Thousands Of Fraternity Members Take Over Uptown Charlotte (Video)
It was a sea of purple and gold over the weekend in uptown Charlotte. An estimated 32,000 members (not confirmed) of the Black greek fraternity Omega Psi Phi took over the uptown area. They were in town celebrating their 83rd Annual Conclave.
Members from Brazil to Birmingham, from Washington, DC, Atlanta, and Los Angeles came to the Queen City to party and of course, to take care of business matters. Omega Psi Phi Fraternity was founded on November 17, 1911, on the campus of Howard University.
A part of the conclave is the ‘gathering’ of friends all in the name of ‘brotherhood.’ The young and the old were on site. The ‘old’ included 93-year-old Charles Sears who received special recognition for his commitment to the organization. He has served 70 years to his Omega Psi Phi family.
The fraternity doesn’t just party, it is committed to education, too. One of its signature programs is the Talent Hunt. It is a program that helps art students in underserved communities get opportunities to hone and expand their craft. The fraternity awards individuals scholarships.
With the help of local photographer Patrice Johnson, I captured some of the happenings.
