The Sphinx Magazine Spring/Summer 2008 part 1

Founder’s Lost Gravesite Located in new YorkA Piece of Fraternity History Reclaimed

Spring/Summer 2008 • Volume 93 • Numbers 1–2

aLPHas on tHe Move

dr. tHoMas PawLeY naMedHistorian eMeritus

101st anniversarY convention

KansasCityAll theWayKansasCityAll theWay

Kansas City’s Union Station is the second-largest working train station in the country. The 1914 landmark is home to an interactivefamily science center, a railroad museum, live theater stage, 3-D movie theater, planetarium, shops and restaurants where you willdiscover the secret to Kansas City-style barbecue—the city’s signature food.

And the fun doesn’t stop there! The Sphinx captures the excitement of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity’s 102nd Anniversary Conventionin our next edition.

For Advertisement Display Rate Information visit www.sphinxmagazine.com. Photo: Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association

ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC.102ND ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC.102ND ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

O F F I C I A L O R G A N O F A L P H A P H I A L P H A F R A T E R N I T Y, I N C .

ON THE COVER:Zeta Zeta Lambda Brothers are pictured at Eugene KinckleJones gravesite. Photo byJoseph L. Sessum. Coverstory begins on page 34.

On This Page:Sylvester Fulton named2007-08 Outstanding AlumniBrother of the Year.

DEPARTMENTS

5 General President’s Letter

7 Executive Director’s Letter

11 Publisher’s Letter

20 Alphas OnThe Move

48 Chapter News

70 Book Reviews

73 Omega Chapter

78 Corporate Directory

80 Leadership Directory

2

CONTENTS

®

MISSION STATEMENTAlpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. develops leaders, promotes brotherhood andacademic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for our communities.

The Sphinx: www.APA1906.net Spring • Summer 2008

On This Page:Jelaun Newsome named

2007-08 OutstandingCollege Brother

of the Year.

FEATURES

13 Historian Emeritus

16 Bermuda Weekend

34 Eugene Kinckle JonesGravesite

36 Gamma Chapter Centennial

38 Theta Theta Lambda

40 Senator Ted Kennedy

42 Frederick Douglass

46 Leadership DevelopmentInstitute

56 State of the Fraternity Address

61 101st AnniversaryConvention

3

101ST ANNIVERSARY CONVENTIONStory begins on page 61

1: Plenary Session

2: Darryl Matthews and Peter Smithhisler ofthe North American Inter-FraternityConference.

3: Brother Ambassador Andrew Young.

4: Reggie Riddle (l) with Allison and DarrylMatthews.

5: G.P. Darryl Matthews (c) and ConventionSecurity team.

Spring • Summer 2008 The Sphinx: www.APA1906.net4

1 2

3 4

5

PRESIDENT’S


STAND UP! MAN UP! FOLLOW UP!Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. develops leaders, promotes brotherhood and academicexcellence, while providing service and advocacy for our communities..

B rothers, I and others have expressed the urgent need for you to become mentors to our youth.Our partner in this undertaking is Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. You have seen and visit-ed their booths and kiosks at our regional and national conventions. You’ve read articles about

Big Brothers; received emails via AlphaNet; fielded phone calls; and seen their commercials during theSuper Bowl and March Madness. You’ve been bombarded with Fraternity appeals.

During my State of the Fraternity Address at the 2006 Centennial Convention, a decree for10,000 Alpha men to enroll as Big Brothers was issued. There were a number who answered thecall to positively influence the lives of our young people. Many of these youngsters must frequentlymake tough choices concerning contentious forces fighting for their souls. We cannot wait and hopesomeone else will fight for our youth.

There is a current slang expression that goes: “Man Up”. A term description, according to Urbandictionary.Com, is: “to fulfillyour responsibilities as a man, to work through impediments and obstacles without whining.”

Young people are in our community waiting for Alpha men to be who we say we are. Our community is looking for us to STAND UP,MAN UP AND THEN FOLLOW UP. That’s what leaders do. That’s what Alpha men are supposed to do. I recently received the following let-ter from the mother of a 10-year-old male who is looking to Alpha Phi Alpha for help in keeping her son on the right path to manhood.

Dear Mr. Matthews,

I’m writing this letter to discuss possibly finding a Big Brother mentor for my son, Tyler. Attached… is his résumé. From birth,I have strived and worked really hard with him and I do see where my persistence has paid off. Yet, my son will be 10 yearsold this year and I see not only developmental changes but mental changes that I fear I’m not understanding—let alone notknowing how to deal with them. He definitely needs a male presence around and I’m pleading that someone will be availableto be there for him a few times out of the month, someone he can look up to and call a friend. He’s on the right path so farand I’m hoping to keep it going… I thank you for your time and look forward to hearing from your organization soon.

The goal of recruiting 10,000 Alpha Brothers has not yet been realized. However, we are well on our way there. We haveseen a boost in enrollment and services rendered by Brothers. More have come forward but we still need others to stand up.

It is about us making a difference for young people who are looking for appropriate role models. It is about us providing serv-ice and advocacy for our communities. We have an opportunity to help change the destiny of our people and to make a real differ-ence in lives. Because of our actions, there may be more young men with a chance to experience college life rather than prison life.

I defy you to show me a Brother in this illustrious organization who cannot commit a minimum four hours a month to make adifference in a child’s life. If you can give more time, you are encouraged to do that. We can’t complain about high school graduationrates; college enrollment; or their lack of academic success if we’re not willing to help. We are Alpha Phi Alpha!

If you do not make a personal commitment, you are not living up to our mission statement, our motto or your sacred oath.When people see us they say, “There goes an Alpha man” and our brand implies that “There goes a man to help uplift the livesof wholesome youth.”

We must STAND UP, MAN UP AND THEN FOLLOW UP.

Fraternally,

DARRYL R. MATTHEWS, SR.General President

5

GENERAL PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Official Organ of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc®

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EXECUTIVE


WE STAND WITNESS TO A TREMENDOUSLY SIGNIFICANT NATIONAL EVENTDear Brothers,

S hortly, we will convene in Kansas City, Missouri for the 88th General Convention/102nd Anniversary

Celebration of our beloved brotherhood. As I spend considerable time in final preparation for this year’s

convention, it seems like we just left Orlando—the site of last year’s meeting. It has been quite a busy

time from then until now. Much of what has transpired, you saw coverage of in the last Sphinx and will see more

in this edition. The work of Alpha is phenomenal and I am proud to be on the leadership team as we make great

developmental and foundational progress. Just a few weeks ago, General President Darryl R. Matthews, Sr.

convened the Board of Directors,

selected Committee Chairmen, General

Presidential candidates and members of the General Office staff for a

two-year review and assessment of our Strategic Plan, the updates of

which will be presented at the Convention. This is our direct work; how-

ever, there are many other aspects of Alpha leadership.

At this moment in our lives, we are witness to a tremendously

significant national event. United States Senator Barack Obama of

Illinois has gained the required amount of delegates to be the pre-

sumptive nominee of the Democratic National Party for President of

the United States. He is the first African American, a bi-racial citizen,

to accomplish this feat. Brothers, while we are not all of one political

party, racial group or mindset; we can and should all take pride in this

accomplishment. This is the fruit of our “A Voteless People Is A

Hopeless People” national campaign. In this year, when we will cele-

brate the 45th Anniversary of The March on Washington, we can view

this event as we rightfully should—a realization of Brother Martin

Luther King, Jr.’s dream.

No matter which candidate you decide to support in the

November General Election, it is important that we continue our voter

education and voter registration efforts—this is a part of the leadership,

service and advocacy, which we provide to our communities.

I hope that you have made your preparations to convene in Kansas City. There is much work to do and you are needed there.

Fraternally Always,

WILLARD C. HALL, JR.Executive Director

7

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S LETTER

Willard Hall and Barack Obama


ORGANIZING EDITOR Raymond W. CannonORGANIZING GENERAL PRESIDENT Henry Lake Dickason

PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Seaton J. White, III

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS William Douglass Lyle

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSJoseph T. Durham

Robert L. Harris, Jr.Lover High, Jr.

Waldo E. Johnson, Jr.Ryan Mack

Thomas D. Pawley IIIRonald Peters

PHOTOGRAPHYDonald BakerRickey Brown

Larry CriderJeff Lewis

John LewisAnthony Roberson

GENERAL OFFICERSGENERAL PRESIDENT Darryl R. Matthews, Sr.

IMMEDIATE PAST GENERAL PRESIDENT Harry E. Johnson, Sr.EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Willard C. Hall, Jr.

GENERAL TREASURER George N. ReavesGENERAL COMPTROLLER Frank A. Jenkins, III

GENERAL COUNSEL Michael D. PeguesDIRECTOR OF CONVENTIONS Michael Thompson

HISTORIAN Robert L. Harris, Jr.

FOUNDERSHenry Arthur Callis Eugene Kinckle Jones

Charles Henry Chapman Vertner Woodson TandyNathaniel Allison Murray George Biddle Kelley

Robert Harold Ogle

ALPHA PHI ALPHA WEBSITE ADDRESS:http://www.APA1906.net

Official Organ of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc®

Submission Guidelines

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lication for its pro-

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rences. The publication covers a wide range of topics that are

relevant to different sectors and geographic locations. The major

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PUBLISHER’S


UNVEILING A STORY’S BEGINNING

O n occasion, I hear from individuals outside of the Fraternity who have had a chance toreview The Sphinx Magazine; and are thoughtful enough to give me their commentsabout the publication. One such comment came from a young man in California with

clearly good writing skills who wrote: “The magazine was very enlightening. It was definitelyinteresting and great to see so many positive black men in a magazine published by and forblacks. Had a different feel to it…”

His comments were like that of so many other non-Fraternity members who marvel after seeinga publication report on the positive things being done by African American men.

Part of the young writer’s surprise—and that of others who make similar comments—canpossibly be attributed to the mainstream media and how it has conditioned its audience to expectnegative news. In addition, we need to increase the number of men in our community who areperforming the kinds of positive acts read about in The Sphinx; and to focus more on groups and individuals who are alreadydoing such deeds.

This magazine edition highlights the outstanding work that a number of our Brothers are performing both in thecommunity and within the organization.

An especially encouraging article that looks at the work Brothers are doing within the Fraternity comes from Zeta ZetaLambda Chapter’s Assistant Editor-to-the-Sphinx. In the article, ZZL Brothers share information of historical importance to theFraternity while describing their efforts to relocate the gravesite of one of Alpha Phi Alpha’s Seven Jewels. The article about therelocated gravesite of Eugene Kinckle Jones, which begins on page 34, may only be the beginning of the story. The Fraternity’shistorians and others who have researched and written about the founders will no doubt have more to say.

This edition also presents a personally gratifying moment for me as the Fraternity announces the naming of Dr. ThomasD. Pawley III as Historian Emeritus. The Fraternity’s current historian, Dr. Robert L. Harris, Jr., has written The Sphinx arti-cle recognizing Brother Pawley’s numerous professional and fraternal accomplishments. In particular, he looks at BrotherPawley’s “Historical Moments” column that he wrote for the magazine in the 1990s. The historical wealth gathered from thoseand other of Dr. Pawley’s writings has been tremendous.

