The History of Omega Psi Phi by Founder Edgar A. Love.
 

The following is a transcribed speech delivered by Omega's first Grand Basileus and one of the four Founders, Bishop Edgar A. Love. It is full of reflections which contextualize the emergence of Omega Psi Phi at Howard University in terms of the developing Greek life there at the time, and lets us glimpse their thinking and motivations.

http://www.alamocityques.com/ALAMOCI...%20History.pdf

Very Interesting read. It is this reading that truly brings out why in Phi Beta Sigma's history they had a very close relationship with one another.

I've had just about enough of your founder beating up on my frat lol

Y'all made a fatal mistake; your faculty apes tried to shut us down. The Ques will start some s@#t and wreck the joint. It was that way in 1911 and still is that way!:)

Seriously, the critical study of BGLOs is in its infancy (in which many Alphas are in the forefront). One glaring omission, I feel, is a real examination of the social dynamics which led to the development of various BGLOs. I get frustrated when I read that BGLOs emerged simply as a result of racial discrimination and the exclusion of blacks from white greek life. It's a superficial half-truth! Most BGLOs were founded at Howard Univ. in which this was not an issue. What was an issue was existing class/caste distinctions in the black community which were reflected in the formation of BGLOs. We don't talk about this much anymore but there is still vestiges of colorism and classism amongst African Americans. (My late mother, who grew up in the '30s and '40s and attended a HBCU, used to talk to me about these issues in the segregated educational system of the South.) It may make us uncomfortable because it makes us (African Americans) feel as though we're airing our "dirty laundry."

What Founder Love discussed was a reality, and not just inter-Greek polemics. Ques (and later Sigmas, in their own more radical way) were based on egalitarian ideals. In the past, the stereotypes were well known: Alphas and AKAs were elitist, from typically that background, Deltas, Ques and Nupes were in the same league but not typically of that background, and Sigmas, Zetas and SGRhos were groups for "lower class" persons. (I had a Brother in a former chapter tell his undergrad son that if he pledged Phi Beta Sigma, "don't come home." The son had to make a choice between Sigma and his family. This Brother felt that Sigma was the lowest of the low, and he was hurt that his son would even consider pledging Sigma.)

In reading from the biography of Roy Wilkins who was a founder of Xi Chapter of Omega at Minnesota, he relates that he and other superior students were rejected by Alpha because of these class/caste issues which spurred them to found a chapter of Omega. And Langston Hughes biographer, Arnold Rampersad, tells of a Countee Cullen, an Alpha writing to Langston Hughes his friend to dissuade him from pledging Omega at Lincoln Univ. when he informed of his decision to do so. Omega wasn't considered "fashionable" as Rampersad puts it.

Yes, similar democratic and egalitarian impulses were at play in both cases.

Really good read. It hit to my heart and wish Omega to all best for future..:)

I've read this several times. A lot of insight by a Noble Founder

In response to Wolfman.....
I find it disturbing that you would have the audacity to referee to the Sigma’s as "lower class persons". First of all when the Sigma's were founded in 1914, our founders, the charter members and the first initiates of Alpha chapter all came from well to do families who sent their sons to Howard to attain degrees and to become the men they were meant to be. The founders chose members not only on the basics of their family background or affluence, but each young man's individual character, merit, academic success, intellectual insight, and humanitarian concern.

The stereotypes you mentioned are exactly what they are; stereotypes based on untrue assumptions. Just because the Sigma's, Zeta's, Gamma Rhos were the last of the major Fraternities and Sororities founded after the others does not give you or anyone else any authority to assume that members in these organizations were "less" than members of the other organizations, that is pure ignorance. Now, as to educate you.... many Fathers in all Fraternities have used the phase if you pledge another Fraternity "don't come home." Which is only a saying. If a son is not initiated in his Father's fraternity then, it may be his father's fault for not introducing him in the correct manor.

This is what you said about the Alphas in your post "Your faculty apes tried to shut us down. The Ques will start some s@#t and wreck the joint. It was that way in 1911 and still is that way". So for you "dog" to call Sigma’s lower class is ignorance in the highest degree. Sigma's do not think in terms of inappropriate behavior and have carried ourselves as responsible men from day one.

You also said in your post "Ques (and later Sigma’s, in their own more radical way) were based on egalitarian ideals". Sigma's from the beginning believe in equality of all people, and the desirability of political, social, and economic equality. However, our founders did know that as college educated men, they were the ones who could do for those who could not do for themselves. With this knowledge they trained each brother to be an independent self made man, hence movers and shakers, and focusing more on being a business and service Fraternity. Sigma men have always been apart of the 10% of not only Black America but America as well. And at that time if your parents could send you to College and pay your tuition, those students were all in the same social economic class, wouldn't you agree?

When you said "in their own more radical way" Sigma was never radical in its founding, and in the eyes of the University, Phi Beta Sigma was well welcomed by the the President, deans, and administration, because the powers to be at Howard knew that these young men were outstanding students who carried themselves as "Gentlemen" and were involved in leadership positions in other organizations, as well as having high GPA's.

Being that Sigma was the last major Fraternity founded and knowing the early beginnings of the founders back ground, that they were from good families, it would be safe to say that the founders did not find a fraternity on campus that would fulfill and truly exemplify the high ideals of a well-rounded fraternal organization. Thus envisioned was history carried out to the fullest degree of success.

As for the Zeta's in 1920 they were known as high scholastic young ladies, history tells us that the Zeta's took young ladies who had high GPA's. And still do today. Now, wouldn't we all agree that it is very unproductive for us to talk negative about each other, and if I offended anyone I'm sure my apologies will be accepted. As members of GLO's, we are all in positions to not only take our organizations to higher levels, but our communities, cities and country as well, because we are the ones pursuing and who have obtained degrees. Throughout history members of Fraternities and Sororities have led the way in campus, community, local, state and national leadership.

Spr 82, UK