Philadelphia Honors Omega Psi Phi Founder Dr. Oscar James Cooper

On Saturday, October 2, 2021, the Brothers of the “Mighty” Mu Omega Chapter hosted the event of the year! All eyes were on the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where brothers from all over the world witnessed the unveiling of both a historical marker and a street sign to recognize the vast accomplishments of our esteemed Founder Dr. Oscar James Cooper.

The ceremony began at 11:17am directly in front of 1621 West Jefferson Street in North Philadelphia, the former residence and medical office of Founder Cooper. The sun was out and the weather could not have been more perfect as Bro. Mark Edwards, Basileus of Mu Omega Chapter, served as the event’s Master of Ceremony. Pennsylvania State Senator Sharif Street gave a welcome to the sea of Brothers and friends of Omega, and also presented a citation to mark this auspicious occasion. Senator Street’s District Office is currently located inside Founder Cooper’s former residence to which the Senator stated, “it is an honor to come to work to serve people, and that I have a chance to sit in the office that Dr. Cooper occupied for so many years and continue his great legacy of service to the community.”

After the invocation that was given by Bro. Art Brown, Nancy Moses came forward to give remarks on behalf of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC). Ms. Moses serves as the Chairwoman of PHMC and was directly involved with the approval of the historical marker. Ms. Moses shared that Founder Cooper joins only twenty-six other individuals in the state that have been honored with a historical marker.

Philadelphia City Councilmember Katherine Gilmore-Richardson also addressed the crowd on behalf of Mayor James Kenney and City Council President Darrell Clarke. Councilmember Gilmore-Richardson, who happens to be a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., was a chief proponent of Resolution #200121 which approved the renaming of the 1600 to 1700 block of West Jefferson Street to “Dr. Oscar J. Cooper Way.” A City Council Citation was also presented by Gilmore-Richardson to recognize the importance of the day and

contributions of Founder Cooper. Councilmember Gilmore-Richardson was followed by the 41st Grand Basileus of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, Dr. David E. Marion.

Grand Basileus Marion first acknowledged many of the fraternity’s leaders who traveled to Philadelphia for the occasion. This list included the 34th 12th District Representative Bro. Kwame Dow, Second District First Vice District Representative Bro. Delrecole Gales, International History & Archives Chair Bro. Keir Pemberton, 36th Second District Representative Bro. J. Kendall Smalls, Chief of Staff Bro. Will Jemison, Assistant to the Grand Basileus Bro. Terrance Course, Executive Director Bro. John Howard, Assistant Executive Director Bro. Kenny Foster, Interim Editor to the Oracle Bro. Norm Senior and Undergraduate Representative to the Supreme Council Bro. Eleualio Abraham. In addition, Bro. Marion acknowledged the 35th National President of National Pan-Hellenic Council and member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Soror Vanetta Cheeks Reeder. Also in attendance were the Second District Keeper of Records & Seal Bro. Amir Sharif, the 26th Second District Representative and Past Grand Keeper of Records and Seal Bro. Terrel D. Parris, and the 29th Second District Representative Bro. Gregory Ackles.

Grand Basileus Marion noted a little-known fact that while Founder Cooper was an undergraduate at Howard University, he was the link between the three friends and Dr. Ernest E. Just. The young Howard junior’s passion for biology landed Founder Cooper a position as laboratory assistant to then Associate Professor Just, where a friendship developed that would later be extended to Frank Coleman and Edgar Love. This bond between the “Three Musketeers” and Dr. Just established the foundation for what we now experience today as “the greatest fraternity in the world,” said Grand Basileus Marion.

Grand Basileus Marion closed by sharing that the lasting impression made on him from Dr. Cooper’s life was the notion of serving others. “It’s a blessing just to be in a position to help somebody, and it is our duty to give and help others,” says Grand Basileus Marion as he closes with his remarks. Mu Omega Basileus Mark Edwards called Grand Basileus Marion back up to the podium to receive a special gift from Councilmember Katherine Gilmore-Richardson. This gift was a miniature Liberty Bell as a small gesture of thanks for his visit to Philadelphia.

