Torch Magazine September 1990

September 1990 Washington, D.C. MU LAMBDA Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated

Message from the President l^cb^ /3cac/i/, JOypccUxy

by C. C. Jones

My Brothers in Alpha, we must embark upon this first fraternal year in the decade of the 1990s with vigor, vitality, and an untir¬ ing commitment “...to further brotherly love and afraternal spirit within the organization...” As we look forward '.o the 1990-1991 Fraternal Year, we must possess an ever encompassing circle of knowledge and courage to aid us as we attempt to carry out any and all programs and activities.

The 1990s will be adecade of decision-making, an era em¬ barking upon change, as well as a renewal of commitment. We see change as we formally installed a new slate as Mu Lambda Chapter of fi cers. The “Brothers bold” ac¬ cept the challenge to provide lead¬ ership and service of the highest quality possible, ‘carrying out earth’s and heaven’s grand com¬ mand.” We thank the Brotherhood for the trust and the encourage¬ ment provided in order “that our Fraternity’s praises be sung.”

Amore important change, derived from one of aseries of de¬ cisions on the agenda of the 84th (continued on page 4)

The 84th Anniversary Convention of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. convened at the Foumainbleau Hotel on Miami Beach, Florida, under the direc¬ tion of General President Henry Ponder. Beginning on Thursday, August 2, it was obvious that the meeting would be one of our larg¬ est and well attended. Convention and hotel registration lines were packed with delegates from every corner of the country and over¬ seas.

Although it was thought that the beautiful beaches would de¬ tract the delegates from Fraternity business, two issues managed to captivate the headlines—National Headquarters-Building Drive and the Membership Pledge/Iniake Process. Both issues highlighted the crossroads the Fraternity would confront in the 1990's.

National HeadquartersBuilding Drive

less than 15,000 square feel, apur¬ chase price not to exceed the bal¬ ance of funds available plus fifty percent (50%) of the potential net rental income, an operating pro¬ forma, and location in amajor ur¬ ban area with easy transportation access.

As expected, the convention questioned the sincerity of the Fraternity-leadership's commit¬ ment to be flexible in locating a site for the headquarters. Possible sites include Washington, D.C.: Atlanta, Georgia; Winston-Salem. North Carolina; Baltimore. Maryland; Chicago. Illinois; and Detroit Michigan. To date, atotal of 1.4 million dollars has been col¬ lected.

Membership Pledge/Intake Process

The elimination of pledging among the eight members of the Pan-Hellenic Council generated the most controversy. In an at¬ tempt to soothe fears and con¬ cerns, Former General Presidents Williams, Sutton, Teamer, and Newsome, in aplenary session on Friday, August 3, discussed the reasons why and how we should modify our membership programs. As aresult, anew term was in¬ voked —intake process has the psychological and practical aspect of eliminating hazing activi¬ ties. This intake process would culminate in the initiation of new brothers after selection by the (continued on page 3)

Given the confusion over whether the headquarters building would be built in Chicago, Illinois, the delegates adopted a new proposal that would open the possibility of relocating the head¬ quarters to another city. Under a committee appointed by General President Ponder, the Fraternity will review all proposals for con¬ structing or purchasing ahead¬ quarters building. Building re¬ quirements would consist of not which

1990-91 Dues

Although the 1990-91 budget and dues schedule has not been ap¬ proved, Brothers should come to the September meeting prepared to meet their financial obligation. The new dues schedule will most likely be about the same as in 1989-90. Dues for the 1989-90 fraternal year were $85 for life members and $170 for non-life members. (The $170 in¬ cluded a$10 late fee and $75 for the National Grand Tax, which was pro-rated as follows for recently graduated Brothers: 1st year—$37.50; 2nd year—$56.00.) Brother Benjamin Carson or Brother Curtis Hunnigan will accept your check at the September meeting. Please take care of your fraternal obligations now.

Help!!!

Uolunteers are needed to maintain and seruice the refreshment bar at our monthly meetings. If you mould like to help by purchasing supplies, bartending, etc., please contact rBrother Morris Hamklns. i

GIVE YOUR FAIR SHARE

National Headquarters Fund Drive

Give your $100 assessment to Brother Julius H. Brice (1429 Webster St. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20019) or send your check to Alpha Phi Alpha National Headquarters Drive RO. Box 53417 Chicago, Illinois 60653-9998. Be sure to include your Social Security number, and our chapter key number (111).

