Alpha Phi Alpha Pi Lambda Chapter

Alpha Phi Alpha Pi Lambda Chapter Alpha Phi Alpha - Pi Lambda Chapter Little Rock, Arkansas Since its founding on December 4, 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

has supplied voice and vision to the struggle of African-Americans and people of color around the world. Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African-Americans, was founded at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York by seven college men who recognized the need for a strong bond of Brotherhood among African descendants in this country. The visionary founders, known as the “Jewels” of the Fraternity, are Henry Arthur Callis, Charles Henry Chapman, Eugene Kinckle Jones, George Biddle Kelley, Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Harold Ogle, and Vertner Woodson Tandy. The Fraternity initially served as a study and support group for minority students who faced racial prejudice, both educationally and socially, at Cornell. The Jewel founders and early leaders of the Fraternity succeeded in laying a firm foundation for Alpha Phi Alpha's principles of scholarship, fellowship, good character, and the uplifting of humanity. Alpha Phi Alpha chapters were established at other colleges and universities, many of them historically black institutions, soon after the founding at Cornell. The first Alumni Chapter was established in 1911. While continuing to stress academic excellence among its members, Alpha also recognized the need to help correct the educational, economic, political, and social injustices faced by African-Americans. Alpha Phi Alpha has long stood at the forefront of the African-American community's fight for civil rights through leaders such as: W.E.B. DuBois, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Edward Brooke, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Andrew Young, William Gray, Paul Robeson, and many others. True to its form as the “first of firsts,” Alpha Phi Alpha has been interracial since 1945.

Bro. Oscar Washington, Jr. was born in Carlisle, Arkansas and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administrat...
02/09/2026

Bro. Oscar Washington, Jr. was born in Carlisle, Arkansas and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Central Arkansas. He then pursued night courses to complete an MBA from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Bro. Washington served as a Captain in the Arkansas Army National Guard with the 39th Infantry Brigade, was a certified public accountant, held a master’s degree in business and was an entrepreneur. Bro. Washington was a vice president of customer service for Entergy Arkansas, where he worked for 26 years.

Bro. Washington was an avid supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters Of Central Arkansas such that the overall fundraising champion of their annual fundraiser, Bowl for Kids' Sake, is now named the Oscar David Washington, Jr. Cup.

The Oscar Washington Jr. Educational Fund was established in his honor to offer scholarships and extensive support, such as financial literacy and job readiness training to high school students.

Bro. Washington was initiated into the Fraternity through the Pi Lambda Chapter on November 23, 1993, where he continued to serve until he entered Omega Chapter on April 18, 2017. #ΑΦΑ

As we celebrate 100 years of service to the State of Arkansas, Pi Lambda continues to strive to excel in Manly Deeds, Sc...
02/08/2026

As we celebrate 100 years of service to the State of Arkansas, Pi Lambda continues to strive to excel in Manly Deeds, Scholarship, and Love for All Mankind.

The 45th Arkansas District Conference concluded this weekend and the Chapter was recognized for the following awards:

- Alumni Chapter of the Year
- Bro. Kalvin Trice was inducted into the District’s Hall of Fame for his leadership and service in addressing food deserts and insecurity in Central Arkansas.
- Bro. Nicholas Norfolk was named Area Director of the Year. One of the Chapters in his area was named College Chapter of the Year, and two Brothers from that Chapter were recognized for having the highest G.P.A. in the District.

Congratulations Brothers for upholding our mission to develop leaders, promote brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for our communities. #ΑΦΑ

Bro. Jerry L. Malone is a native of Earle, Arkansas and a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas, where he was a...
02/08/2026

Bro. Jerry L. Malone is a native of Earle, Arkansas and a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas, where he was a Presidential Scholar, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law, where he was managing editor of the school's law journal, graduating with high honors. He was an adjunct professor at the law school and served on the Board of Trustees of the University of Central Arkansas as an appointee of then-Governor Bill Clinton. He was president of the Board for Legal Services of Arkansas and former chair of the Arkansas Board of Continuing Legal Education. Bro. Malone also served as a board member of the Arkansas Regional Minority Supplier Development Council, was a member of the Greater Little Rock Chamber of Commerce Leadership Institute and served as chair of the Leadership Greater Little Rock Alumni Board of Directors.

