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Notable Omega Men

The Arts

  • William (Count) Basie – Internationally known pianist, composer, arranger, and band leader.

  • Sterling Brown – Teacher, poet, writer, Professor Emeritus of Literature at Howard University, has a special foundation for folk culture and jazz music.

  • William H. “Bill” Cosby – Comedian, author, and actor.

  • Steve Harvey – Comedian and actor.

  • Roland Hayes – Internationally known tenor of the 1920’s; sang in five different languages.

  • Langston Hughes – The Black poet laureate, excelled as a poet, playwright, novelist, lyricist, and humorist

  • Tom Joyner – Radio show host.

  • Max Roach – Internationally known drummer

  • Rickey Smiley – Comedian and actor.

  • Joe Torry – Comedian, author, actor, and producer

Athletics

  • William DeHart Hubbard – University of Michigan sprinter; first black person to represent the United States in the Olympic Games in 1924.

  • Joe Black – All-time great Brooklyn Dodger baseball pitcher. Lowest ERA in the Major Leagues in 1952.

  • Ed “Too Tall” Jones – Former Outstanding player with the Dallas Cowboys.

  • Michael Jordan – Outstanding former player with the Chicago Bulls.

  • Mo Vaughn – Former outstanding baseball player with the Boston Red Sox.

  • Steve McNair – Outstanding former NFL player with the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens.

  • Vince Carter – 8-time All-Star. 2-time All-NBA guard.

  • Mark Duper – 3 time Pro Bowler and 2-time All-Pro former wide receiver with Miami Dolphins.

  • Clarence E. “Big House” Gaines – Hall of Fame Basketball coach.

  • Dr. Edwin Bancroft (E.B.) Henderson – He is known as the “Father of Black Sport History”.

  • Keith Jackson – 5 time Pro Bowler and 5 time All Pro former NFL Tight end.

  • Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell – Outstanding former professional basketball player with the Boston Celtics

  • Shaquille O’Neal – 4 time NBA champion and NBA Sports Analyst

  • Brice Taylor – University of Southern California football legend.

  • Terrence Trammell – 2-time (2000, 2004) Olympic silver medalist in 110m hurdles.

  • Charlie Ward – 1993 Heisman Trophy winner and former NBA guard

  • Jerry Ball – 3 time Pro Bowler and former NFL defensive lineman.

  • Dr. Robert “Whirlwind” Johnson – considered to be the Godfather of Black Tennis, he accomplished a long list of achievements both on and off the court.

Business

  • Jessie Hill – President of Atlanta Life Insurance Company.

  • Earl Graves – Chairman and CEO of Black Enterprise Magazine.

  • Therman McKenzie – Former Co-Owner of M & M Products (Sta Soft Fro).

  • Nathaniel Bronner – Co-Owner of Bronner Brothers Beauty.

  • Byron E. Lewis, Sr. – Founder and Chairman Emeritus, UniWorld Group, Inc. Now in its 44th year of a successful business operation, UniWorld is the nation’s oldest surviving multicultural advertising company.

Civil Rights

  • Grant Reynolds – Played a major role in President Truman’s 1948 decision to desegregate the United States Armed Forces.

  • James Nabrit – Former Dean of the Howard University Law School and former president of Howard University. A leader in the training of the early Civil Rights lawyers.

  • Roy Wilkins – Long-time Executive Director of the NAACP.

  • Jesse Jackson- Former Director of Operation PUSH; Founder, National Rainbow Coalition.

  • Vernon Jordan – Noted Attorney and Former Executive Director of the National Urban League.

  • Ernest Green – Civil Rights Activist – Little Rock 9

  • Benjamin Hooks – Succeeded Roy Wilkins as Executive Director of the NAACP, the most effective of all civil rights organizations.

  • Wiley Branton – Attorney of the “Little Rock Nine” and former Dean of Howard University School of Law.

  • Oliver Hill – Civil Rights attorney whose work against racial discrimination helped end the doctrine of “separate but equal”. 1999 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient.

  • Bayard Rustin –  Civil rights organizer and activist and leader for Social movements. He organized the Freedom Rides and served as an organizer for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

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