Some of Till's relatives will be a part of the ceremony. Trump lawyer cross-examines rape accuser Carroll Leaders of the new Republican majority in the House have vowed to investigate allegations of ideological discrimination, using congressional hearings and, if necessary, subpoenas to probe content moderation decisions. Diggs presided as president, while Irvin was assigned as temporary secretary of Alpha Omega. To help address these challenges Democrats introduced the Affordable Care Act of 2010. Debbie Elliott/NPR Power always changes hands, and Republicans are widely expected to retake the House in the midterm elections. The report covers the shortfalls of other platforms, including mainstream companies such as Googles YouTube and Reddit Inc. as well as those with a smaller user base such as Parler Inc. and Gab. Congressman Bennie G. Thompson is a firm believer of giving back to those whom afforded him an opportunity to serve. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Jeffries and Ervin Graves at a Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Binghamton Alumni Chapter and Mu Kappa Undergraduate Chapter meeting in 1991. The Fraternity has over 125,000 members with 700 undergraduate and alumni chapters in nearly every state of the United States, and international chapters in Nigeria, South Africa, the West Indies, the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea and Japan. Thompson defeated the Republican candidate for the seat in a runoff election, mobilizing the districts Black voters. Thompsons chairmanship of the select committee is not just a capstone of the career of a respected congressman and chair of the Homeland Security Committee, but of his lifes work of subverting systems while still acting within them, using his relative power to methodically scrub the grout of racism and corruption from their halls. The system, and the people who had long defined it, did not want to change. In 1986, Mike Espy became the first Black man elected to Congress from Mississippi since Reconstruction. He clearly understands that when you have domestic terrorism that goes unaccounted for, you can be guaranteed that you will have more acts of domestic terrorism. These three Founders are credited with guiding the infant Fraternity through the most perilous years of its life. Judge: Former California GOP Rep. Devin Nunes not defamed by Esquires Iowa farm story Join our linker program. I believe that the ideal chapter is made up of men. After Carter died in 1999, the event was renamed in his honor. The towns white population revolted, and an unsuccessful lawsuit to prevent the three from taking office ultimately died in a federal court of appeals. She says the family is also awaiting word from the U.S. Justice Department, which has reopened the Till murder case. But, although he has had his fair share of big-name interviews, Thompson has maintained a relatively low profile. hide caption. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. That included accounts of the impact of Trumps Dec. 19 tweet, but the panel mostly focused on the conduct of Trump and his associates. Rate. It Doesnt Always Make It Easy for Them to Lead. A replica of Bryant's Grocery is part of the Emmett Till Historic Intrepid Center Museum in Glendora, Miss. You didnt have to stand on the corner and holler loud, you just understood you can have your day in this country in court. "We're not today who we were back then," Sturdivant says. In the US, Facebooks Samidh Chakrabarti, then the product lead for the US election, suggested forming a working group to study the torrent of election delegitimizing content on Facebook. Guy Rosen, Facebooks chief information security officer who was running the companys safety and integrity efforts at the time, told Chakrabarti that even studying the problem would just create momentum and expectation for action that he didnt support. "Every day, somebody's dragging up the race card. Thats one of the guys Im really going to miss working with when I leave here. (Katko, who was one of just 10 Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump after the events of January 6, was sure to clarify that his praise of Thompson pertained only to the Homeland Security Committee. The Greek Letter was chosen in place of N and the Fraternity acquired a distinctive Greek letter symbol and Kappa Alpha Psi thereby became an indistinguishable Greek-letter Fraternity. However, few Blacks could remain longer than a year or so without having to withdraw in search of employment. In the school years of 1910-11, a small group of Black students attended Indiana University. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Till was kidnapped, beaten, shot in the head and dumped in the bayou, weighted down by a heavy industrial fan taken from a cotton gin activities that stretched across three counties. Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor. Thompson considered running for Congress in the 1980s, after a congressional district with a majority African American population was created, but ultimately decided against it. Just a few years before Thompson and Fitzgerald attended Tougaloo, nine students held a sit-in at a public library in Jackson in an effort to integrate the facility, a protest that catalyzed a wave of civil rights demonstrations in the state. Even so, the site draws attention and visitors, like one couple from Brooklyn on a civil rights road trip through the South. Bennie Thompson has not been elected into the Hall of Fame. The committee is also expected to hold more public hearings this year, after just one high-profile hearing with Capitol and Metropolitan Police officers last summer. Thompson was born in Bolton in 1948, the son of a mechanic and a schoolteacher. Consequently, eight other men met with Diggs and Armstrong for