MU LAMBDA
FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH. IT IS A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN WE REFLECT. ON OUR PAST AND MEASURE THE PRESENT WHILE SET¬ TING STANDARDS FOR THE FUTURE. ALSO, IT IS
ATIME WHEN WE SEARCH FOR OUR ROOTS. IT IS ATIME WHEN WE COMMEMORATE OUR FOREFATHERS. THIS ISSUE IS DEDICATED TO OUR BIACK HERITAGE.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL 1985
Incorporation of The Fraternity in D.C., 1912. “The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity**
prp:serving the ymth
YOU MAY NEVER have heard of Lillian Evans Tibbs ,but you are about to hear of Madame Lillian Evanti. Born here in 1891, Evanti was the first black professional opera singer. By the time of her death in 1967, she had appeared before three presidents, per¬ formed all over the world and had 28 operas in her reper¬ toire. In 1932, aftershe was denied access to the Metropoli-. tan Opera, she became instrumental in founding the Na¬ tional Negro Opera Company.
She was recent says Linda Bolliger, who was project direc¬ tor for the event. “1 came across this small baby grand piano which had been built to scale, and began wondering about the woman, Lillian Evans Tibbs, who had owned it.” She found out, among other things, that Evan’s greatgreat-uncle, Hiram Revels, was the first black to serve the U.S. Senate. “Her family was also involved in the [Civil
ATHE AFRICAN-AMERICAN LINKAGE IN ANTIQiaXY
The anthropological origins of the African-American his¬ tory is afusion of the principal collective history upon which the whole of mankind is based. The saga begins some 150,000 years ago with the emergance of African beings morphologically similar to man today living in the tropics around the latitude of the great lakes region, the cradle of man kind, in northeast Africa. The term “Af-ruika” (Africa) in the Egyptian language means “birth place.” Indeed this aboriginal race of man whose skin pigment of areddish black archtype and ethnically homogene- was ous were called the Annu people. This interchangable term Anu/Annu/Ani was aname given to the Egyptian word (khet) which was used with the god Osiris. The Anu would occupy the whole of the Nile River basin from Upper Palaeolithic period to the dynastic epoch of Egypt (Kanit) (C. 3100B.C.).
The genesis of Anu is said to have been at the beginning of the waters of the Nile River, in the Ethiopian (Punt) Highlands at the foot of the ‘Mountain of the Moon.’ This term is aKenda-Base KiSwahaili word created by indigen¬ ous Africans, meaning Kenya’s Mount Kilimanjaro and Uganda’s Rwenzori Mountains,
as the Anu descended from the ‘Mountain of the Moon’ they would begin to settle around the banks of the Blue Nile and in scattered sites along the outlying regions of the river basin. With their crude bows and arrows; wooden tools; bone tools; and objects of horn; they would begin to develop the world’s first foundational civilization. Moreover, it was here that these original African titans would provide the waiting world with many of the neces¬ sary elements of civilization.
The Anu were an adept agricultural people who cultivated cereals and grew crops of wheat, barley, lentils, chick-peas, dates, and capers. As hunter-gathere their prey often con¬ sisted of harte-beest, wild cattle, and hippo. Fish, astaple in their diet, was preserved by asmoking process. Their mastery of animal husbandry resulted in them raising cattle on alarge scale along_the banks of the Nile. In fact, a
War] raid on Harpers Ferry, [W. Va.,],” Bolinger said, “and her father was one of the founders and the fi rst principal of Armstrong High School.”
In 1918 she married Roy W. Tibbs, who was then the music director at Howard University. She made her debut in 1925 in Nice, France, with alead role in Delides’s opera “Lakme” and took her stage name of Madame Lillian Evanti. “It was acontraction of the names Evans and Tibbs,” says Bolliger.
Evanti’s portrait now hangs in the Hall of Notable .●Amer¬ icans in the National Portrait Gallery, where acommemora¬ tion ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. tomorrow. At the ceremony, the Evans-Tibbs Collection, an organization that exhibits work by U.S. artists of African ancestry, plans to announce that here home on Vermont Avenue may be granted landmark status. (The director of the Collection in Bro. Thurlow e. Tibbs II, grandson of Madame Evanti.)
