The Founding

The Founding

An Iota Phi Theta Founders’ salute
12 strong black men gathered on Morgan’s Hurt Gym steps
12 strong black men with incredibly strong roots
12 strong black men wore hard-stepping boots
12 strong black men were symbolic of renewed black community fruits
12 strong black settled all of their inner disputes
12 strong black men wore some damn fine suits
12 strong black men built Iota up from Black America’s grassroots
12 strong black men defined Iota’s 5 golden attributes
12 strong black men who understood brotherhood had no substitute
From Johnny, Lonnie, Frank, Charlie, Gregory, Charles B, Albert, Lou, Elias, Barron, Webster, and Mike 12 strong black men fixing to make up a grand brew
They just didn’t know for decades it would be called “centaur brew”
12 strong black brothers were committed to seeing this plan through
Not one of the 12 ever wanted to bid anyone of them adieu
Also, none of them wanted to wear any blue, black, red, or purple it simply wasn’t on the menu
The colors of their streets would be paved gold and brown
So these 12 strong black brothers convened on Hurt Gym concrete steps
A little before 6 was the time that was set
Iota Phi Theta’s history will tell you the rest
12 strong black brothers would strive for nothing less than the best
12 strong black brothers weren’t seeking just the elites
12 strong black brothers weren’t color centric
12 strong black brothers wanted blackness elevated
So if I was there on September 19th I’d grab that gold and brown chair
I sit and I’d stare because these 12 black brothers were seeking rare air
These 12 strong black brothers created that mean Iota Phi Theta stare
I am damn sure proud that I'm allowed to sit in that Iota chair
These 12 brothers wanted all to know the fight for equality was now loaded for bear
You see those 12 strong black brothers told dream thieves don’t you even dare
12 strong black brothers showed everyone else they should indeed care
12 strong black brothers knew that justice and truth were created to share
My founder’s salute didn’t Webster Lewis play the flute
The love they had for each other no man could dilute
Those Morgan women around them oh my, oh my, how they were so cute
Man, those sisters were so fine, make a brother jump from a plane with no parachute
Yes, 12 strong black brothers met on Hurt’s concrete steps
Now 59 years later a new neophyte knows the rest of this story
12 strong black brothers stood not for just glory
Those 12 strong black brothers built something it is the Iota Phi Theta fraternity story.
Ow Ow I shout loudly Ow Ow and Ole


9/19/2022

Joseph Hall