Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, a contributing author to the Declaration of Independence, and an owner of enslaved Africans, founded the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA in 1819. Jefferson hypothesized that Blacks could not comprehend the theorems of Euclid...Black people did not gain admission to the University as students until the mid-1950's. At that time there were no Black fraternities or sororities at the University.

In the Fall of 1973, Gamma Alpha Lambda (GAL), the graduate chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha in Charlottesville, VA, endeavored to spread the ideals of our beloved fraternity to the University of Virginia. Bro. Steven Decatur Waters organized an interest group of nine young Black men at the University. These men became known as the "Prime Nine." These Brothers were Iota Beta's charter line, who crossed the Burning Sands of Alpha on March 8, 1974 at the convention of the Virginia Association of Chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (VACAPAF), which was held in Charlottesville, VA. Two days later, on March 10, 1974, the Iota Beta Chapter became the 399th incorporation into the General Convention of Alpha Phi Alpha. Despite the name, "Prime Nine," only eight of the original nine men from the interest group were initiated. Seven of the Brothers listed below were initiated on March 8, 1974, while the eighth, Kenneth R. Hill completed his process in the Fall of 1974.

The Brothers of the "Prime Nine" are as follows:

Three of these seven brothers, Garry W. Lewis, Strother L. Washington, and John J. White, were graduating seniors. This meant that the chapter would be inactive in the Fall of '74. In order to maintain active status, Iota Beta inducted a second pledge class of four Sphinxmen in March of '74. These Brothers crossed on May 18, 1974. They are known as "The Pharaoh's Four." These Bros. are

The Brothers of "The Pharaoh's Four" are as important to the history of Iota Beta's inception as the "Prime Nine," because without them the Chapter would have gone inactive the semester after its inception. Thus, we decend from THE BLOOD OF THE PHARAOHS. The Brotherhood side-stepped this potential roadblock, thereby planting the seeds for IB to reach its level of excellence. One-hundred and thirty-three (133) men have crossed the Burning Sands of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. through the Iota Beta Chapter since 1974.