I feel very privileged to have worked with Brother Pawley as Editor-in-Chief of The Sphinx when many of the “HistoricalMoments” articles (a feature begun by former Sphinx Editor J.J. Johnson) were being developed. Today, I continue to enjoy someof the benefits of Brother Pawley’s rich knowledge as we work together to bring you other aspects of the Fraternity’s history—one of the latest being his article in the Centennial Edition Sphinx looking at the penning of the “Hymn to the Founders.”

Brother Pawley has agreed to again be a contributing writer for the magazine, although we will not tax him with producinga regular column. Brother Pawley will submit articles at his pleasure. I look forward to the submissions and to the times when Ipick up my phone and hear Brother Pawley’s voice on the other end—with an informative perspective about the Fraternity. Thefeature story about Brother Pawley begins on page 13.

Fraternally,

SEATON J. WHITE, IIIPublisher and Editor-in-Chief

11

PUBLISHER AND EDITOR’S LETTER

S P H I N X M A G A Z I N E A D V E R T I S E M E N T STo inquire about placing an ad in The Sphinx Magazine or for Sphinx Advertising Display Rates

and other ad information, contact:

Publisher of The Sphinx®

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P.O. Box 1203Randallstown, MD 21133-1218

Website: www.sphinxmagazine.com • Email: [email protected] • Phone: 410-902-8387

MLK DREAM CONCERTStevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin

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Fall/Winter 2007• Volume 92 • Numbers 3–4

2007 DISTINGUISHED

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Brother Thomas D. Pawley, III, Ph.D., was named Alpha PhiAlpha Fraternity Historian Emeritus following his recom-mendation to the Board of Directors by General President

Darryl R. Matthews, Sr. at the organization’s 101st AnniversaryConvention in Orlando, Florida. The Board enthusiastically andunanimously approved the recommendation.

Brother Pawley, who was initiated into the Fraternity throughBeta Gamma Chapter at Virginia State University in 1934, hasenjoyed a distinguished career as actor, administrator, author,director, essayist, playwright, and Fraternity Historian. He was bornon August 5, 1917 in Jackson, Mississippi to parents BrotherThomas D. Pawley, Jr. and Ethel John Pawley, née Woolfolk. BrotherPawley, who will celebrate his 91st birthday in August, grew up onthe campus of Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia,where his father was Professor of English. He graduated from highschool at age 15 and received a Bachelor’s degree with distinctionfrom Virginia State University in 1937, at age 19.

In 1937, Brother Pawley enrolled at the University of Iowawhere he pursued a Master’s and later a doctoral degree in theatre.He received an Alpha Phi Alpha Graduate Scholarship in 1947-48to help him complete the doctoral degree. One of the plays BrotherPawley submitted for the Ph.D. degree, Messiah, won a $1,000 firstprize in a playwriting competition organized in 1954 by theJamestown, Virginia Corporation.

From 1939-1944, Brother Pawley taught during the summersat Atlanta University where he acted and directed plays. He servedas a drama instructor at Prairie View A&M College in Texas in1939-1940. While at Prairie View A&M, he directed a play starringone of his students, Ethel Louise McPeters, whom he married inAugust 1941. The couple recently observed their 66th weddinganniversary. Brother Pawley’s ambition was to become a profes-sional actor. He soon realized; however, that there were few posi-tive roles for black actors. He refused to accept demeaning rolesthat portrayed black men as ignorant buffoons. Moreover, hedecided that he could not earn a suitable living on the stage.

He began teaching at Lincoln University in Jefferson City,Missouri in 1940 and completed his doctoral degree at theUniversity of Iowa in 1949. While teaching during the summers atAtlanta University, Brother Pawley published several poems in

Phylon: The Atlanta University Review of Race and Culture dur-ing the period 1940-1944, which were edited by Brother W.E.B. DuBois. His poem, “We Who Are Left Behind”, which appeared in Vol.5, No. 2, of Phylon, poignantly depicts the challenges confrontingthose left behind on the home-front while their fellow citizensfought abroad. He wrote in part:

Not forever will war drums beat.Soon they must stop: that is nature’s law.But drummers once restedCan resume the death beatUnless we say, “It shall not be so.No more the age-old pattern, festering patternOf Hell …No more the burnished symbols of a rusting time-worn creed —They must be destroyed!”That is our job —That is the strengthOf us who are left behind.

This is a timeless poem. Although written during World War II,it is a cautionary reminder of how we seek to settle disputes andhow those who become absorbed in beating war drums sink into apattern that those left behind have a responsibility to change, toweave new patterns and new possibilities for mankind.

Brother Pawley taught at Lincoln University for some 48 yearsbefore retiring in 1988 as Curators’ Distinguished Professor Emeritusof Speech and Theatre. During his academic career, he wrote morethan a hundred poems and some 30 plays. He published bookreviews and essays in numerous journals and co-authored the book,The Black Teacher and the Dramatic Arts, issued by GreenwoodPress in 1970. At Lincoln University, Brother Pawley served as head ofthe departments of English, English and Speech, Speech and Theatre,and Communications. He chaired the Division of Humanities and FineArts and was Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The recipientof numerous honors and awards, he was inducted into theDepartment of Theatre Hall of Fame at the University of Iowa. He hasenjoyed the distinction of serving on both the Missouri Humanities

13

DR. THOMAS PAWLEY NAMED HISTORIAN EMERITUSAT 101ST ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION

By Robert L. Harris, Jr., Ph.D.

Spring • Summer 2008 The Sphinx: www.APA1906.net

Council and the Missouri StateCouncil on the Arts. Brother Pawleyhas provided leadership for manystate and national arts organizations.He has been President of the NationalAssociation of Dramatic and SpeechArts, the Speech Association ofMissouri, and the NationalConference on African AmericanTheatre; and is a member of theCollege of Fellows of the AmericanTheatre.

Brother Pawley—whose sons,Brothers Lawrence and Thomas D.Pawley IV, are third generationmembers of Alpha Phi AlphaFraternity, Inc.—has given unstint-ing service to the Fraternity on thechapter, state, regional, and nationallevels. A Fraternity life member since1970, he was Beta Zeta Lambda’s(Jefferson City, Missouri) “Man ofthe Year” in 1965. He has beenRegional Director for Central Missouri; chair of the ResolutionsCommittee for the 1966 General Convention in Chicago; Director ofEducational Activities; and chair of the Education Foundation.Brother Pawley was elected Midwestern Regional Vice President,1975-1979. An unsuccessful candidate for General President in1980, he became National Historian in 1993. That year, he deliveredthe Fraternal Address at the 87th Anniversary Convention in NewOrleans. This was the second time that he had given the FraternalAddress, as he had done so in 1977 at the 71st AnniversaryConvention in Atlanta. His subject on that occasion was the ritual.He presented a lively, informative and enlightening disquisition onthe meaning and significance of the ritual.

His Fraternal Address in 1993 was entitled “Alpha Phi Alphaand American History.” He explained the Fraternity’s concern forengaging the past that was formally expressed as early 1914, at the7th General Convention in Chicago, which mandated that each chap-ter appoint a historian. The historian’s responsibility was not only torecord the chapter’s history but to promote the discussion of AfricanAmerican history among the brotherhood and the local community.The 13th General Convention in Kansas City required The SphinxMagazine to include a department on “Negro History.” BrotherWilliam Leo Hansberry, who received a Master’s degree fromHarvard University, studied at Oxford University, and taught Africanhistory at Howard University, headed the department on “NegroHistory” for The Sphinx Magazine. Alpha Phi Alpha also was con-cerned about preserving its own history as the first black intercolle-

giate Fraternity. In 1928, BrotherCharles H. Wesley, our first NationalHistorian, published The Historyof Alpha Phi Alpha: A Developmentin College Life. Moreover, theFoundation Publishers, which wasestablished to publish Alpha’s histo-ry, also printed historical studies byscholars such as Brothers JohnHope Franklin, Hugh Gloster,Rayford W. Logan, and W. ShermanSavage, who was not an Alpha.

The Fraternity’s interest in his-tory influenced occasional pilgrim-ages to historic sites duringGeneral Conventions, such asFrederick Douglass’ home inAnacosta, Washington, D.C., 1921;the abolitionist Elijah Lovejoy’sMonument near St. Louis, 1922;the Robert Gould Shaw Memorialin Boston, 1963, which commemo-rated the leader of the black 54th

Massachusetts Regiment during the Civil War and the CrispusAttucks Monument in Boston in honor of the black man who isacclaimed to be the first martyr of the American Revolution; thecourthouse in St. Louis, 1966, where the Dred Scott decision wasissued in 1857 and where Brother Thurgood Marshall spokebefore the assembled Brothers about the legal battle for rights asAmerican citizens, and the journey to Liberia after the 70thAnniversary Convention in New York, 1976, the first black Greek-letter organization to meet on the African continent.

Brother Pawley reminded the Brothers that the Fraternity notonly commemorated history but also made history by promotingthe establishment of an Officers Training Camp for black officersat Ft. Des Moines, Iowa during World War I and leading the legalattack on racial discrimination and segregation in higher educa-tion in the Donald Murray case in Maryland, Brother LloydGaines’ case in Missouri, Brother Lyman Johnson’s case inKentucky, Brother Herman Sweatt’s case in Texas, and the GeorgeMcLaurin case in Oklahoma. Moreover, Brothers Belford V.Lawson (General President) and Jawn A. Sandifer (GeneralCounsel), argued before the Supreme Court the case ofHenderson v. Southern Railway on behalf of the Fraternity. Theysuccessfully overturned segregation in dining car service. BrotherArthur Shores in Birmingham, Alabama attacked discriminatoryzoning ordinances and was the attorney for Autherine Lucy’s suc-cessful fight to become the first black student to enroll at theUniversity of Alabama.

14

Brother Dr. Thomas D. Pawley III


Brother Pawley ended his address with the admonition thatAlphas should not forget that the very founding of the Fraternitywas an historic event and that “we owe it to the Jewels, ourdeceased Brothers, to ourselves and to those who have not yetseen the light to respect, revere and cherish our history and neverlet it ‘fade away’.”

As National Historian, Brother Pawley published numerousessays, “Historical Moments,” in The Sphinx Magazine. Heexplained the designation of the Seventh Jewel; the Development ofOur Christian Legacy; the elimination of racial restrictions on mem-bership; the decline of honorary memberships; the heraldicemblems of the Shield and the Fraternal Design; the Fraternity Hymn;our highest Fraternity awards; the Ritual; the Great Sphinx at Giza;and the struggle to end brutality. Brother Pawley served with greatdistinction as National Historian until 1996, when health concernsforced him to relinquish the position. In addition to the “HistoricalMoments,” he developed a study guide for aspirants to review theFraternity’s history. He also wrote and narrated a 30 minute videolecture, “The Beginnings of Alpha Phi Alpha”, that explained the ori-gin and early development of the Fraternity. At the 90th AnniversaryConvention, in New Orleans in 1996, 29th General President MiltonC. Davis presented Brother Pawley with the Alpha Award of Merit, thehighest honor given to a member of the Fraternity.

