Notable Omega Men Throughout History
CIVIL RIGHTS
• Bro. Grant Reynolds – Played a major role in President Truman’s 1948 decision to desegregate the United States Armed Forces.
• Bro. James Nabrit – Former Dean of Howard University Law School and former president of Howard University. A leader in the training of the early Civil Rights lawyers.
• Bro. Wiley Branton – Attorney of the “Little Rock Nine” and former Dean of Howard University School of Law.
• Bro. Roy Wilkins – Long-time Executive Director of the NAACP.
• Bro. Benjamin Hooks – Succeeded Bro. Roy Wilkins as Executive Director of the NAACP, the most effective of all civil rights organizations.
BUSINESS
• Bro. Gillard S. Glover – President, Afro-American Life Insurance Company.
• Bro. James S. Avery – 28th Grand Basileus, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, an author of Others Thought I Could Lead, a fascinating story of a Black Man’s rise to leadership positions in education, the business world, in civic and fraternity life.
• Bro. Thurman McKenzie – Co-owner of M and M Products (Sta Soft Fro).
• Bro. Otis M. Smith – General Counsel, General Motors Corporation.
• Bro. Nathaniel Bronner – Co-owner of Bronner Brothers Beauty Supplies.
• Bro. Jesse Hill – President of Atlanta Life Insurance Company.
• Bro. William Kennedy III – President of North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company.
• Bro. Earl Graves, President and CEO of Black Enterprise Magazine.
MILITARY
• Bro. (Colonel, USA) Charles Young – (March 12, 1864 — 1922) A Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army and was the first African-American ever to obtain that rank. Young was born in Mayslick, Kentucky, and was the son of former slaves. While engaged in teaching, he succeeded in competing for an appointment as a cadet at West Point. Young graduated with his commission from West Point, the third black man to do so at that time. He was assigned to the Tenth and the Seventh Cavalry where he was promoted to first lieutenant. His subsequent service of 28 years was with black troops — the Twenty-fifth U.S. Infantry and the Ninth U.S. Cavalry. He died in 1922, while detailed in Nigeria. Colonel Young was given a hero’s burial in Arlington National Cemetery.
• Bro. (General) William “Kip” Ward – The active military’s only black four-star general commands the Pentagon’s new Africa Command. Ward leads a sprawling new command, which works with African countries to strengthen governments and their militaries and make the nations less vulnerable to terrorist activities. Ward graduated from Morgan State University’s ROTC program and joined the military in 1971. He received his bachelor’s degree from Morgan State, and his master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University. Ward has held a number of overseas and staff posts, and served as commander of the 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division in Somalia. He later was the commander of the stabilization force in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2000. He became the fifth black to be promoted to the rank of general in the Army when he received his fourth star in May 2006.
• Bro. (Major General, USA Ret.) Mathew A. Zimmerman – Major General Matthew A. Zimmerman was a chaplain in the United States Army. He was the first African-American Chief of the United States Army Chaplain Corps.
• Bro. Major General Wallace C. Arnold, USA Ret., has been successful in numerous roles. He has gained years of professional experience, earned numerous awards and affiliations through service in the United States Army, the private sector and higher education. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Campbell University. MG Arnold continues to contribute to his community and country in various capacities by serving on many non-profit and corporate boards and as a leader in his church. He recently completed a tenure as Interim President, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania.
• Bro. (Major General, USA) Abraham Turner – Active duty in the United States Army and serving in Fort Monroe, Virginia. In 1976, he graduated from South Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science in Music. He also earned a Master’s Degree in public administration from Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. Turner commanded the nation’s largest initial entry training post, Fort Jackson in South Carolina, where an average of over 40,000 soldiers per year are trained for the Army.
• Bro. (Major General, USA ret) James Monroe, Commanded the Army Industrial Operations Command. His assignments have included a key logistics role in preparation for Desert Shield/Desert Storm as Deputy Chief of Staff, US Army Central Command. Monroe is a graduate of West Virginia State University. Major General Monroe was Chief of Ordnance, 1994-1995, before becoming IOC commander in 1995.