the purpose of organizing such a fraternity. You know, I cast votes based on what the issues are at that time, Thompson told CNN last July, explaining his vote against certifying Bushs election. Being a member of what we call the Divine Nine, that is, the traditional African American sororities and fraternitiescreates a relationship with probably over a million people who have that connection in common, says Georgia Rep. Bishop. In order of their founding, here are some highlights of these nine Black Greek letter organizations. Just make sure that you do it the right way.. In a video posted last year to his Kappa Alpha Psi chapters Instagram, Jeffries said he was grateful to Cordero for appointing him president of his pledge classwhich preceded his eventual election to lead the whole chapter. That network may be part of what set him on his path to Congress in the first place. He had joined the fraternity just a year earlier in search of community in his new home, nearly 200 miles and a world away from his Brooklyn upbringing. It details how the companies failed to adequately address the calls to violence and election-related conspiracy theories circulating online after the 2020 presidential election. Born: Thompson, who grew up in a small Mississippi community in 1971, sympathized with the group known as the Republic of New Africa, participating in a news conference blaming law enforcement for instigating clashes with the group which led to a dead police officer and a wounded FBI agent. He graduated from Hinds County Fox ratings plunge for Tucker Carlsons old time slot Vigilante lynchings of Blacks were commonplace. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Spring 1990. For Thompson, one of the honors of his committee chairmanship is in showing that the son of man who never votedwho couldnt vote in the apartheid state of Jim Crow Mississippican lead the investigation uncovering the truths of a dark day in U.S. history. Miguel Correa finds parallels to events today. Since their inception, each organization has contributed countless hours of community service, donated millions of dollars toward educational scholarships, and have provided leadership to communities around the country. A "private property" sign posted out front is barely visible. He participated in step shows, a Black Greek Life tradition, stomping and clapping in unison with other brothers. hide caption. He is the son of Will Thompson and Annie Thompson. "Much like in the 1960s, racial politics were worked out at lunch counters, sidewalks, swimming pools; in the 21st century, we work out our racial politics for example in battles over the flag or statues or the names of dormitories," says Tell. More than 30 years before he was elected to lead 211 of his fellow Democrats in Washington, Hakeem Jeffries was tapped to lead a dozen young men in upstate New York. (WLBT) - Two Congressional committees are looking into what they say is a, On Thursday, Chairman Bennie Thompson and Vice Chairwoman Liz Cheney of the House select committee, U.S. Capitol Police said Tuesday they were investigating a letter with "concerning language" that was. As a direct result of these policies, even before Jan. 6 we terminated thousands of channels, several of which were associated with figures related to the attack, and removed thousands of violative videos, the majority before 100 views.. Thompson faced another failed lawsuit after he won the mayoral election for Bolton in 1973. You would be hard-pressed to find somebody whos a member of a Black Greek letter organization who talks about it in the past tense.. Former members of Congress who were Kappas include Alcee Hastings of Florida, Don McEachin of Virginia, and Louis Stokes of Ohio, who helped lay the foundation of the Congressional Black Caucus. We have a saying down here America, welcome to Mississippi. So a lot of what Bennie is dealing with, Im sure like all of us, we were hopeful that we wouldnt see again, Fitzgerald said. "The people in Tallahatchie County are to a great degree tired of Emmett Till," says former county prosecutor John Whitten. Find out more. Reddits site-wide policies prohibit content that promotes hate, or encourages, glorifies, incites, or calls for violence against groups of people or individuals, the company said in the statement. Its a real joy working with him, said Katko, who is retiring at the end of the year. The panels investigators interviewed technology industry executives and law enforcement and intelligence officials, along with Trump aides and Republican election officials. It was always hard. Bennie Thompson was born in a very loving family in Bolton, Mississippi. A memorial first installed in 2008 to mark the spot where 14-year-old Emmett Till was recovered from the Tallahatchie River in 1955 has been repeatedly vandalized shot through with bullet holes. We strive to live each day by our founding principles and consistently work towards the betterment of Pi Kappa Phi, ourselves and the world. Let me tell you, stepping is not easy, especially when you have to learn to twirl canes, Cordero says. He is a longtime member of the Asbury United Methodist Church in Bolton and a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity (Gamma Rho Tougaloo College). WebOne of the 5 Objectives of the Fraternity is: To promote the spiritual, social, intellectual and moral welfare of members. Many aspects of the Fraternitys rites are engrained in Christianity ideals and contain excerpts from the Bible. Jeffries grew up in Brooklyn, the son of a social worker and a state substance abuse counselor. I call him a quiet giant. Hes someone who can walk in the room without saying things, but he makes you feel secure and comfortable, said Representative Joyce Beatty, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Local chapters of Kappa