Black History Month is the observance of a special period to recognize the significant achievements and contributions of African-Americans during February. Black History Month dates back to 1926 when historian Carter G. Woodson initiated Negro History Week. Over time, Negro History Week evolved into the Black History Month that we know today. When Woodson established Negro History week, he realized the importance of providing a theme to focus the attention of the public. The intention has never been to dictate or limit the exploration of the Black experience, but to bring to the public's attention important developments that merit emphasis. The 2008 theme: “Carter G. Woodson and the Origins of Multiculturalism.” The main effort of this year’s theme is to show that the multiculturalism of today had its origins in the struggles of African Americans to have their cultural contributions recognized by American society. In breaking through the mono-cultural vision of America, African Americans were at the foundationof multiculturalism in America. No one played a greater role in this effort than Carter G. Woodson. With the acceptance of black people and black culture, other cultures found a way of gaining acceptance.
As we celebrate Black History Month, I ask that you reflect upon the contributions that our forefathers and foremothers have made to this society. Also, reflect upon the contributions of our founders—the seven “Jewels.“ Where would Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. be today without these visionary leaders? What contributions will you make during Black History Month to celebrate the lives and contributions of our people? I challenge you, not just this month, but throughout the year to look for opportunities to give back to the community. There are several Black History programs that will take place and I hope that Mu Lambda Chapter members will participate, and let our collective voices be heard.
The Executive Message
PBS Viewers Guide
Beautillion Schedule
January Meeting Overview
MAAC Meeting Schedule
Black Facts
Historical Moment
Birthdays
Membership News
The Alpha House • Announcements
Walter Whitley Editor
EXECUTIVE MESSAGE
(from Page 1)
For our part in this year’s celebration, at our February meeting, we will have the opportunity to hear from Mr. Hari Jones, Curator for the African-American Civil War Museum here in Washington, DC. Mr. Jones will provide a historical overview concerning the contributions that African-Americans have made throughout moments in history. Mr. Jones has lectured extensively on this and other issues. I would like to thanks Brother Gilbert Douglas for bringing Mr. Jones to our Chapter for this presentation.
The Beautillion Academy is well underway thanks to the efforts of Brother Reginald Salter and his committee. The Beautillion continues to be Mu Lambda’s flagship public service program. This program truly embodies the spirit of our Fraternity: manly deeds, scholarship, and service. As such, the goal of the Beautillion is to provide the needed mentorship to promising African-American males in our metropolitan community through leadership training and financial assistance that will aid in their college matriculation. Every brother needs to find a way to support this program. You can help by serving as a mentor, identifying corporate sponsorships, and by purchasing your table for the Gala. The success of this program relies on your support and dedication. The 2008 Beaux class will be introduced at our February chapter meeting. I am asking all Brothers to please arrive on time to greet our special guest.
I would thank Brother Wayne Williams for leading the Chapter efforts in our National Programs. This month the Chapter will participate in Project Alpha as well as conduct a Voter Registration/Education Information Drive. We need all Brothers to participate in these activities. Brother Williams will provide us details of these events during our Chapter meeting. Additionally, we will have a Brotherhood Social thanks to the efforts of Brother Darrel Chase. We will convene on Friday, February 8, 2008 at Station 9 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Brother Chase will provide other details during our meeting. I encourage all Brothers to come out for our brotherhood social.
This month we will compete for Chapter of the Year at the MAAC Conference. I would like to thank Brother Tim Fitzgerald and Brother Joseph Jones for leading this effort. We have accomplished so many great things as a Chapter this year and I want to congratulate you on a job well done. Additionally, Brother Reginald Salter will represent Mu Lambda Chapter as a candidate for Alumni Vice-President for the MAAC. We wish these Brothers much success at the MAAC Conference.
See you at the Chapter meeting on February 7, 2008
Black History Month Programming on PBS
PRINCE AMONG SLAVES
Monday, February 4, 2008, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET
This special tells the forgotten true story of an African prince who was enslaved in Mississippi for 40 years before finally achieving freedom and becoming one of the most famous men in America
AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2
Wednesdays, February 6-13, 2008, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET
AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES again journeys deep into the African-American experience to unearth the triumphs and tragedies within the family histories of an all-new group of renowned participants. Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. returns as series host.
INDEPENDENT LENS "Banished"
Tuesday, February 19, 2008, 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET
This is the story of three counties that forcefully banished African American families from their towns 100 years ago — and the descendents who return to learn a shocking history.
AN EVENING WITH QUINCY JONES
February 2008 (check local listings)
A rare look into the life of music mogul Quincy Jones, this one-hour interview was taped in Washington, DC, in front of an audience. Gwen Ifill interviews and hosts the star-studded evening, which features live performances by BeBe Winans, James Ingram, Herbie Hancock and more.
