THE POWER IS TURNED ON!
While Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc was founded on November 17, 1911 at Howard University, it took about 35 years of growth and expansion to formally reach the southern peninsula of Virginia at Hampton Institute. It was the spring of 1946 when a young eager and aware Omega Man named Brother L. Julian Haywood arrived at Hampton Institute as a transfer student from Howard University. He was initiated at Howard University-Alpha Chapter in the spring of 1945. Brother Haywood stepped on campus thoroughly immersed in true Omega spirit and ready to make his impact on the university community. Brother Haywood met fellow transfer students Brother Emmitt Lee Tau Epsilon Spring 1946 and Brother Alonzo Phi Omicron 1941 who comprised the small handful of undergraduate brothers on the yard.. Understanding the fraternity motto, Friendship is essential to the Soul, and after realizing the need to see the power of this great fraternity expanded on Hampton’s historic waterfront campus, Brother Haywood quickly took action.
Brother Haywood knew the value of friendship and understood the need for undergraduate leadership, which fueled his quest to create a community of students sharing values of high attainment amongst like-minded individuals. He knew he would incorporate an undergraduate chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc, at Hampton Institute. . Brother Haywood approached administration and seized an opportunity to make history. With administrative guidance from Brother Arthur Burke Eta Tau 1939 and Brother Arthur L Mosley Epsilon Iota 1946, Brother Haywood endeavored to set in motion a series of events to insure the creation, growth, and prosperity of the new chapter.
In his own words, Brother Haywood “looked for people who seemed to be serious, capable and had character.” He chose the best and brightest seven distinguished gentlemen on Hampton Institute’s campus that clearly exhibited the cardinal principles of Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift. After his selection, Brother Haywood began the facilitation of new initiates into the newly proposed chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity at the campus of Hampton Institute. Those seven courageous souls began their journey to Omega in the fall of 1946. The young men who were selected and initiated were: William Kearney, Burrell W. Ellis, Thomas R. Casey, Bell, Alphonso W. Knight, Thomas L. Sims, and Warren E. Gardner.
While the small group of seven actually finished their process in January 1947, the chapter had not yet received their official charter, and therefore delayed the completion of their formal induction process, causing them to remain members of the Lampados club. In true Omega spirit, while remaining in the Lampados club due to paperwork, but still committed to and exhibiting manhood, scholarship, perseverance and uplift, those seven Lamps assisted Brother Haywood in ushering through another eight Lamps, with all fifteen eventually become Brothers together.
As quoted by Brother Haywood, “the fifteen made “the initial charter line of Gamma Epsilon” in the spring of 1947”, which consisted of:
- Brother James McFarland Brown
- Thomas Casey
- Herman S. Davis
- Samuel J. Dunn
- William B. Ellis
- Wendell L. Johnson
- William Kearney
- Alphonso W. Knight
- William E. Lee
- James R. Lewis
- John C. Littlejohn
- Elwood G. Shockley
- Thomas L. Sim
- Henry L. Thurman
- and Arcilius Ward
Although the charter for Gamma Epsilon was not given to the chapter until February 12, 1947, the first fifteen candidates are on record with IHQ as being initiated on 1/22/47, followed by another fourteen candidates being initiated in the first fraternal initiation in April of 1947. Subsequently another nine candidates completed the initiation program in December, that same year, making 1947 a remarkable year, whereby a total of 38 thoroughly immersed candidates were initiated into the Brotherhood, giving life, energy and power to the newly established chapter of Gamma Epsilon.
