Founders of Iota Phi Theta, 1964

Front Row L-R: Honorable Founder Louis Hudnell, Bro. Wesley Jennings, Honorable Founder Lonnie Spruill Jr.,

Honorable Founder Charles Briscoe, Bro. Ronald Flamer, Bro. Daniel Henson
Back Row L-R: Bro. Willie Barber, Bro. Charles Watts, Bro. Ronald Wheatley, Honorable Founder Elias Dorsey, Jr.,

Bro. Calvin Freedland, Bro. Jeff Johnson, Honorable Founder Baron Willis

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On September 19, 1963, at Morgan State College (now Morgan State University), 12 students founded what is now the nation's fifth largest, predominately African-American social service fraternity:

The Iota Phi Theta® Fraternity, Incorporated.

The Honorable Founders of Iota Phi Theta were: Albert Hicks, Lonnie Spruill, Jr., Charles Briscoe, Frank Coakley, John Slade, Barron Willis, Webster Lewis, Charles Brown, Louis Hudnell, Charles Gregory, Elias Dorsey, Jr., and Michael Williams. Many of these men were what are now referred to as "Non-Traditional Students" and were 3-5 years older than the average college student. Gregory, Willis, and Brown were all service veterans, and Brown, Hicks, and Briscoe were married with small children. Of this group of 12, several were also working full-time jobs and all were full-time students.

 

Based upon their ages, heightened responsibilities, and increased level of maturity, this group had a slightly different perspective than the norm for college students. It was this perspective from which they established the Fraternity's purpose, "The development and perpetuation of Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship, Fidelity, and Brotherhood among Men." Additionally, they conceived the Fraternity's motto, "Building a Tradition, Not Resting Upon One!"

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Today, Iota Phi Theta consists of over 300 chapters located across seven regions. The Omicron Omega Chapter (Richmond, VA) is part of the Eastern Region which includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and the Republic of South Korea.