Over the past five years there has been a wealth of books written on the African-American experience including biographies, autobiographies, fiction and nonfiction books. As an avid reader and book collector, I am always curious to to see how Alpha is presented in books written by Brothers and books dealing with organizational history. I usually turn to the Index of these books to see if Alpha is included. I have accumulated and briefly annotated a few titles below which discusses the fraternity in some aspect. I have listed those titles where the fraternity is not mentioned at all. This is not a complete list but a sampling of titles. 

Title: Our Kind of People
(Inside America's Black Upper Class)
Harper Collins, 1998  
by Lawrence Otis Graham 

A book recently published giving insight to the black upper class. 

Chapter 5  "The Right Fraternities and Sororites" 

"But as the presence of Alpha Phi Alpha and the other seven black organizations grew on black campuses during the early 1900s, they were each known for building their popularity by seeking out certain desirable student candidates(.e.g. smart, popular, accomplished, affluent.) and turning down  others...Apha Phi Alpha, it is the one to which most of my friends belong.... Quickly identifying themselves with programs that emphasized scholarship rather than mere social interaction...." 

Graham devotes three pages to Alpha but throughout the book makes it clear that Alpha was "the" fraternity to join to be accepted in the status quo. 
 
Title: Thurgood Marshall/American Revolutionary 
(Times Books, c. 1998)
by Juan Williams 
A biography of this Civil Rights icon and American legend. 

Chapter 4  "Waking Up" 

"Thurgood traveled to Lincoln with Aubrey Marshall (his brother)...There were 285 men at Lincoln that year. Aubrey had pledged a fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha...   Thurgood, meanwhile was at the heart of campus life. He took part in two rituals of young male college society. First he joined Alpha Phi Alpha, an elite fraternity of mostly light skinned boys. Although the fraternity was at the top of campus society, its hazing was rough...Once he became an Alpha, Thurgood delighted in the nasty tricks fraternity brothers would play on each other and on rival frats... Marshall' s life at Howard also included some fraternity run-ins. Half the class was made up of Alpha Phi Alpha, his fraternity...Marshall represented the Alphas as the competed with the Omegas...The Alphas thought they could run the class..." 

Williams devotes about three pages to Thurgood's college days. He does not however, mention Thurgood's involvement with the fraternity's era of civil rights in the 1940s  and desegregating law schools,  one of the greatest periods in the history of the fraternity. 

Title: Thurgood Marshall:
Warrior of the Bar, Rebel on the Bench
by Michael  Davis & Hunter Clark
(Birch Lane Press, 1992) 

"Chapter Seven  "An Ethiop Among the Aryans" 

"As Marshall impatiently waited for Houston's answer, Belford V. Lawson, Jr., turned his attention to the University of Maryland. Lawson served as counsel of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Many of the national fraternity's members, like members of the Washington and Baltimore branches of the NAACP, were light skinned and held coveted government jobs or were professionals who came 
from privileged families. The fraternity had a reputation for using the "paper bag" test for admitting members, an unwritten rule that a prospective member whose skin shade was darker than a paper bag would not be allowed to pledge. The fraternity also had a reputation for holding some of the most popular and best attended social affairs in black Washington." 

Skip's note- More discussion of Thurgood's account of his pledging days at Lincoln's Nu Chapter will be used in an article that I am working on on "The Origins of Pledging" 
 
Title: A Way Out of No Way:
The Spiritual Memoirs of Andrew Young
(Nelson, 1994) 
From former Congressman,  Ambassador and Civil Rights legend who marched with Dr. King 

Chapter One "A Time for Decision" 

"In concession to my father, I joined his fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha. The Alphas were the oldest black fraternity in the country. My pledgemaster was David Dinkins, a marine veteran a year ahead of me at Howard and future Mayor of New City. The Alphas gave me a sense of belonging and I was quite proud when the chapter elected me chaplain in my senior year-perhaps because I was one of the few brothers who didn't smoke or drink. The challenge of pledging and completing probation to the fraternity was something of a rite of passage to manhood. ....." 

Title: Andrew Young: An Easy Burden:
The Civil Rights Movement and the 
Transformation of America 
by Andrew Young
(Harper Collins, 1996) 

Chapter 5: Serving Bethany" 

"The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity chapter at Talledega in Alabama provided my first opportunity to meet Martin Luther King....I accepted the invitation in the spring of 197 to speak for the Alpha Phi Alpha annual program...When I arrived I discovered I was one of two speakers. Martin King was the other. I look forward to hearing him speak and to meeting him with great 
anticipation..." 
 
