Crescent Magazine Winter 2020 Edition - Tribute to Honorable Brother John R. Lewis

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WINTER 2020

The Honorable Brother

JOHN R. LEWIS HONORING THE LIFE & LEGACY OF AMERICA’S DRUM MAJOR FOR JUSTICE

Contents 08

Sigmas on Social Justice

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Battle for America: Project Vote

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Hon. John R. Lewis – His Life & Legacy

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He’s A Sigma Man

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Around the Regions: Sigma International Day of Service

EDITOR

Steve E. Ballard

CONTRIBUTORS Steve E. Ballard Dr. Kent L. Poindexter Dr. Michael Baslee Stephen McDaniels Hon. Carter D. Womack Janel St. John

LAYOUT & DESIGN

Christopher P. Fleming Ann Alphonse Studios

EDITORIAL OFFICE

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. 145 Kennedy Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-5294 (202) 726-5434 www.phibetasigma1914.org

The Crescent Magazine is published twice annually by Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Micheal E. Cristal International President

POSTMASTER

Please send address changes to: The Crescent Magazine Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. 145 Kennedy Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-5294

Winter 2020

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FROM THE INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT

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can say without hesitation that this year has been one of great challenge, for me and my family, for our nation and for our fraternity.

In the last ten months we have been confronted with a worldwide pandemic which is negatively affecting our government and the nation’s economic systems. The result of this has been an increased stress level for everyone, which is being played out in how the political leadership has reacted to ongoing increases in unemployment, death rates nationwide, and racial tensions.

Within the ranks of our “Wondrous Band” we have been forced to adjust how we operate—chapters and regions are forced to meet via the internet.

Our sisters of Zeta Phi Beta have dealt with the pain of not being able to fully celebrate their Centennial Anniversary as originally planned. And all have dealt with the losses of brothers, sorors and family members due to the pandemic. And in the midst of all of this, we have had to find the strength to celebrate the lives of those among us who have made their mark on our lives.

Honorable MICHEAL E.

CRISTAL

35th International President

Honorable Brother Congressman John R. Lewis was a true giant among those who stood for equal justice and full equality for all in this country.

For more than 60 years our brother put his life on the line to advance these noble causes, right up until his last days. Our country cannot allow his works to be diminished, nor his legacy to be overshadowed.

We have chosen to dedicate this issue of The Crescent to Honorable Brother Lewis and to the causes for which he stood. While he was a kind soul of small stature, Bro. Lewis stood tall in the face of the racism and economic injustices which plague this country. He was a community organizer who never stopped organizing people to sit in and stand up for their rights, even staging a sit-in on the Congressional floor to show the country how politics was being used to avoid the much-needed conversation about gun control. Congressman John Lewis was a role model and a true statesman; we are called to carry on the work he did, as we continue our quest to be A Brotherhood of Conscious Men Actively Serving Our Communities.

My heart will be forever touched, having been with him in his last days.

We had the opportunity to share with him at his bedside, just how much he’s meant to the Brotherhood. We prayed with him; and in our efforts to celebrate and lift him up, he really lifted us up – in just the way John Lewis is known to do.

As you read these pages and reflect on 2020, be encouraged—our best days are yet to come. We are meeting the challenges and rising to the call to be better and to do better. We hope that you will be inspired to do bigger and better things going forward—Continue to promote “Our Cause”.

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The Crescent Magazine

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Greetings Brothers in Sigma!

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aking a page from the Psalms, it would be easy for us to “lay down our harps” as we find ourselves feeling stranded in this strange existence. The year 2020 has taken its toll on us on a number of fronts—and yet we find ourselves in a good position at the end of this year. We are having a great year in terms of increasing membership and even as we have been forced to find new (and safe) ways to be of service in our communities. While we had to stop and deal with losses, our cause has continued to speed on its way!

So even as we are forced to deal with the things that changed our trajectory, as a nation and as a fraternity, we still have cause to celebrate. We are entering a new year with the chance to make our lives better—we have hope—and hope springs eternal! We are looking forward to new beginnings, including making final the plans for building a new International Headquarters which will put Phi Beta Sigma on a new path for the future.

Brothers be encouraged—believe it or not, we have had much success in 2020. We showed ourselves and the world that we would not be consumed by the events which overshadowed the country.

We continued to be concerned, to lead the charge for a better way and to do what our Founders created us to do—be servant leaders, especially in times of challenge.

Honorable DARYL A.

ANDERSON International Executive Director

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FROM THE EDITOR

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he Year 2020 will be recorded in the annals of history as one of our nation’s most challenging and difficult. The coronavirus pandemic crippled several industries causing thousands to lose only employment, but even the loss of loved ones. I, too, am a survivor of COVID-19—thankful for a supportive family, employer, fraternity, friends and excellent health benefits. Many are unable to echo the same.

In light of this unforeseen challenge, Phi Beta Sigma’s chapters took to their communities in support of those impacted by the pandemic. Our brotherhood responded to the call from our leadership and selflessly assisted first-responders, businesses, the newly unemployed, senior citizens, food banks, and schools.

In the midst of the pandemic, our community reflected scenes reminiscent of the civil rights movement after the murder of George Floyd at the knee of a Minnesota police officer. Protests and marches broke out around the world in response to our nation’s blatant and repeated display of racial injustice. Once again, Phi Beta Sigma’s leaders and chapters took to the streets, city and state capitals in protest, advocating for racial justice and equity, especially in the criminal justice system. Sigma also proclaimed that “Black Lives Matter.”

And even in the midst of fighting for the cause of racial discrimination, the nation lost THE icon of social justice himself, our Sigma Brother, the late Hon. John R. Lewis. He was a loyal and dedicated Sigma Man and his beloved fraternity was involved and present at every observance in his honor. I was honored to assist with facilitating the fraternity’s Omega Ceremony at the Georgia State Capitol.

Lastly, the African American community was highly represented as the nation experienced its largest voter turnout in modern years. With the state of democracy hanging in the balance, Phi Beta Sigma’s Project Vote! was a major priority amongst its chapters. The Black community was one of the demographics to majorly affect the outcome of the General Election in 2020.

I’m proud to bring to you a compilation of Phi Beta Sigma’s response to the major social justice issues of the Year 2020 in this Commemorative Edition. This issue pays special tribute to the life and legacy of our culture’s “Drum Major for Justice.” I trust and hope that this issue will be a staple in your collection of memorable dispatches produced

by Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity.

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The Crescent Magazine

STEVE E.

BALLARD Editor

YOUR MISSION YOUR PRINCIPLES YOUR CULTURE YOUR MOTTO YOUR CREED YOUR MEMBERSHIP!

GO TO

members.phibetasigma1914.org

PHI BETA SIGMA CONTINUES ITS TRADITION OF STANDING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE It reared its ugly head during the term of President Barack Obama. It never disappeared—just sat in darkness, waiting for an opportunity. America’s glaring racial injustice issues have come to light for communities of color, particularly the African American male, taking on new and more egregious ways of degrading the lives of people of color in this country. In the year 2020, the cause for racial equity and civil rights reached a crescendo during a moment in time when the world was shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic. As if that wasn’t enough, we were horrified as we were confronted with video recordings of Mr. George Floyd’s life being extinguished by Minneapolis police, who showed no shame in committing a heinous crime. We cringed in terror as we saw reports of Ms. Breonna Taylor’s murder by Louisville police and shed tears as we watched Mr. Ahmaud Arbery gunned down by two White men who apparently believed they were within their rights to take his life, as he jogged in a Georgia neighborhood.

Mr. Floyd, Ms. Taylor and Mr. Arbery are among the latest victims of senseless acts of violence against the Black Community. While their murders tore at our souls, they also served as a wake-up call for people to understand the reality that racism is alive and well in the United States, and for those who believe in justice and equality for everyone to stand up and take action against the systemic racism that continuously claims Black lives.

People from all races and all walks of life joined forces this summer to demand accountability and change. As A Brotherhood of Conscious Men Actively Serving Our Communities, Sigma Men joined those taking to the streets to march and engage in peaceful protest to affirm that Black Lives Matter. Our Brothers spoke up In their communities against discrimination faced by Black men and women, calling for policy reform, and demanding justice for the lives lost to police brutality. For Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, this Is a continuance of the stance taken by our Founders 106 years ago, to stand in support of our people and fight inequality.

