MLK National Memorial – The Official Dedication, Miami Alphas among top contributors
While some of our brothers were attending the Florida Federation of Alpha Chapters District Conference in Tampa, Florida winning state’s 2011 Chapter of the Year and other awards, a faithful few brothers of Beta Beta Lambda Chapter were among several members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity that made the final trip to Washington DC for the Official Dedication of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr National Memorial held on October 16th, 2011. This event was televised live on TVOne, C-Span and several other media outlets. Staged at Potomac Park adjacent the memorial site, thousands of people witnessed the speakers and entertainers that provided spoken word/speeches and musical interpretation of their since of pride on building of the only memorial for an African American. Various speakers expressed that the continued quest for the “Beloved Community” is far from being achieved, and that civil right, along with equal economic prosperity for all is still a goal that must be achieve of America to truly become the country in which it was founded upon.
The event was MC’d by Brother Roland Martin and Ms Gwen Ifill. The speakers included Brother Julian Bond, US Rep John Lewis, former US Ambassador Brother Andrew Young, King’s children-Rev. Bernice King & Brother Martin Luther King III, King’s older sister-Dr. Christine King Farris, Brother Rev. Joseph Lowery, Cecily Tyson w/Amanda Stenberg, Nikki Giovanni, Diahann Carrol, Tommy Hilfiger, Secretary of the Interior-Ken Salazar, Rev. Al Sharpton, Marian Wright Edelman, Dan Akerson, Rabbi Israel Dresner, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr, Gary Cowger, and former CBS News Anchor-Dan Rather. Performances were given by Mary Mary, Miri Ben-Ari & POEM-CEES, the Queen of Soul-Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Holiday, and Stevie Wonder.
The Keynote speaker which took place at the actual MLK memorial site was the 44th President of the United States of America, Barack Obama. Prior to his speech, the president and his family were given a private tour of the memorial site by Brother Harry Johnson, Sr., the King Family, and Brother Herman “Skip” Mason, presently the General President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Harry Johnson, a past General President of the fraternity, and presently President & CEO of the MLK National Memorial Foundation, led the national fundraising campaign to develop this multi-million dollar project. Johnson said, “The memorial commemorate King’s legacy and belief that every human being is valuable and necessary and that each of us is universally deserving of equitable access to the democratic ideals of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.” Johnson also stated that the memorial is an inspiration for people to fight racism, injustice, and inequality.
The memorial, designed by Devrouax & Purnell/ROMA Group JVP along with the sculptural works of Lei Yixin, uses stone, water and trees to underscore the themes of King’s messages of democracy, justice and hope.
The memorial cost an estimated $120 million to build and maintain. Congress, which authorized the Alphas to establish the monument in 1996, granted four acres of land between the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials to the project. The Beta Beta Lambda Alpha Foundation of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc raised approximately $100,000.00 locally, and members of the Miami Chapter arranged for an additional two $1 million donation that were made by two nationally known foundations.
Trever Wade, President of Beta Beta Lambda Chapter in Miami, along with past chapter presidents Ola Aluko, Alpha’s Southern Regional MLK Chairman and Gregory Gay, Miami’s Alpha MLK Chairman led the local campaign, challenging companies, corporations and foundations to make contributions to the memorial project. The Beta Beta Lambda/ Alpha Foundation would like to thank the following contributors: Community Health of South Florida, Jack & Jill of America, Former Congresswoman Carrie Meek and Former Congressman Kendrick Meek, Church of the Incarnation, New Birth MB Church, Burger King Corporation, Edgerrin James Foundation, Bacardi USA, along with several churches and community organizations, local philanthropists, local AKA and ΔΣΘ chapters, and the membership of Beta Beta Lambda Chapter. We especially thank the ExxonMobil Foundation and the John S. & James L. Knight Foundation for their $1 million dollar donations.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity’s Beta Beta Lambda/Alpha Foundation, call us at (305) 358-1040, email us at betabetalambda@bellsouth.net, or mail donations to the Beta Beta Lambda/Alpha Foundation c/o Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc – Beta Beta Lambda Chapter, PO Box 12447, Miami, Fl 33101.
Copyright 1937 - 2012. Beta Beta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
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