THETA HISTORY

GROWING THE CHAPTER

Theta had five honorary members. They are:

• Rev. Archibald Carey, Sr., 1912 -- pastor of Institutional A.M.E. Church and would later be elected Bishop of the AME Church

• Dr. Alexander Jackson, 1913 -- physician and board member of the Wabash YMCA, 1913

• Dr. George Cleveland Hall, 1919 – physician and philanthropist. Chief of Staff of Provident Hospital, and organizer of both the South Side Branch of the NAACP and the Chicago Chapter of the National Urban League.

• Dr. Ulysses Grant Dailey, 1919 -- physician and founder of the National Physicians Association

• Jesse Binga, 1920 – founder of the Binga Bank, the first black owned

THE SEVENTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

THETA IS OUR HOME

In May 1919, Theta secured a fraternity house located at 4104 S. Vincennes Ave. in Chicago.  Descriptions of this house suggest that it was a two-story home, with a basement, with approximately 7 bedrooms.  It also contained a rather larger parlor and dining area.  It would be the first house owned and operated by a black Greek organization in Chicago.

Both Alpha Mu and Xi Lambda Chapters were chartered at this location. Brothers from both chapters lived in the house during this time along with Theta members.

Because Chicago was a central location for many blacks in the country, who would often live in Chicago for educational opportunities, Theta was fortunate, in addition to its initiated members, to have many brothers who would affiliate with the chapter.  In addition to Jewel Callis, Past General President Roscoe C. Giles, and Past General President Lucius L. McGee, Beta Chapter (Howard University) initiate Sidney P. Brown would affiliate with Theta while attending law school at Northwestern University. 

As Theta grew, so did its influence in the community.  Theta would host many educational programs for the community who would include brothers such as Bro. W.E.B. DuBois, Bro. Charles Hamilton Houston, and also international figures from both India and Brazil. Other celebrities such as former heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson were reported to have spent a night at the Alpha house.

Theta would remain in the house on Vincennes until 1933.  In March of 1936, they purchased the home of former Illinois governor Henry Horner, located at 4432 S. Parkway, now 4432 S. Martin Luther King Drive.  This home would become even a larger influence on the fraternity and Chicago as it would eventually go on to house the national headquarters of the fraternity until 1989.

At this house, Theta would continue to activities begun at the home on Vincennes, only with the ability to house more brothers and sponsor larger community events.  Theta would sponsor roundtable discussions at least twice a month on Sunday afternoons were there would be discussions on race and society.  These discussions, which were reported to be often quite lively, would feature not only Alpha men and individuals from black Chicago, but would even feature men such as famed attorney Clarence Darrow, who was a regular fixture at the Alpha House.

THETA MAKES HISTORY

While Theta was very involved in the social progression of blacks, it actively participated in the social atmosphere, with performances from Theta Brother Nobel Sissel and his orchestra and Bro. Paul Robeson.

In 1940, Theta’s basketball team played an exhibition game against the Harlem Globetrotters.  Sadly, but not surprisingly, Theta lost. 

On June 21, 1946, Theta Chapter made history by integrating all Black Greek Lettered Organizations (BGLO) with the initiation of Bro. Dr. Bernard Levin, who was then a student at DePaul University. This marked the first full initiation of a white student into a BGLO.

During this time, while the National Organization had its headquarters in Chicago, located in the Binga Arcade Building on 35th and State Street, Theta Chapter, with the assistance of Xi Lambda Chapter, sold in house on Parkway Boulevard to the national organization, giving the fraternity a permanent location. The National Headquarters would remain in that location until 1989.

For four consecutive years, starting in 1958, Theta Chapter was awarded College Chapter of the Year. This is a feat that no chapter, college or alumni, had accomplished before or since.

In the late 1960’s, Theta Chapter continued its commitment to community service by becoming a driving force in the drive to register African Americans to vote, and partnered with the Chicago Chapter of the Black Panther Party in offering breakfast programs at the fraternity house. These activities would continue for many years. 

The 1970’s and 1980’s saw Theta continue its tradition of excellence by being continuing to be awarded state and regional awards, and serving its community will educational, social and civic programs.

Also, during this time, Theta aided in the chartering of several new chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha, including Epsilon Phi (Northern University), Eta Eta (Western University), and Mu Mu (Elmhurst College). Members of Theta also were significantly involved in the chartering of Iota Delta Lambda (Chicago Alumni) and Nu Delta (Chicago State University) 

The 1990’s and 2000’s Theta continued to uphold the ideals of Alpha and in 2005, Theta Chapter was awarded College Chapter of the Year.

Since that time, Theta has been in the forefront on college campuses by offering programs addressing domestic violence, political education, homelessness, among other programs.

THE PRESENT AND FUTURE THETA

In November 2021, Theta Chapter was named the District of Illinois Outstanding College Chapter of the Year, continuing the long tradition of excellence of Theta Chapter.

Following their success at the Illinois District Conference, Theta Chapter was named 2022 Midwestern Regional Outstanding College Chapter, upholding the legacy that Theta continues to this day!

Since 1910, Theta has seen about 2,000 men become members of the chapter, through initiation and affiliation. The Brothers who call and called Theta “home” would have an impact on many areas of society ranging from medicine to law to government to education to the sciences to religion and business among others.  All Theta men are proud to be a part of this legacy, remembering that “First of all, servants to all, we shall transcend all” as the motto of Alpha Phi Alpha proclaims.