Did You Know These Black Men Were In Omega Psi Phi Fraternity?
In honor of their 113th Founders' Day, we acknowledge some of the impactful Omega Psi Phi Fraternity members who have positively contributed to Black history and culture.
WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 09: Members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. with Tom Joyner (who’s also a member of Omega Psi Phi) attend 2018 Urban One Honors on December 9, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brian Stukes/WireImage)
It was founded on the campus of Howard University on November 17, 1911, by three undergraduate students —Edgar Amos Love, Oscar James Cooper, and Frank Coleman— and academic advisor Dr. Ernest Everett Just. These impactful men emphasized the virtues of “manhood, scholarship, perseverance, and uplift” while promoting the motto “Friendship is essential to the soul.
Since its founding, the organization has chartered over 750 undergraduate and graduate chapters. Many fraternity members, affectionately known as the “Ques, actively engage in initiatives that address social issues, promote education, and uplift the community.
The fraternity’s commitment to fostering brotherhood and making a positive difference aligns with the vision set forth by its founders. Whether through mentorship programs, scholarship opportunities, or community outreach projects, the influence of Omega Psi Phi is felt across various spheres.
The organization has many notable members around the globe who have made significant contributions to the arts, academia, athletics, entertainment, business, civil rights, education, government, and science fields.
In honor of their 112th Founders’ Day, we acknowledge some of the impactful Omega Psi Phi Fraternity members who have positively contributed to Black history and culture.
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Jalen Hurts- NFL Player
US football quarterback Jalen Hurts attends the TIME 100 Next Gala in New York City on October 24, 2023. TIME’s annual TIME100 Next list recognizes 100 individuals who are defining the next generation of leadership Artists, Phenoms, Leaders, Advocates and Innovators poised to make the climb and in doing so, make history. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 25: Civil rights attorney Ben Crump is joined by co-counsel Ray Hamlin (R) and Malcolm X’s daughter IIyasah Shabazz at a news conference on July 25, 2023 in New York City. They allege more information has been discovered which they say points to efforts by the FBI to cover up a conspiracy to murder Malcolm X. Crump and his team said they were unveiling the information, including a new witness speaking for the first time, to show negligence or a possible cover up in the investigation of the famed civil rights leader. Mustafa Hassan, 84, an associate of Malcolm X, was at the scene of the assassination but was never interviewed by police. He allegedly heard police ask if a suspected gunman was “with us” after police witnessed Malcolm X’s supporters beating him. Hassan said he saw another gunman, which he has stated in an affidavit. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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Rev. Jesse Jackson- Civil Rights Activist
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – APRIL 27: Rev. Jesse Jackson joins other community leaders during a press conference to call on the city to take measures to curtail violent crime on April 27, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. As temperatures climbed last weekend, the city experienced its most violent days of 2022 with seven people killed, and another 36 reported shot. The warm-weather months are typically the city’s most violent. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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Steve Harvey – Comedian, Host and Best-Selling Author
PHILIPPINES – 2017/01/29: Host Steve Harvey on the red carpet at the SMX in Pasay City. Miss Universe VIPs walked the red carpet at the SMX in Pasay City a day before the coronation. (Photo by J Gerard Seguia/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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Michael Jordan- Basketball Icon and Businessman
Former professional US basketball player Michael Jordan delivers a press conference at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris on June 12, 2015 to present Palais 23, an event at the Palais de Tokyo from June 12 to 14 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Jordan Brand. AFP PHOTO / PATRICK KOVARIK (Photo credit should read PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP via Getty Images)
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Bayard Rustin- Civil Rights Leader
Portrait of American civil rights activist Bayard Rustin (1912 – 1987), deputy director of the March on Washington, in his office at 100 West 113th Street, New York City, March 3, 1964. (Photo by Allan Baum/New York Times Co./Getty Images)
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Dr. Edwin Bancroft (E.B.) Henderson- Sports Pioneer Known As “The Father Of Black Basketball”
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Langston Hughes- Poet and Social Activist
A portrait of poet, author, playwright and Harlem Renaissance leader Langston Hughes, New York, New York, February 1959. (Photo by Underwood Archives/Getty Images)
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Count Basie – Celebrated Pianist, Composer, Arranger and Band leader
Portrait of African-American jazz musician Count Basie, August 31, 1957. (Photo by Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images)
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Earl Graves Sr. -Founder Black Enterprise Magazine
Portrait of American publisher Earl Gilbert Graves, Sr., founder of ‘Black Enterprise’ magazine, New York, 1983. (Photo by Bachrach/Getty Images)