For the Centennial Convention, July 25-30, 2006, inWashington, D.C., Brother Pawley wrote a “Hymn to the Founders,”which was beautifully rendered by the Alpha Chorus. With his peer-less poetic voice, Brother Pawley encapsulated the founding ofAlpha Phi Alpha as part of the legacy of the African American strug-gle for freedom, as a tribute to our ancestors’ thirst for education,and as an unyielding bond of brotherhood for mutual achievementand service to mankind. His stirring words succinctly invoked themeaning of Alpha Phi Alpha as he eloquently exclaimed:

They emblazed their banners with black and goldAnd a symbol of the land from which their forefather’scameThe mystic Sphinx of Giza, a wonder to behold,Silent and majestic on Egypt’s sun scorched sands.What now they asked shall our brotherhood’s goal be?The answer they gave is our answer still:Educating youth so that free men will stay free!

Brother Robert L. Harris, Jr., Ph.D., is National Historian for theAlpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and serves as Vice Provost andProfessor of African American History at Cornell University inIthaca, New York.

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Epsilon Theta Lambda Chapter recently hosted its 2008Alpha Weekend in Bermuda. The weekend celebration,held May 22-25, coincided with the U.S. Memorial Day

and Bermuda Heritage Day weekends. A primary purpose of thecelebration was to allow the Fraternity’s Brothers in the U.S. achance to travel to Bermuda and experience the hospitality andbeauty of the island. General President Darryl R. Matthews, Sr.,his wife Allison, and Executive Director Willard C. Hall, Jr.accepted the Chapter’s invitation; and had the opportunity—along with Epsilon Theta Lambda Chapter President Diallo V.Rabain—to meet with the leader of Bermuda, Premier theHonourable Dr. Ewart Brown.

The weekend began with a welcome reception on May 22 forvisitors and VIP guests. About 50 fellow Greeks from the Pan-Hellenic Council were also in attendance. Everyone from both theU.S. and Bermuda enjoyed good food, drinks, music, laughter andan all-round good time during the social gathering. Following thesocial, many of the participants went out and explored Hamilton,Bermuda’s main city.

Epsilon Theta Lambda Brothers invited over 40 members ofvarious step teams to Bermuda and provided them with accommo-dations and transportation during their visit. A condition of theteams coming to the island was that they participate in a Go-to-HighSchool, Go-to-College community service event. Every public mid-dle school there and one senior high school (Senior School) wasvisited on May 23; and a one-and-a-half hour session was conduct-ed at the schools. The importance of finishing high school, attend-ing and completing college was discussed at length at the visitedschools. The step teams then staged demonstrations, which wereenthusiastically received. One of the Alpha Step Teams—“The A-

team”—while visiting at CedarBridge Academy, invited a few stu-dents on stage and taught them some simple step routines. Morethan 2,000 public school students participated in the activities thatday. The Fraternity’s visits to the schools occurred with the assis-tance of the weekend’s sponsor, Digicel, who provide T-Shirts forall graduating 8th graders on the island.

On May 25, the Annual Alpha Beautillion was held at theRuth Seaton James Center for the Performing Arts. The AlphaBeautillion format in Bermuda is one where all of the highschools are asked to nominate one male senior for the pro-gram. The young men are mentored for six months in prepara-tion for college life. The young men are exposed to communi-ty service; time management skills; resume writing; and con-flict resolution. They are encouraged to work together and tolearn to depend on each other. Their experience culminates ina competition. Half of the judging criteria is done prior to theperformance night and is based on their deportment; atten-dance to the various seminars; community service; advertise-ment and ticket sales; and essay writing. On the night of theBeautillion, the young men are judged by a panel of independ-ent judges on their stage presence, oratorical ability, talentsand a Question & Answer session.

The judges this year included the Premier of Bermuda, theCEO of Bermuda Cablevision and the Beautillion’s sponsor, BELCO(Bermuda Electric Lighting Company). Bursaries (scholarships)are awarded for use towards college tuitions. The winner of theBeautillion received a bursary of $5,000. Bursaries of $3,000 and$2,000 were awarded to the 2nd and 3rd place finishers. Bursariesof $1,000 are awarded to the non-finalist participants. All of theBeaus are also flown to New York to participate in the Fraternity’s

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ALPHA WEEKEND IN BERMUDA ATTRACTSDIVINE NINE ORGANIZATION MEMBERS

FROM THROUGHOUT U.S. AND CARIBBEAN

Fraternity General President Darryl Matthews meets withBermuda Head of State during Visit


Leadership Development Institute (LDI), which is held every July.The expense is paid for by the funds raised from the Beautillion.

One of the many highlights of the competition is the stepshow portion for the Alpha Beaus. This year, Brother BryantHarrison of Rho Nu Chapter taught the Alpha Beaus their steproutine. The Alpha Beaus practiced with Brother Harrison foronly one-and-a-half weeks; however, they gave a rousing per-formance. Last year, Epsilon Theta Chapter formed a mentoringpartnership with Sigma and Rho Nu Chapters of Boston. BrotherHarrison’s availability was one of the benefits of that partnership.

The Beautillion has far reaching effects. The 2004 Beautillionrunner-up, Zuri Darrell, not only went on to become a Brother inAlpha—in addition, Brother Darrell was named the 2008 CollegeBrother of the Year for Alpha East.

Also, a major fund-raising aspect of the weekend is theStep Show! “Stomp the Beach” was to be held at a beach loca-tion with a stage set up on the sand and with the ocean in thebackground. However on May 24, Mother Nature did not coop-erate and the heavens opened—raining out the step show. Anew date for the show was set and promotion of the eventbegan immediately after the formal Beautillion affair, with theRho Nu Chapter presenting an exhibition. Four teams partici-pated for the awards of Best Male and Female Step Teams. Ateam of Delta Sigma Theta Sorors from New York executedtheir routine with precision and poise. The Kappa Alpha Psi All-Stars followed with arguably one of the best Kappa routinesseen in Bermuda. An Alpha Kappa Alpha team “Pearlfection”from Los Angeles sizzled as they completed a flawless routine.Finally, the Alpha Phi Alpha “A-Team” from New York broughtthe audience to their feet with their precise and unique routine,

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which was filled with highly entertaining skits and props. Theirfinale involved stepping on tables and an A-frame step ladder.The breath-taking performance sealed their position as BestMale Step Team. The Delta team won the award for the BestFemale Step Team.

The weekend concluded with a celebration at the PoliceRecreational Club. The response from the public has been verypositive and Epsilon Theta Lambda is already entertaining requestsconcerning Beautillion 2009 and “Stomp the Beach ‘09”(STB’09). Plans are being made now to accommodate all thosewho will journey to Bermuda for the 2009 event.

(L-r) Brother Dr. George “Burt” McPhee andGeneral President Darryl Matthews.

(L-r) General President Darryl R. Matthews, Sr.;Bermuda Premier the Honourable Dr. Ewart F. Brown,J.P., M.P.; Executive Director Willard C. Hall, Jr.; andETL Chapter President Diallo V. Rabain.

Epsilon Theta Lambda Chapter’s 2008 Beaus are picturedat the Annual Alpha Beautillion, held this year at theRuth Seaton James Center for the Performing Arts inHamilton, Bermuda.


Johnson Publishing Company’s Ebony Magazine recognizedsome of the nation’s most prominent African American leadersin a recent publication. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity 32nd

General President Darryl R. Matthews, Sr. was among those namedas one of the top 150 most influential leaders in the U.S. today inthe special feature, entitled “The New Black Power: The NextGeneration of Influential Leaders Takes Its Place at the Top”.

The feature, published in Ebony’s May 2008 issue, presentedthe magazine’s “The Most Influential Black Americans” list for the45th consecutive year. The feature first began appearing in 1963.Several other Alpha Phi Alpha Brothers were highlighted in the fea-ture as representing the 150 most powerful African Americans inthe nation. Included among them were: Brothers Emanuel CleaverII, U.S. Rep.–Missouri; Danny K. Davis, U.S. Rep–Illinois; ChakaFattah, U.S. Rep.–Pennsylvania; Al Green, U.S. Rep.–Texas; GregoryMeeks, U.S. Rep.–New York; Charles Rangel, U.S. Rep.–New York;David Scott, U.S. Rep.–Georgia; Robert C. Scott, U.S. Rep.–Virginia;William H. Graves, CEO of the CME Church; McKinley Young,General Board President, AME Church; Johnathan Rodgers, CEOand President of TV One; Don Thompson, president of McDonald’sUSA; Dr. John Hope Franklin, noted historian and professor emer-itus of Duke University; Dr. Cornel West, author and scholar; MarcH. Morial, president of the National Urban League; Albert E.Dotson, Jr., chairman of 100 Black Men of America, Inc.; Ralph B.Everett, president/CEO of the Joint Center for Political andEconomic Studies; Eugene Upshaw, Executive Director of the NFLPlayers Association; and Roland Martin, nationally syndicatedcolumnist and CNN contributor.

General President Matthews also was the subject of a subse-quent feature by BlackNews.com that cited him for having a strong,relevant and substantive presence within the local, regional andnational community during his term as Alpha Phi Alpha GeneralPresident, evidencing his commitment to several outreach initia-tives that involved community and corporate partnerships.BlackNews.com is a daily black news and issues website for AfricanAmerican professionals, which features black celebrity photos,columns, interviews and reviews.

The Internet feature noted that during the MatthewsAdministration, the Fraternity announced a national partnership

with Wells Fargo Financial in the launch of a national internshipprogram. Created under the organization’s College Life toCorporate Life (C2C) “Champions of Change” national initiative,the internship program provides career opportunities in financialservices to minority men and women in college.

In the feature, Brother Matthews states that when afforded theopportunity, the fraternity continues to be a positive agent ofchange, and empowers, enlightens and reinforces the need for allpersons to be the change they are looking for.

Brother Matthews states that Alpha men are yesterday, todayand tomorrow’s leaders, influencers, community activists, sportsicons, trailblazers, businessmen, fathers, sons and mentors.

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GENERAL PRESIDENT DARRYL MATTHEWSNAMED AMONG EBONY’S “POWER 150”

Several Other Influential Alpha Brothers also Named to List

Darryl R. Matthews, Sr.


The University of Missouri-Columbia has named its GeneralClassroom Building in honor of Brother Dr. Arvarh E.Strickland. Brother Strickland is former president of Theta

Zeta Lambda Chapter in Ann Arbor, Michigan and was the firstAfrican American professor at the University of Missouri when hebegan there in 1969.

A Fraternity Life Member, Brother Strickland was a chartermember of Gamma Upsilon Chapter at Tougaloo College inMississippi. The professor emeritus of history had been previouslyhonored by an endowed chair in his name, as well as a room in theschool’s Memorial Union.

The renaming of the building was approved by the Universityof Missouri Board of Curators after a combined effort by theMissouri Students Association, the Residence Halls Associationand the LBC, which passed joint resolutions in support of thenaming. The GCB is now officially known as the Arvarh E.Strickland building.

