ALPHA BETA LAMBDA HISTORY
ALPHA BETA LAMBDA CHAPTER IN LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY WAS FOUNDED JUNE 9, 1928.
Conception began in March 1927 when four (4) of our Founders motored to Louisville, Kentucky and joined Alpha Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Upon their return to Lexington, these four brothers initiated the birth of Alpha Beta Lambda Chapter in Lexington which cam to fruition on June 9, 1928.
Several informal meetings had been held prior to the sprint of 1927. Brother T. M. Berry, Third Vice President set the chapter apart in the name of the General Organization. Upon Chartering of Alpha Beta Lambda Chapter in June 1928, the members were Brothers W. H. Ballard, Jr., J. E Hunter, Jr., J. M. McInham, A. A. McPheeters, F. M. Reid, N. J. Ridley, A. W. Wade, T. T. Wendall, and H. A. Merchant. Of the nine founders, one was a pastor, two were pharmacists, one was a dentist, rwo were educators and four were physicians. One’s father was the first to open a pharmacy in Lexington. One was the first to have hospital “privileges,” one had had a building named for him at his alma mater, at least three have their homes still standing in Lexington, one had a building named for him at Eastern State Hospital and ane, along with his son and grandson, were the only instance of three generations of Bishops in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church. They were also involved in many civic organizations such as the Greenwood Cemetery Company. One was a delegate to the National Republican Convention, and many were trustees or officers in their local churches.
Since its founding, the chapter and its Education Foundation have participated in a wide variety of educational, charitable, community, civic, and nurturing programs and activities to benefit young African American males, and our Central Kentucky community at large. From its early days promoting our Fraternity’s national programs like “A Voteless People is a Hopeless People” (voter registration and education drives), and “Go to High School, Go to College” (scholarship assistance program), Alpha Beta Lambda has proudly initiated community service projects to make Lexington and our Central Kentucky community a better place to live.
A few of these projects are: **Advocacy for a street to be named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., **March of Dimes “March for Babies” **Project Alpha ** Voter registration drives entitled “A Voteless People is a Hopeless People” ** Adopt-A-Family for Thanksgiving and Christmas ** A historical highway marker for Brother Vertner Woodson Tandy ** “Go to High School, Go to College” ** A project to promote high school and college attendance ** Contributing Sponsor of the Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington D.C. ** Annual Unity Breakfast to promote unity through song and speaker reflections ** Alpha Beta Lambda Foundation Scholarship Award ** William Wells Brown Elementary School “Reading, Writing and Rewards “ program ** Big Brothers/Big Sisters ** Boy Scouts of American Bluegrass Council ** YMCA Black Achievers Program “Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Coretta Scott King “Spirit of the Ivy” Awards Program **Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Lexington Alumni Chapter “Debutant Ball” ^^ God’s Pantry Food Bank ** Operation Turnout**
About our Founders
W. H. Ballard, B. S. in Pharmacy, was one of the first African Americans to open a drug store in the state, Ballard’s Pharmacy in Lexington, KY in 1893. Ballard was also a historian, a schoolteacher in KY and TN, President of Greenwood Cemetery company and a delegate to the National Republican Convention.
J. E Hunter, Jr., was a Lexington physician who was the first African American granted “hospital privileges” in the city. He also helped open Dunbar High School.
J. M McInham received a letter from W. E. B. DuBois’ secretary dated July 12, 1928: “Your letter and photograph of June 9th have been received. This photograph is too late for our Education number. All material for that issue has already been sent to press. This year we are only using pictures of master’s and honorary students. Dr. Du Bois is absent from the city until the first of August. Upon his return your letter will be brought to this attention.”
A. A. McPheeters taught at Dunbar High in the 1920’s, subsequently joined the faculty of his alma mater, Clark College (Clark Atlanta University) and ultimately became “Dean and Professor” at Clark College. A building at Clark Atlanta University is named in his honor.
H. A. Merchant
F. M. Reid was a pastor of St. Paul AME church and the 61st Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in 1940. His son, Frank Madison Reid, Jr. became the 94th Bishop of the AME church and in 2016, Frank Madison Reid III became the 138th Bishop of the AME Church (the only instance of three generations of Bishops since the founding of the Church and the election of its first Bishop (Richard Allen) in 1816).
N. J. Ridley
A. W. Wade was coach of all male and female sports at Dunbar High School from 1922-1929.
T. T. Wendell was a physician who had a building named in his honor at Eastern State Hospital. The Wendell home still stands at the corner of Third & Ohio streets in Lexington and was the gathering place for many notables who visited Lexington, including U. S. Representative Oscar DePriest of Chicago, who was the sole African American in the U. S Congress at the time.
