Florida Sigmas Hall of Fame

“Florida – The State of Brotherhood”

In the spring of 2019 soon after State Conference and my election I attended the conferences of our States within the Southern Region. One of my platform items was to improve our conference experience and honor our Seasoned Sigmas and I wanted to see best practices from those around us. During this time I witnessed the honors bestowed upon brothers for their work during the year and over the course of their time as a Sigma Man. In addition, I attended our Sisters of Zeta Phi Beta State of Florida annual conference to also see how they did the same for their members.

We had a Sigma Man of the Year for both Collegiate and Alumni as well as an Advisor of the Year award and we had our Outstanding Sigmas of the Southern Region for Regional level and Distinguished Service Chapter for the National level. I wanted to have something that recognized the body of work in the State of Florida for our brothers. I brought my idea to our 1st Vice State Director Brother Brady Talley and we discussed at length the goals and the best way to implement it.

We decided a Hall of Fame with a limited amount of inductees per year based on the works (Sigma and Community) of the brothers within the State. Our goal was to bring to light brothers who work hard within the fraternity and within the community but may not be known on a region or national basis. We wanted to set these members apart so we decided a Gold Medal was appropriate and to have them completely stand out a White Fraternity Blazer with the Shield and the lettering "Florida Sigmas Hall of Fame" beneath it. We unveiled the initial class at the 2020 Florida State Conference.

We hoped to surprise the recipients as well as the Brotherhood so the initial Committee was Brother Talley and myself and the vote was unanimous for the initial Class. Honorable Brother Sidney McCray, Honorable Brother Ray Smith and Brother Damon Miller Sr. (Omega Chapter) were announced on January 25th 2020 at the Joint Luncheon in front of 1,000 members of the Blue and White family to include our 35th International President Michael E. Cristal. After State Conference and the presentation which was well received I set in motion to make this a permanent part of our body.

In discussion with Brother Talley, my chief of staff Brother Gary Cobb and myself we developed the plan to have our District Directors be the HOF Committee and that nominees would come from the district and be voted upon by the HOF Committee. We met with the District Directors over the course of 6 months to develop the criteria and forms and presented the proposal to the State Executive Board for discussion and approval. The proposal was adopted unanimously by the Executive Board and the standing committee was established.

2020 Honorable Sidney McCray

2020 Honorable Ray Smith

2020 Damon Miller,

Beta Beta Lambda Chapter University of the Bahamas

TheBetaBetaLambdaChapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. has a rich history of service and achievement in the Bahamas. This chapter was the first undergraduate chapter of any black greek letter organization to charter outside the continental United States of America. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the brothers who had a vision of spreading Sigma throughout the Bahamas.

The chapter was chartered on November 5 2004, after a rigorous process that involved organizing documents and signatures at the College of The Bahamas. The first officersofthenewlyformedchapter werePresident – DerekWSmithJr., Vice President - Emille M. Hunt, Secretary - Gerardo Williams, Treasurer - D'Angelo Reid, and ChairofEducation – RM.BaileyIII. The chapter has initiated over 80 brothersandwillcelebrate20years inNovember2024.

Pastchaptermembershavegoneon to serve as graduate chapter presidents. State Director of the Bahamas, Bro. Rodney D. Bain, a 2008 initiate, is the first brother to serve as undergraduate president, graduate president, and state director. Bro. Bain is also the first

Bahamian-initiatedbrothertoserve as state director. This is a testament to the quality of leadership fostered within the chapter. The chapter has also won numerousawardsattheuniversity, regional, and even conclave levels. Bro. Dr. Trevor Johnson, a 2015 initiate, graduated as the valedictorian with the highest GPA of the entire graduating class of 2016 at The University of The Bahamas.

Oneofthechapter'sstapleeventsis the sleep-out for the homeless, which has been happening for over a decade. This event provides much-needed support for the homeless population in the Bahamas and raises awareness of the issue of homelessness. The chapter's commitment to service is also demonstrated through its participation in other events such as the March of Dimes Walk for BabiesandtheAIDSWalk.

The Beta Beta Lambda Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. has made significant contributions to the Bahamas and has demonstrated the power of brotherhood and service. The chapter's legacy will continue to inspireandshapethelivesofyoung menintheBahamasandbeyond.