The Rise and Fall of the Omega Phi Funk Jr. Fraternity

Omega Phi Funk is a collaboration of youth who organized to incorporate the concept of fraternities and sororities in the public school system in Hampton, Virginia in 1991. Its infancy has been said to have begun when a promising basketball protégé from Menchville High School in Newport News, Virginia, Kenneth Young visited Hampton Institute to attend an Annual Greek Festival and Step-Show in the spring of that year. Immediately after the competition Mr. Young returned to his former neighborhood of Crawford Apartments in Hampton to share the excitement of his endeavor with his friends. Astonished and amazed, the friends decided to initiate a "Junior Fraternity” and vowed to be brothers through out the remainder of their lives and partake in community events that would validate the existence of such a Fraternity and draw the attention of the Gamma Epsilon Chapter of the Hampton Institute Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
An impromptu election was held naming the following Officers of Donald Roberts and Michael J. Taylor to contact and set up a meeting with the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity to seek sponsorship and guidance. That meeting did take place between the presidents of both organizations according to Donald Roberts and it was established that as a Junior Fraternity initiated on its own accord, Omega Phi Funk could represent the colors (purple and gold) in inverse and had to identify itself by the Roman Gothic letter “F” or number “7” and not by the Greek symbol for “Q” or “Omega”. It was also established that they could incorporate a Sister Sorority that could not in any way resemble or represent the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. With those blessings, Omega Phi Funk “Dogs” and the Beta-Phi-Kappa "Kittens" were born.
Credited to the many unique steps choreographed by Elgin Roberts and the philosophically poetic style of step-chants create by Hip-Hop/Rap hopeful Michael J. Taylor, the Organization went on to win many “Step Competitions” against other local groups who organized shortly after such as the self-imposed High School Chapters of The Gents, The Gators, P-Phi-Groove, Chi-Rho-Gamma and various Newport News High School organizations. These competitions mainly took place in High School gymnasiums, local Skating Rinks and were mostly sponsored by entertainment entrepreneur Billy “Doowah” Allen and Frankie “Soul Ranger” Steward, a local radio personality.
Some say the demise of Omega Phi Funk and Beta Phi Kappa were due to Donald Roberts’s aggression toward acceptance in the public school system, questionable initiations, demonstrations and unauthorized impromptu on-campus performances. Also, it is speculated that his hunger for fame and notoriety, the induction of questionable members, as well as the loss of focus on the groups original goals of sponsorship on the collegiate level is what eventually led to Omega Phi Funk’s abrupt end which was undoubtedly at the height of their success.
It is the opinion of some that overtime the Junior Fraternity had become less of an inspiration to local youth with a considerable following and more like an overnight sensation with exceptionally talented and intelligent youth whose antics became similar to those of a playground gang. These misguided young men with overwhelming and untapped potential began to display repetitive bouts of mischief and delinquency in the communities that originally held their goals in high regards. This behavior was more than likely do to their inability to handle sudden success and local celebrity,
Many of the original members still live on the Peninsula or in the Hampton Roads area today. Despite of the outcome of their endeavors, they still recognize each other as live-long brothers,hold their innermost secrets close and speak positive of one another regardless of the minor disappointments that are known to exist among the group. There are many local organizations and individuals who credit them as the founders for the Fraternity and Sorority based organizations currently collegiately sponsored in High Schools settings across the United States of America such as The Distinguished Gentlemen, AKARama, The Omega Men of Excellence. Girls Excellency, Junior Black Wall Street and The Delta Girls to include a few.

Original Officers
* Donald Roberts, President
* Stanley Webb, Vice-President
* Purnell Roberts Jr., Treasurer
* Kenneth Taylor, Secretary
* Michael J.Taylor, Parliamentarian
* Rock Blakely, Sergeant at Arms
* Elgin Roberts, Mascot
Original Membership excluding officers
* Eric Hollier
* John Webb Jr.
* Kenneth Young
* Kevin Young
* Matthew Vessels
* Darryl Austin
* Carlos Belches
* Kenneth Wallace
Some Accepted Membership
* Pee-Wee Curry
* Stacey Curry
* Robert Lucas
* Michael Spencer
* Tracey Slade
* Tony Slade
* Michael Slade
* Rodney Driver
* Kevin Richardson
* Ryan Redding
* Robert Redding
There are many unnamed members. Omega Phi Funk membership to include affiliate organizations, Sister Sorority and their affiliate organizations grew to over 100 youths within a 7-month period of its actual 18-month existence.

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