Moment in Alpha History: Seven Days of Reflection (Day 2)

Today we honor and reflect on The Beloved Jewel Charles Henry Chapman, a Brother beloved in the bonds and for building character and respect from all mankind. He was a Businessman, Professor, Humanitarian, and founder of the Beta Nu Chapter (FAMU). Jewel Chapman was the first chairman of the Committees on Initiation and Organization for Alpha Chapter. He was the first Jewel to enter Omega Chapter in 1934. Please read and reflect on excerpts from his speech at the General Convention (25th anniversary) in 1931, Cincinnati, OH.

“I mean by this, that regardless of the many, many purposes each of us may devise as the activating principle in our life and the many goals toward which we may be striving, I can see, nevertheless, that we do have one supreme purpose for our existence as a fraternity, and that is the recognition, as well as the development and thereby the making of better men. You can realize, Brothers, that this can be only accomplished by the raising and elevating the lives of other people. I have listened to the accusations that this group is self-centered, thinking only of its own interests as individuals and as a group. If this was true, we are losing sight of that thing which will give us the greatest joy of existing as an organization as well as the greatest joy of living-the transformation of humanity-the making, as I have said before, of better men.”

“Alpha Phi Alpha will always be the true spiritual leader of all true fraternities, when we have developed more true individualism, when more of our Brothers make their lives the expression of the noblest sentiments within them, when more living Brothers are able to say: It matters not how straight the gate; How charged the punishment the scroll; I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.”

“We must build, not for today, but for tomorrow, and our plans must be as wide as the horizon opening before us daily. A new world is being born, and into this new world Alpha Phi Alpha must march triumphantly to the advanced place that has always been conceded to it in the present and the past.”

This is your moment in Alpha History.

Brother Sean C. Hall, Historian