Vol. 1. No. 24 - Tuesday, May 25, 1999
Circulation-2,000+

JEWEL OGLE'S GRAVE LOCATED
BY BROTHERS OF BETA CHAPTER
By Skip Mason

Back in February of this year, at the District Convention for Maryland, Delaware and Washington in Dover, Delaware, I had the opportunity to speak at the Fraternal luncheon and share my journey into the lives and philosophies of the Jewels. In that message, I stated that it would be a great project for the chapters in DC to locate the  gravesite of Jewel Ogle. Well, someone heard my plea. A month ago Brother Antonio Barnes(Beta 1995, now a member of Mu Lambda Chapter in DC) expressed interest in the idea as a project for Beta Chapter. A week ago, he emailed me and asked me for the name of the cemetery where Jewel Ogle was buried. I received notice that this weekend they located the gravesite on Saturday the 22nd. It has no headstone or any other markings. I look forward to calling his daughter and granddaughter and share the news with them. My brothers, you look forward to future updates with regards to the chapter plans to erect a headstone and give our Jewel a proper dedication. Only an act of God could keep me from being there.
 
THE DISTINGUISHED 
Rev. Edward Ulysses Anderson Brooks, 
ALPHA'S SECOND HONORARY MEMBER

By Skip Mason

Alpha Phi Alpha  no longer inducts Honorary brothers. There was a time in the  fraternity's history when each chapter was allowed to induct honorary brothers. From our founding to the 1930s, some of the country's most prominent and distinguished men were made Honorary and Exalted Honorary members of the fraternity and embraced the vision of the founders. We have already discussed Alpha's most noted honorary member W.E.B DuBois. 

Why did the members of Alpha chapter deem it necessary to add to is rank men  under the status of honorary?  It began back on April 26, 1907 when George  Fletcher was inducted as Alpha's first honorary member. The following year   in 1908 and the q Edward Ulysses Anderson Brooks selected as Alpha's second 
honorary member on February 29, 1908, ( a leap year day)? Why were they both  selected. Fletcher, was a former law student a the University of Michigan and  had shown "much interest"  and encouraged the organization.  Wesley further  states in the "History of Alpha Phi Alpha," that Brooks "was a graduate of 
the Law School and in charge of a church at Auburn, New York." Additional  research by this writer has uncovered that Brooks was born in Elmira, New  York in 1872. Elmira was about 30 minutes from Ithaca.  He pastored numerous  churches in and around the Ithaca area including Lttle Falls, Utica, Waverly  and others. Brooks was a prominent Free Mason. He assisted in enumerating the 
1900 census for that area. Jewel Ogle in a letter dated 1927, told Wesley that "Dr. Brooks had graduated in the Cornell University Law School Class of 1901 and was in charge of a parish in Auburn, New York." Ogle replied "I am not to familiar with the incidents. I can assure you that it was simply a matter of sentiment in 
recognizing Dr. Brooks as an earlier graduate of the University. Jewel Kelley and  Brooks were long time friends having deep ties with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Of course Kelley's grandfather and great Uncle were pillars of the AMEZ denomination.   Brooks,  with his  horn rimmed glasses was tall, distinguished, handsome and had what brothers would call today a neat afro. I recently discovered a photo of Brooks while researching the history of the AMEZion Church. Look for his picture in the book "The Talented Tenth" After a vote on May 15, 1909, ALpha chapter made the decision not to admit honorary members for awhile.

Some other noted Honorary Members

Professor George Cook
Dean at Howard University

Dean Kelly Miller
Howard University

Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, Sr.
(the father of the Congressman)

Dr. Joseph Edom Jones
Professor at Virginia Union
(father of Jewel Eugene Kinckle Jones)

Emmett Scott
Former Secretary of Booker T. Washington/Secretary of War

Jesse Binga
Founder of Binga State Bank in Chicago

Alonzo Franklin Herndon
Founder of Atlanta Life Insurance Company

Dr. George Cleveland Hall
Chicago Physician

Hubert Horatio Humphrey
Vice President of the United States

COMING UP ON THURSDAY: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO LEMUEL GRAVES, ONE OF ALPHA'S FIRST THREE INITIATES? A DIVINE MEETING WITH A BROTHER LINKED ME TO HIS FAMILY.

SKIP, ARE YOU STILL NATIONAL ARCHIVIST OF THE FRATERNITY?

