
Alpha Phi Alpha (ΑΦΑ) was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and the founders are collectively known as the “Seven Jewels”. Alpha Phi Alpha is the first intercollegiate Greek-letter organization established by African Americans. It uses motifs and artifacts from Ancient Egypt to represent itself and its archives are preserved at the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center.
The fraternity expanded when additional chapters were chartered at Howard University and Virginia Union University in 1907. From 1908, Alpha Phi Alpha became the prototype for other Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs). The fraternity has over 185,000 members and has been open to men of all races since 1940. Today there are over 680 active chapters in the Americas, Africa, Europe, Caribbean, and Asia.
Alpha Phi Alpha evolved into a primarily service organization and provided leadership and service during the Great Depression, World Wars, and Civil Rights Movements, and addresses social issues such as apartheid, AIDS, urban housing, and other economic, cultural, and political issues affecting people of color. The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial and World Policy Council are programs of Alpha Phi Alpha, and it jointly leads philanthropic programming initiatives with March of Dimes, Head Start, Boy Scouts of America and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Members of Alpha Phi Alpha include Jamaican Prime Minister Norman Manley, Nobel Prize winner Martin Luther King, Jr., U.S. Vice President Hubert Humphrey, Olympian Jesse Owens, Justice Thurgood Marshall, United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young, and Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson. Numerous other American leaders are among the men who have adopted the fraternity’s principles—manly deeds, scholarship, and love for all mankind.
The Alumni Chapter is Delta Alpha Lambda and the Undergraduate Chapter is Pi (City-Wide), both located in Cleveland, Ohio.
The fraternity expanded when additional chapters were chartered at Howard University and Virginia Union University in 1907. From 1908, Alpha Phi Alpha became the prototype for other Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs). The fraternity has over 185,000 members and has been open to men of all races since 1940. Today there are over 680 active chapters in the Americas, Africa, Europe, Caribbean, and Asia.
Alpha Phi Alpha evolved into a primarily service organization and provided leadership and service during the Great Depression, World Wars, and Civil Rights Movements, and addresses social issues such as apartheid, AIDS, urban housing, and other economic, cultural, and political issues affecting people of color. The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial and World Policy Council are programs of Alpha Phi Alpha, and it jointly leads philanthropic programming initiatives with March of Dimes, Head Start, Boy Scouts of America and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Members of Alpha Phi Alpha include Jamaican Prime Minister Norman Manley, Nobel Prize winner Martin Luther King, Jr., U.S. Vice President Hubert Humphrey, Olympian Jesse Owens, Justice Thurgood Marshall, United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young, and Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson. Numerous other American leaders are among the men who have adopted the fraternity’s principles—manly deeds, scholarship, and love for all mankind.
The Alumni Chapter is Delta Alpha Lambda and the Undergraduate Chapter is Pi (City-Wide), both located in Cleveland, Ohio.

Kappa Alpha Psi (KAΨ) is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity’s founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin. The fraternity has over 150,000 members with 700 undergraduate and alumni chapters in every state of the United States, and international chapters in the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea, Japan, the Caribbean, Saint Thomas, Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Nigeria, and South Africa.
The president of the national fraternity is known as the Grand Polemarch, who assigns a Province Polemarch for each of the twelve provinces (districts/regions) of the nation. The fraternity has many notable members recognized as leaders in the arts, athletics, business, civil rights, education, government, and science sectors at the local, national and international level.[1] The Kappa Alpha Psi Journal is the official magazine of the fraternity since 1914. The Journal is published four times a year in February, April, October and December. Frank M. Summers was the magazine’s first editor and later on became the Fourteenth Grand Polemarch. The current editor of the magazine is Dr. Keflyn X. Reed.
Kappa Alpha Psi sponsors programs providing community service, social welfare and academic scholarship through the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation and is a supporter of the United Negro College Fund and Habitat for Humanity. Kappa Alpha Psi is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC). The fraternity is the first predominantly African American Greek-letter society founded west of the Appalachian Mountains still in existence, and is known for its “cane stepping” in NPHC organized step shows.
There is the Cleveland Alumni Chapter and Alpha Omega undergraduate chapter, located at Cleveland State University.
The president of the national fraternity is known as the Grand Polemarch, who assigns a Province Polemarch for each of the twelve provinces (districts/regions) of the nation. The fraternity has many notable members recognized as leaders in the arts, athletics, business, civil rights, education, government, and science sectors at the local, national and international level.[1] The Kappa Alpha Psi Journal is the official magazine of the fraternity since 1914. The Journal is published four times a year in February, April, October and December. Frank M. Summers was the magazine’s first editor and later on became the Fourteenth Grand Polemarch. The current editor of the magazine is Dr. Keflyn X. Reed.
