The year 1934 was a very significant year in the history of Alpha. The country was still feeling the aftereffects of the Great Depression in 1929. Alpha Phi Alpha also dealt with the loss of Jewel Charles Henry Chapman on November 17th of the same year as the 1st Jewel to enter Omega chapter. As the brotherhood met in St. Louis, Missouri for the 26th General convention in 1933, the petition for the establishment of a chapter at Southern Illinois State Normal School (now Southern Illinois University at Carbondale) was accepted. It was also at this convention that the fraternity established the Alpha Phi Alpha Foundation. The foundation was created, “in recognition of the increasing the educational, economical, and social needs of the Negro people in the United States,” (Wesley, p. 204).

In 1934, at the invitation of brothers from Chicago, a special convention was approved for August 19-22 of the same year in Chicago, Illinois. This convention was to be called to consider, in a special way, the details of the establishment of the Foundation and the work of the committee on public policy. This same year, the expansion of the fraternity was continued in both graduate and undergraduate developments. In the 4 years prior, Alpha Phi Alpha was wrestling with the idea of establishing new chapters due to the serious economic conditions the country & fraternity were faced with. Also, some brothers opposed the expansion due to the failure to organize any undergraduate chapters in 1930-31. At the 26th General convention, Brother Sidney A. Jones, Jr. (Tau Chapter), was elected Western Vice-President.

Four months prior to the special convention, Brother Jones was responsible for establishing Beta Eta (BH) Chapter on Thursday, April 12, 1934. Brother Joseph Charles Penn was also very instrumental in the establishment of Beta Eta. Brother Penn was initiated in 1916 at Xi chapter at Wilberforce, where he was a member of the first ever Sphinx Club in the fraternity.

BH grew on the campus at a time when racial prejudice was paramount. Individual accounts of racism reflect the nature of the south and its attitudes towards racial equality. Black people had to sit in the balcony of the movie theater and couldn’t eat at most restaurants. Some professors even noted that they never considered give ANY black student a grade higher than a “C”. Beta Eta’s brothers were scholars to the highest degree and never let these discrepancies deter them from their ultimate goal…manly deeds, scholarship, and love for all mankind.

Beta Eta has a long-standing tradition of uplifting the community. We have always maintained the ideals of our great fraternity. In the 1950s, the brothers of Beta Eta fought hard to end discrimination in Carbondale. At the forefront that struggle was Beta Eta initiated Brother Richard “Dick” Gregory who identified the racial problems and his long career of fighting racial injustice began in part on the campus of SIU as a member of Beta Eta.

Enrollment at SIU more than doubled during the 1950s as Morris began to recruit students from the high schools of Chicago and the campus underwent a massive expansion phase. By the 1960s, blacks were working on the campus as faculty, and groups such as the Black Panthers were making the minority voice harder and harder to ignore.

As the 1960s rolled along, a new mentality amongst Black people became intensified. The Civil Rights movement, sparked in the 1950s, began to catch on to students at predominately white universities. BH brothers everywhere stood up for the principles of Alpha Phi Alpha and always upheld the light. Bro. Oscar Moore was one of those individuals who, at a time when there was worldwide discrimination, became a member of the U.S. Olympic Track Team that ran at the 1964 Olympics in Japan. It was at this time, BH decided that it was time for the chapter to produce events that catered to its people. But the chapter not only reached the Black students, but it also raised the attention of the whole university. No Greek-lettered organization before BH had taken on such an arduous task. In 1964, the chapter hosted the 1st Playboy Ball that spring. The chapter would hold Alpha Weekend in March that also consisted of a Sweetheart Ball, a banquet, and a Greek Sing. The chapter presented their routine in St. Louis to win 1st place in a 3 school Greek Sing competition. In 1967, the chapter took home regional & national chapter of the year honors.

In the fall of 1971, 4 brothers from the chapter decided to create an event that would salute our most cherished possession, the Black Woman. Reflecting on the origin of the Miss Eboness Pageant, these qualities describe the efforts and achievements of four brothers who preserved the challenge to make an idea into a reality. The actual idea of a pageant was formulated by Bros. Leonard Galvin, Lloyd Edgerson, Maurice Marks, and Earl Comfort during the fall of 1971, but the lack of funding prevented the completion of their destined goal. Undaunted, these brothers got together with members of the former Black Student Union to form the Black Affairs Council as an umbrella organization for all Black Student Groups on campus. In doing so, resources from the council were combined with fraternal support and hard work to bring the 1st Miss Eboness Pageant to SIUC during the fall of 1972. In honor of their struggles, 1971 is considered the 1st Annual Miss Eboness Pageant.

Since then, the pageant has grown and continues to achieve the acclaim it deserves in illuminating the essence of Black Womanhood, not only on our campus, but also on a nationwide spectrum. In 1974, the pageant was aired live on radio and televised on cable television. In 1975, a Miss Eboness Pageant Scholarship Fund was started. The judging of the contestants is done by members of the SIUC Faculty, Staff, and members of the Carbondale community. Judging is based on the quality of the contestant’s scholastic ability, her talents, and community services rendered. The pageant is considered an official homecoming event by the university. The brothers of Beta Eta chapter are preparing for the 51st Annual Miss Eboness pageant in the fall.

The Beta Eta brothers were instrumental in bringing Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated to college campuses in the region. On August 8th, 1974, they were charter members of the Iota Pi chapter located at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville. Additionally, on March 17th, 1979, Beta Eta’s brothers chartered Xi Gamma chapter of the campus of South East Missouri State. Xi Gamma chapter was the first black Greek letter organization on the campus.

In 2024, the chapter will celebrate its 90th charter anniversary at SIU Carbondale. While much has changed, the chapter’s tradition of being a major influence in the region has not. Brothers from across the country share the commonality of Alpha Phi Alpha and Beta Eta Chapter.

CHARTER DATE
April 12, 1934

CURRENT CHARTER
Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois

CHARTER MEMBERS
Arnold C. Bannister, Jr.
Ruges Richmond Freeman, Jr.
Elijah Langford
Wendell Lanton
John Mansfield
George E. Stafford
Geoffrey Taylor
Ora Polk
Joseph Charles Penn

The registration site is hosted with SIUC and you will be required to create a new account, even if you have an active account with the University.

You will receive a shirt as part of the registration process. This is for any additional shirts that you want to purchase.

Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort
777 Walkers Bluff Way
Carterville, IL 62918

Group Rates valid for 4/24/2024 – 4/28/2024

Wednesday-Sunday 4/24-4/28

$159 single bed

$169 double bed

CHECK-IN & CHECK-OUT TIMES:

Check-in time is 4:00 P.M. and check-out time is 11:00 A.M. Guest check-in cannot be guaranteed prior to 4:00 P.M. If you anticipate a large number of early arrivals or late departures, arrangements for appropriate baggage hold must be made with your Group Sales Representative.

RESERVATION PROCEDURES:

Call 618-993-7777

Hotel Code BH90TH

Please use this number when making reservations and to be certain to identify yourselves as participants of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity 90th Anniversary in order to receive the group rate. These reservations must be received by Monday, April 1st 2024

Any reservations received after Monday, April 1st 2024 will be accepted on a space and rate availability basis.

Please Use the Button Below to Submit Brothers Who Have Transitioned to the Omega Chapter Since 2014

To Submit Photos, please use the chapter’s Facebook Page to upload them.

Click here to go to the Facebook page

More information coming soon.

naamanharper@gmail.com