After devoting more than 26 years of service to the Universityof Missouri-Columbia, Brother Dr. Strickland recently retired fromhis duties as a professor in the Department of History, leaving theUniversity a far-reaching legacy of commitment, scholarship andleadership. Through his research and writing, he earned a reputa-tion that extended beyond the University.

During his tenure, Brother Strickland participated in cur-riculum changes at MU, where he also directed numerous dis-sertations on African American and Southern history. TheUniversity relied on his expertise in many areas campus-wide, asevidenced by the administrative positions he held. Largelybecause of him, the University significantly increased its enroll-ment of African American students from 642 in 1993 to 1,018students in 1996.

He was instrumental in influencing the University to estab-lish its Black Studies Program in the early 1970s. The programoffers an interdisciplinary approach to the experience ofAfrican people throughout the world. Students apply the tradi-tional disciplines of language, literature, history, science, the

social sciences and fine arts to the complexities of the blackexperience. The program prepares students for a broad rangeof academic and professional careers relevant to the leader-ship and development of the black community in education,journalism, law, medicine, business, government, politics andinternational affairs.

As a respected scholar, Brother Strickland is the author ofHistory of the Chicago Urban League, a work considered by hispeers as indispensable to understanding the African Americanurban experience in the 20th century. He has published innumerous journals and edited a two-volume publication of thediary of Lincoln University’s Lorenzo Greene.

The 1951 summa cum laude graduate of Tougaloo Collegealso has served on the book prize committee for the SouthernHistorical Association and the American Historical Association.He is a trustee of the State Historical Society of Missouri and amember of the board of directors of the Truman LibraryInstitute. In 1993, his peers elected him to a two-year term asinternational president of Phi Alpha Theta, an internationalhonor society in history.

Brother Strickland received a Distinguished Faculty Awardin 1995, a Faculty-Alumni Award in 1983 and the Martin LutherKing Memorial Committee Award in 1982. Other honors includethe Thomas Jefferson Award and the Byler DistinguishedProfessor Award. He and his wife, Willie Pearl, have two sons,Duane and Bruce.

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MISSOURI UNIVERSITY’S GENERAL CLASSROOMBUILDING RENAMED TO HONOR

BROTHER DR. ARVARH E. STRICKLAND

Dr. Arvarh E. Strickland


Brother Clifford W. Houston,Ph.D., Associate Vice President forEducational Outreach and holder of theHerman Barnett Endowed Professorshipin Microbiology and Immunology at theUniversity of Texas Medical Branch atGalveston, was elected president of theAmerican Society for Microbiology (ASM).As a result, he became the first AfricanAmerican president in the 108-year histo-ry of the world’s largest life science organ-ization, which has a national and interna-tional membership totaling over 43,000scientists and health professionals. ASM’smission is to advance the microbiologicalsciences as a vehicle for understanding lifeprocesses and to apply and communicatethe knowledge for the improvement ofhealth and environmental and economicwell-being worldwide.

A native of Oklahoma City, Oklahomaand a first generation college graduate,Brother Houston has accomplished manyfirsts. He was initiated into Alpha Phi AlphaFraternity through Epsilon Epsilon Chapterat Oklahoma State University as a freshmanin 1969. He currently is a member of theGamma Pi Lambda Alumni Chapter inGalveston, Texas. Brother Houston receivedhis B.S. degree in Microbiology and

Chemistry and his Master’s degree inBiology from Oklahoma State University in1972 and 1975, respectively. He went on tobecome the first African American to earn aPh.D. in Microbiology and Immunologyfrom the University of Oklahoma HealthSciences Center in 1979. Prior to acceptinga faculty position at the University of TexasMedical Branch (UTMB), he was the firstAfrican American named as a James W.McLaughlin Postdoctoral Fellow from 1979to 1981. Brother Houston’s research atUTMB has focused on the role that bacteri-al toxins play in the pathogenesis of disease.In 1987, he became the first AfricanAmerican faculty member to be awardedtenure. As an administrator focused oneducational outreach, he participated in theManagement Development Program in theGraduate School of Education at HarvardUniversity in 1994.

Brother Houston is the former DeputyAssociate Administrator for Education inthe Office of Education at NASAHeadquarters in Washington, D.C. and thefirst African American to serve in thatcapacity. During his two-year appointmentat NASA Headquarters, he also maintainedhis faculty and administrative positions atUTMB. At NASA, he provided day-to-day

oversight and guidance for three primarydivisions: elementary and secondary educa-tion, higher education and informal educa-tion. The elementary and secondary andhigher education divisions develop spacescience programs, research opportunitiesand networking resources for students andfaculty at all education levels. The informaleducation division collaborates with sci-ence centers and museums to providespace science education to all ages of thegeneral public. Brother Houston also over-saw NASA’s technology and products office,which provides technology for educationaltools to support distance learning andadvanced education.

Some of his honors include thePresidential Award for Excellence in Science,Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring in2000 as well as being selected to the

Brother Clifford Houston Elected President of the American Societyfor Microbiology

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Clifford W. Houston

ALPHAALPHAS ON THE MOVE:


Brother Don Thompson Named Black Enterprise Magazine’sCorporate Executive of the Year

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Brother Donald Thompson,President of McDonald’s USA, was namedBlack Enterprise Magazine’s CorporateExecutive of the Year during a ceremonyheld last fall in Detroit, Michigan. He wascredited with increasing profits forMcDonald’s during the awards presenta-tion. The annual award is presented to abusiness leader who personifies excellencein their chosen field and whose exemplaryrecord of achievement serves to inspirefuture generations of African Americans.

Brother Thompson has been Presidentof McDonald’s USA, LLC, a subsidiary ofMcDonald’s Corp., since August 23, 2006.He serves as head of national marketing ofthe U.S. business of McDonald’s Corp. Priorto becoming President, he had served asExecutive Vice President and ChiefOperations Officer of McDonald’s USA sinceJanuary 2005.

Brother Thompson has responsibility forthe entire USA field, with the three USADivisions at McDonald’s. He earlier served asExecutive Vice President and innovationorchestration leader for McDonald’sRestaurant Solutions Group where he was

responsible for establishing, integrating andorchestrating McDonald’s innovation pipelineto drive the business. He provided systemleadership to identify and capitalize on newgrowth opportunities, including overseeingMcDonald’s Corp. concept development,R&D and menu management functions.

Brother Thompson also served asPresident of the West Division for McDonald’swhere he was responsible for 4,000 restau-rants in the Western United States. He alsoserved as President of the Midwest Divisionfor McDonald’s, and was responsible formore than 2,200 restaurants in theMidwestern United States. Prior to that,Brother Thompson served as Senior VicePresident, restaurant support officer of theMidwest Division. Before joining the MidwestDivision, he served as Regional Vice Presidentfor the San Diego Region and was responsiblefor more than 350 restaurants in SouthernCalifornia. With 40 total regions at the time,his strategic plan catapulted the section froma rank of No. 39 to No. 2 within a year.

He has led a team responsible for thefinancial success of the 13,700 locationsnationwide, and his contributions are stellar:

total 2006 revenues reached $7.464 billion,compared with the $6.995 billion in 2005and $6.525 billion in 2004. In the secondquarter of 2007 alone, revenues jumped 12percent, to more than $6 billion.

In presenting the 2007 CorporateExecutive of the Year award to BrotherThompson, Black Enterprise Founder &Publisher Earl G. Graves, Sr. stated thatDon Thompson meets every criterion thatcould be named for judging an execu-tive’s capabilities, whether they are man-agement skills, creative problem solving,

Don Thompson

ALPHAS ON THE MOVE

International Who’s Who Professional 1996Program. He was elected to the AmericanAcademy of Microbiology in 1997 andselected for a Burroughs-Wellcome/ASMVisiting Professorship in 1999. In 1997, Dr.Houston became the first African Americanat the University of Texas Medical Branch tobe awarded an endowed professorship. Heis the first holder of the Herman BarnettDistinguished Professorship in Microbiology

and Immunology. While at NASA, he receivedthe NASA Group Achievement Award in 2004for exemplary contribution to NASA’s abilityto build a foundation for space explorationand advance the achievement of the Visionfor Exploration.

An effective leader and recognizedauthority in biomedical sciences, BrotherHouston currently serves as the chair of theAnnual Biomedical Research Conference for

Minority Students (ABRCMS) Steering &Planning Committee managed by ASM. Aprolific author, he has published numerousarticles and abstracts and has addressedprestigious audiences throughout the world.Also, he has established many educationalprograms and activities in the Galvestoncommunity as well as across the nation toenhance the interest of young students inmathematics and science.

Continued on following page


Son of Ret. Army ColonelAssumes Command of “Wolf Pack” Fighter Wing

Brother Col. Charles Brown assumed com-mand of the 8th Fighter Wing during a change ofcommand at Hanger 3 presided over by Lt. Gen.Stephen Wood, 7th Air Force commander. Hebecame the 46th Wolf to command the “WolfPack”. Brother Brown is an experienced fighterpilot and leader. This is his second tour at theKunsan Air Base in the Republic of Korea. Hisfirst tour was with the class of 1987-1988, hisfirst assignment with after pilot training. He wasassigned to the 35th Fighter Squadron. Duringthe ceremony, Col. Brown highlighted his fourpersonal tenants of leadership—to execute at ahigh standard, be disciplined in execution, payattention to detail and have fun. “Regardless ofour respective ranks and positions within theWolf Pack, we must execute to the best of our

abilities, we must do it right the first time and wemust be accountable—because in our businessof combat operations, playing for second placeis not an option,” he said. Among the attendeesat the ceremony were Brother Brown’s fatherand uncle both retired Army colonels. For UncleRobert Brown it was the first time back in theRepublic of Korea since flying an O-1 Bird Dogin the early 1960s. Colonel Brown thanked hisfather and uncle and everyone else in atten-dance, saying “This is a tremendous milestone inmy Air Force career and it means a lot to haveeach of you share in this special day.” BrotherBrown previously served as the commandant ofthe U.S. Air Force Weapons School, 57th Wing,Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. He is a commandpilot with more than 2,800 flying hours—81 ofthe hours in combat.

Annapolis Attorney Appointed Maryland NAACP Chairman of Economic Development

Brother Edsel M. Brown, Jr. was recentlyappointed Chairman of EconomicDevelopment for the Maryland StateConference of the NAACP. As Chairman ofEconomic Development, Brother Brown willserve on the Executive Committee and will leadthe organization in guiding the state’s NAACPBranches in tackling economic developmentissues, including personal and family wealthbuilding, minority business development, andeconomic empowerment. Brother Brown isactive in the Anne Arundel community and par-ticipates in a number of organizations, includ-ing serving as a member of the Annapolis/AnneArundel County Chamber of Commerce, theAnnapolis Business Association and as a mem-ber of the Board of Directors of the Anne

Arundel Black Chamber of Commerce. BrotherBrown holds Bachelor of Arts and Master ofArts degrees from Ohio University. He alsoholds a J.D. from the University of ToledoCollege of Law. He is a licensed Attorney inWashington, D.C. and Pennsylvania.Professionally, Brother Brown has served inseveral capacities at the U.S. Small BusinessAdministration in Washington, D.C., includingAssistant Administrator of the Offices ofTechnology and Business Development. He isthe principal of Edsel M. Brown, Jr. Advisorsand the franchise owner of a Liberty TaxService located in Annapolis, Maryland.Brother Brown is a member of the Fraternity’sEta Eta Lambda Chapter in Annapolis.

