 |
|
First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All
 |
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first intercollegiate fraternity established by African Americans. Founded on December 4, 1906, on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, as a social fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha has initiated over 175,000 men into the organization and has been open to men of all races since 1940. The fraternity utilizes motifs and artifacts from Ancient Egypt to represent the organization and preserves its archives at the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, which is located on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C.
The founders, Henry Callis, Charles Chapman, Eugene Jones, George Kelley, Nathaniel Murray, Robert Ogle, and Vertner Tandy, are collectively known as the "Seven Jewels". The fraternity expanded when it chartered a second chapter at Howard University and a third chapter chartered at Virginia Union University in 1907. Beginning in 1908, Alpha Phi Alpha became the prototype for other Black Greek Letter Organizations. Today, there are over 680 active Alpha chapters in the Americas, Africa, Europe, Asia, the West Indies, and the Virgin Islands.
|
|
|
| |
| Henry Arthur Callis:
Jewel Callis has the distinction of being one of the founders of the first intercollegiate Greek letter organizations for African-Americans. After graduation from Cornell, Brother Callis entered the field of medicine where he served as a physician at a government hospital.
|
|
| |
| Charles Henry Chapman
As a founder and member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Jewel Chapman was known as an ardent worker in the fraternity's cause. After leaving Cornell, Brother Chapman entered into the field of education as a teacher. |
|
| |
| Eugene Kinckle Jones
Jewel Jones was present when the decision to form a fraternity was made on Tuesday, December 4, 1906, Brother Jones was named a Jewel for his dedication to the causes of Alpha. He held the office of President of Alpha Chapter as well as maker of the Beta, Gamma, and Delta chapters. Brother Eugene Kinckle Jones also served as the Executive Secretary of the National Urban League for many years.
|
|
| |
| George Biddle Kelley
Jewel Kelley has often been recognized as a driving force in the development of Alpha Phi Alpha. Brother Kelly was also the first president of Alpha Chapter. After leaving Cornell, George Biddle Kelly became a civil engineer in the service of the state of New York.
|
|
| |
| Nathaniel Allison Murray:
Jewel Murray was a leader in the organization of the fraternity. He was very involved in development of the first constitution of the fraternity. Brother Murray got his degree from Cornell as well as completing graduate work there. At the end of his college career, Nathaniel Allison Murray entered the field of education as a teacher in Washington, D.C.
|
|
| |
| Robert Harold Ogle
Jewel Ogle was the first secretary of Alpha chapter. After leaving Cornell, Brother Ogle entered into the secretarial field where he had the unique privilege of being attached to the office of the Committee on Appropriations of the U.S. Senate. |
|
| |
| Vertner Woodson Tandy
Jewel Tandy was instrumental in the way Alpha is displayed today. After his college days were over, Brother Tandy became a registered architect in New York City. Vertner Woodson Tandy also has the distinction of being the first Black man to receive a commission in the New York National Guard.
|
The Fraternity initially served as a study and support group for minority students who faced racial prejudice, both educationally and socially, at Cornell. The Jewel founders and early leaders of the Fraternity succeeded in laying a firm foundation for Alpha Phi Alpha principles of scholarship, fellowship, good character, and the uplifting of humanity.
Alpha Phi Alpha chapters were developed at other colleges and universities, many of them historically black institutions, soon after the founding at Cornell. While continuing to stress academic excellence among its members, Alpha also recognized the need to help correct the educational, economic, political, and social injustices faced by African-Americans.
Alpha Phi Alpha has long stood at the forefront of the African-American community's fight for civil rights through leaders such as: W.E.B. DuBois, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Edward Brooke, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Andrew Young, William Gray, Paul Robeson, and many others.
|
|
|
 |
CONTACT US
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Xi Delta Lambda Chapter
P.O. Box 26312
Richmond, VA 23260
XDL1906@yahoo.com
Check us out on Facebook Too!
|
|
