni Alpha Gamma Mu Lambda Omega: 2/22/19

John Harper, Jr. Life Beta Xi Alpha Lambda Omega: 2/11/19

Damon J. Keith Alumni Alpha Zeta Gamma Lambda Omega: 4/28/19

Dexter Burns Alumni Nu Zeta Iota Beta Lambda Omega: 1/4/19

Stanford L. Deckard, II Life Epsilon Sigma Delta Rho Lambda Omega: 2/3/19

Melvyn Harrington, Sr. Life Alpha Eta Epsilon Lambda Omega: 1/30/19

Robert I. Lewis, II Alumni Pi Lambda Theta Xi Lambda Omega: 1/10/19

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THE SPHINX

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The following is a list of members who have entered Omega Chapter. For each member, included is: his name; the category of membership: college, alumni or life; life member number if available; chapter of initiation; date of initiation; last active chapter; and date of death. All of the information is based on what is submitted by chapters and family members and reconciled with the fraternityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s records.

Simm Long Alumni Beta Epsilon Beta Theta Lambda Omega: 4/24/19

John R. Pope Life Alpha Beta Lambda Alpha Beta Lambda Omega: 2/6/19

Martin D. Stevenson Alumni Gamma Delta General Organization Omega: 12/31/18

Hezron E. Williams Life Theta Rho Lambda Theta Rho Lambda Omega: 1/2/19

Roy McClendonThompson, Jr. Life Pi Gamma Lambda Pi Gamma Lambda Omega: 4/8/19

William R. Ridley Alumni Mu Lambda Mu Lambda Omega: 2/5/19

Juan K. Stewart Alumni Delta Gamma General Organization Omega: 1/24/19

James W. Wright Life Beta Iota Omicron Iota Lambda Omega: 12/3/18

Henry L. Robinson Life Beta Delta Delta Zeta Lambda Omega: 3/13/19

Demetrius L. Stewart Alumni Epsilon Lambda Epsilon Lambda Omega: 2/1/19

McKinley Young Life Iota General Organization Omega: 1/16/19

Eric Robinson Alumni Alpha Eta Lambda Alpha Eta Lambda Omega: 3/5/19

Weldon G. Thomas Alumni Iota Zeta Eta Rho Lambda Omega: 2/11/19

Dale F. Smith, Jr. Alumni Delta Theta Kappa Gamma Lambda Omega: 12/12/18

George J. Vallery Alumni Epsilon Gamma Lambda Zeta Pi Lambda Omega: 2/8/19

Theodore R. Smith, Jr. Life Kappa Alpha Alpha Upsilon Lambda Omega: 2/19/19

Gylian J. White Alumni Delta Upsilon Lambda Delta Upsilon Lambda Omega: 2/16/19

Bobby L. Moore Alumni Beta Epsilon Eta Lambda Omega: 2/2/19 Randall Palmer, III Life Beta Kappa Pi Theta Lambda Omega: 1/15/19 Leon E. Petty Life Beta Phi Lambda Omega: 1/22/19 Carl A. Pierson, Sr. Alumni Delta Upsilon Lambda Delta Upsilon Lambda Omega: 3/4/19

TO ALL OUR BROTHERS IN OMEGA CHAPTER, MAY YOU REST IN PEACE.

SUMMER 2019

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ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY LEADERSHIP DIRECTORY

BOARD OF DIRECTORS GENERAL PRESIDENT Everett B. Ward, Ph.D. president@apa1906.net IMMEDIATE PAST GENERAL PRESIDENT Mark S. Tillman 34@apa1906.net GENERAL TREASURER Densel Fleming General.treasurer@apa1906.net COMPTROLLER Donald E. Jackson comptroller@apa1906.net EASTERN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Lucien Metellus eastvp@apa1906.net

PARLIAMENTARIAN John M. Williams parliamentarian@apa1906.net

(COMMISSION) Gregory Vincent racial.justice@apa1906.net

CHAPLAIN Jonathan C. Augustine chaplain@apa1906.net

BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (COMMISSION) William Pickard BED@apa1906.net