The D.C. Community Humanities Council has also awarded funding to the Evans-Tibbs Collection to develop atreatment for adocumentary film depicting the life of one of the city’s most gifted daughters.
flourishing economy existed among the Anu centered around agriculture, the raising of livestock, fishing and hunting.
As precursors of world civilization, Anu craftsmen and masons would build the earliest mudbrick walked forti fi ca¬ tions, for defensive purposes, as well as other elaborate buildings structures. Eventually they learned to measure the annual overflow of the Nile enabling them to measure time and subsequently develop the first calendars. They would build borders and canals to channel and contain waters from the Nile to cultivate crops. These great people knew how to use metals and casted implements for various uses; including working leather, spinning thread, and weaving cloth. They made both coarse and fine pottery; clay and ivory figurines; jewelry; cosmetic accessories; skins and linens. They made the earliest attempts at developing awritten script, the prototype of the hieroglyphic lan¬ guage. They developed fundamental systems of mathema¬ tics (geometry); knew the principal mechanical arts and related sciences; and fostered an early philosophical sys¬ tem. Their social system was developed around the mat¬ riarch, giving absolute rights to the women. Finally, they created areligious belief system with the first concept of atrinity Osiris sky. Isis (Earth), and Horus (the vegatation); and contributed gready to the most sacred of Egyp¬ tian (Kanit) religious texts; THE BOOK OF THE DEAD’ and the ‘TEXTS OF THE PYRAMIDS,’ as well as to many of the religious myths, teachings, rituals, and symbols found all over Africa and the world today.
The subsequent migradon and conquest of the Anu re¬ sulted in the integration of this magnificient people and culture with ensuing African societies emer^ng in the Nile Valley region. As history gave rise to the military victories of King Narmer’s unification efforts of the entire Nile Valley to start the historic Egyptian (Kanitic) dynastic period (C. 3100 B.C.), much of the greatness that this rising civilization would give to the world was direcUy at¬ tributable to the high culture that the Anu, the people from the ‘Mountains of the Moon,’ passed down to them.
Thus, let it be said, that the African-American history in antiquity is'a proud one; ours is ahistory that extends far beyond the 400 years of slavery and continued struggle in North America; ours is along legacy whose African ances¬ tors, the Anu, were amighty and just people; ours is a history that will prevail.. .
"Open your eyes that you may see Ra, your ears in order to hear
hymns of glorification. You have your own feet to walk about your heart and your arms
to overthrow your enemies that you may see the two Her-gods upon the road of eternity.
After defeating one of England’s best generals, he outwit¬ ted him in amatch of intelligence that became aclassic in diplomatic circles.
“Whether in war or diplomacy, Moshesh was more than a match for any combination of his opponents, white or black. He played his white opponents one against the other and defeated them. As to the black allies of the white men, . he ate them up as aleopard would acat.”
Going back to 2980, there was no person of ancient times that left agreater impact on history than Imphotep, the God of medicine, “the first Christ.”
He was apoet and aphilosopher. His philosophy of life was handed down from generation to generation. One of his best-known saying is: “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we shall die.” Imhoted grew in recognition after his death. “He was worshipped as amedical demi-god. Kings and Queens bowed at his shrine." Words of suppli¬ cation addressed to him are: “Turn thy face towards me, my Lord Imhotep, Sone of Ptah. It is thou who dost work miracles and who are beneficient in all thy deeds.”
Little is known of Aesop’s early life. He was anative of Phrygia, in Asia minor, and ablack slave, “Flat-nosed.. . with thick pendulous lips and ablack skin from which he contacted his name (Esop being the same with Ethiop).”
His influence on Western thought and morals is profound. Plato, Socrates, Aristophanes, Aristodie, Solon, Cicero, Julius Ceasar, Caxton, Shakespeare, and others found in¬ spiration in his words of wisdom. It is said that Socrates Spent his last days putdng his fables into verse.
