SR727: SR727 Eta Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; recognize

26 LC 129 1025 Senate Resolution 727 By: Senators Anderson of the 43rd, Mangham of the 55th, Wicks o f the 34th, Sims of the 12th, Harbison of the 15th and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing the Eta Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; and for other1 purposes.2 WHEREAS, the Eta Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc ., was founded in3 Atlanta, Georgia, on December 1, 1919, and was the first chapter of any Black Greek-letter4 organization to be founded and chartered in the State of Georgia; and 5 WHEREAS, Eta Omega, the seventh permanent chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.,6 was set up upon the initiative of Brother Harold H. Thomas of Beta Chapter, and Brothers7 Horace A. Hodges, Harvey Smith, Lawrence R. Harper, and Clinton E. Warner, Sr., of the8 Camp Howard Chapter, and aided by Brother Raymond G. Robinson, the Fraternity's seventh9 Grand Basileus; and10 WHEREAS, Eta Omega was comprised of Brothers upholding the principles of OMEGA at11 Atlanta University, Clark University, Morehouse College, Gammon Theological Seminary,12 and college graduates in the Atlanta area; and13 WHEREAS, Brothers from the institutions that made up Eta Omega eventually established14 their own chapters consisting of Omicron at Gammon Theological Seminary, Psi at15 S. R. 727 - 1 - 26 LC 129 1025 Morehouse College, Tau at Atlanta University, and Beta Psi at Clark University, leaving Eta16 Omega for graduates; and17 WHEREAS, under the leadership of Grand Basileus J. Alston Atkins from 1922 to 1923, the18 fraternity developed a new naming scheme for undergraduate and graduate chapters; thus,19 the original Eta Chapter has since been known as the Eta Omega Chapter; and20 WHEREAS, throughout its over 100 years of existence, Eta Omega has been at the forefront21 of Omega Psi Phi's efforts in Georgia, the Seventh District, and throughout the fraternity as22 a whole; and 23 WHEREAS, service, individually and collectively, has always bee n part of Eta Omega's24 makeup and in 1921, when Brother Carter G. Woodson asked his Omega Psi Phi Fraternity25 Brothers to help mount an ambitious week-long national campaign promoting the study of26 Negro literature and history, the men of this small 17-month ol d chapter responded by27 sponsoring a mass meeting which attracted more than two thousand people; and 28 WHEREAS, five years later, Brother Woodson established Negro History Week, now known29 as Black History Month; and30 WHEREAS, during World War II, Eta Omega Brothers served ably in the United States31 military, including participation in the D-Day Invasion at Normandy and in the 332nd Fighter32 Group known as the Tuskegee Airmen; and33 WHEREAS, in the postwar fight for racial equality, Eta Omega Brothers helped make the34 ballot box a weapon by mobilizing the Black vote through the Atlanta Negro Voters League;35 and 36 S. R. 727 - 2 - 26 LC 129 1025 WHEREAS, in the 1960s, Brother Clinton E. Warner, Jr., the name sake son of a chapter37 founder, challenged Jim Crow housing laws by integrating a Sout hwest Atlanta38 neighborhood, thus launching the modern Open Housing movement in the State of Georgia;39 and 40 WHEREAS, simultaneously, numerous brothers opened their wallets to bail Atlanta Student41 Movement protestors out of jail; and 42 WHEREAS, in the 1970s, Eta Omega men helped focus Black politic al power to produce43 Atlanta's first Black mayor and the deep south state's first Bl ack Congressman since44 Reconstruction; and 45 WHEREAS, as integration took hold, Brothers were in the forefro nt in the fields of46 education, law, business, and government; and47 WHEREAS, from the 1980s, through the 1990s, into the new millennium, and up to today,48 Eta Omega men have continually played active roles in Atlanta's progress, with individual49 Brothers and the Chapter itself being honored by groups includi ng the Atlanta Public50 Schools-Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Boy Scouts of America; and51 WHEREAS, the chapter has hosted or cohosted five Grand Conclaves as well as produced52 outstanding Fraternity leaders at the national, district, and s tate levels, including the 8th53 Grand Basileus, aforementioned Chapter founder Brother Harold H. Thomas, and the 33rd54 Grand Basileus, Brother Moses C. Norman; and55 WHEREAS, Eta Omega has regularly been recognized for its commun ity service and56 programs, including being named 2014 Region One Graduate Chapter of the Year by Omega57 S. R. 727 - 3 - 26 LC 129 1025 Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., State of Georgia and being cited by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro58 Atlanta for raising more than $2,700.00 dollars during a single fundraising event; and59 WHEREAS, under the strong leadership of Chapter Basileus, Kurt McDonald, the Eta60 Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., will continue to fulfill the founding61 fathers' motto of manhood, scholarship, perseverance, and uplift.62 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body63 recognize the Eta Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; commend the chapter's64 long history of public service; and extend best wishes for the organization's continued65 success.66 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed67 to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for di stribution to the Eta Omega68 Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.69 S. R. 727 - 4 -