History pg. 4
Many famous brothers grace the ranks of Omega including Dr. Charles Drew, Count Basie, H. Carl Moultrie, Joe Black, Earl Graves, Douglas Wilder, Carter G. Woodson, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, and Ronald McNair. This is not a comprehensive list nor is representative of the best that made Omega but we can assure you that the list of Omega men includes the likes of athletes, movie stars, entrepreneurs, politicians, military leaders, and many other significant African America achievers. Needless to say, that some have gone on to Omega Chapter but it is important to know that Omega continues to enlist in its ranks, the spirits and souls of the finest men in the world. They are Omega and it is unwise to consider them average.
The fraternity is divided into 12 Districts (1-11 & 13). The 13th District is composed of chapters based outside of the United States. There are 2 active chapters in Alaska and chapter designations are specifically categorized as undergraduate and graduate under the terms of the Constitution and By Laws of Omega. There have been chapters in Panama, and Liberia. In the beginning the fraternity established chapters at military camps and stations to suit the needs of those brothers who were taken off to military training in preparation for World War One in the early part of the 20th century. These chapters have since closed however, it is interesting to note that several military bases facilitate chapters that are mainly populated by brothers serving in the active military force or who retired to that specific area. The Mighty Second District (the host of this website) is composed of the states of Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, New York and Pennsylvania. Districts 1 and 3-11 are composed of states in a specific geographical area within the United States.
Membership in Omega is a cherished pearl. The fraternity, as have all other members of the Pan Hellenic council, refined its selection and intake process dramatically over the course of the last 16 years. Initially, the fraternity used pledging as an activity that tested the will of potential members. As with all things, this method of “weeding out” became unpopular and the selection and education process was introduced in 1986. Candidates interested in Omega submitted requests and went through an education process very similar to pledging. This too became obsolete and the fraternity in conjunction with other members of the Pan Hellenic council adopted the Intake Process as a process to screen and groom members for membership. The process is being constantly refined and prospective members must consult with local chapters for the latest Intake information however, selection for membership remains a privileged honor for the few. As a result of all membership Intake programs, past and present, the fraternity boasts a membership of over 150,000.
Omega mandates that each chapter participate actively or show support for several programs. These programs include: Assault On Illiteracy, Scholarship, Social Action, Talent Hunt, Memorial Services, Reclamation & Retention, College Endowment, Voter Registration, Health Initiatives, and the NAACP. Recently, Omega rose to the occasion by donation thousands of dollars to the support of victims of hurricane Katrina. Local chapters must support mandated programs but they do not limit themselves to these categories. Many chapters host annual fund raising activities and events to promote the cardinal principles and Scholarship is a key activity for all chapters. Fund raising to promote education is a corner stone of Omega.
History is being written daily in Omega. Please refer to the fraternity’s International homepage for more information on the History of Omega.