Alpha Psi participate in community outreach activities to feed the homeless, provide scholarships to young people matriculating to college, serve as mentors to young men, participate in blood drives and serve as hosts of seminars for public health awareness to name a few. Three Black men had been elected to the Board of Aldermen, after succeeding in registering the small towns significant population of Black voters with the help of federal registrars, as permitted by the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., testifies before the House Rules Committee on Dec. 14, 2021. I remember the opportunity to walk out at night at any point in time and feel completely at peace, Jeffries told his colleges magazine in 2013. But the local chapter president has reached out to Memorial Commission Executive Director Patrick Weems, who welcomes a dialogue. Nor would the new Fraternity seek its members in the manner of other Greek organizations from among the sons of wealthy families or families of social prestige. When Rep. ), Thompson is also widely praised by members of the select committee, who say that he has fostered a collaborative environment. Triangle. But we always operated within the system, Thompson said. The mission that helped launch the fraternity nearly eight decades before Jeffries joined carried over to each new chapter across the country, including Binghamtons Mu Kappa chapter. That it has to be addressed head-on, or it can quickly take us back to where we were in Mississippi in the 1950s and 1960s., Representative Jamie Raskin, a member of the January 6 committee, also drew a line from Thompsons experiences confronting racist institutions in the Deep South to his leadership of the committee. But he has one of the strongest spines of anybody in Washington, and he understands that this kind of stuff cannot be given air. The college provided him with the framework to understand the structural racism that underpinned life in Mississippiwhy his side of town had no sidewalks or spaces for recreation, why his schools textbooks were secondhand and out of date. Five chapters were chartered from 1913-1915, centered in the Midwest; with the first chapter being established in the East in 1915. Can rise within the system that initially and aggressively sought to exclude him. "And it's not just about replacing the sign, but it's what do they teach there? The Tallahatchie County courthouse where the trial was held has undergone a multi-million-dollar renovation, and now there's an Interpretive Center on the courthouse square. When Thompson and Flowers faced off in 2020, Thompson ended up winning by more than 30%. Bennie was sent to Hins County public school by his parents. A spokeswoman for Representative Bennie Thompson, the Democratic chairman of the panel, didnt respond to a request for comment or confirm the authenticity of the document. Thompsons supporters delineate a clear path from Thompsons upbringing, education, and career as a Black man in Mississippi, a state riven by the domestic terrorism of white supremacists in the decades between Reconstruction and the civil rights movement. The percentage of Blacks on campus was less than 1%. All Rights Reserved. Write to Mini Racker at mini.racker@time.com. The killing propelled the civil rights movement, and his name is still invoked when innocent blood is shed in racial violence. He was very good at it. Magazines, Digital "Fella who came down here and got in trouble overstepped his bounds to a degree some folks thought," says Whitten. U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson called on the hundreds who marched during the annual King Day at the Dome to continue to fight against injustice. He recalled meeting such icons as King and John Lewis, who later served in Congress along with Thompson and remained a lifelong friend. Debbie Elliott/NPR Civil rights tour guide Jessie Jaynes-Diming stands on the banks of the Tallahatchie River, one of several Emmett Till Memorial sites that local officials are trying to have protected under the National Park Service. The administration maintained an attitude of indifference, as Blacks slowly matriculated and were likewise swiftly forgotten. By Jeff Welch, Director of Diversity and Inclusion. Father. How We Can Learn to Live with COVID-19 After Vaccinations. "There is way more at stake than simply a history lesson on what happened in 1955," Tell says. Jeffries was only a college sophomore at Binghamton University when he was elected president of the schools fledgling chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. He had joined the fraternity just a year earlier in search of community in his new home, nearly 200 miles and a world away from his Brooklyn upbringing. His congressional colleagues describe him as even-tempered and levelheaded, able to command respect without shouting for attention. But again, I didnt tear up the place because I cast a vote.. He was a force to be reckoned with, Joseph Cordero, who was two years ahead of Jeffries and a fellow Nupe, recalls of the man who would go on to be the first Black lawmaker to lead either party in Congress. Thompson is married to London Johnson of Mound Bayou, Mississippi, and has a daughter, BendaLonne, a granddaughter, Jeanna, and a grandson, Thomas. "It's something that a lot of people are still living.". ". The historic marker was taken down after three white fraternity brothers from the University of Mississippi were pictured holding guns next to the sign. He wrote the legislation creating the National Center for Minority Health and Health Care Disparities in 2000 and advocated for federal funds to be properly allocated after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, as well as calling for greater oversight and reform of federal agencies that managed the aftermath of the crisis. Although Thompson can be seen giving interviews on cable news, he is not a fixture. Thompson added: I can assure you that if a criminal referral would be warranted, there would be no reluctance on the part of this committee to do that, according to the Post. Most folks that I talk to who were members of white fraternities and sororities will talk about it in past tense once they leave college, says Tamara L. Brown, one of the editors of African American Fraternities and Sororities: The Legacy and the Vision. Through their combined labors, the fraternitys ritual and ceremonial forms, constitution, hymn and motto were created, and insignia and emblems were fashioned. "And for folks that live here, there's been, over generations I think, a tendency to sweep it all under the rug to the extent possible. