Ian Enders grew up in predominantly white spaces, so going to college at a predominately white institution wasn’t a drastic shift for him.
But, when Enders, who graduated in December with majors in sports leadership and management and journalism, came to Miami University, he still felt isolated.
“I was always the only Black man in these rooms,” Enders said. “It’s great to have diverse friends, but it’s also great to have friends with a background similar to mine. Admittedly, I wanted to transfer.”
Instead of leaving, Enders found a community in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Now, one of four traditionally African-American fraternities on campus, Alpha Phi Alpha was the first Black Greek letter organization on Miami’s campus. The organization was founded in 1909 at Cornell University, and its Miami chapter was established in 1953.
Enders joined during his sophomore year and went on to serve as the organization’s vice president and president during his junior and senior years. During his last semester, he taught the next generation how to take over when he left.
“At the end of my time, we only had three other people,” Enders said. “I had to train them on how to run the organization.”
One of these three members was Myron Barker, a sophomore majoring in sports media and communication, with a minor in journalism. For Barker, joining Alpha Phi Alpha was never much of a question.
“My uncle was a member, so this was something that I had seen before I even went to college,” Barker said. “When I came to Miami, it was one of the first things I did.”
Now, Barker serves as both vice president and secretary.
Being one of three members in a Greek organization is no easy task. Enders said during his time, the fraternity’s largest membership was seven. At its smallest, it was four.
“Miami is only made up of about three percent Black students, and within that, we are still looking for a certain kind of person,” Enders said. “So, it’s not like everyone is going to get in, just like our white counterparts.”
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While Alpha Phi Alpha’s on-campus chapter might be small, the national organization has a large presence, which is one of Barker’s favorite things about the organization.
“One of my biggest things is the amount of people in the fraternity as a whole,” he said. “We have almost 200,000 members worldwide, and that allows me to meet a lot of different people.”
Service and philanthropy
Like many Greek organizations, service and philanthropy are pillars of Alpha Phi Alpha.
David Claytor, who serves as Alpha Phi Alpha’s treasurer, historian and chaplain, said service is one of the most important traditions of the fraternity, especially around Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of our fraternity brothers, so we try to honor him and make sure that we are able to uplift and hold his goals and aspirations,” Claytor said. “This is one of the main reasons we host our silent march.”
This year, the frat held its Silent March on the evening of Jan. 29 through Uptown and concluded with a keynote speech from Judy Alston, the chair of the Department of Educational Leadership, titled “A Change to Keep I Have: A Call to Courageous Leadership, Change and Community.”
Additionally, every spring, the organization hosts the Miss Black and Gold Pageant, where women from across the university community partake in a formal talent show and pageant-style event.
“We do these events to try and rally the community around our organization,” Claytor said. “It’s also great because all of the money the women raise is able to be given to them as a scholarship.”
Social experience
Enders said the experience of being in a historically Black fraternity, especially on Miami’s campus, is very different from that of white fraternities.
“For one, we don’t have houses,” Enders said. “We’d throw parties and everything, but it was just different. A lot smaller, for sure. Not better or worse than a white frat, just different.”
Claytor said the fraternity’s goal is ultimately to promote brotherhood among its members.
“I joined because I wanted to find my brothers on campus,” Claytor said. “That’s one of the main parts of our register statements, and we really hold true to that.”
Barker echoed a similar sentiment.
“This is a lifelong fraternity,” Barker said. “Once you’re in it, you’re in it; literally till the day you die.”
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