[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 99 (Tuesday, July 25, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H5772-H5773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1645
I want to speak to their commitment, to the stairsteps of
opportunity. I want to thank them for embracing a man like Thurgood
Marshall, who had the good reason to, one, be an Alpha man but still
stand in the courthouse door as he argued Brown versus Topeka Board of
Education.
And, yes, who would have ever thought that this great august Capitol,
that had not yet honored in completeness the life and legacy of Martin
King, an Alpha, would have embraced the mission of the Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity that decided that they would bring about this monument of
honoring Dr. King and his legacy with a monument. For all the years to
come, after 100 years, 120 years, 130, 200, 300 years, we will have the
privilege of coming to the Capitol of the United States and because of
the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity we will be able to look to the vision,
the hope, the inspiration of Martin King.
So I believe that this resolution, authored by Mr. Hinchey, who I
express great appreciation for, is, in fact, needed as we honor Henry
Arthur Callis, Charles Henry Chapman, Eugene Kinckle Jones, George
Biddle Kelley, Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Harold Ogle, and
Vertner Woodson Tandy, the founders of the fraternity. May they live in
legacy forever. Congratulations. One hundred years doesn't come very
often. Congratulations to this great and wonderful fraternity.
Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time, and, first of all, I want to thank Representative Hinchey from
New York for introducing this resolution. I also want to thank my
colleague from Nebraska for his management of the bill, Representative
Osborne, a tremendous educator and legislator. And let me thank all of
those who have spoken.
Mr. Speaker, when I think of Alpha Phi Alpha I think of its motto:
First of all, servants of all, we shall transcend all. Alpha is a great
service organization, and I want to congratulate our national president
Daryl Matthews and brother Harry Johnson, who is leading the effort to
build the Martin Luther King monument on the mall.
Alpha is a great role model for young boys and men seeking manhood.
Every chapter has mentoring programs, educational programs, creating
opportunity for young boys to become young men, and then to become the
distinguished leaders that our country is so greatly in need of.
One of the things that I always liked about Alpha was that it helped
one learn to communicate. And, of course, in my chapter, in order to
get in, you had to say these poems and you had to go through all these
processes. So I will end with this one:
Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul. In the fell
clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried allowed. Under the
bludgeonings of chance, my head is bloody but unbowed. It matters not
how straight the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am
the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.
That is the teaching of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. We commend
Alpha for its 100 years of existence.
Mr. Speaker, I yield my next 30 seconds to end to Mr. Chaka Fattah,
from the great City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, could I ask the gentleman from Nebraska if
he could yield another 30 seconds of his time?
Mr. OSBORNE. I would certainly yield the extra time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Foley). The gentleman from Pennsylvania
is recognized for 1 minute.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the 100 year
anniversary of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, which is a great
institution in our country and will be having its centennial conference
starting tomorrow here in Washington.
As a member of the Alphas, I know of its reputation for academic
involvement. One of the first programs of our fraternity was an effort
to get young men to stay in school and to go to college, and our work
here in the Congress continues that effort.
I want to welcome all the Alpha brothers from across the country and
the world who are coming here to Washington, DC. It is a proud day for
this great organization, and I thank the Congress for honoring this
organization and its great contributions to our country.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my thanks to
Dante Polk, my intern, who is also an Alpha brother and is in the
audience today.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to once again congratulate
Alpha Phi Alpha on their 100 years of service. I thank Mr. Hinchey for
introducing the legislation, Mr. Davis for his management, and also his
recitation, which was quite inspiring, and the other members of Alpha
Phi Alpha.
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues today in
support of H. Con. Res. 384, recognizing and honoring the 100th
anniversary of the founding of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,
Incorporated. I also want to thank Mr. Hinchey for introducing this
resolution, which I am proud to cosponsor.
Mr. Speaker, what a legacy. Founded at Cornell University in 1906,
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first black fraternity in the United States.
[[Page H5773]]
Alpha Phi Alpha has an illustrious history of service and leadership
that is evident through its list of members over the past century. This
list includes those who are no longer with us, such as Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., and Justice Thurgood Marshall, and those with whom we
are fortunate to serve today, such as our distinguished colleagues in
the House--Congressmen Charlie Rangel, Danny Davis, Bobby Scott, David
Scott, Chaka Fattah, Gregory Meeks, and Emanuel Cleaver.
The work of Alpha Phi Alpha is as strong as ever. The progress toward
creating a national memorial here in Washington to Dr. King would not
have been made without the initiative and dedication of Alpha Phi
Alpha, and our Nation owes them a debt of gratitude. The fraternity has
established the Alpha Disaster Relief Fund to aid the families affected
by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and they were in the forefront of
efforts to secure passage of the Voting Rights Act Reauthorization.
Mr. Speaker, today's resolution is especially important to me because
A Phi A is headquartered in my hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, and the
fraternity's presence is felt not just on St. Paul Street, but
throughout our city.
This week, Alphas around the world will celebrate 100 years of
leadership and commitment to humanity. The 2006 Centennial Celebration
will be held here in the Nation's Capital, and I am pleased to join my
colleagues in welcoming them. I urge my colleagues to unanimously adopt
this resolution and to join me in wishing General President Darryl
Matthews, Sr., Executive Director Willard Hall, Jr., and all the
brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha an outstanding 100th Anniversary.
Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 384.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
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