Skip's Note: (Brother Andrew Young has written the foreword for my book "The Talented Tenth: The Founders and General Presidents. Brother Young will celebrate 50 years in Alpha next year. He is a friend, a brother and calls on me to pinch hit for him at some speaking engagements when he has overbooked or cannot attend. I thank God for him and his support!) 

Title: The Young Paul Robeson
by Lloyd Brown (
Westview Books) 
An easy reader on the life of an American legend.

p.111  " Robeson joined Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity at Lincoln....." 

Title: The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Vol. II Rediscovering Precious Values
July 1951-November 1955
edited by Clayborn Carson 

The voluminous second volume of his papers held at Boston University. The third volume is in production and will feature letters referencing King's involvement with the fraternity. Due out in December. 

There are several pages referencing King's involvement with Alpha p. 39-"June 22, 1952 King is initiated into Boston's Sigma Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha social fraternity" 

p. 560- "King gives the benediction at a June Citizenship Rally sponsored by  local Alpha Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha in Montgomery, Alabama." 

"W.H. Coston writes a letter to King to speak at the Southern Region Convention in 1955" 
King's Shingle is pictured in the book. It is signed by Chapter officers, but the date is not included on it. It is in the M.L. King papers at Boston University. 

Skip's Note: A recent autobiography actually compiled by  Clayborn Carson does not make any mention of King's affiliation with Alpha. 

Title: Beyond the Timberline by T.M. Alexander 
A fascinating account of the life of pioneer Insurance executive in Atlanta and the first man to run for public office in Atlanta since reconstruction. 

"In 1939, while in New York, I attended a meeting of my national fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha...Members came from all over the country. Speakers outlined their problems and what they had attempted to do to solve them....he bemoaned the plight of the brothers in the South and the need for the organization to give leadership and help its southern members..." 

*Brother T.M. Alexander served as president of Eta Lambda Chapter. He was initiated into Alpha Rho Chapter at Morehouse in 1930. His son (now deceased) and grandson were also Alpha Rho initiates. He just recently celebrated his 90th birthday. 
 
Title: Christopher Darden, In Contempt 
(Regan Books/Harper Collins, 1996) by Brother Christopher Darden A personal account of the life of the LA County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in the "trial of the century" the O. J.  Simpson Case. 

p.  57... "Here I was, just two semester from graduating, and I still didn't  feel as if I'd gotten the full college experience.....I was a chronic introvert so driven by some intense desire to succeed that I wasn't enjoying the things I was working hard to achieve....I could join a fraternity....One of the guys I met in my Afro American studies classes...was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha. I went to smoker for Alpha Phi Alpha during the first week of classses in 
January 1977....In some ways, the entire purpose of pledging a fraternity is the initiation. There are lessons-pride in your history, brotherhood and discipline......We were called pledges or line brothers, and as a "line" we had to wear similar haircuts and absolutely no jewelry, to dress all in black and gold. We could never wear colors associated with another frat... We had 
to wear a four inch Sphinxhead......" 

Darden devotes five pages to his experience pledging Alpha. 
*The Western Region honored Darden two years ago at its regional convention. I had a chance to meet him. He was very thrilled that his own organization did not turn its back on him as he felt the public did. Skip 

Title: King of the Cats:
The Life and Times of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. 
(Houghton Mifflin, c. 1993) 

p. 12  "Powell got himself initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha, the renowned fraternity for young black men. There was no Alpha Phi Alpha chapter at Colgate, which never had enough black students to organize one. Walking by Powell's room...noticed an Alpha insignia, which he had conspicuously affixed to his door at eye level...The three were perplexed, and also quite impressed. "How he became an Alpha I'll never know, said Crosby" Powells senior picture shows him in a three piece pin striped suit, silk tie, collar closed by a stickpin....There was nothing beneath Powell's picture but the Alpha Phi Alpha insignia, a distinction none of his classmates enjoyed" 

I have compiled a brief list of books published about Alpha men, where I assumed Alpha would be included but is not: 

Title: Suceeding Against The Odds
by John Johnson
with Lerone Bennett 

*Founder and Publisher of Ebony & Jet was initiated into Theta Chapter. A powerful and inspiring account of the rise of the most successful African-American publisher in the world 

Title : Bearing The Cross Martin Luther King
and the Southern Christian  Leadership Conference 
by David J. Garrow (Morrow Books, 1986) 

Title: W. E. B.  DuBois  Biography of a Race  1868-1919
by David Levering Lewis
 
*There is no mention of DuBois becoming an Honorary Member of Alpha at Epsilon Chapter at the University of Michigan in 1909. The author David Levering Lewis won a Pulitzer prize for the book. He is the son of Dr. John H. Lewis, a graduate of Yale and a 1913 initiate of Zeta Chapter along with Charles Harris Wesley. John Lewis served as president of Morris Brown College. 

