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OK if you really want to know the answer to some of these questions, atleast do the basic research.
I think most people know by now that King was initiated into Alpha through our Boston's Sigma chapter while studying at Boston University. You could have really found that out by doing a simple internet search.
Excerpts from Skip Mason about Dubois:
When W.E.B. DuBois convened the Niagara Conference in 1905, the predecessor to the NAACP, there were several men who would be later inducted as Alphas including Alonzo Herndon and his son Norris Herndon(Sigma Chapter, 1921), who was then a teenager at time. Alonzo Herndon established Atlanta Life Insurance Company and became Atlanta's first black
millionaire. His wife was a teacher at Atlanta University with DuBois. They lived in a magnificent mansion which was the site of many Alpha functions for the brothers in Atlanta.
Callis recalled that Dr. DuBois had learned about the fraternity at the University of Michigan. He approved wiht his blessing and joined as an honorary. It almost likely that DuBois did not experienced the initiationas several honorary members had not.
In 1923, DuBois future son in law, poet Countee Cullen was initiated into Eta Chapter in New York along with nine other men. A year later, Cullen married DuBois's only daughter Yolande(a member of Delta Sigma Theta) in what Harlemites called the "wedding of the year." The marriage, however, dissolved
a year later.
After DuBois ended his stormy relationship with the NAACP and the crisis,
Brother Dr. John Hope(initiated into Eta Lambda Chapter around 1923) and
president of Morehouse and later Atlanta University invited DuBois to return
to Atlanta in 1934. DuBois affiliated with the Eta Lambda Chapter.
DuBois wrote an article for the Sphinx "Alpha Phi Alpha and Fisk University. Known to raise "hell" if necessary.
Now as far as Frederick Douglas, I agree that making him an honorary member was a bit much, however, I also heard that his family requested he be an honorary member.
When the 14th Annual Convention in 1921 decided to induct posthumously into Omega Chapter the Honorable Frederick Douglass, it treaded ground that had not been done before by any organization. No one had ever inducted a deceased person into its organization (and as far as this writer knows, no one has since). But if it was to be done (and it was), certainly the Alpha's would be the first to do it.
But I also heard that this was done as a request by the family of Douglas.
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