July 13, 2025
Fraternity leadership wants this convention to build strategy for the future.
Thousands of members within Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated will head to Philadelphia for the organization’s 119th anniversary convention.
The convention will take place July 16 to July 20 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. According to the Philadelphia Tribune, around 7,000 members of the first collegiate fraternity for Black men are expected to attend.
As a Black Greek Letter Organization part of the Divine 9, Alpha Phi Alpha upholds pillars of community service and advocacy. These values even extend to its choice to hold their 98th general convention in Philadelphia. The fraternity’s president emphasized the city’s history of social justice, including its recent labor workers’ strike, as a reason for its selection.
“Philadelphia has had a long history of civil rights and activism,” said Alpha Phi Alpha General President Lucien J. Metellus Jr. “We see that every day and now with the union strike. We always support the activity of our people and thought that Philadelphia would be a perfect spot to engage and have our convention there to work with the local community, especially the Black and minority-owned businesses.”
The decision came after a convention was postponed in 2023, originally scheduled to take place in Orlando, Florida. Alpha Phi Alpha initially planned to bring its members and business to the Sunshine State. However, they opted out of gathering there following Gov. Ron DeSantis’ revisions to the way Black history is taught in classrooms. They cited the local government’s actions did not align with the mission and values of equality ingrained in the organization.
Now taking place in Philadelphia, the convention wants Alpha members to look toward its next steps. With a theme of “Reimagining Alpha for the Future,” the event will include business sessions, public events, workshops, and community service projects, as well as general activities for all.
Alpha Phi Alpha leadership also wants to imagine new ways to thrive as a Black man-focused organization.
“A lot of times in life, we only plan one or two years in advance,” Metellus said. “I want to start investing in the growth and technologies and changes in the ways we access each other. It’s important to lay those foundations today.”
Metellus also wants the fraternity to think about what Black male youth need today to succeed and further their education. This includes a public event to engage with the local Philadelphia community. Deemed “Advocacy in Education: Empowering Black Men for College and Beyond,” multiple collegiate leaders will discuss the barriers and solutions to Black men fulfilling their academic journeys.
“We want youth to see this influx next week of 10,000 college-educated Black men, in various levels of education and beyond, represented in a very positive way,” expressed Jason W. Harris, president of the local Omicron Delta Lambda chapter. “And to not just give them inspiration but proof that they can be successful. We’re in all aspects of any occupation that they might be interested in, so it’s just gonna be a really powerful statement.”
The four-day convention will also host a formal gala and award ceremonies to highlight the fraternity’s successful endeavors and members. The Alpha Award of Merit and Alpha Award of Honor will recognize NBA Hall of Famer Nate “Tiny” Archibald, U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. International President Elsie Cooke-Holmes U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey will also gain recognition for this coveted award.
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