PHOTO | TROY HULL

Omega Psi Phi, an international fraternity launched in 1911 at Howard University, will gather in Charlotte July 22-26 for its 83rd conclave.

The Omega Psi Phi conclave is more than parties and step shows.

The fraternity’s July 22-26 national convention in Charlotte will bring thousands of members of historically Black Greek-letter organizations who will fill hotel rooms and impact the local economy by leaving millions of dollars in city coffers. At its heart, though, is building community through service and economic uplift.

“When we left our campuses, it was already implanted in us that now’s the time to go to work,” said Bill Council, a UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus and an Omega for 46 years. “I think we can say that about all the Divine Nine (historically Black sororities and fraternities). We really don’t start work until we leave. The party element of it – you know the brothers are going to be brothers, the sorors are going to be sorors. That’s the one thing they have in common is showing their love and some can be kind of crazy, but you know, that’s who we are.”

Omega Psi Phi was the first international fraternal organization launched on the campus of a historically Black college when it was founded in 1911 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Undergraduate students Edgar Amos Love, Oscar James Cooper and Frank Coleman as well as faculty adviser Ernest Everett Just were founders. Eleven undergraduates were selected as charter members.

The fraternity has over 700 chapters throughout the U.S. and 13 countries on four continents, including Africa, Asia and Europe.

Jaylen Harrell, who joined the fraternity last spring as an undergraduate at UNC, is looking forward to his first conclave.

“I’m very excited, especially with just coming out” as a member, he said. “This is going to be a big event – a lot of Ques literally nationwide – and it’s in the Sixth District, which is our district. I’m looking forward to meeting people from other districts and represent the Sixth District well.”

Charlotte organizers are putting on final touches for the week of fraternity business, community outreach, and of course, entertainment.

“We’re basically in the execution phase now,” said Council, founder of Charlotte-based Image solutions and the conclave’s grand marshal. “Our planning, it’s been done and we’re ready to go. “We’re two weeks out, and we’re just ready to start implementing things.”

Nearly 7,000 members, or brothers, are registered for the conclave, which also draws members from other historically Black fraternities and sororities, which is expected to bring as many as 50,000 people to Charlotte.

“Well, right now we have around 6,900 brothers that are registered,” Council said, “but when we start talking about brothers … we’ll probably have maybe two to three times that number of brothers who [are] semi- or unaffiliated members of our fraternity but not active.

“You could probably talk about altogether somewhere in the 25,000 to 30,000 people fraternity-wise. And then you also have the people like the other Divine Nine folks come to town just to hang out with us.”

The conclave is part of a long-running effort by Charlotte hospitality leaders to expand outreach to multicultural events. Although the Omega convention is national in scope, Charlotte proximity to fraternity members – more than half of all Black Americans live in the South – was a selling point.

“We tried to get here in [2020],” Council said, “but that that effort failed, unfortunately. It came during a time of COVID. It was in Tampa and then we were given the next one for this year. We felt that Charlotte is located [where] probably 80% of our brothers can get here within an hour or so flight or two-hour flight. Most of the HBCUs are situated mostly in the southeast and mid-Atlantic area. Those areas are conducive to get people here real quickly in flight or even driving time.”

It also helped that Black business and political leaders went to bat to convince fraternity leaders to pick Charlotte as conclave host. It showed that Mecklenburg County’s reputation for inclusivity was displayed.

“I think one of the things that people were more impressed about when it came to Charlotte was the black folks in such leadership roles over here,” Council said. “When we did the site visit, Vi Lyles came out, and that was even before she was mayor and we got some of our brothers like Anthony Fox, the attorney, [Charlotte Hornets CEO] Fred Whitfield and some of the other more prominent people in Charlotte came out to assist us in bringing this event. It was all hands on deck from a Charlotte standpoint.”
Among the events:

• July 21 broadcast of “The Rickey Smiley Show” from the Convention Center

• July 22 job fair at the Convention Center with representatives from major corporations like Boeing, Atrium Health and Mass Mutual on hand.

• A racial equity forum July 22 from 1-3 p.m. with actor and Howard University graduate Anthony Anderson moderating. Panelists include national NAACP President Derrick Johnson, civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump and comic/pundit D.L. Hughley.

• Ques in the Park Black Business and Wellness Expo, a July 23 showcase at Marshall Park where entrepreneurs can set up a table and make elevator pitches on stage to solicit customers.

“It’s an opportunity for Black-owned business – hopefully startups – and people who are just starting out to come out and showcase their business,” Council said. “Whether it’s a boutique to sell clothes or an insurance agent or real estate agent or broker, attorney or whoever has a Black-owned business in Charlotte who wants to find new customers.”

In addition to the business showcase is a gathering of Black-owned food trucks as part of the organizers’ effort to promote the Black business community.

“It’s important to us that we have enough space for 14 food trucks to come down here and sell their food and feed our brothers,” Council said. “How many black restaurants we have downtown Charlotte? None, hardly. So, we want that Saturday [for] those brothers that come on out of the Convention Center and walk down the street to Marshall Park and go and spend money with those food trucks. That’s important to us. We want to try to do everything we can to leave some of that money into the people’s hands in Charlotte.”

Also on tap is an expo with health care providers to raise awareness and solutions to issues that impact Black people.

“We’re talking about prostate cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, colorectal cancer, all those things,” Council said. “We want to make sure we got some Health care partners out there talking about these things disseminate information that people will understand some of the things that could keep you from dying from disease.”

Harrell said conclave-specific business like voting for fraternity leadership is important to the Charlotte experience, but he’s excited to have opportunities to meet and connect with brothers from other chapters around the world.

“Outside of the more business or political side of it, there’s just a big chance to network,” Harrell said. “The Ques are nationwide and then you know there’s going to be some fun events I’m looking forward to. Also, just a week to work. This is going to be fun.”

Notable Omega Psi Phi members: Tom Joyner (retired media personality, philanthropist and entrepreneur), Michael Jordan (Charlotte Hornets owner), James “Smuggie” Mitchell (former Charlotte City Council member), Shaquille O’Neal (Basketball Hall of Fame inductee), Langston Hughes (poet), Garry McFadden (Mecklenburg County sheriff), Jesse Jackson (civil rights activist), Steve Harvey (media personality).

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