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"Biologist of International Fame"
Ernest Everett Just, an eminent marine biologist, was born in Charleston, South Carolina. Seeking a substantial education, he attended the Industrial School of State College, Orangeburg, South Carolina; Kimball Academy at Meriden, New Hampshire; and Dartmouth College, graduated in 1907. Each school he attended was proud to have him because of his kindly demeanor and his unusual ability as a scholar. Accordingly each school he attended honored him.
At Dartmouth he won the Phi Beta Kappa Key, the highest scholastic award to be given to a student in an undergraduate college.
Upon graduating from Dartmouth he became a teacher in the M Street High School of Washington, D.C., now the Dunbar. As Brother Just was marked for greatness, his rise was inevitable. Soon he answered the call of Howard University to become and instructor in Biology, his major field. It was here he fascinated the hearts of Negro youth, inspired them and made them ambitious. Here he met Oscar J. Cooper, who told him of the fraternal dream of collegiate empire in his mind and in the minds of his bosom friends, Edgar A. Love and Frank Coleman, all members of the Howard University class of 1913. He listened to their fancies and their dreams, helped them become realities, and thereby became with them a Founder of our charming Fraternity, the Omega Psi Phi.
In 1915, after displaying unusual brilliancy in research, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People conferred upon him the Spingarn Medal, which each year is given to a Negro who has been most outstanding in achievement. The following year he obtained the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Chicago.
The honors that have since come to Brother Just are too numerous to mention in our limited space; but we shall list a few of them. He did his work so well, that he was selected as guest investigator, to engage in research at the Kaiser Wilhem Institute fur Biologie. In 1919, he spent six months in Biological Research at Naples, Italy. He had also at his disposal the private laboratories of several of the crowned heads of Europe.
For twenty years at least he did research worked at the Marine Biology Laboratory at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. A gift from the Rosenwald Fund of about $80,000.00 a year for several years made it possible for Dr. Just to be relieved of his undergraduate teaching assignment and devote all his time to research and the teaching of graduate students.
Aside from this, Dr. Just was selected by leading biologists of Germany as the best fitted among world scholars to write a treaties on fertilization. Brother Just was a member of the National Research Council, editor of the international Council, editor of the international Journal, "Protoplasma." He was a member of the American Society of Zoologists, the American Naturalists, and a corresponding member of La Societe des Science Naturelles et Mathematiques de France. 1936
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"Distinguished Physicist"
At Washington, D.C., on July 11, 1890, there was born a Founder of Omega, Brother Frank Coleman.
In 1908, he graduated with honors from the M Street High School of Washington, now the Dunbar. Upon finishing the high school, he entered Howard University, from which he obtained the degree, Bachelor of Science. His record there was so outstanding that he was at once made an instructor in Physics.
Brother Coleman later took the degree of Master of Science from the University of Chicago. Subsequent graduate work he did at the University of Pennsylvania. He has met all the requirements for his Doctorate except the writing of his thesis.
When America entered the World War, he joined the army, became a first lieutenant, and served honorably overseas.
Aside from carrying on his regular work, Brother Coleman was a member of the Boys' Committee of YMCA, a Mason, an American Legionnaire and a Congregationalist.
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"Distinguished Physician"
Oscar J. Cooper, a native son of Washington, D.C., cane of God fearing and ambitious parents, who desired their son to control himself and master the arts expected of the fine gentleman. So he was taught by his parents to be punctilious and neat in his dress and distinctly chivalrous in his manners, never flashy or ostentatious, yet fashionable, prim and precise.
Upon finishing the elementary schools of Washington, Brother Cooper entered Howard University, from which he obtained his baccalaureate degree and his degree of Doctor of Medicine. Some of the academic subjects had little interest for him; for his all-absorbing interest in college was Biology. His aptness and proficiency along this line drew him rapidly to Professor Just, who was at that time at Howard University teaching Biology. So accomplished was Brother Cooper in this subject that he was made a laboratory assistant in Biology.
Brother Cooper thus was the link, between our other Founders, all Juniors, in the fall of 1911, and Professor Just, the eminent, young, associate professor, who advised the three young pioneers, Love, Cooper and Coleman.
Brother Cooper early showed that he believed both in pleasure and in work. He liked to socialize; but he also liked to work, to work hard for the achievement of great ends. Accordingly in the founding of Omega, Brother Cooper worked unsparingly along with the other Founders many a night until late in the morning.
Upon completing his medical course, Brother Cooper settled in Philadelphia and worked untiringly and persistently until he built up one of the most lucrative practices to be found among the physicians of Philadelphia.
He had an excellent general library and an excellent medical library. It is a real inspiration to go through these libraries and through his office. Brother Cooper is ever discovering new techniques in his field and using them efficiently.
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Rev. Edgar A. Love, one of the Founders of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, the son to the late Rev. Julius C. Love and Mrs. Susie C. Love, was born in Harrisburg, Virginia, September 10, 1891.
He received his early training in the public schools of Virginia and Maryland. In 1909, he graduated from the Academy of Morgan College. In 1913, he graduated from Howard University with the honor Cum Laude and the degree of Bachelor of Arts. In 1916 after three years of additional hard work, he received from Howard University the degree of Bachelor of Divinity. To intensify his training further, he entered Boston University, from which he received in 1918 the degree of Bachelor of Sacred Theology. Later he spent two sessions in graduate worked at the University of Chicago. Because of his distinguished work in religion as a teacher, pastor and inspired civic worker for the advancement of all humanity, in June, 1935 Morgan College conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of divinity.
Pastorates
Rev. Love pastored for fifteen months at Fairmount, Maryland, for four years at Washington, D.C., for three years at Annapolis, Maryland, for three years in Wheeling, West Virginia, and for two years at Baltimore Maryland, directing the great John Wesley M.C. Church. As a pastor, Rev. Love, inspiring and efficient, made the Church, wherever he was, function as a community center for the people of the neighborhood, as well as a temple of worship for the Most High God.
Army Chaplain
When the call of the United States came for our youth to do service in France, our Founder promptly entered the Officers' Training Camp at Des Moines, Iowa and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant. He was assigned as Chaplain to the 368 Infantry, with which unit he saw service in the Vosges Mountains, and in the Argonne Forest, spending eight days in the great offensive, where he was gassed. While in the army he had supervision over 3,000 men.
Aside from administering to the spiritual needs of the soldiers, he also taught in the army school. He helped to organize a school for illiterates in the 809th Pioneer Infantry, which was developed into a regular school system. The school included in its curriculum subjects ranging from reading and writing to motor mechanics and philosophy. Fourteen teachers were drafted from the ranks and constituted the faculty.
Morgan College Professor
In 1919, after being honorably discharged from the service of the United
States Army, Rev. Love became Professor of History and Bible at Morgan
College. At the same time he served as Director of Athletics. Here he also
served as Principle of the Academy.
Civic Activities
As Rev. Love is community-minded believing that religion is life in God and
should be the guiding force in all affairs, he has always found time from his
religious duties to be active in civic matters. For instance, he was a delegate
from the state of Maryland to the First American Legion Convention that
was held at Minneapolis, Minnesota. Because of his high attainments, he
was appointed by Governor Ritchie of Maryland as a Member of the
Maryland Interracial Commission.
He was the first Grand Basileus of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and served in that capacity for three terms.
A Unique Career
Accordingly, as Founder of our great Fraternity, as a Soldier, an Educator,
and a Minister, Rev. Love has had an unusual career and has endeared
himself into the hearts of many thousands.