THE annual dinner-dance of the Bermuda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated (APA) proved to be a totally golden social and cultural event at the Fairmont Southampton Resort.

In fact, it was billed as the Seventh Annual Black and Gold Ball of the Bermuda Chapter whose Greek name is Epsilon Theta Lambda (ETL). It drew many of the movers and shakers of Bermuda and their ladies, and was highlighted by the presence and keynote speech of the charismatic Mayor of Detroit, APA Bro. Kwame M. Kilpatrick.

They dined, danced and gaily indulged in the spirit of the evening, which was to celebrate the 100th anniversary of APA in the US, as well as the founding 50 years later of the Bermuda chapter.

Kilpatrick is the youngest mayor in the history of Detroit, and the youngest current mayor of any major US city. His mother is US Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick. He holds a doctorate in law from Michigan State University, and while earning his degree in Education and Political Science at Florida A & M University, he was captain of the football team.

He captured the attention of his enthusiastic audience from the moment he reached the podium. Speaking strictly off the cuff, after some entertaining comments about his initial taste of Bermudian hospitality, he ended up giving them perhaps the most cogent summary of 500 years of black history many will have ever heard.

The Mayor's trip was a whirlwind one lasting just one night and a day. He had tasted Bermuda fish chowder, rock fish, and chicken, had run the gamut from a visit to radio personality 'Miss Thang' at Hott 1075 Radio Station, to attend briefly the Restoration Church service, and had enjoyed visiting a local home as well as the cocktail reception given for him and his Alpha brothers at Camden, the official residence of Premier Alex Scott.

Mayor Kilpatrick said he had only last week concluded an extensive trip to Africa. He had not bothered his staff to do research on Bermuda in preparation for his visit here. It was sufficient for him to know he was being invited by his APA brothers.

However, he had briefly met Minister of Tourism Dr. Ewart Brown in Detroit, and was thrilled to know that everything was in place for the early start of a direct Detroit-Bermuda air service. It was at this point the Mayor said categorically he would be back with others from his city, most especially after hearing about the annual Cup Match and the Music Festival, and after having been from Tucker's Town to Back of Town.

Dwayne Caines, president of the Bermuda chapter, and master of ceremonies Shawn Crockwell set the stage with their welcome and opening comments.

The ETL Chapter had over the past half century carried on the legacy of community service set by the seven men who founded APA Fraternity, and it had striven to meet its mandate of fellowship, leadership, scholarship and community service.

Mayor Kilpatrick, delving further into APA's history, recalled how on a cold winter's night on December 4, 1907 on the Campus of Cornell University in New York the seven black college men, convening an association for their mutual benefit, had started the first black Greek-letter college fraternity in the world.

At its epicentre down through the years pioneering civil rights activism were brothers like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and future US Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.

Cited among the black pioneers in Bermuda were Arnold Francis and the late brothers, Sir Edward Richards, Bermuda's first black Premier, and Walter Robinson, one of the founders and leader of the then-Opposition Progressive Labour Party.

Presentations were made to several local brothers for their service to APA ranging up to 50 years. Among them were Dr. Vincent Bridgewater, Dr. Bert McPhee, Dr. Beresford Swan, Bermuda College president Dr. Charles Green, Rev. Canon James Francis, Mervyn O.L. Grant, Stuart Hayward and Cecil Smith.

A TEN-year-old Bermuda boy, Tory Joshua Vernon Bassett, completely bowled over the giant-sized Mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick. When he heard the mayor was to visit Bermuda, he sat down and wrote him a letter.

The mayor, in turn, took time out during his whirlwind visit to Bermuda for a man-to-man talk with the boy, who is the son of Troy and Joslyn Bassett of Devon Lane, Devonshire.

The letter, which follows, is self-explanatory:

Dear Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick:

My name is Tory Bassett and I am ten years old. I attend Somersfield Academy in Devonshire, Bermuda.

The reason why I am writing this letter is because I heard you were coming to Bermuda to speak at the Alpha Phi Alpha Black and Gold Ball at the Fairmont Southampton Hotel. I asked my mom if I could go, I even would pay for my own ticket from my bank account but she said that it was only for adults.

I used to watch the Detroit news with Carmen and Daven and I was really surprised to see a young black man, as the Mayor of Detroit. Especially one that wore a bling in his left ear.

When you were running against Freman Hendrix, that's when I couldn't watch it all because I go to bed at 8.30 p.m. The next morning I woke up and asked my mom, "Who won?" and she said, "Kwame did", and I said, "YES! YES!"

Mayor, because you didn't give up on your dream of being the Mayor of Detroit again, I won't give up my dream of being a math teacher, even though I'm just average in math. You have inspired me to believe in myself and never give up.

My parents inspire and encourage me to get great grades at school and to do my best in everything I do. Now Mayor Kilpatrick, I can add your name to the list of people who have inspired me, which now adds up to three people.

Yours Sincerely, Tory J. V. Bassett.

* * *

Tory bowls over Mayor

Tory added a footnote to his letter, stating he had a 'bling bling" in his ear, but it was not as large as the Mayor's; and he also drew a symbol of a little kid smiling broadly.

The chairman of the APA Celebration Committee, Mervyn O.L. Grant, said when he was made aware of Tory's letter, he arranged for Tory and his parents to attend the reception given by Premier Alex Scott at Camden, his official residence. They talked confidentially one-on-one for about 15 minutes.