The effort to bring Louis Farrakhan to Rutgers University was met with severe opposition: Lies were told about the Nation of Islam minister, false charges were lodged against him and the event organizers, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity’s chapter on campus, were charged thousands of dollars to try to have the outspoken and beloved leader speak at the university for free.Brother Rahim Diallo Mahmoud [Delta Iota ’15], a Rutgers student and vice-president of the Delta Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, worked with others since last year to bring the Minister to the school. It was initially estimated $10,000 would be required for security costs for a room limited to 500 people. The final cost may be $5,000.

This Founders Day, we celebrate 110 years of developing leaders, promoting academic excellence and providing service and advocacy. We have much to look forward to in 2017 with the inauguration of our 35th general president and the General Convention in Baltimore, Maryland on July 12 – 16, 2017, while remaining MISSION FOCUSED. However, let’s take a moment to reflect on some of our accomplishments this past year.

Alpha has continued to move forward. Our A Voteless People is a Hopeless People national program has been hard at work. This year we continued to track voter registration and push training tutorials for brothers and chapters to use during planning. We also partnered with the National Pan-Hellenic Council for “get out the vote” initiatives. During the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, we were able to acknowledge our dear brother, U.S. Representative Charles B. Rangel, with our highest honor, the Alpha Award of Merit, as he celebrated his retirement. Brother Charles B. Rangel [Alpha Gamma Lambda ’64]was elected to the United States House of Representatives, serving the communities of Harlem and Upper Manhattan since 1971. Brother Rangel is a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the first African American to chair the House Ways and Means Committee.

The certifying nomination and election process for the Office of General Treasurer began October 1, 2016. The certification application and the candidate certification periods are closed. Below are the names of the certified candidates running for the general treasurer of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

Brothers,

In a slight change of pace, August Wilson’s FENCES comes to movie theaters on Christmas Day, 2016, starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis. It’s a story about a father, mother, and son and all of the things they needed to say to each other as well as all the things left unsaid.

Today in support of FENCES, people across the country are sending messages to loved ones with all the things they’ve wanted to say but never have – using photos, videos, interviews, original artwork and more. Use the hashtag #ACROSSTHEFENCE to share your story. The idea is to build bonds with family and loved ones in new ways, sharing healing messages that previously were left unsaid. On the eve of our one hundred and tenth anniversary, this is an opportunity for us as men to show how strong we are in developing leaders and show our love for all mankind.

Let’s show that Alpha Cares.

Fraternally,
Mark S. Tillman
General President

The National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc., has joined UNCF’s efforts on Giving Tuesday to help raise critical funding for HBCUs. Please join your fellow Alpha Phi Alpha brothers as we stand with UNCF to support students attending HBCUs by making an online donation here or text UNCFNA to 50555 to make a $25 donation.

Other partners will match donations raised from supporters up to $200,000 making your gift go twice as far towards helping talented minority students realize their dreams of going to and graduating from college! As every additional young person who graduates from college has the opportunity to change the trajectory of their lives, communities, and country.

Now is the time to give to students attending our nation’s HBCUs that are in need of funding; as recent data shows 39% of students who enrolled in HBCUs in the fall did not return to college the following year – due in part to a lack of financial resources. Financial assistance can make the difference between a student dropping out of college or graduating. At UNCF, students that receive a scholarship of just $5,000 increase their likelihood of graduation by over 7 percentage points.

Join us by donating today because “a mind is a terrible thing to waste.”

Brothers,

I remain impressed by your hard work: inspiring and encouraging our communities to vote. Throughout Election Day, brothers displayed their “I Voted” stickers as a sense of pride in exercising their right. Many of you implemented our Voting Toolkit to register new voters and increase participation across the country. Although the outcome has been considered a surprise, it does not change how we as Alpha men move forward. Ultimately, it does matter who is elected and what position they take; Alpha men know that we must continue to move our country forward by holding our leaders accountable. As a fraternity, we will work hard to serve our communities, guided by our purpose and Alpha’s mission.

Now is the time when we need all Alpha brothers in the House. Together, with Alpha brothers in your community, we can be a stronger force for advancement. If you have not done so, I am asking that all brothers act today by becoming active with the fraternity and associating with a chapter in your community. Today is the last day to renew your active membership without a late fee. Click here, log on right now, renew your membership, and help us continue to fight. 

