[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 100 (Wednesday, July 26, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1537]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 100TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 25, 2006

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res 384, 
recognizing and honoring the 100th anniversary of the founding of the 
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, the first intercollegiate 
fraternity established for African-Americans.
  From the first literary fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa, founded in 1776 
at the College of William and Mary through the subsequent development 
of social fraternities starting with Kappa Alpha in 1825, college 
fraternities have sought to foster close friendship and personal 
development.
  In the early 20th century, Black students were often excluded from 
the social organizations at many colleges and universities. Alpha Phi 
Alpha was founded in 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, to 
provide associations and support among African-American students. With 
its cardinal principles of ``Manly Deeds, Scholarship and Love for All 
Mankind,'' over 175,000 men have been initiated into the fraternity and 
there are now over 700 chapters worldwide. Among its membership are a 
number of prominent figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Jesse 
Owens, Thurgood Marshall and our colleague Charles Rangel.
  Aside from the lasting friendships that many young men have found 
within the fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha has dedicated itself to a number 
of philanthropic programs. Alpha works closely with organizations such 
as Head Start, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the NAACP and 
Habitat for Humanity. Alpha Phi Alpha has also created a number of its 
own programs such as the Go-To-High-School, Go-To-College program and 
``A Voteless People is a Hopeless People.'' Alpha Phi Alpha also 
submitted the request for The Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. 
National Memorial Project Foundation which was authorized by President 
Clinton in 1998.
  Alpha Phi Alpha has two chapters in and around my district in central 
New Jersey, the Sigma Xi Chapter at Monmouth University and the Delta 
Iota Chapter at Rutgers University. I am proud of the role they play in 
enriching their surrounding communities.
  From its origins as a social network for African-American college 
students to its continuing philanthropic efforts, Alpha Phi Alpha is 
indeed worthy of recognition and I am proud to stand in support of this 
resolution.

                          ____________________