Sigma Betas engaged on MLK Day
SPECIAL TO THE
CHRONICLE
On the Martin Luther
King Jr. Holiday, members
of the Sigma Beta Club of
Winston-Salem participat
ed in several activities.
On the morning of
Monday, Jan. 19 during
The Odd Fellows
Cemetery Restoration
Project, the Sigma Betas
worked with other organi
zations cleaning up the 12
acre cemetery on Shorefair
Drive across from the
Dixie Classic Fairgrounds.
The Odd Fellows
Cemetery is believed to
have started in 1911 by the
Twin City Lodge and the
Winston Star Lodge, both
African-American frater
nal organizations. The
Odd Fellows Cemetery is
one of Winston-Salem's
oldest African-American
graveyards outside the
Salem area. It is, by far,
the largest African
American cemetery dating
from the early 20th centu
ry. An estimated 10,000
graves could be located in
the cemetery.
After the Martin Luther
King Jr: National Day of
Service Project at the
cemetery, the group went
to the Wynnsong 12
Cinema to sefe the movie
"Selma."
This year marks the
50th anniversary of the
Selma march and President
Johnson's signing into law
of the Voting Rights Act on
Aug. 6, 1965, which
changed the course of our
nation's history. The movie
tells the story of the three
months leading up to the
Selma march as it has
Submitted Photos
Above: The young mem
bers work in Odd
Fellows Cemetery.
Right: The kids and their
leaders pose outside of a
movie theater.
never been told, portraying
Martin Luther King Jr. as
both a hero and a citizen,
who used his voice to
advance voting rights for
all Americans.
The Sigma Betas con
cluded their activities on
Tuesday, Jan. 20 by going
to see the On Common
Ground Lecture Series fea
turing renowned speaker
Dick Gregory on the cam
pus of Winston-Salem
State University.
The Sigma Beta Club
originally called the "Beta
Club" is a signature
Program of Phi Beta Sigma
Fraternity, Inc., and whose
existence dates back to the
early 1950s. It was
launched under the guid
ance anji leadership of the
Honorable Dr. Parlette. L.
Moore, 20th National
President of Phi Beta
Sigma Fraternity, Inc.,
while serving in his capac
ity as National Director of
Education. Throughout its
existence, the Sigma Beta
Club has been an essential
part of the total organiza
tional structure in many of
our alumni chapters in Phi
Beta Sigma Fraternity,
offering members a unique
opportunity to instill
wholesome values, leader
ship skills, social aware
ness, and cultural con
sciousness in youth at the
most critical stages of their
personal development.
Appeals judge to keynote BLS A banquet
SPECIAL TO THE
CHRONICLE .
The Wake Forest
Black Law Students
Association (BLSA) will
host its 30th annual
Scholarship Banquet at 6
p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13,
at the Milton Rhodes Arts
Center, 251 N Spruce St.
A cocktail reception is
planned for 5:30 p.m. fol
lowed by dinner and a
full program at 6. This
year's theme is "Rising
Above" and will include
a reading of the poem
"Still I Rise" in honor of
the late Dr. Maya
Angelou, Wake Forest
University's first
Reynolds Professor of
American Studies.
Judge Roger L.
Gregory of the U.S.
Court of Appeals fo* the
Fourth Circuit will pro
vide the keynote address.
Judge Gregory joined the
court in 2001 after
receiving a nomination
from former President
Bill Clinton. He earned a
bachelor's degree from
Virginia State University
and his J.D. in 1978 from
the University of
Michigan Law School.
He co-founded the law
firm Wilder & Gregory in
Richmond, Va. in 1982
with L. Douglas Wilder,
the first African
American to be elected as
a governor in the United
States. Gregory chaired
the firm's litigation sec
tion beginning in 1985.
Tickets for the ban
quet, which is the annual
fundraising effort for the
BLSA Scholarship Fund,
are $65 per person for
non-Wake Forest Law
students. A table for 10 is
available for $600.
Tickets must be pur
chased in advance by Jan.
31. Tickets will not be
available at the door.
Contact Ariana Burnette,
vice president of Wake
Forest Law's BLSA, at
burna29@wfu.edu to pur
chase tickets or make a
donation to the scholar
ship fund.
Gregory
Kersh
speaking
at Summit
SPECIAL TO THE
CHRONICLE
Rogan Kersh, provost
and professor at Wake
Forest University, will
speak at Summit School
on Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. Kersh
is speaking on the topic
of "ethics and integrity
among young people
today" as part of Summit
School's Inspiring
Learning series. All
Inspiring Learning speak
ing events are free and
open to the public.