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Brothers of the Eta Zeta Chapter at Texas A&M University-Commerce are pictured after participating in a campus wide protest in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

On June 10th, the chants of “Black Lives Matter.

No Justice. No Peace. Say His Name. George Floyd.

Say Her Name. Breonna Taylor.” swelled the streets of Southeast Queens as protesters came together to let their voices be heard. The brothers of Gamma Rho Sigma Chapter, Queens/Long Island, NY, along with two grassroots organizations, Urban Agenda Group and King of Kings Foundation, organized a rally to peaceful protest, but more importantly, raised awareness to reform and overhaul the justice system especially in New York.

On Tuesday, June 2nd the Brothers of Alpha Beta Sigma Chapter marched to protest the killing of George Floyd. Men of Sigma joined 60,000 protesters, including Mr. Floyd’s family, who marched to the steps of Houston’s City Hall demanding justice, as well as an end to the killing of black men by law enforcement. The brothers of Alpha Beta Sigma Chapter continue fighting for the community, standing strong in the face of injustice.”

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Market Square in Downtown Knoxville. There was a kneel down of 8 minutes, 46 seconds, to honor the memory of Mr. George Floyd. The march was sponsored by the Iota Alpha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. All Knoxville, Tennessee chapters of the National Pan-Hellenic Council participated.

The rally came one day after New York State legislation repealed 50-A, which will allow disciplinary records of law enforcement to be publicly disclosed. The event drew so much attention that local and state representatives were in attendance. Bro. Brenden Jackson of Gamma Rho Sigma chapters pointed out “Although it was a Wednesday afternoon, the rally drew over 400 people! That speaks volumes about the way our community feels about the current state of relations with law enforcement as well as to the strength and unity of the community which we serve. This is just the beginning of what Gamma Rho Sigma chapter is looking to do and be leaders of the change. We are already reviewing our next steps. Our community needs more community engagement, educational resources, and economic empowerment. It is imperative that Sigmas are at the table to see these objectives through.�

Brothers from Phi Sigma Chapter, Knoxville, TN and Kappa Chi Chapter at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville and Zetas from Pi Epsilon Chapter, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville participated in a march from Morningside Park to

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The brothers of Beta Chi Sigma Chapter, Columbia, SC participated in a recreated version of the Million Man March on June 14, 2020 in support of the BlackLivesMatter movement.

The Brothers of Omicron Beta Sigma Chapter joined the Baton Rouge Area NAACP and citizens of West Baton Rouge in a call for the relocation of a statue of Louisiana Confederate Governor Henry Watkins Allen. Richard Lee III, Mayor of Port Allen, which is the largest city in West Baton Rouge, issued a statement of his intentions to support the move of the statue to the West Baton Rouge Parish Museum.

At the rally, the participants were encouraged to register to vote, early vote, and to continue to hold their government accountable.

On June 20th, fifty people marched from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida to the Coral Springs police station, about three miles away. One of the issues this march focused on was the problem of racial profiling, especially in the streets of a mostly white neighborhood.

Brother Kadeem Rowe, a former student, in his Phi Beta Sigma letters, organized the march. He was class president at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and graduated in 2013. He said he was usually one of the only Black kids in his class.

“When you’re the only Black person and you’re experiencing racism, it’s hard to — and you’re a child, you know, really like put it in perspective as to what you did wrong or you know why things are like this,” he said.

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“The racial profiling didn’t stop in the classroom,” he continued. “If I would ride with my white friends in their car and we get pulled over, they might actually be surprised that they got pulled over because they haven’t done anything out of the ordinary other than carrying a Black person in their car,” he said.

Rowe left Parkland to attend Florida State University.

He joined the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity where, he says, he learned the importance of civic engagement.

Brother Mark Johnson attended Cornell University about thirty years ago but found out about Rowe’s march through the fraternity. He helped direct traffic during the walk, standing in the 90-degree heat for hours. Bro. Johnson held a sign directing traffic for the solidarity walk.

He says part of the problem is a lack of awareness of Black issues: “Very often ignorance is really just people ignoring the information in front of them.

And so, by being out here in a predominantly white neighborhood, we’re really putting the information front and center so that people are more or less forced to take notice.”

He worries for his nephews and other Black men interacting with police. “I know for one that the vast majority of police officers out there are good police officers, there are a handful of bad police officers.

But I never know when that one police officer I encounter just happens to be part of that minority of bad police officers,” he said.

Marchers stopped behind the police station at Mullins Park in Coral Springs to sing songs and take a break before heading home. Johnson says it gives him hope that young people are organizing, especially in the suburbs.

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The Zeta Xi Sigma Chapter hosted a webinar to combat systemic racism in the Fort Bend County communities. Zeta Xi Sigma’s Social Action Committee organized the event in response to the outrage in the Ft. Bend County/Houston community over the killing of a former Houstonian, George Floyd.

The panelists focused on action steps to move from Protest to Power and propel the communities forward. Key action items included: 1. Collaboration between community organizations; including NAACP membership 2. Early voting and registration to decrease voter suppression 3. Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on minorities and its relationship to poverty 4. Bigger and Better Business and economic empowerment vehicles to decrease poverty and healthcare disparities.

The webinar panelist included; Angelo Moore Ph.D., Program Manager Office of Health Equity – The Duke Cancer Institute, Ms. Cynthia Ginyard, Chairwoman of the Fort Bend County Democratic Committee, Ms. Linda Coleman, President of the Missouri City and Vicinity Chapter of the NAACP and Zeta Phi Beta member, and Bro. Alexander Brown Ed.D., Civil Rights Activist/Voter Right advocate, retired university professor and member of Zeta Xi Sigma. The moderator was Bro. Keith Holliday Ph.D., member of Zeta Xi Sigma’s Social Action and Education Committees.

The Epsilon Beta Sigma Chapter and the Beta Alpha Xi Zeta Chapter came together to host a unity march. They were joined by other Sigmas and Zetas from across the state of Kentucky to show support for the family of Breonna Taylor. The group gathered at the steps of the state capital in Frankfort, KY. Mayor Brown, Senator Neal, and Representative Brown joined in. The theme of the day was Unity & Perseverance, in an effort to continue to spark change in our current government system in America.

Delta Kappa Sigma Brothers and Zeta Phi Beta sisters joined in a march/rally against racism and injustice led by the faith community and law enforcement in Sumter County, SC. Over 1,500 people of all faiths and races participated. The goal was to affirm unity in the community and to promote a prolonged fight against racism injustice. The chapter delegation included Sigma Pastors Marion H. Newton, Walter Robertson, Leroy Blanding, Franklin D. Colclough and notable Brother State Representative David Weeks. The Blue and White family is united in standing up for unity in our community!! OUR CAUSE CONTINUES!

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Lilly salutes Phi Beta Sigma for its commitment to brotherhood, scholarship and service.

www.lilly.com

2019 CA Approved for External Use PRINTED IN USA ©2019, Eli Lilly and Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

LIVES L I L L Y

F O R

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Our work extends beyond the medicines we create.

Together, we’re working to improve health and access to life-saving medicines in our local communities and around the globe. Through partnerships and our signature volunteer programs, we aim to identify and promote successful solutions to health issues that can be scaled and replicated to make life better for people here at home and around the world.

Learn more about our commitment to local communities and people everywhere at lilly.com.

2019 CA Approved for External Use PRINTED IN USA Š2019, Eli Lilly and Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

BAT T LE FOR AMERICA

PROJECT VOTE!

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s the nation anticipated the general election of November 2020, the brotherhood of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. declared its belief that it was crucial that the entire eligible voting population be registered, educated and mobilized to aid in restoring a more harmonious social order for the United States of America.

“It is up to organizations who are dedicated to fighting against low voter turnout and voter suppression to take the lead,” said Hon. Micheal E. Cristal, International President.

“Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated is an example of that type of organization.”