Kappa Alpha Psi sponsors programs providing community service, social welfare and academic scholarship through the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation and is a supporter of the United Negro College Fund and Habitat for Humanity. Kappa Alpha Psi is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC). The fraternity is the first predominantly African American Greek-letter society founded west of the Appalachian Mountains still in existence, and is known for its “cane stepping” in NPHC organized step shows.
There is the Cleveland Alumni Chapter and Alpha Omega undergraduate chapter, located at Cleveland State University.

Omega Psi Phi (ΩΨΦ) is a fraternity and is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Omega Psi Phi was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. The founders were three Howard University juniors, Edgar Amos Love, Oscar James Cooper and Frank Coleman, and their faculty adviser, Dr. Ernest Everett Just. Each of the founders graduated and went on to have distinguished careers in their chosen fields: Bishop Edgar Amos Love became Bishop of the United Methodist Church; Dr. Oscar James Cooper became a prominent physician, who practiced in Philadelphia for over 50 years; Professor Frank Coleman became the Chairman of the Department of Physics at Howard University for many years; and Dr. Ernest E. Just became a world-renowned biologist.
On November 23, 1911 in Thirkield Hall, Love became the first Grand Basileus (National President). Cooper and Coleman were selected to be the Grandkeeper of the Records (National Secretary) and Grandkeeper of Seals (National Treasurer), respectively. Eleven Howard University undergraduate men were selected to be the charter members.
The fraternity has worked to build a strong and effective force of men dedicated to its Cardinal Principles of manhood, scholarship, perseverance, and uplift. In 1927, at the urging of fraternity member Carter G. Woodson, the fraternity made National Negro Achievement Week an annual observance and it continues today as Black History Month.
Since 1945, the fraternity has undertaken a National Social Action Program to meet the needs of African Americans in the areas of health, housing, civil rights, and education. Omega Psi Phi has been a patron of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) since 1955, providing an annual gift of $50,000 to the program.
The Graduate Chapters located in Cleveland, Ohio are Zeta Omega and Zeta Kappa Kappa.
On November 23, 1911 in Thirkield Hall, Love became the first Grand Basileus (National President). Cooper and Coleman were selected to be the Grandkeeper of the Records (National Secretary) and Grandkeeper of Seals (National Treasurer), respectively. Eleven Howard University undergraduate men were selected to be the charter members.
The fraternity has worked to build a strong and effective force of men dedicated to its Cardinal Principles of manhood, scholarship, perseverance, and uplift. In 1927, at the urging of fraternity member Carter G. Woodson, the fraternity made National Negro Achievement Week an annual observance and it continues today as Black History Month.
Since 1945, the fraternity has undertaken a National Social Action Program to meet the needs of African Americans in the areas of health, housing, civil rights, and education. Omega Psi Phi has been a patron of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) since 1955, providing an annual gift of $50,000 to the program.
The Graduate Chapters located in Cleveland, Ohio are Zeta Omega and Zeta Kappa Kappa.
Zeta Omega Chapter

Phi Beta Sigma (ΦΒΣ) is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914. by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I. Brown, wanted to organize a Greek letter fraternity that would exemplify the ideals of brotherhood, scholarship, and service. The fraternity is the only one of its kind to aid in the creation and hold a constitutional bond with a predominantly African-American sorority, Zeta Phi Beta (ΖΦΒ). The fraternity was incorporated on January 31, 1920 in Washington D.C.
The fraternity expanded when second and third chapters were chartered at Wiley College and Morgan State College in 1915. Today, the fraternity serves through a membership of more than 150,000 men in over 650 chapters in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. Although Phi Beta Sigma is considered a predominantly African-American Fraternity, membership also consists of College-educated men of African, Caucasian, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian descent. Men may join through collegiate chapters at a college or university, or through a graduate chapter with at least 2 years undergraduate.
Since the fraternity’s establishment over ninety six years ago, Phi Beta Sigma has helped to improve the general welfare of African Americans, and provided leadership and service during the Great Depression, World Wars I & II, the Civil Rights Movements, and created service initiatives relating to Business, Economic Empowerment, Education, Political Awareness, and Health. Phi Beta Sigma is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). The current International President is Jimmy Hammock, and the fraternity’s headquarters are located at 145 Kennedy Street, NW Washington, D.C.
The Graduate Chapter is Gamma Alpha Sigma.
The fraternity expanded when second and third chapters were chartered at Wiley College and Morgan State College in 1915. Today, the fraternity serves through a membership of more than 150,000 men in over 650 chapters in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. Although Phi Beta Sigma is considered a predominantly African-American Fraternity, membership also consists of College-educated men of African, Caucasian, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian descent. Men may join through collegiate chapters at a college or university, or through a graduate chapter with at least 2 years undergraduate.
Since the fraternity’s establishment over ninety six years ago, Phi Beta Sigma has helped to improve the general welfare of African Americans, and provided leadership and service during the Great Depression, World Wars I & II, the Civil Rights Movements, and created service initiatives relating to Business, Economic Empowerment, Education, Political Awareness, and Health. Phi Beta Sigma is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). The current International President is Jimmy Hammock, and the fraternity’s headquarters are located at 145 Kennedy Street, NW Washington, D.C.
The Graduate Chapter is Gamma Alpha Sigma.

Iota Phi Theta Fraternity (ΙΦΘ) is a nationally incorporated, predominantly African-American fraternity. Founded on September 19, 1963 at Morgan State College (now Morgan State University), in Baltimore, Maryland, it presently consists of over 35,000 members. There are currently around 300 undergraduate and alumni chapters in what is now the nation’s fifth largest, predominately African-American social service fraternity.
The Honorable founders of Iota Phi Theta® were: Albert Hicks, Lonnie Spruill, Jr., Charles Briscoe, Frank Coakley, John Slade, Barron Willis, Webster Lewis, Charles Brown, Louis Hudnell, Charles Gregory, Elias Dorsey, Jr., and Michael Williams. Based upon their ages, heightened responsibilities, and increased level of maturity, this group had a slightly different perspective than the norm for college students. It was this perspective from which they established the Fraternity’s purpose, “The development and perpetuation of Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship, Fidelity, and Brotherhood among Men.” Additionally, they conceived the Fraternity’s motto, “Building a Tradition, Not Resting Upon One!”
Today, Iota Phi Theta® consists of over 250 chapters located in 40 States, the District of Columbia and the Republic of Korea. The scope of the organization extends throughout the nation, from California to New York; from Wyoming to Florida; and from Wisconsin to The Bahamas Islands.
As Iota Phi Theta continues to grow and strengthen, so will its commitment to make meaningful contributions to society in general, with particular emphasis in the African-American community. Throughout America, Iota Phi Theta ® has come to represent excellence in all areas. The Fraternity is, and shall forever remain dedicated to its founders’ vision of “Building a Tradition, Not Resting Upon One!”
The Cleveland Alumni Chapter, Beta Lambda Omega, of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. received official designation at the 2009 Miami, Florida Conclave. The Chapter consists of more than 30 brothers from various professions including accountants, lawyers, doctors, and recent college graduates.
The undergraduate chapter is Delta Tau at Cleveland State University.
The Honorable founders of Iota Phi Theta® were: Albert Hicks, Lonnie Spruill, Jr., Charles Briscoe, Frank Coakley, John Slade, Barron Willis, Webster Lewis, Charles Brown, Louis Hudnell, Charles Gregory, Elias Dorsey, Jr., and Michael Williams. Based upon their ages, heightened responsibilities, and increased level of maturity, this group had a slightly different perspective than the norm for college students. It was this perspective from which they established the Fraternity’s purpose, “The development and perpetuation of Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship, Fidelity, and Brotherhood among Men.” Additionally, they conceived the Fraternity’s motto, “Building a Tradition, Not Resting Upon One!”
Today, Iota Phi Theta® consists of over 250 chapters located in 40 States, the District of Columbia and the Republic of Korea. The scope of the organization extends throughout the nation, from California to New York; from Wyoming to Florida; and from Wisconsin to The Bahamas Islands.
As Iota Phi Theta continues to grow and strengthen, so will its commitment to make meaningful contributions to society in general, with particular emphasis in the African-American community. Throughout America, Iota Phi Theta ® has come to represent excellence in all areas. The Fraternity is, and shall forever remain dedicated to its founders’ vision of “Building a Tradition, Not Resting Upon One!”
The Cleveland Alumni Chapter, Beta Lambda Omega, of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. received official designation at the 2009 Miami, Florida Conclave. The Chapter consists of more than 30 brothers from various professions including accountants, lawyers, doctors, and recent college graduates.
The undergraduate chapter is Delta Tau at Cleveland State University.