GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Monday commemorates the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In light of the occasion, we spoke with a fraternity he once belonged to.
Dr. King joined Alpha Phi Alpha in 1952 as a Boston University graduate student pursuing his philosophy doctorate.
Several years later in 1955, he helped lead the Montgomery bus boycott. The boycott lasted a little more than a year for a total of 385 days.
The president of Alpha Phi Alpha’s local chapter says Dr. King’s values aligned with the fraternity’s. Those include brotherhood, service and leadership.
“It's very important that we recognize all the things that he did do as a fraternity,” says President Steve Wolfe. “We’re just so proud because he was a member of our fraternity. But we recognize that … everybody should be proud. Everybody should be celebrating. But we're especially proud because he was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha.”
The fraternity was originally planning to lead a silent march to spread Dr. King’s message, but it was postponed because of the weather.
"When you think about the work that Dr. King did, a lot of it was demonstrated through march,” adds Wolfe. “They were always non-violent. … But it was an opportunity for Dr. King and those that were working with him and supported him to get out and show the issues, that they believed in this, to show the support that they have for those issues."
This year will be the Grand Rapids Alphas' second annual silent march. Stay with FOX 17 for updates on when it will happen.