Newsletter Committee

Editor: William D. Thomas (363-7976)

Associate Editor: C.C. Jones (483-3102)

Circulation Manager: Louis A. Ford (723-8592) The deadline for submission of materials for the Oclo^r issue is September 19.

Mu Lambda Chapter

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated P.O. Box 1993 Washington, D.C. 20013

President Vice President

Recording Secretary Treasurer

Associate Editor to The Sphinx Chaplain

Education Director

Historian

Dean of Pledges

Corresponding Secretary

Financial Secretary

Sergeant at Arms

Morris Hawkins, Jr. (232-7265) Louis A. Ford (723-8592)

Robert M. Brown, ID (354-8018)

Curtis A. Hunigan (484-4944)

William D. Thomas (363-7976) Father Jerry Hargrove, Jr. (397-2525) C. CJones, m(483-3102)

Elmer D. Geathers (547-2625)

Herman L. Queen (397-8821)

Harold WHill, Jr. (332-4423) ....Benjamin J. Carson, ID (546-8704)

Maryland D. Kemp (583-1261)

^^^^^ODventioDRoundup

(continued from page 1)

chapter and sixteen hours of orienlation and instruction. The most confusion, however, was generWated regarding the sixteen hours of rorientation, which must occur Iwithin atwo day period after the selection of the new members.

The intake proposal, which was eventually adopted, created a storm of protests among the College Brothers. At the business session meeting on Sunday after¬ noon, August 5, the packed ball¬ room witnessed “Robert’s Rules of Order” operating at its best. At one point, while College Brothers attempted to present anew pledge/ intake proposal, the convention erupted in great pandemonium. General President Ponder conven¬ iently adjourned this session, which had begun at 2:00 P.M., for the brotherhood to attend the pub¬ lic program; at 8:00 P.M. the busi¬ ness session resumed and ulti¬ mately adopted anew membership intake program. Both College and Alumni Brothers asked the Brotherhood to unite in order to ensure the future for Alpha Phi Alpha.

Oldest Registered Brother—

Brother H. J. C. Bowden, 88 years old, Eta Lambda; Atlanta, Georgia

Chapter travelling the longest distance— Theta Theta Lambda (Germany)

Brother attending the most con¬ secutive General Conventions— Brother Lionel Newsome, 21si General President

Alumni Chapter (outside of host area) with the most registered Brothers— Rho Chapter; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

College Chapter with most reg¬ istered Brothers— Rho Bela Northwest Missouri State

College Brother with highest grade-point average— Brother Myron While, 5.97/6.00, Gamma Rho, Purdue, University

Step Show Contest Winner— Theta Nu (Southern Region) University of South Carolina Awards and Honors

President-elect) who both passed to Omega Chapter within aweek prior to the Anniversary Convention. (See Omega Chapter notices on page 4.)

Future Conventions

The 85th Anniversary Convention will be held in the “Jewel of Chesapeake Bay,” Baltimore, Maryland from August 1-7, 1991. This convention will be as important as the 84th because the delegates will be selecting the top two run-off candidates to be placed on the ballot for General President. Other conventions are scheduled as follows:

1992 Anaheim, California (Western Region).

1993 New Orleans, Louisiana (Southwest Region).

1994 St. Louis, Missouri (Midwest Region).

Bids were received from Atlanta, Georgia; Nashville, Tennessee;

Belford V. Lawson Oratorical Contest Winner— Eastern Region Entrant Memphis. Tennessee to host the 89th Anniversary Convention in the Southern Region. Next year in Baltimore, the Time and Place Committee will begin accepting bids for the 90th General Convention to be held in the and

Miss Black and Gold— Miss Alpha South College Chapter of the YearNu Psi (Southwest Region) Louisiana State University

Alumni Chapter of the YearEta Tau Lambda (Midwest Region) Akron, Ohio

College Brother of the YearBrother Myron While (Midwest Region) Gamma Rho, Purdue University

Alumni Brother of the YearBrother George Thompson (Southwest Region) Epsilon Psi Lambda, Alexandria, Louisiana

Special Awards of Appreci¬ ation— Brother Thomas Hunt, for¬ mer Comptroller; Brother Wayne Hardy, former Building Foundation Director.

