A house RESOLUTION

TO WELCOME TO COLUMBIA THE MEMBERS OF THE SIXTH DISTRICT OF OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, Inc., AS THEY GATHER FOR THE DISTRICT'S 79TH ANNUAL MEETING, TO BE HELD FROM APRIL 25 TO APRIL 28, 2024.

Whereas, the Mighty Sixth District of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., is comprised of over one hundred graduate and undergraduate chapters and more than two thousand members in the Carolinas. Organized in 1935, the Sixth District is the only one in the fraternity with all of its original states. The Sixth District owns the honor of hosting the fraternity's first district meeting in 1936, and seven years prior, in 1929, the district 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 were halted, due to the Great Depression, and did not meet again until 1936; and

Whereas, the fraternity took initial steps toward the organization of its 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 five regions: New England States, Middle Atlantic States, Central States, Southern States, and Western States. North and South Carolina were part of the Southern States region; and

Whereas, Brother S. Herbert Adams (Pi Phi Chapter) was the first to serve as Sixth District representative, and to this day he remains the only individual to serve more than two terms in this office; and

Whereas, the Sixth District has produced seven grand basilei and is the home of present (fortieth) Grand Basileus Antonio Knox, Sr., and thirty-fourth Grand Basileus Dr. C. Tyrone Gilmore, Sr. The Sixth District has hosted four grand conclaves, in addition to the international leadership summit and the only international undergraduate summit held outside of Atlanta; and

Whereas, it is no secret that founder Dr. Ernest Everett Just had Sixth District roots. Dr. 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, prior to moving north to further his education and career. He went on to receive the NAACP's Spingarn Medal, 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 a great fraternity; and

Whereas, the international undergraduate scholarship luncheon is named after the Sixth District's own Dr. Ronald E. McNair, who joined Omega through Mu Psi Chapter at North Carolina A&T State University. This luncheon is held by all twelve districts annually, in addition to the conclave, in an effort to recognize the outstanding achievements of our undergraduate brothers; and

Whereas, 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. This program was born in the Sixth District, created by Brother J. Alston Atkins of Winston Salem, North Carolina, and Brother Dr. Dewey Duckett of Rock Hill (the first Black physician in York County). The first district Talent Hunt program was held in April 1946, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Talent Hunt, later a mandated program for all chapters and districts, continues to be one of the standout programs offered by the fraternity; and

Whereas, the Sixth District is woven throughout the fabric of Omega's history and has played an integral role in shaping the fraternity from its very start. It is almost impossible to talk about all that Omega has accomplished without taking into account the part that brothers in North Carolina and South Carolina have played. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, welcome to Columbia the members of the Sixth District of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., as they gather for the district's 79th annual meeting, to be held from April 25 to April 28, 2024.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the Sixth District of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

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