History of Pi Chapter
History of Pi Chapter
Pi Chapter was chartered on Thursday, May 14 & Friday, May 15, 1914, as the fifteenth chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, and the first Black Greek Letter organization in Cleveland, Ohio. The chapter grew out of the Cleveland College Club, composed of students from the Case School of Applied Science and Western Reserve University. The first meeting of this club was in October 1913, at the home of Brother Daniel David Fowler. Other meetings were after in the winter of 1913 through the spring of 1914.
Brother Dr. Henry Lake Dickason, the 5th General President of Alpha Phi Alpha and student at The Ohio State University, chartered Pi chapter. The chartered members of Pi Chapter are John Ezra Ballard (Attorney), Rufus L. Carr (Pharmacist & First Secretary of the chapter), Dr. Armen Gloster Evans (Pediatrician), Daniel David Fowler (Metallurgical Engineer & First President of the chapter), George Phillip Hinton (Mechanical Engineer), Harold Ardene Leatherman (Electrical Engineer), and Thaddeus H.P. Warren (Dentist). Fowler, Hinton, and Leatherman attended Case School of Applied Science while Ballard, Carr, Evans, and Warren attended Western Reserve University.
Within the first 11 years, Pi was a key part of the start of many initiatives across the Midwest. When white colleges were refusing to accept colored students and advising them to attend colored institutions, Pi led in the organization of a State Committee of Investigation on Non-admittance of Negro Students in Ohio universities. As a result, this message was spread across different institutions demanding to not have segregation amongst their fellow men.
Also, PI was involved in expanding the fraternity within the Midwest. George P. Hinton, the General Secretary of Alpha Phi Alpha, had the pleasure of installing Tau Chapter, located at the University of Illinois, on March 23, 1917. On May, 9, 1925, Brother Norman L. McGhee (then General Secretary), Brother S. Paul Berry, Brother Elmer J. Cheeks, and Brother Emmer Martin Lancaster established Alpha Tau chapter, located at The University of Akron.
Pi chapter focused on adding institutions to offer membership to African American men who wanted to join a fraternity. John Carroll University, Cleveland College, and Oberlin College were added in 1930 and Baldwin Wallace College and Hiram College in 1932. Brothers from different institutions would relocate to Cleveland and affiliate with Pi Chapter attending graduate school or working in Cleveland.
On November 15, 1947, Delta Alpha Lambda Chapter was chartered to provide continuing leadership opportunities for brothers beyond the college years. Pi Chapter and Delta Alpha Lambda chapter hosted the 38th General Convention (December 26th – December 30th, 1952) where Brother Eugene Kinckle Jones was designated as a “Jewel” for his contributions the fraternity. The chapter obtained a house on Magnolia Drive near Western Reserve University to have meetings and social events. Unfortunately, the house was lost and torn down due to the new construction of the Veterans Administration hospital in 1960.
Between 1960 and 1963, Pi Chapter encountered a difficult time as members graduated and moved for careers. In 1963, Delta Alpha Lambda initiated three men from Western Reserve University to reactivate the chapter by the leadership of Sam Brooks. In 1963, Fenn College experienced financial hardship from increasing operating costs, and competition from Cuyahoga Community College prompted Fenn to release a plan urging the development of a state university in Cleveland, using Fenn as its nucleus.
In 1965, Fenn College and the state agreed for the state to assume operations of Fenn College on September 1st as Cleveland State University. The move is significant as the first members of Cleveland State University were part of the largest line in Pi chapter history called “The Mean Fifteen”, who were initiated on Friday, June 30, 1967. In 1970, Dyke College was added to the charter; however, it no longer exists today.
During the 1970 and early 1980s, Pi Chapter would have intake during the summer as many students were interested in the fraternity. The candidate would contact the chapter at the school that it attends and sought permission to pledge Pi chapter. With proper approval, Pi chapter would initiate men from Ohio University and Central State University. It was common to see multiple lines during the summer as pledges were on-line for extended periods.
Pi Chapter was instrumental in chartering Xi Chi Chapter at Baldwin Wallace College on August 1, 1980. In 1989, the fraternity updated the national constitution, which implemented a new rule stating that two chapters within a 50-mile radius would merge. As a result, the Xi Chi chapter merged into Pi chapter. Xi Chi chapter currently sits at Wittenberg University.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Pi Chapter thrived in the with having an active chapter that was heavily involved in campus activities and professional organizations. As a result of their tremendous work, Pi Chapter was named College Chapter of the Year in 1992. The standard for what type of men was evident with academic excellence, leadership ability, and commitment to community affairs.
The chapter growth was stagnant in the late 1990s and early 2000s as Greek Life in Cleveland started to shift with smaller lines. Pi chapter was dedicated to increasing its presence by executing programs at different campuses and engaged in community activities, leading to increased membership in the mid-to-late 2000s. The universities and students loved attending Pi chapter events and parties as we had athletes and campus leaders.
In the 2010s, the fraternity changed its Membership Intake Process (MIP) to IMDP in 2012. Pi chapter was able to rebuild its membership and presence across different schools collaborating with student organizations to bring awareness of police brutality and social injustice. Also, Pi Chapter celebrated its Centennial in May 2014, receiving a declaration from the city of Cleveland and recognized from the national headquarters of the fraternity.
In August 2019, three schools were added to the charter: Ashland University, Lake Erie College, and Notre Dame College. These additions made Pi Chapter the largest city-wide chapter in the Fraternity as we initiated the second largest line on November 2nd.
From 2020 to 2021, Pi chapter had begun to make its impact around the city of Cleveland through numerous community events support social injustice rallies, voter registration initiatives, and COVID-19 awareness. The community and campus engagement led the chapter to winning Alpha Ohio District Chapter of the Year and the Midwestern Regional Chapter of the Year. Pi finished in third place for the National Chapter of the Year.
Today, Pi Chapter is a city-wide college Chapter, seated at Cleveland State University, with the following institutions under its charter:
Ashland University (Ashland, OHIO)
Baldwin Wallace University (berea, ohio)
Case Western Reserve University (CLEVELAND, OHIO)
Cleveland State University (cleveland, ohio)
Hiram College (hiram, ohio)
John Carroll University (UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, OHIO)
Lake Erie College (PAINESVILLE, OHIO)
Notre Dame College (SOUTH EUCLID, OHIO)
Oberlin College (OBERLIN, OHIO)