TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE O THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Cornelius W. Grant, J.D. 1931–2019
55 th Laurel Wreath Laureate, 43 rd Elder Wat- son Diggs Awardee, 16 th Southeastern Province Polemarch, longtime Albany (GA) State University Vice President, Albany (GA) Civic and Civil Rights Leader, U.S. Army
“If it is to be, it is up to me!”
By Aaron Williams
T he president of Albany State University Marion Fedrick issued a state- ment after learning of passing of the school’s longtime Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Cornelius W. Grant: “On behalf of the students, faculty and staff of Albany State University, I extend our deepest condolences regarding the passing of Dr. C.W. Grant. Dean Grant, as he was so affectionately called, served 30 years as the Vice Presi- dent for Student Affairs at Albany State University. As we collectively mourn his transition, we also celebrate and honor his unmistakable and unwavering love and impact. Throughout his career, he has left an impression on the minds of thousands of students with his legendary phrase: ‘If it is to be, it is up to me.’ His memory is a cornerstone of our institution’s rich history. Although saddened, today the Ram Nation stands proudly and forever changed by his legacy. His generous spirit will last always.” Brother Cornelius Wadsworth (C.W.) Grant (Tallahassee (FL) Alumni 1965) entered the
Chapter Invisible on September 28, 2019 at the age of 88. The 34 th Grand Polemarch Reuben A. Shel- ton, III, Esq. issued a 30-day period of mourning for all members of Kappa Alpha Psi ® in honor of Brother Grant. Brother C.W. Grant was a be- loved and revered member of Kappa Alpha Psi spanning generations. He possessed an extensive fraternal resume and was a frequent speaker at Province Closed Banquets and nu- merous Founders’ Day celebrations. A Life Member and 50-year member of Kappa Alpha Psi, Brother Grant was a longtime member of the Albany (GA) Alumni Chapter. He was a member of an extremely exclusive historic group within Kappa Alpha Psi. To date, Grant was one of eight Kappa Men (15 th Grand Polemarch W. Henry Greene, C. Fel- ton Gayles, Dr. Oba White, William L. Crump, Arthur L. Carter, William L. Mays, and Dr. Ralph J. Bryson) bestowed both the prestigious Laurel Wreath and Elder W. Diggs Awards respectively. When he was bestowed the Fraternity’s highest award at the 77 th Grand Chapter Meeting held in St. Louis, MO in 2005, Grant became the 55 th Laurel Wreath Lau- reate. In 1988, Grant became the 43 rd Elder Watson Diggs Awardee at the 68 th Grand Chapter Meeting held
in Dallas, TX. In 1977, the 21 st Grand Polemarch Hiliary H. Hol- loway, Esq. appointed Grant as the 16 th Polemarch of the South- eastern Province of Kappa Alpha Psi which Grant led until 1982. Brother Grant, effectively known as Dean Grant, was born February 10, 1931 to the late Rev. Everett V. Grant, Sr. and Mrs. Elberta (née Clark) Grant in Jacksonville, FL which he remembered in those days as a “typical segregated southern town.” Grant’s mother passed away when he was a small child and was raised primarily by his father and his aunts. He attended public schools and graduated from Stanton High School in Jackson- ville, FL. He attended historic Florida A&M University (FAMU) located in Tallahassee, FL. Grant recalled in an interview, “I had absolutely no idea that I was going to college because I knew we did not have the resources in my household for that. A lady named Ms. Lucille G. Coleman, was the national president of FAMU Alumni Association, that convinced my father that I needed to go to college.” He left FAMU in 1951 after one year to join the U.S. Army. A non-commissioned
100 | FALL 2019 ♦ THE JOURNAL
Publishing achievement for 105 years
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker