History • Rho Xi Lambda Chapter

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Canton, Mississippi

The Foundation & History of Rho Xi Lambda

Like other organizations before it, Rho Xi Lambda began as an idea, and moved through development, and fruition. Brother Kelsey Rushing, at the time a lawyer at Ferr Smith and Associates located in Canton, MS, shared his idea of starting a chapter of Alpha in Canton with several other Brothers: Kevin Gilbert, Terry Saul, Robert Johnson, and Curtis Robinson. In 2000, these five brothers set out on a journey to bring a chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha to the Madison County area. Not having the necessary number of seven at the time, these brothers established a service organization known as the Men of Distinction of Madison County, which operated community service projects throughout Canton. The group met at Mt. Levi Full Gospel Baptist Church, where Brother Johnson serves as Deacon. Eventually, Brothers Reuben Myers, Ronald Green, Dr. Larry Day, and Stan Beasley joined the group and the idea of a chapter began to move closer to fruition.

With community service as its primary purpose, Men of Distinction continued its hard work throughout the community, and the group became larger. Brothers Mark Henderson, Edderick Cole, Ramel Cotton, and Dr. Percy Anderson, Jr. signed on board, and the time was right to apply for a chapter with the national organization. On October 7, 2004, fruition was complete. The national board of directors of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated approved the establishment of the Rho Xi Lambda Chapter in Canton, MS. On November 5, 2005, Brothers Wesley S. Prater, Tony Davenport, Jamaal Holloway, and Gary Mitchell, Jr. joined the light of Alpha as the first initiates of Rho Xi Lambda. Since the official notification, the chapter has grown from thirteen to twenty-two after six Intake Processes where new members have been inducted into the chapter.

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Cornell University, 1906

The Foundation & History of Alpha Phi Alpha

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter Fraternity established for African-American men, was founded at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, by seven college men who recognized the need for a strong bond of brotherhood among African descendants in this country.

The Fraternity initially served as a study and support group for minority students who faced racial prejudice, both educationally and socially, at Cornell. The Jewel Founders and early leaders of the Fraternity succeeded in laying a firm foundation for Alpha Phi Alpha's principles of scholarship, fellowship, good character, and the uplifting of humanity.

Alpha Phi Alpha chapters were established at other colleges and universities, many of them historically black institutions, soon after the founding at Cornell. The first alumni chapter was established in 1911. While continuing to stress academic excellence among its members, Alpha also recognized the need to help correct African Americans' educational, economic, political, and social injustices. Alpha Phi Alpha has long stood at the forefront of the African-American community's fight for civil rights through leaders such as W.E.B. DuBois, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Edward Brooke, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Andrew Young, William Gray, Paul Robeson, and many others, and true to its form as the "first of firsts," Alpha Phi Alpha has been interracial since 1945.

Since its founding on December 4, 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has supplied voice and vision to the struggle of African Americans and people of color around the world.

The Seven Jewels

The Jewel Founders of Alpha Phi Alpha

The seven visionary founders, known as the "Jewels" of the fraternity, are Dr. Henry Arthur Callis, Charles Henry Chapman, Eugene Kinckle Jones, George Biddle Kelley, Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Harold Ogle, and Vertner Woodson Tandy.

Henry Arthur Callis

Callis became a practicing physician, a Howard University Professor of Medicine, and a prolific contributor to medical journals.

Often regarded as the "philosopher of the founders" and a moving force in the Fraternity's development, he was the only one of the "Cornell Seven" to become General President of the Fraternity. Prior to moving to Washington, D.C., he was a medical consultant to the Veterans Hospital in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Upon his death in 1974, at age 87, the Fraternity entered a time without any living Jewels. His papers were donated to Howard University's Moorland-Spingarn Research Center.

Charles Henry Chapman

Chapman entered higher education and eventually became Professor of Agriculture at what is now Florida A&M University. A university funeral was held with considerable fraternity participation when he became the first Jewel to enter Omega Chapter in 1934.

Described as "a brother beloved in the bonds," Chapman was a founder of Florida A&M University's Beta Nu Chapter. During the organizational stages of Alpha Chapter, he was the first chairman of the Committees on Initiation and Organization.

Eugene Kinckle Jones

Jones became the first Executive Secretary of the National Urban League. His 20-year tenure with the Urban League exceeded those of all his successors in office.

A versatile leader, he organized the first three fraternity chapters that branched out from Cornell—Beta at Howard, Gamma at Virginia Union University, and the original Delta at the University of Toronto in Canada.

In addition to becoming Alpha Chapter's second president and joining with Callis in creating the Fraternity's name, Jones was a member of the first Committees on Constitution and Organization and helped write the Fraternity Ritual.

Jones also has the distinction of being one of the first initiates as well as an original founder. His status as a founder was not finally established until 1952.

George Biddle Kelley

Kelley became the first African-American engineer registered in the state of New York. Not only was he the strongest proponent of the fraternity idea among the organization's founders, the civil engineering student also became Alpha Chapter's first president.

In addition, he served on committees that worked out the handshake and ritual. Kelley was popular with the brotherhood.

He resided in Troy, New York and was active with Beta Pi Lambda Chapter in Albany.

Nathaniel Allison Murray

Murray pursued graduate work after completing his undergraduate studies at Howard University. He later returned home to Washington, D.C., where he taught in public schools.

Much of his career was spent at Armstrong Vocational High School in the District of Columbia. He was a member of Alpha Chapter's first committee on organization of the new fraternal group, as well as the Committee on the Grip.

Murray was a charter member of Washington's Mu Lambda Chapter and was a frequent attendee of general conventions.

Robert Harold Ogle

Ogle entered the career secretarial field and had the unique privilege of serving as a professional staff member to the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations.

He was an African-American pioneer in his Capitol Hill position. He proposed the fraternity's colors and was Alpha Chapter's first secretary.

Ogle joined Kelley in working out the first ritual and later became a charter member of Washington D.C.'s Mu Lambda Chapter.

Vertner Woodson Tandy

Tandy became the state of New York's first registered black architect, with offices on Broadway in New York City.

Tandy was the designer of the Fraternity Pin, and holds the distinction of being the first African-American to pass the military commissioning examination, and was commissioned first lieutenant in the 15th Infantry of the New York State National Guard.

He was Alpha Chapter's first treasurer and took the initiative to incorporate the Fraternity. Among the buildings designed by the highly talented architect is Saint Phillips Episcopal Church in New York City.

411 E. State Street

The Home of Mrs. Annie C. Singleton

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Singleton at 411 E. State Street was one of several places African-American students lived while studying at Cornell in the teens and twenties. The Singletons rented rooms to both women and men. For many, 411 E. State Street offered a comfortable, home-like living arrangement.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Mrs. Singleton provided a safe and supportive space in her home for a literary club of seven Black male college students. The seven young men attended Cornell University and founded the nation's oldest intercollegiate African-American Greek-letter fraternity in 1906 in the Ithaca, New York home of Mr. Archie Singleton and his sociable wife Annie C. Singleton. Their home was located at the foot of the hill of the Cornell University campus.

This gathering was the genesis for the first intercollegiate African-American fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.

Carry it forward

The work continues in Canton.

Twenty years on, the chapter is still built by Brothers who show up. There is room for you in it.

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From an idea to the 668th House.