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65th Anniversary Conclave - Phi Beta Sigma 

December 27-30, 1979
Washington Hilton Hotel, Washington, D.C.

[[image]]
[[caption]] President Bruce Lundvall presents CBS Records' $10,000 check to Richard Ballard, Jr. and Gilbert Francis for Sigma's Education Fund. [[/caption]] 

National President
Atty. Richard M. Ballard, Jr.
P.O. Box 26704
Richmond, VA 23261

National First Vice-President
Charles B. Wright
25 Lake Street (Apt. 7-L)
White Plains, NY 10603

National Second Vice-President
St. Clair T. Garcia
4137 Terraza Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90008

National Treasurer
Charles W. Moore
734 Flamingo Drive S.W.
Atlanta, GA 30311

The thousand delegates attending the 64th Anniversary Conclave of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity re-elected Attorney Richard M. Ballard of Richmond, Virginia, national president, and passed six resolutions for Black Survival at the conclusion of their week of deliberations.  The Conclave was hosted by Gamma Phi Sigma, Alpha Nu Sigma, Beta Tau Chapters, at the San Francisco Hilton Hotel, San Francisco, Calif. 

Spurred by keynoter, Roswell O. Sutton, a former past national president, delegates were asked to rededicate themselves to the principles upon which the fraternity was founded. 

The delegates were told by keynoter Sutton to reexamine their techniques for executing those national programs of Sigma in Business, Education, Political and Social Action which have withstood the test of time in the communities where they reside.

After being exhorted by banquet and delegate speaker, The Honorable Patricia Russell, Deputy Chief for Industry Equal Opportunity Unit, Federal Communications Commission, Sigmas were warned not to stand passively by, as gains won through civil rights struggles of the sixties are being systematically eroded by a new wave of negative conservatism now sweeping the country.  The delegates passed six resolutions for Black Survival. 

The Conclave gave its first James Weldon Johnson Memorial Award to Abby Mann, for his writing of the television fild, "King", aired by the National Broadcasting System; its Alain A. Locke Memorial Award to Bruce Lundvall, President of Columbia Records for preserving Black culture on phonograph records, tapes, and for fair business practices within his company; its James "Billboard" Jackson Award to Herbert Wright of Philip Morris Company for four decades of service to the Black Community, and for being a living symbol of excellence in business practices for young Blacks to emulate.  The Delegate Magazine Community Award was given to Henry H. Brown of Anheuser-Busch Company for developing community programs in sports and education among Black youths.

The fraternity was the recipient of grants of ten thousand dollars from Columbia Records and five thousand dollars from Anheuser-Busch Company to its National Education Foundation.  Funds are to be used to help students attending Black colleges now considered as an "endangered species".

In accepting the call to again serve the fraternity as Sigma "Builds Bridges to the Eighties", President Ballard said, "The fraternity is gravely concerned over the implementation of the Bakke decision as it pertains to Blacks' educational opportunities.  Conditions have been so eroded by various ploys executed at state and local levels in too many communities which spell the destruction of the Black colleges.  We must act to prevent extinction of these Black institutions which have served our needs since reconstruction.

"We are concerned over the real implication of Proposition 13.  If Proposition 13 spreads, their negativism can only mean the destruction of those base taxes from which services for the poor is derived.

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