Ten fast facts about Omega Psi Phi Fraternity

  1. Omega Psi Phi was the first black Greek fraternity to be founded on the campus of a historically black college or university. It is also the only black Greek organization whose name is derived from an actual Greek phrase - "Friendship is Essential to the Soul."
  2. During the onset of World War I, Omega men met with President Woodrow Wilson regarding the need for officer training for African-Americans, which resulted in the eventual creation of the military officer training facility located in Des Moines, Iowa.
  3. Carter G. Woodson inspired the establishment of National Achievement Week to promote the study of Negro life and history.
  4. Omega Psi Phi is one of five founding members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council with Grand Basileus Matthew W. Bullock elected as its first permanent chairman.
  5. Omega men trained as Army pilots at Tuskegee Air Field during World War II; and their honorable service and sacrifice created a rich legacy celebrated worldwide.
  6. Omega men served as senior leaders of the NAACP including Roy Wilkins and Benjamin Hooks; the Urban League (Vernon Jordan); and played vital roles in the civil rights movement (Z. Alexander Lobby, Spottswood Robinson, Grant Reynolds, Oliver Hill, and Wiley Branton).
  7. L. Douglas Wilder became Virginia's 66th  governor and became the first elected African American governor in United States history following Reconstruction.
  8. Astronauts: Robert Lawrence, Ronald McNair, Fred Drew Gregory, and Charles Bolden, became the first African-American men to lead the NASA organization.
  9. Congressman James Clyburn served as House Majority Whip, the third highest member of the Democratic Caucus from 2007 to 2011
  10. Omega Psi Phi is the first black Greek organization to charter an undergraduate chapter in Great Britain.