Morehouse College
Q: When and where was Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. founded?
A: November 17, 1911, in the Science Building (later Thirkield Hall) at Howard University, Washington, D.C.
Q: Who were the founders of Omega Psi Phi?
A: Edgar Amos Love, Oscar James Cooper, Frank Coleman, and faculty adviser Ernest Everett Just.
Q: What is the meaning of the name Omega Psi Phi?
A: It is derived from a Greek phrase meaning “friendship is essential to the soul.”
Q: What are the four Cardinal Principles of Omega Psi Phi?
A: Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance, and Uplift.
Q: Who was the first Grand Basileus of Omega Psi Phi?
A: Edgar A. Love.
Q: What roles did Oscar J. Cooper and Frank Coleman hold initially?
A: Cooper was Grand Keeper of the Records; Coleman was Grand Keeper of Seals.
Q: When was Alpha chapter established and how many charter members did it have?
A: December 15, 1911; it had fourteen charter members.
Q: What happened in 1912 regarding national recognition?
A: Howard University did not recognize Omega Psi Phi as a national organization, and the fraternity operated without official sanction until 1914.
Q: When and where was Beta chapter chartered?
A: 1914 at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.
Q: When was Omega Psi Phi incorporated?
A: October 28, 1914, under the laws of the District of Columbia.
Q: Which chapter was established in Boston and who authorized it?
A: Gamma chapter; authorized by Grand Basileus George E. Hall.
Q: Who was the sixth Grand Basileus and what was his contribution?
A: Clarence F. Holmes; under his leadership, the hymn “Omega Men Draw Nigh” was written.
Q: What role did Omega play in World War I?
A: Several brothers, including founders Coleman and Love, were in the first class of Black soldiers at Camp Fort Des Moines.
Q: What did Colonel Charles Young do in 1918?
A: Rode 500 miles on horseback from Wilberforce, Ohio to Washington, D.C. to prove he was fit for duty.
Q: Who was the editor of the first Oracle and when was it published?
A: Stanley Douglas; published in spring 1919.
Q: Who was the seventh Grand Basileus and what did he establish?
A: Raymond G. Robinson; established Delta chapter at Meharry Medical School in 1919.
Q: Who was elected the eighth Grand Basileus and where?
A: Harold H. Thomas; elected at the 1920 Grand Conclave in Nashville.
Q: What initiative did Carter G. Woodson inspire in 1920?
A: The establishment of National Achievement Week.
Q: When and where was Omega’s first decade celebrated?
A: 1921 at the Grand Conclave in Atlanta.
Q: What legacy did Omega establish in its first decade?
A: A strong, effective force of men dedicated to manhood, scholarship, perseverance, and uplift.