October 2020 Edition
HAPPY CHARTER DAY - 93 YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE - EST. OCTOBER 1, 1927
Exploring the Significance of Bro. Wilder's Historic Election

Thirty years ago Virginia elected the first black Governor in the Nation. On Thursday September 17, 2020 brothers of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., along with others, joined with Virginia Union University and Virginia Commonwealth University for a daylong virtual event exploring the significance of Bro. Wilder's historic election. The symposium featured a keynote address by Bro. Wilder and other speakers including Bro. Roger Gregory, Chief US Circuit Judge of the US Court of Appeals.
January 13, 2020 marked the 30th Anniversary of the inauguration of Bro. Lawrence Douglas Wilder, 66th Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Bro. Wilder was initiated into Omega 1950, Zeta Chapter, Virginia Union University, a Life Member.  A native of Richmond's historic Church Hill, Bro. Wilder served as the commonwealth's chief executive officer from 1990 to 1994, and is the first African American to serve as governor of a U.S. state since Reconstruction, and the first elected African-American governor. 
Bro. Wilder graduated from Virginia Union University and served in the United States Army during the Korean War, where he earned a Bronze Star for heroism in ground combat. After the war, he attended Howard University School of Law, establishing a legal practice in Richmond shortly thereafter. 
Bro. L. Douglas Wilder - Delivered the Keynote address; Verbena Askew - Principal Attorney, The Verbena Askew Law Firm, P.C - Legal Panel Discussion; Jessica Bowman - Deputy Commissioner, Virginia Dept. of Elections - 2020 Election Panel and James W. Dyke, Jr. - Senior Advisor, McGuire Woods Consulting - Legal Panel Discussion
Bro. Wilder won election to the Virginia Senate in 1969 as a member of the Democratic Party and served five terms before taking office as the lieutenant governor of Virginia, becoming the first African American to hold statewide office in the commonwealth. Wilder’s historic success in the 1989 Virginia gubernatorial election made him a major and immediate influence in the U.S. political arena. He was commended for his sound fiscal management and balancing the state budget during difficult economic times. For the first time in the state's history, and for two consecutive years under Wilder’s administration, Virginia was ranked as the best-managed state in the U.S. by Financial World magazine.
Susan Gooden, PhD. - Dean, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at VCU - Welcome Remarks; Roger L. Gregory - Chief Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit - Legal Panel Discussion; Wilmer Leon - Author, Political Scientist, Radio Host - 2020 Election Panel and Hakim J. Lucas, PhD. - President, Virginia Union University - Welcome Remarks
Bro. Wilder returned to elective office in 2005, when he became the first directly-elected mayor of Richmond in over a half century, winning every precinct. Since leaving office in 2009, he has worked as a distinguished professor at the Wilder School where he lectures and hosts symposia, including the most recent, "Race in Academia." 
Walter "Mac" McFarlane - Former Chief Counsel - Legal Panel Discussion; Larry Sabato - Political Analyst and Director, Center for Politics at the University of Virginia -2020 Election Panel and J. Lee Vogler - Member, Danville City Council - 2020 Election Panel
Bro. Wilder is the recipient of numerous awards, including the NAACP’s prestigious Spingarn Medal, awarded 34 honorary degrees and citations of the highest order, e.g. Veterans of Foreign Wars, life member of several government and public service organizations, the author of “Son of Virginia: A Life in America’s Political Arena,” and a widely sought after spokesperson on current issues - national, state, and local.
Book Review
FIVE MILES AWAY, A WORLD APART
Courtesy of Bro. Marvin Jones, Sr.

