Remembering Harold: Washington's Fraternity Carries on Legacy Through Community Service
Posted on 25. Nov, 2009 by admin in Community Focus
By Shanita Bigelow
Historical photo of the men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
As we remember Harold Washington, Chicago’s first black mayor, and his legacy of public service on the anniversary of his death on November 25, 1987, Washington’s fraternity brothers are upholding his call for community involvement by serving from the heart.
After serving in World War II, Washington enrolled at Roosevelt University, where he joined Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. (PBS). While at Roosevelt, he also received his first elected position as class president during his senior year, according to the Black Americans in Congress (BAIC) website.
He began to come into his own as a political leader after attending law school at Northwestern University and practicing at his father ’s firm, according to BAIC. Like his Sigma brothers, he aimed to “provide the greatest possible service to human kind,” according to Marco McMillian, Executive Director of PBS.
PBS, founded in 1914 at Howard University in Washington D.C., began as an organization ingrained in the community. Committed to a life of service, the fraternity is now an international organization comprised of 150,000 college-educated men. Today’s members still honor members like Washington because they all, “served from behind the heart,” McMillian said.
Projects PBS is working on includes creating healthy communities through raising awareness of HIV/AIDS. Other community projects include a national mentoring program for males between the ages of 8-18 where the organization provides opportunities for the development of young men as they prepare for college and the workforce.
Through the American Cancer Society, the March of Dimes, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the Boy Scouts of America and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the fraternity is able to speak to its mission of addressing societal ills including health disparities, developmental issues and educational challenges for young males.
“You can do a whole lot more with others…I wanted to be a part of a movement, a movement that will forever continue to progress,” McMillian stated as he talked about why service is important.