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Rep. Bennie Thompson speaks during the January 6 committee's first public hearing. hide caption. If the history of Emmett Till was swept under the rug before, one driving force in commemorating it now is tourism and the potential to bring new money to the Mississippi Delta a largely agricultural landscape in the northwest part of the state that struggles to attract new industry. "The issue of race is still the undercurrent about the discussion of Emmett Till," according to Rep. Bennie Thompson, an African American Democrat who has represented the Mississippi Delta region in the U.S. House since 1993. A segregated pool was closed, and land was repurposed to build a new municipal building. Members of Greek letter organizations also get the opportunity to participate in numerous philanthropic and community service events. He is well-known among his colleagues, but not necessarily a nationally recognized figure. Trumps Missing Phone Records Have a Familiar Stink of Criminality, A Federal Judge Rips Trump for Plotting a Coup, An Intimate Portrait of a Village Torn Apart by Politics, Inside the Battle Between Big Ag and Lab-Grown Meat, Its Bennie Thompsons Moment to Defend Democracy. Bennie Thompson Family And Net Worth. Taking careful attention to detail and to ensure the fraternity was rooted in authenticity, these Founder Diggs took courses in Greek heraldry and mythology and applied their combined knowledge to the development of these articles. Somebody saying we have racial disparity here. Till, a black teenager visiting from Chicago, was brutally killed in Mississippi after allegedly violating Jim Crow social norms. * Selected to Pro Bowl, + First-Team AP All-Pro, Bold indicates league leader. In 2006, he was elected to the New York State Assembly. Whitten's father was one of the defense lawyers. The campus of Indiana University at that time did not encourage the assimilation of Blacks. hide caption. Hes very careful and inclusive as chairman. Kappa Alpha Psi proudly boasts of members who epitomize the very essence of Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor. Meta spokesman Andy Stone declined to comment on the draft report and referred questions about Trumps reinstatement to the companys previous public statements, which pledged consequences for future violations if Trumps accounts are reinstated. "There was a lot of pushback not only from the white community but from the black community also," says Jaynes-Diming. Related Articles AP So, at the start of the 20th Century, a handful of enterprising Black students began to form their own fraternities and sororities on college campuses across the nation. Many people think of fraternities as just, you know, beer bongs and parties and all that, and I guess theres a time that that is a part of it, says Carter. In fact, all twenty-three counties in the Second District are medically under-served and many citizens are unable to afford health coverage. "We came by to see this part of history about Emmett Till," says Alexis Ortiz. A spokeswoman for Representative Bennie Thompson, the Democratic chairman of the panel, didnt respond to a request for comment or confirm the authenticity The obligation to remain involved in Pi Kappa Phi after graduation and to work perpetually to build the ideal fraternity. ), When Espy was selected by President Bill Clinton to serve as secretary of agriculture in early 1993, Thompson ran in the special election to fill the vacant seat. The town reevaluated its real estate, revealing that many white residents had been undervaluing their property. As you mature, its so much more.. The body of Emmett Louis Till, a 14-year-old Chicago boy who was visiting relatives, was found in the Tallahatchie River near Money, Miss., on Aug. 31, 1955. Bennie Thompson played 159 games over his career. Membership in these organizations provide students with valuable networking and mentoring opportunities. Fast forward to today, the Divine Nine is a collective of Black fraternities and sororities that are governed by the National Pan-Hellenic Council. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Most of them were working their way through school. In 2012, Jeffries won his seat in Congress. The state of Indiana became a stronghold for the Ku Klux Klan. A "private property" sign posted out front is barely visible. The historic marker was taken down after three white fraternity brothers from the University of Mississippi were pictured holding guns next to the sign. His father died while Thompson was in high school, and friends stepped up to help raise him, instilling in the young Thompson a strong sense of community and sense of connection to the small hamlet of just a few hundred residents. Nupepedia Wikia is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. It was clear at the outset that the new fraternity would not warm over principles or practices of other organizations. The Kappa Alpha Psi Legislative Conference, as it was originally