LEGACY: BEING BLACK IN AMERICA
February 2008 (check local listings)
In January 2007, a special tribute dinner was held in Washington, DC, to honor the Civil Rights generation. Attended by 18 celebrated African Americans from business, politics, academia, media and the arts, the dinner proved to be an intriguing discussion of race consciousness, integration and equity in the U.S. today.
RED TAIL REBORN
February 2008 (check local listings)
RED TAIL REBORN is the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American fighter pilots of World War II, and of those who sacrificed to tell the Airmen's forgotten tale.
Mu Lambda Communication Phone Tree
The Mu Lambda Telecommunication System (MLTS) is up and running. We will be utilizing this system to provide you with weekly/monthly announcements regarding Mu Lambda events, activities, and special programs. If you have not received any messages to date, please contact Brother Arthur King at (202) 732-0253 or by email aking536@aol.com.
Membership News
It is with deep sorrow to inform you of the passing of Brother Coleman Tuckson. A longtime member of Mu Lambda, Brother Tuckson entered Omega Chapter on Friday, January 25, 2008. Services were held at St. Luke's Episcopal Church on Wednesday, January 30, 2008. Please keep his family in your prayers.
Important Dates
Brotherhood Reclamation Day February 3, 2008
EPA Office of Civil Rights Black History Program February 6, 2008
Amphitheatre of the Ronald Reagan Bldg. The Honorable Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery Keynote Speaker 10:00 am – 11:30 am (this event is free and open to the public)
16th Annual MAAC Conference February 15-16, 2008 Holiday Inn Select Conference Center Timonium, MD
National Pan-Hellenic Council Unity in the Community Bowling Event February 16, 2008, 4-6 PM Terrace Lanes
12 West College Terrace, Frederick, Maryland
January Meeting Highlights
Becoming wealthy is not a matter of how much you earn, who your parentsare, or what you do. It is a matter of managing your money properly.
Noel Whittaker Financial Author and Investment Advisor
Planning for the future is the mantra of Brother Alfonso Pearson, Vice President of Development at PNC Bank, in Washington, DC. During a very informative mini-seminar on financial planning, Pearson said there are three basic advice strategies that he uses while investing in a volatile market.
1. Save: take stock in your spending habits and if possible, save and do so aggressively.
2. Invest: put money in a retirement plan.
3. Build: establish good credit.
2008 promises to be a turbulent year and while the proposed economic stimulus plan could boost this year's deficit by $100 billion; many political leaders believe the package might just keep the country from falling into a prolonged recession. Using these investment fundamentals can help you survive and perhaps even take advantage of a market in decline.
The chapter was also treated with a spirited discussion and book review by Gregory Parks, PhD., author of African American Fraternities and Sororities: The Legacy and The Vision. Parks, a member of Mu Lambda since 1997, spoke of writing a broad based book on the history and culture of Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLO). He wanted to invoke and encourage substantive thought and provide a factual representation of the BGLO’s. Parks sought to reduce the perception that all Black Greek Letter Organizations only step and haze and elevate all the BGLO’s, not just Alpha Phi Alpha to their deserved place of relevance and dignity.
Brother Alfonso Pearson
Brother Pearson Receives Certificate
Dr. Gregory Parks Presents Copy of Book
Dr. Gregory Parks
Dr. Gregory Parks Receives Certificate
Walter Whitley
A Major Donation For The M. L. King Memorial
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation announced a $3 million gift Wednesday, January 30, 2008 to help push to completion the long-planned memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. on the National Mall. The group does not typically fund construction projects, but foundation officials said the King memorial stood out. "The larger issue here isn't monuments or memorials, it is building a stronger democracy and achieving racial equity," said Sterling Speirn, president of the Battle Creek, Michigan-based foundation.
The latest gift brings fundraising to $90 million of the $100 million needed to complete the memorial. The National Park Service has strict rules governing construction on its land. It requires that the memorial foundation have at least $85.5 million for building and maintenance costs before the start of construction. With help from lenders and banks, according to Harry Johnson, president of the King memorial foundation, “There is enough funding available to begin construction this spring, the memorial foundation's previous target. Other large donations are expected to be announced in February”.
The expected completion date was already pushed back from late 2008 to late 2009 because of delays with the design and building permits. Johnson said the group hopes to start construction in April or May to be able to maintain its schedule for a 2009 completion.
The memorial will sit along the edge of the Tidal Basin, between the Jefferson Memorial and Lincoln Memorial, where the civil rights pioneer delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. It will feature a large stone sculpture by a Chinese artist of King emerging from a block of granite and stone walls engraved with quotes from King.
