"THE URGENCY OF NOW"
Alpha Zeta Lambda Chapter
Re-Chartered September 21, 2016
Chartered January 28, 1927
Chapter History
"Think Alpha Phi Alpha, Talk Alpha Phi Alpha, Promote Alpha Phi Alpha, and Labor for the broad principles of idealism for which Alpha Phi Alpha was created."
-Bro. Henry Lake Dickason, 6th General President
Chartered in Bluefield, WV on
January 28th, 1927
The Alpha Zeta Lambda chapter was created during the time when Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. was said to have reached its’ maturity, it was 21 years of age and expanding. On January 28th of 1927, in the Administration Building of the then Bluefield Colored Institute, men who had formally affiliated with other chapters of the General Organization came together to establish Alpha Zeta Lambda Chapter.
The names of the brothers in good standing at that time, who had transferred their membership to be a part of this original group, were Brothers John Pettress, Harry Jefferson, L. M. Dunlap, Hannibal Clark, George Frederick, J. Lacy, E. W. Barrier and D. M. Dunlap. They joined Brothers Henry Lake Dickason, James C. Kingslow, W. C. Matney, James A. Shelton and E. W. Browne in becoming the charter members of this new chapter.
​
Those brothers were a listing of who’s who of southern West Virginia. They were associated with Bluefield Colored Institute and Browns Creek District High School which later became known as Kimball High School. There were also doctors and community leaders. Brother Henry Lake Dickason became the Sixth General President of the fraternity, and Bro. Kingslow was a Charter member of Kappa Chapter at Ohio State University.
​
Alpha Zeta Lambda was the first of two chapters established at Bluefield Institute, which later became Bluefield State College. The other was Beta Theta Chapter which was chartered on March 5,1932 for undergraduates at the college. AZL was the first graduate chapter chartered in the state of West Virginia. In the years following its’ chartering, AZL continued to grow in membership and boasted brothers from several counties in West Virginia. The chapter maintained a strong membership, conducted social and educational programs, and was a visible force within the General Organization and the Midwestern Region.
​
In 1955 Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was initiated into AZL Chapter. The initiation became a controversy because of the lack of a college transcript in Ellington's original application. For years following his initiation, the General Organization, would not recognize Brother Ellington as having been initiated into Alpha Zeta Lambda Chapter. They associated him with being initiated into a chapter in New York. It has been only in the past 15 to 20 years that this was corrected and he is listed as being initiated into AZL.
In 1955, Alpha Zeta Lambda’s Brother Rev. C. Anderson Davis was elected Midwestern Regional Vice President. He served from then until the end of 1958. He continued to bring national attention to the local chapter by serving from 1962 to 1965 as the Editor in Chief of The Sphinx, and it was also published in Bluefield, West Virginia at that time.
​
On August 31, 1966, Alpha Zeta Lambda Chapter paid for a Life Membership to the NAACP and was presented its’ Life Membership Certificate/plaque. On September 29, 1963, the members of the chapter organized a Housing Foundation and purchased a fraternity house. The structure was formally dedicated on this date. The House was the perfect example of the poem, “The House of Alpha”. It remained a part of the chapter until around 2000 when it was in major disrepair, had high insurance costs, and a dwindling chapter membership. The property was sold at that time alleviating the chapter of a great financial burden.
Re-Chartered in Morgantown, WV on
September 21st, 2018
​
The historic Alpha Zeta Lambda chapter’s charter was relocated to Morgantown, West Virginia on September 21, 2016. Following the 84th Midwestern Regional Convention in Iowa, initial conversations were held with District Director, Brother Timothy J. Gibson, Brother Bruce E. Mitchell II of the Epsilon Delta (Kent State University) & Eta Tau Lambda chapters in Kent and Akron Ohio, Brother Dr. Mortdecai Brownlee of Alpha Iota Lambda chapter, and Brother Julius McCall of Pi Mu chapter about the district of Missouri requesting to move the chapter seat of AZL to their district. However, Brother Gibson mentioned to Brother Mitchell the possibility of moving the chapter to the city of Morgantown instead. Brother Mitchell became very open to the idea.
​
Brother Dr. B.C. Jones coordinated a meeting on May 20, 2016 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p. m. at the Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurant in the Suncrest Towne Centre (1099 Suncrest Centre Drive.) This meeting was attended by brothers from the Morgantown area and the Alpha Iota Lambda Chapter of Charleston, WV, including: Brothers T.J. Gibson, C. Chadband, M. Brownlee, D. Domand, B. K. Brooks, J. Ottley, J. M. McCall, C. H. Cannon, O. Cox, B.E. Mitchell II, and the Assistant District Director Bro. Derek Rankin from the Nu Nu chapter. Eager to get to work for Alpha, the brothers closely involved agreed to move forward with this, but to be regarded as the re-establishers of the chapter. Bro. Dr. Willis L. Lonzer III, Midwestern Regional Vice President graciously supported and expedited the request to re-seat the chapter.
During the meeting, Brother C. H. Cannon opened the floor for nominations to elect officers, unofficially, in order to handle the business of re-chartering the Alpha Zeta Lambda chapter for a period of six months until it could be revisited. Hence, as a result of the meeting that re-established the Alpha Zeta Lambda chapter, Brother Dr. Bernard C. Jones nominated Brother Bruce E. Mitchell II to serve as chapter president. B. E. Mitchell II accepted the nomination and was elected chapter president. Additionally, the following brothers were elected: Dr. Bernard C. Jones, Vice President; Brian Keith Brooks, Chapter Secretary; Jason Ottley, Treasurer; Otis Cox, Historian; and shortly after the meeting Ellis Y. Roper became Sergeant at Arms.
​
Given the stark and dismal circumstances of the Bluefield area at the present time, moving AZL to Morgantown was ideal for several reasons. Morgantown holds West Virginia University, the largest public land-grant and research one institution in the state of West Virginia at its core, Morgantown is the second largest city in the state and has a thriving economy with a few major employers in the city that could attract African-American Males. Additionally, the university has several professional degree programs and career opportunities; Alpha Phi Alpha brothers from all over the nation have the potential to attend WVU for advance degree programs and employment. Having a local alumni chapter they can associate with would be great resource to them considering that the closest alumni chapter at the time was Alpha Iota Lambda in Charleston, WV, which is two and a half hours away from Morgantown. Likewise, the AZL chapter could serve as the oversight chapter for Alpha Phi Alpha’s Pi Mu chapter, seated at West Virginia University; later expanded to Fairmont University.
​
With the assistance of the brothers elected and a new brother from North Carolina Charlotte, Thanh Le, of the Mu Tau chapter and after careful consideration and time, AZL conducted its first Initial Membership Development Process while seated in Morgantown, WV during the Fall of 2016. The first two initiates to the Alpha Zeta Lambda chapter seated in Morgantown were Brother Courtney McHenry and Brother Eric Winkfield; Brother Ellis. Y. Roper served as the Chapter Dean for both AZL and Pi Mu chapters this year.
Continuing on the path of growth in membership. AZL, again, conducted the Initial Membership Development Process in the Fall of 2017. The gentlemen joining the brotherhood were Brother Quincy M. Smith and Brother Jihad D. Dixon; Brother Thanh Le served as Chapter Dean.