A Brief History of Gamma Alpha Fei Social Fraternity, Inc.
Formally known as W.I.N.E. Psi Phi Social Fraternity, Inc.
The 60's were a turbulent and a defining time for the plight of the college aged African American. College students, entering college at a higher rate than before were actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Many students began to become very active in the fight for social equality. Gamma Alpha Fei Social Fraternity, Inc. (Formally known as W.I.N.E. Psi Phi Social Fraternity, Inc.) was founded March 2, 1959 at Howard University by Brothers Roy Brown, John Mason and Allen Cherry as a social activist organization originally known as the HUMS. Due to incidents where other fraternities on Howard's campus portrayed themselves as more conservative than what the Founders felt a fraternity should have been at that point in time, Founders Brown, Mason and Cherry envisioned a fraternity that would be a new experience in the fraternal world.
The HUMS, with the motto of We Initiate New Experiences, changed their name to W.I.N.E. Psi Phi in 1962. As their motto formed an acronym of "WINE," the Founders chose their symbols and colors accordingly. WINE received their Charter at Howard University in 1962. Some Brothers left Howard University and formed chapters at Bluefield State in West Virginia, Cheyney State in 1967 and Lincoln in 1968. Delaware State was founded in 1972. Kittrell College, the Mother Chapter of the South, was founded 1969 by Brother James Perry. Kittrell was also incorporated in May 8, 1973. Kittrell changed the colors of Wine to Burgundy and White. Other chapters that were founded in the early success of Wine were chapters at Florida A&M, Elizabeth City State University, South Carolina State University, North Carolina Central University, as well as Fayetteville State University, Virginia State University, Benedict College, Morris College, Boston College, Saint Augustine, and Shaw University to name a few.
WINE Psi Phi was reincorporated as GAMMA ALPHA FEI, SOCIAL FRATERNITY on September 28, 2022.
WHY GIVE A TRADITIONAL 'NON-GREEK' ORGANIZATION A GREEK TITLE?
The symbols used in the name GAMMA ALPHA FEI are not Greek alphabets but rather Old Nubian.
Old Nubian, is a member of the Egyptian branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family and a descendant of the Ancient Egyptian language. Nubian as derived from Coptic was an official language in Egypt until around the 13th Century AD, when it was replaced by Arabic. Greek is an Indo-European language while Coptic is an Egyptian language that branched out of the Proto-Afro-Asiatic (PAA) language family.
In our quest to rename our organization, much research was conducted to choose a name that would capture the essence of the original "Wine Psi Phi". The result was Gamma Alpha Fei that holds a cherished meaning for all initiated Brothers.
Old Nubian/Coptic is similar to Greek, but they are not identical.
