Archive for January, 2009

A Trip to the Democratic National Convention

In the beginning of the summer 2008, the Rev. Al Sharpton and his National Action Network organization held an essay contest for his listeners on his radio show. The title of the essay was “Why Should You Go to the Democratic National Convention?” The winner of the contest will receive an all expense paid trip to Denver, Colorado to watch (then) Senator Barack Obama give his acceptance speech for the nomination of the Presidency of the United States and to partake in the Unity Prayer Breakfast Commemorating the 45th Anniversary of the March on Washington which Dr. King gave his “I Have A Dream” speech. Only four people could win this historic prize.

On Thursday, August 21st, a phone call was made to Bro. Trae Johnson to let him know that he was one of the winners of the essay contest.

“I couldn’t believe that I won. I actually won! When I entered the contest, I was hoping to win, just wondering would I get that opportunity. An when I was there, seeing people like Rev. Al Sharpton and being on his show, shaking Cicely Tyson’s hand, seeing Bro. Armstrong Williams, Lou Gossett, Jr., Joseph Lowery, Bro. Blair Underwood, and pictures with Bun B, Michael Baisden, and Bro. Warren Ballentine. An actually standing in the presence of (then) Senator Obama, it was breathtaking. It was amazing in Colorado.” stated Bro. Trae D. Johnson

Sigma Men on Currency

Last year I wrote about postal stamps with Sigma men on them. Now, let me post pictures of Sigma men on real currency.

Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nigeria

William Tubman, Liberia

William Tolbert, Liberia

Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana

1924 2nd Annual Clean Speech Week at Lincoln

Article reads as follows:

Lincoln University Holds Second Clean Speech Week
by Walter P. Moore

Lincoln University, Pa.  April 4. —
Realizing the fact that no student group is absolutely divorced from the impurities of the mother tongue, the students of Lincoln university are holding their second annual observance of Clean Speech Week from March 31 to April 6. During the week, members of the student body will speak on the following subjects: “Mend Your Speech,” “Purity of the Mother Tongue,” “The Fight Against an Evil,” “Cultivation of Speech,” and “Cultivating the Seed.” The speakers are Messrs. C. P. Johnson, resenting the Mu chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity; H.B. Sweet, the Nu chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha; R. K. Jones, Epsilon chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi,; J. W. Geater, representing the Omega Psi Phi fraternity; and J. E. Blackmore, pledgee of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, respectively.

A very elaborate program has been arranged for the Sunday afternoon of April 6. In addition to a number of physical renditions, Pro. G. Smith Wormley of Washington, D.C. will deliver the closing address. Prof. Wormley is a distinguished alumnus of Howard university, who also did graduate work at Columbia university.

We refer with great pleasure to the address given last year on the same occasion by Dr. J. Francis Gregory of Washington, D.C. Dr. Gregory was highly commended by all who heard him for the excellent way in which he mastered the subject, “Clean Speech.”

Clean speech week is observed under the auspices of the Mu chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. The object of the chapter is to eliminate as far as possible from the campus of Lincoln university all undesirable expressions and to establish good English by the standard of good usage.

President Barack Obama Connection 1

While we celebrate the election of Barack Obama as the first African-American  President of the United States of America, I will discuss on this blog over the next several months the connection between President Obama and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. President Obama is not a member of a black greek-letter organization, but Sigma’s influence in his life is greater than anyone can imagine.

In the Spring/Summer 2007 issue of the Crescent Magazine there is an article about “Sigmas in the U.S. Secret Service.” Our Sigma brothers have been protecting our U.S. Presidents for years. Without going into too much detail about the article, there is a very good chance that a number of Sigma men are protecting our 44th President of the United States. This is an excellent article, which I have attached for your review. Please read pages 12 – 17. Enjoy!

Happy Founders’ Day Zeta Phi Beta

Congratulations to our Sorors of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. on 89 years of Scholarship, Service, Sisterly Love and Finer Womanhood.