Charles Henry Chapman

Charles Henry Chapman (June 20, 1876 – November 17, 1934) was an American academic and one of the founders of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first Greek letter fraternity for African American men. He is known for advancing agricultural education and fraternal organizations. Early life Chapman was born in Cayuga County, New York. By 1880, he lived in Ontario, New York with his maternal grandfather, George Thompson, He attended Howard University around 1900. He enrolled at Cornell University in 1905 and studied agriculture. While attending Cornell, he owned a cafe and a small brickyard. Chapman also attended Hampton Instutute and, later, attended Ohio State University. Alpha Phi Alpha While attending Cornell, Chapman was one of the seven founders of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity on December 4, 1906. The founders are commonly referred to as Jewels. During the formation of what became the Alpha chapter, he was the first chairman of the Committees on Initiation and Organization.