IMDP

Founding Information

• Date: Tuesday, December 4, 1906

• Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853

Regional Leadership

• Eastern Region President: Big Brother Christopher G. Ellis

Significant Figures

• Mother of Alpha: Mrs. Annie C. Singleton — Hosted early meetings and fed the brothers.

• First General President: Big Brother Moses A. Morrison

• First Initiates:

• Lemuel Graves

• Eugene Kinkle Jones

• Gordon Jones

• First Life Member: O. Wilson Winters

Incorporation Details

• First Incorporation: Albany, NY — January 29, 1908

• Second Incorporation: Washington, DC — April 3, 1912

The Jewels and Their Occupations

• Henry Arthur Callis: Physician

• Charles Henry Chapman: Educator

• Eugene Kinkle Jones: Executive Secretary of the National Urban League

• George Biddle Kelley: Civil Engineer

• Nathaniel Allison Murray: Educator

• Robert Harold Ogle: American Secretary

• Vertner Woodson Tandy: Architect

First Alumni Chapter

• Alpha Lambda Chapter: Louisville, Kentucky

First General Convention

• Location: Beta Chapter, Howard University, Washington, DC

• Room: 4th Floor, Former Howard Journal

Honorary Members

• Big Brother George Fletcher

• Reverend E.U.A. Brooks

Fraternity Literature

• Last Sentence of “If”:

“Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, and which is more you’ll be a man, my son.”

• History Book Title: The History of Alpha Phi Alpha: A Development in College Life

• Author: Charles H. Wesley

• Book Dedication: To the youths who march onward and upward toward the light

First 7 Chapters of the History Book

1. The Origin of Alpha Phi Alpha

2. The Period of Consolidation

3. The First Steps in Expansion

4. Local and National Strivings

5. Permanent Foundations

6. Expansion and Internal Development

7. The Leaven of Self-Examination

Significant Contributions

• Fraternity Name Proposal: Jewel George Biddle Kelley (credits Jewel Henry Arthur Callis)

• First Initiation Ceremony Location: Masonic Hall, Redman’s Hall, Odd Fellows’ Hall

• Menu at First Initiation:

• Cream Tomato Soup

• Salted Wafers

• Broiled Lamb Chops

• Hashed Brown Potatoes

• Finger Rolls

• Peas in Tubs

• Wild Apple Jelly

Departure of the Precursor

• Believed African Americans lacked the cultural foundation to build a fraternity at that time.

First Editor of The Sphinx

• Big Brother Raymond W. Cannon

Greek Alphabet

(Include the full Greek alphabet for reference.)

Current Leadership

• National President: Big Brother Lucien J. Metellus Jr.

Three Stages of Alpha

1. Social Study Club

2. Literary Society

3. Fraternity

Shingle and Shield Design

• Shingle Designer: Big Brother Henry Arthur Callis

• First Shield Designer: Big Brother James A. Dunn

Fraternity Colors and Proposer

• Colors: Old Gold and Black

• Proposed by: Big Brother Robert Harold Ogle

Rituals

• First Ritual Authors: Jewels George Biddle Kelley and Robert Harold Ogle

• Second Ritual Authors: Jewels Henry Arthur Callis and Eugene Kinkle Jones

• Unique because it was written from memory by one who executed it and one who experienced it.

Objectives, Mission, and Aims

• Education Program: Go to High School, Go to College

• Voting Program: A Voteless People is a Hopeless People

Omega Chapter

• Dedicated to deceased members

Lambda Chapter Significance

• Designates Alumni Chapters

Last Founder to Enter Omega Chapter

• Jewel Henry Arthur Callis

First 5 General Presidents

1. Moses A. Morrison

2. Roscoe C. Giles

3. Frederick H. Miller

4. Charles H. Garvin

5. Henry L. Dickason

Notable Alphas by Field

• Politics: Gov. Wes Moore

• Entertainment: Keenan Ivory Wayans, Duke Ellington

• Law: Thurgood Marshall, Dennis Archer

• Civil Rights: Martin Luther King Jr., W.E.B. DuBois

• Sports: Jesse Owens, Art Shell

• Education: Charles Henry Chapman, Nathaniel Allison Murray

• Business: Robert F. Smith, Joshua Smith

• Medicine: Henry Arthur Callis

• Science & Tech: George Biddle Kelley, Dr. James P. Comer

Upcoming General Convention

• Date: July 16-20, 2025

• Location: Philadelphia, PA

First 10 Chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha

1. Alpha Chapter: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (1906)

2. Beta Chapter: Howard University, Washington, DC (1907)

3. Gamma Chapter: Virginia Union University, Richmond, VA (1907)

4. Delta Chapter: University of Toronto (1908); Later Tillotson College, Austin, TX (1954)

5. Epsilon Chapter: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (1909)

6. Zeta Chapter: Yale University, New Haven, CT (1909)

7. Eta Chapter: Columbia University, New York, NY (1909)

8. Theta Chapter: University of Chicago, University of Illinois, and Northwestern University (1910)

9. Iota Chapter: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (1910)

10. Kappa Chapter: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (1911)