THE BIOGRAPHY OF JUDGE LINWOOD GRAVES KOGER, SR.
Authored By Edwin T. Johnson, Ph.D.  

Linwood Koger, Pi Chapter’s founder, was an influential figure in Baltimore’s African American socio-economic advancement during the late 1920s through the 1950s. He was initiated into the fraternity’s Alpha Chapter at Howard University in 1913. Because his initiation was so close to the fraternity’s founding, Koger had direct contact and a close relationship with the founders. His first-hand experience and interaction with the founders was likely to have shaped his efforts to establish both Pi Omega and Pi Chapters.

Koger entered military service alongside Omega founders Frank Coleman, Edgar A. Love and Oracle editor, Walter H. Mazyck. Koger was a First Lieutenant and served overseas during the war. He was also involved in the fraternity’s War Chapter, the temporary fraternity chapter established at the Black Officer’s Training Camp at Fort Des Moines Iowa, which was the predecessor to ROTC programs at HBCUs. The camp demonstrated to the nation the potential for Black military officers on HBCU campuses.

In addition to playing a role in the efforts to establish HBCU ROTC programs, Koger also participated in the effort to establish the Pan-Hellenic Council. During the early 1920s, Koger was one of the Omega representatives involved with the establishment of the Inter-fraternal Council, which was the predecessor to the present day National Pan-Hellenic Council. The first national meeting was held in April 1922, in Washington, D.C. 

Koger had another significant contribution to the fraternity and indirectly the nation for which he is not noted. Koger was the fraternity member who supported Carter G. Woodson’s research, and consistently advocated for the Omega’s adoption of Negro History Week as a nationally mandated program. After several failed attempts, the fraternity finally adopted the program. National Negro History Week later evolved into Black History month.6 It would be accurate to state that Carter G. Woodson with the unwavering support of Linwood G. Koger brought about the national celebration of Black History Month. Advocating and operating behind the scenes was a task at which Koger performed regularly and excelled.

At the Omega’s 1929 Grand Conclave the fraternity adopted a policy that would allow for each local chapter to purchase a fraternity house. The national fraternity would make a loan to the respective chapter that would match the funds raised towards the purchase. Koger represented the fraternity in overseeing the legal documents that governed the loan program.

There was at least one position in which Koger served the fraternity that was well documented. He served as the Grand Marshall for the Omega 43rd Grand Conclave. The position of Grand Marshall is highly coveted, and only members with consistent outstanding service to the fraternity are selected to serve in that capacity. The conclave was held in Baltimore in 1956.8 At least one of the conclave meetings took place on Morgan’s campus as evidenced by a photograph of the delegation taken in Hughes Stadium. This position was probably the highlight of Koger’s fraternity activity, which was quite substantial. Koger’s fraternity involvement spanned sixty years from his undergraduate initiation in 1913 to his death in August of 1973. He had been a member of at least three different fraternity chapters.

Koger was born in Reidsville, North Carolina in 1890, and was the son of an emancipated slave. At age fifteen, Koger was sent to Washington D.C. to reside with one of his older sisters and her family. Koger attended Howard University’s preparatory school (high school equivalent) and graduated in 1911, then matriculated at Howard’s University. Koger’s educational career was briefly interrupted when he enlisted and served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army in World War I, where he was awarded the Purple Heart after being injured on active duty in France. Upon returning from World War I, Koger completed his undergraduate degree at Howard in 1920. He then attended the Howard University School of Law, graduated in 1922, and was admitted to the Bar of the Maryland Court of Appeals in 1923, the same year Pi Chapter was established on the campus of Morgan College.

Equipped with his Law degree, Koger began working for the socio-economic advancement of Black Baltimoreans. From 1927 to 1930, Koger served as the second president of the Baltimore Branch of the NAACP. Near the end of his term as NAACP President, he ran for political office and became one of the earliest Black candidates for the Maryland State Legislature in 1930. Though his election bid was unsuccessful, he found great success within the American Legion. From 1933 to 1936, Koger was Commander, Walter Green Post of the American Legion. Almost simultaneously, Koger served as Senior Vice Commander of the American Legion, Maryland Department from 1935 to 1937. Koger was also a leader in the Baltimore legal community. He served as President of the Monumental City Bar Association in 1941 to 1942, and 1953 to 1955. Though he was not successfully elected to public office, Koger’s value to city and state government did not go un-noticed.

In 1944, Maryland Governor Herbert R. O’Connor appointed Koger to serve on the Governor’s Commission Studying Problems Affecting Colored People. From 1944 to 1948, Koger served as Baltimore’s Assistant City Solicitor. In 1954 he was admitted to practice Law before the Bar of the United States Supreme Court. In the same year, Koger was a candidate for the Republican Nomination for the U.S. Congress in Maryland. His legal career concluded as Magistrate of Baltimore City’s Northwestern Police Court from 1955 to 1959. Koger was one of Baltimore City’s first Black judges.

In addition to public service and Omega, Koger was a member of Union Baptist Church, the Republican Lawyer’s Club, the Pythians, Pride of Baltimore Elks, the Royal-Hoffman Literary and Pleasure Club, the National Lawyers’ Guild, and a 33rd degree Mason, Hiram Grand Lodge.