The History of the Mighty Sixth District

The Mighty Sixth District of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity is comprised of over 100 graduate and undergraduate chapters and over 2,000 members in the states of North Carolina and South Carolina.  The Sixth was organized in 1935 and is the only district in the fraternity with all of its original states.  The Sixth District boasts the honor of hosting the fraternity’s first District Meeting in 1936 and seven years prior in 1929 laid the foundation by organizing and hosting the fraternity’s first state meeting in North Carolina, originally called “Omega Day”.  State meetings were held for the next two years but halted due to the great depression and did not meet again until 1936.  Consequently, the fraternity took its initial steps to organize in regions in 1922 when Grand Basileus J. Alston Atkins (Psi Phi Chapter, Winston Salem) authorized the creation of five appointed representatives to look after the brothers geographically in these regions 1) New England States; 2) Middle Atlantic States; 3) Central States; 4) Southern States and 5) Western States.  North and South Carolina would have resided in the Southern States region.  It wasn’t until 1937, a couple of years after the initial District Meetings occurred that District Representatives became constitutional officers elected by each District.

Brother S. Herbert Adams (Pi Phi Chapter) was the first to serve as Sixth District Representative.   Sixth District records indicate that Brother Adams served in this capacity from 1935—1943.  It is likely that he was appointed to this office prior to the first official Sixth District elections.  He was however elected to 6 consecutive terms during his tenure and is the only Sixth District Representative to serve more than two terms in this office.

The Sixth District has produced 7 Grand Basilei and is the home of current (40^th) Grand Basileus, Antonio Knox Sr., and 34^th Grand Basileus, Dr. C. Tyrone Gilmore Sr.  The Sixth District has hosted 4 Grand Conclaves in addition to the International Leadership Summit and the only International Undergraduate Summit held outside of Atlanta.

Founder, Dr. Ernest Everett Just’s story has been well documented, and it is no secret that he has Sixth District roots.  Founder Just was born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1883.  He graduated from the Industrial School of the State College (South Carolina State University) in Orangeburg, South Carolina prior to moving north to further his education and career.  He went on to receive the Spingarn medal given by the NAACP, had an illustrious teaching career at Howard University, facilitated groundbreaking cell research, and of course served as faculty advisor for three ambitious undergrads as they embarked on building the greatest fraternity known to mankind.

The International Undergraduate Scholarship Luncheon is named after the Sixth Districts own Bro. Dr. Ronald E. McNair who joined Omega through Mu Psi Chapter at North Carolina A&T State University.  This luncheon is held by all 12 Districts annually in addition to the Conclave in an effort to recognize the outstanding achievements of our undergraduate Brothers.

The Talent Hunt program of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. is one of several international programs designed to identify and support the youth of our nation and the world. The original program was born in the Sixth District, created by Brother J. Alston Atkins of Winston Salem, North Carolina and Brother Dr. Dewey Duckett (first black physician in York county) of Rock Hill, South Carolina. While the idea was conceived in 1945, the first District Talent Hunt program wasn’t held until April 19, 1946 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The need for such a program was born out of the unequal opportunity afforded to some American youth to develop and give full expression to their talents. In 1953, Brother Atkins, assisted by Brother Duckett, chaired the first National Talent Hunt Committee and presented the first National Talent Hunt program as an integral part of the Omega Psi Phi Grand Conclave held in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Talent Hunt later became a mandated program for all chapters and districts and continues to be one of the standout programs offered by the fraternity

The Sixth District is woven throughout the fabric of Omega’s history and has played an integral role in shaping our fraternity from its very start.  It is almost impossible to talk about all that Omega has accomplished without infusing the part that Brothers in North Carolina and South Carolina have played.

Distinguished Brothers from the Mighty 6th District

Charles Austin – Omicron Phi, Columbia, SC
1st Black Chief of Police, City of Columbia, SC

Greg Austin – Pi Phi, Charlotte, NC
Former President of National Pan-Hellenic Council

Donald Wayne Beatty, Epsilon Nu, Spartanburg, SC
Chief Justice, SC Supreme Court

Charles Blackmon – Beta Phi, Durham, NC
Senior Vice President of N.C. Mutual Insurance Co.

Charles Bolden – Born in Columbia, SC
Major General USMC Ret. –  Astronaut and NASA Administrator

Floyd Breeland – Mu Alpha, Charleston, SC
Member, SC House of Representatives

Calvin Brown – Pi Phi, Charlotte, NC
Attorney, Former Grand Counselor

James Clyburn – Omicron Phi, Columbia, SC
U.S. House of Representatives, SC 6th Congressional District

Charlie Dannelly  – Pi Phi, Charlotte, NC
NC State Senator Retired

Herbert U. Fielding – Mu Alpha, Charleston, SC
Former SC State Senator & SC State House of Representatives

Linwood Foust – Pi Phi Charlotte, NC
North Carolina Superior Court Judge

Dr. C. Tyrone Gilmore – Epsilon Nu, Spartanburg, SC .
District Superintendent, Spartanburg P.S.,
Past Grand Basileus, S.C. Sports Hall of Fame

Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. – Born in Greenville, SC  – Attended NC A&T
Democratic Presidential Candidate 1988 

Clarence Lightner – Iota Iota, Raleigh, NC
Mortician, Former, 1st Black Mayor of Raleigh, NC & 1^st Chairman Omega Life Membership Foundation

Dr. Benjamin E. Mays – Born in Epworth, South Carolina, and Graduate of South Carolina State University

President Morehouse College and Civil Rights Activist

Rodney Monroe – Pi Phi, Charlotte, NC
Former Charlotte Mecklenburg Chief of Police

John H. Moore – Pi Phi, Charlotte, NC
Former Grand Keeper of Finance 

Michael Morgan – Iota Iota, Raleigh, NC
Supreme Court Justice, State of NC & Superior Court Justice, City of Raleigh, NC

Dr. Melvin Pinn – Pi Phi, Charlotte, NC
Medical Doctor, Past 6th District Representative

 Kerr Putney – Pi Phi, Charlotte, NC
Charlotte Mecklenburg Chief of Police

Luns Richardson – Gamma Iota, Sumter, SC
President, Morris College, Sumter, SC 

Martin S. Roache – Xi Psi, Orangeburg, SC
Professional Golfer

Dr. Cleveland Sellers Jr., Epsilon Omega, Orangeburg, SC
Immediate Past President, Voorhees College 

Leon Stanback – Beta Phi, Durham, NC
Superior Court Judge in Durham, NC

James Talley – Epsilon Nu, Spartanburg, SC
1st Black Mayor, City of Spartanburg, SC

Dr. Henry Tisdale – Epsilon Omega, Orangeburg, SC
President, Claflin University, Orange burg, SC

Abraham J. Turner, Epsilon Omega, Orangeburg, SC
Major General United States Army – Ret

Charles Turner III – Lambda Iota Iota, Bennettsville, SC
Editor to the Oracle, Chairman of Marlboro County D.S.S. Board

Dr. Leroy Walker – Beta Phi, Durham, NC
President U.S. Olympic Track & Field

Freddy Washington – Mu Alpha, Charleston, SC
Bishop of Roman Catholic Church, 1 of 11 Black Bishops in U.S:

Willie Williams – Beta Beta Beta, Wilson, NC
Chief of Police, City of Wilson, NC