Brief history of the eighth district
Omega’s Eighth District has its beginnings as the Third District. The Fraternity originally divided in five districts in 1922, but rapid growth occurred and by 1928, nine districts were in place. Annual district conferences began in 1926.
Upsilon Omega Chapter was founded in 1921 as the Upsilon Graduate Chapter in
A constitutional provision in 1922 gave Grand Basileus Julius McCain the authority to appoint representatives of the Grand Chapter, called District Representatives, to assist in the supervision of the chapters. Five such representatives were appointed at the time. The representatives were Charles W. White, (New England States), Carter L. Marshall (Mid Atlantic States), L.R. Hill (Central States), William J. Faulkner (Southern States) and George L. Vaughn (Western States).
The provision also enabled District Representatives to be elected by districts and made them Constitutional officers of the Fraternity.
Also in 1922, Beta Omega in
The Eighth District hosted its first in numerous Grand Conclaves in 1923. Upsilon Omega in
George D. Brantley of Upsilon Omega was elected the first District Representative in 1928. The Fraternity continued to see rapid growth and westward expansion and more districts were put into place.
The Eighth District emerged as comprising the states of
Herman Dreer was a
Dreer’s contributions to the Eighth District and the Fraternity were indelible and countless. While teaching at
The 22nd Grand Conclave was held in
By 1935,
In April 1937, the first Missouri State Omega Conference was held on the campus of
By 1939, the Eighth District had evolved once more and consisted of chapters located in
The District continued to grow even during the war years (World War II). Several chapters were chartered during this period (Pi Sigma - Little Rock, AR - 1941; Omicron Sigma - St. Louis - 1942; Tau Sigma - Arkansas AM&N- 1943) that would eventually become part of the Eighth District.
Lucius Jones,
The Fraternity redistricted again in 1947 and
In 1949, the first National Headquarters building in
On Nov. 30 of that year, Leon Ashford, a former student of Herman Dreer, was initiated into the Fraternity through Omicron Sigma. That same year, Beta Upsilon and Gamma Upsilon were awarded charters on successive days.
The Grand Conclave returned to the Eighth District in 1957 when it was held in
Chi Phi in
Edgar Burnett, an educator who had joined the Fraternity in 1951 through Omicron Sigma in
William Bowers of Chi Phi replaced Burnett as District Representative. In 1974, Xi Pi, located in
The Eighth District would serve host to the Grand Conclave in 1979 - Chi Phi and in 1983,
The Eighth District presently is comprised of 26 graduate and undergraduate chapters. These chapters are active and participating in all phrases of Omega. Each chapter is striving for the coveted “Chapter of the Year Award.”
Eighth’s District Notable History
The Eighth District has played a significant role in the growth and development of the Fraternity. Four sons of Omega who have ties to the Eighth have served as Grand Basileus.
James C. McMorries was fifth Grand Basileus and in 1914 when he along with Founder Oscar J. Cooper initiated 20 men, most of whom were seniors, into what became Beta chapter at Lincoln University (PA). McMorries authorized the establishment of the War Chapter at
Clarence F. Holmes served as the sixth Grand Basileus from 1917-1918. During his tenure, Omega was still in infancy stages, however, Holmes pushed forward with the publication of the Oracle. During his administration, the fraternity’s first official hymn, “Omega Men Draw Nigh,” was written by Otto Bohannon.
In 1914, Holmes was a co-founder of the Colorado Chapter of the NAACP. He was also a co-founder of the Interracial Cosmopolitan Club for Human Relations. He received many awards including the Brotherhood Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
George L. Vaughn was elected the 11th Grand Baslieus in 1924. Under this leadership, the Fraternity erected and dedicated at
Vaughn was able to use his national prominence as a lawyer to advocate the establishment of the celebration in every black community. It was determined that the purpose of the celebration should be to present the important achievements of Black people which might escape public notice and thus not be properly recorded. The Fraternity hoped, in the face of public ignorance, imposed segregation through legislation, and state sanctioned private discrimination, to engender sensitivity to the potential and capabilities of Black people in this regard. In short, the national observance of Achievement Week was to inspire race pride and public appreciation of our potential as a people.
Lloyd J. Jordan, Esq. was initiated through Omicron Sigma in
From 1985 to 1988,
Lincoln Scott of Omicron Sigma; Samuel Johnson of Sigma Gamma and Lee Willis of Delta Delta, served as Second Grand Vice Basilei, respectfully.
|
District Representative |
Term of Office |
Chapter |
|
|
|
|
|
1. George D. Brantley |
1928- 1932 |
Upsilon Omega |
|
2. J.A. Jones |
1932 – 1933 |
Deceased |
|
5. Herman Dreer |
1933 – 1934 |
Upsilon Omega |
|
6. Ulysses S. Donaldson |
1934 – 1935 |
Upsilon Omega |
|
7. Alonzo V. Mercer |
1935 – 1936 |
Deceased |
|
8. Ulysses S. Donaldson |
1936 – 1941 |
Upsilon Omega |
|
Omega goes to War II |
|
|
|
9. Elza H. Hunter - |
1947 – 1951 |
Pi Sigma |
|
10. James A. Harris |
1951 – 1953 |
Tau Sigma |
|
11. H. Monroe Purnell |
1953 – 1957 1959 - 1960 |
Eta Alpha |
|
12. Curtis C. Crawford |
1957 – 1959 |
Upsilon Omega |
|
13. Harvey McDaniel |
1960 – 1965 |
Chi Phi |
|
14. Alonzo Brown |
1965 – 1967 |
Eta Alpha |
|
15. Edgar A. Burnett |
1967 – 1974 |
Upsilon Omega |
|
16. William A. Bowers |
1974 – 1975 |
Chi Phi |
|
16. |
1975 – 1978 |
Upsilon Omega |
|
17. George I. Williams |
1978 – 1979 |
Nu |
|
18. Charles “BeBe” |
1979 – 1982 |
Upsilon Omega |
|
19. Jessie I. High |
1982 – 1985 |
|
|
20. Lloyd J. Jordan |
1985 – 1988 |
Upsilon Omega |
|
21. Mandrid Williams |
1988 – 1991 |
Beta Omega |
|
22. Doug Williams |
1991 – 1992 |
Upsilon Omega |
|
24. Kenneth Carson |
1992 – 1994 |
Nu |
|
24. Delvert T. Neal |
1994 – 1996 |
Chi Phi |
|
25. |
1996 – 1998 |
Eta Alpha |
|
26. Melvin Jenkins |
1998 –2001 |
Beta Omega |
|
27. Kenneth Patterson |
2001 –2003 |
Upsilon Omega |
|
28. |
2003 –2006 |
Gamma Upsilon |
|
29. Jeffrey T. Smith |
2006 –2008 |
Chi Phi |
|
30. Glenn E. Rice |
2008- present |
Omicron Xi |
|
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