King, the Alpha

Senusret I · #1 01-20-2008, 11:54 PM

"I can remember those days , very dark days, when many of us confronted a trial in court and I could look out and see our very eminent General President.
That made me feel good as an Alphaman and I want to thank you for what you have done all along."

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His is the name that is proudly called out as a brother of Alpha at Informational Seminars, Websites and Programs as our most illustrious brother.

While much is known about Dr. Martin Luther King’s impact as a Civil Rights leader, little is known or documented about his active involvement in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. With a magnificent memorial on slate to be erected, we must continue to answer his clarion call to provide leadership for those in the wilderness. Brother King is the reason why I chose to become an Alpha. He loved Alpha and was proud when he became a member according to his sister Christine. Enjoy this brief Historical Moment and apologies for any typos. Please share with others.
Skip Mason

Brother King’s first contact with an Alpha came on January 15, 1929, when he was delivered by Brother Dr. Charles Johnson(above), the family doctor,
a member of Alpha Phi Alpha and President of Eta Lambda Chapter. Brother Dr. Johnson was the personal physician of King’s mother Alberta and
good friends of the King family.

Martin King sitting in chapel listening to one of hundreds of speaker to speak in chapel each day during his four years at Morehouse College. Right Photo-The Freshman Class of 1944
When Brother King entered Morehouse in 1944, he was 14 years old, he like other Freshman had to wear the Maroon beanie, learn the Morehouse hymn and were subjected to the rigors of Freshman induction activities. He knew very little about fraternities and was more interested in dressing up and courting the young ladies. A snazzy and dapper dresser, King was known for his tweed jackets and developed the nickname “Tweedie.” His grades according to his biographer were "average."
In a paper titled “Ritual” for Professor Walter R. Chivers Sociology class, King( who was not a member of a fraternity) had this to say about Greek letter fraternities:
“Greek letter fraternities are also very important in relation to secular ritual. Such fraternities are: Phi Beta Sigma, Alpha Phi Alpha, etc. The whole makeup of fraternal life is built around ritualism. The symbol of the fraternity, the fraternity colors, the initiation period and the oath of secrecy are nothing more than ritualistic practices. Let me give briefly a few of the ritualistic practices found in fraternities. First, most fraternities have as one their recognition signs the fraternal handsclasp. Like titles and passwords they are symbolic in character. Second we find most fraternities have a symbolic coloring. While the colors and the symbols vary considerably, there is one fairly common combination-red, white, blue-dignifying, no doubt the patriotic sentiments of the members. “

Senusret I · #2 01-20-2008, 11:55 PM

(I'm working on trying to fix this up brothers and friends, bear with me)

pinkies up · #3 01-21-2008, 12:19 AM

This is so interesting. My brother is also an Alpha man and I shared this with him.

Senusret I · #4 01-21-2008, 08:24 AM

According to the late Brother Albert Wardlaw, a 1940's initiate of Alpha Rho Chapter, recalled to his knowledge that King never showed or expressed an interest in any fraternity. L.D. Reddick wrote in the book "Crusader Without Violence" King was a city student and did not reside on campus as most of the students did, yet he was involved in the school’s debate team, the NAACP , the Glee Club, as a writer for the school’s paper, the Maroon Tiger, Sociology Club (where he served as president). He also served on SGA as a member of the faculty-student discipline committee. Most of his mentors and “favorite” professors were members of Omega Psi Phi, including the college President Benjamin E. Mays, Dr. Claude Dansby, Walter R. Chivers ( all members of Omega Psi Phi).
“The academic record of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Morehouse College is short of what may be called “good:” but I recommend that you give his application serious consideration. King is one of those boys who came to realize the value of scholarship late in his college career. His ability exceeds his record at Morehouse, and I believe his present attitude will lift his achievement to the level of ability... He gets along well with people, is friendly and courteous.”

George Kelsey, Director School of Religion
March 13, 1948.

King on his graduation day from Morehouse College. Photo courtesy of the Morehouse College Archives.

After attending Crozer Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania, he was accepted to graduate school at Boston University. While he had not shown any interest in fraternities at Morehouse, he discovered the light in Boston. In 1952, King was inducted into the Sigma Chapter Sphinx Club. Coretta Scott met her future husband in February of 1952 and recalled that he was on line pledging Alpha. Coretta was a student at the New England Conservatory of Music. During this period of activity as a Sphinxman, King was a student at Boston University and taking three courses including Religious Teachings of the New Testament, Directed Study in Systematic Theology and Seminar in Systematic Theology. He also took a course at Harvard University taking the “History of Modern Philosophy." While “on line” he returned home to Ebenezer to preach at the church’s 65th Anniversary and his father 20th Anniversary as pastor.
On May 26, Sphinxman King returned back to Boston for summer school to take two courses. On June 22, 1952, he and seven other students were initiated into the fraternity. A month later, he returned home to Atlanta to serve as the pastor in charge of Ebenezer not to return back to Boston until September.

Brother King and his fellow line brothers are dressed in tails. (Courtesy of Sigma Chapter Archives). With Coretta on the campus of Boston University

Brother King's membership shingle was signed by General President A. Maceo Smith,(left) the 17th General President of the fraternity.

In August of 1952, Brother King traveled to Cleveland, Ohio to attend his first National Alpha convention from December 26-30. Brother A. Maceo Smith was General President. At the convention, Brother Thurgood Marshall(Nu’26) received the Alpha Award of Honor. In his address at the convention, Brother Marshall challenged the members of the Fraternity to “maintain their loyalty and increase the struggle for equal opportunity in all sections of the nation.” In addition, Eugene Kinckle Jones(at that time not a Jewel) also received the Alpha Award of Honor. Jewel Henry Arthur Callis gave the Fraternal address. It was at this convention that Brother King attended that Eugene Kinckle Jones was designated a founder and Jewel. Jewel Jones delivered the convention address. Jewel George Biddle Kelley was also at the convention. Historically at this convention, the word “Negro” was deleted from the constitution of the fraternity.

