Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolfman
You don't know your history then. Now it's not a real issue but in 1911 it was. In 1911 the Founders of Omega were summoned to have a private meeting with then President Thirkield after they had run afoul of the administration by announcing themselves as a fraternity on campus before they were officially recognized by placing placards all over Howard's campus. In that meeting President Thirkield asked them why they didn't join the fraternity already on campus (Beta Chapter of APHIA). They registered their objections with him. At that time one of the Founders related to him the quip about social clubs vs. fraternities. In his later years one of the Founders said that he and another Founder were approached by the members of APHIA when they were students at Howard. He said they "turned them down flat." They had very different understanding about what a fraternity should be. (My understanding is that APHIA did originate as a social/study club and later morphed into a fraternity,in which all members didn't agree with this transformation. Correct me if I'm wrong!)
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In 1905, there was a social/study club at Cornell University that was established as a means to retain black students at Cornell. The previous year's freshman class ALL dropped out. The men in the social study club first and foremost wanted to serve the students by providing both academic and social support. NOT a "social club" -- social support. It was a study club with social leanings.
Since the beginning, there were members of the social/study club who wanted more, namely to be a fraternity. But not just a social group of college men, in whose fraternity houses several of them served as waiters. But to use the concept of a fraternity as a vehicle for social change. See, they saw what good that "white" fraternities did for their members socially, academically, and professionally. They wanted to emulate this AND inject service and social action into the mix.
But there were some who did not agree with that notion. On December 4, 1906, after a year as a social/study club and a slow evolution into a society with greek letters, colors, and an initiation, the men voted to become Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. The few men who did not agree with the notion walked away -- including the founder of the social/study club.
By 1911, Alpha Phi Alpha had 11 collegiate chapters and one alumni chapter. If your founders were not looking for what APhiA had to offer, then so be it. If they just didn't mesh with the members of Beta Chapter, that's fine too. You will not find me bashing your organization's genesis or it's rich history. But to say that Alpha Phi Alpha was merely a social club is incorrect and somewhat insulting.
So....I know my history. Now, tell me on what page, in either Dreer or Gill, may I find the passage about the conversation with President Thirkield?
This was the most fun recruitment story I've ever read!
I loved your story, especially since I definitely didn't always know I wanted to be a Delta (I didn't know such a wonderful organization existed!).
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