Notable Achievements Notable Achievements Notable Achievements Louis “Henry” Gilford, International General Contractor: Constructing Dr. King’s Audacity of Belief

Silver Spring (MD) Alumni

By: Mario Price

On Monday, August 22, 2011, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Memorial in the National Mall in Washington DC opened to more than 10,000 visitors. The official dedication was scheduled to take place on Sunday, August 28, 2011, at 11 am – exactly 48 years to the date of Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial capping off the 1963 March on Washington However, on August 25th, the event’s organizers postponed the official dedication due to health and safety concerns because of Hurricane Irene which was expected to affect conditions in the Washington, DC area Nevertheless, on August 28, 2011, the Memorial officially became a United States national park on that day

On that day, Bob Vogel, superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit of the National Park Service proclaimed: From World War II to Vietnam Veterans, from Lincoln to Jefferson and now to King, the memorials and monuments along the National Mall are where millions of visitors every year learn about our history. The National Park Service is honored to serve as the keeper of America's story, and with this new memorial, to have this incredible venue from which to share the courage of one man and the struggle for civil rights that he led

The dedication for the Memorial was rescheduled for October 16, 2011 – the 16th anniversary of the 1995 Million Man March. The ceremony, which was much smaller than the one originally planned, was attended by President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Congressman John Lewis, Congressman Elijah Cummings, and former Congressman Walter E Fauntroy and more than 10,000 others, including Louis “Henry” Gilford.

While the thousands of other dedicated attendees were there to celebrate the culmination of the life and works of Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., Brother Gilford was also there as the Chief Executive Officer of Gilford Corp to humbly admire his own work and the culmination of an amazing professional career. Gilford Corporation was a member of the MTTG Joint Venture (McKissack and McKissack, Turner Construction, Tompkins Builders, and Gilford Corporation), the Design-Builders for the MLK Memorial

In Brother Gilford’s words: “From a personal standpoint, it means a great deal for my wife, Ollie, and me to be a part of this historical undertaking Both of us grew up in Alabama during the height of the civil rights movement. We experienced the inequities of segregation and participated in the struggle by taking part in demonstrations and Dr. King’s voter registration efforts.”

A native of Ozark, Ala., Gilford was born in Clio, Ala. and graduated from D.A. Smith High School in Ozark before attending Alabama A&M University where he graduated in 1968 with a

Bachelor of Science in Building Construction. He was initiated in the Spring of 1966 at the Gamma Phi of Kappa Alpha Psi He has held Civil Engineering Certifications and Registrations in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Wisconsin His fields of concentration include Heavy and Building Construction, Civil Engineering, Municipal and Highway Engineering, Construction Cost Estimating, Construction Management, and Construction Safety

Gilford Corp. was founded in 1984 by Henry Gilford as a Civil Engineering firm and moved into General Contracting ten years later. Today, Gilford is a small, African American, and Veteran Owned commercial general contracting firm that provides engineering and construction services. As Chief Executive, Mr. Gilford oversees the corporation’s strategic management, marketing, and business development. He also has executive responsibility for firm operations including planning, estimating, project management, marketing, staffing, recruiting, financial management, and field operations He provides leadership and executive supervision for all projects, proposal development, contract negotiations, and client relations

In addition to the hundreds of employees of Gilford Corp who have worked for Gilford Corp. over the years, Ollie Gilford, Brother Gilford’s silhouette of over 50 years, serves as the President of Gilford Corp As President, Ms. Gilford provides day-to-day executive management of firm operations including financial management, strategic planning, administrative policies and procedures, staffing and recruiting, and project governance to provide optimal support for each project. The two met on the campus of Alabama A&M University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Education.

Washington, DC. The memorial features beautiful landscaping as well as a sculptural likeness of Dr King on a 2-1/2 story granite “Stone of Hope” flanked by equally large hand-carved stones Excerpts from Dr King’s sermons and speeches are inscribed on a 450-foot granite wall. There is a bookstore and National Park Service ranger station at the entrance with a gift shop, audio-visual displays, and touch-screen kiosks.

Site preparation included demolition, relocating/reinstalling site utilities, installation of new site utilities (water, sewer, stormwater, electrical, communications infrastructure), a new street with traffic signaling devices, and security measures There are approximately 1,800 linear feet of exposed aggregate concrete sidewalks installed per National Park Service (NPS) standards as well as roughly 80,000 sf of stone pavers. Site lighting includes recessed path lighting along the sidewalks, NPS standard streetlights, tree uplights in planter areas, and floodlights aimed at the sculpted pieces.