“I can remember those days , very dark days, when many of us confronted a trial in court and I could look out and see our very eminent General President.
That made me feel good as an Alphaman and I want to thank you for what you have done all along.
King at the 50th Anniversary Banquet in Buffalo in 1956. He received the Alpha Award of Honor.
Later Brother King told an audience of his experience in having attended the convention in 1956 and that it was
boastfully announced that the members spent $500,000 for liquor.
“A handful of Negroes” Brother King said acidly…spent more money in one week fo whiskey than all of the 6 million Negroes spent that whole year for the United Negro College Fund and for the NAACP. Now that was a tragedy." (The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr.,Volume 3)

Senusret I · #5 01-21-2008, 08:25 AM

Brothers including 18th General President Frank Stanley (shaking his hands) and General Secretary James Huger join Brother King on the steps of the Montgomery Courthouse during the Bus Boycott Trail. (Right) Distinguished Alabama attorney and Alpha brother Arthur Shores.

In the Spring of 1957, Andrew Young had been invited to speak by the brothers of Alpha Beta Chapter at Talledega College in Alabama. The President of the chapter was Arthur Gray, who was also a Congregationalist minister like Brother Young. Brother Gray had also invited Brother Martin Luther King, Jr. to speak which afforded Brother Young his first opportunity to meet King. Brother King was the morning chapel speaker and that afternoon they participated in a panel discussion. According to Brother Young, after the event, he was invited to visit him in Montgomery before he returned to Thomasville. Young said “he accepted the invitation with pleasure…I was eager to have a chance to talk with him about how he applied his academic training to the practical situation in the South. “ This was the beginning of long friendship and relationship in the struggle. Brother Young would be by his side throughout the movement and with him on the evening of his assassination in 1968.
(photo courtesy of Brother Dr. Richard Griffin)
Right photo- In 1959, Brother King hired Brother Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker to serve as his Chief of Staff. Brother Walker had been initiated at Gamma Chapter in 1946.

Brother King attended the Citizenship Rally on the campus of Alabama State College. The event was sponsored by the Alpha Upsilon Lambda(King's Chapter above) Chapter and the Beta Upsilon Chapter Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha. Brother Archibald J. Carey, Jr. was the keynote speaker and Brother King gives the benediction. In October, Brother King speaks at the Fort Valley State College for Religious Emphasis Week. Brothers of the Gamma Zeta Chapter at Ft. Valley are in attendance. On January 30, 1960, Brother King attended a farewell party in his honor at the home of Brother J. Garrick Hardy. In March of that year, Brother King spoke at a rally at Tuskegee and was greeted by members of the Gamma Phi Chapter at Tuskegee.

Senusret I · #6 01-21-2008, 08:26 AM

Photos (-r)Brother King with General President Frank Stanley and the President of Kentucky State University. 2. Brother King and Historian,14th General President and College President Charles H. Wesley at the Central State University Commencement where King served as the keynote speaker. 3.Brother King and wife Coretta with Vice President Richard Nixon, c. 1957. 4. Brother King with President Dwight D. Eisenhower and others. 5. Brother King and Brother Brother Rev. James Porter at his commencement at Alabama State University in May of 1955. Photo courtesy of the Porter Family.
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Members of SNCC who were Alphas included Brother Marion Berry, then a student at LeMoyne Owen College where he was initiated into the Beta Xi Chapter. 2. Brother King is show wiht Brother Belford V. Lawson, 16th General President and Civil Rights Attorney with brothers in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Courtesy of Joseph Byrd/Belford Lawson, Jr.)

On Feb. 21, 1959 Brother King preached at Quinn Chapel AME Church in Chicago in program sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha and the Chicago Sunday Evening Club. His sermon was “Going Forward by Going Backward.”

General President Thomas W. Cole led the brothers of Alpha to support the March on Washington in August of 1963, where Brother King gave his "I Have

Photos of Brother King with his fraternity brothers. Efforts are underway to document all of the chapter and fraternal events that Brother Martin LutherKing
served as the keynote speaker. His last faternal event was with Eta Lambda Chapter (right photo) in March of 1968.

Scenes from the funeral and march through Atlanta to Morehouse College for the final service

Senusret I · #7 01-21-2008, 08:26 AM

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Brothers assembled at the National Headquarters in Chicago for a memorial service

As we celebrate this holiday in his memory, let us as brothers of Alpha give heed to his clarion call to continue of
legacy of leadership and service. As your General President candidate, and a servant of all, I am commit ed to go
into the wilderness on behalf of our the lost African-American boys.
of the least of these.
“God grant from this noble assembly, this noble assembly of fraternity men, that some of the leaders of our nation will emerge. God has blessed you, he has blessed you with great intellectual resources; and those of you who represent the intellectual powers of our race…Never forget that you are where you are today because the masses have helped you get there and they stand now in the wilderness, not being able to speak for themselves, they stand walking the streets in protest not knowing, exactly what to do and the techniques. They are waiting for somebody out in the midst of the wilderness of life to stand up and speak and take a stand for them. “
Martin Luther King, Jr., in his address to the 50th Anniversary convention of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Believe in the 7! Believe in Alpha! Believe in Skip Mason for 33rd General President!
www.believeinthe7.com

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