Chapter History
Omega Chapter
THE
BIRTH OF OMEGA
On
Friday evening, November 17, 1911, three Howard
University
undergraduate students, with the assistance of their faculty
adviser, gave birth to the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. This event occurred in the office of
biology Professor Ernest E. Just,
the faculty adviser, in the Science Hall. The three liberal arts students
were Edgar A. Love, Oscar J. Cooper
and Frank Coleman.
From
the initials of the Greek phrase meaning "friendship is essential to
the soul," the name Omega Psi Phi was derived. The phrase was
selected as the motto. Manhood, scholarship, perseverance and uplift were
adopted as cardinal principles. A decision was made regarding the design
for the pin and emblem, and thus ended the first meeting of the Omega
Psi Phi Fraternity .
The
next meeting was conducted on November 23, 1911. Edgar Love became the
first Grand Basileus (National President). Cooper and Coleman were
selected Grandkeeper of the Records (National Secretary) and Grandkeeper
of Seals (National Treasurer), respectively. Eleven Howard University
undergraduate men were selected as charter members.
Alpha
Chapter
was organized with fourteen charter members on December 15, 1911.
Love, Cooper and Coleman were elected the chapter's first Basileus,
Keeper of Records, and Keeper of Seals, respectively.
On
March 8, 1912, the previously submitted fraternity constitution was
rejected by the Howard University Faculty Council. The Faculty Council
proposed to accept the fraternity as a local but not a national
organization. The fraternity refused
acceptance as a strictly local organization.
Oscar
Cooper
became the fraternity's second Grand Basileus in 1912. Cooper
authorized the investigation of a proposed second chapter at
Lincoln University, Pennsylvania.
Edgar
Love
was elected as the third Grand Basileus in 1912 and served until 1915. In
1914, Howard University withdrew its opposition, and the Omega
Psi Phi Fraternity was incorporated under the laws of the District
of Columbia on October 28, 1914. Beta Chapter at Lincoln University was chartered in February, 1914.
George
E. Hall, the fourth Grand Basileus, had been initiated at Alpha Chapter in
1914. Grand Basileus Hall authorized the establishment of Gamma Chapter in Boston, Massachusetts. However, the chapter was
eventually established during the administration of the fifth Grand
Basileus, James C. McMorries.
During
the administration of the sixth Grand Basileus, Clarence F. Holmes, the
fraternity's first official hymn, "Omega Men Draw Nigh", was
written by Otto Bohannon.
Raymond
G. Robinson, the seventh Grand Basileus, established Delta Chapter in Nashville, Tennessee in 1919. Robinson left office
in 1920 with a total of ten chapters in operation.
Stanley
Douglas served as Editor of the first Oracle published in the
spring of 1919.
Harold
K. Thomas, the eighth Grand Basileus, was elected at the 1920 Nashville
Grand Conclave. It was at this Conclave that Carter G. Woodson inspired
the establishment of National Achievement Week to promote the study of
Negro life and history.
The
1921 Atlanta Grand Conclave brought to an end the first decade of the Omega
Psi Phi Fraternity.
Northeast PA Ques
Allentown
Bethlehem
Lafayette College
Bloomsburg University
Easton
Lehigh University
East Stroudsburg University
Kutztown University
Scranton
Wilkes-Barre
Reading
Hazelton
The New Orleans Saints
Copyright 2009, Omega Xi Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated
The Lehigh Valley - The Pocono Mountains - The World