named, was established by Congressman John Conyers (Gamma Eta, 1951) in 2002. and I shall do my share to make it so. 37 46 37 37. The establishment in the community saw this as a threat to their way of life. The city clerk had told him in the first meeting of the new council that he would not do anything the Black aldermen said. "And the story never got told from an African American perspective.". He served in that capacity for six years. Bennie Thompson had 40 receiving yards over his career. These incidents caused the Founders to change the name of the Fraternity. As we celebrate Black History Month, its important to acknowledge the remarkable legacy of the Divine Nine. Politics | All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 2x Pro Bowl. Debbie Elliott/NPR A replica of Bryant's Grocery is part of the Emmett Till Historic Intrepid Center Museum in Glendora, Miss. Thompson thrived in this atmosphere, joining the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and volunteering for civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamers ultimately unsuccessful congressional campaign. Reliance would be placed upon high Christian ideals and the purpose of ACHIEVEMENT. The two men attacked the teen after Carolyn Bryant claimed he made an aggressive pass at her. Debbie Elliott/NPR That has been the experience across the South, but especially Mississippi, said Derrick Johnson, the president and CEO of the NAACP and a mentee of Thompson. The Bryant's Grocery building is in ruins, overtaken by trees and vines. Triangle. His 43 years of public service is a testament to his "People only in closed circles whispered about the atrocities of the death," he says. It was kind of an icebreaker, Thompson, now a member of the U.S. House, told me more than five decades later. He didn't die in vain, and he triggered, I believe, the civil rights movement.". He loved stepping and I just remember him constantly harassing me to teach him different moves.. Copyright 2022 Bennie Thompson for Congress. These men of vision decided Kappa Alpha Nu would be more than another social organization. Top 10 Most Famous Sororities And Troy Carter of Louisiana got to Congress in 2021, he and Jeffries joked about how they would work on growing their ranks in Congress. (In the 1985 Esquire interview, Thompson said he didnt think that he was the right piece of equipment for the job of congressman. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. It was 1969, one year after the death of Martin Luther King Jr., and in Bolton, Mississippi, white Southerners ugly backlash to the gains of the civil rights movement was a powerful force. The House panel that investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection focused in televised hearings and in its final report on the role Trump and his efforts to overturn the presidential election. He practiced law for several years, representing CBS in a suit over Janet Jacksons costume incident during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show. The Founders sought one anothers company between classes and dropped by one anothers places of lodging to further discuss the means of formulating the fledgling fraternity in an effort to relieve the depressing isolation. hide caption. Its a committee of bosses, Torres said, a committee of the most powerful personalities in Congress. Fraternities and sororities have been an integral part of collegiate life since the establishment of colleges and universities in America. "Kappa Alpha Psi", "KA", and the Coat of Arms of Kappa Alpha Psi are registered trademarks of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Kappa Alpha Nu became the first incorporated Black Fraternity in the United States once granted a charter by the Indiana Secretary of State on May 15, 1911. The state of Indiana became the 19th state of the Union in 1816 and it founded Indiana University in Bloomington four years later. Kappa Alpha Psi, now comprised of functioning Undergraduate and Alumni Chapters on major campuses and in cities throughout the country, is the crystallization of a dream. Over time, white students came to watch, too. Track and Field was the only sport which Blacks were able to demonstrate their athleticism. Andrew Harnik/AP. That's not the America that we want to live in. Thompson spent his time as mayor determined to improve infrastructure for the towns Black residents: Streets were paved, housing renovated, and a new City Hall constructed. On January 5, 1911, the Fraternity then became known as Kappa Alpha Nu, possibly as a tribute to the Black students of 1903 (the Alpha Kappa Nu Greek Society) who preceded them at Indiana University. "This is justice for our family," says Till's cousin Airickca Gordon-Taylor who runs the Mamie Till Mobley Memorial Foundation in Chicago. We will continue to monitor and enforce our policies across the platform.. He calls commemorative sites like signs and monuments the new lunch counters. Congress is a venue in which attention-seekers thrive, instinctively turning to camera lights like plants tilt toward the sun. Ratings: 14 Grade: 67% Rate This Fraternity. Some people are possessed with a preternatural sense of purpose, a seriousness that lends them an air of gravitas even at a young age. Jeffries office did not make the congressman available for an interview for this story. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity (Gamma Rho Tougaloo College) and a lifetime member of the Asbury United Methodist Church in Bolton. Bennie Thompson was born on February 10, 1963. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Bennie was always like a grown-up, said Oleta Fitzgerald, now the Southern regional director of Childrens Defense Fund, but once a classmate of Thompsons at Tougaloo College.
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