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Home: History: The Eighties

In 1981, the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity endowed its first Omega Faculty Chair. Rust College, Holly Springs, Mississippi, was the recipient. President W.A. McMillan stated that the Chair would be used to promote the humanities.

The fraternity completed its 250,000 dollars contribution to the United Negro College Fund, an organization under the direction of Christopher Edley, and approved a plan to continues the annual gift of 50,000 dollars to that organization.

The fraternity accelerated its financial support to the National Urban League. Mr. John Jacobs, Executive Director of the Urban League, participated in Grand Conclaves on a regular basis.

The fraternity increased its support to the NAACP. Many chapters completed their Life Membership payments and started payments on their Golden Life Heritage Memberships. Ben Hooks, Executive Director of the NAACP, became a fixture at Grand Conclaves.

Jesse Jackson, former president of Operation PUSH and founder of the Rainbow Coalition, attended Grand Conclaves on a regular basis and received support for these organizations as well as for his 1984 campaign for the presidency of the United States.

The Seventy-fifth Anniversary Grand Conclave celebration was deemed the single most significant event on Omega's horizon. The dates selected were July 25th - August 1, 1986 in Washington, D.C., the city of Omega's birth. It was the largest Conclave ever.

Grand Basileus Moses C. Norman, Sr., electred at the 1984 Louisville Grand Conclave, appointed a committee to review the structure and operations of the fraternity as a means of future focus. In 1984, John S. Epps was selected as only the fifth Omega man to wear the title of Executive Secretary.

A new method of bringing members into the fraternity was approved by the organization. Pledging was abolished and the new Membership Selection and Education Program came into being on August 1, 1985.

Initial plans were begun for the writing of an updated history of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. H. Carl Moultrie, I, Executive Secretary Emeritus and Ronald E. McNair, noted Astronaut, entered Omega Chapter.

Omega continued to flourish, largely because Founders Love, Cooper, Coleman and Just were men of the very highest ideals and intellect. The Founders selected and attracted men of similar ideals and characteristics.

It is not by accident that many of America's great black men are were Omega men. To this date, there are very few Americans whose lives have not been touched by a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

Omega has a very rich heritage to be protected, celebrated and enhanced.

 
     
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