Phi Beta Sigma’s Authentic Giant

– G. D. Smith, 1981

Today’s post comes to bluephi.net via Bro. Gerald D. Smith, the first National Executive Director. He’s authored such emotional pieces as The Birth of GOMAB, Established Upon the Principles, and A Conflict of Models. (Please email me if you’d like copies of these docs). Just last week, I was suprised to see an email from Bro. Smith seeking some time to talk. He kept it graciously short as this bronchitis is still getting the best of me. Anyway, he forwarded me this article that I believe he’d forwarded as a Crescent submission. If you read this blog with any regularity, then you may recall a previous post of how heavily the Crescent is edited by someone not named the Crescent Editor and probably no surprise it hasn’t made the cut. Below is the bio from the doc, but read the entire article to understand how great Bro. Doar really is. Note: it’s a biggie. Lots o’ pics.

William E. Doar, Jr. became the first National Executive Secretary of Phi Beta Sigma in 1949, and served continuously until 1979 – a period of thirty years. When the title of Sigma’s chief operations officer was changed to National Executive Director; Bill became Sigma’s first National Executive Director.Bill served along side of some eleven National Presidents. While they, and their boards, came and went; Bill remained the only constant, except for our beloved Founders. Elected to the Distinguished Service Chapter (DSC # 33) in the year of his appointment, Bill supervised the operations of some 25 National Conclaves; and with his wife (Elaine) remained for some thirty years as Phi Beta Sigma’s only administrative staff.The debt that Phi Beta Sigma owes to Bill Doar, and his family, is beyond measure. We must not only contribute to the success of the WEDJ PCS [William E. Doar, Jr. Public Charter School]; we must insure it. As Bill stood with our Founders dream until it was realized (a fulltime national office); we must stand with Bill’s dream until it is fully realized.