Shown above are the members of the New Orleans Chapter (Sigma Lambda) of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity who attended their annual banquet held to honor their sweethearts. They are:
Left to right (rear row, standing): Attorney A. P. Tureaud, Robert Harrison, Dr. W. C. Booker, Dr. Wesley N. Segre, Numa J. Rousseve, Dr. Andrew Young, Earl Joseph, Rene J. Rousseve.
Front row, standing: Whitney Haydel, Dr. Andrew McDonald, Asa Atkins, Marcus Neustader, Willard Loring Dumas, Dr. Arnold Darensbourg, Dr. George Talbert, Dr. Ernest Carter, Dr. William Adams, Dr. Clarence Clement Haydel.
Supporting the banner are: Peter Wellington Clark and Charles L. de Lay.
Alpha Phi Alpha was founded on December 4,1906 on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York by seven college men who came together as a study and support group for those who faced racial prejudice, both educationally and socially, at Cornell. Their mission was to develop leaders, promote brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service to various communities.
The New Orleans Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha (Sigma Lambda), was installed on December 5, 1925. Its charter members consisted of a group of very distinguished young men. They were: Professor Lucien Victor Alexis, Osceola W. Blanchet, Professor Edward Maceo Coleman, Dr. Clarence Clement Haydel, William H. Mitchell, Rudolph Moses, Jesse O. Richards, and Bishop Robert Elijah Jones. One of their main projects undertaken recently was “A Voteless People is a Hopeless People” whose aim is to register, educate and mobilize voters in the New Orleans Area.
Sources: www.sigmalambda.org; The Louisiana Weekly, 10 July 1948; http: //en.wikipedia.org
L.V.C.
The Rho chapter of Phi Beta Sigma was the first Black Greek letter org in Louisiana in 1924.
Joseph, you are indeed correct – the Rho Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma was established on November 5, 1924 on the campus of Southern University. The Alphas of Sigma Lambda have often claimed the distinction of being “first,” but it is good to get this piece of fraternal history straight. Thank you for visiting CreoleGen! Please continue to read and support the site.
Dr. Wesley Segre’s name is misspelled.
Thanks, Sondra, for bringing this to our attention. I have corrected the spelling of Dr. Segre’s name.
I am looking to join the graduate chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha. I was told I would need a recommendation from an active member. I am a graduate ( May 2016) from Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, MS
I am a resident of Kenner,LA. Please contact me via email: terrvariscurtish3@yahoo.com. I look forward to hearing from you soon
Regards,
Curtis T. Haynes