PRESERVING THE TRADiriON
Bro. Thurlow E. Tibbs Jr., aDartmouth- and Harvardtrained architect, and historian, has been making things happen for the past six years, devoting most of his non¬ working hours restoring agallery, museum and archive of Afro-American art, the fine old 1894 house near Logan Circle that once belonged to his grandmother Lillian Evans Tibbs—the first black professional opera singer.
The gallery, which operates for profit, now occupies the ground-floor parlor and dining room of the gracious old house, where six changing exhil^dons are hung each year, including the present show of paindngs by Bob Tomlinson, ateacher at Emory University. Last year Tibbs organized the ambidous survey “Six Washington Masters,” featuring Richard Dempsey, Lois Jones, Delilah Pierce, James Porter,
Alma Thomas and James Wells. More recendy he explored the larger theme of "Surrealism and the Afro-American Artist.” He has published catalogues for all of his major shows.
But the heart of this enterprise—and at the moment the most exciting part—is upstairs, where Tibbs has established anonprofit museum and archieve of 19th- and 20th-cen¬ tury Afro-American art that sprawls into the bedrooms, including his own. Centered in the study, hung frame-toframe and stacked wall-to-wall with paindngs, prints and drawings, the collection is agold mine of new talents— many of them 70 years old and over, most still quivering on the brink of recognition. Tibbs is determined to push them all into the mainstream, and that’s where they surely belong.
Some of the artists, of course, have already made it. There is, for example, arare 1805 portrait of asolid white man by Joshua Johnston, the first extensively documented AfroAmerican painter, active in the Baltimore area between 1785 and 1828. There are also several works by expatriate Henry O. Tanner, and well-knowr contemporaries Jacob Lawrence, Romarc Bearden and Hughie Lee-Smith. There is awonderful landscape by Hale Woodruff, revived as recently as 1977 in ashow at the Studio Museum in Har¬ lem—just two years before his death.
But for the most part these artists are not widely known. Some are “finds,” such as the powerfully expressive Chicago sculpture Marion Perkins, whose stone carvings of kissing lovers and bomb protesters recall Brancusi in their crossings of African and modernist forms. There is asmall, voluptuous bronze nude by Elizabeth Catlett, who lives in Mexico City; astriking mural study of ablack man bursting his chains, by the late Fbk University professor Aaron Douglas; amasterly painting of asailor by Washington’s own Chrales Sebree.
Some of these works are part of the museum’s permanent collection, and others are for $ale(you have to ask). But information about all of the artists is readily available in the carefully kept archives, an index of which is now being prepared with the help of agrant from the D.C. Arts Commission.
Bro. Tibbs began by collecdng Afro-American art and got into selling as away to support the museum and growing archives. “I try to go after the Afro-American ardsts of the mid-20th century or earlier, because their work is so easy to get and not expensive,” he says.
“There’s so much in this area that hasn’t been done. That’s why we organize shows and write these catalogues. IJust wish Icould get some help with it all.” But summer interns, he says, would rather work at more glamorous jobs in big museums.
MESSAGE IN BEHALFOFTHE PRESIDENT OF MU LAMBDA
NEGRO HISTORY
As apart of Februarys’ black history celebration, Ihave long concluded that there is “no such thing” because blacks past are in all parts of civilization.
Blacks have helped to shape and mold America. The United States would not be what it is today except for the powerful influence blacks have exerted upon it.
If today, in the eyes of the world, the United States stands for freedom of man, certainly no group has sounded this viewpoint more consistently. Witness today the world wide protest against aparthied policies and laws in the republic of South Africa being led by U.S. blacks, 'if?'
Anumber of approaches to the heart of this problem have been tried.
At present, anew approach is being tried, an approach which discards most of the older methods. It depends upon what blacks themselves do rather than what someone else does for them.
This protest includes (among others) members of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
What is there then, that is new? What is new consists largely of this fraternity’s role in changing the attitude of the American people.
