{"id":211,"date":"2026-10-31T21:35:41","date_gmt":"2026-10-31T21:35:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/index.php\/alpha-history\/"},"modified":"2026-10-31T21:35:41","modified_gmt":"2026-10-31T21:35:41","slug":"alpha-history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/index.php\/alpha-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Alpha History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<style>.gp{--k:#0B0B0B;--p:#121110;--g:#D4AF5F;--gl:#F1D58F;--i:#F4EFE3;--m:#B9B2A3;--l:rgba(212,175,95,.22);background:var(--k);color:var(--i);font-family:Inter,system-ui,sans-serif;font-size:17px;line-height:1.65}.gp *{box-sizing:border-box}.gp-sec{max-width:1200px;margin:0 auto;padding:clamp(56px,8vw,104px) 24px;border-bottom:1px solid 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var(--l);border-radius:999px;font-family:'Playfair Display',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px}.gp-band{background:var(--g);color:var(--k)}.gp-band .gp-sec{border:0}.gp-band h2{color:var(--k)}.gp-band p{color:#2A2416}.gp-band .gp-btn{background:var(--k);color:var(--g)!important}.gp-ghost{position:absolute;right:-2%;top:0;font:700 clamp(220px,34vw,520px)\/1 'Playfair Display',Georgia,serif;color:rgba(212,175,95,.06);pointer-events:none;user-select:none}.gp-rel{position:relative;overflow:hidden}.gp-rel>*{position:relative}.gp-rel>.gp-ghost{position:absolute}.gp-small{font-size:13px;color:var(--m)}.gp-org{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(min(100%,330px),1fr));gap:18px;margin-top:28px}.gp-org details{background:var(--p);border:1px solid var(--l);border-top:4px solid var(--c1);border-radius:4px}.gp-org summary{list-style:none;cursor:pointer;padding:22px;display:grid;grid-template-columns:auto minmax(0,1fr);gap:16px;align-items:center}.gp-org summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.gp-org .lt{font:500 30px\/1 'Playfair Display',Georgia,serif;color:var(--c2);background:var(--c1);padding:12px 10px;border-radius:4px;min-width:84px;text-align:center}.gp-org h3{font-size:20px;margin:0 0 4px}.gp-org summary p{font-size:13px;margin:0;color:var(--m)}.gp-org .body{padding:0 22px 22px;font-size:15px}.gp-org .body ul{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:6px;list-style:none;margin:10px 0 0;padding:0}.gp-org .body li{font-size:13px;padding:5px 12px;border:1px solid var(--l);border-radius:999px}.gp-sc{margin-top:28px}@media (max-width:760px){.gp{font-size:16px}.gp-tl li{grid-template-columns:1fr;gap:4px}.gp-ghost{font-size:200px}}@media (prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){.gp *{animation:none!important}}main .wp-block-post-title,main .wp-block-separator.is-style-wide{display:none}.gp{width:100%}<\/style>\n<div class=\"gp\"><section class=\"gp-sec gp-hero gp-rel\"><span class=\"gp-ghost\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u0391\u03a6\u0391<\/span><span class=\"gp-eye\">Founded December 4, 1906 \u00b7 Cornell University<\/span><h1>The history of <em class=\"gd\">Alpha Phi Alpha<\/em><\/h1><p class=\"lede\">The first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men \u2014 founded by seven students at Cornell University who saw the need for a strong bond of brotherhood. Its light reached Virginia Union in 1907 as the Gamma Chapter.<\/p><\/section><section class=\"gp-sec \"><span class=\"gp-eye\">The Founders<\/span><h2>The Seven Jewels<\/h2><p>Hover or tap a Jewel to read about him.<\/p><div class=\"gp-sc\"><ul class=\"gsk gsk-jewels\" role=\"list\"><li class=\"gsk-jewel\" tabindex=\"0\"><span class=\"gsk-jewel__photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-callis-300x300.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"Jewel Henry Arthur Callis\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-callis-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-callis-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-callis.jpg 491w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><span class=\"gsk-jewel__bio\"><em>The Jewels\u2019 Jewel<\/em>Physician and Howard University professor of medicine. The only Cornell founder to serve as General President.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"gsk-jewel__label\">Jewel<\/span><span class=\"gsk-jewel__name\">Henry Arthur Callis<\/span><\/li><li class=\"gsk-jewel\" tabindex=\"0\"><span class=\"gsk-jewel__photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"236\" height=\"228\" src=\"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-chapman.