Charles Cardoza Poindexter

CC Poindexter

Charles Chapman Poindexter [1] also known as CC Poindexter, originally from West Virginia, he attended and later graduated from Ohio State and attended graduate school at Cornell University. CC Poindexter was registed at the College of Agriculture [2]. CC Poindexter was married to Florence Newton. [3] Florence Newton was instrumental in the establishment of the Alpha Phi Alpha socities first program at the Zion Church Bazaar. [4]

In 1905, CC Poindexter felt that there was a need to organize a literay group and social group. [5]As a result, he called a meeting at the residence of Edward Newton, 421 North Albany St, Ithaca, New York. [6]. CC Poindexter brought together what would become the founders of Alpha Phi Alpha in what initially was a literary society. CC Poindexter along with Henry Arthur Callis, Vertner W. Tandy, George B. Kelley, Charles Henry Chapman, Nathaniel A. Murray, Robert H. Ogle, Morgan T. Phillips, and George Tompkins were the initial members of the group. While there he served as president of the social studies group. [7]

In March of 1906, the name Alpha Phi Alpha was informally adopted as designation of the group. [8] In May 1906, CC Poindexter wrote an article entitled, "Some Student Experiences," for the Atlanta Based Voice of the Negro. In this article Poindexter concluded that black students more often had white friends than black ones and that “[n]o greaterboon could come to the present and theembryonic generations of the Negro thanthe birth of a healthy and vigorous fraternalism founded upon the divine conception that my brother is my ward and my posterity his protégé.” [9] CC Poindexter is credited as being the man who brought together the group that would be known as Alpha Phi Alpha. -- Skip Mason 12min 11 second Alpha Phi Alpha "A Century of Leadership" PBS Video.

After dropping out of school in the Fall of 1905 [10] [11], Henry Callis came back into in the Fall of 1906 with a renewed invigoration and was extremely active in the social studies club. Two opposing views soon developed within the group, one for the continuation of a literary society and another for the formation of a fraternity. CC Poindexter felt the black community could not afford to have an to have such a group (fraternity), because of his observation of other fraternities on campus. Poindexter felt that such a group was frivolous in nature. December 4th 1906, he resigned from the literary group when Alpha Phi Alpha made the transition from literary society into that of a fraternity. [12] .

CC Poindexter is alleged to later have had a role in the formation of Omega Psi Phi. [13]. CC Poindexter later taught at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. [14]"As divine fate would dictate, Charles Wesley (whom would write the history of Alpha Phi Alpha) as a student at Fisk studied botany under Professor C. C. Poindexter." [15]

CC Poindexter was still the sentimental choice for Callis for that seventh spot as a founder (Jewel) of Alpha Phi Alpha, even until 1926. The Jewel that was in question was not James Morton (whom Eugene Kinckle Jones replaced) but Charles Henry Chapman. [16]

At the 38th General Convention of Alpha Phi Alpha, Dec 29, 1952, James Morton was named as a Precusor of the Alpha Phi Alpha. This placed him along with CC Poindexter as the two precursors of the Alpha Phi Alpha. [17] This was signed by Nathaniel A. Murray, Henry Arthur Callis,George B. Kelley, and Charles Wesley.

A novel named "Jewels" about the founding of Alpha Phi Alpha. It included interactions with various members of the fraternity including CC Poindexter. [18]

References

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WizAq0EuDUk http://www.betanulambda.org/docs/AlphaHistoryMomentJuly04.doc http://www.ola1906.org/newsletter/2006_01.pdf http://www.powerfulpaac.com/site_pages/jones.php http://www.brown.edu/Students/Alpha_Phi_Alpha/history.html http://www.munualphas.com/origin.html http://www.zetazetalambda.com/chapman.htm http://www.skipmason.com/hm/hm11.htm http://www.skipmason.com/hm/hm38.htm http://www.jewels1906.com/index2.html http://www.rso.cornell.edu/alpha/chap_history.html