History

The Genesis

In the early morning hours of October 7, 2010, four friends attending Ramapo College in Mahwah, New Jersey, performed the initial research necessary to start a fraternity of their own. Deciding on letters, colors, symbols, and an initial purpose, these friends soon announced the existence of Gamma Xi Phi to the world. The Founders of Gamma Xi Phi were Malcolm Minor, Ashli Johnson, Tahir Register, and Kanisha Taylor. They were joined by eight other undergraduates and a chapter advisor, Professor Regina Cash-Clark, to form Alpha Chapter, which was recognized by the university in Spring 2011. The Founders enlisted the assistance of Rashid Darden, a novelist based in Washington, DC, to serve as a consultant to Alpha Chapter.

The House Expands

Beta Chapter was organized in Fall 2011 by eight charter members, three of whom would become National Presidents of the fraternity. The first National President was Storme Gray, a painter, poet, and nonprofit professional living in Northern Virginia. During this administration, the fraternity settled on a national constitution, a formal purpose, and articles of incorporation. GXP was incorporated in the District of Columbia in 2012. During that year, Alpha Chapter grew with the initiation of Brigette Ramos. In 2013, the fraternity initiated its first honorary member, music historian Kevin Coombe. In addition to the initiation of Beta Chapter's first line, the fraternity also initiated honorary member Christopher Brient, Assistant Artistic Director of Step Afrika! In October 2013, the fraternity held its first National Convention in Newark, New Jersey, in which Founder Malcolm Minor was elected National President.

The House Expands

Solid Foundation

During Founder Minor's administration, the fraternity chartered Gamma Chapter in Newark, New Jersey. Brother Demetrius Beynum formally transferred his membership to Alpha Lambda Chapter, making him the first active at-large member of the fraternity. Chapters of the fraternity continued significant programming around the fraternity's national program of service. Honorary members Allen Uzikee Nelson and Ernest Perry were initiated in 2015. Brother Rashid Darden was elected National President at the 2015 National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The National Program was re-organized under the theme Investing in Artists for the Community and the World. Additional strides were made in the fraternity's policies and procedures, including the membership process and program reporting.

Thriving in a Pandemic

The Pivot

At the 2017 National Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, the fraternity amended its purpose to its current form, ``to honor the achievements of artists through fellowship, philanthropy, social justice, and service.`` The fraternity also shifted to membership purely being on an invitational basis. Under National President Sharnell Bryan's leadership, the fraternity continued to grow with the chartering of Epsilon Chapter in 2019. Rashid Darden was re-elected National President at the 2019 National Convention in the District of Columbia. Several important policy decisions would take place during the first nine months of the administration that would set the fraternity on track for expansion despite the global pandemic. The fraternity gained five new chapters, its first domestic and international at-large initiates, and record-breaking numbers of convention registrants. The fraternity also gave out its first Bruce Hawkins Prizes for Excellence in the Arts and Justice.