Louisiana Representative Re-elected to Four-Year Term in Landslide Victory

Brother Roy Burrell, Louisiana StateRepresentative and member of the Delta UpsilonLambda Chapter, was re-elected for a secondfour-year term to his District 2 seat in a landslidevictory. He won re-election with an 86 percentmajority in his district, which is one of the largestin the state. Brother Burrell Roy was first electedto the Shreveport City Council in 1994 where heserved two terms. While serving on theShreveport Council, he chaired the powerfulAudit and Finance Committee, clearing a nearlythree-year backlog of un-audited claims. BrotherBurrell co-authored the city of Shreveport’s FairShare Plan for increased minority participation ingovernment contracts. He also createdDemocrats 2000, a political organizationdesigned to empower young people to getinvolved in the political process through cam-paign training; voter education and registration;

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ALPHAS ON THE MOVE

Charles Brown

or making the right decisions while in avolatile marketplace.

Brother Don Thompson began hiscareer with McDonald’s in 1990 as arestaurant systems engineer. In 1991, hewas promoted to project manager and, in1993, was named staff director for the

quality development department. Fromthere, he became director of operationsfor the Denver Region. Before joiningMcDonald’s, Brother Thompson was anengineer specialist in the Defense SystemsDivision of the Northrop Corporation. Heserved as Director of Exelon Corp.; and

served as a member of the San DiegoRonald McDonald House Charities Boardof Directors. He earned a Bachelor ofScience degree in Electrical Engineeringfrom Purdue University. Brother Thompsonand his wife, Liz, have two children.

The Sphinx: www.APA1906.net Spring • Summer 2008 23

and politicalactivism at alllevels of govern-ment. In 2003,Brother Burrellwas elected tothe LouisianaH o u s e o fRepresentativeswhere he cur-rently serves onthe CriminalJ u s t i c e ,Commerce, andJ u d i c i a r yCommittees. Heserved on theEnvironmentalCommittee fortwo years priorto his current assignment on the CommerceCommittee. Representative Burrell was selected bythe Speaker of the House for the House SelectCommittee of Technology, a committee whichreviews and manages state policies on telecommu-nications needs and deployment of technology. Abusiness owner and consultant, Brother Burrellhas been on several executive boards in theShreveport/Bossier City community and has beenrecognized by several organizations, corporations,and government entities for his community andvolunteer efforts. Brother Burrell is a graduate ofthe University of Louisiana at Monroe (formerlyNortheast Louisiana University) with a B.S. degreein Mathematics, Pure and Applied Sciences. He isa charter member of the Fraternity’s Eta ChiChapter and is the immediate past president ofDelta Upsilon Lambda Chapter where he servedfour consecutive years. A two-time Alpha Man ofthe Year for the Delta Upsilon Lambda Chapter,Brother Burrell has been instrumental in the recla-mation of area Brothers and the purchase of theChapter’s first fraternity house.

Former NFD&MA President Serves as Board Chairman for National Organization

Brother Howard C. Burton began servingas Chairman of the National FuneralDirectors and Morticians Association imme-diately after completing his 12-month termas president of the organization. At age 37,he is the organization’s youngest chief exec-utive officer. Although it has changed namesand organizational structure several times,the NFD&MA was launched in 1924. Today,its more than 2,500 members are in chap-ters across the United States, the Caribbean,and South Africa. The organization’s pur-poses include fostering research; conduct-ing workshops and seminars; and investi-gating funeral practices, all designed toimprove the business conditions of its mem-bers and to maintain high standards of serv-ice to the public. Brother Burton was initi-ated into the Fraternity through Beta NuChapter at Florida A&M University inTallahassee, Florida where he received aBachelor’s degree in business with a con-centration in finance. He received hisMaster’s degree in Business Administrationfrom Auburn University in Montgomery,Alabama. Brother Burton focused on beinga stockbroker in Tuskegee, Alabama follow-ing his mother’s passing in 1992. He laterjoined McKenzie’s Funeral Home, which isowned by his father and he now serves asvice president of the business. He also ispresident and CEO of Burton PromotionalProducts. He was a major vendor for sever-al Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Centennialactivities, including the CentennialPilgrimage to Cornell and the CentennialConvention in Washington, D.C. While thereis not now a noticeable decline among the

funeral homes affiliated with the NFD&MA,Brother Burton says one of the organiza-tion’s objectives is to insure that AfricanAmerican funeral homes are here to stayand to help make them profitable. He also isconcerned that most families will continueto be able to afford funerals and says pre-planning is very necessary. The void in localconnections with funeral homes—as origi-nal owners of funeral homes and local com-munity leaders pass on—is troublesome formembers of the NFD&MA, Brother Burtonsays. He does not envision chains of AfricanAmerican Funeral Homes because therearen’t the relationships to foster the growth.While he has completed terms as CorporateSecretary, Vice President, President-electand President of the NFA/MA, BrotherBurton has maintained ties with the EastAlabama Funeral Directors and MorticiansAssociation, which is reported to have pro-duced more Officers and Directors than anyother state in the Southeastern Region. Inaddition to his membership with Alpha NuLambda Chapter of Alpha Phi AlphaFraternity in Tuskegee, Brother Burton is amember of Kiwanis Club International,Optimist International, 100 Black Men ofAmerica, and the Florida A&M NationalAlumni Association. He also has served ascommencement speaker for the Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Services in Atlanta,Georgia.

ALPHAS ON THE MOVE

Brother Roy Burrell Howard Burton

UPCOMING: CORPORATE EXECUTIVESAlpha Brothers who serve as corporate executives with Fortune 500 companies willbe the subject of an upcoming issue of The Sphinx. Brothers who serve in thesepositions are invited to send their photos and information to The Sphinx magazinefor inclusion in the special feature.


Jack and Jill of America Elects Fraternity Brother to Head Organization

Brother Erik A. Cliette was elected NationalPresident of the Jack and Jill of America, Inc.Brother Cliette is a Fall 1985 initiate of theFraternity through Mu Sigma Chapter at theUniversity of Rochester. He also is past Presidentof Alpha Gamma Lambda Chapter in New YorkCity. Brother Cliette is the Director of theHarlem Hospital Injury Prevention Program andthe Director of the Urban Youth Bike Corp. Healso sits on the boards of Project Health andNorth Presbyterian Head Start. He received hisB.A. and M.S. degrees in Education from theUniversity of Rochester. Jack and Jill of America,Inc. is a national children’s organization found-ed in 1938 to provide educational, cultural,civic, recreational, and social activities for youthbetween the ages of 2 and 19. Today, the organ-ization has more than 218 chapters, in 35states, united through national initiatives toenhance the quality of life for youth. In addition,Jack and Jill represents 30,000 family memberswho serve their community and families. Themembership spans a variety of capacities toinclude entrepreneurs, business professionals,stay-at-home mothers, educators, attorneys,physicians and faith-based leaders with thebelief that they can make a difference in the livesof children and families.

Former Midwest ARVP Named Vice President with Chicago Private Equity Firm

Brother Ronelle DeShazer has been pro-moted to Vice President of Technology andOffice Operations at Code Hennessy &Simmons, a Chicago-based middle-marketprivate equity firm. The Chicago firm hasformed five private equity funds with commit-ments totaling over $2.5 billion and hasinvested in 67 platform investments. BrotherDeShazer is responsible for all technical andoffice infrastructure matters, as well as thebudgetary funding to those areas to ensureproper functionality and global support. Heworks with the investment team regardingtechnology due diligence, to assess the tech-nical viability of potential platform companiesfor their portfolio. The technology due dili-gence is a key factor in the success of a fund,upon the entry or exit of a platform with apositive return on investment. A native ofChicago, Illinois, Brother DeShazer graduat-ed from Benedictine University with a degreein Business Administration with a concentra-tion in Computer Science. He also holds aMaster’s degree in Information SystemsManagement from Keller Graduate School ofManagement. He is listed in Who’s Whoamong I.T. Professionals and is a MicrosoftCertified Professional. Brother DeShazer is a

former Midwestern Assistant Vice President,Beta Class member of Alpha University and aLife Member of the Fraternity. He was initiat-ed into the Fraternity through Pi SigmaChapter and is a current member of Mu MuLambda Chapter in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Healso is an Associate Board member of TheMidday Club; Alumni Board member ofBenedictine University; member of theMetroBoard of the Chicago Urban League;and a member of the Prince Hall MasonicLodge Ashby B Carter #138.

U.S. Army Inductee Attends General Officer Training Course

Brother Richard Dwyer was recently sworninto the U.S. Army during a ceremony at FortLewis, Washington. Upon receiving active dutyorders, he moved to Columbus, Ohio wherehe was assigned to the Capital University ArmyROTC program. He worked there as a SpecialAssignments Officer. He recently completedBOLC II training in Ft. Benning, Georgiabefore attending an Adjutant General OfficerBasic Course in Fort Jackson, South Carolina.He is expected to graduate from the course inAugust. Upon completion of AGOBC, heexpects to be assigned to 1 Armor Division,2nd BCT where he will be stationed inBaumholder, Germany where he plans tobecome active with Theta Theta LambdaChapter in Frankfurt. Brother Dwyer grew upin Las Vegas, Nevada where he attended theLas Vegas Academy High School. He attendedOtterbein College and was initiated into the

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Richard Dwyer

Ronelle DeShazerErik Cliette


Fraternity through the citywide Omicron RhoChapter in Columbus, Ohio. He served asDirector of Educational Activities for theundergraduate chapter. While in the position,the chapter conducted all of the Fraternity’snational programs; and co-sponsored a pro-gram with the city entitled the Mayor’s Officeof the City of Columbus Youth Summit andAlpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He graduatedfrom Otterbein College with a BFA in designtechnology and attended ROTC at CapitalUniversity-Task Force Crusader. Followinggraduation, he moved back to Las Vegaswhere he served as Historian of Theta PiLambda Chapter in Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, healso served the Boy Scouts of America as anAssistant Scoutmaster for Troop 102, which isa part of the Las Vegas Area Council, Big HornDistrict. He is an Eagle Scout (by way ofTroop 102); and plans to continue to workwith the Boy Scouts and Alpha male mentor-ship programs in the future. He worked dili-gently with the Alpha Esquires in Columbus aswell as (AMDOT) Alpha Men and Divas ofTomorrow in Las Vegas.

