Harry G. Franklin 1943–2021 Past Grand Baord of Directors Member, 22 nd Northern Province Polemarch, Retired Human Resources Director
By Aaron Williams
Employee Personnel Planner, Plant Hu- man Resources Manager and retired in 2001 as a Division Special Projects Hu- man Resources Manager. Franklin was a member of Calvin Pres- byterian Church of Detroit and, later, joined Westminster Presbyterian Church of Detroit, where he held several church leadership positions, including Deacon, Elder, Treasurer, and Chairman of the Finance Committee. He was also a Cub Scout Leader and Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America for nine years. He also coached little league softball and basketball. He served on the Board of Directors of the YMCA and served on the Board of two foundations; Detroit Tennessee State University Alumni Association (TSUAA) Foundation and Southfield Kappa Foun- dation. He was a charter member of the Southfield Kappa Foundation which, since its inception, has provided over $800,000 in scholarship grants to Detroit Area students. He chartered the Detroit TSUAA Foundation in 2004. This Foundation provides scholarship grants to Detroit Area students who attend Tennessee State University. He is a Life Member of LAHS Class of 1961, Tennessee State University Alumni Association, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Franklin was initiated into the Fraternity via the Southfield (MI) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi in 1988. He had numerous leadership positions in the chapter, including leading the chapter as its polemarch from 1994-1996. The
Northern Province elected Franklin as the Keeper of the Exchequer from 1999- 2001 and as its Senior Province Vice Polemarch from 2001-2007. The 31 st Grand Polemarch Dwayne M. Murray, Esq. appointed Franklin as the Northern Province polemarch, which Franklin led for four years. In 2011, Franklin was elected to the Grand Board of Directors – Alumni representative serving in the 32 nd Administration under Grand Polemarch William R. Bates, Jr. serving from 2011 to 2015. He received numerous Kappa Alpha Psi awards, including the 1989 Commit- tee Person of the Year; 1991 Committee Chairman of the Year and Polemarch's Award; 1992 Committee Chairman of the Year and Gerald D. Cardwell Award; 1994 Major Contributor Award; 1997 Gerald D. Cardwell Award; 1999 Achiever of the Year Award; 2000 Major Contributor Award; 2001 Gerald D. Cardwell Award and Robert L. Gordon Award; 2002 Achiever of the Year Award, 2005 Achiever of the Year Award, the 2007-2014 ‘500 Club' member award and the 2009 Gerald D. Cardwell Award Recipient. The 32 nd Grand Polemarch William R. Bates, Jr. Esq. on Franklin:As we were moving toward the 32 nd administration, I called Harry and asked him whether he would accept my request to run for the Grand Board of Directors. His response was 'I have never said no to Kappa.' He served with distinction and I could always could on him for wise counsel." When not engaged in Kappa and TSUAA matters, he enjoyed golfing, shooting
P ast Grand Board of Directors Member and 22 nd Northern Province Polemarch Harry G. Franklin Jr. entered the Chapter Invisible on July 10, 2021. Harry Gump Franklin, Jr. was born on September 26, 1943, to Harry Gump Franklin, Sr. and Mary Janet (née Parker) Franklin in Roanoke, VA. He attended Roanoke Public Schools and graduated in 1961 from Lucy Addison High School. Dur- ing his senior year at Addison, he was a member of the football team with the best record (8-1-1) in the school's history at that time. Franklin attended historic Tennessee State University (TSU) in Nashville, TN, graduating in 1965 with a B.S. degree in aeronautics; and completed some graduate work, toward an MBA, at the University of Detroit. After graduating from TSU, Franklin worked three years in Nashville before moving to Detroit to work for the Ford Motor Company as a graduate trainee Production Supervisor in the Dearborn Frame Plant. During his 33 years at Ford, he held numerous positions, in- cluding Production Supervisor, Labor Re- lations Representative, Safety Engineer, Labor Relations Staff Investigator, Plant Labor Relations Supervisor, National Programs Training Developer, Salaried
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