Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
The first intercollegiate fraternity in the United States established for men of African descent, was founded at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York by seven college men who recognized the need for a strong bond of Brotherhood between African Americans. The visionary founders, known as the "Jewels" of the Fraternity, are: Henry Arthur Callis, Charles Henry Chapman, Eugene Kinckle Jones, George Biddle Kelley, Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Harold Ogle and Vertner Woodson Tandy. The Fraternity initially served as a study and support group for minority students at Cornell. During those beginning days, the Jewel founders and early leaders of the Fraternity worked to lay a solid foundation for Alpha Phi Alpha's principles of scholarship, fellowship, good character and the uplifting of humanity. The organization has national programs with Brother’s Keeper, A Voteless People is a Homeless People, Go-to-High-School. Go-to-College, and Project Alpha.
In 1983, the need for that form of social and academic contact was again desired by a group of eight men. These men went on to pledge through the graduate chapter in Albany, NY. By doing so, they established Union College's first black fraternity.