A large water feature as well as benches for contemplation adds to the tranquil feeling that the memorial attempts to evoke in its visitors Landscaping included planting over 200 trees (Yoshino Cherry, Crape Myrtle, and Princeton Elms), 2,300 various shrubs, and 18,000 perennials; construction of bioretention tree pits in conjunction with approximately 800 linear feet of Silva Cell system along sidewalk areas; and installation of an irrigation system with lightning arrestors, soil moisture sensors, a wireless rain sensor, and an irrigation booster pump to compensate for low water pressure on site.

The four-acre crescent-shaped MLK Memorial is located on the National Mall in

The MTTG Team coordinated logistics for shipping approximately 1,600 metric tons of granite from China, which encompassed 159 precarved blocks that were assembled on-site to appear as a single structure. The Team provided the rigging, scaffolding, lifting, and logistics support for the installation of the sculptural elements as well as concrete placement for their cores We provided logistics support and coordination for the assembly of the 30-foot-8-inch statue of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, the centerpiece of the memorial and the largest statue on the National Mall. This included assuring the statue assembly met all US safety standards and US Park Service approval. on the Mall and I was smart enough to know that history was being made, but I had no idea I would be a part of it all these years later," said Gilford.

Although Brother Gilford never met Martin Luther King, Jr., his biography is precisely what Dr. King had in mind in 1963 when he spoke of his vision for justice and equality for African-Americans: a black son (the 8th child of 10) to sharecroppers who raised corn, cotton, and peanuts on a farm in the small town of Ozark in segregated Alabama, who went on to earn a college degree, who worked hard, and who started a company that was so successful that 35 years later would be selected to build the MLK Memorial. Gilford’s life is precisely the dream that Dr King envisioned.

The MLK Memorial was Gilford’s fourth project on the National Mall. Gilford Corp. also completed the restoration of the Washington Monument involved the complete demolition and replacement of mechanical, plumbing, electrical, elevator, and fire alarm systems, and making the tallest and one of the oldest elevators in Washington functional and code compliant. Additionally, Gilford was also the general contractor to build the Capital One headquarters in Tysons Corner, VA, the second tallest structure in the Washington metropolitan area behind only the Washington Monument (which Gilford also worked on!), the MGM Grand, and the Gaylord, plus several large churches around the country. In total, Gilford Corp. has completed over 600 projects in over 50 countries, including several American embassies

As a boy growing up 85 miles south of the heart of the Civil Rights Movement epicenter in Montgomery, Ala., Gilford was acutely aware of the sacrifices that Dr King made On August 28, 1963, as an 18-year old, just three days after leaving Dale County to start classes at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, Ala. – the first in his family to go straight to college

Gilford watched Dr. King deliver his famous speech "I was watching the hundreds of thousands of people

On the North Wall of the MLK Memorial, is etched the quote from Dr. King’s 1964 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech delivered in Oslo, Norway: "I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education, and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits." As the son of Alabama sharecroppers, who went on to own a commercial construction firm in Washington DC that was an essential part of building a legacy in honor of the civil rights icon, Gilford is truly the beneficiary of Dr Martin Luther King’s audacity of belief.

Gilford’s favorite book is Succeeding Against All Odds: The Autobiography of a Great Businessman, by John H Johnson, founder of Ebony & Jet magazines. In that book, Johnson shares “I believe that living on the edge, living in and through your fear, is the summit of life, and that people who refuse to take that dare condemn themselves to a life of living death” As a man who grew up in the middle of the civil rights movement in Alabama, ventured out to start his own business, and truly reached and built the summits of life, Gilford emphatically and courageously mastered his fate and captained his soul

Woodbridge (VA) Alumni Chapter was among the awardees for the Human Rights Award for our efforts to promote personal growth and human rights in Prince William County, to include our Guide Right / Kappa League program The award was presented to us by Brother Padreus Pratter, who sits on the county’s Human Rights Commission Brother Polemarch Damien Williams graciously accepted the award on the chapter’s behalf and posed with other awardees for a group picture

Award Recognition

Frederick (MD) Alumni

By: Richard Holley

Woodbridge (VA) Alumni Chapter Recognized by The Prince William County Human Rights Commission

Woodbridge (VA) Alumni

By: Padreus Pratter

At a ceremony held at the McCoart Building on Saturday, January 14, 2023, during the Universal Human Rights Day celebration,

Thursday, January 5 at 7:00 PM at Gov. Thomas Johnson High School, Frederick County Public Schools will host the Annual Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. This is the largest student-focused event by FCPS During the event, students from each school will be recognized as the King Award recipient for demonstrating model character traits as those of Dr King There will also be student performances.

