[Applause] [Applause] Oh [Applause] is at a time when higher education was an exclusive engagement for all americans three visionary young african-american male students met on the campus of howard university and formed an organization of college-educated men that would lead the nation in education culture arts and society charles r brown was the socialite
As the history tells us he’s the one that recruited all of the charter members a langston taylor was the visionary lenin f morris was the educator history tells us he had multiple degrees So again even in our founding there was diversity i believe the founding fathers really saw a need to establish a brotherhood that was very sincere about working with a common man they really want to put forth a movement that would utilize the skills of regular men from all walks of life to utilize
In the communities all across the world that they envisioned at that time believing each potential member should be judged by his own merits rather than family background skin tone or texture of hair the founders embraced the phrase the inclusive we rather than the exclusive we the organizations
At the time of our founded were very exclusive organizations which made it impossible for many men of talent to become members because they were very picky about many things complexion for instance uh family history wealth and our farmers decided that that wasn’t important in our society in 1914
Just as it’s not important today culture for service and service for humanity is the motto embraced by the founders as they envisioned an organization to deliver services to the general community rather than benefit themselves or their immediate families and they were very smart because once they had their original members
They went out and got the most influential men on campus that were in the administration to become members of the organization they understood that we might not be able to survive on our own and the struggle they had in the early days whether it was financial or just
The interest of the student body once they had those key administrators they knew that they had a foothold at howard university poised distinguished and truly a hard worker founder a langston taylor was the oldest of the three founders he was the child in the family that was chosen to attend any school of
Higher education i don’t know if he envisioned 100 years i really don’t but the gentleman he chose to start the organization were the key gentlemen on that campus at that time an outstanding educator and prophet founder leonard francis morse was a student of the greek language and is credited with naming the
Fraternity i would say leonard f morse was definitely the epitome of scholarship and he never stopped the scholarship aspect of his life he became a teacher he was the dean of edward waters college in jacksonville florida scholarship being one of our you know principals that man epitomizes that
And he’s something to look up to popular cordial and highly respected founder charles ignatius brown was a campus leader chosen most admired charles ignatius brown was the premier student at howard university everyone looked up to him it was charles i brown that was charged with the mission to choose our first nine
With a spirit of humility and pride this brotherhood band of wise men built a legacy envisioning men of accomplishment in all walks of life on four continents you know the principal tenant of our three founders it that common thread that that bind them to us now and this is what i believe
They had in mind and that was an organization of service and so what you see now a hundred years later is an organization that is diverse you see an organization that can speak to the nation with a voice of many i am proud to be the president
Of an organization that believes in all the people on this 100 year anniversary we celebrate you the founders for this grand idea that to date has produced over 150 000 men in 700 chapters and a commitment to brotherhood scholarship and service phi beta sigma fraternity celebrates 100 years of culture for service
And service for humanity
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