SERGEANT AT ARMS James McFadden sergeant.at.arms@apa1906.net SECURITY DIRECTOR Perrye Turner security@apa1906.net

GENERAL CONVENTION COMMITTEES CHAIRMEN RULES AND CREDENTIALS Pierre Rutledge rules@apa1906.net

MIDWESTERN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Willis L. Lonzer III, Ph.D. midwestvp@apa1906.net

RESOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS William J. Jernigan resolutions@apa1906.net

SOUTHERN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Kelsey Rushing southvp@apa1906.net

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENT Earl H. Duval Jr. awards@apa1906.net

SOUTHWESTERN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Tarrynce Robinson southwestvp@apa1906.net WESTERN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Dondrell Swanson westvp@apa1906.net EASTERN REGIONAL ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT Harold Daniels III eastavp@apa1906.net MIDWESTERN REGIONAL ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT James Johnson midwestavp@apa1906.net SOUTHERN REGIONAL ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT Nicholas Collins southavp@apa1906.net SOUTHWEST REGIONAL ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT Ja’Von Long southwestavp@apa1906.net WESTERN REGIONAL ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT Andre Sterling westavp@apa1906.net EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jamie R. Riley, Ph.D. edcoo@apa1906.net

APPOINTED OFFICERS GENERAL COUNSEL Daryl D. Parks counsel@apa1906.net HISTORIAN Robert L. Harris Jr. historian@apa1906.net

GENERAL CONVENTION OFFICIALS DIRECTOR OF CONVENTIONS Van L. Strickland director.conventions@apa1906.net

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GRIEVANCES AND DISCIPLINE Louis Morant grievances@apa1906.net

STANDING COMMITTEES CHAIRMEN CONSTITUTION Cash Sutton constitution@apa1906.net BUDGET AND FINANCE Ainsley A. Reynolds budget@apa1906.net ELECTIONS E. Christopher Washington elections@apa1906.net ENDOWMENT AND CAPITAL FORMATION Charles King ECF@apa1906.net MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Stephan W. Bridges MD@apa1906.net FRATERNAL STANDARDS Joseph Byrd FS@apa1906.net PUBLICATIONS Ramon E. Peralta publications@apa1906.net HISTORICAL COMMISSION Robert L. Harris Jr. historian@apa1906.net PUBLIC POLICY Yvesner H. Zamar policy@apa1906.net HUMAN RESOURCES Antonio Johnson - Co-Chair Augustus G. Tolson Jr. - Co-Chair HR@apa1906.net COLLEGE BROTHERS AFFAIRS (COMMISSION) Dominique C. Beaumonte college@apa1906.net RACIAL JUSTICE

LIFE MEMBERSHIP Rickey L. Thigpen life@apa1906.net

SPECIAL COMMITTEES CHAIRMEN AUDIT Donald Jackson comptroller@apa1906.net A. CHARLES HASTON BROTHER’S KEEPER Ronald J. Peters Jr. bk@apa1906.net BELFORD V. LAWSON ORATORICAL CONTEST R. Sylvester Owens oratorical@apa1906.net BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS Dale H. Long BBBSA@apa1906.net BOY SCOUTS Michael Files scouts@apa1906.net COLLEGE LIFE TO CORPORATE LIFE John Funny C2C@apa1906.net GO-TO-HIGH SCHOOL GO-TO-COLLEGE Anthony Graham GTHGTC@apa1906.net HEALTH AND WELLNESS Wayne J. Riley health@apa1906.net HOBART S. JARRETT Debate Competition Michael McClain debate@apa1906.net INTERNAL AUDIT REVIEW TEAM Dexter Leon Taylor audit@apa1906.net INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Ronald Sewell international.affairs@apa1906. net INVESTMENT Hyacinth C. Ahuruonye investment@apa1906.net JOHN HOPE FRANKLIN COLLEGIATE SCHOLARS’ BOWL Gregory L. Baily scholars@apa1906.net LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE Corey Branch LDI@apa1906.net M.I.S. AND TECHNOLOGY Rufus P. Credle Jr., Co-Chair Matthew Bradford, Co-Chair MIS@apa1906.net MARCH OF DIMES Wilbert L. Brown