The Kellogg Foundation gift is the memorial fund's largest from a private foundation. A majority of the funding has come from corporations, but schools, churches and individual donors have contributed as well
Henry Arthur Callis Beautillion
February 03, 2008 Etiquette for Gentlemen
February 10, 2008
February 17, 2008
February 24, 2008
making
March 09, 2008 Program Rehearsal
March 16, 2008
March 30, 2008 Wrap Up Session
April 06, 2008 Full Rehearsal
April 13, 2008 Full Rehearsal
April 19, 2008
MAAC Monthly Meeting Schedule
BLACK FACTS
Langston Hughes born February 01, 1902
Little Known Black History Moment
John Sweat Rock
Rosa Parks born February 04, 1913 Physician, Dentist and Lawyer
Hank Aaron born February 05, 1934
Nelson Mandela freed February 11, 1990
Born in 1825 in Salem, New Jersey, John Sweat
NAACP founded February 12, 1909 Rock was one of the first African American men
Frederick Douglass born February 14, 1818 to earn an M.D. in the United States.
SCLC organized February 15, 1957
Frederick Douglass died February 20, 1895
the son of free Blacks, Dr. Rock apprenticed for Malcolm X assassinated February 21, 1965 two Salem-based White doctors, Dr. Shaw and
W.E.B.DuBois born February 23, 1868
W.E.B.DuBois died February 23, 1963
Dr. Gibson and with a dentist, Dr. U. Hubbard.
He opened his own dentistry practice in 1850 in Philadelphia and was highly skilled at making Carter G. Woodson Announces dentures. Dr. Rock was awarded his M.D. in Negro History Week 1852 or 1853. February 26, 1926
Dr. Rock moved to Boston where he had both a medical and dental practice. He was given the honor of being one of the first African Americans admitted to the Massachusetts Medical Society and he gave medical aid to fugitive slaves as they passed through Boston on the Underground Railroad.
ΑΦΑ Tags for DC, MD & VA
Alpha Phi Alpha license plates for Washington, DC have been authorized by general headquarters. Mu Lambda Chapter Brothers interested in acquiring DC tags should contact Bro. Arthur King at aking536@aol.com or 202.7230253 or 202.744-6624. Other DC chapter Brothers should contact Bro. Howard Franklin at Hlfrankjr@aol.com or 202.256-8539. DC Tags will cost about $80 for the first year and about $ 26 less in subsequent years.
Maryland tags contact: Brother Vernon Dorkins at 410.664-0911
Virginia tags contact: Brother Larry Townsend at 757.870-5696
Unfortunately, because of poor health, Dr. Rock was forced to abandon his medical practices. As a result, Dr. Rock began to study law and passed the bar in Massachusetts in 1861 and went on to practice law in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.
On February 1, 1865, Rock was granted admittance to argue cases in front of the United States Supreme Court, the first African American to receive this honor.
Dr Rock was also one of the first African Americans to be invited and received on the floor of the House of Representatives.
By the time Dr. Rock died in December, 1866, he ha has spent a great portion of his life arguing for Equality for African Americans and was a famous famous orator on the subject.
February Birthdays
FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS
Legand L. Burge, III Feb. 05
Orlando Xavier Hixon Feb. 11
Garnett Wood Feb. 14
Talmadge Roberts Feb. 16
Sylvester C. Booker Feb. 16
Kenneth L. Higgins Feb. 17
Sean L. Ponder Feb. 21
Michael Clarke Feb. 22
George R. Johnson, Jr. Feb. 25
2007 – 2008 Mu Lambda Housing Assessment
Please remember to pay your 2007-2008 Housing Assessment: $50 per chapter meeting (10 meetings) or $500 for the year. Remit to Bro. Curtis Hunigan, 5621 N. Marwood Blvd., Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
The 2007-08 Executive Committee
President James McDonald 202.544.5026
Vice President Tim Fitzgerald 202.678.0821
Recording Secretary Kent Benjamin 703.401.0888
Treasurer Curtis Hunigan 301.599.1191
Financial Secretary Arthur King 202.744.6624
Corresponding Secretary Jeffery Monroe 703.731.0955
Chaplain William Hawkins 202.583.3211
Historian/Archivist Brian Halliburton 202.321.8221
Sergeant-at-Arms Darrell Chase 202.294.3383
Associate Editor to the Sphinx Kenneth Furlough 202.832.8560
Editor of the Torch Walter Whitley 202.255.9258
Webmaster Rashid Darden 202.413.3715
Director of Intake Andre Lucas 202.271.1617
Director of Education Wayne Williams 202.678.8298
Parliamentarian Vacant
Member-at-Large Arlester Brown 202.244.2778
Immediate Past President Edwin Norwood 703-644-0392
www.mulambda.org
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Mu Lambda Chapter PO Box 1993 Washington, DC 20013-1993 ….Share the Light of the Torch with our inactive Brothers and Brothers new to the DC area…. February Meeting Thursday, February 7, 2008 7:06pm School of Dentistry Howard University Campus
