Fred R. Porter: 10th District

Abstract

Fred R. Porter:10th District Kevin L. Brooks Last spring I had the honor and privilege to talk with Fred Porter, one of Sigma Chapter's founding members at Michigan State University. Porter, a Lansing native and longtime community activist, retired from the Lansing School District in 1990 after working decades in governmental and automotive industries. Several conversations in March and April 2021 produced the following dialogue. Kevin L. Brooks: Good afternoon, Brother Porter. I've been hearing a lot about you and your work in the community. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me. Fred R. Porter: Good afternoon. Thank you for checking in on me. You know when you get to be my age, you're just happy to see another day. Do you know how old I am [laughing]? KLB: Yes. You're 86. FRP: You're correct. I see you've done your research. KLB: Yes, sir. I recall when we met at the Harvest Ball a few years ago you said you were on one of the first lines to cross Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., in Lansing.1 Did I remember that correctly? FRP: Yes. That's correct. I am a charter member of Sigma Chapter at Michigan State University. Members of Sigma Upsilon Graduate Chapter were influential in starting Sigma Chapter in 1961. There were six of us on the first line, Herb Adderley, Ernie Green, Lonnie Johnson, Kenny Washington, Elliott English, and me. KLB: I've heard some impressive things about you and your line brothers. What was it like to be on line with them? FRP: Well, Herb was a big-time football player and went on to become a standout in the NFL, and Ernie was famous for being one of the Little Rock Nine in Little Rock, Arkansas. We were known for being activists on campus and in the community. We worked to make things better for other Black students and Black people in Lansing. [End Page 355] KLB: What was it like to cross the burning sands in 1961? FRP: I'm 86 years old [laughing]. I don't remember much from those days, but I can tell you that it wasn't easy. KLB: Wow, 60 years! How does it feel to be a member for six decades? FRP: It's nice. I'm grateful to be a part of such a great organization that does so much for the community. I remember when I was honored for the 50th anniversary. It was a great program. KLB: What factors went into your decision to pledge Omega? FRP: I pledged Omega because of Rudy Wilson. He enticed me to become a Que. I was about 13 or 14 years old when he first came to Lansing after graduating from college. Black folks in Lansing lived primarily on the West Side. There was very little for Black kids to do in Lansing. He did a lot of work in the community and took Black kids swimming and canoeing at Lake Lansing. Typically, Blacks did not go to Lake Lansing unless it was with a church because it was unacceptable to Whites. Rudy took us out to the lake once a month. He wasn't afraid of White folks, and they didn't bother him. Before I met Rudy, the police would hassle us if we went farther than we lived. If you went to Sexton High School and walked past a White person's yard, you were hassled, and they would call the police. Rudy was our leader. If Rudy said do something, we did it. KLB: I see. Did you consider other fraternities? FRP: No. I looked up to Rudy Wilson. I wanted to become an Omega because he was an Omega. I didn't think about other fraternities. KLB: Would you tell me more about your background and how you came to attend MSU? FRP: When I was a young student in Lansing, I was fortunate to go to school at age four because my birthday was in February. I went to Lincoln Elementary School. About 90–95% of Black kids in Lansing went to Lincoln. It was the only school that was not...