Tampa is decked out in purple and gold this weekend to welcome tens of thousands of fraternity brothers in town. Omega Psi Phi is one of the largest historically African American fraternities in the country. They’re here for the 84th International Grand Conclave, a convention held every two years.
The Tampa Convention Center was packed for Conclave registration on Thursday as fraternity brothers from around the world checked in for the weekend.
This year’s conclave will bring close to 30 thousand people to the area, and will set a record for the highest registration number in its 113 year history.
“Tampa has been rolling out the purple carpet for us,” said fraternity Grand Marshal, Brother Anthony Perkins.
Omega's past is full of notable members. from poet Langston Hughes to NBA GOAT Michael Jordan.
“We are the first black fraternity founded on an HBCU campus,” said current Omega Grand Basileus (Greek for “king,”) Ricky Lewis.
Its future is in the hands of teenagers like Darnell Calvin, in Tampa with a group from California as part of its new International Youth Symposium.
“I owe these guys a lot, really,” he says. “These men have presented to me what it's really like to be a man, to grow up and do things for the younger kids. I got a little brother at home and I want to build the bridge to his success as well.”
