With a long history of service and a committment to social justice, the William & Mary chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity decided that showing up for an awards ceremony at the Virigina Governor’s mansion was not in line with their beliefs.
The W&M chapter of the prestigious Black fraternity was recently received an award from the Office of the Governor of Virginia for their service and volunteerism. The students were invited to a reception and dinner at the Governor's mansion, where they were to receive the award and be recognized for all that they do. The ceremony was last night - April 15. With luminaries such as Thurgood Marshall and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. among the many alum of the prestigious group, the idea of accepting an award for service from a man who deemed it necessary and appropriate to honor the Confederacy was just too much for these socially conscious young men.With this in mind, they decided not to attend. They wrote the Governor a letter explaining their decision, and have been successful in getting some press. The goal of getting publicity is not to draw attention to their actions as much as it is an attempt to draw attention to the larger issue(s). Rock on, and keep speaking truth to power.