• Bro. (Major General, USA ret) William Russ, was vice president of Raytheon’s intelligence and information systems operations in Washington. Russ lead telecommunications policy, planning and technology programs. In the military Russ served as the commanding general of the Army Communications-Electronics Command in Fort Monmouth, N.J., and led worldwide lifecycle support for Army C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) systems.
• Bro. (Major General, USMC ret.) Charles Bolden – A retired U.S. Marine Corps officer who served from 1981 to 1994 as an astronaut in the United States’ space program. A 1968 graduate of the United States Naval Academy (USNA), he became a Marine Aviator and test pilot. After his service with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, he became Deputy Commandant of Midshipmen at the USNA. Bolden is the virtual host of the Shuttle Launch Experience attraction at Kennedy Space Center.
POLITICS
• Bro. Lawrence Douglas Wilder – Became Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1990. He also received the Bronze Star for his military heroics in the Korean War.
• Bro. William Hastie – First Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Bro. George L.P. Weaver – Former U.S. Secretary of Labor.
• Bro. Vernon Jordan – A lawyer and business executive. He served as a close adviser to President Bill Clinton and has become known as an influential figure in American politics.
• Bro. Robert C. Weaver – First African American to serve on the Presidential Cabinet when he became Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in 1966 under President Lyndon B. Johnson.
• Bro. Clifford L. Alexander, Jr. – Former Secretary, Department of the Army.
• Bro. Rev. Jesse Jackson – Candidate for the United States Presidency in 1984 and 1988.
SCIENCE
• Bro. Dr. Ernest Everett Just – Internationally known biologist and professor at Howard University.
• Bro. Dr. Charles R. Drew – Perfected the use of blood plasma; Professor of Surgery at Howard University.
• Bro. Percy Julian – Discovered the use of foam to extinguish fires and discovered a method of producing cortisone synthetically.
• Bro. Dr. Fred Drew Gregory – Astronaut, graduate of the United States Air Force Academy (pilot).
• Bro. Dr. Ronald E. McNair – Astronaut, graduate of M.I.T., Ph.D. in Physics (civilian). Dr. McNair died on January 28, 1986 when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded after launch from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
THE ARTS
• Bro. William “Count” Basie – Internationally known pianist, composer, arranger, and band leader.
• Bro. Sterling Brown – Teacher, poet, writer, Professor Emeritus of Literature at Howard University, has a special foundation for folk culture and jazz music.
• Bro. Tom Joyner – Syndicated columnist and radio personality.
• Bro. Joe Torry – Comedian, actor.
• Bro. Ricky Smiley – Comedian, actor.
• Bro. Steve Harvey – Comedian, actor.
ATHLETICS
• Bro. De Hart Hubbart – A University of Michigan sprinter; was the first Black person to represent the United States in the Olympic Games (1924).
• Bro. Ed “Too Tall” Jones – Outstanding player formerly with the Dallas Cowboys
• Bro. Joe Black – An all-time great Brooklyn Dodger baseball pitcher. In 1952, he had the lowest earned-run average in the Major Leagues.
• Bro. Charlie Ward – Heisman Trophy winner and former NY Knicks guard.
• Bro. Steve “Air” McNair – Outstanding quarterback who played with the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens.
• Bro. Shaquille O’Neal – Star NBA center formerly with the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, and currently playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
• Bro. Jerry Ball – Player with the Oakland Raiders.
• Bro. Cedric Maxwell – Outstanding professional basketball player with the Boston Celtics and other teams.
• Bro. Leroy Walker – A U.S. Olympic coach (sprinters) for many years.
• Bro. John Salley – Won NBA Championships with the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls.
• Bro. Keith Jackson – Outstanding football player with the Miami Dolphins.
• Bro. Mark Duper – Another fantastic Miami Dolphins player.
• Bro. William Floyd – Fullback for the Charlotte Panthers.
EDUCATION
• Bro. Benjamin E. Mays – President Emeritus of Morehouse College, writer and lecturer.
• Bro. Herman Dreer – Teacher, minister, writer, and author of The History of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., 1911-1961.