Alpha Phi Alpha Gifts $50,000 to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History to Support Black History Education

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History, founded in 1915 by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.’s very own Dr. Carter G. Woodson, has received a major $50,000 contribution from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. The fraternity presented the gift on September 23, 2025, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to advancing Black scholarship, historical preservation, and education.

The donation was presented at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C., by Alpha Phi Alpha General President Lucien J. Metellus, Jr. and received by Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead, President of ASALH, during the organization’s 110th Annual Conference on African Americans and Labor in Atlanta. Also present were Dr. Robert Harris, General Historian of Alpha Phi Alpha, and James R. Morgan III, Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha and ASALH Executive Board Member.

“This partnership between ASALH and Alpha Phi Alpha reflects our shared mission to illuminate, document, and advance the history of African American achievement,” said Dr. Whitehead. “We are profoundly grateful for this gift, which strengthens our ability to carry forward the legacy of our founder, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, and keep the flame of truth alive.”

General President Metellus echoed the fraternity’s commitment to uplifting Black history. “Supporting ASALH ensures that future generations have access to the full, authentic story of African American life and culture. Together, we continue to stand on the shoulders of our ancestors,” he said.

The $50,000 contribution will support several of ASALH’s key national initiatives, including ASALH TV, which broadcasts hundreds of programs each year; Freedom Schools, which bring Black history education directly into communities; the Woodson Ambassadors program for training emerging scholars and advocates; the Black History Bulletin for classroom educators; and partnerships with the National Park Service and community heritage sites.

This investment comes at a pivotal moment as ASALH prepares for the 100th anniversary of Negro History Week in 2026, the forerunner to what is now celebrated nationally as Black History Month. The organization will mark the milestone with expanded educational initiatives and public history programs.

In a letter of gratitude to the fraternity, ASALH Executive Director Sylvia Y. Cyrus wrote, “We are not powerless. We are not silent. And we are not done. Now is the time to link arms and resist erasure. With partners like Alpha Phi Alpha, we stand with justice and we win.”

The partnership also carries personal significance. Dr. Wise Whitehead and Eric Christopher Webb, Director of Communications and Editor of The Sphinx, are both alumni of Lincoln University, an HBCU that has long produced leaders dedicated to scholarship and service.

With this contribution, Alpha Phi Alpha continues to uphold its historic role in supporting Black institutions, advancing education, and preserving the stories that define African American life and culture.