Bro. Malone served as chief of staff of the US Department of Transportation during the Clinton administration, having earlier served as deputy chief of staff of the department and chief counsel of the Federal Highway Administration. Bro. Malone was also a partner in the law firm of Friday, Eldredge & Clark, the largest law firm in Arkansas.

Bro. Malone was initiated into the Fraternity through the Theta Psi Chapter on March 29, 1980, and he continues to be an active member and is a Past President of the Pi Lambda Chapter. #ΑΦΑ

Bro. Charles W. Donaldson became a counselor for UALR’s Student Special Services program in 1973. From his next role, di...
02/07/2026

Bro. Charles W. Donaldson became a counselor for UALR’s Student Special Services program in 1973. From his next role, director of Career Planning and Placement, to his appointment as associate vice chancellor for Educational and Student Services and dean of University College, to Vice Chancellor of Educational and Student Services.

Bro. Donaldson’s implementation of Cooperative Education and the TRIO Program, which included Student Special Services, Upward Bound, the Educational Opportunity Center, and Talent Search, resulted in national and international recognition for the First-Year Experience course as well as federal funding that exceeded $16.5 million.

Bro. Donaldson has been appointed to the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) who has selected Little Rock, Arkansas, as the host city for its annual conference, scheduled for June 4–7, 2026

Bro. Donaldson was initiated into the Fraternity through the Beta Chi Chapter on October 15, 1967, and he continues to be an active member through the Pi Lambda Chapter. #ΑΦΑ

Bro. Sherman Tate was born on October 5, 1945 in Marvell, Arkansas. He attended Philander Smith College in Little Rock, ...
02/06/2026

Bro. Sherman Tate was born on October 5, 1945 in Marvell, Arkansas. He attended Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas until 1966 when he was drafted into the United States Army. After serving for two years, Tate graduated from Philander Smith College in 1970 with his B.A. degree in psychology.

Bro. Tate is the first African American to be employed by the State Legislative Council where he was the personnel director, the first African American to manage the Arkansas Office of Personnel Management, the first African American to serve in a management position at Arkla Gas Company’s Arkansas Division, and the first African American to be elected chairman of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Bro. Tate was initiated into the Fraternity through the Pi Lambda Chapter on May 1, 1973, where he continues to be an active member. #ΑΦΑ

Bro. Ozell Sutton was born on December 13, 1925, on a plantation in Gould, Arkansas. In 1944, he became one of the first...
02/05/2026

Bro. Ozell Sutton was born on December 13, 1925, on a plantation in Gould, Arkansas. In 1944, he became one of the first African-Americans to serve in the United States Marine Corps. After his service, Bro. Sutton graduated from Philander Smith College in 1950 and went on to become the first Black reporter for the white-owned publication Arkansas Democrat. In 1957, he served as one of the escorts for the Little Rock Nine and, in 1961, he became director of the Arkansas Council on Human Relations.

Bro. Sutton marched alongside Bro. Martin Luther King Jr. during the 1963 March on Washington and the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches. He was also present in Memphis in 1968 at the Lorraine Motel at the time of Bro. King’s assassination. Bro. Sutton was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by President Barack Obama in 2012.

Bro. Sutton was initiated into the Fraternity through the Pi Lambda Chapter on October 1, 1950. Bro Sutton served as Arkansas District Director and in 1971 was elected Southwestern Regional Vice President. He was elected 26th General President in 1980 and served until the end of 1984. During his tenure, he was recognized by Ebony magazine as one of the 100 most influential Black Americans. Bro. Sutton entered Omega Chapter on December 19, 2015. #ΑΦΑ

Sample ballots are ready for the March 3, 2026, Preferential Nonpartisan Primary Election. You can view your sample bal...
02/04/2026

Sample ballots are ready for the March 3, 2026, Preferential Nonpartisan Primary Election. You can view your sample ballot here: https://www.voterview.ar-nova.org/VoterView

Early voting begins Tuesday, February 17th. #ΑΦΑ

Bro. John W. Walker was born in Hope, Arkansas in 1937. He graduated from Jack Yates High School in Houston, Texas in 19...
02/04/2026

Bro. John W. Walker was born in Hope, Arkansas in 1937. He graduated from Jack Yates High School in Houston, Texas in 1954. That same year, Bro. Walker was accepted to the University of Texas, becoming the first Black undergraduate student to be admitted to the school after the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling, but the Registrar denied his admission because he was Black.

