Greetings Brothers,
The History and Archives Committee prays this season of thanksgiving and rededication has been enjoyable and uplifting.
Last week's Monday Pearl referenced the seminal moment that gave life to our beloved Omega as described in the Dreer. An excerpt from this passage reads as follows:
"They believed that college men united in this way, planning for each other and living for each other, had something to give mutually that the university could not give. The university might inspire them; but this.they believed only college youth could give to each other. Age, they knew, had a message for youth; but they believed also that youth had his own message for himself. Especially did they believe that Negro youth needed their idea."
In December 1945, at the 31st Grand Conclave in Washington, D.C., the Fraternity took steps to acknowledge that youth not only had a message for himself, but for the direction and future of Omega, as well. As reported in the December 1945 Oracle, then Vice Grand Basileus John H. Calhoun, Jr. proposed a national program to revitalize and bring direction to an Omega program that at the time was experiencing waning support from the members, including District and Chapter leadership. VGB Calhoun knew that the well of enthusiasm and progressive thinking capable of charting Omega's future relevancy would come from its youth. Accordingly, he challenged our young Brothers to get more involved and formally introduced the concept of the "Junior Vice-Grand Basileus" in his proposed national program. At the 31st Grand Conclave the Fraternity elected its first Second Vice Grand Basileus, Dexter Dillard Eure, a member of Theta Psi Chapter at West Virginia State College (see Oracle article attached).
Nine Brothers from the Third District have served as 2VGB, as follows:
6th: J. Heyward Harrison (Pi) 1953
7th: Howard C. Davis (Alpha) 1953-1954
11th: William T. Johnson (Nu Psi) 1957-1958
22nd: Christopher R.E.L. Dixon (Alpha) 1973-1974
24th: K. Earl Ferguson (Alpha) 1976-1977
30th: Alonzo L. Carter, Jr. (Gamma Epsilon) 1986-1990
33rd: Mark E. Jackson, Sr. (Delta Theta) 1994-1996
35th: Aaron E. Price (Omicron Gamma) 1998-2000
40th: Jamin A. Powell (Zeta) 2008-2010
Read More - First Second at 31 in 45
Make it a great week Brothers!
F.I.E.T.T.S.
3rd District History and Archives Committee
