September 1992
Washington D.C. MU LAMBDA Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated
86th Anniversary Convention Passes Torch in Sunny California Message from the President
“Our ncttlesome task is to discover how to organize our strength into compelling power.” M.L. King Jr. Welcome back from our Summer ‘92 vacation. As Ire fl ect on the past few months since the June meeting and the installation of officers, Iponder the words penned by Bro. Martin King who focused on organizing our strength into compelling power. As Mu Lambda embarks on anew fraternal year, the new leadership team, with amixture of old and new, promises to make the Mu Lambda ‘92-’93 year avery productive and fraternal year.
This leadership team will not only con* tinue the fraternal programs of the past, but we also pledge to build acommunity service committee, increase membership &participation and devote development of the H.A. Callis Foundation Scholarship fund. With your assistance. Mu Lambda will sustain itself as truly acapital chapter!
During the summer, the chapter con* ducted aleadership retreat at the Cannon U.S. House of Representatives Office Building on June 6. Thanks to Bros. Gary Lockett and Sam Thornton.
John Eason hosted the ‘91-’92 Executive Board
Lambda Corporation at his “country home” in Culpeper Virginia. Thank you Bro. Eason. Finally, Bro. Moses Boyd hosted the fi rst luncheon series at the Russell Senate Of fi ce Building for Mu Lambda Brothers working on the Hill and downtown of fi ces. We will keep you posted on the next date. Thanks to Bro. ^ydl
On amore somber note, our chapter link was broken with the departure to Omega chapter of three cherished brothers whose Omega services we conducted: Bros. Rufas Ragean (June 5), Maryland Kemp (July 21) and Thomas Adams Duckenfield (August 5). Each one of these brothers were akey integral part of
At the 86th Anniversary General Convention in sunny Anaheim California (Home of Disneyland) the Alpha torch was passed to anew generation of Alpha leaders—General President-elect Milton Davis and General Treasurer George Reeves. (Bro. Louis Buck was reelected to asecond term as General omptroller.) The General Convention in Anaheim (August 11-15, 1992) was hosted by Nii Tau Lambda. Mu Lambda was well rep¬ resented with 7delegates and over 15 reg¬ istered brothers. Along with Bro. Buck, Bro. Leroy Lowery chaired the National Program Committee; Bro. Morris Hawkins was featured at the National Educational Forum; Bro. Kevin Norton rendered entertainment at the Black &Cold Ball; and, Bro. John Roper was part of the Time &Place delibera¬ tions.
Highlights of the convention included aState of the Fraternity address by General President Henry Ponder. Bro.Ponder spoke on the restructuring of the Corporate Headquarters in Baltimore, the need for aggressive reclamation of brothers, discontinuation of the regional rotation system for General conventions and the move to biannual conventions. Assisted by Bro. Agustus M. Witherspoon (Chief-of-Staff), Bro. Ponder noted the
our chapter. Only will our fraternal spirt and bond allow our chapter to mend and recover from our loss of these brothers.
As the new fraternal year begins. Mu Lambda has the unique opportunity to reflect on the chapter’s past 68 years of achievement and bow Mu Lambda will lead the fraternity to greater heights. The chapter will be working strong as ever through our committee system which includes: Community Service, Founders (Omega Chap\er) Henry A. Callis
achievements of his administration which
included the selection of anew corporate headquarters and the elimination of tradi¬ tional fraternity pledging. proceedings, the Convention adopted Consititutional provi¬ sions that would (1) change the title of the Executive Secretary to Executive Director, (2) create achapter “Chairman of Membership Intake” to replace the title of “Dean of Pledges or Intake,” and (3) the increase of the life membership fee to $1,000. The chapters would be required to approve the Constitutional amendments before each provision becomes effective. the ng
Other actions at the convention includ¬ ed the elimination of the regional rotation system for General Conventions sites starting in 1997. The convention failed to select a1996 site among the Eastern proposals from New York, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and, Richmond, Virginia.
Omicron Omicron and Beta chapters were well represented. Beta chapter was runner-up for College Chapter of Year. Beta President Charles Graham won the Belford V. Lawson Oratorical Contest; and. Beta Bro. Ron Sullivan was sworn in as Eastern Regional Assistant VicePresident.
Public Policy, “Seasoned Alphas,” Budget Sl Finance, Social, Stepteam, Alpha Chorus, Constitution, Awards, Membership, Ecumenical, etc.
At the September meeting, we will introduce you to this year’s team of com¬ mittee chairmen and hear exciting propos¬ als for the upcoming year. As Mu Lambda brothers, please heed the clarion call: HRST OF ALL, SERVANTS ALL, WE SHALL TRANSCEND ALL!
DUES !
September 3,1992
Meeting Agenda
Call to Order
Fraternity Prayer
Acceptance of Agenda
Reading of Minutes
Reading of Communications
President’s Remarks
Committee Reports:
● Beta,
●Omicron Omicron,
●Social,
●Program,
●“Seasoned Alphas”,
●Budget &Finance,
●Community Service
Un fi nished Business
New Business
●Election of Sergeant-at-Arms
Brothers are urged to meet their financial obligation for the fraternal year. The dues are $95 for life members and $180 for non-life mem¬ bers. (The $180 includes a$10 late fee and $75 for the Grand Tax, Which is pro-rated as follows for recently graduated Brothers: 1st year$37.50; 2nd year—$56.) Dues may also be mailed to Brother Julius H. Brice at 1429 Webster Street N. E., Washington, D. C., 20017. Remem¬ ber to include your social security number on your check. The Chapter appreciates your prompt payment.
Please submit materials for the next edition of the Mu LambdaTorch to our new Associate Editor to the Sphinx in atimely manner. Give him acall to brighten his day and make his Job awhole lot eas-
● Nomination of Beta/Mu Lambda Corporation Board of Directors Members ier.
FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER Adjournment
Mu Lambda Chapter Alpha Phi AIphaFraternity, Incorporated P.O. Box 1993
Washington D.C. 20013
President
Vice-President
Recording Secretary.
Corresponding Secretary.
Financial Secretary
Treasurer.
Chaplain
Historian
Dean of Intake
Associate Editor to the SPHINX
Education Director.
Kimbrough (703)528-6925 Bruce Haskins (202)582-4502
Elmer Geathers (202)547-2625
John R. Johnson (202)667-7848 Clint C. Wilson (301)946-5066 ....Paul Hoggard (301)262-1597
Brother Maryland D. Kemp (1919-1992)
Brother Maryland Dorando Kemp entered Omega Chapter on July 16,1992. He was born in Macon, Georgia on May 2, 1919. Brother Kemp earned his undergraduate degree at Johnson C. Smith College where he was inducted into Alpha Omicron Chapter. He received his master’s degree in chemistry from Howard University in 1959 and spent most of his professional career in government service where he applied his knowledge of explo¬ sives until his retirement in 1984.
Brother Kemp devoted much of his retire¬ ment years to anumber of civic and community activities including the Pan-Hellenic Council, the United Negro College Fund, and the American Chemical Society among others. In Mu Lambda, Brother Kemp is best remembered as its long¬ standing Sergeant-at-Arms, apost he held for more than 40 years until his passing. His wife, the for¬ mer Mary Celeste Truxon, preceded him in death but he leaves to mourn one son, Douglas L. Kemp, adaughter-in-law, Cassandra E. Kemp, one grand¬ son, Brandon M. Kemp and ahost of other relatives and friends.
Brother Thomas A. Ducken fi eld (1935-1992)
Brother Thomas Adams Ducken fi eld was born on July 20,1935, in Richmond, Virginia. He was the second child of John and Florence Ducken fi eld. Always abrilliant student, Brother Duckenfield graduated as valedictorian of his high school class and continued that standard by gradu¬ ating with honors in mathematics and physics at Hampton University. It was while at Hampton that Brother Ducken fi eld was inducted into Gamma Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha. After a10-year career as Senior Mathematician for the Applied Mathematics Laboratory, Naval Ship Research and Development Center, he took his newly earned law degree from Georgetown University and entered the legal proPage 3
fessional. Among the posts he held during this dis¬ tinguished law career, Brother Duckenfield served as Staff Attorney for the Neighborhood Legal Program of Washington, D.C., Deputy Registrar of Wills for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and Clerk of the Court for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. His most recent
position was Vice President and General Manager of District of Columbia Division of the Washington Gas Light Co.
He leaves to mourn his wife Evelyn Newman Duckenfield and three sons, Thomas, Pace and David, all of V/ashington, D.C. and his mother Florence Duckenfield of Richmond, Virginia.
Convention Highlights
National Man-of-Merit: Bro. Aguslus Witherspoon, Phi Lambda,Raleigh, North Carolina
College Brother of Year:
Bro. Darryl Parks, Bela Nu, Florida A&M University.
★ College Chapter of Year: Pi,Cleveland Slate University
★ Alumni Brother of Year:
Bro. John Carter, Eta Lambda, Atlanta, Georgia
i Alumni Chapter of Yean Sigma Lambda, New Orleans, Louisiana
★ Belford V. Lawson Oratorical Contest Winner: Bro. Charles Graham, Beta, Washington, D.C.
★ Step Show Competition Winner: Beta Delta, South Carolina SlateUniversily
★ Miss Black &Gold: Southwestern Region
★
Convention Dates: 1993 New Orleans, Louisiana
1994 Chicago, Illinois
1995 Orlando, Florida
Mu Lambda Torch /September 1992
Tkcher Tape
ineLa^nbGla
Delegates to the 86th Anniversary General Convention were Curtis Hunigan, Julius Brice, Tom Brackeen, John Roper, Leroy Lowery, C.C. Jones, Kevin Norton and Morris Hawkins....Other Mu Lambda brothers in attendance in Anaheim were Bros. Vinvent William Thomas, Eluen Hoston, Melvin Clark, Ernest Orange, Sr Smith, Louis Harding, Thad Taylor, Eddie Madison, and Chuma Tibbs...Mu Lambda Bro. Darrick Weaver married LaFondra High on ● / June 20, 1992 in Pontiac, Michigan. Bro. Billy Wiley was Best Man and Bro. C-C. Jones was agroomsmen...Bro. James Greer was recently promoted as aSpecial Agent for the Inspector General's Of fi ce of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development..-Bro. Morris Hawkins' mother passed during the General Convention. Funeral services were held on August 22, 1992 in Shreveport, Louisiana...Bro. Kraig Kinchen enrolled at Harvard Medical School as a fi rst year student. Kinchen may be reached at (617) 232- 3056; 19 Bowker St., Brookline, Mass., 02146. ..
General Convention Election and Registration Statistics
General President Election Statistics 9280 ballots mailed 166 returned
9114 Net total eligible ballots mailed
4376 Ballots retumed/cast (48% return) 33 Ballots ruled invalid
4343 Ballots counted
Milton Davis 2608 Votes 60%
Halloway Sells 1735 Votes 40%
General ConventioD_Statistics &Registration
●Mu Lambda (7 Delegates) Beta (5 Registered College Brothers) Omicron Omicron (5 Registered Brothers)
Delegate Statistics
561 eligible delegates
482 ballots cast (86% participation) 3ballots invalid
479 Total ballots counted
IVeasurer
rLOUIS BUCK RE-ELECTED
GENERAL COMPTROLLER
Bro. Louis Buck was reelected General Comptroller of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. at the 86th Anniversary General Convention in Anaheim, California. Bro. Buck, asenior partner in alocal accounting firm, college professor and former Vice-President of Mu Lambda chapter was initiated in Beta Delta chapter at South Carolina State University. He earned a M.B.A and J.D. from American University here in Washington.
Buck’s campaign theme focused on his past ser¬ vice of computerizing the fraternity’s financial records, establishing fiscal controls including
strict “checks &balances” and participating member of the General Organization manage¬ ment team.
First elected in 1989 at the 83rd Anniversary General Convention in San Antonio, Bro. Buck’s reelection followed agrueling campaign schedule at the convention. The other candidate for General Comptroller was Bro. Victor Elmore, an accountant with Arthur Anderson, who was also initiated in Beta Delta at South Carolina State University. Bro. Elmore is a member of Alpha Sigma Lambda chapter in Dallas, Texas. (See election statistics)
Beta Mu Lambda Corporation Board of Directors
Traditionally, Mu Lambda has nominated five repre¬ sentatives as members of the fi fteen member corporation board at each September meeting. Following the nomina¬ tions, the ballots will be prepared for the November Meeting for Mu Lambda members.
Board members whose terms expire in 1992 are the following: Bro. Thomas C. Brakeen, Bro. Julius Brice, Bro. Frederick J. Laney, Bro. James T. Robinson, III and Bro. John D. Roper.
Abrother may succeed himself an unlimited number of times on the board, and must be in good standing and ful¬ ly financial with the general organization as well as Mu Lambda Chapter.
Food for thought
As we embark on yet another year, let's attempt to make it ayear of excel¬ lence dedicated to our loved ones, to the memory of our fallen comrads, and ultimately to those seven poineers of the light which we call our Jewels.
September
3 Monthly Meeting, Mu Lambda Chapter, 7:00 P.M., Armour J, Blackburn University Center Restaurant, Howard University.
16 Executive Board Meeting, Mu Lambda Chapter, 6:40 RM., U.S. Dept, of HUD, 451 7th St., SW, Conference Room 9204.
October
1 Monthly Meeting, Mu Lambda Chapter, 7:00 RM. “ALPHA TOWNE MEETING,” Armour J. Blackburn University Center Restaurant, Howard University.
21 Executive Board Meeting, Mu Lambda Chapter, 6:40 RM., U.S. Dept, of HUD, 451 7th St,, SW, Conference Room 9204.
Mu Lambda Chapter