Dr. Ernest Everett Just
Dr. Ernest Everett Just was born on August 14, 1883 in Charleston, SC. His grandfather, Charles Just was a prominent and successful member of Charleston's free black community before the Civil War. His father, Charles Frazier Just, died of alcoholism when Just was four years old. His mother, Mary Matthews Just, went to work in the phosphate mines on James Island, also founding a town, "Maryville." At 16, Just received a teaching degree from South Carolina College and Mary Just sent him to Kimball Academy in Meriden, NH. The school burned down and his mother died while Just was away. After her funeral, he never returned to South Carolina again.
Just first became enthralled with biology at Dartmouth University. In 1907, he graduated magna cum laude, winning virtually every prize there was to win, as well as honors in sociology, history, botany and zoology; he was the only black man in his graduating class of 287. When Just graduated from Dartmouth, he was immediately offered a job as an English teacher at Howard University. Two years later, he accepted an appointment as an instructor in biology, and eventually devoted all of his time to teaching biology. In 1912, he established and became the head of Howard's Department of Zoology.
While at Howard, Just was approached by Edgar A. Love, Oscar J. Cooper, and Frank Coleman about starting a fraternity on Howard's campus. Fearful of the political threat a secret organization of young blacks might pose to Howard's white administration, the university's faculty and administration opposed the whole idea. Just worked at mediating the controversy. And on 15 December 1911, the Alpha chapter of Omega Psi Phi was organized at Howard University.
Because of the difficulty black scientist at that time had obtaining appointments, Just's first inquiries into the possibility of conducting basic research were not initially encouraged. Eventually Frank Lillie, Director of the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Wood's Hole, MA, noticed his determination, brought him to the MBL to study and act as a lab assistant. Just became fascinated with problems of fertilization and development. In 1912, he published his first paper in the Biological Bulletin. In 1915, the NAACP awarded Just the first Springarn Medal. After many delays and obstacles, he obtained his PhD, in 1916, summa cum laude, from the University of Chicago.
Though he experienced a fairly warm reception at the MBL, he found his opportunities in the US quite limited; there was no way to obtain an appointment at a "white" university, and few traditionally "black" universities had, resources or inclination to support pure research in the sciences. He had better luck in Europe, where he worked in Italy, France, and Germany. He published over 50 papers between 1912 and 1937. His ideas about embryonic development and fertilization were radical, innovative, and (for his time) unusually philosophical. In 1939, he published his magnum opus, The Biology of the Cell Surface a beautifully written and oddly accessible treatise on cell development and fertilization which also extrapolated his ideas into the realms of evolution, medicine, philosophy and even religion.
His complex scientific life was mirrored by an equally complex personal life. He was married to Ethel Highwarden in 1912, and they had three children; Margaret, Mary and Highwarden. Ethel was refined, sophisticated, well educated and extremely intelligent, but their marriage was difficult. He was often preoccupied with work worries when at home in Washington, D.C., and, though a black scientist might be accepted at Wood's Hole, Ethel and the children were decidedly unwelcome. While in Europe, he had two affairs with German women, and these affairs (a black man with white women) as much as the radical nature of his science, shocked the American scientific world.
Just found it more and more difficult to find funding for his research as he began to think more independently. He chafed at his duties at Howard, and longed for a life of pure research. He was able to work in Europe for a short time, but at the advent of World War II, had to flee with his new wife, Hedwig Schnetzler. He returned with her and their daughter, Elizabeth, to the States. Once back in the US, though quite ill, he continued to try and find support.
Dr. Just died of pancreatic cancer in October of 1941, at the age of 53. Read more on the history of Omega.....
Edgar A. Love
Rev. Edgar A. Love was born in Harrisburg, Virginia, September 10, 1891, the son of Rev. Julius C. Love and Mrs. Susie C. Love, .
