Henry A. Callis
Encyclopedia
Henry Arthur Callis, M.D. (January 14, 1887 – November 12, 1974) was one of the seven founders (commonly referred to as The Seven Jewels) of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity
at Cornell University
in 1906. Callis co-authored the Fraternity name with Eugene Jones
and became the only Jewel to become General President of the fraternity. Callis assisted in the organizations of several chapters, including Theta Chapter (1910) in Chicago and later, Xi Lambda Chapter (1924), also in Chicago.
He became a physician and worked as a medical consultant at the Veterans' Hospital in Tuskegee, Alabama
. He was Professor of Medicine at Howard University
and a frequent contributor to medical journals. He became the second husband of the poet Alice Dunbar
, but their marriage ended in divorce.
Alpha Phi Alpha's Eta Tau Lambda chapter created Alpha Phi Alpha Homes Inc. to address housing for low-income
families, individuals and senior citizens in Akron, Ohio
. In 1971, Alpha Homes received an $11.5 million grant from HUD
to begin groundbreaking on Channelwood Village with the Henry Arthur Callis Tower as its centerpiece.
Callis' death in 1974 was a milestone for the fraternity as Callis became the last Jewel to enter its Omega Chapter—distinguished to contain the names of deceased fraternity members, and the Alpha Phi Alpha entered a period when it had no living "Jewels". The Callis Papers - personal and family papers of Henry Callis including awards, certificates, clippings, correspondence, a diary, notebooks, photographs, programs and scrapbooks relating to Callis and his family - were donated to Howard University's Moorland-Spingarn Research Center
.
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1906. Callis co-authored the Fraternity name with Eugene Jones
Eugene K. Jones
Eugene Kinckle Jones was one the seven founders of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity at Cornell University in 1906...
and became the only Jewel to become General President of the fraternity. Callis assisted in the organizations of several chapters, including Theta Chapter (1910) in Chicago and later, Xi Lambda Chapter (1924), also in Chicago.
He became a physician and worked as a medical consultant at the Veterans' Hospital in Tuskegee, Alabama
Tuskegee, Alabama
Tuskegee is a city in Macon County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 11,846 and is designated a Micropolitan Statistical Area. Tuskegee has been an important site in various stages of African American history....
. He was Professor of Medicine at Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
and a frequent contributor to medical journals. He became the second husband of the poet Alice Dunbar
Alice Dunbar Nelson
Alice Ruth Moore Dunbar Nelson was an American poet, journalist and political activist. Among the first generation born free in the South after the Civil War, she was one of the prominent African Americans involved in the artistic flourishing of the Harlem Renaissance...
, but their marriage ended in divorce.
Alpha Phi Alpha's Eta Tau Lambda chapter created Alpha Phi Alpha Homes Inc. to address housing for low-income
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
families, individuals and senior citizens in Akron, Ohio
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
. In 1971, Alpha Homes received an $11.5 million grant from HUD
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD, is a Cabinet department in the Executive branch of the United States federal government...
to begin groundbreaking on Channelwood Village with the Henry Arthur Callis Tower as its centerpiece.
Callis' death in 1974 was a milestone for the fraternity as Callis became the last Jewel to enter its Omega Chapter—distinguished to contain the names of deceased fraternity members, and the Alpha Phi Alpha entered a period when it had no living "Jewels". The Callis Papers - personal and family papers of Henry Callis including awards, certificates, clippings, correspondence, a diary, notebooks, photographs, programs and scrapbooks relating to Callis and his family - were donated to Howard University's Moorland-Spingarn Research Center
Moorland-Spingarn Research Center
The Moorland-Spingarn Research Center is recognized as one of the world's largest and most comprehensive repositories for the documentation of the history and culture of people of African descent in Africa, the Americas, and other parts of the world...
.