[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 59 (Thursday, April 1, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E329-E330]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE ETA NU CHAPTER OF ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, 
               INCORPORATED ON THEIR 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. G.K. BUTTERFIELD

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 1, 2021

  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 50th 
anniversary of the founding of the Eta Nu Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha 
Fraternity, Incorporated. The Eta Nu Chapter was chartered on April 3, 
1971 on the campus of East Carolina University (ECU) located in 
Greenville, North Carolina.
  Under the direction of eight men, A.A. Best, J.J. Wise, W.G. Keys, 
O.T. Faison, C.H.G. White, J.C. Bryant, J.P. Harrison, and A.D. 
Moseley, Eta Nu was established on the campus of ECU.
  At that moment, the Eta Nu Chapter became ECU's first Black 
fraternity and the first Black Greek-lettered organization (BGLO) to be 
chartered on the campus of a Predominantly White Institution (PWI) in 
the State of North Carolina. As a result, the Chapter became a leader 
as one of the first Black fraternities established at a PWI in the 
South. The first initiates into the Eta Nu Chapter were known as the 
Undisputed Truth. Members of that first line are as follows: David 
Franklin, Gregory Clark, Jerry Congelton, John Clark, Tony Sedgewick, 
Jimmy Louis, Tommy Patterson, James Mitchell, Kenneth Hammond, James 
Johnson, and Kenneth Wright. These men promoted brotherhood, 
understanding, and a cohesive unity influencing future members of the 
Chapter to help form the Black Student Union--an organization that 
brought Black students together across campus to bring unity and 
advocate for issues affecting them to campus faculty and 
administration.
  Throughout the years, the Eta Nu Chapter has excelled and raised the 
bar for others to follow, maintaining high standards of scholastic 
achievement and service to the community--most notably, hosting an 
annual scholarship pageant whose winner eventually became Miss America 
2019. The Chapter holds several distinguished honors for their 
contributions to ECU and the community: The first Black Student 
Government President, the first Black Student Government Vice 
President, the first three Black Homecoming kings crowned in 
consecutive years followed by a fourth member of the Chapter who won in 
2014, and nine awardees of the ECU 40 Under 40 Leadership Award since 
the initial awards were presented in 2015.
  Members of the Eta Nu Chapter have worked diligently to increase the 
number of opportunities available to our youth; they have engaged in 
relentless efforts toward the improvement of the campus and the 
community. One such measure is a leadership academy partnering with the 
Zeta Eta Lambda graduate chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha's Pharaohs Program 
to help mentor young Black men. Additionally, countless fundraisers to 
raise scholarship money for youth and young adults in the community 
have also been part of the Chapter's philanthropic initiatives.
  Madam Speaker, it is my understanding that the members of the Eta Nu 
Chapter at East Carolina University are committed to distinguishing 
themselves as the most exemplary

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Chapter through their insatiable attitude towards public service. I ask 
my colleagues to join me in wishing the members of this Chapter, past 
and present, the very best with their future endeavors.

                          ____________________