Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.

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ΙΦΘ - Iota Phi Theta

Motto	Building A Tradition, Not Resting Upon One!
Colors	Charcoal Brown and Gilded Gold
Symbol	Centaur
Flower	Yellow Rose
Founded	September 19, 1963 at Morgan State University
Fraternity type	Service
Scope	International
Headquarters	1600 North Calvert Street Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Chapters	200+
Nickname	Iotas
Homepage	Iota Phi Theta Website

Contents 1 History 2 Founders 3 National Programs [1] 4 Notable Members [2] 4.1 Business 4.2 Politics and Government 4.3 Academia 4.4 Athletics 4.5 Media and Entertainment 5 External links 6 References

[edit] History

The Iota Phi Theta Fraternity (ΙΦΘ) was founded on September 19, 1963 at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. A nationally incorporated, predominantly African-American social/service fraternity, Iota Phi Theta presently consists of 30,000 members and 200 undergraduate and alumni chapters and colonies located in over 40+ US states, the District of Columbia, the Bahamas and South Korea.

The fraternity was founded by twelve men during the Civil Rights Movement. Influenced by the times and by people and organizations such as the Black Panthers, SNCC, Malcolm X, and Stokely Carmichael. Iota initially was a militant organization in a time where militancy was not a popular stance. Iota brothers participated in various protests and sit-ins throughout the city of Baltimore. The founders of the fraternity were themselves not of the norm as they were all non-traditional students. They were older than their peers with many of them having served in the military, working full-time while attending classes, and having families.

The fraternity is a member of both the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), an umbrella organization comprised of nine (9) International Historically African-American Greek letter Sororities and Fraternities and the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC).

[edit] Founders

• Albert Hicks
• Lonnie Spruill, Jr.
• Charles Briscoe
• Frank Coakley
• John Slade
• Barron Willis
• Webster Lewis
• Charles Brown
• Louis Hudnell
• Charles Gregory
• Elias Dorsey, Jr.
• Michael Williams

[edit] National Programs ^[1]

• The National Iota Foundation - 501(c)3 non-profit organization utilized to obtain funding for chartiable causes and philanthropic programming.
• The I.O.T.A. Youth Alliance - Youth Mentoring Program
• The Digital Heritage Initiative - African-American History Education Initiative.
• The Afya (aah-fee-yah) Njema (j-ma) Program - Physical/Mental/Spiritual Health program.
• The Developing Better Fatherhood Project - Initiative to combat the issue of the retention of fathers in the lives of their children.
• The IOTA Political Mobilization Campaign - Political Action, Political Education, Voter Mobilization Program.
• Community Reclamation Initiative - Program to address the breakdown of the African-American community.
• Cultural Education Movement - Initiative to promote the historical value and the contributions of the African and African-American cultures to the world-at-large.

[edit] Notable Members ^[2]

[edit] Business

• Raymond Grady: President & CEO, Evanston Hospital, Evanston Illinois
• Zemira Jones: Vice-President of Operations, Radio One, Inc.
• Earl King: Vice President/Investment Center Manager, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
• Kevin Lofton: President and CEO, Catholic Health Initiatives
• Shelley Stewart: Vice President, Supply Chain, Tyco Corporation
• Joseph Williams: President & CEO, Hibernia Southcoast Capital, New Orleans, LA
• Ed Wood: Senior Vice President, Liberty Bank & Trust, New Orleans, LA
• David A. Jackson, Vice President, Southern Division, One Economy Corporation

[edit] Politics and Government

• Tim Baylor: Lt. Governor Candidate (DFL, 2006), State of Minnesota
• Ashley Bell: Immediate-Past National President, College Democrats of America
• Iota Founder Elias Dorsey, Jr.: Former Deputy Commissioner of Health, City of Baltimore, MD
• Norman Johnson, Esq.: Judge, District Court of Maryland
• Daniel Henson: Former Commissioner of Housing, City of Baltimore, MD
• Rickey Jones, Esq.: Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois
• Billy Ocasio: Alderman, Chicago, Illinois
• Bobby Rush: United States Congressman, D-Illinois
• Theodore N. Stephens, II, Esq.: Judge, City Municipal Court, Orange NJ
• James L. Walls Jr.: Mayor, City of District Heights, MD
• SGM Karl A. Roberts, US Army, Iota Phi Theta National Director of Military Affairs

