Read the full stored bill text
S. R. No. 88 *SS26/R1615* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2
26/SS26/R1615
PAGE 1 (rdd\kr)
To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) DuPree, Jackson, Hickman,
Barnett
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 88
A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING 1
OF MU XI CHAPTER OF ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY ON THE CAMPUS OF 2
THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI. 3
WHEREAS, we join the members of Mu Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi 4
Alpha Fraternity at The University of Southern Mississippi in 5
congratulating them on their 50th Anniversary of dedicated 6
services to their fraternity, their community and to the State of 7
Mississippi; and 8
WHEREAS, Alpha Phi Alpha (ΑΦΑ) is the first intercollegiate 9
fraternity established by African American men. The fraternity 10
was founded on December 4, 1906, on the campus of Cornell 11
University in Ithaca, New York. Alpha Phi Alpha has initiated 12
over 300,000 men into its organization and has been accessible to 13
men of all races since 1945; and 14
WHEREAS, Alpha Phi Alpha has evolved into primarily a service 15
organization, providing both leadership and service during some of 16
the most significant times in United States' history, such as the 17
Great Depression, both World Wars, and the Civil Rights Movement. 18
S. R. No. 88 *SS26/R1615* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1615
PAGE 2 (rdd\kr)
This fraternity not only addresses social issues plaguing our 19
communities such as apartheid, AIDS, urban housing, economic, 20
cultural, and political issues, but it seeks to lighten the burden 21
of these issues on our communities of color; and 22
WHEREAS, in 1975, Brother Mance Langham, serving at the time 23
as Principal of Eureka Elementary School, and Brother Charles 24
Johnson, serving as Director of Head Start, along with Alpha Phi 25
Alpha, chartered the Mu Gamma Lambda Alumni Chapter in 26
Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Both Brother Langham and Brother 27
Johnson went on to be not only founders but Presidents of this 28
illustrious chapter. These two individuals, along with Brothers 29
Alphonso Clark and Howard Jones, decided the brothers of Mu Gamma 30
Lambda Chapter should apply for an undergraduate Metropolitan 31
Chapter slated for Hattiesburg, Mississippi; and 32
WHEREAS, in 1976, an organization named The Seven Jewels 33
Study Club was established on The University of Southern 34
Mississippi (USM) campus. It was comprised of African American 35
students whose purpose was to promote scholarship and the spirit 36
of Alpha Phi Alpha. That same year, the National Office granted 37
Mu Xi a Metropolitan Chapter, encompassing students from USM, 38
William Carey College and surrounding junior colleges, who were at 39
least sophomores, and had a minimum of a 2.0 grade point average; 40
and 41
WHEREAS, on November 6, 1976, Mu Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi 42
Alpha Fraternity initiated 16 charter members, all of whom were 43
S. R. No. 88 *SS26/R1615* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1615
PAGE 3 (rdd\kr)
undergraduate students at The University of Southern Mississippi. 44
Initiated into the fraternity, better known as "The Untouchable 45
16" were: Brian Acker of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; Jerrle 46
Barksdale of Biloxi, Mississippi; Jimmy R. Bridges of Silver 47
Creek, Mississippi; Larry D. Carey of Jackson, Mississippi; Lavern 48
Dillion of Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Reverend Kenneth Fairley of 49
Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Michael Gilner of Gulfport, Mississippi 50
(Deceased); Charles Goldsmith of Moss Point, Mississippi; Wille B. 51
Hinton of Carson, Mississippi; Robert L. Jackson of Marks, 52
Mississippi; Reverend Robert K. Minor of Hattiesburg, Mississippi; 53
Willie Neely of Ellisville, Mississippi; Daniel Simmons of 54
Picayune, Mississippi (Deceased); David Simmons of Picayune, 55
Mississippi; Norman Smith of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; and 56
Charles R. Thompkins of Hattiesburg, Mississippi; and 57
WHEREAS, since the beginning of Mu Xi Charter in 1976, there 58
have been over 350 men initiated into Mu Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi 59
Alpha. These men are PhDs, NFL players, judges, mayors, Fortune 60
500 executives, entrepreneurs, theologians, teachers, school 61
superintendents, IT professionals, coaches, healthcare 62
professionals, politicians, safety professionals and engineers. 63
Their achievements reflect the enduring legacy and impact of the 64
chapter within the Pine Belt and beyond; and 65
WHEREAS, these men truly embody the Alpha Phi Alpha motto, 66
"First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All," and we 67
S. R. No. 88 *SS26/R1615* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1615
PAGE 4 (rdd\kr)
ST: Recognize 50th Anniversary of the founding
of Mu Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
at USM.
commend the dedicated community service and example set by these 68
Mississippi citizens: 69
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 70
MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby recognize the 50th Anniversary of 71
the founding of Mu Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity on the 72
campus of The University of Southern Mississippi, and extend to 73
this exemplary service organization our best wishes on this 74
auspicious occasion. 75
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to 76
Mu Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity for appropriate 77
distribution and made available to the Capitol Press Corps. 78