Welcome & Introduction
Fayetteville State University, 1970-1971
Welcome to The Black Diamond or TBD for short. The name was chosen because the meaning of the Diamond encapsulates EXACTLY what Black people are.
"The most precious of all gemstones representing brilliance, luster, always increasing in value, and an expression of the greatest gift of love when given."
The Black Diamond is primarily a photo archive of African American APO chapters. Posts will be released WEEKLY every Saturday at 7:25 p.m.
During the quarantine there was nothing but time to research, learn, and grow. I know that others, like myself, have ALWAYS wondered about our history and why it's not in a pledge manual, on the website, only in spurts in T&Ts that people don't know about. So over the course of the last two years, I've dabbled and found info here and there. I learned so much in two days, that I immediately shared it on @franks.flyest and brothers LOVED it. So it popped up in my head to begin an archive of primarily photos and information about us, for us.
To start the points are simple:
We've had African American members since at least the 1940s.
Pledge clubs such as the "Torch Club/Torch Pledge Club," "Trefoil Club/Trefoil Pledge Club," and "Phillias."
Sweetheart groups were established (depending on the chapter) before and after the fraternity admitted women in 1976. Most often, these groups called themselves "Alpha Phi Omega Sweethearts," "Alpha Phi Omega Jewels," or "Phiettes/Phyettes."
New members presentations since at least the 1960s (possibly before).
Brothers "party hopping" and "strolling" since at least the 1970s.
APO was sometimes put into a "Non-Greek," "Club/Organization" or "Social Fellowship" category. Don't be mistaken by the mistakes in a yearbook! APO has always been a Greek lettered Service Fraternity, never ever a social fellowship.
Ultimately a lot of chapters going inactive or losing their charter in the 1980s and 1990s.
Some of the info will make you happy, some of it will not. Either way, enjoy!
Frank's Flyest
There are several chapters for which I could not find photos for, they are listed below. If you have any photos for these chapters or you'd like to add photos for another chapter please email the photos and their corresponding year to frank1925flyest@gmail.com.
Iota Epsilon, Central State University
Kappa Pi, Wiley College
Pi Zeta, Tuskegee University*
Tau Gamma, Southern University at New Orleans
Tau Zeta, Texas Southern University
Chi Nu, Grambling State University*
Chi Upsilon, Dillard University
Psi Zeta, Bishop College (closed)
Psi Lambda, Rust College
Psi Nu, Benedict College*
Omega Lambda, Fisk University
Omega Omicron, Concordia University (closed)
Omega Phi, Tougaloo College
Omega Psi, Jackson State University
Alpha Alpha Iota, Barber-Scotia College
Alpha Alpha Lambda, Alcorn State University
Alpha Epsilon Phi, Mississippi Valley State University
Chapters with asterisks(*) beside them are listed as active.