Omegas descend on Cincinnati
From Thursday, July 30 to Monday, August 3, 2026, downtown Cincinnati belongs to the Omegas. In more than 100 years there are few major cities in the United States that have not hosted the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity’s Grand Conclave. More than 10,000 members registered for this year’s biennial international gathering making it reportedly the largest in the fraternity’s history. “Building Our Legacy and Building our Future” is this year’s theme. The above number does not include the many friends, loved ones, family members, and others that are drawn to the city for this very occasion. Jampacked has been the First Financial Center in downtown Cincinnati over the past few days.
While many may be of the opinion that Grand Conclave is merely about fun and fellowship, it is also an opportunity to do a deep dive into the organization’s innerworkings which includes sitting through plenaries, combing through and presenting committee reports, holding elections for national/international officers, recognizing the great work that various chapters are carrying out in their districts and in their communities and voting on recommendations intended to improve the way the fraternity conducts business so that it may effectively serve its primary constituency.
For some the highlight of the Grand Conclave may be the Talent Hunt that features talented area youth in the performing arts while others look forward to the boat ride. Still others can’t wait to get dressed up and arrive fashionably late to the various parties while others look forward to the comedy show or the awards ceremony that occurs during the evening banquet. One facet of the Grand Conclave that doesn’t garner much press coverage but is hugely popular among the attendees are the vendors. In some ways walking into the vending area is the equivalent of walking into an art gallery. There were more than 100 vendors to choose from. The designs are intricate. There is no shortage of creativity among the vendors. One will find something original, affordable and fashionable at every turn.
One of the most frequented vendors was Booth Number 9 manned by Leon Peacock and Melvin Robinson, both members of the Eta Nu Nu chapter of the illustrious Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Graduates of West Virginia State University and the Ohio State University respectively Peacock and Robinson secured a corner lot that allowed steady foot traffic from four different directions. Pictured in the photo is Peacock on the reader’s left wearing a black kufi and hoodie and Robinson on the right decked out in a stylish purple derby and purple t-shirt. Peacock’s and Robinson’s offerings included banners, shields, coasters, placards, books about the history of the fraternity, trinkets of various shapes and sizes and chess tables all of which proved to be terrific conversation starters especially the chess tables. Emblazoned in an eye-catching royal purple and old gold the chess tables were the talk about the booth. The tables are stunning in color and design. Each table is custom made with some emblazoned with the continent of Africa appearing in red, black and green. Robinson and Peacock hardly had time to catch their breath as there was a steady stream of interested parties engaging the men in conversation about their wares.
The conference ends tomorrow, but already projections have the event bringing in nearly $15 million to the city. Not since 1953 had Cincinnati, Ohio, hosted the Grand Conclave. If the last few days are any indication of the event’s success, I’d say it was worth the wait.
Judson L. Jeffries, PhD, MPH, is Professor of African American and African Studies at the Ohio State University.
