The History of
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Alpha Psi Chapter
Key # 044
During the year of 1930, three chapters were established in Alpha. Two graduate chapters and one undergraduate. On May 24, 1930 Alpha Psi Chapter was chartered on the Campus of Lincoln University of Missouri.
The Charter members are:
Marshall Beason
Metha Finley
Nathaniel Freeman
Bernard L. Gravette
Hadley Hartshorn
William Hopson
John TurnerNathaniel Freeman was elected the first president. The chapter was set up by Bro.William W. Cardoazo, the Western Vice-President. In the years to come Alpha Psi Chapter produced a great deal of leadership amongst the ranks in Alpha. One of those leaders was Bro. Gus T. Ridgel. Bro. Ridgel was one of the first African-American students to enroll at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Dr. Ridgel was originally denied entrance to M.U., and he filed a lawsuit in the circuit court seeking to gain admission. Judge Sam C. Blair ruled that since comparable graduate work in economics was not available at Lincoln University, (Dr. Ridgel’s alma mater), Mr. Ridgel be admitted to Missouri University. He was the first African-American awarded a graduate degree from MU. Bro. Ridgel later went on to earn a PhD from the University of Wisconsin. He became the Mid-Western Vice President at the regional convention in Louisville, Kentucky in 1969. Bro. Ridgel also ran for the 23rd General president, but was beaten by Bro. Ernest “Dutch†Morial in 1970.
Bro. Lloyd Lionel Gaines was the central figure of one of the most important court cases in the US civil rights movement in the 1930’s. Bro. Gaines a high school valedictorian that graduated with honors from Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Missouri with a Bachelor’s degree in history. He applied in 1936 for admission to the law School at the University of Missouri-Columbia. In April, the university denied his admission on the grounds of race. Missouri policy at the time was pay expenses of black students education out of state. Gaines’ lawyer, Bro.Charles H. Houston took their case to court. After the Boone County Court and Missouri Supreme Court ruled in favor of the university. The argument proceeded to the United States Supreme Court, where Gaines v. Canada was argued on November 9, 1938. It became the most important segregation case since Plessy v. Ferguson. On ..he court, in a 6-2 decision ordered the state of Missouri to either admit Gaines to the University of Missouri or provide another school of equal stature within the states borders. However, Gaines never attended the University. On the night of March 19, 1939, Gaines left his fraternity house in Chicago, Illinois telling others he was going out to but stamps. He was never seen again.
In 2001, the University of Missouri-Columbia renamed its Black Culture Center in Gaines honor. Additionally, a scholarship offered by the UMC Law School is named for Gaines.
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