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ABOUT BETA IOTA BOULÉ

Beta Iota Officers

As penned by the second Sire Archon of Beta Iota Boulé, Archon Lewis E. Randall

Prior to the commitment to establish a new Boule, Archons Theodore Pryor and David Thompson from Alpha Psi held informational seminars throughout the area. Dr. John Norman, a participant, chaired the meetings.

After several meetings it was decided that a decision had to be made. Are you in or are you out was the question asked of the participants. Those who made the commitment came from Waterbury, Cheshire, New London, Vernon, Manchester, Bloomfield, West Hartford, and New Britain.

On February 21, 1981 at the Lord Cromwell Inn in Cromwell, Connecticut, fifteen men were united in Brotherhood. Grand Sire Archon Theodore A. Jones and Grand Grammateus Butler T. Henderson conducted the most moving ceremony of dignity, refinement and togetherness.

The host Boule Alpha Psi and invited guests heard each initiate introduce his wife, show togetherness, show concern for people and commitment to family. A special thank you was extended to Archons Theodore Pryor and David Thompson of Alpha Psi, who faithfully supported the formation of the new Boule.
Archons were installed as chartered officers led by Sire Archon Elbert Powell. As a newly chartered Boule this was going to be a challenge. This talented and eager group of men decided the following: meetings to be held on the first Thursday of the month hosted by an Archon with time set aside for a Sigma Pi Phi history lesson, a special calendar of events for the Archousae

(Fall Activity, Christmas, Spring Activity and other activities), a strict budget and a special outreach program sponsored and developed by Beta Iota (this task was given to Archons Errol Alexander and Lewis Randall).

In conclusion Beta Iota in its early days had a big impact on the public understanding of Sigma Pi Phi in Connecticut. Beta Iota founded on February 21, 1981 held its first Christmas Dinner/Dance for the Archousae on December 5, 1981. Beta Iota was invited to the informational seminars in New Haven, Connecticut; Springfield, Massachusetts, and performed a Belles Lettres program which received two pages of publicity in the Harford Courant on Sunday June 12, 1983. Respectfully Submitted,

Past Sire Archon Lewis E. Randall
Beta Iota Boulé

Beta Iota Officers

Sire Archon
Dennis Williams

Sire Archon Elect
Chris Cloud

Grammateus
John Guy

Grapter
Earl Exum

Rhetoricus
Raheem Mullins

Assistant Grammateus
Thomas C. McNeill

Agogos
Harold Sparrow

Data Manager
Mishone Donelson

Thesauristes
Myron Stewart

Founding Members

Seated left to right: Errol D. Alexander,Eugene Baten, David Crawford, Elbert A. Powell, Grand Sire Archon Theodore A. Jones, Lewis E. Randall,R. Lee Scott Standing left to right: Sedrick J. Rawlins, Walter Deane, Samuel Hamilton, Walter E. Freeman, Cyril C. Burke, James E. Sims, Henry Lee, Ernest Mosley, Collins R. Spencer

Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity

Sigma Pi Phi (ΣΠΦ), also known as The Boulé, is the oldest fraternity for African Americans, founded in 1904. The fraternity does not have collegiate chapters and is designed for professionals at mid-career or older. Sigma Pi Phi was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The fraternity quickly established chapters (referred to as “member boulés”) in Chicago, Illinois and then Baltimore,

Maryland. The founders included two doctors, a dentist and a pharmacist. When Sigma Pi Phi was founded, black professionals were not offered participation in the professional and cultural associations organized by the white community. Sigma Pi Phi has over 5,000 members and 139 chapters throughout the United States, England and The Bahamas.