OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, Inc.
Second
District Historical Sketches 1947-1973
The
late Brother Irving H. Selden of Epsilon Chapter of N.Y.C. was the
founder and first Editor of the Omegan and it was the official Voice of
the District. Following Brother Selden was Brother Felmon Motley who
gave the Omegan an added distinction. Brother Wiliam Brazier succeeded
Motley and Brazier gave the Omegan an added pictorial and editorial
scope. Our District Directors have continued publication of the Omegan
and its excellence and they have maintained its high quality and high
standards of good journalism in publicizing the Second District and the
Editors have contributed materials to our National publication, the
Oracle.
All
of the District Representatives have been Brothers with dedication, men
of vision, character, and action. In succession, they escalated the
programs of the District to a higher plateau of Omega Brotherhood each
year. Time no space will permit us to list all of their names for the
past 25 years; but we wish to report some of the most important
activities and important events during their time and under their
dynamic leadership. One of the most important events of the Annual
District Conferences was the TALENT HUNT PROGRAMS WHICH HAS BEEN
COMPETITIVE ON THE LOCAL AND DISTRICT LEVELS. The District has been
able to send outstanding participants (winners in the District) to the
various Grand Conclaves. The idea of a Talent Hunt Program was created
due to the fact that many Black youth were unable to display their
talents as other ethnic American youth in our communities.
Thus, we must salute Brother Alphonso J. Patterson, District Chairman. Brother
Patterson also conducted the Martin Luther King Male Glee Club of the Theodore
Roosevelt High School in the Bronx, N.Y. Because of the talent and leadership of
Brother Patterson the Glee Club made a European Tour.
Another example of Omega Men's strength and an effort
to move Omega on the front line of community involvement, Brother Samuel C.
Coleman of Upsilon Tau Chapter in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Co-Chairman of the
National Social Action Committee, devoted three years research and campaign to
create a $10 million housing project in Brooklyn, N.Y. The housing project was
named in the Honor of the late Langston Hughes, the Negro Poet, novelist,
essayist, and playwright. Brother Hughes was an active member of Xi Phi Chapter
in New York City. During the sixties, Mayor John V. Lindsay of N.Y.C., and with
other officials and Brothers officiated at the dedication of the Langston Hughes
Branch, Public Library in Jamaica, Long Island, N.Y.
Through his leadership Brother James S. Avery (at the
urging of Brother William Jason) created the first Shirtsleeve Conference in
September of 1963. The first Shirtsleeve Conference was held at the Palmer Inn,
on Route #1 (near the current Hyatt Hotel) and the Brothers of Delta Upsilon of
Trenton, N.J. were the host for several years. Because of its importance to new
programs for the District other chapters became the host for the conference.
During this early growth of the District, Brother Lovell "Skip" Sutherland
organized and successfully held the program "Books and Education for Africa".
Another District program that was fostered was the social action program named
EDDAN. However, this program did not reach its full potential.