Eta Rho Sigma chapter hosts honoree dinner for Dr. Charles Vert Willie, one of the nation's lead
A few brothers from the Eta Rho Sigma chapter Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. including myself had the opportunity to attend a honoree dinner for Dr. Charles Vert Willie, one of the nation's leading black sociologists, retired Professor of Education, Emeritus and close companion of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This special occasion was held on June 19th, 2016, (same day as Father's Day and Juneteeth) in Pearland, TX at the beautiful home of Bro. Johnnie Sandles, a dedicated Sigma Man who has been very pivotal to the growth and development of the Eta Rho Sigma chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.
Pictured from left to right: Bro. Juston Barnett, Bro. Johnnie Sandles, Bro. Dr. Virgil A. Wood, Dr. Charles Vert Willie (Alpha Phi Alpha), and Joseph R. Willie (Alpha Phi Alpha)
The legend that was being honored was Dr. Charles Vert Willie, retired Professor of Education Emeritus of Harvard University. Dr. Willie was born in Dallas, Texas on October 8th, 1927, and was the grandson of former slave named Louis Willie. He attended Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA) in 1944 and it was there that he met Martin Luther King Jr. Charles Vert Willie was sixteen (16) and Martin Luther King Jr. was fifteen (15) when they enrolled at Morehouse together. It is imperative to note that during the years of 1939 and 1945, World War 2 was taking place, and that many men including African-Americans were drafted; which caused college enrollment amongst various institutions of higher learning vastly depleted including Morehouse College. In addition, during that time, Morehouse College was experiencing severe problems such as low morale, the loss of $ 1 million of endowment money, and the poor ranking of colleges that formed the Atlanta Affiliation.
Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays, a nationally noted educator served as the sixth president of Morehouse College for 27 years (1940-1967) including the time Dr. King was a undergraduate. Under Dr. Mays leadership, the conditions of Morehouse College improved, most notably when he deciding to open enrollment to younger men and became a close mentor of Dr. King during his undergraduate years at Morehouse.
Pictured above: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays
Dr. Willie and Dr. King were members of the commencement class of 1948 and remained close friends after they graduated. They also became apart of a study of Negro preachers in Philadelphia after they graduated. However, perhaps the one of the most historic events of Dr. Willie's life was when he had the opportunity to introduce Dr. King at a banquet in Syracuse held in 1965, one of the most critical years of the civil rights movement.
Pictured above is Dr. Willie and Dr. King and a Audio CD recording of his introduction of Dr. King at a banquet held in Syracuse in 1965
Pictured above is Dr. Willie giving me a signed copy of his audio CD recording of his introduction of Dr. King at the banquet held in Syracuse in 1965.
There was great fellowship during the honoree dinner and it also included respective family members from Bro. Sandles, Dr. Willie, Bro. Dr. Wood, Bro. Donald Naylor, and Bro. Jackie Wallace. At the conclusion of the dinner, I had the pleasure of sitting in on a conversion held by Dr. Wood and Dr. Willie. Dr. Wood Pastor Emeritus, is a educator, civil rights activist and worked with Dr. King for over 10 years; serving as a member on the National Executive Board of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) founded by Dr. King in 1957. The main emphasis of the conversation revolved around their experiences and relationship with Dr. King and the struggle for economic, educational, and spiritual development for Black America. More specifically, Dr. Willie and Dr. Wood conversed about utilizing the playing field for Blacks by utilizing various ways that we can lay the foundation for our own economic independence and self-sufficiency.
Pictured above from left to right: Joseph Willie, Deborah Wood (daughter of Dr. Wood), Mary Sue Willie (wife of Dr. Willie), Bro. Johnnie Sandles, Dr. Willie, and Bro. Donald Naylor.
From left to right: Bro. Johnnie Sandles, Dr. Charles Vert Willie, Bro. Dr. Virgil Wood, Bro. Juston Barnett, Bro. Jackie Wallace, and Joseph Willie.
Dr. Virgil A. Wood and Dr. Charles Vert Willie
Dr. Willie obtained a Master's degree from Atlanta University in 1949 and in 1957, he earned a Ph.D. in sociology at Syracuse University. In 1974 he was hired by Harvard University and served as the Charles William Eliot Professor of Education at the Graduate School of Education. Leading the way as one of the nation's leading black sociologists, in areas of race relations, public health, higher education, and desegregation, Dr. Willie as served as a court-appointed master in the Boston School desegregation cases. In addition to that he was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to serve on the President's Commission on Mental Health and is a member of the Board of Direction of the Social Science Research Council. He has also served as an expert witness and consultant in other desegregation cases in larger cities such as Houston, Dallas, Seattle, St. Louis, and Kansas City. Dr. Willie has authored over 20+ books and 100 articles including Theories of Human Social Action and A New Look at Black Families. Dr. Willie has retired from Harvard University's Graduated School of Education and was awarded emeritus status. He and his wife Mary Sue Willie comfortably resides in Concord, MA.
