A Brief History of the Eighth District
The Beginning
Omega’s Eighth District had its beginning as the Third District. The Fraternity was originally divided into five districts in 1922, but rapid growth occurred and by 1928, nine districts were in place. The constitutional provision for the establishment of the several district conferences was provided under the leadership of Grand Basileus Julius McClain. Annual district conferences began in 1926. This enabled District Representatives to be elected and also made them constitutional officers of the Fratenity.
The first annual conference of the Eighth District was held in St. Paul, Minnesota, 28-30 May 1937 at the University of Minnesota. The Eighth District emerged with the states of Missouri, Kansas, Colorado and Minnesota in 1933. In 1935, Illinois was added.
The Eighth District Grows
Our national history discloses the following about the evolution of the Eighth District: In 1939 the Eighth District included Missouri, Kentucky, Kansas, Colorado and Minnesota. The District Representative was Brother Ulysses S. Donaldson, St. Louis, Missouri. In 1945, the Fraternity was redistricted to provide for 12 districts. The Eighth District consisted of Missouri and Kansas. In 1947 the Fraternity redistricted again and Arkansas was added. The configuration would exist until 1957 when the Eleventh District was eliminated, adding the states of Colorado, Nebraska and Iowa to the Eighth District. Arkansas was moved to the Ninth District at this time. In 1964, the state of New Mexico was added to the Eighth District, thus the present configuration: Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, South Dakota and North Dakota.
Eighth District Representatives
(1949-Present)
Elza H. Hunter, Tau Phi Chapter, Pine Bluff, AR, 1949-1951
James Harris, Tau Phi Chapter, Pine Bluff, AR, 1951-1954
H. Monroe Purnell, Eta Alpha Chapter, Jefferson City, MO 1955-1957
Curtis Crawford, Upsilon Omega Chapter, St Louis, MO 1957-1959
H. Monroe Purnell, Eta Alpha Chapter, Jefferson City, MO 1959-1960
Harvey V. McDaniels, Chi Phi Chapter, Denver, CO 1960-1965
Alonzo Brown, Eta Alpha Chapter, Jefferson City, MO 1965-1967
Edgar A. Burnett*, Upsilon Omega Chapter, St Louis, MO 1967-1974
William A. Bowers*, Chi Phi Chapter, Denver, CO 1974-1976
Lynn Beckwith*, Upsilon Omega Chapter, St Louis, MO 1976-1978
George I. Williams*, Nu Rho Chapter, Albuquerque, NM 1978-1979
Charles Shelton*, Upsilon Omega Chapter, St Louis, MO 1979-1982
Jesse High, Beta Omega Chapter, Kansas City, MO 1982-1985
Lloyd Jordan*, Upsilon Omega Chapter, St Louis, MO 1985-1988
Mandrid Williams*, Beta Omega Chapter, Kansas City, MO 1988-1991
Doug Williams*, Upsilon Omega Chapter, St Louis, MO 1991-1992
Ken Carson*, Nu Rho Chapter, Albuquerque, NM 1992-1994
Delvert T. Neal*, Chi Phi Chapter, Denver, CO 1994-1996
Robert L. Robinson*, Eta Alpha Chapter, Jefferson City, MO 1996-1998
Melvin L. Jenkins*, Beta Omega Chapter, Kansas City, MO 1998-2001
Kenneth Patterson*, Upsilon Omega Chapter, St Louis, MO 2001-present
* indicates "still living"
This information provided through the assistance of
Brother Lucius Jones, Eta Alpha Chapter, Jefferson City, Missouri,
supplemented by information provided by Brother Lynn Beckwith,
Upsilon Omega Chapter, St Louis, Missouri.
Additional thanks go to Brother George I. Williams for assistance with
the history from 1967-1974.
Email: bomega54@prodigy.net
