Interview with Bro. Charles E. Wood
VCU has recently posted both audio and text of an interview conducted with Bro. Charles E. Wood (Lambda Chapter initiate ’28 & Iota Sigma Chapter stalwart) and his wife in January of 2000. This interview is a part of the Carver-VCU Partnership Oral History Collection:
At almost 93 years of age, Bro. Wood was incredibly sharp with a quick wit and incredible memory. Enjoy!
Bro. Charles E. Wood passed away in July of 2007 and was financial with Phi Beta Sigma EACH YEAR from 1928 to 2007. To the best of my knowledge, he holds this record amongst the Brotherhood.
Interestingly, Bro. Wood was a childhood friend of and was pledged by the current oldest living Sigma Brother, Bro. Wesley T. Carter (Lambda Chapter initiate ’27, he turns 102 years of age on August 22nd). Bro. Carter still has a copy of the receipt he issued Bro. Wood for his initiation dues ($14.50) back in 1928.
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Flying High: Victor Glover is Driven Above the Limit
Last week, I wrote about Omicron Pi chapter celebrating its 25th anniversary. Today, I wanted to write about a Brother from O-Pi, Lieutenant Victor Glover. Bro. Glover is a fighter and test pilot for the U.S. Navy’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron THREE ONE (VX-31).
I was long gone when Victor came to SLO, but had a few friends still on campus so I heard a lot about him from various friends about the tremendous influence he had campus-wide.
In the Winter 2008 issue of the Cal Poly Magazine, Bro. Glover graces the cover and is profiled in a featured article.
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Passing of Long-term Detroit City Councilman
Bro. Clyde Cleveland, former long-term Detroit City Council member recently died at age 74. Bro. Cleveland was a member of the City Council from 1974 – 2001 and was an active member of Xi Beta Sigma Chapter.
Please find the story I wrote about Bro. Cleveland on here previously.
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John E. Brent
John E. Brent was born in 1889 in Washington, D.C. Bro. Brent’s father, Charles Brent, is acknowledged as that city’s first black architect (The historic St. Luke’s Episcopal Church among others).
John graduated from the D.C. Public Schools and in 1904, enrolled at Tuskegee. He graduated in 1907 after taking a one-year architectural program. Returning to Washington, Bro. Brent taught school for two years before deciding to pursue architecture at Drexel in Philadelphia. He was awarded a full scholarship at Drexel and completed the course of studies in 1912.
Bro. Brent moved to Buffalo after his graduation from Drexel and in a relatively short time found employment in the Architectural firm of Max G. Beierl. He was the first African American architect in the city.
Bro. Brent was one of the founding members of the Buffalo Branch NAACP and its first president. He was a long time member of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, serving on the Vestry for many years. In 1962, he received the Bishop’s Medal for meritorious service. He was also a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, initiated through Theta Sigma Chapter. His son, Bob, noted: “dad was not a pretentious person, he was very grassroots. There wasn’t an organization he wouldn’t join, if it was about something.”
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Omicron Pi Chapter 25th Anniversary
A huge thanks to Bro. Leigh Cole, currently President of Lambda Iota Sigma chapter (San Diego) and founder of Omicron Pi chapter, for providing the chapter’s history as well as Bro. Alex Soto for the photos. I came through O-Pi some 15+ years ago and am proud to be linked with such great examples of True Brotherhood. Happy 25th O-Pi. Looking forward to your return!
A Brief History Omicron Pi Chapter Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, CA
In 1983 there were three “Pre-dominantly Black Fraternities” on the Cal Poly campus: Alpha Phi Alpha, which was well established and active on campus, Kappa Alpha Psi, which had two active members and two pledges at the time and Omega Psi Phi, which had several members active on campus. The idea of bringing Phi Beta Sigma to Cal Poly was brought forth by Leigh Cole. Brother Oscar Morgan, (Omega Chapter) President of the Phi Beta Sigma Chapter in Los Angeles was contacted regarding starting a new chapter of Phi Beta Sigma. In order to become a chapter, at least 6 young men were needed to pledge together and become a “Charter Line”. Bros. Morgan, Jeffrey Whitmore, Greg Brandon, Bruce Palmore, and Robert Bonds worked together to organize and schedule an informational meeting. The founders of Omicron Pi Chapter: #1 Leland Hardiman, #2 Alexis Boissiere, #3 Victor Torres, #4 Greg Thompson, #5 Leigh Cole, and #6 Travis Hawkins were all in attendance that day at Chase Hall. They were delighted to find that there was a Sigma on campus, Brother Robert Bonds (San Jose State University, Mu Lambda Chapter – and yes, brother to MLB’s Bobby Bonds and uncle to HR King Barry Bonds), who would become the chapter adviser and mentor. There were other “potentials” at that first meeting, but no others were able to meet the criteria required to become brothers in Sigma. By April of 1984 the “potentials” were ready to undergo the “pledging process” and began their journey towards Sigma. They went through the Crescent ceremony on April 14, 1984. The new “line” would be pledged by the Kappa Alpha chapter from Cal State Northridge and their “Dean of Pledges” was Brother Bruce Palmore. After nine weeks of travel to several Los Angeles area chapters, countless nights of “vigorous” pledging throughout Southern California and spending “probate” week in Northridge after the Spring session at Cal Poly had concluded, the “Charter Line crossed on June 16, 1984 at 2:22.05 a.m. at the Sigma House on Crenshaw Boulevard, in Los Angeles, California.
The first line of the Omicron Pi Chapter chose the name “Chapter One”. They chose this name to represent the “Beginning of a new book in the history of Phi Beta Sigma” and they were also to be “the first of many to follow”. The new brothers of Omicron Pi spent their neophyte year planning and getting their charter on the Cal Poly campus. The chapter founders were meticulous in their efforts to get established correctly. They wrote the local By-laws, chapter rules, held dances, performed “Step Shows” in the quad and planned extensively for their first line of pledges. “Blue Edition” would be the first line to get pledged by Omicron Pi and cross in San Luis Obispo. By the spring of 1988, Omicron Pi had the size and experience it needed to become a force on the Cal Poly campus and over the next 6 years Omicron Pi had 8 “lines” and added 23 brothers to its legacy through to the latest (13th) line “Blue Umoja” (Spring 1998).
The 25th anniversary of the Omicron Pi Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma inspires us to celebrate our brotherhood, honor those before us, create new friendships and rekindle old ones. It also challenges us to re-establish our presence at Cal Poly and continue the legacy that “Chapter One” started by providing the students of Cal Poly an opportunity and a vessel in which, they can continue the tenets of our Founders: A. Langston Taylor, Charles I. Brown and I. L. Scruggs: “Brotherhood, Scholarship and Service.”
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