In fewer than 2 months, this fraternity will transition to new leadership. My hope is that our objectives remain the same: encouraging people to vote, mentoring young boys to develop into future leaders, and demonstrating that Alpha Phi Alpha is a twenty-first-century change agent. While our beloved Alpha Phi Alpha and country go through leadership changes, we must use this time to educate, organize, and prepare for what comes next.

The next election will be here fast, and I have faith that we will be ready.

Fraternally,
Mark S. Tillman

Dear Brothers

It is my honor and pleasure to invite you to “The Gate City” of Greensboro, NC for my installation as the 35th General President of our beloved Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. This event will take place on January 6-8, 2017, at the Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons located at 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27407.

All brothers are invited to participate in the ceremonial installation. Please log on to AlphaNET and register today. The deadline for registering is December 12, 2016.If you would like to purchase an ad in the souvenir journal, please click here.

As you know, the city of Greensboro was instrumental to the Civil Rights Movement. On February 1, 1960, four students at the historic N.C. A&T State University sat down at the Woolworth lunch counter and asked to be served a cup of coffee. Their courageous actions sparked what has become known as the Sit-In Movement. It is in the spirit of these four young men that we gather in Greensboro to celebrate the start of this administration.

As our late Brother Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, “We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.” The Ward administration promises to be proactive in speaking out against the injustices of our people and communities and will be advocates, lend our voices and offer solutions to address the issues facing our communities. Please join me in Greensboro as we kick off the work of this administration.

If you have any problems attempting to log in or register, please contact the General Office at 800-373-3089 or membersupport@apa1906.net and speak to one of our membership coordinators.

Brothers, I look forward to seeing you in Greensboro, January 6-8, 2017.

Fraternally Moving Alpha Forward,

Everett B. Ward, Ph.D.

General President-Elect

I regret to inform you that Brother James Huger’s [Alpha Zeta ’39] membership has been transferred into Omega Chapter, the fraternity’s chapter of sweet rest.

Brother Huger, less than three months from his 102nd birthday, passed Friday, October 14, surrounded by his family in Daytona Beach, Florida. Brother Huger, a former executive director for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, lived an amazing life. He was a Montford Point Marine, the first African American elected to a local government office in the Daytona Beach area, an influential community advocate, and an activist for civil rights.

In 2009, Brother Huger was awarded the Alpha Award of Merit, the fraternity’s highest honor bestowed upon a member of the organization. In 2012, he became the recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal for serving with valor as one of the first Black Marines, even as Brother Huger and his fellow Marines were subjected to discrimination. The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor bestowed by the United States Congress.

It is because of Alpha brothers like James Huger that we continue to be the College of Friendship, the University of Brotherly Love, and the School for the Better Making of Men.

OMEGA SERVICE

Friday, October 21, 2016

Stewart Memorial United Methodist Church

300 Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard

Daytona Beach, Fl 32114

Service Time: 7:00 pm

FUNERAL SERVICE

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Heyn Chapel on the campus of Bethune-Cookman University

640 Dr. Mary Mcleod Bethune Boulevard

Daytona Beach, Fl 32114

Service Time: 11:00 am

Fraternally,
Mark S. Tillman

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the world’s oldest intercollegiate fraternal organization founded by African-American men, has announced that the fraternity is giving $1 million to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opens this week after five years of construction.

“Our history matters. African American stories, art, and culture are the heart and soul of American history,” said Mark S. Tillman, general president of Alpha Phi Alpha. “Alpha men are proud to support this museum, helping to bring our collective voices to a history that has largely worked to silence us. We look forward to seeing our struggle documented in meaningful and enriching ways culminating in a powerful experience for everyone who visits this institution of historical struggle and progress.”

The Museum of African American and History and Culture will be the Smithsonian’s 19th museum. It will open to the public September 24 with 11 inaugural exhibitions covering major periods of African American history, including the slave trade, segregation, the civil rights movement, and the Harlem Renaissance. It will also include exhibits on Black Greek Lettered Organizations such as Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and its members.

“You cannot understand American history if you do not understand African-American history”, explains Robert L. Harris, professor emeritus at Cornell University and national historian for Alpha Phi Alpha. “This is an idea that started with black civil war veterans who wanted people to understand the contributions that blacks have made to building this country. To see it finally become real is awe-inspiring.”

President George W. Bush signed the legislation establishing the museum in 2003. Construction began in 2011. The nation’s first African-American president will speak at its dedication. To learn more about the museum, please go to nmaahc.si.edu.

#APeoplesJourney #MakingHistory