United States Congressman Dwight Evans spoke next and echoed the sentiments of the other speakers in stressing the importance of service to the community. Congressman Evans continued by stating that the community needs heroes and that we should all be intentional and mission-focused with our actions in continuing Dr. Cooper’s legacy of service. After Congressman Evans, the Executive Director of the Union Housing Development Corporation (UHDC), Mrs. Carol Smith was accompanied by her daughter Jordan Smith, representing the organization that now owns 1621 West Jefferson Street. It is fitting that UHDC has a mission of service which directly aligns to what Founder Cooper exemplified for nearly fifty years.

Mu Omega Chapter’s own Bro. La´Darreun Taylor performed a stirring rendition of the Sam Cooke classic “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Grand Basileus Marion then called Bro. Darryl Blackwell and Bro. Bill “Cabaret” Smith to the stage to present them with the Grand Basileus Coin for their steadfast dedication to making this day happen. Immediately following this presentation, Sheila Simpson-Lewis and Phyllis Crump (family members of Founder Cooper) accompanied Bro. Blackwell to the historical marker to remove the covering, and then did the same to the street sign. The days activities closed with a VIP Luncheon at the Delta Hotel Philadelphia Airport and an evening reception at the Mu Omega Fraternity House.

It is important to mention that the Mu Omega Chapter received enormous support from its charitable arm, The Mu Omega Foundation of Delaware Valley, Incorporated. The foundation’s chairman, Bro. Michael Horsey was in attendance and stated, “the renaming of the street and unveiling of the historical marker are one of the most historical events in Philadelphia African American history.” The foundation sponsored the chapter’s 101st Anniversary celebration held the night before, as well as the memorial service at Founder Cooper’s gravesite.

On Sunday, October 3, 2021, family members of Founder Cooper and Omega Men participated in the memorial service, which was the first time the fraternity officially recognized the new marker at the gravesite since its installation in 2017. The service was led by our Mu Omega chaplain, Bro. Richard Norris II. Mu Omega Centennial Chairman, Bro. Bill Smith, delivered the welcome. The chaplain delivered the opening prayer and proclamation of friendship. Bro. Luke Smith recited the poem, “When We Wear the Gloves”, followed by a scripture reading by the chaplain. Words of friendship were offered by Bro. Mark Edwards, basileus of Mu Omega.

International History & Archives Chair Bro. Keir Pemberton, as the Founders’ Memorial Chair who led the effort in 2014 to install bronze and granite markers at each of the founders’ gravesites, delivered the marker presentation to the Cooper family describing the history and efforts behind the project. He thanked the family for allowing our fraternity to install the marker and reminded the brothers in attendance the importance of the engraved words of Founder Cooper, taken from a letter written in 1941, focusing on the importance of service. Bro. Pemberton stated that the selection of the personalized quotes was not done by accident but to serve as a reminder that Omega is first and foremost a service organization. Following the presentation, Bros. Bill Smith and Dave Benson performed the wreath laying ceremony. Remarks were made by Ms. Carrie Robinson, great niece of Founder Cooper, expressing the family’s gratitude for the weekend activities and thanking the

brotherhood for honoring their Uncle Oscar. The ceremony closed with a benediction from the chaplain and singing of the fraternity hymn.

“Our honorable Founder Dr. Oscar James Cooper, one of the Three Musketeers and for whom some would consider the knight without fear and without reproach, truly deserves the recognition of this historical marker and the renaming of the 1600 block of West Jefferson Street. This day would not have occurred without that 2018 conversation I had with Bro. Luke Smith” says Bro. Darryl Blackwell. The theme of the entire unveiling event was one of service, and it’s worth mentioning that Founder Cooper once said, “we live to serve our fellow man.” Let the historical marker located on Dr. Oscar J. Cooper Way, be a constant reminder to every brother that being of service to others must be a mainstay in our lives.