[edit] Academia

• Sterling Hudson, III: Dean of Admissions, Morehouse College
• Dr. J. Keith Motley: Chancellor, University of Massachusetts, Boston
• Dr. Steven Ray: Associate Professor of African American Studies; Director, Urban Theological Institute, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
• Dr. Michael Toney: Director, Student Programs & Assessment, University of Illinois, Chicago
• Robert Flot : Associate Dean of Students, Lake Forest College

[edit] Athletics

• Elvin Hayes: NBA Hall of Fame
• Chidi Iwuoma: Defensive Back, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Dave Leitao: Head Basketball Coach, University of Virginia
• Melvin Lister: 2000 and 2004 Olympic Team, Long Jump / Triple Jump
• Calvin Murphy: NBA Hall-of-Fame
• Kirby Wilson: Assistant Coach, Arizona Cardinals

[edit] Media and Entertainment

• Iota Founder Webster Lewis: Composer, Musician, Educator
• Terrence "T.C." Carson: Television, Film, & Theatre Actor, (Formerly of "Living Single")
• Spencer Christian: former Weather Anchorman, "Good Morning America"
• Michael ("Mike City") Flowers: Music Producer/Composer
• Desi Arnez Hines, II: Film Actor, (Boyz in the Hood, Harlem Nights, House Party)
• George Nock: Award-winning Fine Artist (and former Washington Redskins Running Back)
• Jason Manuel Olazabal: Film, Theatre, & Television Actor (Bad Boys II, Inside Man, Law & Order)

[edit] External links

• Iota Phi Theta's official website
• The National Iota Foundation website

[edit] References

1. ↑  Iota Phi Theta Service Initiatives
2. ↑  Iota Phi Theta Notable Iota Men

• Ross, Lawrence, Jr. "The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities", 2000

National Pan-Hellenic Council
Alpha Kappa Alpha  • Alpha Phi Alpha  • Delta Sigma Theta  • Iota Phi Theta Kappa Alpha Psi  • Omega Psi Phi  • Phi Beta Sigma  • Sigma Gamma Rho  • Zeta Phi Beta

North-American Interfraternity Conference

Acacia  • Alpha Chi Rho  • Alpha Delta Gamma  • Alpha Delta Phi  • Alpha Epsilon Pi  • Alpha Gamma Rho  • Alpha Gamma Sigma  • Alpha Kappa Lambda  • Alpha Phi Alpha  • Alpha Phi Delta  • Alpha Sigma Phi  • Alpha Tau Omega  • Beta Chi Theta  • Beta Sigma Psi  • Beta Theta Pi  • Chi Phi  • Chi Psi  • Delta Chi  • Delta Kappa Epsilon  • Delta Phi  • Delta Psi  • Delta Sigma Phi  • Delta Tau Delta  • Delta Upsilon  • FarmHouse  • Iota Phi Theta  • Kappa Alpha Order  • Kappa Alpha Psi  • Kappa Alpha Society  • Kappa Delta Phi  • Kappa Delta Rho  • Lambda Chi Alpha  • Lambda Phi Epsilon  • Lambda Sigma Upsilon  • Lambda Theta Phi  • Order of Omega  • Phi Gamma Delta  • Phi Iota Alpha  • Phi Kappa Psi  • Phi Kappa Sigma  • Phi Kappa Tau  • Phi Kappa Theta  • Phi Lambda Chi  • Phi Mu Delta  • Phi Sigma Kappa  • Phi Sigma Phi  • Pi Kappa Alpha  • Pi Kappa Phi  • Pi Lambda Phi  • Psi Upsilon  • Sigma Alpha Epsilon  • Sigma Alpha Mu  • Sigma Chi  • Sigma Lambda Beta  • Sigma Nu  • Sigma Phi Delta  • Sigma Phi Epsilon  • Sigma Phi Society  • Sigma Pi  • Sigma Tau Gamma  • Tau Delta Phi  • Tau Epsilon Phi  • Tau Kappa Epsilon  • Theta Chi  • Theta Delta Chi  • Theta Xi  • Triangle  • Zeta Beta Tau  • Zeta Psi