MLK Memorial Opened This Week Has FNGTAC Connection
This weekend, the US government officially dedicated the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on The National Mall in D.C. The project was spearheaded by members of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and, as you’ll read about in this article on CNN, originally conceived by George Sealey (and his wife Pauline) thirty years ago. What you won’t read in the article, however, is that George is my grandfather and is therefore literally FNGTAG family.
I’m only a year or two older than the idea itself, so for my entire life, I heard my grandfather and his brothers talk about the legal wrangling and fund raising that had to go into this project and as you’d probably assume, it was no easy feat. Almost all of the decades-long project was simply spent trying to get the memorial approved and funded, and while my grandfather died a few years ago before getting to see it dedicated, he did at least live long enough to see it through to the construction phase and know that his years of work eventually paid off.
Obviously we take no credit, but I’m sure I can speak for Vernon and Kamau when I say that we’re proud to have some small connection to this permanent part of D.C.’s famous collection of monuments, especially one so appropriate to what we do here. The next time you’re in the area, definitely make sure to stop by.
-Alex
