"Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. does not have, nor has it ever endorsed, a mascot of any type to be representative of the organization. So why do so many Omega men like the "dog" image? WE ARE NOT DOGS, even though those who misunderstand us would view us as otherwise because we possess a "dawg"-matic determination to make changes and the tenacity to see them through, the loyalty of man's best friend and the guardianship to protect the ones we love."
Courtesy of Gamma Chapter
Lawrence Douglas Wilder
Lawrence Douglas Wilder met and defeated racial prejudices in a state where statues pay homage to confederate leaders, to become the first Black popularly elected Governor of Virginia, and the United States. Born on January 17,1931, Wilder was raised in the poverty of depression era Richmond. There Wilder faced many hardships, during a time when racial discrimination consumed the south. Lawrence Douglas Wilder carved his name into history by gaining an education, persevering through the disappointments of racial discrimination and helping to improve the conditions of those around him.
L. Douglas Wilder, attended Armstrong high school, a high school reserved for blacks. He graduated from high school in 1947, the first in his family to do so. Wilder aspired to become a dental surgeon, a goal thought highly unattainable by many of his peers. Wilder pursued this goal with a steadfast determination and received a Chemistry degree from Virginia Union University in 1951. In 1956 he entered Howard University Law School and earned his law degree in 1959. Douglas Wilder’s education set the foundation for his success in future endeavors, however neither his education nor his success came easily.
Throughout his life Lawrence Douglas Wilder persevered and defeated many faces of racial discrimination. Being born in Virginia, the state where his grandparents toiled as slaves, and where many whites still considered African Americans inferior presented one of the toughest challenges that L. Douglas Wilder had to face. Years before Wilder even dreamed of becoming the Governor of Virginia, he exuded a drive and determination to compete with and defeat his contemporaries regardless of their skin tone or the level or quality of there education. While L. Douglas Wilder attended Virginia Union University, he worked to pay for a good portion of his tuition. Wilder humbly worked at jobs waiting on white people at the West End Club of Richmond. Wilder understood that in order to obtain your goals, sometimes you have to humble your self and endure some hardships. These lessons paid dividends in 1952 when he was drafted into the Army. Douglas Wilder fought in the Korean war where he won a Bronze Star for valor. After risking his life for his country, he returned home to find that he could not attend any of the law schools in his home state Virginia because he was Black. He attend Howard University Law School and received his law degree in 1959. L. Douglas Wilder’s perseverance lead directly to his great success in life.
Lawrence Douglas Wilder’s dogmatic focus on his goals and unyielding perseverance enabled him to defeat the odds and to overcome the many forms of racial discrimination that stood before him. Most importantly he used his success to better the conditions of the citizens of Virginia both black and white. Since he left office in 1994 he has continued uplift the community by teaching at Virginia Commonwealth University. Lawrence Douglas Wilder has been, is and will be successful because he has truly internalized Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift.