On a cold, snowy night in Ithaca, New York at Cornell University, seven men decided to
create the first collegiate fraternity for African American men on December 4, 1906. These men are called "Jewels" by members of the fraternity. They are Henery Arthur Callis,
Charles Herny Chapman, Eugene Kinckle Jones, George Biddle Kelly, Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Harold Ogle, and Vertner Woodson Tandy.
These men originally came
together to form a social/literary society. They later realized that they wanted to form a closer bond in order to survive the unfriendly, hostile environment at Cornell.
Within ten years of the founding of the fraternity, chapters were established at some of America's most prestigious univerisities; Ohio State, the Univeristy of Pittsburg,
Temple, Harvard, Syracuse, and Yale.
The bright light of Alpha Phi Alpha arrived at the campus of the University of Southwestern University on May 5, 1968. The chartering
line was Matthew Augustine, Ronnell Badon, James Campbell Jr., Samuel Guillory, Edgar Jordan, Joseph Malbroue, Wilfred Pierre, and Steven Randall.
For the last thirty-four years, the Zeta Xi chapter has been active not only at this university but throughout Acadiana. Zeta Xi has maintained one of the highest grade point averages
on campus and is extremely devoted to academics. The first fican american SGA president and vice-president of UL-Lafayette, Robert Diggs and Malcolm Quillens, were members of Zeta Xi.
Zeta Xi is active throughout Lafayette and Acadiana. the chapter participates in monthly service projects building homes for low-income families in Lafayette with Habitat For Humanity.
Every spring, Zeta Xi and graduate chapters from Lafayette, Opelousas, and Saint Martinville paint homes for the Lafayette Housing Authority. The work of Zeta Xi is just limited to Lafayette
Parish but the entire region. The chapter, twice a year, does Project Alpha, a lock-in with young boys in which the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases and the responsiblities of fatherhood
are explained. Project Alpha is usually done with schools in Iberia and Saint Landry Parishes.
The chapter has been recognized for its restoration work the Holy Rosary Institute which
was one of the only Catholic high school/boarding schools for African American women in the early twentieth century. The chapter is recognized as the "Step Team of Year"by the Southwest Regional
vice-president and has won the chapter chapter of the year award for the State of Louisiana by the fraternity. The Zeta Xi chapter and the Lafayette Fire Department were awarded a grant for $500,000
to install fire extinguishers in 5,500 homes thrughout the City of Lafayette.
Matthew Augustine
Ronnell Badon
James Campbell Jr.
Samuel Guillory
Edgar Jordan
Joseph Malbroue
Wilfred Pierre
Steven Randall
Deceased
Omega Chapter
Pictures were courtesy of the 1968 L'Acadien Yearbook of the University of Louisiana.
