Chapter History of Alpha Phi Alpha at Prairie View A&M

Eta Gamma: A Profile in the Building of Alpha Men at Prairie View A&M University

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African-American Men, was founded at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York on December 4, 1906, by seven extraordinary African-American men known as the Jewels. Out of this beginning came successive college and university chapters throughout the United States and abroad, many of them at historically Black Colleges and Universities. Eta Gamma is one of these chapters boasting graduates that have graduated to successful careers as engineers, physicians, military offices, lawyers, architects, dentists, managers, educators, scientists and even members of the U.S. Congress. The Eta Gamma Chapter boasts one of the strongest and most enduring legacies of any other Chapter in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. Prairie View A&M University was established during the Reconstruction Period after the Civil War. The University had its beginnings in the Texas Constitution of 1876, which, in separate articles, established an “Agricultural and Mechanical College” and pledged that “Separate schools shall be provided for the white and colored children, and impartial provisions shall be made for both.” As a consequence of these constitutional provisions, the Fifteenth Legislature established “Alta Vista Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas for Colored Youth” on August 14, 1876. The College existed under various names from 1876 into the 20th century. By the 1930’s Prairie View experience unprecedented growth, as its reputation of a historically black college became one of the premiere historically black colleges and universities. While Greek letter organizations were not officially sanctioned by the Texas A & M University Board of Regents until the 1970’s Prairie View A & M College had a significant number of clubs and organizations that became the main socializing instruments within the Prairie View student body. Organizations, such as, the Barons of Innovation, Les Beaux Arts (LBA), Club Crescendo and the Pershing Rifles were for men. For women there were the Les Belle Le Soeurs (LBS), Club Chic, Panther Club and a non-Pan-Hellenic organization known as Kappa Omega Beta. A number of these remained a part of the student body social system to the present day, and were instrumental in creating the social atmosphere conducive for Black Greek letter organizations at Prairie View, if such a time were to come. By 1953, students at Prairie View sought out and were initiated into fraternities and sororities at other campuses. The decade of the 1960’s was a watershed in political and social life, not only across the nation, but at Prairie View. Dr. Alvin I. Thomas, elected as the third president of Prairie View Agricultural and Mechanical College in November 1966, introduced the residential college concept. Social upheaval of Civil Rights movement brought numerous changes to Prairie View student consciousness as the Black Power Movement became an increasing mantra of Black students throughout the nation. Members of Black Greek organizations and their members took part in the Civil Rights protests and developed a reputation as breeding ground for leadership and activism within the Movement. In the fall of 1965, Alpha Brother Edell Lydia, a transfer student from Tuskegee Institute (now University) worked to initiate the first Alpha line of Prairie View Sphinxmen at Delta Theta chapter at Texas Southern University. The next members of the Prairie View Sphinx Club began pledging as a combined line with the Sphinxmen of Delta Theta for the Greek Pledge Line Step-Show at Texas Southern. During their pledge process the Prairie View Sphinxmen were not allowed to continue pledge activities. However, in January 1966 the Prairie View line resumed pledging and a new Fraternity Chapter was sought out to initiate the Sphinxmen. In March, 1966 Epsilon Iota at the University of Texas, Austin, extended their charter to include Prairie View A & M College. The Prairie View Sphinxmen crossed the burning sands at the University of Texas, Austin on March 26, 1966. In the fall of 1966, a second group of under and upper class Sphinxmen at Prairie View began pledging under the auspices of Epsilon Iota. During the pledge process seven underclassmen were informed that they could not be initiated because they hadn’t established the requisite grade point averages over two semesters. The upper classmen were initiated and assumed their fraternal obligations at Prairie View. On December 9, 1967, the Magnificent Seven crossed the burning sands. On October 12, 1967 seven additional Sphinxman were initiated but only five crossed the burning sands on April 27, 1968 and became the Fortunate Five. In the fall of that year the Botageous 13 crossed the burning sands.  In the fall 1969, the New Breed 19 crossed the burning sands on December 13, 1969, culminating in the end of one epoch and the beginning of a new era in Eta Gamma history. These Alpha Brothers are considered to be the fore fathers of Eta Gamma. One watershed moment stands out is the naming of each pledge line. This custom was brought on by the Magnificent Seven but only became institutionalized as an Eta Gamma custom in the fall of 1970. The names of each pledge line reflect both a historical and cultural significance in that each pledge line was forged in its time and place within Eta Gamma. The 1970’s became a time in America where African-Americans experienced a deepening sense of social and cultural pride. This was inculcated by the establishment of a pledge system that has come to set apart Eta Gamma as the premier Alpha Chapter among Alpha Phi Alpha. In the early 1970’s the Texas A & M University System lifted the ban on Greek Letter Organizations. When the brothers received the charter for signature, it only had eleven signature lines. Kenneth Hinson, then President of the Epsilon Iota (University of Texas) Extension Chapter at Prairie View made a decision that representatives from each line still present at PV would sign the document. He allocated the number of signatures for each pledge line. On May 15, 1970, the Eta Gamma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Incorporated, received its National Charter. The Eta Gamma charter was signed by Ernest N. Morial, (1929 – 1989) former mayor of New Orleans (1978-1986) and Past General President of Alpha Phi Alpha (1968-1972). These Eta Gamma Brothers ushered in preceding generations of Eta Gamma Brothers with the full rights and privileges of a designated chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha with 11 Charter Members. Kenneth Hinson and Lawrence Johnson the first Chapter President of Eta Gamma led the Chapter toward establishing decades of exemplary leadership within the Eta Gamma Chapter. In the fall of 1970 The Wild Bunch was initiated becoming the first line to be initiated solely under the Eta Gamma banner. In 1973 the movie The Mack made its debut in theatres across America. The movie directed by Michael Campus starring Max Julien as the Mack and featuring Richard Pryor became one of the best-known movies of the 1970s, and one having an enormous influence on Black youth across America. In 1975, Brother Travis Traylor, of the Gods of Hell (1973) came up with the name “Macking” based upon the movie and the name became synonymous with Eta Gamma. Brothers Willie Waters and Travis Traylor then developed a step to go along with Macking Eta Gamma. The reputation of the Macking Eta Gamma was solidified as the step team from 1975, began to create a tradition of that would culminate with the Master Steppers of the 1980’s. From 1970 to 1979 there were approximately 14 pledge lines with nearly 100 Alpha men initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. The Macking Eta Gamma Chapter was also named National Chapter of the Year in 1977, having won the university’s Academic Award for Greek Letter Organizations, the first time a fraternity had won the award since its inception in 1971.

