TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Dr. Bryson enjoyed playing the violin and piano, having studied them both. For many years, Dr. Bryson was an avid chess and bridge player and a member of the American Bridge Association and the Cincinnati Chess Club. He was a champion in both games. Other mem- berships include Alpha Kappa Mu honor society, Sigma Tau Delta English honor society, and Phi Mu Alpha Music honor society. Additional professional affilia- tions include the Association of College English Teachers of Alabama (first black president), Alabama Council of Teach- ers in English, Alabama Writers Forum Board of Directors. He has been listed in the Directory of American Scholars, Who’s Who in American Education, Who’s Who in Alabama, and Who’s Who in Black America. Dr. Bryson’s profes- sional honors resulted in the establish- ment of endowments in his name at The Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati well as the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation, Inc. He was born and raised in Cincin- nati, Ohio, to Ras and Annie Bryson, September 10, 1922, Dr. Bryson and his younger sister, Dorothy, attended elementary, high school, and college in their hometown. Dr. Bryson entered the Chapter Invisible on February 12, 2022. He is survived by his grand-nieces, Margaret Lowe and Heather Lowe, niece Marion Lowe and a host of other relatives, friends, and Kappa brothers. “Kappa instilled the aspiration of achievement in whatever one elected to do in life...”
Edward E. Tillmon 1923–2021 Tuskegee Airman, Banker, U.S. Army
By Aaron Williams
the Congressional Gold Medal in Wash- ington D.C. at the Capitol Rotunda. And in 2008, he attend President Barack Obama’s first Inauguration as an invited guest with other Tuskegee Airmen. Professionally, Tillmon was em- ployed in the banking industry. He was President of the Douglas State Bank in Kansas City, KS, and the Bank of Finance in Los Angeles, CA, a Senior Vice President at CalFed Savings & Loan, and CEO of Mead Housing. He also was active with Tuskegee Airmen groups, including serving as President of the Los Angeles Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Brother Edward Tillmon is survived by his wife of 75 years, the former Barbara Jean Wilson, three children, 16 grandchildren, and 27 great-grandchil- dren.
T uskegee Airman Brother 2021. Edward Elias Day Tillmon, the youngest of five children, was born on January 5, 1923, to parents Amy Elizabeth (née Edwards) Tillmon and Elias Floyd Tillmon in Kansas Edward Tillmon (Mu 1941) entered the Chapter Invis- ible at age 98 on April 27, City, KS. Tillmon earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas (KU) and a master’s degree from the University of Nebraska. While at KU, the United States Army drafted Tillman during his junior year. During World War II, he became a member of the Tuskegee Airmen as a 2 nd Lieutenant of the 477 th Bombardment Group. In 1945, Tillmon participated in the now-infa- mous Freeman Field Mutiny, which led to the desegregation of the U.S. Army as he and others of the 477 th were arrested when they attempted to integrate the “whites only” officers club on base. On July 26, 1948, Executive Order 9981 was issued by President Harry Truman, abolishing discrimi- nation “on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin” in the U.S. Armed Forces.
—Dr. Ralph J. Bryson
In 2007, Brother Tillmon received
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