The founders of Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity, Inc. were no ordinary achievers. Given
racial attitudes in 1906, their accomplishments were monumental.
As founder Henry Arthur Callis euphemistically stated—because
the half-dozen African American students at Cornell University
during the school year 1904-05 did not return to campus
the following year, the incoming students in 1905-06,
in founding Alpha Phi Alpha, were determined to bind themselves
together to ensure that each would survive in the racially
hostile environment. In coming together with this simple
act, they preceded by decades the emergence of such on-campus
programs as affirmative action, upward bound and remedial
assistance. The students set outstanding examples of scholarship,
leadership and success--preceding the efforts even of
the NAACP and similar civil rights organizations.
Henry
Arthur Callis became a practicing physician,
Howard University Professor of Medicine and prolific
contributor to medical journals. Often regarded
as the “philosopher of the founders,”
and a moving force in the Fraternity’s development,
he was the only one of the “Cornell Seven”
to become General President. Prior to moving to
Washington, D.C., he was a medical consultant to
the Veterans Hospital in Tuskegee, Alabama. Upon
his death in 1974, at age 87, the Fraternity entered
a time without any living Jewels. His papers were
donated to Howard’s Moorland-Spingarn Research
Center.
Charles
Henry Chapman entered higher education and
eventually became Professor of Agriculture at what
is now Florida A&M University. A university
funeral was held with considerable Fraternity participation
when he became the first Jewel to enter Omega Chapter
in 1934. Described as “a Brother beloved in
the bonds,” Chapman was a founder of FAMU’s
Beta Nu Chapter. During the organization stages
of Alpha Chapter, he was the first chairman of the
Committees on Initiation and Organization.
Eugene
Kinckle Jones became the first Executive
Secretary of the National Urban League. His 20-year
tenure with the Urban League thus far has exceeded
those of all his successors in office. A versatile
leader, he organized the first three Fraternity
chapters that branched out from Cornell—Beta
at Howard, Gamma at Virginia Union and the original
Delta at the University of Toronto in Canada. In
addition to becoming Alpha Chapter’s second
President and joining with Callis in creating the
Fraternity name, Jones was a member of the first
Committees on Constitution and Organization and
helped write the Fraternity ritual. Jones also has
the distinction of being one of the first initiates
as well as an original founder. His status as a
founder was not finally established until 1952.
He died in 1954.
George
Biddle Kelley became the first African American
engineer registered in the state of New York. Not
only was he the strongest proponent of the Fraternity
idea among the organization’s founders, the
civil engineering student also became Alpha Chapter’s
first President. In addition, he served on committees
that worked out the handshake and ritual. Kelley
was popular with the Brotherhood. He resided in
Troy, New York and was active with Beta Pi Lambda
Chapter in Albany. He died in 1963.
Nathaniel
Allison Murray pursued graduate work after
completing his undergraduate studies at Howard.
He later returned home to Washington, D.C., where
he taught in public schools. Much of his career
was spent at Armstrong Vocational High School in
the District of Columbia. He was a member of Alpha
Chapter’s first committee on organization of
the new fraternal group, as well as the Committee
on the Grip. The charter member of Washington’s
Mu Lambda Chapter was a frequent attendee of General
Conventions. He died in 1959.
Robert
Harold Ogle entered the career secretarial
field and had the unique privilege of serving as
a professional staff member to the United States
Senate Committee on Appropriations. He was an African
American pioneer in his Capitol Hill position. He
proposed the Fraternity’s colors and was Alpha
Chapter’s first secretary. Ogle joined Kelley
in working out the first ritual and later became
a charter member of Washington’s Mu Lambda
Chapter. He died in 1936.
Vertner
Woodson Tandy became the state of New York’s
first registered architect, with offices on Broadway
in New York City. The designer of the Fraternity
pin holds the distinction of being the first African
American to pass the military commissioning examination
and was commissioned First Lieutenant in the 15th
Infantry of the New York State National Guard. He
was Alpha Chapter’s first treasurer and took
the initiative to incorporate the Fraternity. Among
the buildings designed by the highly talented architect
is Saint Phillips Episcopal Church in New York City.
He died in 1949, at age 64.
