Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Honored Martin Luther King, Jr. At Private Dedication

Fraternity Held Historic MLK Memorial Weekend Activities in Washington, D.C. August 25 - 26

Baltimore, MD (Sep. 9, 2011)—On Friday, Aug. 26, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. held the only dedication ceremony during the weekend that tropical storm Irene was held responsible for the MLK memorial foundation’s decision to cancel the official dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in Washington, D.C.

“Personally, it was the highlight of the weekend for me to look out and gaze at more than 3,000 people in the hot sun assembling as we celebrated Alpha's completion of the monument,” said Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity 33rd General President Herman “Skip” Mason Jr.  “All of the principal parties were there included Civil Rights icons, the King Family, Past General Presidents and members of the King Memorial Foundation board of which I sit on as well. What a sight it was to walk arm in arm with the likes of Ambassador Andy Young, Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery, Rev. C.T. Vivian, Otis Moss, Jesse Jackson and the King family over to the monument. “

More than 3,000 fraternity men and their families participated in the sole dedication of the memorial along with King’s relatives and other Alpha Civil Rights icons on Friday, August 26. Due to Irene, Harry H. Johnson, Sr., president and CEO, of the Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King Memorial Project Foundation, canceled the official dedication that was scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 28.

“The cancellation of the dedication on Sunday was heart wrenching giving the significance of the anniversary of the occasion and the planned program, but it was the right and safe thing to do. Programs can be rescheduled and anniversaries and dedication celebrated but we did not want anyone in harm's way attempting to travel to DC for this dedication. I supported Harry Johnson’s decision,” continued General President Mason.

The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity—the world’s oldest intercollegiate fraternity founded by African-American men—conceived the idea of an MLK memorial and on the day it all became a reality, Herman Hemingway, King’s only living line brother and Christine King Farris, King’s only living sibling where on hand to realize the accomplishment. Farris King, General President Mason, King’s children, Bernice King and Martin Luther King, III, Ambassador Andrew Young, Johnson and other King relatives marched silently, linked arm-and-arm, symbolizing similar marches during the Civil Rights Movement, from the stage area where remarks where held, to the tidal basin where the moment stands.

The Alphas kicked off its celebration on Thursday, Aug. 25, with a tree planting ceremony at Howard University, where they announced its partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, and in the evening, a jazz mixer called, “Reflections of a King,” was held at the historic Mayflower Renaissance Hotel.

Also on the 25th, The Alpha Phi Alpha Charitable Foundation, Inc. (APACF) made a major donation of iPads® and educational support services to two local DC schools.  Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School in Southeast DC and The Paul Public Charter School in Northwest DC received an equal share of iPads® to be used for math and science classes.   The new APACF Technology Grant Program partnered these schools with MLK Elementary School, which will provide them with ongoing administrative and technical support. Additionally, the foundation is providing the schools with an e-curriculum specialist to help them develop a new integrated curriculum that will enhance the students’ learning experience using technological approaches and teaching methods.

The Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles and the Morgan State University Choir provided a musical tribute during the fraternity’s “M.L.K. Memorial Luncheon,” at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Friday, Aug. 26.  Brother Vic Carter, news anchor, WJZ-TV (Baltimore), was the master of ceremonies and the Honorable Brother Andrew J. Young, Jr., human rights activist, delivered the keynote address.

General President Mason’s largest production of the MLK commemorative activities was his invitation only, stellar gold carpet event, “ MLK: A Monumental Life,” held at DAR Constitution Hall Friday night. Co-produced by Tim Reid and Clifton Davis, the white tails/ball gowns affair, was a theatrical and musical celebration directed by Kenneth Green. BET CEO Debra L. Lee introduced a preview of the BET special, “Alpha Man: The Brotherhood of MLK,” a half-hour special currently running on BET and CENTRIC hosted by Bro. Hill Harper. 

“What a spectacular display of talent, history and a sense of history displayed on that stage. Phylicia Rashad was my first casting decision to channel the widowed Coretta Scott King. When she accepted, it was on from there! We plan to restage this production in Atlanta in January during the Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday celebration.”

This star-studded Tribute featured appearances by:

• Hill Harper, Ruby Dee, Nancy Wilson, Mary Wilson, Della Reese, Soledad O’Brien, Phylicia Rashad, Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Nate Parker, David Oyelowo, Richard Roundtree, Stu James, Mykelti Williamson, Louis Gossett, Jr., Keisha Knight Pulliam, Jasmine Guy, Fonzworth Bentley, Omari Hardwick, Tyrese, Victoria Rowell, Daphne Reid, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Bern Nadette Stanis, Kevin Powell, and many others.