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"Jewel Charles Henry Chapman\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><span class=\"gsk-jewel__bio\"><em>The Reclaimed Jewel<\/em>Professor of agriculture at what is now Florida A&amp;M, where he helped found Beta Nu Chapter.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"gsk-jewel__label\">Jewel<\/span><span class=\"gsk-jewel__name\">Charles Henry Chapman<\/span><\/li><li class=\"gsk-jewel\" tabindex=\"0\"><span class=\"gsk-jewel__photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-ekj-portrait-300x300.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"Jewel Eugene Kinckle Jones\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-ekj-portrait-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-ekj-portrait-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-ekj-portrait-766x768.jpg 766w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><span class=\"gsk-jewel__bio\"><em>The Visionary Jewel<\/em>Virginia Union graduate who chartered Gamma in 1907. First executive secretary of the National Urban League.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"gsk-jewel__label\">Jewel<\/span><span class=\"gsk-jewel__name\">Eugene Kinckle Jones<\/span><\/li><li class=\"gsk-jewel\" tabindex=\"0\"><span class=\"gsk-jewel__photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"236\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-kelley.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"Jewel George Biddle Kelley\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><span class=\"gsk-jewel__bio\"><em>The Devoted Jewel<\/em>Alpha Chapter\u2019s first president and the first African American registered engineer in New York State.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"gsk-jewel__label\">Jewel<\/span><span class=\"gsk-jewel__name\">George Biddle Kelley<\/span><\/li><li class=\"gsk-jewel\" tabindex=\"0\"><span class=\"gsk-jewel__photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"236\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-murray.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"Jewel Nathaniel Allison Murray\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><span class=\"gsk-jewel__bio\"><em>The Passionate Jewel<\/em>Career educator in Washington, D.C. public schools, much of it at Armstrong Vocational High School.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"gsk-jewel__label\">Jewel<\/span><span class=\"gsk-jewel__name\">Nathaniel Allison Murray<\/span><\/li><li class=\"gsk-jewel\" tabindex=\"0\"><span class=\"gsk-jewel__photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-ogle-300x300.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"Jewel Robert Harold Ogle\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-ogle-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-ogle-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><span class=\"gsk-jewel__bio\"><em>The Methodical Jewel<\/em>Proposed the fraternity\u2019s colors. A pioneering staff member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"gsk-jewel__label\">Jewel<\/span><span class=\"gsk-jewel__name\">Robert Harold Ogle<\/span><\/li><li class=\"gsk-jewel\" tabindex=\"0\"><span class=\"gsk-jewel__photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"236\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-tandy.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"Jewel Vertner Woodson Tandy\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><span class=\"gsk-jewel__bio\"><em>The Outspoken Jewel<\/em>New York State\u2019s first Black registered architect. Designed the fraternity pin and St. Philip\u2019s Episcopal Church.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"gsk-jewel__label\">Jewel<\/span><span class=\"gsk-jewel__name\">Vertner Woodson Tandy<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/section><section class=\"gp-sec \"><span class=\"gp-eye\">1905 \u2192 Today<\/span><h2>A fraternity\u2019s timeline<\/h2><ol class=\"gp-tl\"><li><b>1905<\/b><div><h3>A study group at Cornell<\/h3><p>Black students at Cornell University organize a study and support group, the seed of what became Alpha Phi Alpha.<\/p><\/div><\/li><li><b>1906<\/b><div><h3>Founded on December 4<\/h3><p>Seven men \u2014 the Jewels \u2014 found Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African Americans. Alpha Chapter is at Cornell.