Notable Omegas
The Arts
- William (Count) Basie – Internationally known pianist, composer, arranger, and band leader.
- Sterling Brown – Teacher, poet, writer, Professor Emeritus of Literature at Howard University, has a special foundation for folk culture and jazz music.
- Steve Harvey – Comedian and actor.
- Roland Hayes – Internationally known tenor of the 1920’s; sang in five different languages.
- Langston Hughes – The Black poet laureate, excelled as a poet, playwright, novelist, lyricist, and humorist
- Tom Joyner – Radio show host.
- Max Roach – Internationally known drummer
- Rickey Smiley – Comedian and actor.
- Joe Torry – Comedian, author, actor, and producer
Athletics
- Clarence E. “Big House” Gaines – Hall of Fame Basketball coach.
- William DeHart Hubbard – University of Michigan sprinter; first black person to represent the United States in the Olympic Games in 1924.
- Joe Black – All-time great Brooklyn Dodger baseball pitcher. Lowest ERA in the Major Leagues in 1952.
- Vince Carter – 8-time All-Star. 2-time All-NBA guard.
- Mark Duper – 3 time Pro Bowler and 2-time All-Pro former wide receiver with Miami Dolphins.
- Dr. Edwin Bancroft (E.B.) Henderson – He is known as the “Father of Black Sport History”.
- Brice Taylor – University of Southern California football legend.
- Terrence Trammell – 2-time (2000, 2004) Olympic silver medalist in 110m hurdles.
- Charlie Ward – 1993 Heisman Trophy winner and former NBA guard
- Dr. Robert “Whirlwind” Johnson – considered to be the Godfather of Black Tennis, he accomplished a long list of achievements both on and off the court.
Business
- Earl Graves – Chairman and CEO of Black Enterprise Magazine.
- Jessie Hill – President of Atlanta Life Insurance Company.
- Therman McKenzie – Former Co-Owner of M & M Products (Sta Soft Fro).
- Nathaniel Bronner – Co-Owner of Bronner Brothers Beauty.
- Byron E. Lewis, Sr. – Founder and Chairman Emeritus, UniWorld Group, Inc. Now in its 44th year of a successful business operation, UniWorld is the nation’s oldest surviving multicultural advertising company.
Civil Rights
- Benjamin Hooks – Succeeded Roy Wilkins as Executive Director of the NAACP, the most effective of all civil rights organizations.
- Grant Reynolds – Played a major role in President Truman’s 1948 decision to desegregate the United States Armed Forces.
- James Nabrit – Former Dean of the Howard University Law School and former president of Howard University. A leader in the training of the early Civil Rights lawyers.
- Roy Wilkins – Long-time Executive Director of the NAACP.
- Jesse Jackson- Former Director of Operation PUSH; Founder, National Rainbow Coalition.
- Vernon Jordan – Noted Attorney and Former Executive Director of the National Urban League.
- Ernest Green – Civil Rights Activist – Little Rock 9
- Wiley Branton – Attorney of the “Little Rock Nine” and former Dean of Howard University School of Law.
- Oliver Hill – Civil Rights attorney whose work against racial discrimination helped end the doctrine of “separate but equal”. 1999 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient.
- Bayard Rustin – Civil rights organizer and activist and leader for Social movements. He organized the Freedom Rides and served as an organizer for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.