There is acoming to light and notice of efforts that have been going on for along while and more recently apublic appreciation of their results.
Thomas C. Brackeen
THE CHAPLAIN’S CORNER
In February we celebrate Black History Month. It is afocal time when with modest honesty and clarity we recognize the role that decendants of Africa have played in the growth of America. At every turning point of American history, we encounter Black women and Black men. What is true of our national history is essentially truer of Amer¬ ican Christian history.
Christianity in American history was planted by the efforts of the Spaniards, the French, and the English. It took root among the Indians, Black slaves and various racial mixtures of them all. Blacks—whether Spanish-speaking, Frenchspeaking, or English-speaking—built the churches, tilled church land, and labored with the servants spreading the Gospel.
Without doubt of debate, it is evident that the historical roots of Afro-American-Black American and Christian America are fraternally united. Now is the time for us who are Black American and Black Brothers of the Christ to reclaim our roots and to shoulder the responsibility of being Black and Christian.
We, who take great pride in saying we are “first of all, servants of all.. .,” are reminded during this national attendon to Black achievement that we have athree-fold responsibility to our own people, to our church, to our Jewel-founders. To our people we are obligated to witness our faith in Christ and His body, the church. To out
church, we are liable to witness this faith as well as the untiring work to denounce racism as an evil and to work for justice and inner renewal. To our Jewel-founders we obliged to hold high the aims of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
It is with this responsibility in mind that you are urged to respond to the plight of our brothers and sisters in South Africa. As “servants of all” Iplead with you to take the inidative, that others have begun, to oppose by voice and pen word and deed the oppression and racism, the lack of freedom and dignity of the majority in South Africa. Write the Ambassador of South Africa and tell his government that racism in all its forms is evil. Plead with them to erodicate, to oudaw all forms of racism. Write: The Honorable Brandt Fourie 3051 Massachusetts Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C.
KNOW THYSELF, KNOW THY HISTORY, KNOW THY RELIGION
The inten elation of Northeast Africa and the Middle East is reflected in the lives of Abraha, Emperior of Ethiopia, and another Ethiopian ruler of the same name, Abraha Al-Ashram. Their individual exploits illustrates the exten¬ sive influence of Africans during the formative develop¬ ment of both Christianity and Islam.
In this regard, one of history’s greatest falacy is that “darkskinned” Africans only had influence and ruled nations in Africa south of the Sahara. Few men had greater impact on world histoiy than both Abrahas. The decisions of Ab¬ raha to change the religion of his country from paganism to Christianity influenced the fate of Western civilization. “But for this, Europe might now be Moslem instead of Christian.” On the other hand, Abraha Al-Ashram, Em¬ perior of Yemen and Ethiopia, started awar that lasted a thousand years and raged across the Old World from Fr¬ ance to Japan. When Abraha came to power, the Jews were the dominant power in Yemen and were persecuting the Christians who had multiplied in number since the establishment of their faith by the first Abraha. The Jewish ruler, Dhu Nowas, had burned the Christian church, desec¬ rated the bones of St. Paul of Zhafar, and killed 20,000 Christians by burning them alive “in acavern transformed into afurnace.” Crossing the Red Sea with afleet of 150 ships, Abraha defeated the Jewish army and captured Zhafar. He seized the wealth of the country and rebuilt the church of Zhafar.
There were other Africans who in fl uenced Western his¬ tory. Among them was Nzingha, known as Ann Zingha, “renowned warrior Queen of Matamba” who disposed of her nephew by strangling him after she seized the throne of Angola. During the period when the Portugese were establishing trade settlements on the African Coast and encroached on nadve territory, she led an army of fierce women warriors and won batde after batde. But in the long run her spears were no match for firearms.
The Basutos of South Africa enjoyed the reputadon of being the only dark-skinned people in the world to defeat aBridsh army and get away with it. This feat was achieved through the leadership of Moshesh, their king, an able general shrend statesman.
ANOTHER STAR IN HIS CROWN
There is no greater honor than the capacity of aman to enrich his life by an unselfish endeavor.
