The Birth of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Upstate South Carolina
The birth of Omega in the upstate of South Carolina began October 19, 1940 with the chartering of Phi Alpha chapter. The members of Phi Alpha also included Dr. W.H. “Bubba Young, the first African American Medical doctor in Anderson, SC. Bro. Dr. Young also served as the Sixth District Representative from 1953-1955.
The Birth of Kappa Gamma Gamma Chapter
Kappa Gamma Gamma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity was the idea of Brother Carey Ford, who set the wheels in motion for national and district recognition. Brother Ford and Brother Leroy Best, Jr. organized meetings at Southwood Junior High School where Brother Best was Principal. Through these meetings and correspondence with national and district representatives, it was determined that Anderson, South Carolina probably would not qualify for a charter because Phi Alpha Chapter had an Anderson mailing address and Anderson’s population could not adequately support two chapters.
Perseverance
It was later established that Phi Alpha chapter had a Greenville address, and an application for an Anderson chapter was submitted. In December of 1984, a charter was granted. The Anderson Brothers were officially notified of this action in September of 1985. By this time Brother Ford had left Anderson to attend Iowa State University.
Pre-Millennium
In its first year of operation, Kappa Gamma Gamma Chapter’s activities included raffling off a VCR and a trip to South Carolina State College’s Homecoming game, participating in the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade, and serving as consultants in the high schools and junior high schools during the Black History week observations.
On September 15, 1986, Kappa Gamma Gamma initiated the first members into the Lampados Club. They were Leonard Weir, George Stewart, Ronald Tally, and Lawrence Green. The concurrent four, line name for Kappa Gamma Gamma’s first Lamps crossed the “burning sands” on November 15, 1987. Brother Carl Jackson and Brother Jacob Teasdell became affiliated with Kappa Gamma Gamma’s Chapter in September and October 1986 respectively.