Title: Jesse Owens An American Life
by William J. Faulkner (Free Press, 1986) 
The 1936 Olympic Track star's life story. 

In the chapter dealing with his days at Ohio State University, there is no mention of his joining Kappa Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. 

Nigger: Autobiography of Dick Gregory 
A candid and vivid account of this former track star and comedian's life and his involvement in the Civil Rights struggle. No mention of his joining Alpha Phi Alpha. 

*If  there are books that you are have read or aware of, please share the titles with me for future editions. 

A FEW LETTERS FROM BROTHERS ABOUT THE  HISTORICAL MOMENTS: 
(You really make me feel thankful and blessed with your comments. Thanks for sharing with me) 

"Brother I am so full, I was with you in DC and I heard her words thru you. Tears are in my eyes. I worked so hard to be an ALPHA and I am so proud that the movement goes on." 

Dr. Kennerly 

Dear Brother Mason, 
Thank you so much for this fascinating information. As a new initiate (April 3, 1999  09:44:54 PM) of Upsilon Lambda Chapter  I am very interested in our history and am "drinking this information up"! I appreciate being included on your distribution list  and look forward to any future emails that you may send. 

Thanks again, 
Brother  James H. Ford 
******************** 
Greetings! 
Brother Mason you are doing an excellent job with your historical moments. As editor of my chapter newsletter and future historian of my chapter I really enjoy becoming knowledgeable of  Alpha history.  Like you I to am thirsty/hungry for the history of my beloved fraternity.  I just want to again commend you on your wonderful efforts.  Please keep educating me and keeping me informed.  May God continue to bless you always.  Take care. 
PEACE!!!!!!! 
'06 FOR LIFE....... 
STEVEN L. LITTLE, BNL 

 *************** 
Skip, 
I grew up in the same neighborhood that you mentioned that Ogle lived.  My neighborhood often showed random acts of violence, however I know that it does has a rich history.  Can you tell me the addresses so I may visit the houses? 
****************** 
Skip, thanks for the invigorating spirit and history that comes from your Historical Moments.  This is not only educational and enlightening, but it is refreshing, I enjoy nothing more than understanding and knowing from whence I came, one of my reasons for joining this great organization was 
because of the struggle and the insight that 9 men considered and that 7 acted upon, our wonderful founders incorporated history during a time when it was not so simple and it was done at a school that was probably not so receptive. 

Bro. David.H.Haigler 
 
 

A BROTHER WANTS TO KNOW: 

"I was told by many other bros. that 6 of the 7 Jewels were Prince Hall Masons.  If indeed they were, wouldn't whatever they experienced in the Masonic rituals have some bearing on our rituals??" 

Bro. Waters 

My Dear Brother Waters: 

Keep in mind that the Jewels prior to Cornell had no experience in Greek letter fraternal traditions and rituals. If there are Masonic overtones, then only brothers who are Masonic men would know. Perhaps there are some similarities as I have heard brothers in passing mention.  In my research, I have not found any documentation that any of the founders were Masons prior to their coming to Cornell. It does not mean that they were not, I simply have not been able to fully document it. I do know that George Biddle Kelley was a Masonic member.  What I do know is that much of what they learned about the Greek Letter structure was done through their work as waiters in the white fraternity houses at Cornell. Callis worked at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon House and Kelley at the Beta Theta Pi  House. Callis always admitted that they patterned a great deal of the foundation of the ritual after the "white boys'"(see Henry Arthur Callis: Life and Legacy by Charles Wesley"  He said that they were very helpful and cooperative in their quest to organizing their fraternity and even gave them a copy of their ritual. While our ritual is unique in its ties to our African-American culture and history the basic format is patterned  after some  of the white fraternities. (The Internet is certainly no place to discuss items such as the ritual, however, I simply wanted to address him from a historical research viewpoint)