Over many months during the year of 2013, there had been discussions by the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, 4th District Leadership on rejuvenating the chapters throughout the state of Ohio and West Virginia. The two states make up the fourth district of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. Alpha Alpha Alpha Chapter (AAA Chapter) of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, originally chartered at Shepherd College (now Shepherd University) in the northern most part of the state, was targeted for reactivation.
The task was in line with the goals of the 26th Fourth District Representative Bro. Christopher K. Welch (DR) who charged Bro. Bobby Robinson (DKRS), Bro. Eric Jackson (WV-Area Representative) Bro. Andrew Walters (Xi Alpha Basilues), Bro. Hal Dumas (WV-Assistant AR) and Bro. JT Thomas (WV-Assistant AR) with reactivating and transferring the chapter from Sheperdstown, WV to Morgantown, WV. The task of rallying brothers who would be willing to support such an effort was lead by Bro. JT Thomas, an active member of Xi Alpha Chapter (Initiated at Nu Zeta Chapter) who would become the first Basieus of AAA Chapter (Morgantown) upon reactivation.
Xi Alpha Chapter Basileus Bro. Andrew Walters convened a meeting on the campus of West Virginia University on June 1, 2013 in Woodburn Hall, room 110, Morgantown, WV for the purpose of evaluating the feasibility of AAA Chapter reactivated at the Morgantown, WV location. The following elected district officers where in attendance, Fourth District Representative Bro. Christopher K. Welch, First Vice District Representative Bro. Daryl S Cameron, Fourth District Keeper of Records and Seals Bro. Bobby Robinson, as well as the Honorable Ninth Past District Representative Bro. R. Charles Byers. The meeting was also attended by brothers initiated at Nu Beta Chapter (Marshall University), Nu Zeta Chapter (West Virginia University), Theta Psi Chapter (West Virginia State), Gamma Lambda (WV Tech), Beta Delta Delta (Chicago, IL City Wide), Beta Gamma (Cheyney University), and Beta Sigma (Southern University). During the meeting, the proposed names of the brothers who were financial during this period and available to assist with reactivation of AAA chapter were as follows: Shawn Hackett (NZ), Lidell L Evans (BDD), Damon Codgell Sr. (NZ), Joshua Taylor (NZ), Howard C Barrett (NZ), JT Thomas (NZ), JT Thomas III (NZ), Terence Garvin (NZ), Darwin Cook (NZ), Douglas Lavergne (BS), Arthur Ashe (NZ), Saeed Bryant (NZ), Derrick Bowen (NZ); the names were accepted and the project was set into motion. There were an array of events that took place to make standing up the chapter a reality. Bro. JT Thomas wrote the AAA Chapter proposal and submitted it to the 4th district on July 8th, 2013. Bro. Thomas meet with with the District Representative in Kansas, KS on August 1st through the 4th, 2013 for the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity International Leadership Conference, at which time more discussions regarding reactivation of AAA chapter were fruitful.
District Representative Bro. Christopher K. Welch at The Ohio State University, during the announcement of AAA Chapter being recognized
Bro. Arthur Ashe, Bro. Mike West, Bro. Derek Knight, Bro. JT Thomas and Bro. Charles Price in attendance at The Ohio State University for MSP Training
On August 24, 2013 at the 4th District MSP training on the campus of The Ohio State University, it was announced that AAA Chapter at Morgantown, was officially recognized by the International Headquarters of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and the Fourth District. The following AAA chapter officers were installed: Bro. JT Thomas (Basileus), Bro. Howard Barrett (Vice Basileus), Bro. Lidell Evans (KRS), Bro. Arthur Ashe (KF), Bro. Derrick Bowen (Chaplain), and Bro. Saeed Bryant (KP).
Rededicated 13
From this day forward the brothers listed below will be known as the Rededicated 13, each brother is charged with inspiring like minded college graduates who are willing to invest their time and talents towards mentoring, educating and development young people in and around the Morgantown community. The road to reactivating AAA chapter was long and hard however, these brothers saw a need to establish the very first fraternal graduate chapter of a black greek letter organization in north central West Virginia. So it is with extreme enthusiasm that I introduce R13