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NY); Supreme Court Justice THURGOOD MARSHALL; former U.S.Senator EDWARD BROOKE (D-MA); and Mayors LIONEL WILSON (Oakland, CA), HENRY MARSH, III (Richmond, VA) and HENRY McGHEE (Dayton, OH); Illinois State Comptroller ROLAND W. BURRIS and scores of additional Fraternity members in government offices on the national, state and local levels. [[2 images]] [[caption]] Washington Mayor Marion Barry welcomes [[text cut off]] s insensitive Congress during his Public [[text cut off]] greets Convention Chairman Dr. J. Rupert [[text cut off]] on his address are, from right, Alpha [[text cut off]] Charles H. Wesley, Central State University [[text cut off]] tive Bennett M. Stewart; Present at the [[text cut off]] tor Award to Dr. Frederick D. Patterson are, [[text cut off]] Alpha Phi Alpha Education Director Dr. Henry [[text cut off]] James B. Blanton and Alpha President Williams. [[/caption]] D.C. Mayor Barry urged the Fraternity to seek to improve the circumstances of Black people. Barry stressed Black interdependence despite the complexity of many issues which confront minorities today. "As Mrs. (Mary McLeod) Bethune taught us," he said, "we must love, trust and have confidence in each other." In addressing an overflow crowd at the conventions Ecumenical Service of worship, Interior Undersecretary Joseph focused directly on the present mood of discontentment evident among Black Americans and suggested that the problem may lie in the standards by which leaders are chosen. Disdaining one-issue leaders and self-serving demigods, Joseph suggested that the lack of true moral leaders contributes much to the present malaise. Using the biblical Exodus as a parallel, Joseph defined "a moral leader" as one who deals with the intellectual, moral, political and economic needs of his constituents. In his Sunday address at the conventions Public Program, New Orleans Mayor Ernest Morial clearly placed the blame on Congress for the nation's failure to act on pressing urban problems. He condemned the Legislature for having aborted or reversed many urban programs the White House has proposed. Morial (a past Alph General President) also upbraided Congress for refusing to bring itself under the E.E.O. provisions it requires of other federal agencies. In closing he declared that, "A Balanced Budget is worthless if we must mortgage our cities and the future of our children to get it." In one of his last major public appearances before his abrupt resignation, U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young strongly defended the stewardship of the Carter administration — citing increased minority appointments and increased funding for such areas as food stamps and minority business enterprise. Young urged the assembled delegates to look favorably upon the Carter administration. The Fraternity conferred the Alpha Award of Merit upon two distinguished members: New Orleans Mayor Ernest Morial and Dr. Lionel H. Newsom, President of Central State University (Wilberforce, OH). This accolade is the highest honor given by the organization to one of its members. In addition, a special Distinguished Educator Award was presented to Alpha Life Member Frederick D. Patterson, former President of Tuskegee Institute and Founder of the United Negro College Fund. During the convention the Fraternity issued its PUBLIC POLICY STATEMENT calling for increased involvement in politics; increased encouragement of minority businesses; implementation of the Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment Act; increased involvement by local Alpha chapters to reduce crime and physically improve the Black community; educating the community concerning the importance of the 1980 census and being counted therein; and, encouraging closer ties with African and Caribbean nations. The convention closed with the Wednesday night formal banquet featuring the keynote address by Andrew Young, and presided over by Alpha President James R. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. Other key figures included General Convention Chairman J. Rupert Picott, Executive Director of the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History; Mrs. Mauree W. Ayton, Coordinator of Women's and Children's Activities; and Alpha Executive Secretary, James B. Blanton. 179