After a long 20 years, Atlanta, Georgia’s Morris Brown College has welcomed back the Iota Chapter of the fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha.
In the Nov. 1 celebratory video on the HBCU Graduate YouTube channel (see below), hundreds of Morris Brown College students came out to see the new line sing their honorary song, stroll, and be welcomed back onto campus. Students cheered as the Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha members walked the campus in their iconic Black and Gold robes.
The chapter’s return has been long awaited and fought for. As reported in a Morris Brown press release, the university has finally received its full accreditation from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools just last year. The 141-year-old college has been pushing for this achievement for 20 years. Not only is it now allowed to participate in the Federal Financial Aid program, but it also made room to support Greek Life and call back prominent fraternity chapters to campus that were previously put on pause.
The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity dedicates itself to developing future leaders
by promoting brotherhood and emphasizing the importance of academic excellence. As the first intercollegiate Greek-letter organization founded for Black men in the United States, it began in December of 1906, with the Iota chapter coming on March 10, 1941, on the MBC campus.RELATED CONTENT: HBCU To The Rescue: Morris Brown College Extends A Lifeline To Displaced Students From Art Institute Of Atlanta
The original organization began as a study group, and the new Iota line at Morris Brown has upheld the academic streak. They bolster an average grade point average of 3.7 while conducting required community service and advocacy work.
The fraternity’s mission statement promises “to prepare them for the greatest usefulness in the causes of humanity, dignity and freedom of the individual; to encourage the highest and noblest form of manhood and; to aid downtrodden humanity in its efforts to achieve higher social, economic, and intellectual status.”
The current president of the Iota Chapter, Brother James A. Lowe, serves
under the principle that the basis of community outreach will be extended through time. By offering academic scholarships, the Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha is “committed to embodying the mission and vision of our revered fraternity.”RELATED CONTENT: Why The Letters Of The Divine Nine Are Exclusive To Its Members