As a particular part of this celebration, a new award, the Ava Maria Whittemore Educational Equity Legacy Award, this award is presented to an individual in the Frederick County community who demonstrate a sustained commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion and a commitment to those values as they serve the FCPS community. The 2023 inaugural recipient of this award is Earl H Robbins, Jr Given his years of service to the Frederick Community, particularly his work in striving for equity and inclusivity, he is well-deserving of this award

Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”

50 Years of Influence and Impact

Baltimore (MD) Alumni

By: Nathan Fletcher

The culmination of 50 years of Floyd Taliaferro III’s life was recently celebrated with friends and colleagues across the country and a cross-section of those he influenced and impacted professionally and fraternally His journey was highlighted by the recognition of his contributions to the campus of his Alma Mater, Morgan State University, from his beginnings as a student leader to 46 years as an employee of the “National Treasure” after graduation

Mr T, as he was affectionately known by many, began as a student in 1970, was elected President of his Junior and Senior classes, and served as the Chief Justice of the Student Court. In 1973 he was initiated at the Morgan State College Chapter, later the Morgan State University Chapter, the Alpha Iota of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Upon his graduation in 1974, he was soon employed as the Recreation Manager at the McKeldin Student Center. Richard Robinson supervised him, who would later join Kappa Alpha Psi through Baltimore Alumni Chapter during that period. Floyd immediately affiliated with Baltimore Alumni Chapter after graduation and assumed essential roles within the chapter that would significantly impact over a long period

Brother Taliaferro progressed through several career progressions, rising to the position of Director of the McKeldin Student Center In addition to that position, he was also the Director of Student Affairs with responsibilities for planning and execution of all campus events from Homecoming to Graduation. He oversaw the activities of all student organizations At the end of his career, that number exceeded 100 student organizations. He served under three University Presidents in an exemplary fashion The period ended with his retirement in December 2020 after 46 years. Within those 46 years, he also helped revive the On Campus Alumni Chapter of the Morgan State University National Alumni Association, serving as its President for several terms That Chapter was awarded the National Alumni Association Chapter of the Years in 2015 during his tenure as President Also, Mr Taliaferro was named Alumnus of the Year in 2015. That is the simple synopsis of the tenure as an official employee. But his impact and substance can only be described as enormous. He served as a mentor and counselor to thousands of students he employed at the Student Center and for the numerous events held on the campus. He set an example as a role model in his demeanor and presence, from being impeccably dressed to being the ultimate problem solver. He was respected by all and disparaged by very few (we all have detractors) He was a confidant for fellow employees and students alike. His leadership ability rose at every turn

Floyd’s fraternity contributions included being Chairman of the Housing Committee for the Kappa House and overseeing renovations and upgrades on several occasions. He served on the Board of Directors as First Vice Polemarch and eventually Polemarch of the 42nd Baltimore Alumni Chapter administration. He is a Life member of the Fraternity and the Eastern Province. He served as the Eastern Province Chairman of the Province Council Planning Committee He Chaired the Baltimore Alumni Eastern Province Council Planning Committee held in Baltimore under the 43rd Baltimore Alumni administration

The Silver Spring (MD) Alumni (SSA) Chapter partnered with the Sharing Shoes Non-Profit Organization on their 1st Annual Athletic Shoe Donation program. Via this partnership, SSA donated more than 60 pairs of athletic shoes to the Boys & Girls Basketball teams of Paint Branch High School. Additionally, shoes were donated to a local Boys & Girls Club This Project was created and managed by Brother Howard Nicholson. SSA will partner annually with the Sharing Shoes NonProfit Organization

His most significant fraternity impact was serving as the Alpha Iota Chapter advisor for almost fifteen years. However, he impacted every initiate of Alpha Iota since his initiation because of his presence from 1973 During his term as Advisor, Alpha Iota Chapter was awarded the International Large Undergraduate Chapter of the Year during the 79th Grand Chapter Meeting in Washington, DC At that time, he also served as Chairman of the Baltimore Alumni Hospitality Suite, known worldwide as a venue for fraternizing by Brothers who had heard of the welcome they would receive This was only one incident of his serving in that capacity at Province Councils and Conclaves

In the chronicles of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, some can be recognized as exemplifying the best that the Fraternity has to offer. Floyd Taliaferro, III is one of those best living the tenets of Achievement In Every Field of Human Endeavor professionally and fraternally. His Silhouette Gwendola supported him by his side, and his two sons were also initiated at Alpha Iota, Floyd IV, and Mikael. They have become outstanding Brothers following the footsteps of their exceptional father as Legacies. Floyd was rightly honored for all he is and who he has been for his tremendous influence on the lives of others