Medical Student Serves on University Admissions and Health Policy Committees

Brother Okey K. Enyia is a medical studentat the Southern Illinois University School ofMedicine where he serves on the School ofMedicine Admissions Committee and theHealth Policy and Legislative AffairsCommittee for the Student National MedicalAssociation (SNMA). Reared in Frankfort,Illinois and a 1995 graduate of Crete-MoneeHigh School, Brother Enyia graduated fromLewis University in Romeoville, Illinois in1999 with a B.S. degree in Biology with anemphasis in Biochemistry. He was initiatedinto the Fraternity through Mu Mu Chapter atLewis University in 1997 and is a Life Memberof the organization. He currently serves asDirector of Membership for the Mu KappaLambda Chapter in Carbondale, IL. He serveson the Political Action and Health Initiativescommittees at the district level; and serves onthe K-12 Education Initiative Committee onthe national level. His other memberships

include the Christian Medical and DentalAssociation, the American MedicalAssociation, Brothers of the AcademyInstitute, Umu Igbo Alliance Inc., and TuscanLodge #44 (PHA). Brother Enyia has workedin research and development for TheUniversity of Chicago, Abbott Laboratories,Ferro Pfanstiehl Pharmaceuticals, The DowChemical Company, The Chicago Institute forNeurosurgery and Neuroresearch, and BaxterHealthcare Corporation. As a ResearchAssociate for Baxter Healthcare, he presenteda paper on the “Quantification ofItraconazole Polymorphs.” He also co-authored a paper entitled: “AcuteBradycardia as a Result of IntraoperativeTranscranial Electric Motor Evoked PotentialStimulation” in the American Journal ofElectroneurodiagnostic Technology. As aneducator, he taught 7th and 8th grade mathand science while serving as a computerskills instructor and life skills consultant. Hismost recent awards include the BasicSciences Scholarship from the SNMA, The Dr.James E. Walker Fellowship, Most WorshipfulPrince Hall Grand Lodge of IllinoisEducational Scholarship, Jesus’ NameApostolic Church Scholarship, Alpha KappaAlpha Education Advancement FoundationScholarship, District of Illinois DistinguishedService Award, Iota Delta Lambda NewBrother of the Year Award, and the Alpha PhiAlpha Education Foundation Scholarship.

Macon, GA Attorney Becomes 2nd African American Named“Lawyer of Year” by Bar Assn.

Brother Ira L. Foster was named Lawyer ofthe Year by the Macon, Georgia BarAssociation. He is the second AfricanAmerican attorney to receive the award in the89-year history of the Macon Bar Association.Brother Foster, a senior supervising attorneywith the Macon Office of Georgia LegalServices Program, was presented with theaward at the Law Day Luncheon of the MaconBar Association. He was recognized for hiscommitment to the profession, his poverty lawwork and his ties to the community. BrotherFoster is active in numerous organizations andhas received several other awards for hiswork and community service. He is VicePresident of the Georgia Alliance of AfricanAmerican Attorneys, a member of the MaconBar Association, and former chairman of theMaulvin Engram Education Foundation. He isa founder and board member of theMacon/Bibb County Teen Court and wasselected as an American Bar AssociationFoundation Fellow by the American BarAssociation Foundation. In addition, he hasreceived the Supreme Court of Georgia ChiefJustice Robert Benham Community ServiceAward, the Austin Thomas Walden Fort ValleyState University Alumni of the Year Award in

ALPHAS ON THE MOVE

Okey Enyia Ira Foster


Social Sciences, the Dublin/Laurens CountyBlack Festival Committee Citizen of the Year,and the Dublin Housing Authority YouthMentor Volunteer Role Model of the YearAward. A Fraternity Life Member, BrotherFoster was initiated into Alpha Phi Alphathrough Gamma Zeta Lambda Chapter at FortValley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia.He currently serves as Vice President ofEpsilon Beta Lambda Chapter in Macon, GA;and also serves on the board of the AlphaSouth Education Foundation.

Fraternity Committee Chair Returns from Iraqi War to New Executive VP Position

Brother R. Vann Graves accepted a positionas Executive Vice President, Chief CreativeOfficer at UniworldGroup (UWG)—the nation’soldest and most prestigious African American-owned advertising agency—following hisreturn from the war in Iraq. While in Iraq,Brother Graves served as Media OperationsOfficer In Charge (OIC) for the 138th MobilePublic Affairs Detachment (MPAD). His per-sonal efforts in the war resulted in the estab-lishment of a Media Embed Section to facilitateaccess of national and international media tosoldiers in the Northern Iraq region. During analmost eight-month absence of his unit’s First

Sergeant and with no Executive Officer, BrotherGraves assumed the duties of both positions inaddition to performing his own duties. He wasactively engaged by anti-U.S. Forces during hisdeployment and was awarded the CombatAction Badge and nominated for the BronzeStar Medal by his commander for his service.Brother Graves is Chairman of the Fraternity’sPublications Committee. He also designed thelogo used by the organization to mark AlphaPhi Alpha’s Centennial Celebration in 2006,although he was unable to share in the festivi-ties because of his deployment in support ofOperation Iraqi Freedom. He was appointed asPublications Committee Chair following a care-ful review of his credentials, which includedextensive experience in public affairs andadvertising. For 15 years, he worked at one ofthe nation's top advertising agencies—BBDONew York—where he created the concept forPepsi's current (3D) logo and was a forcebehind a number of popular television andprint ads. As a Vice President at the agency,Brother Graves was responsible for creatingsuccessful television and print advertising cam-paigns for past and current clients such as Visa,Snickers, Gillette, M&M’s/Snickers, Motorola,and ATT. Brother Graves was one of 15 recipi-ents of the 2007 ADCOLOR Awards handed outat the end of last year. NBA great Earvin“Magic” Johnson also was among the recipi-ents who received the awards that honoreddiverse professionals in the advertising, mar-keting and media industries.

First South Alabama Univ. Internal Medicine Faculty Member is Alpha Brother

Brother Johnson Haynes, Jr., MD, was thefirst African American faculty member in theDepartment of Internal Medicine at theUniversity of South Alabama where he currentlypractices as a Professor of Medicine and servesas Director of the University of South AlabamaComprehensive Sickle Cell Center. A native ofOpelika, Alabama, Brother Haynes attendedDarden High School and Opelika High Schoolbefore enrolling at Tuskegee Institute where hemajored in biology. He was initiated into theFraternity through Gamma Phi Chapter in 1972.

He graduated from Tuskegee with high honorsand entered medical school at the University ofSouth Alabama College of Medicine in 1975.Upon completion of medical school, he went onto become the first African American acceptedinto the General Internal Medicine ResidencyProgram at the University of South Alabama. Assenior resident in Internal Medicine, he was thefirst recipient to receive the “Victor BenatorAward for Excellence in Teaching by a HouseOfficer”. This was followed by his selection asChief Medical Resident in the Department ofInternal Medicine. After completing his year asChief Medical Resident, he went on to completea Clinical Fellowship in Pulmonary Medicine atthe University of South Alabama. As a NationalResearch Service Award recipient, he journeyedto the University of Colorado as a ResearchFellow in the Cardiovascular PulmonaryResearch Laboratory. There his basic scientificinterest in acute lung injury and mechanisms ofhypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction were nur-tured and have continued throughout his pro-fessional career. In 1988, he returned to theUniversity of South Alabama where he currentlyserves. Brother Haynes is a member of AlphaOmega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Who’sWho in the American Thoracic Society, and hasbeen the recipient of America’s Top DoctorAward for seven consecutive years, 2001-2007.He is a Fellow in the American College OfPhysicians and Fellow in the American Collegeof Chest Physicians. He has authored over 40

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Johnson Haynes, Jr.R. Vann Graves


peer-reviewed publications in major medicaljournals and six book chapters. He has been therecipient of several National Institutes of Healthgrants to study acute lung injury in sickle celldisease. He is an active member of theFraternity’s Beta Omicron Lambda Chapter inMobile, AL.

Intellectual Property Attorney Named Among Who’s Who in Houston

Brother Bethew B. “Bert” Jennings III,employed as an intellectual property counselfor Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. and adoctoral degree candidate, has been listed in“Who’s Who in Black Houston”. BrotherJennings is responsible for managing commer-cial legal matters within Halliburton’s drilling,evaluation and digital solutions division—intellectual property matters related to the JetResearch Center; Slickline; and Tools, Testingand Tubing Conveyed Perforating. He began hisseven-year career with Halliburton as theIntellectual Property attorney for LandmarkGraphics Corp. and moved to his present roletwo year ago. Previously, Brother Jenningsworked as an examiner for the U.S. Patent andTrademark office and as an associate forThomas, Kayden, Horstemeyer & Risley, andL.L.P. shuttle software system for IBM’s federal

system division. He received his Bachelor’sdegree in computer science from MorehouseCollege in 1991 and his Master’s degree inintellectual property from Franklin Pierce LawCenter and a juris doctorate from Georgia StateUniversity, College of Law, both in 1997.Brother Jennings is a board member of theHouston Lawyers Association, a graduate ofLeadership Houston and an adjunct professorat Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He taughtgraduate courses at Clark-Atlanta Universitywhere he then received his Master’s degree incomputer science in 1998. He is a candidatefor his doctorate degree in human resourcesdevelopment/business from Texas A&MUniversity. A member of Omicron Pi LambdaChapter and 100 Black Men of America,Brother Jennings chairs the African-AmericanLawyers Section of the State Bar of Texas. Theorganization represents the interest of morethan 3,000 African American attorneyslicensed to practice law in the state of Texas.

Ford’s Highest-ranking African American takesPost with Chevron

Brother Joe Laymon, Ford MotorCompany’s global human resources chief anda close adviser to the company’s ExecutiveChairman, has left his position with theDetroit automaker to take a job at California-based Chevron Corp. He will serve as vicepresident of human relations and medicalservices at Chevron, a leader in oil explo-ration and refining. Chevron is one of theworld’s largest energy companies, with59,000 employees worldwide. BrotherLaymon was the chief architect of the game-

changing contract Ford and the United AutoWorkers hammered out last autumn, and wascredited with maintaining Ford’s strongworking relationship with the union in an eraof downsizing and uncertainty. He alsohelped recruit Ford’s CEO in 2006. Duringhis tenure with Ford, Brother Laymon helpeddevelop the company’s new bonus system,which rewards employees at all levels of thecompany based on the same criteria. He alsois credited with helping put together a seriesof unprecedented buyout offers that haveconvinced more than 30,000 hourly workersto leave Ford. Ford hired Brother Laymon in2000. A year later, he replaced the humanresources chief. Within months, he scrappeda controversial employee grading system andeliminated quotas for hiring minorities andwomen. Ford’s highest-ranking AfricanAmerican, Brother Laymon instead workedto identify and promote minority talent.

ALPHAS ON THE MOVE

Joe LaymonBethew Jennings III

FIRST OF ALL,SERVANTS OF ALL,

WE SHALL TRANSCEND ALL


Academy Coordinator Wins Education Grant to ImproveStudents’ Achievement

Brother Larry Logan, coordinator at the PhillipO. Berry ACE Academy and member of Beta NuLambda Chapter, recently received a $5,000National Education Association Innovation Grantto improve the academic achievement of theschool’s students. Brother Logan will use the fundsto further the Academy’s Six Sigma technical train-ing program, which helps to develop student’sproblem solving and statistical analysis; and toprovide them with marketable skills. Studentsreceive lectures on the Six Sigma methodology, acutting-edge program favored by innovative com-panies and valued nationally to help students attainfirst-level certification. Applying concepts from thelectures, students participate in catapult, roboticsand bridge building competitions, a school dugoutconstruction project, and internships that investi-gate engineering improvement opportunities with-in the school or business community. BrotherLogan also received a $3,000 grant from Womenin The Trades (WTT) to support education forwomen in construction. WTT Charities, Inc. pro-vides grants to programs assisting women enteringthe construction industry. Brother Logan is usingthe grant with several women in the school’s con-struction program. The students are working ondesign and construction of scale models, utilityhouses and outdoor projects to enhance theirknowledge of the construction industry.

