The records of the Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha include correspondence, minutes, photographic material, publications, reports, and topical files.
The records—which document the activities and experiences of African Americans at the University of Michigan— provide a rich source of information about the history, activities, and administration of the Epsilon Chapter, particularly during the 1920's, 1980's, and 1990's. Specifically, the collection includes rich information from the chapter's founding in 1909 through the 1920s. The collection also contains the materials of several presidents, including Ronald Jackson (1994-1995) and Sean Franklin (1995-1996). In addition, researchers will find materials related to the chapter's centennial celebration in 2009.
Founded at Cornell University in 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (Alpha Phi Alpha) is the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity for Black college students. Its fifth chapter, Epsilon, was officially established at the University of Michigan on April 10, 1909 by George Jackson Clark, William Harrison Dickson (Medicine, 1911), Norris Augustus Dodson (Pharmacy, 1908, 1910), George Saunders Ellison (LSA, 1910; Teacher's Certificate Education, 1910; Rackham, 1917), Eugene Joseph Marshall (Law, 1903), Charles Clayton Middleton (Medicine, 1912), Augustus Glover Purvis (LSA, 1909; Medicine, 1911), Stephen Douglass Sparks (LSA, 1911; Dentistry, 1916), William Thorne (Medicine, 1910), John Robert White Jr. (Pharmacy, 1910), and Augustus Alphonza Williams (Pharmacy, 1908). The chapter was founded under the principles of the national organization: brotherhood, leadership, scholarship, and service. During its earliest years, the chapter regularly met at 1017 East Catherine Street where many of its members lived. In December 1911, Epsilon Chapter hosted the fourth Alpha Phi Alpha National Convention at this house - it was during this convention that a committee selected the official design for the fraternity shield.
Epsilon Chapter has inducted hundreds of men since its founding. Notable members have included W.E.B. Du Bois, inducted into the chapter as an honorary member in 1912; Joseph Leon Langhorne (LSA, 1928; Rackham 1935), also known as J. Leon Langhorne, the first Black letter winner in tennis (freshman letter 1925); and Willis Ward (LSA, 1935), the second Black football letter winner at Michigan.
Over the years, Epsilon Chapter has hosted numerous speakers at its events, such as Georgia State Senator and Representative Horace Julian Bond, activist Fannie Lou Hamer, poet Nikki Giovanni, and U.S. Representative and presidential candidate Shirley Chisholm. The chapter has developed a rich tradition of community service and programming, including an annual tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.; a program that helped acclimate first-year students of color to the University of Michigan; and an annual event honoring Black women, titled "A Salute to Black Women" (sometimes referred to "A Salute to African American Women").
In 2009, the Epsilon Chapter celebrated its centennial anniversary through various events including an exhibit at the University of Michigan's Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library and by releasing a documentary on the history of the chapter titled "Epsilon 100."