For its entire existence, the Brotherhood of Conscious Men have clung to the just cause of being at the forefront of championing efforts toward social change. Vice President Bro. Chris V. Rey declared, “We are meeting the challenges of protecting, encouraging and facilitating our right and responsibility to go to the polls and engage the political process,” during a Town Hall meeting on Project Vote in October 2020.

“We are championing change during the 2020 Elections and Census 2020.”

Phi Beta Sigma’s plan to get the vote out was comprised of three main components: 1. Partnerships, 2. Member Education and 3. Grassroots Brotherhood Activism

PARTNERSHIPS Phi Beta Sigma partnered with like-minded organizations to support and work alongside nationally and locally. The joint orders with the NAACP and the National Urban League allowed the organizations to have much needed additional infrastructure to have maximum impact. Several campaigns focused on voter registration and anti-voter suppression with which they had developed working relationships, including: Former First Lady Michell Obama’s When We All Vote; Former Georgia State Representative Stacey Abram’s Fair Fight 2020; Nationalvoterregistrationtoday.org; Adopt-APrecinct; and the constitutionally bound partnership with the sisters of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.

On National Voter Registration Day, Phi Beta Sigma pushed the mantra “Register in September, Vote in November” nationwide. This effort gave crucial support to ensuring advancement of the key goals: Registering Voters, Mobilizing Volunteers, Educating Voters and Uniting for a Common Purpose.

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MEMBER EDUCATION The Sigma Project Vote Team formulated strategies to increase engagement in registration, education and mobilization. This team of regional coordinators dedicated itself to making every effort to ensure that every state, area, city and chapter received adequate support. They also shared best practices to help make sure they covered every possible opportunity to maximize the voter population.

GRASSROOTS BROTHERHOOD ACTIVISM Grassroots Brotherhood Activism focused on maximizing the collective power of individual brothers and chapters and harnessing the creativity and local knowledge. Utilizing its collective Sigma stepped to the forefront and employed its full potential to impact the political process.

Brother Dr. Michael Baslee, International Director of Social Action, provided this critical observation, “While every organization must use financial resources to impact politics, we must not forget that it is the enthusiastic and deeply felt personal appeal to “John Q. Public” that captures the will of everyday people. We must never forget that the power to change the course of this nation ultimately rests in the hands of the citizenry. We must stay conscious of the fact that local elections and politics set the stage for marshalling the control of national power.”

President Cristal issued the charge to the brotherhood, “When we go out to effect change as A Brotherhood of Conscious Men Actively Serving Our Communities, it is the impact we have in elevating the poorest, most powerless residents of our major cities that has produced epic champions of human rights like Bro. Elijah Cummings and Honorable Bro. John Lewis. Let us honor their memories AND create great change by SERVING with a resolve that they will be proud.”

Hundreds of Phi Beta Sigma chapters answered the call and played a significant role in what would become the largest turnout of voters in the nation’s history. Here are examples of how Project Vote! helped to move communities and people to exercise the right to vote in this history-making election:

BETA XI CHAPTER – ST. AUGUSTINE UNIVERSITY AND IOTA CHAPTER – SHAW UNIVERSITY Brothers from the Beta Xi Chapter at St. Augustine and Iota Chapter at Shaw University in North Carolina supported Eta Sigma, their sponsoring alumni in promoting their voter registration event, “Power to the Polls”. Their efforts brought over 350 members of the community out to register to vote.

Our collegiate brothers were also able to cast their votes, as well as hand out water and snacks to voters.

This event brought out City of Raleigh Council Member Stormie D Forte and North Carolina State Director of Social Action, Brother Simon Akhamie. Kudos to the Social Action Chair of Eta Sigma, Brother Michael Sawyer for putting this event together.

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DELTA SIGMA CHAPTER, WINSTON-SALEM, NC

The brothers of the Delta Sigma Chapter joined with the Finer Women of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Rho Zeta Chapter to register people in the Winston-Salem community to vote. With September being Sickle Cell Awareness Month, the brothers passed out ribbons to the community to bring awareness to Sickle Cell Disease and promote the Virtual Sickle Cell Walk.

NU SIGMA CHAPTER, PHILADELPHIA, PA

From the start of the George Floyd protests to Election Day, the Nu Sigma Chapter made a special point of getting into “good trouble” throughout Philadelphia. The chapter worked with City Council members and State Representatives to promote local voter registration drives which reached over 3,000 residents. Over the course of four consecutive Saturdays, the brothers used a variety of outreach methods including boots on the streets, text messages, phone calls, the Census effort and social media promoting voter education.

NU LAMBDA SIGMA CHAPTER, LAKE COUNTY, IL Voters’ registration was a priority for members of Nu Lambda Sigma Chapter in Lake County, Illinois, despite the pandemic and emphasis on social distancing. They are committed to leading by example, being positive role models and making a difference in the Lake County community. Brothers volunteered to assist with voter registration at six locations on Saturdays from 1:00pm-4:00p.m. for two consecutive weekends. Those locations included Gideon Baptist Church, First Corinthians Baptist Church, Surfs Up Restaurant, Big Ed’s Restaurant, Vales Car Wash, and Green Bay Suites.

“The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it.” - - John Lewis 18 The Crescent Magazine

ZETA BETA SIGMA CHAPTER, FAYETTEVILLE, NC

The brothers of Zeta Beta Sigma Chapter, along with its Sigma Beta Club members, members of the Fayetteville, NC National Panhellenic Council, community leaders and citizens “Strolled to the Polls” to show the power of getting out to vote. The groups worked together to promote voter awareness and to energize the community, particularly those of color to make a significant showing at the polls.

The Honorable Cheri Beasley, the first African American woman to serve as Chief Justice of the state’s highest court, spoke to the gathering about the importance of exercising their right to vote. She also spoke about the historic organizations of the Divine 9 and their unified beliefs, deeply rooted in service and the promotion of voters’ rights. Judge Beasley spoke of her pride in seeing members of the Divine 9 come together to show the community unity how strength in numbers can make a difference.

Patricia Timmons-Goodson, the first African-American woman on the Supreme Court of North Carolina in 2006, was also among other community leaders at the event.

The overall event energized members of the community to get to the polls to cast their ballots. We witnessed several first-time voters and those that had considered not voting this election cast their ballots during this event.

KAPPA EPSILON SIGMA CHAPTER, VICKSBURG, MS The Kappa Epsilon Sigma Chapter in Vicksburg, MS held a voter registration event in downtown Vicksburg on Saturday September 26, 2020 during Sigma Day of Service. Members left to right front row: Brothers Ernie Jenkins, Lester Magee, Larry Tyrone Sr. Robert Bell; back row: Keith Williams, Jr., Social Action Director Larry Tyrone Jr., Keith Williams, Sr. and Matthew McCray.

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HONORING THE LIFE & LEGACY OF AMERICA’S DRUM MAJOR FOR JUSTICE

The Honorable Brother

JOHN R. LEWIS T

he year 2020 was reminiscent of a time in America that many would like to forget; major social unrest as a result of the horrendous treatment of black bodies by law enforcement officers became one more issue for the country, struggling with a pandemic. These civil unrest events took the world back to the days when civil rights activists in the 1960s put their bodies on the line to end the racial disparities which kept the nation divided and on constant alert as to what would happen next. Just as in the 1960s, some who fought for the cause made the ultimate sacrifice to make the point about the importance of changing the way America treats persons of color.

The Honorable John R. Lewis, U.S. House of Representative for Georgia and outstanding Sigma icon was one of those who did not hesitate to stand up in the face of racism during the Civil Rights movement. Congressman Lewis died on July 17, 2020 at the age of 80, left a remarkable legacy of peaceful protest for the world, which he believed in and exhibited until his final days. In 1960, he was one of several Black students who was pulled out of a drugstore lunch counter and beaten in Nashville. As one of the original Freedom Riders in 1961, he was beaten at a Greyhound station in South Carolina, then arrested and jailed when his bus reached Birmingham, Alabama. His beating in 1965 at the

Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma, Alabama, by a state trooper who fractured his skull has become the eternal image of “Bloody Sunday” and the quest for Black voting rights. Years later as a congressman, John Lewis led annual pilgrimages to the bridge to remind the world that for every victory gained, there was more that needed to be accomplished in the quest for the “beloved community” free of poverty, racism and violence envisioned and highlighted by his friend and mentor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “It must be done because the struggle is not over,” Lewis told former Nashville Tennessean writer Dwight Lewis in 1998, about his insistence on leading nonviolent protests. “We have not yet created the beloved community. We have not yet created a truly interracial democracy in the South or in America. So the fight is an ongoing fight, and I have said from the beginning that our struggle is not one that lasts one day, or one month or one year. It is a struggle of a lifetime, and maybe another.”

