ROYALTY REIGNED IN ATLANTA 
By Skip Mason 

You would have thought that Queen Elizabeth or the late Princess Diana had graced the Alphas in Atlanta with her presence.  But the moment was even greater than that for the brothers of the Black and Gold.  Melanie Atkins Ogle, the only granddaughter of Jewel Robert Harold Ogle, lit up the room with her beauty, her smile, her friendliness and her warmth. 

Melanie was seated in a beautiful Gold wingback chair (courtesy of Bro. John Carter) with a large photo of Jewel Ogle in her shadow and a framed background portrait of the print "The Seven Architects of Alpha."  She sat gracefully and elegantly and received the throngs of brothers who came out to shake her hands, to photograph her and be photographed with her.  The evening event took place in the Eta Lambda Auditorium at the Alpha Community Center in East Point, Ga. (a suburb of Atlanta). 

Dressed in a beautiful white dressed, Melanie was radiant and brothers were in absolute awe over her remarkable resemblance she had with her famous grandfather, our Jewel Ogle.  Their profiles were identical, which made the aura and ambiance of the room even more special. 

A beautiful reception was catered by Soror Susan Gibson Carter, who elegantly laid out the table with hints of our Egyptian connection with obelisk and pyramids adorning the foods.  A delicious Alpha punch (nonalcoholic)  was served as brothers supped on the finger foods. Susan, knowing Melanie was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, placed a large ivy wreath around the reception table and at the bottom of the photo of Jewel Ogle. Melanie was just "tickled pink" over that. 

At 6:20 p.m., yours truly convened the Brothers for a  brief program. Greetings were brought by the 26th General President Ozell Sutton, Georgia District Director Ron Jenkins and Eta Lambda President Bob Jones. 

Brother Jenkins summed it up for the Brothers when he said, "I have chills standing here in her presence."  Following remarks, I presented Melanie to the brothers, who so eloquently stated how honored she was to be there. She talked  briefly about my visit to Washington and the impact the letters and cards had had on her mother, who read every one of them.   Though she did not know her grandfather (who died in 1936), she knew his spirit, which had been kept alive by her mother, Mrs. Helen Ogle Atkins, now 91 years young 
residing in Washington, DC.  Melanie (which is what she prefers to be called) then read a poem written by her mother for the brothers.  After the program, all of the brothers gathered around our Jewel's granddaughter for a treasured group photograph  and I presented her a beautiful bouquet of flowers. In return I got a kiss on the cheek. I was all smiles for the rest of the evening. 

I take great pleasure in presenting  the poem to my devoted Skip Historical Moment readers on behalf of Mrs. Helen Ogle Atkins. She thanks every brother who sent her a mother's day card and enjoyed the letters she received from the Sphinxmen of the Intake Cluster in Atlanta this past year.   

Recollections of My Father Robert Harold Ogle 
By Helen Ogle Atkins 
June 1999 

My father was tall, good-looking -- always impeccably dressed 
And as a father of two motherless girls, he was the very best. 
Perhaps a little too strict, but now I can see that he wanted us to be the very best that we could be. 

My father grew up in Georgetown and graduated from Old M Street High and I guess his ambitions reached the sky. For he wanted to go to college, but didn't see how his mother was a widow with two other children.  There was no way for her to help him now. 

But Bob was determined, so in summer he worked on the railroad.  Saving as much as he could to ease the financial load 
In winter he waited table at the Ithaca Hotel.  And thus here he was at prestigious Cornell.  But he couldn't stay in a dormitory then,  nor join a fraternity with white college men. 

But my father had six colored friends who didn't sit and moan 
All seven of them had rooms in the town, they could call home. 
So they decided to meet and study together. 
This they did even in Ithaca's severe winter weather. 
Later they decided also to meet and have fun. 
This made life better for every one. 

And now guess what-they decided to start a fraternity 
This they did but it seemed to take an eternity! 

Thus was born Alpha Phi Alpha-the first black fraternal organization in the USA 
And now more than ninety years later, it is considered the foremost black fraternity today. 
I don't know how many thousand men strong 
But I do know they are some of the finest black men that ever came along.  Scholars, scientists, businessmen, professors, artists, teachers,  Priests, ministers, doctors, lawyers, dentist, preachers. 

Alpha Phi Alpha's colors suggested by my father are black and old gold.  Denoting black men aiming for the highest and best that life can hold. 
 

"Leaders among the Negroes must teach colored working men that they must create their own opportunities for retention and advancement by giving superior and efficient service in spite of the handicaps that are before 
them." 
Jewel Eugene Kinckle Jones, 1920 

"Many men have received the inspiration for their life's work from their association and contacts in the fraternity.  Fraternities of today are endeavoring to admit the highest types of men. It is much harder for a member to stay in a fraternity than it is to enter it. 
12th General President Raymond W. Cannon, 1927