Interesting FACTS That Some May Not Know About Your Organization

[Wolfman]

The three undergraduate founders of Omega Psi Phi--later Bishop Edgar A. Love, Dr. Oscar J. Cooper and Professor Frank Coleman--were collectively called the "Three Musketeers" by students during their undergraduate years at Howard University.

Omega Psi Phi was invited to "colonize" at the University of Havana in December 1951 just before Gen. Fulgencio Batista staged a coup d'etat, cancelled elections, ousted Cuban President Carlos Prio Socarras and became dictator in March 1952. In the midst of this political tumult, nothing ever came of this opportunity.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

http://www.zbt.org/ZBT/About.asp

The About tab is at the bottom, not very conspicuous...

Originally Posted by adrie435

It's hard to find.. you have to look at the bottom and click in 'About' to get to the history.

"Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity was inspired by Richard J. H. Gottheil, a professor of languages at Columbia University and a leader in the early American Zionist movement. On December 29, 1898, Professor Gottheil gathered together a group of Jewish students from several New York City universities to form a Zionist youth society. The society was called Z.B.T."

http://www.zbt.org/ZBT/About.asp

I guess it could go either way since he taught at Columbia but the members were from New York City Universities...

ETA: Looks like AlphaFrog and I found this about the same time..

D'oh!

And thanks.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

^^^ Thanks.

Just to keep the terminology straight, Barnard maintains some independence from Columbia and is usually classified as one of the Seven Sisters rathar than as part of the Ivy League.

Good point.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by xo_kathy

I think I shared this once before...

Our letters were chosen randomly. The ladies cut out all the greek letters, spread them on the floor, and found something they thought looked good together.

Also, before our colors were chosen, the ladies pinned ribbons of plum and olive green over their hearts to show they were part of the group. They chose these two colros because they thought it was the ugliest color combo!!

My founders were pretty funny gals!

oh wow! makes you think how every single girl's rush could ended up had Chi Omega been named something else... (im just recalling from the abundance of rush threads how PNMs often get confused by which house is which and worse, choose letters on how "greek" the letters look/sound)

[nwu43]

Originally Posted by tld221

that's interesting! the one Lambda i know has that as a tattoo on his arm. i am surprised that your founders chose Epsilon over Xi, as it looks more like the "king" symbol.

Haha you're right! I never thought about that. Lambda phi xi.. for some reason just doesn't sound as good though

Do founders really get to actually choose their letters? I thought they're given to them.

Btw, the lambda that you know, how old is he? Is he alumni? The reason I ask is that not many lambdas nowadays have those tatoos. In my chapter, me and my linebro were the last to get them (I chose to get the letters instead of the kanji though, and some people tell me it's not as cool)

I also get the impression that all D9 members get tatoos as well (at least the fraternities). Every alpha that I've seen on campus has the letters tatooed, and every omega I see has gotten branded. I don't want to pry, but is it something that all members choose on their own to get? Please tell me if I'm getting too nosy

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by nwu43

Do founders really get to actually choose their letters? I thought they're given to them.

By whom?

[nwu43]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

By whom?

by....whoever's in charge of that type of stuff I guess

[DEVODUDE]

Originally Posted by TSteven

D'oh!

And thanks.

I know it is confusing when it comes to our history, however, every Alumni and Undergraduate publications, especially our 100yrs, Anniversary Book, it states that ZBT was founded at Columbia University by 15 men from several NYC Colleges and Universities to organize the first secret society for Jewish men. Between 1898 and 1903 the society operation as a universal organization under a city charter with members from the following schools....Columbia, NYU, Yeshiva, CCNY, Baruch, Queens Coll., Brooklyn Coll., Long Island Univ., Hunter, etc. There was no Alpha chapter during that time, until 1903 when the society was changed to a Greek-Letter Fraternity and established the Grand Alpha Chapter at City College of NY. I hope this information helps clear up some of the confusion.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by nwu43

by....whoever's in charge of that type of stuff I guess

LOL. No, there isn't anyone is charge of that stuff. Typically, founders chose their letters (although members of some groups like Alpha Delta Pi and Phi Mu can tell you that this isn't always the case, since their letters as such came long after they were founded).

Usually, founders choose letters they like for whatever reason or they choose a two- or three-word name, motto or set of principles (usually but not always secret, traditionally but not necessarily in Greek) and then use the initials as their letters. The only real prohibition would be for letter combinations already in use.

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

By whom?

I know that our founders chose our letters after doing research to make sure that they were not already being used by another organization. I think that many (if not all) organizations chose their letters specifically for various reasons, although I would assume that when you formally submit your letters in the process to become a legit organization, there are checks in place to ensure that they are not already taken...atleast I think now this is the case.

[nwu43]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

LOL. No, there isn't anyone is charge of that stuff. Typically, founders chose their letters (although members of some groups like Alpha Delta Pi and Phi Mu can tell you that this isn't always the case, since their letters as such came long after they were founded).

Usually, founders choose letters they like for whatever reason or they choose a two- or three-word name, motto or set of principles (usually but not always secret, traditionally but not necessarily in Greek) and then use the initials as their letters. The only real prohibition would be for letter combinations already in use.

ahhh.. thanks for the clarification!

[12dn94dst]

Originally Posted by nwu43

I also get the impression that all D9 members get tatoos as well (at least the fraternities).

You've been spying on super secret underground post-initiation rites, haven't you?


Seriously, branding/tattooing is a personal choice, not something that's mandated by any national body. I know several members of both sides of the issue. There are, however, organizations that prohibit their members from getting organizational tattoos, particularly using the greek letters.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by rhoyaltempest

. . . although I would assume that when you formally submit your letters in the process to become a legit organization, there are checks in place to ensure that they are not already taken.

Probably not, actually. The only check in place would be that when an org goes to the Secretary of State to incorporate, the SoS's office will check to make sure there isn't another corporation in that state that already has the chosen name or one so close to it that there may be confusion.

The point is that GLOs name themselves; there isn't some pan-Greek naming-authority out there.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by nwu43

Haha you're right! I never thought about that. Lambda phi xi.. for some reason just doesn't sound as good though

There actually is a multicultural sorority named Lambda Phi Xi and at least one of its founders is a member of GC. (although she doesnt frequent very often)

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by epchick

There actually is a multicultural sorority named Lambda Phi Xi and at least one of its founders is a member of GC. (although she doesnt frequent very often)

There is a pharmaceutical fraternity named Delta Sigma Theta.