Charter Members

Born in Barbados in 1882, was educated in the Caribbean before attending Meharry Medical College in Nashville, graduating top of his class in 1913. After a residency in Muskogee, Oklahoma—where he faced Jim Crow discrimination—he helped found the Xi Omega Chapter in 1923. Persuaded by Brother Carter Wesley, Forde moved to Houston, where he became one of the first physicians at the Houston Negro Hospital (opened 1927) and later worked at Elizabeth’s Hospital.

Graduated top of his class from Fisk University in 1917, where he captained the 1916 championship football team. Initiated at Camp Des Moines that August, he was commissioned 1st Lieutenant and served in France for eleven months. After the war, he earned his JD from Northwestern University in 1922—the school’s only Black graduate at the time. Co-founded and became the 1st Basileus of Sigma Chapter (later ΣΩ) in Chicago, then moved to Oklahoma to join the the law firm Saddler, Atkins, and Wesley.

From Fisk University in 1920, having been initiated at Camp Howard S.A.T.C. in 1918. He helped charter Delta Chapter in Nashville (1919) and later Chi Chapter at Yale (1921), where he earned his LL.B. in 1923. Chandler then practiced law in Oklahoma with Brothers Atkins and Wesley, co-founding Xi Omega Chapter in 1923. Appointed 13th District Representative in 1924, he later moved to Cleveland in 1925, joining Brother Charles White in law practice and becoming active with Zeta Omega Chapter.

Graduated from Claflin College and earned his M.D. from Boston University in 1913. Initiated at Camp Des Moines in 1917, he was commissioned as a Captain. He owned and operated the Hospital for the Negro Insane in Taft, Oklahoma, served as Grand Keeper of Seals (1921–22), and helped establish Xi Omega Chapter (1923) and Phi Psi Chapter (1933).

Graduated magna cum laude from Fisk University in 1919. Initiated at Camp Howard S.A.T.C. in 1918 and served as Keeper of Seals. Helped charter Delta Chapter in 1919 and later attended Yale Law School on scholarship, becoming the 1st Black member of the Yale Law Journal and the 1st to graduate with honors. Atkins co-founded Chi Chapter (1921) and was elected 9th Grand Basileus that same year. After joining the law firm Saddler, Atkins & Wesley in Oklahoma. Created the Talent Hunt program in 1945