Alpha Phi Alpha Education Scott Foundation Scholarship Edwards, Beta, Howard University.

Special recognition was given to Brother Michael Price, (Editor to the Sphinx) and Brother Njisane Omawale, Beta Chapter, (Eastern Regional Assistant Vice-

Eastern Region. Overall, the Convention was agood time to reminisce on those college days that have ‘swiftlypassed.’

President’s Message

(continued from page 1)

Anniversary Convention at Miami Beach, Florida involves the “mem¬ bership intake process.” The most immediate concern to the chapter is the implementation of the Procedure Manual for Membership Selection. How we interpret the document will definitely determine the character and caliber of the men that we initiate into Alpha in the future. We will no longer have the luxury of an extended period of ascertainment, training and as¬ sessment, evaluation, and cultiva¬ tion of kindred spirits to insure the development of “manly deeds, scholarship, and love for all man¬ kind.”

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has built an international repu¬ tation over the years as the most prestigious intercollegiate AfricanAmerican fraternity, primarily be¬ cause of involvement in the change process. Men of Alpha have had major impact on deci¬ sions that matter based on their points of view on civil, social, edu¬ cation, and economic issues. The challenge today looms even higher for the quality of contributions to be made by the Brothers of Mu Lambda Chapter. We live in aso¬ ciety today where we find our lives constantly threatened by the ills of afallen value system. Our children are matriculating in an (continued on next page)

Brother Warren B. Grif fi n, Jr. (1914-1990)

Brother Warren Brooks Grif fi n, Jr. of Mu Lambda Chapter entered Omega Chapter on Tuesday, July 24 .He was born July 10, 1914 to Warren B. and Louvenia Griffin in Memphis, Tennessee. An initiate and charier member of Beta Xi Chapter at Le Moyne College, he later trans¬ ferred to Howard University where he earn both his B.A. and M.A. degrees in English. He also pursued post-graduate work at Catholic University.

Brother Griffin was along¬ time member of Peoples Congregational Church where he served as atrustee and partici¬ pated in numerous other activities. He was also active in efforts di¬ rected toward equal rights for African-Americans. In 1961 he was honored by the 12th Street YMCA and its Hi-Y Club. Avete¬ ran of the U. S. Navy and aretiree from the D. C. Public Schools with forty years of service primar¬ ily at Armstrong, Dunbar, and Roosevelt High Schools, Brother Griffin was very devoted to athlet¬ ics and coaching.

Besides his wife of nearly thirty years, Vivian, and his daughter Addie Louise, he is also survived by abrother, asister, and ahost of other relatives and friends.

Brother Njisane Omawale (1969-1990)

Brother Njisane Omawale, 21, afall 1988 initiate of Beta Chapter, and asenior finance ma¬ jor at Howard University, entered Omega Chapter on Augusil, 1990. Elected Eastern Region Assistant Vice-President at the re¬ gional convention in Stamford. Connecticut this past spring, he would have been installed at the

84 Anniversary Convention in Miami Beach, Florida. ^ Brother Omawale was born ’ on June 19, 1969 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. At Beta Chapter, he was historian; he also served as vice president of the Pan-Hellenic Council at Howard. Brother Omawale was aDean's List student and active in the inter¬ national student organization, as well as the business students’ honor society. He was adevout Moslem.

Although details of his death are unconfirmed, it is believed that he was murdered by government soldiers during arevolt (that started in July with the taking of dozens of hostages) to lake over the government of Trinidad and Tobago. Brother Omawale was not directly linked with the revolu¬ tion.

Amemorial service for Brother Omawale will be held on Thursday, September 6at 1:00 P.M. in Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel on the campus of Howard University.

Brother Michael J. Price (1950-1990)

Brother Michael Jerome Price, Assistant Executive Director of Alpha Phi Alpha and Editor to the Sphinx entered Omega Chapter on July 23 in Chicago, Illinois. He had been af¬ filiated with the General organiza¬ tion for 17 years. He was credited with publishing the best Greeklelter journal in the country. Ame¬ morial tribute was given at the 84th Anniversary Convention, and amemorial service was held on August 12 in Chicago.

rPresident's Message

r(continued from previous page) education system that is struggling for identity, our communities and cities are struggling for economic survival, our sons and afew of our daughters are infested with addic¬ tions to substance abuse, our homes are visited by epidemics of new diseases and death, and our local, state, and federal govern¬ ments have all abrogated their re¬ sponsibilities for the roles they have played in all of this.