In 1964, Walker was admitted to the Arkansas State Bar and went to work for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in New York City. By 1965, Walker opened up his own solo practice in Little Rock, Arkansas with a focus on civil rights. In 1968, Walker opened one of the first three racially integrated law firms in the south.

When Governor Winthrop Rockefeller appointed Walker in 1970 to the state Board of Education—no African American had ever held the position—the Arkansas Senate refused to confirm him.

Bro. Walker was first elected to serve in the state’s House of Representatives on behalf of its 34th district in 2010 and served five terms until his death.

Bro. Walker was initiated into the Fraternity through the Gamma Delta Chapter on December 13, 1956, and served with the Pi Lambda Chapter until he entered Omega Chapter on October 28, 2019. #ΑΦΑ

Bro. Dr. William Townsend was the first African American licensed to practice optometry in Arkansas, one of the first Af...
02/03/2026

Bro. Dr. William Townsend was the first African American licensed to practice optometry in Arkansas, one of the first African Americans to serve in the Arkansas House of Representatives since the 1890s, and the first African American to chair the Aging and Legislative Affairs Committee.

During the 1950s, Bro. Townsend was a founding member and served as the president of the Council of Human Relations. This council helped to desegregate public schools and businesses in the state. He was also a member of the Council of Community Affairs, which was formed in 1961 by a group of black medical professionals. They facilitated the peaceful desegregation of downtown Little Rock in 1963. In 1966, Townsend served as the chairman of the Arkansas Voter Project, a statewide voter registration initiative run under the Southern Regional Council’s Voter Education Project. In 1972, Bro. Townsend was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives for the first of 12 terms.

Bro. Townsend was initiated into the Fraternity through the Pi Lambda Chapter on December 1, 1958, where he served until he entered Omega Chapter on September 15, 2005. #ΑΦΑ

Bro. Curtis H. Sykes was the first African-American graduate of Harding University in 1965 where he earned a Master of S...
02/02/2026

Bro. Curtis H. Sykes was the first African-American graduate of Harding University in 1965 where he earned a Master of Science in Elementary Education. Bro. Sykes also served as the principal of Woodruff Elementary, where he was the first Black principal in the district before the district became fully desegregated.

He was a charter member of the North Little Rock History Commission and the North Little Rock Historic District Commission.

Bro. Sykes was initiated into the Fraternity through the Pi Lambda Chapter where he served until he entered Omega Chapter on September 9, 2007. #ΑΦΑ

Your encourage you to spread the word that today at 5 p.m. is the deadline to register to vote, if an unregistered per...
02/02/2026

Your encourage you to spread the word that today at 5 p.m. is the deadline to register to vote, if an unregistered person wants to participate in the upcoming primary election.
#ΑΦΑ

Bro. Jerry D. Jewell was the first African American to serve in the Arkansas Senate in the twentieth century, and Arkans...
02/01/2026

Bro. Jerry D. Jewell was the first African American to serve in the Arkansas Senate in the twentieth century, and Arkansas’s first ever African-American acting governor

In 1959, he became a member of the Little Rock branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In 1963, he became branch president, and in 1965, Bro. Jewell became president of the NAACP Arkansas State Conference of branches.

Bro. Jewell was elected to the Arkansas Senate in 1972, making him the first Black state senator in the twentieth century. He was a member of the Senate until 1994. In 1992, Jewell was elected president pro tempore of the Arkansas Senate.

Bro. Jewell was initiated into the Fraternity through the Alpha Xi Chapter on January 18, 1952. Bro. Jewell continued his service through Pi Lambda until he entered Omega Chapter August 17, 2002. #ΑΦΑ

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