Ohio University’s Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity celebrated its 93rd charter anniversary on Thursday.
The fraternity hosted the event in Baker University Center’s Multicultural Center Art Gallery.
The opening Thursday drew crowds of students to see the artifacts, including old issues of The Post, programs from past events and civil rights protest signs.
“We were not only the first the first historically black fraternity established at OU, but we were also the first African American organization established at OU,” said Jerry Valentine, OU Alpha Phi Alpha’s vice president.
For some Alpha Phi Alpha members, the gallery exhibit and charter day celebration is bittersweet. The switch to semesters next year will not allow the fraternity to commemorate its charter day.
“We decided since there’s the big semester switch, we won’t be here on May 17th anymore, so we decided to celebrate our 93rd with this exhibit,” said Valentine, a junior studying exercise physiology.
Finding the artifacts and arranging the exhibit led the members to the archives in Alden.
"We went to the fifth floor of Alden where the archives are and just gathered all the artifacts,” said Nick Banks, director of educational programs for Alpha Phi Alpha. “We decided to bring people together to see our history over the last 93 years.”
Although this is the last charter day celebration for Alpha Phi Alpha, the semester switch will allow the fraternity to celebrate founding day on Dec. 4.
“So even though we can’t celebrate our charter day anymore, we can now celebrate our founding day," said Banks, a junior studying communications. "It’s kind of sad because we could have done things like this before and even though we won’t be here next year, I’m sure the brothers will still get together to celebrate.”
