On Friday evening, November 17, 1911, three Howard University undergraduate students, with the assistance of their faculty adviser, gave birth to the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. This event occurred in the office of biology Professor Ernest E. Just, the faculty adviser, in the Science Hall (now known as Thirkield Hall). The three liberal arts students were Edgar A. Love, Oscar J. Cooper and Frank Coleman.

From the initials of the Greek phrase meaning "friendship is essential to the soul," the name Omega Psi Phi was derived. The phrase was selected as the motto. Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift were adopted as cardinal principles. A decision was made regarding the design for the pin and emblem, and thus ended the first meeting of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Eleven Howard University undergraduate men were selected as charter members.

Alpha Chapter was organized with fourteen charter members on December 15, 1911. Love, Cooper and Coleman were elected the chapter's first Basileus, Keeper of Records, and Keeper of

On March 8, 1912, the previously submitted fraternity constitution was rejected by the Howard University Faculty Council. The Faculty Council proposed to accept the fraternity as a local but not a national organization. The fraternity refused acceptance

Oscar Cooper became the fraternity's second Grand Basileus in 1912. Cooper authorized the investigation of a proposed second chapter at Lincoln University, Pennsylvania. Howard University withdrew its opposition, and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity was incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia on October 28, 1914. Beta Chapter at Lincoln University was chartered in February,

George E. Hall, the fourth Grand Basileus, had been initiated at Alpha Chapter in 1914, and helped to organize Gamma Chapter in Boston, Massachusetts. However, the chapter was eventually established during the administration of the fifth Grand Basileus. During the administration of the sixth Grand Basileus, the fraternity's first official hymn, "Omega Men Draw Nigh", was written.

STATEMENT OF POSITION AGAINST CANINE REFERENCE

WHEREAS, the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity is an organization of college-trained men.

WHEREAS, the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity has always sought, and continues to seek, men of similar high ideals of manhood, scholarship, perseverance and uplift to be members of the organization.

WHEREAS, the Cardinal Principles of Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift are deemed, in and of themselves, to be adequate symbolism's and representations for the organization and its members, now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. expressly denounces and vehemently opposes the use of any canine (dog) representation associated with the organization's name, symbols, or crest (escutcheon)

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,, that the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. forbids admission to any of its programs and events, or to the program or events of any of its chapters, to any person who wears paraphernalia which might depict association of a canine reference with the organization.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,, that the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., considers any person who wears Omega paraphernalia with a canine reference to be in violation of Fraternity policy