The event featured musical performances from:

• Jennifer Holliday, Denyce Graves, Tremaine Hawkins, Ann Nesby, Lalah Hathaway, Marvin Winans, Kenny Latimore, Sweet Honey in the Rock, the Morehouse College Glee Club (from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s alma mater), and many others

Throughout the weekend’s engagements the fraternity bestowed many awards and honors.

The Alpha Award of Merit was given to:

• Arthur Fleming; Chris Womac, Dr. Earl Stafford, Dr. Ed Jackson, Frank Jenkins, Frank Russell, George Reeves, Gregory Phillips, John Carter, Joseph S. Ratliff, Robert Wingo, Tyrone Means, Vic Carter, and posthumously, George Sealy and Julian Dixon

The Alpha Award of Honor was given to:

• Caryl Stern, Guy Vickers, Patrick Kennedy, Richard Marshall, Steve Gursky, Vivian Pickard, John Conyers, Constance A. Morella (as a Congresswoman in Maryland Morella introduced legislation in 1996, to authorize Alpha Phi Alpha to establish the memorial, under the thrust of King himself being a member), John W. Warner, and Paul Sarbanes

The Alpha Award of Courage was given to:

• Andrew J. Young, the Rev. C. T. Vivian, Christine King Farris, Clarence Jones, Diane Nash, Dick Gregory, Elizabeth Omilami, Ernest Green, Franklin McCain, Henry “Hank” Thomas, Herman Hemingway, Jessie Jackson, Sr., Jibreel Khazan, John Lewis, the Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery, Joseph McNeil, Juanita Abernathy, Julian Bond, Linda Brown, Lonnie King, Jr., Marian Berry, Myrlie Evers, Otis Moss, the Rev. Billy Kyles, Ruby Bridges, Walter Fauntleroy, the Rev. Wyatt T. Walker, and Xernona Clayton

The Jewel King Medallion was awarded to:

• 25th General President James R. Williams, 26th General President Ozell Sutton, 27th General President Charles C. Teamer, 28th General President Dr. Henry Ponder, 29th General President Milton C. Davis, 30th General President Adrian Wallace, 31st General President Harry E. Johnson, Sr., 32nd General President Darryl R. Matthews, 33rd General President Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr., Roderick Gillum, George Sealy, Alfred Bailey, Eddie Madison, John Harvey, and Oscar Little

The MLK Foundation Chair Award was presented to:

• Charlie Jackson, Erick Cliette, Frank Flood, George Daniels, John Jordan, Lloyd Chandler, Ola Aluko, Robert Horton, Ronald T. James, Sam Bates

Sponsors of the weekend were:

JEWEL LEVEL: ExxonMobil & Stafford Foundation

DOUBLE GOLD LEVEL: AFLAC & Perennial Sports and Entertainment

GOLD LEVEL: Abercrombie & Fitch, AARP, and Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC

UNITY LEVEL: Georgia-Pacific, LLC

SILVER LEVEL: AETNA, CNN, FBI, General Motors, Liquid Soul Media, LucasFilms, Nationwide, National Education Association, Nielsen, and the United States Marine Corps

C2C PARTNER LEVEL: Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, Anheuser-Busch, The Burks Companies of Atlanta, Destination DC

FNB, iCore Networks, March of Dimes, Men’s Wearhouse, National Library for Medicine, and PepsiCo

When asked where the Alphas go from here, General President Mason said, “Now that we have demonstrated that we can build a monument for the ages, we will return, and with a force and vengeance to continue our work of building young boys to become responsible men.”  Mason concluded, “This will be the true legacy of Alpha Phi Alpha and in the spirit of Brother Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”

A full photo gallery downloadable photos of the MLK Dedication Weekend commemorative activities presented by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc is available at

 http://apa1906network.smugmug.com/MLKMemorialDedicationWeekend/Press-Photography/18709735_5L8Hkz

About Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Founded on December 4, 1906, at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., has continued to supply voice and vision to the struggle of African Americans and people of color around the world. The fraternity has long stood at the forefront of the African-American community’s fight for civil rights through Alpha men such as Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell, Thurgood Marshall, Paul Robeson, Andrew Young, Edward Brooke and Cornel West.  The fraternity, through its more than 600 college and alumni chapters and general-organization members, serves communities in the United States, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. Visit http://www.apa1906.net and follow on Twitter @apa1906network.

For more information and to request additional photos contact Rochelle Hill, rochelle@getmerged.com, 312.402.3977.

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