Henry Arthur Callis (January 14, 1887 – November 12, 1974) was a physician and one of the
seven founders (''commonly referred to as The Seven Jewels'') of
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. () is the oldest intercollegiate List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. It was initially a literary and social studies club organized in the ...
fraternity at
Cornell University
Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
in 1906. Callis co-authored the fraternity name with
George Kelley and became the only Jewel to become general president of the fraternity (1915). Callis assisted in the organization of several chapters, including Xi Lambda Chapter (1924) in Chicago and Alpha Nu Lambda (1928) in Tuskegee, AL.
Biography
Callis was born in
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in and the county seat, seat of government of Monroe County, New York, United States. It is the List of municipalities in New York, fourth-most populous city and 10th most-populated municipality in New York, with a populati ...
, and attended
Cornell University
Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
and
Rush Medical College
Rush Medical College is the medical school of Rush University, a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1837, it is affiliated with Rush University Medical Center, and John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County.
...
. He became a physician and worked as a medical consultant at the Veterans' Hospital in
Tuskegee, Alabama
Tuskegee ( ) is a city in Macon County, Alabama, Macon County, Alabama, United States. General Thomas Simpson Woodward, a Creek War veteran under Andrew Jackson, laid out the city and founded it in 1833. It became the county seat in the same y ...
. He was professor of medicine at
Howard University
Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and accredited by the Mid ...
and a frequent contributor to medical journals.
The Eta Tau Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha created Alpha Phi Alpha Homes Inc. to address housing for
low-income
Poverty is a state or condition in which an individual lacks the financial resources and essentials for a basic standard of living. Poverty can have diverse families, individuals and senior citizens in
Akron, Ohio
Akron () is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Ohio, fifth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 190,469 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Akron metr ...
. In 1971, Alpha Homes received an $11.5 million grant from
HUD to begin groundbreaking on Channelwood Village with the Henry Arthur Callis Tower as its centerpiece.
Callis died on November 12, 1974, in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
His death was a milestone for the fraternity as Callis became the last Jewel to enter its Omega Chapter—distinguished to contain the names of deceased fraternity members, and the Alpha Phi Alpha entered a period when it had no living "Jewels". ''The Callis Papers'' - personal and family papers of Henry Callis including awards, certificates, clippings, correspondence, a diary, notebooks, photographs, programs and scrapbooks relating to Callis and his family - were donated to Howard University's
Moorland-Spingarn Research Center.
Personal life
Callis was the second husband of poet
Alice Dunbar; their marriage ended in divorce. His third wife was social worker, employment specialist
Myra Colson Callis
Myra Hill Colson Callis (March 13, 1892 – 1979) was an American social worker, educator, researcher, and YWCA administrator, best known for her work on employment.
Early life and education
Colson was born in Petersburg, Virginia, the daughter ...
; they married in 1927, and she survived him.
He had two daughters, Jane and Helen.
References
Further reading
*
Charles H. Wesley
Charles Harris Wesley (December 2, 1891 – August 16, 1987) was an American historian, educator, minister, and author. He published more than 15 books on African-American history, taught for decades at Howard University, and served as president ...
''Henry Arthur Callis, Life and Legacy'' (1977)
*
*
External links
Alpha Phi Alpha websiteAlpha Phi Alpha HomesXi Lambda Alumni Chapter, Chicago, Illinois
{{DEFAULTSORT:Callis, Henry A.
1887 births
1974 deaths
Alpha Phi Alpha founders
Alpha Phi Alpha presidents
Cornell University alumni
Physicians from Alabama
Rush Medical College alumni
Physicians from Rochester, New York