John Lewis was the last of the Civil Rights era’s lions, the group of Black men and women whose strategy propelled the movement.

It did not go unnoticed that he and the Reverend C.T. Vivian, field lieutenant for Dr. King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, also died July 17th. Their exit almost seems to signify the beginning of a new civil rights movement.

“NEVER, EVER BE AFRAID TO MAKE SOME NOISE AND GET IN GOOD TROUBLE NECESSARY TROUBLE.” 22 The Crescent Magazine

Lewis told “CBS This Morning” in June 2020 that the Black Lives Matter protests – building in power since the 2012 death of Trayvon Martin at the hands of a Florida neighborhood watchman, along with the deaths of many other Black men and women, leading to the recording of the death of George Floyd under a Minneapolis police officer’s knee in May – felt vastly different from and more inclusive than other uprisings in the ‘60s, and he was hopeful for greater change.

“If it becomes necessary to use our bodies to help redeem the soul of a nation, we must to do it,” he told Gayle King. His last public appearance was a quiet Sunday morning visit in June at the Black Lives Matter Plaza across from the White House. Lewis spent his life being guardian of the beloved community ideal in his calm authority and focused leadership on and off Capitol Hill. The standard he bore, and the struggle of his lifetime, now pass to another generation.

In this special commemorative edition, we share the life and legacy Brother John Lewis leaves behind and the road ahead for civil rights.

JOHN LEWIS 1940 – 2020 A LEGACY OF COURAGE & JUSTICE Representative John Lewis was a civil rights icon whose fight for racial justice began in the Jim Crow South and ended in the halls of Congress.

Brother Lewis died on July 17th after battling Stage IV pancreatic cancer which was diagnosed in December 2019.

The son of Alabama sharecroppers, Lewis represented Georgia in Congress for more than three decades. There, he relentlessly pressed the causes he first championed as an original Freedom Rider, challenging segregation, discrimination and injustice in the Deep South – issues that reverberate today.

A NATIONAL FIGURE AT AN EARLY AGE Prior to establishing his role with the Freedom Riders, Lewis was one of the founding members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which advocated for civil rights in the South, using peaceful protests at lunch counters and voterregistration drives to make their point.

After four African American college students sat down and sought to be served on February 1, 1960 at a “whites-only” lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, Lewis helped organize similar sit-ins which drew national attention to the rampant racism across the South.

Lewis was arrested for the first time at a sit-in in Nashville on February 27, 1960. “If it hadn’t been for Nashville, I would not be the person I am now,” Lewis told the Nashville Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network, in 2013: “We grew up sitting down or sitting in.

And we grew up very fast.

Some people were heard to say, ‘By sitting down, these young people are standing up for the very best in American tradition.”

“Martin Luther King Jr. was so pleased. He was gratified. He was deeply moved and touched to see this new militancy on the part of the students.

He knew then that his message of non-violence and passive resistance would live, and it would be moving around the South, embedded in the very being of these young people,” shared Brother Lewis.

Arrested and jailed numerous times for challenging Jim Crow laws, Lewis would become a national figure in his early 20s. The youngest of the “Big Six” civil rights activists, he along with the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., organized the March on Washington in 1963, a seminal moment in the Civil Rights movement, leading to the passing of the Voting Rights act two years later, which outlawed practices that had long denied Blacks the ability to vote.

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At age 23, Lewis delivered a speech during the March on Washington, pressing the country’s leadership to move with greater urgency to pass legislation for stronger civil rights: “As it stands now, the voting section of this bill will not help the thousands of black people who want to vote,” he said. “It will not help the citizens of Mississippi, of Alabama and Georgia who are qualified to vote but lack a sixthgrade education. One man, one vote is the African cry. It is ours, too. It must be ours.”

Two years later, he helped organize the Voting Rights March in Alabama that became known as “Bloody Sunday”, after state troopers attacked demonstrators with tear gas and clubs. The moment during which Lewis was brutally beaten was nationally televised, hastening the passage of the Voting Rights Act. John Lewis eventually became Associate Director of Field Foundation and remained associated with Southern Regional Council’s voter registration programs. He was employed as the director of the Voter Education Program (VEP) and in 1977, was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to lead more than 250,000 volunteers of ACTION, the federal volunteer agency.

ACTIVISM CONTINUES IN CONGRESS Lewis established himself as a community activist and member of the Atlanta City Council, before winning a seat in Congress in 1986, representing Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District. As a Congressman, he served as Senior Chief Deputy Whip for the Democratic party leadership in the House, a member of the House Ways & Means Committee, its Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, and Ranking member of the Subcommittee on Oversight.

Besides earning a B.A. in philosophy and religion from Fisk University and being a graduate of the American Baptist Theological Seminary, John Lewis was a recipient of over 50 honorary degrees from prestigious institutions across the United States, including Harvard. He also received numerous national and international awards including the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Lincoln Medal during the administration of President Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black president. Lewis was elected to his 17th term in 2018.

Lewis co-authored a #1 New York Times and Washington Post bestselling graphic novel memoir trilogy entitled “MARCH”, which received notable accreditation by various societies and is currently being used in schools across the country to teach about the Civil Rights Movement. The book is geared to encourage young activists and is being used as a First-Year common reading text at distinguished colleges and universities in the USA. Some other books written by Brother Lewis include the award winning “Across the Bridge: Life Lessons & A Vision for Change” and “Walking with the Winds”. Two additional writings, “Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg” and “John Lewis in the Lead” speak about his struggles and achievements.

Upon awarding him the Medal of Freedom in 2011, President Obama said of John Lewis: “All these years later, he is known as the conscience of the United States Congress, still speaking his mind on issues of justice and equality. And generations from now, when parents teach their children what is meant by courage, the story 24 The Crescent Magazine

Lewis led annual pilgrimages to Selma, Alabama, to commemorate the events of “Bloody Sunday” on the Edmund Pettis Bridge in 1965. Participants were concerned that the Congressman would be unable to attend this year’s event, due to his health. And yet, he showed up and told the crowd surrounding him: “We must vote like we’ve never voted before.”

of John Lewis will come to mind – an American who knew that change could not wait for some other person of some other time, whose life is a lesson in the fierce urgency of now.”

In Congress, Lewis was known for his unending advocacy for voting rights. He fought untiringly for more access to the polls, particularly for voters of color. While he served in several key congressional leadership posts, his greatest influence came from his stature as a civil rights icon.

In 2016, Lewis led a sit-in by Democratic lawmakers on the floor of the House of Representatives, which halted legislative business as they demanded a vote on gun control. “What is the tipping point? Are we blind? Can we see? How many more mothers, how many more fathers need to shed tears of grief before we do something?” in speaking to his fellow Congressional representatives.

Two years prior, as he prepared for his pilgrimage to commemorate the Bloody Sunday march, Lewis stopped in Memphis, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. “I think it’s so fitting and so right that this group is able to go there and to go back to that site … where (King) said, “I have seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you, but as a people we will get there,” Lewis told USA TODAY. Lewis often feuded with the Trump White House, clashing over civil rights and voting rights. In September 2019, Lewis urged his colleagues to begin impeachment proceedings against the president, telling them, “the future of our democracy is at stake.” He boycotted Donald Trump’s inauguration after Trump attacked him and his congressional district on Twitter. Lewis called Trump’s presidency illegitimate because of the Russian government’s clandestine campaign to sway the 2016 election in Trump’s favor.

Consistent with his deep feelings about the Trump administration, in 2017 the congressman boycotted the opening of a civil rights museum in Mississippi because Trump had been invited. Lewis and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus attended a separate ceremony. Lewis also called out Winter 2020 25

Trump for a tweet in 2019 telling four congresswomen of color to “go back” to their countries of origin. Three are U.S.-born, and the fourth has lived in the country since she was 12. “I know racism when I see it,” Lewis said in response.

In December 2019, he banged the gavel in the House signaling passage of a voting rights bill he had championed. Lewis was one of the first law makers new Congressional members wanted to meet, and he was revered both by Democrats and Republicans.

Lewis was the last surviving member of the Big Six, which included Martin Luther King, James Farmer, A. Philip Randolph, Roy Wilkins and Whitney Young. His death came shortly after the release of a documentary which provides a timely glimpse at his historic contributions for a new generation of civil rights activists. “John Lewis: Good Trouble” premiered in early June as worldwide protests against racism and police brutality renewed global calls for social justice.

“My greatest fear is that one day we may wake up and our democracy is gone,” Lewis said in the film.

The day after Lewis’ death, former President Obama wrote that, at his inauguration in 2009, he had embraced Lewis and told him “I was only there because of the sacrifices he made.”

Congressman Lewis embraced the Black Lives Matter Movement, telling The Washington Post in an interview that he was “inspired” to see throngs of people marching in the United States and around the world. In one of his last public appearances, Lewis joined Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser at Black Lives Matter Plaza. The two posed for pictures on the street leading to the White House where “Black Lives Matter” had been painted in huge yellow letters.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement after Lewis’ death: “How fitting it is that even in the last weeks of his battle with cancer, John summoned the strength to visit the peaceful protests where the newest generation of Americans had poured into streets to take up the unfinished work of racial justice.

In Congress, John Lewis was revered and beloved on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol.”

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Lewis “loved this country so much that he risked his life and his blood so that it might live up to its promise,” Obama wrote.

Lewis was married 44 years to Lillian Lewis, who died in 2012 at age 73. They have one son John Miles Lewis.

JOHN R. LEWIS JOINS THE BROTHERHOOD OF PHI BETA SIGMA Brother Stephen L. McDaniel

I was initiated into Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. at Delta Mu Chapter, Bowie State College (now University), in Bowie, Maryland, on October 28, 1970.

With the support of the late Honorable Brother Charles B. Wright, 23rd International President, I immediately became engaged in Phi Beta Sigma in service and politics. I was first elected to the undergraduate position of Associate Director of the Eastern Region, 1970 -71 and the National Second Vice President, 1972-73, serving under Honorable Brother Parlette L. Moore, the 20th International President.

Since his initiation into Phi Beta Sigma, John Lewis has consistently supported and engaged the fraternity on all levels. Throughout the years of his affiliation, there were exceedingly rare occasions when Brother Lewis did not respond to the organization’s call. Our records proudly show the memorable events and programs featuring Honorable Brother Lewis as a speaker, panelist, or host. He provided great advice and counsel to Sigma’s leaders on international programs and initiatives.

I was invited to identify the Undergraduate Luncheon speaker for the 1973 National Conclave in Houston, TX. Sigma Brother Ben Brown, a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, was my first choice. Brother Brown was first elected to the Georgia House in 1965 at the age of 25, was unavailable to be in Houston, Texas, for our Conclave.

He suggested I solicit John Lewis, the Executive Director of the National Voter Education Project, and request Lewis to speak at the Conclave.

John Lewis was not the political icon we know today, but he was a widely recognized voter education and civil rights activist. Mr. Lewis accepted my request to come to his office. We had a great visit, and he agreed to be our Conclave 1973 Undergraduate Luncheon speaker. One year later, John Lewis was initiated into Ben Brown’s Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity in the Lambda Sigma Chapter in Atlanta, Georgia. Brother Lewis would become a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma Chapter in Montgomery County, Maryland in 2017.

At Conclave Detroit 2017, John Lewis received the highest honor that could be bestowed upon a Phi Beta Sigma Brother. Lewis was inducted into Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity’s Distinguished Service Chapter, becoming member #180.

Winter 2020 27

John Lewis and I became and remained friends for 48-years. I was honored to work on his first political campaign for Atlanta City Council. Later, I served as a member of his 1986 campaign committee for Atlanta’s 5th Congressional District, a post he held until his death.

Brother John Lewis was always giving and sharing himself. Every time we were out in public, he would be stopped and asked to take a picture. This would happen even during meals in restaurants; he would never say no.

He was most uncomfortable having things done for him or people making a fuss over him. That is why the Caribbean trip was so memorable. To our surprise, Congressman Lewis has always stopped onboard the cruise ship and asked to take a picture.

Shortly after the public announcement of his illness, I spent a week with my friend at his home in Washington, DC. I will forever be grateful for that one-week of quality time with a friend.

I won a year-long battle with John Lewis in May of 2015, when he conceded to allow me to take him on his first cruise to the Caribbean.

I will forever be grateful for the honor to work with a fantastic group of loyal and dedicated professionals, colleagues, and friends planning the four-days, three-cities, Celebration of Life for Congressman John Lewis. I traveled on board the official United States government plane with the Congressman’s body, family, and congressional staff from Atlanta, GA, to Troy, AL; Selma, AL; Montgomery, AL; Washington, DC and back to Atlanta, GA. The Congressman John Lewis Celebration of Life exceeded our expectations. The overwhelming outpouring of love and respect for the Congressman was on full public view and a testament and thank you to him for his sacrifices and commitment to civil and voters’ rights. All I can say is he deserved it all.

I miss him each day.

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AN OBSERVANCE BEFITTING A LEGEND SIX DAYS OF MEMORIALS & CELEBRATION OF LIFE JOURNEY SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2020 Thousands of people across the nation and the world paused to celebrate and pay homage to the life and legacy of this revered leader.

Congressman John Robert Lewis’ Six Days of Memorials and Public Celebration of Life Journey began at 5:30 am on the morning of Saturday, July 25, 2020. The City of Atlanta Police Honor Guard formed a motorcade to escort the hearse carrying the Congressman’s body from the Atlanta funeral home to the Signature Private Jet terminal at Atlanta’s Hartfield-Jackson Airport.

The Atlanta-based delegation, traveling with the late Congressman, was not scheduled to arrive at the Private jet terminal until 7:30 am; however, I arrived early because I wanted to witness the Congressman’s 5:30 am arrival.

The Congressman’s coffin was placed inside a U. S. flag-draped travel container for the short trip from Atlanta, GA to Montgomery, AL. The Atlanta Police Honor Guard removed Congressman Lewis’ casket from the hearse that was parked on the tarmac and carried it slowly 50 feet to the charted Delta Airline Jet. (Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Airline offered the Lewis family the use of the Delta plane to carry the Congressman from Atlanta to Montgomery, AL. – The Delta plane stayed with the Congressman’s Celebration of Life Journey from Montgomery, AL to Washington, DC and returned to Atlanta, carrying family members and friends).

The Congressman’s family and guests traveled from Montgomery, AL to Washington, DC, and on to Atlanta, GA on a plane provided by the United States of America with full military honors. The plane landed at Maxwell Airforce base in Montgomery, Alabama. The delegation then traveled with a heavy police escort to Troy University in Troy, Alabama for the first of four stops on the John Lewis Celebration of Life Journey.

TROY UNIVERSITY – TROY, ALABAMA The hearse carrying Congressman Lewis was met at the Trojan’s Arena on the campus of Troy University by the United States Military Honor Guard. At 10:00am, a well-executed COVID-19, socially distanced celebration.

Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor, Troy University opened the celebration with greetings followed by Jason Reeves, Mayor of Troy, Alabama. The Congressman’s brothers Henry “Grant” Lewis, Samuel Lewis, Freddie Lewis and his sister Rosa Mae Tyner paid tribute to their brother the Congressman. Gospel recording artist Dottie Peoples closed the celebration with the selection, “On Time God.” Following a brief viewing with members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and the public, the Congressman traveled by escorted motorcade to Selma, Alabama following a route by way of his family’s Troy, Alabama property, coming to a full stop in front of his boyhood home.

Winter 2020 29

Sunday, July 26, 2020

FINAL CROSSING OF THE EDMUND PETTIS BRIDGE Private motor coaches carrying the family and guests escorted the motorcade from Montgomery, AL back to Selma, AL for the historic Final Crossing of the Edmund Pettus Bridge at 2:00pm.

CAPITOL BUILDING – STATE OF ALABAMA Following the Edmund Pettus Bridge crossing, the Congressman’s motorcade traveled the same route as the 1965 March, returning to Montgomery for the ceremony at the Capitol of the State of Alabama from 3:00pm – 7:00pm

BROWN AME CHURCH - SELMA, ALABAMA We arrived at Brown AME Church in Selma, AL for the second stop of the Alabama Celebrations. The Brown AME Church Celebration program began at 6:00pm followed by a public viewing from 8:00pm – 11:00pm.

The Congressman was returned to Montgomery, AL along with his family, staff and guest escorted by City of Montgomery Police.

Monday, July 27, 2020

UNITED STATES CAPITOL ROTUNDA – WASHINGTON, DC We arrived at Maxwell Airforce Base to meet the Delta Charter jet and the military plane. The U.S. Military Honor Guard carried the Congressman from the hearse to the military plane for his final flight to Washington, DC. The Delta plane landed first at Andrews Airforce Base, allowing family and friends to greet the military plane carrying the Congressman and those accompanying him. The arrival of the planes was covered by thousands of international media outlets and shared worldwide.

The Congressman’s body was taken from the plane with full military honors. An escorted motorcade carried the family and guests into Washington DC. Upon arrival, the motorcade split with the hearse carrying the Congressman and a motor coach with the immediate family traveling a special route to the United States Capitol, stopping at the Lincoln Memorial, the Martin Luther King Memorial, the National Museum of African American History and Culture and Black Lives Matter Plaza. The second motorcade proceeded to the U.S. Capitol to greet the Congressman at the Capitol for the official arrival ceremony.

The Congressman’s motorcade arrived at the U.S. Capitol building.

He was carried by the U.S. Military into the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, becoming the first African American lawmaker to lie in repose on the Lincoln catafalque. The rotunda ceremony was followed by a private reception for family and guests, hosted by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, Congressman Lewis body was moved to the Capitol steps to allow the public to pay its final respects to the Congressman.

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Wednesday, July 29, 2020

WASHINGTON, DC – ATLANTA, GEORGIA The Congressman’s family, staff, friends and guests joined Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressional leaders at the U.S. Capitol for breakfast and the Congressman’s departure ceremony. A private moment for the family and congressional guests was held prior to the U.S. Military Honor Guard moving the Congressman’s coffin down the steps of the Capitol to the waiting hearse. The motorcade would pass his Capitol Hill home en route to Andrews Airforce Base to carry him for the last time from Washington, DC to Atlanta.

STATE OF GEORGIA – CAPITOL BUILDING The two planes left Andrews AFB going to Dobbins Airforce Base outside of Atlanta, GA. We arrived at Dobbins Airforce Base to international media for a City of Atlanta Police escort to the Georgia state capitol in downtown Atlanta.

The Congressman’s motorcade was welcomed at the State Capitol by thousands of people including the Governor of Georgia, the Georgia Black Legislative Caucus and the Mayor of Atlanta.

PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY, INC – OMEGA CHAPTER The Congressman’s flag-draped casket was carried into the Georgia Capitol for a private lying in State ceremony, followed by a public viewing, the Masonic Ceremony and the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Omega Chapter Ceremony.

A sea of royal blue and pure white filled the Rotunda as members of Phi Beta Sigma paid tribute to Honorable Brother John Lewis as he was inducted into the Omega Chapter. Over 300 Sigma men lifted their voices to sing the fraternity’s hymn, which echoed through the rotunda urging “March on, march on, ye mighty host, nor think the journey done,” highlighting another important facet of the Atlanta congressman’s life. Congressman Lewis was called by many names over his 80 years-- hero and husband, father and friend. But members of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity called him brother for more than 45 years, where he was awarded the highest honor as a member of the Distinguished Service Chapter.

Hon. William E. Stanley, Jr., 28th International President, shared that Lewis joined the Lambda Sigma Chapter in 1974, and the ceremony performed at the Capitol was the final step in the lifelong membership process. “We believe that when you pass on, when you die, that you go on to our last chapter, which is the Omega Chapter,” he said. “John has been a true Sigma man. He’s been very active in the organization, and the things he did for social justice and equal rights were right in step with what wwe believe in as an organization.”

Honorable Michael E. Cristal, International President officiated the fraternity’s ceremony. Brother Stephen McDaniel received the official resolution on behalf of the Congressman’s family, celebrating the life and service of Brother Lewis.

Winter 2020 31

Thursday, July 30, 2020

FINAL CELEBRATION OF LIFE & FUNERAL SERVICE

City of Atlanta Police escorted the motor coaches to Ebenezer Baptist Church, Horizon Sanctuary for the Congressman’s “A Lifetime of Service” funeral, the culmination of the six days of memorials and & Celebration of Life Journey, in the city where he served as congressional representative for 30 years.

The funeral service was televised internationally and attended by three of the four former U.S. Presidents: Honorable William Jefferson Clinton, Honorable George W. Bush and Honorable Barack H. Obama, who eulogized the civil rights leader.

President Obama called the Congressman a mentor and a friend. He shared that when he was elected to the Senate, he told Congressman Lewis, “John, I’m here because of you.” Mr. Obama recounted a similar exchange that happened at Obama’s historic first

32 The Crescent Magazine

presidential inauguration in 2009. “He was one of the first people I greeted and hugged on that stand,” Obama said. “And I told him, this is your day, too.”

The final memorial service was also attended by Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, members of Congress, and numerous dignitaries, celebrities, family and friends.

The John Lewis funeral procession moved from Ebenezer Church, passing the Auburn Avenue John Lewis mural, moving down John Lewis Freedom Parkway and on to the Congressman’s final resting place in the John Lewis family plot at the Historic Southview Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. The family and estate of John Lewis hosted a repast at his Southwest Atlanta home following the Southview Cemetery iinterment.

THREE DAYS OF “GOOD TROUBLE” IN SERVICE July 30 – August 1, 2020 Phi Beta Sigma men around the world united to celebrate the life and legacy of Honorable Brother John R. Lewis for three days of “Good Trouble in Service” from Thursday, July 30th through Saturday, August 1, 2020.

Chapters selected one of three service projects to honor our beloved brother and to showcase Sigma men as a Brotherhood of Conscious Men Actively Serving Our Communities.

Chapters were encouraged to join forces with our sisters of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, local Sigma Beta Clubs and other community-based organizations to provide special service in the following categories:

1. Voter Registration/Education and Absentee Ballot Request Process/Census 2020

Men of Sigma were encouraged to register citizens in their communities to vote in the November 3rd general election. Chapters were encouraged to create flyers with candidate information from the federal, state, and local races with website information of all candidates to distribute in their communities to potential voters. Chapters were also encouraged to canvass neighborhoods with flyers on a designated day, and to create material to educate citizens on how to request absentee ballots for the upcoming election. Chapters would use social media and the flyers to provide widespread information about the upcoming election and the importance of full participation in it. Since each state’s absentee ballot request process is different, each chapter was encouraged to learn the laws in their respective states. This service option also reminded brothers to make a final push to get people to fill out the 2020 Census forms.

2. Collecting Canned Goods for Local Food Banks

With COVID-19 having a major impact on food depositories and their ability to be fully stocked for people without food, Phi Beta Sigma chapters were encouraged to join forces with the sisters of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. to collect canned goods and make a substantial donation to their local food banks to help those in need.

3. Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery

Honorable Brother John Lewis actively opposed human trafficking and slavery in any form. opposition to human trafficking and slavery. Chapters living in areas affected by these activities were charged to contact the Department of Homeland Security’s website for additional information to do projects on Thursday, July 30th – World Day Against Trafficking.