Five Miles Away, A World Apart was written by James E. Ryan. Ryan serves as the ninth President of the University of Virginia where he received his law degree and served as a professor of law. Prior to returning to the University of Virginia, he served as the dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The book includes 381 pages of fine print. My daughter, Jamia allowed me to read this book before she had an opportunity to read it herself. In that I served as a counselor at Thomas Jefferson for five years before I retired, she thought that the book would be of interest to me. I thought so as well. Ryan states, in effect, that there are wide disparities that exist today between Thomas Jefferson High School (Richmond City) and Douglas Freeman High School (Henrico County) because of court rulings in the 1970s that limited the scope of desegregation even though the two schools are only five miles apart. He compared an urban (predominately black) with a suburban school (predominately white). The title of the book caught my attention because in addition to serving as a counselor at Thomas Jefferson, I have also served as a substitute teacher at Douglas Freeman High School. Read Moore
"We Care Program"
Courtesy of Bro. Jonathan Miller

On Saturday August 29th 2020 at Overby-Sheppard Elementary School the Phi Phi Chapter partnered up with community churches and organization in the “We Care” program.
The program gives out back to school supplies, book bags, food boxes, and hosts Voter Registration Drives for the Richmond community residents. This year nearly 200 items were giving out. In addition, free Covid-19 testing was provided.


Upcoming Events
  • Tuesday October 6, 2020 Virtual Executive Meeting 6:00 pm
  • Wednesday October 14, 2020 Virtual Chapter Meeting 7:00 pm
Brothers of Omega Psi Phi hand out backpacks, school supplies

The brothers of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. helped support the community by handing out supplies to students and helped people prepare for the upcoming election. The event was held Tuesday evening at the Peter Paul Development Center in Richmond.
“We’re out here today...delivering school supplies. We packed up about 100 bags or so of school supplies, we have lunchboxes, we’re registering voters and we’re also passing out a little bit of food as well," Charles Fordham, Basileus of Phi Phi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc..
The brothers distributed nearly 100 backpacks full of supplies to kids in the Churchill and East End communities.
Brothers delivered backpacks to the homes of those who couldn’t make it out.
VOTER GUIDE: What you need to know ahead of November’s Election

How can I register to vote?
When is my last day to register?
  • Tuesday, October 13th.
When does in-person early voting start and end?
  • In-person early voting starts Friday, September 18th and will end on October 31st – the Saturday before election day.
  • Voting precincts are open from 6 am to 7 pm. Voters can find their polling place at: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot.
What do I need to bring with me?
  • Make sure you bring a valid ID which includes, but is not limited to a Virginia driver’s license, U.S passport, or student photo ID.
When is the deadline to request an absentee ballot?
  • Friday, October 23rd. This year, anyone can apply to vote by mail and does not need a special reason to do so.
Who will I be voting for?
Memorial Service for Bro. Earl McClenney, Jr.

Bro. Earl Hampton McClenney, Jr., Virginia State University educator and longtime public administrator, entered Omega Chapter on August 20, 2020.

The Memorial Service for Bro. Earl Hampton McClenney, Jr. was held on Wednesday September 16, 2020 at Joseph Jenkins, Jr. Funeral Home in Richmond, Virginia.

Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, Bro. McClenney grew up on the campus of St. Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Virginia where his father served as president and his mother was the librarian. Bro. McClenney was initiated into the Phi Phi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. on April 22, 1961. He earned his bachelor’s degree from North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, North Carolina; master’s in public administration from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia and the Juris Doctor degree from the University of Richmond School of Law in Richmond, Virginia.

Bro. McClenney is survived by his two daughters: Dr. Madeline G. McClenney, a minister and leader of a nonprofit in Charlotte, N.C.; Richmond General District Court Judge Jacqueline S. McClenney; siblings Clifton McClenney of Richmond, Elizabeth Gail McClenney of Roanoke, Walter O’Neil McClenney of Cary, N.C., and Henry Clay McClenney of Texas; granddaughter, Ariyah, and grandsons, Rashad and James.
The "Que Gram" a publication of ΦΦ Chapter of ΩΨΦ Fraternity, Inc., delivered through e-mail. For consideration for publication, submit your articles and photos, suggestions, comments or concerns to:
John D. Pride, Editor