House Resolution 114

A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC., UPON THE OUTSTANDING OCCASION OF THE 2019 SOUTHERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI.

WHEREAS, the elite members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., are preparing to convene in Jackson, Mississippi, for the 2019 Southern Regional Conference that will be held from March 21-24, 2019, a truly momentous event that will certainly leave a lasting impression that encourages, empowers and inspires its members for years to come; and

WHEREAS, with Brother Everett B. Ward, Ph.D., currently serving as its 35th general president, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African Americans was founded at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, on December 4, 1906, by an esteemed group of men who recognized the need for a strong bond of brotherhood among African descendants in our nation, and this group, known as the "Seven Jewels" is comprised of the following distinguished individuals: Henry Arthur Callis, Charles Henry Chapman, Eugene Kinckle Jones, George Biddle Kelley, Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Harold Ogle and Vertner Woodson Tandy; and

WHEREAS, for the past 87 years, members of this prestigious fraternity who reside in the southern part of the United States have annually convened in one of the Southern Region states, which include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, and during this year's conference, over 1,300 delegates and guests who represent the fraternity's Southern Region will be meeting in Mississippi's Capital City, which is also the home of the fraternity's 27th Southern Regional Vice President, Brother Kelsey L. Rushing, Esq.; and

WHEREAS, with the theme for this year being "Committed Brothers, Changing Lives, One Community at a Time," the purpose of the conference is to share ideas, build on the fraternal bond and engage in the personal and professional development of fraternity members; and

WHEREAS, with their motto being, "First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All," since 1906, the outstanding men of Alpha Phi Alpha have played a vital role in our nation's illustrious history, and since its founding, the fraternity's mission has been to build a strong and effective force of men dedicated to its principles of scholarship, fellowship, good character, and the uplifting of humanity; and

WHEREAS, Alpha Phi Alpha has a long list of exceptional members who have made tremendous contributions to the betterment of society through their extensive and outstanding community service, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; NAACP founder, W.E.B. Du Bois; Justice Thurgood Marshall; and Olympic Gold Medalist, Jesse Owens, and the fraternity has become a pinnacle of hope within the State of Mississippi and across the nation; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to commend outstanding organizations, especially those such as Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, whose dedication to excellence brings honor to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby recognize and commend Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., upon the outstanding occasion of the 2019 Southern Regional Conference in Jackson, Mississippi, and extend to its members best wishes for continued success in all of their future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Southern Regional Vice President Kelsey L. Rushing, Esq., and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.