All right for the last time, this is it. Many of you have emailed me asked if I am still the National Archivist or that you heard the rumor that I was not. Let me put that rumor to rest. On April 16, I received a letter from the General President relieving me of my duties as Archivist. It was an appointed position with no budget. I acknowledge the receipt of the letter and wish the General President well.  No I was not asked to serve on the Historical Committee also, though I submitted my material. Now that is it. Life goes on and so does Skip. Does that change my love for this fraternity's history? Not one IOTA. Will I do like some brothers, get mad and become inactive or stop going to frat meeting or conventions? NO. I am an Alpha for life, no position 
can alter that. Will I be in Dallas? If it is the Lord's will, I plan to attend.  Hope to see you there. In fact, it has only strengthen my love for it. Thanks for your emails of  support. In situations like this one,  I am reminded of the fact that "What God has for me, it is for me!"  When I was searching for the light (in the Spring of 1982) as all Sphinxmen must do, I recall one of the lines of the poem IF. It certainly applies to me today. "If you can trust yourself when other men doubt you, but make allowance for  their doubting too..." Rudyard Kipling. Now enough on that. 

"We deemed it essential that such a fellowship of Negroes of training and culture emphasize unity, in order that they might best serve the needs of large masses of people, hungry for leadership and in need of honest, altruistic guidance.
Jewel Vertner Woodson Tandy, 1939

It behooves us to continually reflect upon the past as we attempt to chart a future of greater service."
General President James R. Williams, 1978

SKIP'S FAVORITE QUOTE
"We will walk on our feet, work with our hands, speak with our minds, and exhaust every our very capacity to make...Alpha Phi Apha such that her sublime work shall be a wall of defense and a wreath of joy for its officers and members,

Brother Thomas G. Morris
Iota Chapter, 1923
 

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD: 
SENIOR DELTA SOROR SHARES
By Skip Mason

I had an opportunity several years ago to interview a sixty plus year member of Delta Sigma Theta. She is deceased now,  but at that time in 1989, she shared some interesting things with me. (Don't panic Delta girls) she did not tell me your secrets though I could have charmed her into doing it. She absolutely adored me and loved her some Alpha. She had been married to brother. (SMILE.)  This lady of Delta Sigma Theta was initiated into Sigma Chapter at Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University). She was a phenomenal women and she talked about her pledge period "way back in the early 1930s, a few years after the chapter was founded when the pledgees were called  Barbarians (perhaps a later name after Pyramid, like Sphinxman to Ape...) 

As pledges or Barbarians, she told me that they had to learn six poems by Langston Hughes, learn the names of the honorary members of the sorority, read the book "The New Negro" By Alaine Locke(a popular Harlem Renaissance writer). She shared that they had to wear a blouse which was called a "middy," a skirt and ribbon. They were  not allowed to talk to anyone. She emphasized the word anyone. No smiling, no laughter or grinning. Special emphasis were placed on their punctuality, passing in work, obeying orders, submissiveness, and willingness to comply to demands along with general attitude and behavior.  She laughed because one of her big sisters would remind them often that "All that glitters is not Gold." They had to address their Big Sisters as "Most Worthy Superiors.

Brace yourself brothers, she even mentioned they had to have a paddle about 1 inch thick and 12 inches long. I will leave that alone. Finally, they had to spend a 1/2 hour each day in meditation concerning Delta Sigma Theta. 

SKIP'S PASSING THOUGHT:
When is the last time we brothers of Alpha have spent some time in meditation on Alpha Phi Alpha and asked God how we can best served this organization and fulfill his wishes too at the same time?

THE LETTERS FROM THE BROTHERS KEEP COMING.
HERE ARE A FEW:

AFTER THE READING THE ISSUE ON DUBOIS, THE MAYOR OF DETROIT TOOK TIME TO WRITE ME:

"I just got back from Ghana last night, having gone at the invitation of President Clinton to be apart of the delegation he sent to the 5th African-African American Summit. While there I visited the W.E,B. Du Bois Museum. It was a real moving and enlightening experience. I was once again reminded of his enormous contribution and what a strong brother he was during his life. His work continues on till this day and yes, beyond."
Brother Dennis Archer

Skip's Note- I have asked Brother Archer and a few other "noted" brothers to  share with me some thoughts for an upcoming article titled "College Days Swiftly Pass..."