MOD@apa1906.net MILITARY BROTHERS Darryl W. Sharp Sr. military@apa1906.net MISS BLACK AND GOLD PAGEANT Sean A. Bellamy pageant@apa1906.net PROJECT ALPHA Charles Marshall project@apa1906.net PROTOCOL AND LOGISTICS Kenyatta N. Shamburger protocol@apa1906.net RECLAMATION Ron Mangum reclamation@apa1906.net

FOUNDATION R. Leandras “Bob” Jones building@apa1906.net ALPHA BUILDING FOUNDATION CORPORATION James R. Williams 1733 Brookwood Drive Akron, OH 44313 (330) 867-7536 ALPHA PHI ALPHA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION Dennis G. Kemp Sr. charitable@apa1906.net ALPHA PHI ALPHA EDUCATION FOUNDATION Ruben Barkley education@apa1906.net

RITUAL AND CEREMONIES Stephen R. Spence ritual@apa1906.net

JEWEL HERITAGE PROJECT FOUNDATIONS E. Eric Elmore JHP@apa1906.net

SENIOR ALPHA AFFAIRS Audrey L. Mackey senior.affairs@apa1906.net

PAST GENERAL PRESIDENTS

STEP SHOW COMPETITION Cecil A. Duffie step.show@apa1906.net TIME AND PLACE Christopher Evans TP@apa1906.net VOTELESS PEOPLE IS A HOPELESS PEOPLE Cassius Rudolph VPHP@apa1906.net WORLD POLICY COUNCIL Horace G. Dawson WPC@apa1906.net

34TH GENERAL PRESIDENT Mark S. Tillman 33RD GENERAL PRESIDENT Herman “Skip” Mason Jr. 32ND GENERAL PRESIDENT Darryl R. Matthews Sr. 32@apa1906.net 31ST GENERAL PRESIDENT Harry E. Johnson Sr. 31@apa1906.net 30TH GENERAL PRESIDENT Adrian L. Wallace 30@apa1906.net

CORPORATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Donovan K. Kirkland CEC@apa1906.net

29TH GENERAL PRESIDENT Milton C. Davis 29@apa1906.net

VETERAN AFFAIRS Robert V. McDonald VA@apa1906.net

28TH GENERAL PRESIDENT Henry Ponder 28@apa1906.net

STRATEGIC PLANNING John Ellis strategic@apa1906.net

27TH GENERAL PRESIDENT Charles C. Teamer Sr. 27@apa1906.net

ALPHA UNIVERSITY Sean McCaskill AlphaU@apa1906.net

25TH GENERAL PRESIDENT James Williams 1733 Brookwood Drive Akron, OH 44313 (330) 867-7536

HBCUS TASK FORCE Roderick Smothers T. Ramon Stuart HBCU@apa1906.net POLITICAL AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT Wayne M. Messam PCE@apa1906.net HEADQUARTERS ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE Hebrew Dixon HAC@apa1906.net EMERGING ALPHAS ADVISORY TO GP Nicholas Harrison EAA@apa1906.net

FOUNDATIONS ALPHA PHI ALPHA BUILDING

ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY Corporate Office 2313 St. Paul St. Baltimore, MD 21218 (410) 554-0040 membersupport@apa1906.net www.apa1906.net

ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY JEWEL FOUNDERS Henry Arthur Callis Charles Henry Chapman Eugene Kinckle Jones George Biddle Kelley Nathaniel Allison Murray Robert Harold Ogle Vertner Woodson Tandy

THE SPHINX

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4

Brother,

Are You the missing piece?

THE SPHINX