District Of Columbia 2023 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill CER25-0151 Introduced / Bill

Filed 11/16/2023

                     
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Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie  	Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 2 
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Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau 	Councilmember Anita Bonds 7 
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Councilmember Janeese Lewis George  	Councilmember Vincent C. Gray 12 
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Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. 	Councilmember Zachary Parker 17 
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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 22 
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 27 
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To recognize and honor Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated as an organization that has 32 
provided a voice and a strong vision to the struggle of African Americans and people of 33 
color in the District of Columbia and around the world and to declare December 4, 2023 34 
as “Alpha Phi Alpha Day” in the District of Columbia. 35 
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WHEREAS, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated (“Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity”), 37 
the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men, was 38 
founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York; 39 
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WHEREAS, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity recognizes the following seven men, “The 41 
Jewels,” as its Founders: Henry Arthur Callis, Charles Henry Chapman, Eugene Kinckle Jones, 42 
George Biddle Kelley, Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Harold Ogle, and Vertner Woodson 43 
Tandy; 44 
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WHEREAS, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity develops leaders, promotes brotherhood and 46 
academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for our communities; 47 
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WHEREAS, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity prepares its members for the greatest usefulness 49 
in the causes of humanity, freedom, and dignity for all people;  50 
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WHEREAS, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity’s aims include manly deeds, scholarship, and 52 
love for all mankind; 53 
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WHEREAS, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity encourages the highest and most noble form of 55 
manhood and aids downtrodden humanity in its efforts to achieve higher social, economic, and 56 
intellectual status; 57 
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WHEREAS, national programs such as Brother’s Keeper, A Voteless People is a 59 
Hopeless People, Go-to-High-School, Go-to-College, and Project Alpha form the foundation and 60 
cornerstone of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity’s community initiatives; 61 
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WHEREAS, the District of Columbia has three college and three alumni chapters of 63 
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, including the Beta Chapter established in 1907, the Mu Lambda 64 
Chapter established in 1923, the Omicron Lambda Alpha Chapter established in 1952, the Nu 65 
Beta Chapter established in 1977, the Omicron Omicron Chapter established in 1982, and the 66 
Omicron Eta Lambda Chapter established in 1985; 67 
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WHEREAS, the achievements of all six chapters include social, civic, and humanitarian 69 
contributions that have made a significant impact on the quality of life for District of Columbia 70 
residents; 71 
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WHEREAS, each chapter invests time and resources into the development of youth in the 73 
District of Columbia through mentoring programs, community projects, fundraisers, and 74 
scholarships; and 75 
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WHEREAS, December 4, 1906 is the date that Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity recognizes as 77 
its Founders’ Day. 78 
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RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, this resolution 80 
may be cited as the “Alpha Phi Alpha Day Recognition Resolution of 2023”. 81 
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Sec. 2.  The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes and honors the contributions 83 
of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated to the sustained progress of District of Columbia 84 
residents, and declares December 4, 2023 as “Alpha Phi Alpha Day” in the District of Columbia.  85 
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Sec. 3.  This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in 87 
the District of Columbia Register. 88