4. Locally Responsive Service

Chapters unable to participate in any of the aforementioned service project options were highly

encouraged to participate in a service project that was uniquely beneficial to their community. The project was to honor the life and legacy of Congressman John Lewis and demonstrate his care for the beloved community.

Winter 2020 33

THE “BOY FROM TROY” RECEIVES BUILDING NAMED IN HIS HONOR TROY UNIVERSITY OFFICIALLY DEDICATES JOHN ROBERT LEWIS HALL On August 5, 2020, the Brothers of Omicron Tau Sigma Chapter, Troy, Alabama, along with Alpha Alpha Lambda Chapter at Troy University made an official request to Chancellor Jack Hawkins, Jr. to rename the campus’ Bibb Graves Building in honor of Honorable Brother John Robert Lewis.

The communication was prepared by Brother Toray Hicks, Omicron Tau Sigma Chapter President, Brother Ronnie Ezell, II, Alpha Alpha Lambda Chapter President, Brother Marcus Jones, Jr., Omicron Tau Chapter Vice President and Brother Ben Hubert, III, Alpha Alpha Lambda Chapter Vice President. It mentioned that after many conversations with the residents of Troy, several buildings named in honor of Bibb Graves are being renamed throughout the state of Alabama because of his ties to the Ku Klux Klan. The request highlighted the idea of a better way to pay homage to Congressman Lewis – the “Boy from Troy” and his friend. Lewis dedicated his life to fighting for the rights of all individuals regardless of their race.

34 The Crescent Magazine

Chancellor Hawkins enthusiastically responded the very next day: “Likewise, I will be proud to see the name of the “Boy from Troy” featured prominently on our campus.”

Troy University officially dedicated John Robert Lewis Hall in a ceremony Friday, November 13th that included two of Lewis’ fellow congressional leaders, members of his family and stirring musical performances. On that day, a gentle breeze blew a cascade of autumn leaves through the air just as Rep. John Lewis’ nephew talked about the importance of getting into “good trouble.” On a day where

hundreds gathered in the legendary civil rights icon’s home county to celebrate the naming of an academic building in his honor, it was as if the man Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously called “The Boy from Troy” was making his presence known.

In 1957, Lewis was denied admission to Troy State College. More than three decades later, Troy awarded him an honorary doctorate, and today, one of that same university’s central academic buildings bears his name.

“To see this happen in his hometown of Troy, in a city where he was once denied his basic right to education, he would have been overcome with pride and gratefulness,” said Jerrick Lewis. “My uncle would have been proud to have his name displayed on this building, and he would’ve been proud of this university for showing the world what it truly stands for: unity and equality over hatred.”

“On behalf of the family, I’d like to thank Dr. Hawkins and Troy University for being the perfect example of change and progress,” said Ron Lewis, another of Lewis’ nephews. Rep. Martha Roby and Rep. Terri Sewell also spoke at the ceremony, praising their longtime colleague for his bravery and commitment to service. “He was known as the conscience of Congress,” Roby said. “He was a true American patriot. We had the great privilege of serving with John.” Sewell said the event marked a key moment for the region and the state. “No one represents the resilient spirit of the state of Alabama, the city of Troy and Troy University like the ‘Boy from Troy’,” she said.

Troy University’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously in August to rename Bibb Graves Hall after the congressman, who died in July at age 80. “It is the right thing to do to name this building for a great man,” said Troy University Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr. “I am proud of our Board for making that decision. On July 25th, we honored John Lewis for a day. Today, we honor him for an eternity.” The university honored Lewis with a memorial service July 25th, but this week marked a chance to cement his legacy at a university with a special connection to him.

Trustee Lamar P. Higgins said the building represents a man who paved the way for others. “If it weren’t for John Lewis, Lamar Higgins wouldn’t be here today,” he said. “If it weren’t for John Lewis, a lot of great things about this country would not have happened.

We’re grateful for all that he has done.”

Board of Trustees President Pro Tem Gibson Vance said he hopes Troy students learn from Lewis’ example in the years and decades to come. “We hope they’ll be inspired by this man to go out into the world and make it a better place,” Vance said.

Winter 2020 35

A GOOD BROTHER, A TRUE

BROTHER, OUR BROTHER

He's A Sigma Man Brother Charles Michael Able was recently selected from a group of distinguished scientists and clinical research professionals in the field of radiology, to receive the Fellow of the American College of Radiology, one of the highest honors awarded to diagnostic radiologists, radiation oncologist, interventional radiologists, medical physicists, and nuclear medicine physicians.

Brother Able’s career spans over 30 years of working as a Medical Physicist in cancer research and radiation therapy.

Through his leadership, the radiation therapy program has grown from six to nine centers in 2020. The nine centers include eleven accelerators and two mobile HDR systems which treat on average 300 patients a day.

Brother

CHARLES MICHAEL

ABLE

Director of Medical Physics Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

His work has afforded him the opportunity to travel across America, Switzerland, Australia, and China to speak about cancer research and medical physics. Charles represents the 1% of African Americans working in the Medical Physics profession. His goal is to use his medical physics platform to do motivational speaking, publish literature to uplift the African American community and encourage minority youth to follow their dreams and aspirations. As a result of his desire to give back, Bro. Able spearheaded the Wake Forest University STEM internship programs for college students, which allows them to perform clinical research projects.

Dr. Carnell Hampton, a mentee and colleague shares that “Mr. Able took me under his wing and taught me how to deal with politics in the workplace, gave me tips to obtaining certifications, and demonstrated professionalism as a medical physicist. He is my mentor and friend as he was my primary gateway to establishing my own network with African American Physicists and connections in the industry. He sets the standard by which a physicist should do business.”

Beyond his career as a medical physicist, Brother Able is the founder and owner of Boom Publishing and Broadcasting, Inc., which produces fiction and nonfiction African American literature. His debut publication will be released June 2021, as an autobiography highlighting his childhood, family and career.

Able grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Douglas and Blanche Elizabeth Able. His mother is his greatest inspiration, who told him, “Try to do one thing each day to make a difference in someone’s life.”

Able says, “As I got older, it is what led me to want to use my technical skills, knowledge and ability to help people fight against cancer. People not patients!”

Brother Able graduated from Frostburg State University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Mathematics, minoring in Computer Science. It was at Frostburg where he was introduced to Phi Beta Sigma and joined the Kappa Beta chapter in the Fall of 1978. His current membership is with the Gamma Beta Sigma Chapter in Greensboro, NC.

40 The Crescent Magazine

He's A Sigma Man Some people are born leaders—Brother Ryan Branson is laying claim to his God-given abilities with warp speed! He is an historian, administrator for the City of St. Louis, MO, and most recently became the first African American to hold the position of Worshipful Master (Presiding Officer) for Tuscan Lodge #360 of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, located in St. Louis.

Quite a resume for a 34-year-old father of two active boys!

Ryan has risen through the ranks of Freemasonry in the space of 16 years, as a legacy. From his urban upbringing in East St. Louis, IL, Bro. Branson grew up in a household strongly influenced by his maternal grandfather, Mr. Vertis Branson, Sr., who is a 33rd Degree member of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Illinois. Ryan joined his grandfather’s lodge, and also became a member of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, which historically had not been open to acceptance of African Americans. His natural instincts as an avid student of history have served him well in his 16-year involvement in Freemasonry. He has served in a variety of leadership capacities as a member, which prepared him for his current position as Worshipful Master.

On the subject of legacy, Bro. Branson also followed in the footsteps of his father, Brother Keven E. Adams, joining the Kappa Sigma Chapter in St. Louis in 2013 after graduation from Harris-Stowe State University. His talents were noted

by Bro. Joshua Busby, who appointed him to serve on the Southwestern Regional Board. Ryan worked with the regional board to encourage brothers to actively participate in the Centennial celebration. He served as an officer in his chapter and also worked with the National Pan Hellenic Council in St. Louis.

Brother

RYAN MARTELL

BRANSON

In his “day job”, Bro. Branson serves as a Correctional Training Officer in the Division of Corrections for the City of St. Louis Department of Public Safety. In typical fashion, Ryan quickly advanced through the ranks of city administration, earning the rank of Field Lieutenant early in his career, and eventually becoming administrative Captain/Correctional Training Officer.