Unsel fi sh endeavor is the trade mark of Bro. Baltimore. It is asignificant part of his being. His successful undertak¬ ing of the “King Mural Project” is areflection of being a brother to everyone.
As is his character, Bro. Baltimore, on behalf of the Martin Luther King Mural Committee, congratulates and thanks the brothers of MuLambda for their support of the King Mural Project.
On March 15, 1985, $1640 was presented to Bro. Hardy Franklin, Director of the Martin Luther King Library.
“Thank you brothers for your support. The effort was worthy of Alpha Phi Alpha,” states Bro. Baltimore.
Contributions are still being accepted by Bros. Wayland McClellan, George Butler or Charlie Baltimore.
TIME IS GROWING NIGH FOR THE SPRING DANCE
With plans for the Spring Dance reaching it’s peak, Bro. Pyron shows no signs of slowing down on his efforts to make this year’s annual dance ahallmark of Alpha Convi¬ viality. Table sales continue to make gains ahead of past years schedules. Although indications are that this year’s dance will be asellout, Bro. Pyron is assuring all potential ticket and/or table buyers aplace in MuLambda’s “Temple of Joy” in spite of increasing sales. He suggests that Brothers who have not reserved tables should do so at the April chapter meeting. However, if they want to avoid waiting in line, they can make reservation’s by calling 7455759. Remember, the dance date is May 18, 1985.
All members of Mu Lambda are asked to complete the form below and turn it in to the chapter Secretary, Bro. John Hicks, on Thursday, April 4, 1985 at the chapter’s monthly meeting. The purpose for this informadon is to include it in the Commemorative and chapter Directory.
NAME: <FtRST) (MIDDLE INITIAL) (LAST)
.TELEPHONE: 4 X
ADDRESS: Code Area (STREET) (NUMBER) ZIP CODE: CITY: STATE:.
NAME OF ALPHA PHI ALPHA CHAPTER IN WHICH YOU WERE INITIATED:
GIVE THE APPROPRIATE ADDRESS OFTHE ALPHA PHI ALPH CHAPTER IN WHICH YOU WERE INITIATED:
COMMENTS (IF ANY):
THE CHAPLAIN’S CORNER
The Resurrection story, like the delivery of Israel from bondage in Egypt, represents aradical reversal-from cap¬ tivity to freedom, defeat to victory, and death to life. These events are of cosmic significance to people of faith.
The strange part of human history is that so often climatic events are seen as threadbare events-in-themselves, devoid of their real meaning. Studdert Kennedy, aBritish Army Chaplain during World War I, depicts such awareness in terms of the cruci fi xion:
And sitting down they watched Him there.
The soldiers did.
There, while they played with dice.
He made his sacrifice.
And died upon the Cross to rid God’s world of sin.
Think of it: Acasual game of craps in the face of love’s suffering.
Perhaps this is apicture of what goes on around us day by day. So often we function in ways that are indifferent to human sensitivities and sufferings. The “system” grinds on according to orders and regulations, often without a sense of caring for the feelings and Aspirations of human beings. This is the nature of things, and is particularly inherent in modem technocracy which specializes in man¬ aging large numbers of people, materi^, and dollars ac¬ cording to the values of cost-effectiveness and efficiency. But it need not be so in our fraternity, among our brothers, at our meetings.
It is the Chaplain’s calling to share with and to lead others to sharing in reversing indifference to human need, to be persons of compassion. It is up to each of us not to harden our hearts defensively but to be advocates for the crushed and hurting and powerless, to welcome the sinner back.
It is my hope that the message of Passover and Easter, that God enpowers people for change, to be messengers of justice and caring, will make adifference in your life during this Holy Season.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Post Of fi ce Box 1993 Washington, D.C. 20013
Anrumncemenis, articles, or notices for publication in the chapter's newsletter should be submitted by the 12th of the month to be included in the following month’s edition. Mail or give your copy to Brother Met Ctark, 3114 Banneker DrivCy N£. Washington, D.C. 20018, telephone number 526-4662.