"Our community is
not limited to the teach
ers, children and parents
who learn together on
Summit School's campus
each day. The Inspiring
Learning series offers a
forum for the entire com
munity to learn, ask ques
tions and have meaning
ful conversations,"
Michael Ebeling, head of
Summit School, said.
Kersh received his
B.A. from Wake Forest in
1986 and returned as
provost and professor of
political science in July
2012.
? He also coordinates
aqademic programming
with the administration of
the School of Medicine.
THE CELEBRATION OF
LIFE CONTINUES
FOR
Mary Ernestine
Gillis Thomas
Sunrise: Sept. 18, 1945
Sunset: Jan. 18, 2015
Mary Was bom in Moore County on Sept. 18, 1945 to the late
Ernest Gillis and Martha Gillis.
On Jan. 18, 2015, early Sunday morning, Mary heard her name
called as she took flight on the wings of angels. She was the eldest of
five children and received her education in Richmond V.A. at the
Maggie L. Walker High School. Mary moved to Winston-Salem
where she became a member of Zion Memorial Baptist Church for
many years. She later moved her membership to Union Chapel
Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Konnie G.
Robinson, where she became active in the Pastor's Aid Ministry, the
Missionary Department and the Sunday School Ministry. Mary was
a member of the Ralph R. Morgan American Legion Post #220 where
she served as Auxiliary President for many years. She was a faithful
and dedicated member of the Sisters of James H. Young Memorial
Chapter #592 Order of the Eastern Stars where she served as Worthy
Matron for many years. Mary later became the personal assistant to
the late Dr. Maya Angelou where she continued to work until her
health began to decline. As a means of being independent and not
defeated by her health issues, Mary became the caretaker for Mr.
Todd and Kristen Martin's two children. Hope and William. She
loved the children dearly as we know they loved her back.
Mary was married to the late Floyd Thomas and had five chil
dren. Mary was preceded in death by her granddaughter. Jure!
Hawkins-Hazel and great granddaughter. Alania Marjai Hawkins.
She leaves to cherish her memories her mother Mrs. Martha G.
Jones, her children, Muriel Reid (Kenneth) of the city, Marjorie Jones
(Armin) of Charlotte, N.C., Mario Smith (Jerry) of the city, Lillian
Whack (Stephen) of Charlotte, N.C. and Robert Thomas (Preshia) of
the city; one step-daughter, Angela Thomas of Greensboro, N.C.;
three brothers; Robert Gillis of Las Vegas. N.V.; Lynwood Gillis, Sr.
(Carolyn) of the city; Ernest Gillis of Richmond, V.A.; three sisters,
Clara Shelton of the city; Martha G. Lyles of Rivetdale, G.A. and
denee Gillis of Richmond, V.A.; one aunt, Ms. Lillie Mae James of
Clinton. N.C.; 14 grandchildren, 16 great grands and a host of loving
nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015 at 1
p.m. at Union Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, 300 NW 25th
Street. Visitation is from 12:30 - 1p.m.
* k
-
Alphas help make science
fairs a success
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
This year, the Alpha Pi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi
Alpha Fraternity, Inc. continued its partnership with the
Winston Salem/ Forsyth County School System in spon
soring its annual science fairs.
The fraternity joined additional sponsors such as Wake
Forest School of Medicine Northwest AHEC, SciWorks
and Fisher Scientific in providing support for this endeav
or. Over the course of two weeks, young scientists from
across the county competed for prizes
and the chance to represent the district
in regional events. The district was 4
broken into two divisions - elemen-jf
tary and secondary, with events
taking place on Jan. 16 and Jan. I
23, respectively. <
Brothers from Alpha Phi,
Alpha served as judges, presen
ters and logistics volunteers tc
ensure the success of the events.
Alpha Pi Lambda has a long
standing history of supporting th
science fairs. In fact, the awards that the
students receive are named after a former member of the
chapter, Lowden E. Anderson. While the fairs are open to
all students, the fraternity has placed a heavy emphasis on
increasing the participation of students from traditionally
underrepresented populations in S.T.E.M programs
(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
Careers in these fields offer extraordinary opportunities;
however, the rate of participation by minorities is tremen
dously low. The Alpha Pi Lambda Chapter is excited to
continue its partnership with the school system in hopes of
reversing this trend.
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