Greetings Brothers In Sigma!
On this 94th Anniversary of the founding of our beloved fraternity, I wanted to share a few of my thoughts with the men of Sigma. Many of us will have celebrated the birthday of our fraternity on the 9th and many others will extend the celebration through this weekend, and perhaps, next weekend also. But in the midst of our celebration, I wanted to take a few moments to focus our minds on the serious reason for the founding of Phi Beta Sigma and to set before us the challenges that will transform our celebration into achievement. In thinking about our beloved fraternity, I first directed my mind to our history and the men who set the course upon which we now travel.
I have recently visited the campus of Howard University and walked on the sacred ground that gave birth to the fraternity which joins all of us as brothers. As I stood in the midst of the greatness that now typifies Howard University, I have tried to imagine how very different the campus was almost a century ago when our noble Founders first joined hands. On that cold, January day, none of the buildings that now stand were present. The “long walk” that leads to the Founders Library was years from creation. Of the buildings now familiar to most brothers, Douglas Hall, the Fine Arts Complex, the Alaine Locke Building and the Student Center; none then existed.
In 1914, the campus was stark; almost nonexistent. And yet, these three men had the insight to look beyond the years, to see beyond both time and space to see what Sigma has become today “a worldwide brotherhood” tens of thousands strong. What gave them the strength of purpose to do what no men before them had done; to conceive an organization radically different from any that then existed?
I believe in the principles [Brotherhood, Scholarship & Service] of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and my loyalty to these transcends all personal responsibility
Thinking on these things, I have come to see that our Founders didn’t simply speak about principles. They were the living embodiment of the principles that they gave to us. Let us look at each of these great men.