Along with a seemingly insatiable desire to serve, Bro. Branson maintains a thirst for excellence and knowledge. He continues to research the roots of Freemasonry and its African American connections, and has published writings in the area of social media, politics and race relations.

Winter 2020 41

He's A Sigma Man Brother Simeon Henderson is an actor, author, motivational speaker and certified Life Coach. A native of Chicago, IL, Simeon grew up in the Pilsen community, on the city’s Westside. He is best known for his starring roles in the weekly NBC-TV drama Chicago PD, Netflix film Black & Privileged and the BET Film Holiday Heist. Bro. Henderson also served as host of Tonight On WCIU-TV Chicago.

Brother Henderson is founder of The Simeon Henderson Talk Show, which airs weekly on Facebook and YouTube. The show highlights national celebrities as well as local Chicago artists in the performing arts and entertainment industry. His show provides a voice to the people, while empowering viewers to BELIEVE in themselves, hold on to their faith and stimulate motivation to reach their full potential.

Brother SIMEON

HENDERSON

After overcoming some difficult personal challenges, Simeon adopted the phrase BESIMBOLIC. He uses this motivational phrase to encourage his audience to be deeply rooted; using the phrase in conjunction with discovering how to be deeply rooted is a formula for stimulating growth. Henderson hosted the first of his now annual BESIMBOLIC golf outing fundraisers in memory of his mother, Mrs. Emma K. Wideman, who was passionate about education. The BESIMBOLIC fundraiser promotes academic excellence, and provides scholarships for students pursuing higher education.

Simeon’s first book release was Through the Eyes of a Man, a transparent, vulnerable and inspirational revelation of the many personal dilemmas he experienced while growing up.

He shares with readers that he didn’t learn to read until he was 12 and in sixth grade, and talks about surviving the wilderness, bullying, and abuse.

Simeon released his motivational album BELIEVE in October 2020. Dedicated to the memory of his beloved, the album is composed of compelling compilations, which empower listeners to remain resilient, and maintain a tight grip on their faith, while persevering through the challenges of life.

As a Life Coach, Brother Henderson has successfully developed team building workshops for businesses and educational institutions such as Westwood College, William Penn School, Roosevelt University, Maximum Impact Workshop and Inner Vision. His work with Chicago youth, consists of Mind Matters at the Juvenile Detention Center and The Sigma Beta Club youth affiliate group with Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated.

42 The Crescent Magazine

Share Comment Like Follow Tag THE OFFICIAL PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY, INC. SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES

Facebook/pbs1914 | Instagram @pbs_1914

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Twitter @pbs_1914

Official Hashtags: #pbs1914, #pbs106 and #BrotherhoodOCM

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AROUND THE

REGIONS

Sigma

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE

The late civil rights icon, Hon. Brother John R. Lewis once said, “Every generation leaves behind a legacy. What that legacy will be, is determined by the people of that generation. What legacy do you want to leave behind?”

Phi Beta Sigma’s legacy is defined by Culture for Service and Service for Humanity. Service is the cornerstone of civilization, the fountain of love from which all mankind drinks. Service admonishes us to act with warmth and kindness towards solutions that will empower the people we come into daily contact. As A Brotherhood of Conscious Men Actively Serving Our Communities, it is our duty to live purposeful lives as kindred souls dedicated to advancing the human race.

Service is the legacy we build that will outlast our physical existence. On Saturday, September 26, 2020, Phi Beta Sigma men all across the world engaged their communities in the 3rd Annual Sigma International Day of Service. With great enthusiasm, brothers demonstrated the spirit of service which is the foundation of our beloved Sigma. We endeavor to create peace and goodwill in communities at a time when it is needed more than ever by our people! Featured in this section is a small sampling of the hundreds of collective service hours provided by hundreds of chapters throughout the fraternity.

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EASTERN REGION SIGMA SIGMA SIGMA CHAPTER, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND AND ALPHA KAPPA SIGMA CHAPTER, PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA

The brothers of Sigma Sigma Sigma Chapter, Montgomery County, MD joined with Alpha Kappa Sigma Chapter, Petersburg, VA, in supporting the critical need for food caused by the pandemic, through volunteering at the SOME: So Others Might Eat Homeless Shelter in Washington, DC.

GREAT LAKES REGION

BETA OMICRON SIGMA CHAPTER, COLUMBUS, OHIO The brothers of Beta Omicron Sigma Chapter took the opportunity to advance the fraternity’s Project Vote program, registering and educating citizens for the November 3rd General Election.

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GULF COAST REGION

The Gulf Coast Region, specifically Lake Charles, LA, was impacted by the effects of Hurricane Laura. In response, Regional Director Bro. Howard Redmond activated the Incident Response Team and called for the Gulf Coast Region to coordinate events to provide relief measures for this community on the Sigma National Day of Service.

This initiative provided much needed supplies such as nonperishable food items, toiletries, diapers and clothing to members of the community including our very own Blue and White family. A local water distribution plant in Houston was so inspired by this call to action that they donated 18 pallets of water, which was enough to fill an 18-wheel trailer. On the Sigma National Day of Service, over 150 brothers from Dallas, Killeen, Houston, Shreveport Baton Rouge and other surrounding areas met in Lake Charles, Louisiana to pass out supplies and assist with relief efforts at a local distribution center that had also been affected by the Hurricane. On that day alone, over 5,000 individuals received assistance.

The Gulf Coast Region finished the Day of Service by patronizing a local black owned business, Meeks Bar and Grill. In doing so, we spent over one thousand dollars at this business which reopened its doors for our event.

In addition to the items collected, funds were donated from brothers throughout the Gulf Coast and from outside the region. Additionally, plans are being developed to assist our Blue and White families affected by the hurricane.

The Incident Response Team led by Bro. Cliff McBean consists of the following brothers from across the Region: Ramsey Cooper, Shaka Strong, Paul Sias, Rob Guy, Joseph LaChapelle, and Felton Greer.

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SOUTHEASTERN REGION DELTA KAPPA SIGMA CHAPTER SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA Delta Kappa Sigma Chapter chose to assist communities most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic by providing much needed face masks and sanitizers.

ZETA BETA SIGMA CHAPTER FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA The brothers of Zeta Beta Sigma Chapter teamed up with their Sigma Beta Club, Pi Chapter and Zeta Phi Beta sisters of Fayetteville State University to help the Salvation Army Shelter combat food insecurity and hunger issues in the community. This was part of their ongoing effort to build lasting relationships with their community.

ALPHA EPSILON CHAPTER AT JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY Brother Desire Johnson, along with the brothers from the Alpha Epsilon Chapter at Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, NC), assisted with cleaning up around Washington, D.C. on Highway 95, as part of their Adopt-A-Highway service project.

SOUTHERN REGION NU PHI CHAPTER, UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA The brothers of Nu Phi Chapter at the University of West Georgia collected books for donation to and distribution in Africa.

They also volunteered with New Birth’s Feed the Family program to assist with the eradication of hunger in American communities.

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SIGMA ETA SIGMA CHAPTER, MCDONOUGH, GEORGIA

The brothers of Zeta Beta Sigma Chapter teamed up with their Sigma Beta Club, Pi Chapter and Zeta Phi Beta sisters of Fayetteville State University to help the Salvation Army Shelter combat food insecurity and hunger issues in the community. This was part of their ongoing effort to build lasting relationships with their community.

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SOUTHWESTERN REGION RHO UPSILON SIGMA CHAPTER, LINCOLN, NEBRASKA The brothers of Rho Upsilon Sigma pooled their energies to galvanize voter registration in their community.

WESTERN REGION ETA NU SIGMA, COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO Eta Nu Sigma brother in Colorado Springs, CO chose to support feeding the city’s homeless at one of the local homeless shelters.

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“NEVER, EVER BE AFRAID TO MAKE SOME NOISE AND GET IN GOOD TROUBLE NECESSARY TROUBLE.”

The "Good Trouble" legacy continues...

THE CRESCENT MAGAZINE Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. 145 Kennedy Street NW Washington, DC 20011-5294