100 YEARS
THE OMICRON CHAPTER CENTENNIAL
R
tan area. As its achievements multiplied, so did its fame. As its membership grew, so did its long list of prominent and famous men in our society. O micron was the fraternity’s first chapter chartered in New York City. Not thought of as a “typi- cal college town” due to its reputation as ‘The Big Apple’ with its skyscrapers, commerce, and tourism, New York City and the surrounding metropolitan area has more than 200 public and private colleges and universities, making it the second greatest concentration of colleges and universities in the United States. In addition to Columbia Univer- sity, Omicron drew membership from several of the four-year colleges and universities in the metropolitan area: from Iona College in New Rochelle, NY in the north, to Brooklyn College in the south, to Hofstra University in the east, to Wagner College in the west, and other colleges and universities in between, including City College of New York (C.C.N.Y.), New York Univer- sity, St. John’s University, Long Island University, Pace University, and Queens College. With its numerous colleges and universities in the area and few young black men on any one campus, Omicron historically had intake lines of initiates comprised of members attend- ing different schools. Most Omicron members have lived at home and commute to campus. However, the general lack of dormitory life is somewhat compensated by the extraordinary entertainment, sports, and arts venues and activities available in what some call “The Greatest City in the World.” During the 1960s, some individual Omicron members attended the March on Washington 1963. Some participated in on-campus student protests, rallies, and marches for black faculty members, Black Studies courses, and other issues. Some Omicron members were engaged in a voter registration campaign in the summer of 1964 when the Harlem Ri- Kappa College Life in the Big Apple
Omicron Chapter members with Kappa Sweetheart, Dawn Simons, 1965 on Kastle Steps.
ots, aka “Urban Rebellion,” broke out.
joy of the Omicron Chapter. Omi- cron’s Kourt was comprised of young ladies who lived in the New York City metropolitan area. Many were college students. For many years, the signature event of the school year was the Kappa Koronation Ball, at which a Kappa Sweetheart Queen and two runners-up were crowned. Past Grand Chapter Officers from Omicron • Francis E. Corbie, Junior Grand Vice Polemarch (1926)
Omicron members who competed in collegiate track and field participated in track meets held at the famous Madison Square Garden each year before travel- ing to Philadelphia for the Penn Relays. O ne of the most popular out- ings of the Omicron Chapter was a summer outing at Jacob Riis Beach in Brooklyn with Omicron’s Kappa Kourt. Year over year, the Kappa Sweetheart Kourt was the pride and Omicron's Kappa Sweetheart Kourt
Omicron Brothers in front of Kappa Kastle, circa 1968.
12 | SPRING 2021 ♦ THE JOURNAL
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