Greetings Brothers,
Twin brothers and Omega Men, Doctors Frank Royal and Harry Royal, have made history in Richmond, Virginia, and the nation. The Brothers Royal were initiated into the Zeta Chapter at Virginia Union University in 1958 and have served Omega (as longtime members of Phi Phi Chapter and Gamma Omega Chapter) and the communities in which they have lived for over 60 years.
The Royal brothers spent their early years in Lynchburg, Virginia and after graduation matriculated to Virginia Union University. Following graduation from Virginia Union, the brothers attended and graduated from the Meharry Medical College in 1968, co-founded the renewed and Black-staffed Richmond Community Hospital, and co-founded the Richmond Metropolitan Business Development Corporation.
Brother Frank Royal exhibited an affinity for leadership at an early age. While a member of Zeta Chapter, he served as the Chapter’s basileus. While still a medical student at Meharry in 1968, he was elected to serve as Omega’s 5th District Representative. After graduating from medical school, Brother Frank worked as an assistant clinical professor at Meharry. After returning to Richmond, he managed a successful Internal Medicine practice and served as Chairman, Board of Trustees for Virginia Union University for 30 years, during which time he also served as the Chairman of Meharry Medical College. Imbued with a peculiarly Omega sense of purpose, he also served the corporate boards of Hospital Corporation of America, SunTrust Bank, Smithfield Foods, Dominion Resources, and CSX Corporation.
Brother Harry Royal was an accomplished OB-Gyn who like his brother managed a successful medical practice. He also served on the corporate boards of Metropolitan Business Corporation, Metropolitan Junior Baseball League, Housing Opportunities Made Equal, and the Metro Richmond YWCA in Richmond, Virginia.
Together, the Royal Brothers changed the landscape of Black physicians’ role in the community by being a part of an exemplary group of doctors who built three medical buildings in one city—Richmond, Virginia.
In addition to being proud Omega Men, the Brothers Royal are unmistakably men of God. Please join us in recognizing them and thanking them both for their long legacy of service to the Fraternity and mankind.
Please check out the congratulatory piece on Brother Frank Royal that appeared in the Summer 1968 Oracle (attached) after being elected 5th District Representative at the young age of 28. We also found the following articles that appeared on the Richmond Free Press website in 2017 and 2018.
http://richmondfreepress.com/news/2017/feb/03/dr-frank-s-royal-steps-down-chair-meharry-medical-/
http://richmondfreepress.com/news/2020/aug/06/dr-frank-s-royal-honored-national-medical-associat/
Read More – FrankRoyal_Sum1968Oracle
Thank you once again for Walking the Ward with us.
Make it a great week Brothers. Be noble!
F.I.E.T.T.S.
3rd District History and Archives Committee
___________________________________
The Monday Pearl is provided by the Third District History and Archives Committee and is a weekly sharing of fraternity content, commentary, and research of historical value we hope Brothers will enjoy and from which Brothers will draw inspiration. Previous “Pearls” can be found at http://3rddistrictques.org/about-us/overview/monday-pearl/. The Committee encourages your feedback. Should you have reactions, comments, information, anecdotes, documents, and the like, related to any of the content we share, we’d very much like to hear from you. Please send all communication to 3dhistoryandarchives@gmail.com.
