ALPHA ATHLETES - The Sphinx Magazine

GOING WHERE
WE SHOULD BE
Editor’s Note: Thirty-second General President Darryl R. Matthews, Sr. delivered the following address
on July 20, 2008 during the Black & Gold Banquet, closing the Fraternity’s 102nd Anniversary Convention,
held in Kansas City, Missouri. The address was edited for publication.
Salutations and Acknowledgements
My Brothers, there are no words to describe this sight. For just
a moment, I want to look around the room and look at the men
here assembled. For just a moment, I want to realize this moment
and its significance.
Where else in America right now are there this many African
American college-educated men in one place? Where else in
America can we find this many doctors and lawyers, academicians
and scholars, preachers and scientists, architects, engineers, elected
officials, officers of the law and students? Where in America can
you find that?
This powerful moment is one worth remembering. I am honored
that at this moment you have allowed me to be your leader. I
shall savor this moment and will cherish it for all time.
* * *
To the Past General Presidents—Brothers Williams, Sutton,
Teamer, Ponder, Davis, Wallace and Johnson—and to General
President-elect Herman “Skip” Mason; to the memory of former
Midwestern Regional Vice President Jimmie Buford; to the
Brothers of Beta Lambda and Delta Rho Chapters of Kansas City, the
hosts Chapters for this 102nd Anniversary Convention; and to
Upsilon, Zeta Gamma and the many other Chapters in the great
Midwestern Region, I extend to you a fraternal salute.
I also would like to recognize just a few of the many Alpha
Brothers whose hard work, time, effort and dedication have been
essential to the success of this administration. Those individuals
include Brothers Zollie Stevenson, John Carter, Bob Willis, Al
Rutherford, Michael Pegues, Vic Carter, Reggie Riddle Young,
Joseph Heyward and David Brown among the many, many others. I
also would like to recognize Brother Willard Hall and the General
Office staff for the outstanding work they perform in service to the
Fraternity. And my heartfelt gratitude, thanks and love goes out to
my mother, Wilma Matthews, who is here with us today.
In a few short months, I will earn another title. It’s called “Past
General President”; and while I love being your Brother and I love
being your leader, I have a feeling I will love being your Past
General President also. I think the only person who may enjoy my
acquisition of the Past General President title more than me will be
my wife, Allison.
Throughout my term as General President, Allison has been
my rock and strength. Every Alpha man should be as fortunate as
me to have a mate who understands your love for the Fraternity and
your dedication to its work. Allison, please accept these flowers as
a token of my admiration, and appreciation and love for you.
Leadership and Responsibility
As I mentioned, tonight will be the last time that I address a
Fraternity General Convention as your General President. So
tonight, I would like to leave you with a few thoughts.
The first is about leadership. The ideal comes from a woman,
who like Allison, was a pillar of strength to her husband. Former
First Lady Roslyn Carter said this about leaders—she said, “A
leader take people where they want to go. A great leader takes people
where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.”
Any General President of Alpha Phi Alpha can tell you that
there have been times when they had to take you where you ought
to be. They can tell you that often they had to make decisions for
this great ship in the loneliness that leadership can bring. We do
so, not because we want to. We do so, because it is our sworn
responsibility.
Anyone who has held a leadership position in this Fraternity
can attest to that. It is so because we are not any ordinary organization.
We are, in fact, extraordinary. Because for us membership
in Alpha is not only about the bond of brotherhood, it is also about
the bond to do good and the good you have done.
Continued on following page
The Sphinx: www.APA1906.net Fall • Winter 2008 93