Oldest black fraternity celebrates its 100th year
 

Article from my local paper.

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/9036448.htm

email this print this
Posted on Tue, Jun. 29, 2004



I M A G E S

Elwood P. Smith / Daily News
Meeting are Walter Lomax (left) Steven Sanders, Leon W. Tucker and former Mayor Wilson Goode.





Oldest black fraternity celebrates its 100th year

By JENNIFER JENKINS

jenkinj@phillynews.com


The nation's first African-American fraternity has returned to its birthplace to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Founded in Philadelphia in 1904, the Grand Boule of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity will wrap up its weeklong "Centennial Celebration" tomorrow night.

Less than 40 years after the end of the Civil War, the Grand Boule was formed as a fraternity where African- American men could share social and intellectual ideas. Dr. Henry A Minton, a physician and pharmacist, gathered five other Philadelphia-based colleagues to form the fraternity.

The founders chose to model their organization after ancient Greek organizations, naming themselves the "boule" meaning "a council of noblemen." Today, the organization has more than 4000 members across the United States and the Bahamas.

Notable members include the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the late W.E.B. DuBois, the late Carter G. Woodson, the late Raymond Place Alexander and American Express Chairman and CEO Kenneth Chenault.

More than 1,400 members gathered at the Marriott Hotel in Center City Saturday to kick off the event with a private ceremony inducting more than 100 new candidates. Former Mayor W. Wilson Goode, Sr. is a member and said he was very proud of his son, who was inducted at Saturday's ceremony.

While not technically a secret organization, members cannot apply to the fraternity, they must be invited to join. The primary requirement is that the candidate has a graduate degree but many are also leaders in their communities and involved in social issues relating to African-Americans.

Goode, who joined 30 years ago, said being a member has been an invaluable experience.

"It offers me a chance to meet with my peers to share common issues and concerns, and to chart what the future holds for African-Americans in this country," he said. "And these are people whose lives impact millions of people across the country."

Calvin Pressley, national president or "Grand Sire Archon" of the Grand Boule describes the organization as the "quintessential" place for African-American males to connect with their peers.

"With this organization we have a place to blend, to think about the connectivity required on our part to provide leadership," Pressley said.

In 1980, the organization founded the Boule Foundation to provide scholarships for young men and women pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Last night's black-tie gala featuring singer Jeffrey Osbourne was a fund-raising effort for the foundation.

The week's events also included a keynote address by member Vernon Jordan, public policy forums, sports activities and a lecture by Kenneth Chenault.

The celebration will close tomorrow night with a dinner and dance reception.

Sigma Pi Phi is a very elite professional fraternity for African American men.

It is the oldest existing BGLO, not technically the first.

First: Alpha Kappa Nu, Indiana U., 1903 (defunct)
Oldest Existing: Sigma Pi Phi, Philadelphia, 1904
First Intercollegiate: Gamma Phi, Wilberforce, OH, 1905 (defunct)
Oldest Existing Intercollegiate BGLO: ALPHA PHI ALPHA, COrnell University, 1906


Further info may be found in Our Kind of People and Black Greek 101.

What an interesting article! My grandfather is actually a brother of Sigma Pi Phi. He may even be at the conference, since he only lives in Germantown, Pa.

What a wonderful achievement for Sigma Pi Phi! Congrats to the all of its members! :D

Congrats To Sigma Pi Phi

From one centenuary GLO to another: Congratulations!! :)

Congratulations to Sigma Pi Phi! This is very interesting. I must confess that I am also unfamiliar with this fraternity.

Congratulations and Happy Centennial to Sigma Pi Phi!

http://mindscraps.com/s/otn/party/partytime.gif

Congrats to Sigma Pi Phi!

Congrats to the men of Sigma Pi Phi- my father is an archon(brother)! Here's to 100 more years!

See that!!! Living up to your title as GC Historian. Good job!!! LOL

Many Congrats to Sigma Pi Phi!

Congrats to Sigma Pi Phi! http://www.sigma-pi-phi.net/

I just read Our Kind of People. It's a pretty good book overall but I was a litte diappointed in the New Orleans section. A couple of facts were wrong.

Congratulations to the men of Sigma Pi Phi, The Boule.

My folks are up there partying now... I can't find my dad anywhere!!! And my mom? Oh well, life living in the Boule...