Legal Affairs Veteran Named Assistant to the Chancellorat University of Wisconsin

Brother Dr. Michael McDonald, a veter-an of legal affairs and higher education,recently was named Assistant to theChancellor for Affirmative Action by theUniversity of Wisconsin-Superior. BrotherMcDonald received an Associate in Artsdegree in Law Enforcement and Bachelor ofScience degree in Political Science fromMiddle State Tennessee University. He wasinitiated into the Fraternity through Kappa XiChapter at Middle Tennessee State Universityduring his junior year in school. During his

senior year, he was elected and served asSGA President. Brother McDonald went toUW-Superior from his position as an instruc-tor in the University Honors Program atTennessee State University. At the same, heserved on the adjunct faculty of MiddleTennessee State University. He earned his lawdegree from The John Marshall Law Schoolin Chicago and a Master’s degree in publicaffairs from Southern Illinois University atCarbondale. UW-Superior is Wisconsin’sLeading Public Liberal Arts College. A mem-ber of the Council of Public Liberal ArtsColleges, UW-Superior offers more than 30undergraduate academic programs as wellas graduate, continuing education and dis-tance learning programs.

California Governor Appoints Alpha Brother to CommunityColleges Board of Governors

Brother Robert V. “Bobby” McDonaldwas appointed to the California CommunityColleges Board of Governors by the state’sGovernor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Followingthe appointment, he was confirmed by thestate Senate for the California CommunityColleges Board of Governors position andwas sworn into office earlier this year. A reg-istered Republican, Brother McDonald has

served as President and Executive Directorfor the Black Chamber of Commerce ofOrange County since 1998. From 1993 to1998, he was a partner of W. Davis andAssociates, a manufacturers’ representativegroup. Prior to that, he worked for the KedsCorporation from 1991 to 1993 and from1975 to 1980, where he held positions insales and marketing. From 1987 to 1990,Brother McDonald was an account executiveand college book store specialist for UnitedStationers/Micro United. Prior to that, heworked for Adidas from 1980 to 1984. Hisexperience includes two years as an assis-tant basketball coach at California StateUniversity, Fullerton. Brother McDonaldserved in the U.S. Navy from 1965 to 1968.He is a member of the California CulturalHistorical Endowment.

Military Brother Elected Vice Pres. of Black LawEnforcement Organization

Brother Joseph McMillan was elected VicePresident of the National Organization of BlackLaw Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). Theorganization’s purpose is to unify black policeofficers around the country and provide solu-tions to law enforcement issues and concerns,and the ever-changing needs of their commu-

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Bobby McDonaldMichael McDonald


nities. A member of Iota Upsilon LambdaChapter, Brother McMillan holds a Bachelor’sdegree and two Master’s degrees. He has wonvarious military decorations, including the AirReserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal, AirForce Office and Special Investigations’(AFOSI) Junior Non-Commission Officer of theYear Award and the Air Force CommendationMedal. Brother McMillan serves as theAssistant Inspector General for Investigationsat the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in theOffice of the Inspector General.

National Scientific Honor Society Elects Alpha Brother as Treasurer

Brother Gerard McShepard was elected asthe national treasurer for Beta Kappa ChiNational Scientific Honor Society, making himonly the third person in the organization’s histo-ry to hold the position. Beta Kappa Chi, a mem-ber of the Association of College HonorSocieties, was founded in 1923 by the sciencefaculty and students at Lincoln University inLincoln, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the soci-ety is to encourage and advance scientific edu-cation through: (1) original investigation; (2)the dissemination of scientific knowledge; and(3) the stimulation of high scholarship in pureand applied sciences. The society has a totalmembership of more than 30,000 and hasassets which total over $300,000. BrotherMcShepard is a graduate of Fisk University andwas initiated through the Alpha Chi Chapter atthe school. He has pursued a teaching career inresearch and education. He also holds a M.S.degree in Molecular Biology from TennesseeState University and is completing his Ph.D. inBiology with a concentration in Neurobiology.Brother McShepard is Professor of Biology andNatural Science at Fisk University and also hastaught General Biology, Honors Biology SeniorSeminar, and Anatomy & Physiology atTennessee State University. Each summer heteaches high school biology in two summer pro-grams at Fisk University, which focuses onpreparing high school students for their firstyear of college. He is active in the communitywith numerous outreach programs. He hasbeen a National Science Foundation Fellow at

Vanderbilt University and a fellow with theMinority Biology Research Support at TennesseeState University. Brother McShepard’s Fraternityservice includes being the immediate pastClarksville/Nashville Area Director. He is cur-rently the President of Tau Lambda Chapter inNashville, TN. His Fraternity awards includeAlpha Chi Chapter Brother of the Year, Alpha ChiChapter Brother with the Highest GPA, TauLambda President’s Award, Tau Lambda ChapterBrother of the Year, Tau Lambda ChapterLeadership Award, Tau Lambda Public ServiceAward, and the District of Tennessee KYSOSAward. He is an Honorary Member of AlphaWest and a supporter of the MLK NationalMemorial who has donated over $3,000. He hashelped coordinate the March of Dimes Walk inNashville for several years and has served as theAdvisor for Chi, Alpha Chi and Kappa ThetaChapters in Nashville, TN.

Entertainment and Sports Industry Attorney InductedInto BESLA Hall of Fame

Brother Darrell D. Miller, Esquire wasinducted into the Black Entertainment andSports Lawyers Association Hall of Fame at thegroup’s 27th Annual Conference in Cancun,Mexico. BESLA provides a forum for AfricanAmerican attorneys, professionals and law stu-

dents affiliated with the entertainment or sportsindustries to network, share information andlearn about current trends and business dealingsin the entertainment and sports industries. A for-mer classically trained opera singer, BrotherMiller’s path to entertainment law began inCincinnati, Ohio where he attended the Schoolfor Creative and Performing Arts. He earned aBachelor of Fine Arts degree with honors fromthe University of Cincinnati’s College ofConservatory of Music. After two years perform-ing worldwide, he returned to the U.S. with amission to become an attorney with a firsthandgrasp of what goes into being an artist and tohelp clients bridge the gap between their artisticvision and long-term business and creative suc-cess. He received his Juris Doctor fromGeorgetown University Law Center in 1990 andbegan his professional career in the Los Angelesoffice of the national law firm Lord, Bissell andBrook. He helped build the office’s entertain-ment law practice by serving as legal counsel forartists, directors and producers. In 1996, helaunched his own practice, which grew intoMiller & Pliakas in 2001 when Roger Pliakasjoined the firm. In the firm, he focuses on devel-oping synergistic multimedia and marketingstrategies for clients within the motion picture,television and music industries. His firm repre-sents notable artists such as DMX, AngelaBassett, Courtney B. Vance, Rocky Carroll,Wanda Sykes, Master P., Andre Benjamin,Ludacris and Romeo. Brother Miller served afour-year term on the Board of Governors of theAcademy of Television Arts and Sciences; and isPast Chairman of the Board of Governors andserves on the Executive Committee for BESLA.Brother Miller also serves as Alpha Phi AlphaFraternity General President Darryl R. Matthews’Administrative Assistant Liaison to Entertainmentand Sports Industries.

Television News Reporter Wins Prestigious Awardsfor 10-Part School Series

Brother Dedrick Russell, a WBTV News 3Reporter and member of Beta Nu LambdaChapter, won the National Sigma Delta ChiAward for Public Service in TelevisionJournalism for his 10-part series entitled

ALPHAS ON THE MOVE

Darrell Miller


“The Troubled Ten”. The series focused onthe ten worst high schools in the CharlotteMecklenburg (NC) School System andlooked at the plans principals there have toimprove the performance of the students.The television series also received secondplace in the Green Eyeshade Awards forGeneral News Reporting. The GreenEyeshade is a Southeast Region competitionsponsored by the Society for ProfessionalJournalists. The journalism organizationmaintains high standards of excellence injournalism and community service throughreporting.

Former Assistant School Principal Elected DistrictEducation Superintendent

Brother Timothy Scott, a former assistantschool principal and curriculum coordina-tor, was elected Superintendent of Educationfor the Wilkinson County (MS) SchoolDistrict. Brother School defeated the previ-ous Superintendent of Education in theDemocratic Primary Run-off and faced anindependent candidate in the GeneralElection. He received nearly 81 percent ofthe 2,685 votes cast. Brother Scott says thatimproving education will be his primarygoal. Brother Scott has eight years of class-room experience; two years as an assistantprincipal and curriculum coordinator and agreat rapport with parents. He is a 1991graduate of the Wilkinson County SchoolDistrict where he will be the chief adminis-trative officer and director of all publicschools. He also will serve as the ExecutiveSecretary of the County Board of Educationbut will have no vote on the board and novoice in setting board policy. Brother Scottreceived a B.A. degree in political sciencefrom Tougaloo College; a M.S. degree in ele-mentary education from Alcorn StateUniversity, and a Master of Education degreein administration and supervision fromSouthern University. He has been a memberof Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Xi NuLambda Chapter since Spring 2006. He is aresident of Woodville, Mississippi.

Cook County, IL Circuit Court Judge Chosen from Fraternity’s Ranks

Brother Furmin D. Sessoms was appointedby the Illinois Supreme Court as Judge of theCircuit Court of Cook County, 5th Sub Circuit.The appointment was made to fill the vacancy ofthe Honorable Bernetta D. Bush. He was recom-mended for the office of Circuit Court Judge bythe Chicago Bar Association, Cook County BarAssociation and the Black Women Lawyers’Association of Greater Chicago. Brother Sessomswas admitted to practice law in Illinois in 1990.His experience includes serving as ExecutiveDirector of the Chicago Southside Branch of theNAACP. He served as Deputy Public Defender inthe Law Office of the Cook County PublicDefender and is an experienced practitioner. Agraduate of the Georgetown University LawCenter and the University of California atBerkeley, Brother Sessoms is a member of theEditorial Board of the National Bar AssociationMagazine, the Cook County Bar Association, theChicago Assembly, and he is a Life Member of theNAACP. He received the 2001 Cook County BarAssociation’s Harold Washington Award forService to the Community and the 1996President’s Award from the Chicago SouthsideNAACP. Among his many accomplishments,Brother Sessoms led a coalition of civil rightsorganizations in 2002 to a draft fair and equi-

table statewide re-map, which was submitted tothe State of Illinois legislative redistricting com-mission. He also intervened in and won votingrights lawsuits in federal and state courts againstopponents of the map. The coalition map givesAfrican Americans the ability to elect the repre-sentatives of their choice in the State of IllinoisLegislature for the next 10 years.