More so now than ever be.fore, the weight is on the shoulders of Alphadom to become astronger

component of the “solution” phase of societal ills. Our “go to school, go to college” teenage pregnancy prevention, leadership development, mentoring, and Boy Scout programs are acollective attempt at recognizing the many roles we need to fulfill over the next ten years. My challenge to every Brother in Mu Lambda is for you to be involved in one way or another in one of our outreach activilies/projecis. Our major em¬ phasis. in its broadest sense, should be that of communication and education.

The communities in which we live are pregnant with opporiu-

nilies for us lo take leadership roles and provide guidance and di¬ rection, but above all, service. Hopefully, this will be ayear that we begin and continue to recog¬ nize those of you amongst us who make meaningful contributions on adaily basis to your community and to society as awhole. Please keep us informed as recognize your efforts and to col¬ lectively assert the values of fel¬ lowship, camaraderie, and brother¬ hood. BEST WISHES FOR A SUCCESSFUL FRATERNAL YEAR!!!

TicliBr Tape rikj Lambda

Brother Eddie Madison and his wife, Da .’etta are proud parents of a bride, Karyn Davetta, who was united in holy matrimony with Steven Douglas at Simpson-Hamline United Methodist Church in Northwest Saturday June 2 Mu Lambda Brothers in attendance at the 84tn General Convention in Miami Beach from August 2-8 included Brothers Ryle Bell; Thomas C. Brackeen; Julius H. Brice; Robert M. Brown, III; Louis w. Buck; Ernest Campbell; Benjamin J. Carson, III; Elmer D. Geathers; Louis T. Harding; Morris Hawkins, Jr.; EluenH. Hoston, Jr.; Curtis A. Hunigan, . C. Jones, III; Maryland D. Kemp; Gary Lockett; LeRoy Lowery, III; Elmer J. Moore; Dan V. Nowell; William A. Robinson; John D. Roper; Thaddeus J. Taylor; William D, Thomas; Robert Warren, Jr.; Maurice E. White; Melvin White; and Frank Williams ,Jr... Brother Derrick Weaver is now associated with Rev. Jesse Jackson at the National Rainbow Coalition Headquarters Brother Sam Thornton, alegislative aide to Congressman Mike Parker (D-MS) has been elected President of Congressional Black Associates —an organization comprised of African-American Congressional staff personnel Brother Steve Tap,pan will be opening his own dental practice in the city very soon. .. .Brother Billy Wiley has recently joined the Marriott Corporation as an accountant. ..Brother Eric Elmore, an initiate of Alpha Chapter, has recently moved to the city as an attorney for the Federal Government Brother Morris Hawkins, Presider^ of Mu Lambda, reportedly wined and dined all Mu Lambda Brothers in attendance at the recent convention in Miami Beach.

.9KND US YOUR NEWS FOR THE TICKER TAPE 1!CONTACT THE NEWSLETTER COMMITTgg TO SUBMIT NEWS BITS SUCH AS BIRTHS. MARRIAGES. GRADUATIONS, gMPLOYHENT □ OPPORTUNITIES. ETC_^

5

/September 1990

September

6

Memorial Service for Brother Njisane Omawale, 1P.M. Rankin Chapel, Howard University.

6Monthly meeting of Mu Lambda Chapter, 7:00 P.M., Blackburn Student Center, Howard University.

19

Executive Committee Meeting, 7:00 P.M., ^Room 142 Blackburn Student Center, ^.'.Howard University.

October -

4

Monthly meeting of Mu Lambda Chapter, '7:00 P.M., Blackburn Student Center. 'Howard University: Fellowship and ^Paraphernalia Night.

17 .-.-^Executive Committee Meeting, 7:00 P.M., Room 142 Blackburn Student Center, Howard University.

Support the Heriry Arthur Dtillli; SGrioltir-shlp Fund by sending your tax-deductible contributions to Brother Frederick Laney, 1834 Shepherd St., N.W.. Washington, D.C. 20015. Your generosity is most appreciated; help some deserving student today.

Mu Lambda Chapter

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. P.O. Box 1993

Washington, D.C. 20013