Fraternities and sororities have been an integral part of collegiate life since the establishment of colleges and universities in America. WebOne of the 5 Objectives of the Fraternity is: To promote the spiritual, social, intellectual and moral welfare of members. Many aspects of the Fraternitys rites are engrained in Christianity ideals and contain excerpts from the Bible. Morse says that for decades, there has been a reluctance to draw attention to the building. Thompson has been the lone Democrat in Mississippis congressional delegation since 2011. Rep. Sanford Instagram/Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting, 6 Decades Later, Acquittal Of Emmett Till's Killers Troubles Town, Emmett Till's Cousin On Reopening Of Case: 'An Opportunity For The Truth To Be Told', Fraternity Suspends Students Who Posed In Front Of Emmett Till Memorial With Guns, A Brutal Lynching And A Possible Confession, Decades Later, Mamie Till Mobley Memorial Foundation in Chicago. He was a force to be reckoned with, Joseph Cordero, who was two years ahead of Jeffries and a fellow Nupe, recalls of the man who would go on to be the first Black lawmaker to lead either party in Congress. which transcends any personal selfishness; Who realize that membership means personal responsibility Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. Last July, he was tasked by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to lead a select committee to investigate the attempted insurrection and storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. That it has to be addressed head-on, or it can quickly take us back to where we were in Mississippi in the 1950s and 1960s., Representative Jamie Raskin, a member of the January 6 committee, also drew a line from Thompsons experiences confronting racist institutions in the Deep South to his leadership of the committee. It remains the only Greek letter organization with its Alpha Chapter on Indiana Universitys campus. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Vigilante lynchings of Blacks were commonplace. And the chairman of the January 6 committee, Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, warned on CNN that no one is off limits in terms of being compelled to Hakeem Jeffries at a Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Binghamton Alumni Chapter and Mu Kappa Undergraduate Chapter meeting in 1991. I believe that my chapter can become an ideal chapter. Based on the evidence we have in our possession, I feel very confident with inviting her to the committee, and if she refuses, issuing a subpoena, Thompson told reporters on Monday, after the committee voted to recommend that the full House hold former Trump aides Dan Scavino and Peter Navarro in contempt of Congress for refusing to respond to subpoenas. The Fraternity has over 125,000 members with 700 undergraduate and alumni chapters in nearly every state of the United States, and international chapters in Nigeria, South Africa, the West Indies, the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea and Japan. The expectation that you find your passion and excel. He is well-known among his colleagues, but not necessarily a nationally recognized figure. The idealist, John Milton Lee also contributed significantly to the fledgling organization. Jeffries was only a college sophomore at Binghamton University when he was elected president of the schools fledgling chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. He had joined the fraternity just a year earlier in search of community in his new home, nearly 200 miles and a world away from his Brooklyn upbringing. Pi Kappa Phis esoteric values are taught to each member As you mature, its so much more.. Let us see you in your colorful paraphernalia. The body of Emmett Louis Till, a 14-year-old Chicago boy who was visiting relatives, was found in the Tallahatchie River near Money, Miss., on Aug. 31, 1955. Twitter, Parler and Gab didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Tougaloo was probably that point in my life that convinced me to stay in Mississippi, to choose public service as a lifelong occupation, and just to try to make, in my own way, a difference in the lives of my state and my community, Thompson said. Thompsons unpretentious persona may have allowed him to largely escape the wrath of the committees critics. He attended a public school in the heart of the borough, and he later recalled the culture shock of arriving at Binghamtons campus in 1988. "And the story never got told from an African American perspective.". The hearings and report included testimony on the importance social media played in spurring supporters to come to Washington and inciting the mob after it penetrated the Capitol to further anger against former Vice President Mike Pence. It was kind of an icebreaker, Thompson, now a member of the U.S. House, told me more than five decades later. Tougaloo helped me make the connection of how that develops. The name was officially changed to Kappa Alpha Psi on a resolution adopted at the Grand Chapter Meeting in December 1914. It would be the only Greek-letter organization founded with the concept of achievement. The leak of the document comes as Facebooks parent company, Meta, decides whether to allow the former president back on its platforms. The University of Mississippi fraternity brothers who posed with guns at the bullet-pocked marker were suspended by the Kappa Alpha Order, an organization that Debbie Elliott/NPR He understands in a deeper way the dynamics of both normal and abnormal politics.. You didnt have to stand on the corner and holler loud, you just understood you can have your day in this country in court. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Mississippi continues to face tremendous challenges as we confront our health care needs. Wicker was the only member of the states Republican congressional delegation not to cast votes on Jan. 6 challenging the We have a saying down here America, welcome to Mississippi. So a lot of what Bennie is dealing with, Im sure like all of us, we were hopeful that we wouldnt see again, Fitzgerald said. WebThe obligation to remain involved in Pi Kappa Phi after graduation and to work perpetually to build the ideal fraternity. Born in a state with a unique history of racial inequality, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson draws inspiration from the legacies of Medgar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer, Aaron Henry and Henry Kirksey. The Bolton, Mississippi native considers it an honor to walk the path Mississippi civil rights icons paved decades ago. Developments affecting the committees work continue at a fast pace. The question of who gets to tell the Emmett Till story is a charged question says Dave Tell, a professor at the University of Kansas and author of Remembering Emmett Till. Troy Carter of Louisiana got to Congress in 2021, he and Jeffries joked about how they would work on growing their ranks in Congress. The University of Mississippi fraternity brothers who posed with guns at the bullet-pocked marker were suspended by the Kappa Alpha Order, an organization that glorifies the Confederate South. As our world constantly changes, we must develop our policy stances to modern advancement to bring our world closer together; our nation increasingly faces the factors affecting and influencing our societys melting pot. Other Kappa Alpha Psi alumni include famed NBA center Wilt Chamberlain, civil rights activist and quarterback Colin Kaepernick, lawyer Johnnie Cochran, and New York Times columnist Charles Blow, as well as Mandela Barnes, the former Wisconsin lieutenant governor who nearly flipped a U.S. Senate seat last year. Thompsons supporters delineate a clear path from Thompsons upbringing, education, and career as a Black man in Mississippi, a state riven by the domestic terrorism of white supremacists in the decades between Reconstruction and the civil rights movement. In order of their founding, here are some highlights of these nine Black Greek letter organizations. Bennie Thompson (second from left) at the National Conference of Black Mayors in 1974. "And for people to come along and shoot it up is to say that's not the story we want to tell. Hes very careful and inclusive as chairman. With assistance from Sarah Frier, Alex Barinka and Emily Birnbaum. However, few Blacks could remain longer than a year or so without having to withdraw in search of employment. "It's something that a lot of people are still living.". I believe that the ideal chapter is made up of men. Thompson had three children: BendaLonne, Jeanna, and Thomas. I dont do a lot of talking, Thompson told me, because I like encouraging others to be engaged with whatever the process is. That focus on collaboration has served him well for the select committee, which includes two other committee chairs among its high-profile members: Lofgren, the leader of the House Administration Committee, and Representative Adam Schiff, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee. "Kappa Alpha Psi", "KA", and the Coat of Arms of Kappa Alpha Psi are registered trademarks of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Triangle. This environment made day-to-day life for Blacks an arduous task and attempts to successfully achieve in school, nearly impossible. That pattern is set to repeat this year, with Nancy Pelosi stepping down as House Speaker to make room at the top for Jeffries, while sticking around to help guide the 52-year-old as he manages the caucus. WebRate This Fraternity. Emmett Till's killers J.W. The name of Fraternity and the image it portrayed was of paramount importance. Web6-0 , 210lb (183cm, 95kg) Born: February 10 in New Orleans, LA (Age: 60-069d) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info. Their experiences at Howard gave rise to the chief motivating spirits which sowed of the seed for a fraternity at Indiana University and crystallized the idea of establishing an independent Greek-letter organization. The city halls are no longer places our black folks fear to come, Thompson told The New York Times in a 1979 article. Three college students posed in front of the Emmett Till memorial sign in Tallahatchie County, Miss. Thompson became chair of the Homeland Security Committee in 2007 and introduced legislation implementing the remaining recommendations provided by the 9/11 Commission. "This is justice for our family," says Till's cousin Airickca Gordon-Taylor who runs the Mamie Till Mobley Memorial Foundation in Chicago. All of a sudden, there was a part of the campus that just didnt know that we even existed, and then we were like the Beatles on campus, Cordero says. As a direct result of these policies, even before Jan. 6 we terminated thousands of channels, several of which were associated with figures related to the attack, and removed thousands of violative videos, the majority before 100 views.. The Founders sought one anothers company between classes and dropped by one anothers places of lodging to further discuss the means of formulating the fledgling fraternity in an effort to relieve the depressing isolation. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. "And it's not just about replacing the sign, but it's what do they teach there? It Doesnt Always Make It Easy for Them to Lead. Both Facebook and Twitter faced significant headwinds in taking aggressive action against problematic content by President Trump and his supporters, partly out of fear that they would be classified as overly partisan, according to the report. You have reached your limit of free articles. During this secret ceremony, we learn, in the words of our founders, the principles and ideals upon which our fraternity was built more than a century ago. AP This button displays the currently selected search type. His congressional colleagues describe him as even-tempered and levelheaded, able to command respect without shouting for attention. Congressman Thompson has diligently fought to reverse discrimination in the higher education system of Mississippi as an original plaintiff in the Ayers Desegregation Case. Except for the years of World War I and II, when some Grand Chapter Meetings were suspended, Kappa Alpha Psi has grown and prevailed with unabating impetus. Track and Field was the only sport which Blacks were able to demonstrate their athleticism. Debbie Elliott/NPR The highest number of lynchings in the country between 1882 and 1968 occurred in Mississippi, according to the NAACP. U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson called on the hundreds who marched during the annual King Day at the Dome to continue to fight against injustice. Born out of the vestiges of racism, Kappa Alpha Nu encountered another metamorphosis, partially related to action of bigotry. I am always looking for students who are a little different from everybody else, who are not afraid to speak their mind, Cingranelli says. John Milton Lee. Membership in these organizations provide students with valuable networking and mentoring opportunities. "Fella who came down here and got in trouble overstepped his bounds to a degree some folks thought," says Whitten. As members of the Favorite Healthcare Staffing family, if you are also a member of a Divine Nine fraternity or sorority, please post a picture of yourself representing your organization. Senior Director of Business Development at Favorite Healthcare Staffing, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Spring 93. There was an additional misunderstanding being attributed to the acronym of the Fraternitys Greek letters, KAN. Some confused the abbreviation of the letters to refer to the state of Kansas. Sometimes, the greatest gifts arrive in the most innocuous packaging. "We're not today who we were back then," Sturdivant says. "We have struggled with getting the whole story out; we don't want the sanitized version.". His 43 years of public service is a testament to his unwavering dedication to fulfill their expectations and to be the resounding voice for the constituents of the Second District of Mississippi. This one day event brings together teenage members of the fraternity's Kappa League from various chapters to learn about careers in government, meet current members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and tour the Capitol. She added that she wanted to particularly credit him for his decision to elevate GOP Representative Liz Cheney to the role of committee vice chair. Thompson is married to London Johnson of Mound Bayou, Mississippi, and has a daughter, BendaLonne, a granddaughter, Jeanna, and a grandson, Thomas. Mississippi continues to face tremendous challenges as we confront our health care needs. Avid hunter. But he has one of the strongest spines of anybody in Washington, and he understands that this kind of stuff cannot be given air. He was involved with Binghamtons Black Student Union, and in attempting to elevate his fraternitys status on campus, he helped make communities of color more visible to the university as a whole. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Spring, 2009. YOU MAY ALSO LIKE NEW! | Ranking Member of @HomelandDems . Congressman Bennie G. Thompson is a firm believer of giving back to those whom afforded him an opportunity to serve. Politics | Kappa Alpha Psi is the 2nd oldest existing collegiate historically Black Greek Letter Fraternity and the 1st intercollegiate Fraternity incorporated as a national body. Kappa Alpha Nu became the first incorporated Black Fraternity in the United States once granted a charter by the Indiana Secretary of State on May 15, 1911. The obligation to remain involved in Pi Kappa Phi after graduation and to work perpetually to build the ideal fraternity. Through its worldwide prominence, Kappa Alpha Psi has had a global impact on events which affect our local communities as well as places around the globe. Its a committee of bosses, Torres said, a committee of the most powerful personalities in Congress. In the school years of 1910-11, a small group of Black students attended Indiana University. Denied an abortion, woman tells senators she nearly died on their watch The primary source of federal aid to K-12 education is the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, particularly its Title I, Part A program of Education for the Disadvantaged. Politics | Bennie Thompson had 40 receiving yards over his career. "Every day, somebody's dragging up the race card. "And in 2019, you have another hate crime of vandalism occurring where they want to desecrate the space that we've allotted for memory of him.". The report said that Trumps Dec. 19 tweet encouraging supporters to come to Washington on Jan. 6 Be there, will be wild! was a transformative moment across social media, changing the tenor of the conversation online to explicit planning for the event. Since 1980, 13 members of the fraternity have served in the United States House of Representatives, the most by any member organization of the National Pan Hellenic Council. (In the 1985 Esquire interview, Thompson said he didnt think that he was the right piece of equipment for the job of congressman. In a previous Web version of this story, we incorrectly said the Mississippi Delta is in the northeast part of the state. Five chapters were chartered from 1913-1915, centered in the Midwest; with the first chapter being established in the East in 1915. This change became effective April 15, 1915. He recalled meeting such icons as King and John Lewis, who later served in Congress along with Thompson and remained a lifelong friend. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. For their works to establish the fraternity, Diggs was named permanent chairman, Lee was designated as secretary and Armstrong as sergeant-at-arms. In what capacity would you like to participate? If I have two roads, a paved road with potholes in a white neighborhood and an unpaved one in a black neighborhood, my priority is the unpaved road, Thompson said in a 1985 profile written by Joe Klein for Esquire. Despite the growing hostility of Whites toward Blacks in Indiana, some Black students sought a college education at Indiana University, as it was a tuition-free university of the highest quality. Bennie Thompson weighed 210 lbs (95 kg) when playing. Thats one of the guys Im really going to miss working with when I leave here. (Katko, who was one of just 10 Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump after the events of January 6, was sure to clarify that his praise of Thompson pertained only to the Homeland Security Committee. These three Founders are credited with guiding the infant Fraternity through the most perilous years of its life. According to Brown, Black Greek life in the U.S. arose from exclusion and racism in higher education. Do you have a sports website? Careful consideration was given to ensure the organization established a firm foundation the first year before efforts to expand were attempted. The duty to lead and the privilege to serve others in order to better the world around you. The state of Indiana became a stronghold for the Ku Klux Klan. Jaynes-Diming is part of the Emmett Till Memorial Commission, which is trying to preserve sites like this. Congressman Thompson is and has been a consistent supporter of our armed fighting forces and veterans, making sure that these 22.6 million heroes get the services they deserve. And so in this moment, as he chairs the January 6 [committee], the importance of holding people accountable for the insurrectionist acts on our nations Capitolif we dont hold people accountable, he clearly understands it only opens the door for more acts of domestic terrorism.. Their intolerance toward Blacks fueled the negative mindset of other Whites residing there. "The people in Tallahatchie County are to a great degree tired of Emmett Till," says former county prosecutor John Whitten. He had joined the fraternity just a year earlier in search of community in his new home, nearly 200 miles and a world away from his Brooklyn upbringing. Leaders of the new Republican majority in the House have vowed to investigate allegations of ideological discrimination, using congressional hearings and, if necessary, subpoenas to probe content moderation decisions. (It was also where he met his wife of more than 50 years, London.). ), When Espy was selected by President Bill Clinton to serve as secretary of agriculture in early 1993, Thompson ran in the special election to fill the vacant seat. That gives committee members a ticking clock to complete their task. Rep. Bennie Thompson: You know, now, this is somebody who voted against a committee made up of 50 percent appointed by Pelosi and 50 percent appointed by Republican Leader McCarthy. Blacks could go weeks without seeing one another on campus. That 814-page report, which was issued in December, concluded Trump was the central cause of the 2021 mob invasion of the Capitol. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Pi Kappa Phi is the only Greek organization which owns its own philanthropy. That network may be part of what set him on his path to Congress in the first place. Civil rights tour guide Jessie Jaynes-Diming says it was painful to see. Guy Levis Grant, Edward Giles Irvin, and Sgt. Two of these men, Elder Watson Diggs and Byron Kenneth Armstrong, had previously attended Howard University and had come into contact with men belonging to the only national Black Greek-Letter Fraternity currently in existence. Politics | "What happened to Emmett Till, it's awful, it's sickening, turns my stomach every time I think about it, but it's a part of our history. Some people are possessed with a preternatural sense of purpose, a seriousness that lends them an air of gravitas even at a young age. It is a fact of which Kappa Alpha Psi is proud that the Constitution has never contained any clause which either excluded or suggested the exclusion of a man from membership merely because of his color, creed, or national origin. The House panel that investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection focused in televised hearings and in its final report on the role Trump and his efforts to overturn the presidential election. obtained and posted by the Washington Post, Orange County restaurants shut down by health inspectors (April 20-27), More land sliding at Casa Romantica; residents evacuated, trains halted through San Clemente, Then and Now: Photos of Casa Romantica show damage caused by landside, Orange County Artist of the Year winners announced, The DMV says permission to drive is based on ability, but older drivers are scrutinized more, OC Marine who volunteered in Ukraine, survived rocket attack: I would do it again, Fire at Barnes & Noble in Orange disrupts book-signing event, Joe Bidens re-election bid is off to a bad start, Henry Winkler advises find a passion and stick with it, no matter the stage of life, A look at Orange Countys baseball teams and the CIF-SS playoffs, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The committee was approved almost entirely along party lines, and its members were chosen by Pelosi. He loved stepping and I just remember him constantly harassing me to teach him different moves.. JACKSON, Miss. The charter members were Elder Watson Diggs, Byron K. Armstrong, John M. Lee, Henry T. Asher, Marcus P. Blakemore, Guy L. Grant, Paul W. Caine, George W. Edmonds, Ezra D. Alexander and Edward G. Irvin. Decades after overcoming challenges to his own elections, Thompson sits atop a panel dedicated to uncovering a conspiracy to overturn President Joe Bidens electoral victory.