Georgia PTA Names Alpha Brother as Outstanding Middle School Principal

Brother Dan Sims, principal of Paul D. WestMiddle School, was named Outstanding MiddleSchool Principal of the Year by the Georgia PTA.The honor was given at the organization’sspring convention. Brother Sims is a memberof Omicron Phi Lambda Chapter in SouthFulton/Atlanta, Georgia. The Georgia PTA rec-ognized Brother Sims for his efforts to increaseparent and community support. More than 200parent volunteers assist in the front office,media center, cafeteria, with field trips, and inclassrooms. In addition, 100 percent of theschool’s faculty and staff are PTSA members.Brother Sims established a “Just Drop In” pro-gram at the middle school where parents arewelcomed to stop by at any time. Parent work-shops also are held throughout the year to helpparents better connect with the school. They

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Dan SimsFurmin Sessoms


learn what is going on in the classroom andreceive tips on homework, tutoring, and otheracademic and parenting resources. A formerstudent of Conley Hills Elementary School, PaulD. West Middle School, and Tri-Cities HighSchool, Brother Sims is one of only a fewschool administrators who work in a schoolonly minutes from where he grew up. He waspart of the middle school’s first sixth gradeclass when the building converted from a highschool to a middle school in 1982. Nearly 20years later, he made history again when hereturned to Paul D. West as an assistant princi-pal. He became the principal in 2003. BrotherSims’ strong connection with the communitybuilds trust and engages parents in their child’sacademic success. Recently, Brother Sims,along with some faculty and staff, went into theEast Point community to talk with parents andlisten to their concerns regarding the schoolsand their children. He plans to continue visitingtargeted areas within the community to build astronger relationship with parents who do notregularly visit the school.

EPA Deputy Chief of Staff Receives Federal GovernmentPublic Service Award

Brother Ray Spears was one of a selectgroup of Senior Executive Service (SES)administrators to receive this year’sDistinguish Executive Meritorious Award.Each year, less than 1 percent of governmentemployees recommended for the public serv-ice award are selected by their peers and apanel of citizens who screen candidates gov-ernment-wide. This year’s recipients werepresented a gold pen and framed certificatesigned by the President and recognizing theirexceptional service, integrity, and earnedpublic trust. Brother Spear’s award, whichincluded a lump-sum bonus of 35 percent ofhis annual basic pay, recognized his relent-less professionalism and the vision he con-tributes to the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA), earning him the respect ofthose who serve with him in his capacity asDeputy Chief of Staff. In addition to hiscareer accomplishments, Brother Spears is aFraternity Life Member and a Charter and

current member of Omicron Eta LambdaChapter where he has held several positionssince its inception. He also is a Founder andactive member of OHL’s EducationFoundation and remains a source of legaland inspirational guidance for the adminis-tration of numerous scholarships that theprogram awards to deserving high schoolseniors from the Washington, D.C schools.Brother Spears holds B.A. and J.D. degreesfrom the University of Texas at Austin.

Fraternity Committee Chair Named Director with U.S. Dept. of Education

Brother Zollie Stevenson, Jr., Ph.D. wasappointed as Director of Student Achievementand School Accountability (SASA) programs bythe U.S. Department of Education. In the posi-tion, he will oversee the operation of the Title Iprogram, the largest federal assistance pro-gram for elementary and secondary educationin the country. Under Title I, more than $14billion is awarded annually through formulaand discretionary grants to raise the academicperformance of under-performing studentsfrom low-income families. In announcing theappointment, U.S. Secretary of EducationMargaret Spellings said Dr. Stevenson has aproven track record of helping to raise student

achievement and that his knowledge about theprogram will ensure that every child receivesthe high quality of education he or shedeserves. In addition to his role as Title IDirector, Brother Stevenson will oversee theEducation of Homeless Children and YouthProgram; the Even Start Family LiteracyPrograms; the Early Reading First Program;the Early Childhood Educator ProfessionalDevelopment Program; Enhanced AssessmentGrants; and Programs for Children and YouthWho are Neglected and Delinquent, or At-Risk.Prior to his appointment as Acting Director,Brother Stevenson served most recently asDeputy Director of SASA programs. Beforejoining the U.S. Department of Education, hewas the Director of Research, Assessment andEvaluation in the Baltimore City (MD) PublicSchools; Research Director for the District ofColumbia and Charlotte/Mecklenburg publicschool systems; as well as an evaluationresearch officer for the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention; and a regionalresearch and testing coordinator for the NorthCarolina Department of Public Instruction.Brother Stevenson also has served as anadjunct professor at the University of NorthCarolina at Asheville, East Carolina University,the George Washington University, theUniversity of Maryland and Bowie StateUniversity. A native of Greensboro, NC, BrotherStevenson earned a Bachelor’s degree from theUniversity of North Carolina at Asheville, a

ALPHAS ON THE MOVE

Ray Spears Zollie Stevenson, Jr.


Master’s degree from North Carolina A&T StateUniversity, and a Ph.D. from the University ofNorth Carolina at Chapel Hill. BrotherStevenson is Chairman of the Fraternity’sOrganization Effectiveness Committee.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineer in Far East Comes Under Alpha Brother’s Command

Brother Col. Clarence Turner took commandof the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Far EastDistrict during a ceremony at Yongsan Garrison,South Korea. He replaced Col. Janice Dombi,who had served as commander since July 2004.Col. Dombi headed to San Francisco to serve asthe deputy division commander for the Corps’South Pacific Division. Brother Turner now hasresponsibility for more than $2.5 billion indesign and construction projects—and the con-tinuing relocation project of U.S. Forces Korea.He comes to Seoul after graduating from theArmy War College in Carlisle Barracks,Pennsylvania. During the ceremony whereBrother Turner officially took command of theU.S. Army Corps of Engineers Far East District,he stated that he was excited about being inKorea and working with the host nation partnersand the USFK. The ceremony was hosted byBrigadier General John Peabody, commander ofthe Corps’ Pacific Ocean Division.

Morehouse Alumnus and Former Southern ARVPWorking in India

Brother John Lee Gaston White, as one ofthe first participants with the Clinton Foundation,is living and working in India. The Morehousealumnus and former Southern Assistant RegionalVice President was stationed earlier in Chennai,Tamil Nadu where he lead his team in establish-ing an agreement with a country-wide networkof HIV positive individuals in India. The NGO,Indian Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS,is the largest network of HIV positive men andwomen in India. The individuals conducted out-reach work within the communities in whichthey lived and ensured that the parents within

their network continued to get their childrentested on a regular basis. Brother White current-ly is in New Delhi leading the launch of a new ini-tiative to prevent parent-to-child transmission ofHIV during the birth of the child and duringbreastfeeding. The two goals are to stop thetransmission of HIV from mother-to-child and toprovide universal care for all affected mothersand children in three years. In addition to thistask, he is the Clinton Foundation’s point of con-tact with the consulting firm hired to beginassessments over the next year within four statesand 15 districts for the launch of the initiative.

LDI Program PR Director Serves with Fox-TV News Bureau in Washington, D.C.

Brother Walter Whitley is the EditCoordinator for the Washington, D.C. Bureau ofFox News. A Cleveland, Ohio native who nowlives in the nation’s capital, he received a B.S.degree from Boston University in Broadcasting &Film Production in 1987. Brother Whitley is amember of the National Association of BlackJournalists and 100 Black Men of America. Heserved as 100 Black Men’s Public RelationsChair from 2003 to 2005 and was instrumentalwith establishing and maintaining a solid rela-tionship between the chapter and local media.Brother Whitley also serves as a member of the

Host Committee for the successful UmmahEndowment Fund’s Annual White Attire AffairHIV/AIDS intervention campaign. As a memberof the Host Committee, his efforts give testimonyto the need to raise awareness of the disease andto spread the message of hope that those affect-ed by the disease might live longer, healthier andmore productive lives. He also has served as thepast Donations Chair for the Emmah EndowmentFund Fashion Lives, an annual fashion show ben-efit to in metropolitan Washington to raiseHIV/AIDS awareness. Brother Whitley is commit-ted to the intellectual development of youth andthe economic empowerment of the AfricanAmerican community based on precepts ofrespect for family, spirituality, justice and integri-ty. He is Public Relations Director for theFraternity Eastern Region’s LeadershipDevelopment Institute. He also is a member ofMu Lambda Chapter and serves as AssociateEditor of the Torch Newsletter.

Texas Governor Appoints Top Advertiser to Texas Higher Education Board

Brother Robert Wingo was recently appoint-ed to the Texas Higher Education CoordinatingBoard by Texas Governor Rick Perry. As a mem-ber of the Coordinating Board, he will helpoversee public community colleges, technical

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ALPHAS ON THE MOVE

Walter WhitleyJohn White


schools and universities statewide. The boardapproves new educational programs and worksto ensure that the state is meeting goals toincrease higher-education enrollment, especial-ly among minorities. He will be the only AfricanAmerican member of the board. Brother Wingoalso serves as Chairman Emeritus of GovernorPerry’s Texas Economic DevelopmentCorporation Board. The Board oversees thestate’s Texas One Program, a privately fundedstate economic development marketing pro-gram with an annual budget of $1.65 million. Inaddition, Brother Wingo was appointed byGovernor Perry to his new CompetitivenessCouncil. The Council’s mission is to find ways tomake Texas more globally competitive andimprove the state’s long-term economic footing.Brother Wingo is president of the El Paso-basedSanders\Wingo advertising company, which isranked seventh among the nation’s 100 AfricanAmerican businesses by Black EnterpriseMagazine. Also, Brother Wingo is a member ofthe board for the Martin Luther King, Jr.Memorial Project. He is credited with develop-ing the first fundraising model for the project atthe alumni chapter level. The model was suc-cessful in raising funds by Theta Delta LambdaChapter in El Paso, Texas and was shared withmany other chapters throughout the Fraternity.Also it was featured at a workshop that he pre-sented at a Fraternity’s General Convention.Brother Wingo is a Fraternity Life Member andis active with Theta Delta Lambda Chapter.

ALPHAS ON THE MOVE

Robert Wingo

MAKE YOURVOICE HEARD!

Alpha Phi Alpha’s A Voteless People Is A HopelessPeople Campaign has been responsible for register-ing countless Americans to vote; while educatingthem through non-partisan forums about theimportance of voting and how their votes make adifference. The current economic climate; attackson federal programs for the poor and elderly; alongwith issues such as healthcare and Social Securityreform make it more crucial now than ever to buildvoting networks in our community.

— A VOTELESS PEOPLE ISA HOPELESS PEOPLE —

ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC.VOTER REGISTRATION CAMPAIGN SLOGAN

SINCE 1937

THROUGH THE CAMPAIGN, SERVICES SUCH AS

THE FOLLOWING HAVE BEEN PROVIDED:

VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES

VOTER EDUCATION AND RESPONSIBILITY TEACHING

VOTER MOBILIZATION AND POLL TRANSPORTATION

COMMUNITY VOTER NETWORK BUILDING

NON-PARTISAN VOTER DISCUSSION FORUMS

NATIONAL POLL TAX ABOLISHED

The Sphinx Magazine Spring/Summer 2008 part 1

Documents

Transcript of The Sphinx Magazine Spring/Summer 2008 part 1