Boulé Leadership Meets with White House Officials

Front Row Seated (left to right): Khephra Burns, Huel D. Perkins, Robert L. Harris, Charles C. Teamer and Peyton Williams.
Second Row Standing (left to right): Donald Floyd, Perrin Clark, Berky Nelson, H. Ron White, James Carter III, James O. Cole, White House official Paul Montiero, Rodney J. Reed, John H. Norton, White House Official Michael Blake, Dennis W. Archer, James E. Payne, Virgil Smith, Alvin Ragland, Ernie Green and Charles Johnson.

In an unprecedented move, an official delegation of Sigma Pi Phi met with White House officials on September 10. As a result of the work of the Fraternity’s Public Policy and Social Action committees, an invitation from the White House was sent to Grand Sire Archon Robert L. Harris inviting the Fraternity to engage in a dialogue with White House officials on key national public policy issues impacting African Americans and the nation. Under the leadership of Archon Dennis W. Archer, chairman of the Public Policy Committee, the Fraternity highlighted its public policy endeavors, including its recently completed comprehensive public policy statement titled “Health Care for All Americans: A Civil Right,” which was delivered to White House officials by the delegation of twenty Archons, including Grand Sire Archon Harris, Grand Sire Archon-Elect Rodney J. Reed, Grand Grammateus Peyton Williams, Grand Grapter Khephra Burns and Past Grand Sire Archons Huel D. Perkins and Charles C. Teamer. Also presented to the White House officials was the Fraternity’s public policy position on Young Black Males, which is the foundation of the social action programs of many of our member boulés throughout the Fraternity.

Commenting on this historic visit, Grand Sire Archon Harris noted the Boulé has taken a significant step toward achieving its vision of being “the preeminent fraternity for African American men of achievement” by becoming “better informed about, and taking appropriate action on, major public policy issues of concern to the community, and by supporting or providing social action programs that benefit disadvantaged African Americans.” A major part of Archon Harris’s tenure has focused on the importance of public policy in shaping the quality of life for African Americans. “This meeting with White House officials speaks to the wisdom of our Fraternity’s vision and its strategic plan,” he noted.

Other Archons in the delegation were Dennis Archer, Congressman Bobby Scott, James O. Cole, John H. Norton, James Carter III, Perrin Clark, James Payne, Al Ragland, Charles S. Johnson, III, William Jones, Ernie Green, Berky Nelson, Donald Floyd, and H. Ron White.