S.Res. 527 — Agreed to in Senate

III 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 527 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 29, 2014 Ms. Landrieu (for herself, Mr. Scott, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Brown, Mr. Nelson, Mrs. Hagan, Mr. Levin, and Ms. Baldwin) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Congratulating the members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. for 100 years of service throughout the United States and the world, and commending Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. for exemplifying the ideals of brotherhood, scholarship, and service while upholding the motto Culture for Service and Service for Humanity. Whereas Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. was founded on the campus of Howard University in the District of Columbia on January 9, 1914, by A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I. Brown; Whereas since the formation of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., the members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. have maintained a strong commitment to brotherhood, community involvement, and service to all people; Whereas Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. has implemented a number of initiatives encouraging diversity, business opportunities, and advocacy; Whereas Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. has established the Sigma Wellness, Sigma Cares, and Living Well Brother to Brother programs; Whereas Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. was the first African-American fraternity to establish alumni chapters and youth mentoring clubs and is the only fraternity to form an African-American sorority counterpart, Zeta Phi Beta; Whereas the men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. have dedicated themselves to the promotion of civil rights, and the members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. include influential leaders and activists such as Hosea Williams, A. Phillip Randolph, and Lafayette Mckeene Hershaw; Whereas members belonging to chapters of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. across the United States responded to a call for support of the war efforts of the United States during World War I; Whereas members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., such as Alain LeRoy Locke, Weldon Johnson, and A. Phillip Randolph, made significant contributions to the Harlem Renaissance; Whereas Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. has over 700 chapters in the United States, Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean; Whereas the men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. have distinguished themselves as public servants, including members such as— (1) a United States Congressman, civil rights activist, and chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; (2) the first African-American Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives; (3) the first African-American Democrat elected to the Congress of the United States; (4) Demetrius C. Newton, Sr., elected in 1986 as the first African-American Speaker Pro Tempore of the Alabama House of Representatives; and (5) Fleming Jones, Jr., the first African-American Democratic member of the West Virginia House of Delegates; and Whereas Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. commemorated its history and promoted service during the Phi Beta Sigma centennial celebration on January 9, 2014, in the District of Columbia: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate— (1) congratulates Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. for 100 years of service to communities throughout the United States and the world; and (2) commends Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. for a continued commitment to the ideals of brotherhood, scholarship, and service.