<\/p><\/div><\/li><li><b>1907<\/b><div><h3>Beta and Gamma<\/h3><p>The fraternity grows beyond Ithaca: Beta Chapter at Howard University, then Gamma Chapter at Virginia Union University, chartered by Jewel Eugene Kinckle Jones on December 30.<\/p><\/div><\/li><li><b>1914<\/b><div><h3>The Sphinx<\/h3><p>The fraternity begins publishing The Sphinx, its official magazine.<\/p><\/div><\/li><li><b>1922<\/b><div><h3>Go-To-High-School, Go-To-College<\/h3><p>A national education campaign urging young people to finish school and pursue higher education.<\/p><\/div><\/li><li><b>1930s<\/b><div><h3>A Voteless People Is a Hopeless People<\/h3><p>A voter education and registration campaign that remains a pillar of the fraternity\u2019s civic work.<\/p><\/div><\/li><li><b>2011<\/b><div><h3>The MLK Memorial<\/h3><p>The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial \u2014 an effort led by Alpha Phi Alpha in honor of Brother King \u2014 is dedicated on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.<\/p><\/div><\/li><li><b>Today<\/b><div><h3>A worldwide brotherhood<\/h3><p>Alpha Phi Alpha has chapters across the United States and abroad.<\/p><\/div><\/li><\/ol><div class=\"gp-sc\"><figure class=\"gsk gsk-archival\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gamma-vuu-archival-1024x420.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"Archival photo of Virginia Union University\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><\/section><section class=\"gp-sec gp-quote\"><span class=\"gp-eye\">Motto<\/span><blockquote>\u201cFirst of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All\u201d<\/blockquote><div class=\"gp-cards\"><div class=\"gp-card\"><span class=\"k\">Founded<\/span><span class=\"v\">December 4, 1906<\/span><\/div><div class=\"gp-card\"><span class=\"k\">Colors<\/span><span class=\"v\">Black &amp; Old Gold<\/span><\/div><div class=\"gp-card\"><span class=\"k\">Aims<\/span><span class=\"v\">Manly Deeds, Scholarship, Love for All Mankind<\/span><\/div><div class=\"gp-card\"><span class=\"k\">First four chapters<\/span><span class=\"v\">Alpha \u2014 Cornell\nBeta \u2014 Howard\nGamma \u2014 Virginia Union\nDelta \u2014 Toronto (original)<\/span><\/div><div class=\"gp-card\"><span class=\"k\">Flower<\/span><span class=\"v\">Yellow Rose<\/span><\/div><div class=\"gp-card\"><span class=\"k\">Mission<\/span><span class=\"v\">Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. develops leaders, promotes brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for our communities.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"gp-sec \"><span class=\"gp-eye\">National Programs<\/span><h2>Service that carries the name<\/h2><div class=\"gp-cards\"><div class=\"gp-card\"><h3>Go-To-High-School, Go-To-College<\/h3><p>Mentoring that keeps young people on the path to graduation and higher education.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"gp-card\"><h3>Brother\u2019s Keeper<\/h3><p>Service to elderly, disabled and underserved neighbors.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"gp-card\"><h3>A Voteless People Is a Hopeless People<\/h3><p>Voter education and registration drives on campus and in the community.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"gp-card\"><h3>Project Alpha<\/h3><p>Education for young men on healthy relationships and responsibility.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"gp-sec \"><span class=\"gp-eye\">Brothers Who Shaped History<\/span><h2>Notable Alpha men<\/h2><ul class=\"gp-pills\"><li>Martin Luther King Jr.<\/li><li>Thurgood Marshall<\/li><li>W. E. B. Du Bois<\/li><li>Paul Robeson<\/li><li>Jesse Owens<\/li><li>Andrew Young<\/li><\/ul><\/section><div class=\"gp-band\"><section class=\"gp-sec\"><h2>From Cornell to Virginia Union.<\/h2><div class=\"gp-btns\"><a class=\"gp-btn\" href=\"\/EKJ\/\">Discover the Gamma Chapter \u2192<\/a><\/div><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u0391\u03a6\u0391Founded December 4, 1906 \u00b7 Cornell University The history of Alpha Phi Alpha The first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men \u2014 founded by seven students at Cornell University who saw the need for a strong bond of brotherhood. Its light reached Virginia Union in 1907 as the Gamma Chapter. The Founders The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-211","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=211"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/211\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gamma1907.com\/EKJ\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}