Profile of Famous Omega Men
Education
Dr. Carter G. Woodson - The earliest and most outspoken proponent for the study of Black History.
Benjamin E. Mays - President Emeritus of Morehouse College, writer and lecturer.
Herman Dreer - Teacher, minister, writer, and author of The History of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., 1911-1961.
In addition, Numerous College Presidents are Omega Men.
Science
Dr. Ernest Everett Just - Internationally known biologist and professor at Howard University.
Dr. Charles Drew - Perfected the use of blood plasma; Professor of Surgery at Howard University.
Percy Julian - Discovered the use of foam to extinguish fires and discovered a method of producing cortisone synthetically.
Dr. Fred Drew Gregory - Astronaut, graduate of the United States Air Force Academy (pilot).
Charles Bolden - Astronaut, graduate of the United States Naval Academy (pilot).
Dr. Ronald E. McNair - Astronaut, graduate of M.I.T., Ph.D. in Physics (civilian).
Politics
Lawrence Douglas Wilder - Became Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1990. He also received the Bronze Star for his military heroics in the Korean War.
William Hastie - First Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
George L.P. Weaver - Former U.S. Secretary of Labor.
Vernon Jordan - Corporate Lawyer
Robert C. Weaver - First African American to serve on the Presidential Cabinet when he became Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in 1966 under President Franklin Roosevelt.
Clifford L. Alexander, Jr. - Secretary, Department of the Army.
Civil Rights
Roy Wilkins - Long-time Executive Director of the NAACP.
Benjamin Hooks - Succeeded Roy Wilkins as Executive Director of the NAACP, the most effective of all civil rights organizations.
Vernon Jordan - Former Executive Director of the National Urban League.
Rev. Jesse Jackson - Former Director of Operation PUSH; Founder, Rainbow Coalition.
Grant Reynolds - Played a major role in President Truman's 1948 decision to desegregate the United States Armed Forces.
Business
Earl Graves - Publisher of Black Enterprise magazine.
Gillard S. Glover - President, Afro-American Life Insurance Company.
Thurman McKenzie - Co-owner of M and M Products (Sta Soft Fro).
Otis M. Smith - General Counsel, General Motors Corporation.
Nathaniel Bronner - Co-owner of Bronner Brothers Beauty Supplies.
Jesse Hill - President of Atlanta Life Insurance Company.
William Kennedy III - President of North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company.
The Arts
William "Count" Basie - Internationally known pianist, composer, arranger, and band leader.
Langston Hughes - The Black Poet Laureate, excelled as a poet, playwright, novelist, lyrics and humorist.
Sterling Brown - Teacher, poet, writer, Professor Emeritus of Literature at Howard University, has a special foundation for folk culture and jazz music.
Carl Rowan - Syndicated columnist.
Joe Torry - Comedian and actor.
William H. "Bill" Cosby - Comedian, author, actor, producer.
Roland Hayes - Internationally known tenor of the 1920s. Hayes sang in five different languages.
Steve Harvey- Comedian and actor.
Rickey Smiley- Comedian and actor.
Tom Joyner- Radio show host.
Athletics
Michael Jordan - Outstanding basketball player with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards of the NBA.
De Hart Hubbart - A University of Michigan sprinter; was the first Black person to represent the United States in the Olympic Games (1924).
Ed "Too Tall" Jones - Outstanding player with the Dallas Cowboys football team.
Joe Black - An all-time great Brooklyn Dodger baseball pitcher. In 1952, he had the lowest earned-run average in the Major Leagues.
Charlie Ward - Heisman Trophy winner and NY Knicks guard.
Steve "Air" McNair - Outstanding Quarterback of the Tennessee Titans.
Hank Aaron - Home-run King who broke Babe Ruth's record.
John Salley - Player with the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers.
Shaquille O'Neal - Star center with the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat.