This time of year is special to me. For many years, this was the time initiates were brought into the Alpha Iota Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity at Morgan State University in Baltimore.
Kappa Alpha Psi was founded in 1911 at Indiana University in a hotbed of racism and KKK country. It was a time when Black men were regularly hung from trees. Our founders suffered incredible isolation and rejection. Despite those storms, they persevered, they united, they organized and they decided to combat ugly racial oppression in America.
Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity was founded at Cornell University in 1906. “While continuing to stress academic excellence among its members, Alpha also recognized the need to help correct the educational, economic, political, and social injustices faced by African-Americans,” the fraternity notes on its website.
Then there are Omega Psi Phi fraternity, Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and Zeta Phi Beta sorority founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Sigma Gamma Rho sorority was founded at Butler University in Indiana and Iota Phi Theta fraternity was started at Morgan State.
Though the Greek letters are different, the traditions mimic rituals from the ancient Egyptian mystery system and each unique organization is devoted in some way to unity, service and social progress. All of the groups include members who have fought for Black rights from the streets to the suites. And all include members of the Nation of Islam.
Our history is great but today the survival of our people is at stake given the social, physical, psychological ills we face. We must do something for self, we must create, we must organize and we must have collective action across organizational lines.
What can we do easily and painlessly to help promote our future? We can help overcome Black America’s crisis by supporting the Economic Blueprint (www.economicblueprint.org) revived by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. This simple plan for unity calls for 16 million of us sacrificing 35 cents a week to amass $291.2 million in a year. The plan is to build an economic base for Black America, our entire community, and the Minister has pledged those responsible for handling the funds will agree to forfeit their lives for violating the trust of our people by mishandling the money. The initial purchases will be for land and then over time expand into industry based on land.
Minister Farrakhan has a 60 year track record of serving our people and has impeccable character. We who follow him, stand with him and on the principles learned years ago during the pledge process and serving our beloved organizations on college campuses and in alumni chapters.
We understand the value of Black organizations, self-determination, pride and accomplishment. We understand life is not just about personal success, nor riches (which have their place), but the need to act for the betterment of others and, in particular, our suffering community.
As the founders of all the organizations recognized, charity starts at home. Charity is another name for love, so love of self comes first; then you can love and properly relate to others.
The 35 cents a week comes to $18.20 a year. What a wonderful and progressive charitable contribution to make!
Donations, which come with an automatic receipt, can be made at www.economicblueprint.org. You can also mail donations to: Muhammad’s Economic Blueprint C/O Seaway Bank and Trust Company, Attn: Sherilyn Russell, P.O. Box 19522, Chicago, IL 60619-9522. Donations can be made in person at Seaway Bank in Chicago. In unity there is strength and progress, let’s lead the way. Why else would we be called the “Divine 9”?
(Final Call editor-in-chief Richard B. Muhammad can be reached at editor@ finalcall.com. You can also follow him on Facebook and @RMfinalcall on Twitter.)
