03/11/2025
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. is the first international fraternal organization founded on the campus of a
historically black college. The Fraternity was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in
Washington, D.C. The founders were three Howard University undergraduates, Edgar Amos Love, Oscar
James Cooper, and Frank Coleman. Joining them was their faculty adviser, Dr. Ernest Everett. From the
initials of the Greek phrase mean- ing, "friendship is essential to the soul," the name Omega Psi Phi was
derived. That phrase was selected as the motto. Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance, and Uplift were
adopted as Cardinal Principles. Today, Omega Psi Phi has over 700 chapters throughout the United
States, Bermuda, Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Korea, Japan, Liberia, Germany, China, and Kuwait.
The Delta Phi Chapter was chartered here in Topeka as the first chapter in the State of Kansas on May
14, 1925. Charter members included Dr. M. Bolton, Dr. Egester A.Woodward, Dr. S. Haggard, L.B. Drewy, B.
Ridley, A.I. Terrell, W.L. Johnson, M.L. Ross and W.A. Jones.