The 1980’s brought on a period of growth and change to Eta Gamma and Prairie View A & M University. On January 27, 1983, Dr. Percy A. Pierre was appointed just the fourth president of Prairie View. Two new public policy imperatives were extant at that time: The Texas A & M University System’s commitment to academic excellence, and the state’s commitment to the enhancement of Prairie View A&M University to spur greater integration. Under the guidance of Brother Freddie Roberts (Sons of Lucifer, fall 74) the Eta Gamma Brothers chapter won its second National Chapter of the Year award in 1982, establishing itself as one of the premier undergraduate chapters with one or more National Chapter of the Year designations. Moments of reflection of its history led the Brothers to remember all those that came before it and those that had fallen. By official decree the Macking Eta Gamma Chapter proclaimed that no Sphinxmen would cross the burning sands with the number 5. This number was reserved in honor of beloved Brother Joseph York (#5, Ultimate 17) and all Macking Eta Gamma Brothers that have and will pass into the Omega Chapter. The Chapter experienced a period where activities not necessarily in keeping with the spirit of the aims of the Fraternity its initiates and members caused the Chapter to lose its privileges as a member of the Pan-Hellenic Council of Prairie View A & M University. Notwithstanding this setback the Brotherhood remained strong and quickly regained its rightful place among the campus organizational leadership. The Brothers of Macking Eta Gamma continued its dominance of undergraduate chapters by wining its third National Chapter of the Year award in 1988. During the 1980’s nine pledge lines and over 100 men were initiated into the Fraternity. The 1990’s and 2000’s were eclipsed by new changes to the way in which Brothers were initiated into the Fraternity. The national headquarters began to push Chapters toward a more constructive initiation process. Pledge lines were “officially” abolished and aspiring members are directly processed into the Fraternity by the National Organization, ending decades of banal leadership toward the way in which Brothers are initiated into the Fraternity. From the 24 Sons of RA (1991) to the Pharaohs of a Dying Breed (2007) Eta Gamma saw the initiation of men that are upholding the light of Alpha.

By the 2000’s the Macking Eta Gamma Chapter had won three National Chapter of the Year and 25 straight Texas Chapter of the Year awards. Today, the Macking Eta Gamma Chapter faces a new challenge that inhibits campus activities and will search within its corpus to overcome this and many other challenges that await the Macking Eta Gamma Chapter.

In 2023, while trying to obtain a copy of the Charter, it was found that National had lost the Charter when they moved from Chicago, IL to Baltimore, MD. Brother James Kirkwood saw an opportunity to get the charter corrected. He submitted the letter from Kenneth Hinson, establishing the charter members. The charter was reissued with the then National President signature and established that there were 47 charter members.

The legacy of Macking Eta Gamma lived on with the initiation of men that upheld the light of Alpha.

To read the history of each year, click on the year.

To view the First Official Charter (See Eta Gamma Charter), the reissued Official Charter (See Official Eta Gamma Charter),  and the letter from Kenneth Hinson (establishing the Charter Members), click on School Year 1969.