Ques Of Comedy Concert

Celebrating 100 years in Topeka, Ks

The Delta Phi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. received its charter on May 14, 1925 and was founded in Topeka, Kansas. Delta Phi was the first chapter chartered in the State of Kansas under the banner of The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and is the longest active chapter in the fraternity west of the Mississippi River.

From the beginning of Delta Phi’s rich and storied history it has maintained a strong familial relationship with Washburn University, where members pledging the fraternity were of the highest caliber – earning world-class notoriety in fields such as track and field (Alonzo Harrison – 100 yard dash record remains in tact), basketball (Sherman A. Parks, Jr. captain, baseball team) academics and first black president of Washburn U. student life (Sherman A. Parks, Jr.).

The founding members included Dr. M. Bolton, Dr. Egester A. Woodward, Dr. S. Haggard, M.L. Ross, L.E. Drewy, E. Ridley, A.I. Terrell, W.L. Johnson, and W.A. Jones.

This group of austere men included such men of distinction as Merrill L. Ross, after whom Ross Elementary School is named. Brother Ross was also a Tuskegee Airman and lifelong educator having served alongside his wife for over thirty years. Brother Ross left his passion as a teacher to join the military during WWII. Upon his return he met his wife – Barbara (formerly Barbara Ann Jackson) - in Columbus, Ohio, while on a teacher recruiting trip from Topeka. Brother Ross taught at all four Black elementary schools in Topeka and he coached the Topeka High School Ramblers – the all-Black basketball team. He became principal at Washington Elementary School until its closing and taught at numerous other schools in Topeka. He was inducted into the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame in 1992, and in 1993 he and his wife were honored by having the High Park South Elementary School renamed Ross Elementary School after them.

Other notable Topekans included the honorable Sherman A. Parks, Sr. and Jr. The Honorable Sherman A Parks, Sr. was born May 15, 1924 to James A. Parks Sr. and Rose A. Drane Parks. He married Alberta (Bert) L. Lewis in Kansas City, KS in June 1949. He was a United Stated Navy Veteran of the Pacific during World War II. He graduated from Washburn University in 1949 and received a law degree from the university in 1955. He was awarded a Juris Doctorate from Washburn in 1970. Parks died on April 18, 1996.

His Honor was a Judge on the Kansas Court of Appeals for more than 10 years. He was appointed to the Court of Appeals by former Governor Robert Bennett in January 1977 and served until he retired in 1987. At the time, Parks was the highest ranking black judicial officer in Kansas. Prior to being appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in charge of Corporations. He served as Kansas Assistant Attorney General, Shawnee County Assistant Attorney General, and Chief Attorney for the Alcohol Beverage Control. He had a part-time private practice. He was a member of the Topekas Bar Association, Kansas Bar Association, and the National Bar Association.

Judge Parks, a lifelong Topekan. was a former member and past chairman of the Washburn Board of Regents. In addition, he served as an Adjunct Professor on the Washburn Law School Faculty. He taught Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure. He was a member of the W.U. Alumni Association, Board of Trustees, and the W.U. Board of Governors. He received the W.U. Distinguished Service Award for outstanding services as an alumni.

Judge Parks was also an active Topeka community member. He was President of the Topeka Council of Parent Teachers Association; a Director of the Topeka Welfare Planning Council and a member of the St. Francis Hospital Advisory Committee; lifelong member of the Kansas Native Sons and Daughters; former member of the Boaard of Directors of the Y.M.C.A., both downtown Topeka and the Carver branches. In 1988, Judge Parks received the "Martin Luther King Jr. Award" from the Living the Dream Committee.

For most of his adult life Judge Parks was a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Delta Phi Graduate Chapter, Topeka, KS. He received a National Award recognizing his 40 years of membership in the fraternity.

The Delta Phi Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., has maintained the promise of the international office to continue to work on behalf of citizens within the communities wherein they serve through the fraternity’s 13 mandated programs which include:

• Voter registration
• NAACP
• Dr. Charles R. Drew Blood Drive
• Scholarship programs through our National Essay contest
• Scholarships through our Joseph Walter Johnson Annual golf outing
• The fraternity’s Fatherhood Initiative & Mentoring Program
• Scholarships through our annual Talent Hunt program
• Our annual Achievement Week Program where we recognized community leaders and groups for their partnering with us as well as their giving to those in need

Just a few of 2024’s groups recognized include:

• Dr. Nicolas Gardner, Ross Elementary, Academic Citizen of the Year
• Mrs. Sarah Ahlstehdt, Stormont Vail, Community Citizen of the Year
• El Shaddai Ministries
• USD501 School District
• Stormont Vail Health Systems
• Washburn University
• Community Blood Center

Information about chapter officers
and Achievement Week award winners.