He received his early training in the public schools of Virginia and Maryland. In 1909, he graduated from the Academy of Morgan College. In 1913, he graduated Cum Laude from Howard University with a of Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1916 after three years of additional hard work, he received the Bachelor of Divinity degree from Howard University. To further his training, he entered Boston University, from where he received the Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree in 1918. Later he spent two sessions of graduate worked at the University of Chicago. Because of his distinguished work in religion as a teacher, pastor and inspired civic worker for the advancement of all humanity, Morgan College conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of divinity in June, 1935.
Rev. Love pastored for fifteen months at Fairmount, Maryland, four years at Washington, D.C., three years at Annapolis, Maryland, three years in Wheeling, West Virginia, and two years at Baltimore Maryland, directing the great John Wesley M.C. Church. As a pastor, Rev. Love, inspiring and efficient, made the Church, wherever he was, function as a community center for the people of the neighborhood, as well as a temple of worship for the Most High God.
When the call of the United States came for our youth to do service in France, our Founder promptly entered the Officers' Training Camp at Des Moines, Iowa and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant. He was assigned as Chaplain to the 368 Infantry, with which unit he saw service in the Vosges Mountains, and in the Argonne Forest, spending eight days in the great offensive, where he was gassed. While in the army he had supervision over 3,000 men.
Aside from administering to the spiritual needs of the soldiers, he also taught in the army school. He helped to organize a school for illiterates in the 809th Pioneer Infantry, which was developed into a regular school system. The school included in its curriculum subjects ranging from reading and writing to motor mechanics and philosophy. Fourteen teachers were drafted from the ranks and constituted the faculty.
In 1919, after being honorably discharged from the United States Army, Rev. Love became Professor of History and Bible at Morgan College. At the same time he served as Director of Athletics. In addition he served as Principal of the Academy.
Rev. Love was community-minded; believing that religion is life in God and should be the guiding force in all affairs, he always found time from his religious duties to be active in civic matters. For instance, he was a delegate from the state of Maryland to the First American Legion Convention that was held at Minneapolis, Minnesota. Because of his high attainments, he was appointed by Governor Ritchie of Maryland as a Member of the Maryland Interracial Commission.
He was the first Grand Basileus of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and served in that capacity for three terms.
As a Founder of our great Fraternity, as a Soldier, an Educator, and a Minister, Rev. Love had an unusual career and has endeared himself into the hearts of many thousands. Read more on the history of Omega.....
Oscar J. Cooper
Upon finishing the elementary schools of Washington, Oscar Cooper entered Howard University, where he obtained his baccalaureate degree and his Doctor of Medicine degree . Some of the academic subjects proved little interest for him; for his all-absorbing interest in college was Biology. His aptness and proficiency along this line drew him to Professor Just, who was teaching Biology at Howard. So accomplished was Brother Cooper in this subject that he was made a laboratory assistant in Biology.
Brother Cooper thus was the link, between our other Founders, all Juniors, in the fall of 1911, and Professor Just, the eminent, young, associate professor, who advised the three young pioneers; Love, Cooper and Coleman.
Brother Cooper early on showed that he believed both in work and in pleasure. He liked to work; to work hard for the achievement of great ends, but he also liked to socialize. Accordingly in the founding of Omega, Brother Cooper worked unsparingly along with the other Founders many a night until late in the morning.
Upon completing his medical studies, Brother Cooper settled in Philadelphia and worked untiringly and persistently until he built up one of the most lucrative practices to be found among the physicians of Philadelphia.
He maintained an excellent general library and an excellent medical library. It was a real inspiration to tour these libraries and through his office. Brother Cooper was ever discovering new techniques in his field and efficiently applying them.
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Frank Coleman
Upon finishing high school, Frank Coleman entered Howard University, from which he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree. His undergraduate record there was so outstanding that upon graduation he was appointed as an instructor in Physics.
Brother Coleman later earned his Master of Science degree from the University of Chicago. He did subsequent graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania and met all requirements for his Doctorate except completion of his thesis.
When America entered the World War, he joined the army, became a first lieutenant, and served honorably overseas.
Aside from carrying on his regular work, Brother Coleman was a member of the Boys' Committee of YMCA, a Mason, an American Legionnaire and a Congregationalist.
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