Reverend/Dean James Ernest Brown - First President

•  Rev./Dean James Ernest Brown, Charter Member & 1st President
• Born in Danville, KY in 1901. He was an Indianapolis resident from 1904 to 1924.
• Received his college and theological degrees from Simmons College and of Central Law School in Louisville, KY. He did graduate work at Univ. of Cincinnati and Lane Theological Seminary in Cincinnati, OH.
• While at Simmons College, he was initiated through the Tau Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
• He also attended Kansas City Teachers College and the Univ. of Kansas for a time.
• Before arriving in Kansas City, Rev. J. E. Brown served the Portland Baptist Church in Louisville, KY, and the Bethel Church, Anchorage, KY.
• He was the Dean for several years at Western Baptist Seminary, Kansas City, MO.
  Later, he was a supervisor of adult education and principal of the R. T. Coles night school at Lincoln High School (KCMO)
• Charter Member Brown was the Pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church, arriving in Ft. Scott,KS, June, 1938, Serving for 5 years before being called to Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Topeka, KS. 
• Charter Member Brown was a critic for the Baptist Ministers Union of Kansas City, chairman of the religious committee of the committee of management of the Paseo YMCA, and a representative of the Urban League.
• Dean Brown met his wife, Elizabeth Parker-Brown at Simmons College, who had formerly taught in the public school systems in Kentucky and North Carolina.
• He passed, November 29, 1945, in Christ Hospital, Topeka, KS.
  He’s buried in Floral Park Cemetery in Indianapolis, IN.
  He was only 44 years old.

Dr. A. Marcelle Kennedy

Bio Coming Soon

Leon James William Ollison

• Born February 5, 1904 in Springfield, MO and moved to KC Area 1930 (KCK) 
• He was initiated into Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Phi Chapter, at Philander Smith College, Little Rock, AR in the late 1920's.
• Alpha Delta Sigma Chapter’s 6th President.
• Married to Cora Morris Ollison for 50 years (passed away in 1980)
• Member of Mason Memorial United Methodist Church for 65 years
• Worked for Swift Packing Co., retiring in 1968.
• At the time, he was one of the first few Blacks to serve as a Federal Jurist (Topeka 1945)
• Chairman - KC-NPHC; elected Northern Regional Director 1956 (National Position)
• Wyandotte Election Official for over 30 years
• Last living Charter Member of Alpha Delta Sigma Chapter until his passing on January 17, 1995. 
• Buried: Highland Park Cemetery (KCK)

Dr. Arthur Carl Prewitt

• Born Thursday, December 11, 1902, Missouri
• He was a 1925 Graduate from Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN
• Initiate of Kappa Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., while attending.
• Married to Mrs. Ada Mae Brown
• He was a prominent citizen, pharmacist & owner of Prewitt Drugs (Kansas City, KS)
• He was a secretary of Progress Lodge No. 77
• Ran for Representative of the 8th District (Did not win)
• President of the KC Meharry Alumni Association; following him as alumni president was Dr. Evan A. Gilkes, Alpha Delta Sigma Chapter’s 3rd president  
• Moved to Fayette, AL and was a member of Carbon Hill First Baptist Church.
• Died – Monday, May 26, 1986 in Fayette, AL; he was 83

James Wendell Pryor

• Born: April 8, 1897; Kansas
• Taught in the Kansas City school system for 36 years before retiring in 1964.
• Graduate of Lincoln High School; KCMO
• Graduate of Kansas State Agricultural College (Kansas State Univ.), Manhattan, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• Initiated in Delta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., while attending K-State
• Was a teacher at the Boys’ Home; KCMO. Taught Engineering at Prairie View College, Prairie View, TX, and Industrial Arts at Lincoln University, Jefferson City, before becoming a teacher of Industrial Arts and Mathematics at Manhattan High School and the former R. T. Coles High School.
• He was a member of the Allen Chapel A. M. E. Church. 
• Buried in the National Cemetery, Ft. Leavenworth, KS
• Died: June 26, 1974 in Oakland California while visiting his daughters. Lived in KC 72 of his 77 years.

Forest S. Smith

• Charter Member and 1 of 3, 1st Initiates
• Born: February 1, 1890, Speed, MO
• Passed: June 20, 1962, Kansas City, MO
• Lived in KC for over 48 years. He was well known in civic circles.
• He began working at the Paseo Branch of the YMCA in 1915; it opened in 1914; working as a janitor and later as a busboy in the cafeteria. Soon, he became a desk clerk, and he was eventually elected as The Paseo YMCA Executive Secretary after the position was opened due to the prior’s ill health. He held the position from 1926 to 1945. He retired for a short while and then re-elected for another year.
• From 1946 to 1947 he served as the dormitory secretary. He was a real estate salesman for a short while before he became the business manager and treasurer of Western Baptist Seminary (KCMO), resigning there in 1957 because of ill health.
• Brother Smith joined Second Baptist Church, and served as its treasurer and trustee for a number of years. He also taught a Sunday school class.
• Brother Smith graduated with high honors and received a Business Degree from Western Baptist Bible College in Macon, MO around 1912 (eventually renamed Western Seminary when it moved to Kansas City, MO in 1927....not to be confused with Western University, Quindaro, KS (an HBCU here during that time). 
• He married Addie M. Collins on January 1, 1914. Interesting to note, that his mother’s name was also Addie.
• Prior to the meeting to organize on Thursday, January 3, 1935, at the Paseo YMCA; when local members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated, met to discuss the plans to establish a chapter here; Forest S. Smith, who was very prominent in civic circles in Greater Kansas City, and the Exec. Secretary at the Paseo Y where the meetings were held... that, not only did he become a pledgee, but Brother Smith was also made a Charter Member of the newly installed Alpha Delta Sigma Chapter when he, along with two others, Dr. Charles P. Washington and Dr. John R. Williams, were also initiated into the new chapter on Tuesday, October 29, 1935.

Dr. Raymond Montrose Williams

•  Born in Texas, Monday, September 15, 1902
• 1919 Graduate of Lincoln High School; Kansas City, MO
• In 1919, he entered Kansas State Agricultural College (Kansas State Univ.); Manhattan, KS
• Initiated into the Delta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., while attending K-State
• In 1924, he received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from KSAC
• 1930 Census: Veterinarian in a packing house in Kansas City, MO
• He was the President of the Beau Brummel Club in KC. The Beau Brummel Club was a historic Black Social Club that was a pillar in KC’s Black Community and stepped in to help improve the social and civic lives of Black Veterans and Civilians during the time racial segregation.
• Chairman of the Investigation Committee when Alpha Delta Sigma Chapter organized in 1935
• Moved to Chicago, IL in 1936
• USDA - Meat Inspection Division Served for 46 Years KC - Denver - St. Louis - Chicago  At the time (1950’s) he was the only black government veterinarian inspector in the Chicago area.
• Died in Chicago, September of 1973