Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. will reunite dozens of brothers this weekend.

Members from across the country of the historically black fraternity will meet Northwestern’s eight brothers in Evanston to celebrate the group’s 80th anniversary.

The weekend will be full of fraternity events, culminating Saturday night with Alpha Phi Alpha’s 23rd annual Homecoming Scholarship Ball. At the ball, which has free admission, the fraternity will give away three $500 scholarships — two to college-bound high school seniors and one to an NU freshman.

“The best part of the ball will probably be actually meeting and greeting the recipients of the scholarships we give out,” said Patrick Henry, a fraternity member and Weinberg junior. “That will be the most fulfilling part.”

Other events planned for the weekend include a dinner with visiting brothers Friday night and going to Saturday’s football game against Purdue University to support member Jason Wright, NU’s starting running back. On Sunday the group will wrap things up with an alumni brunch.

Fraternity member Tony Hickombottom said the most important part of this weekend’s activities is an extension of the ball’s theme, “Reflections of Excellence.”

“It is a time to look at where we’ve been, where we are now, what direction the chapter can be headed in and to continue to build on the foundation that has already been laid,” said Hickombottom, a Communication senior.

The story of where the fraternity’s Alpha Mu chapter has been includes several tumultuous pages, most visibly being taken off campus in the 1960s.

“They fought and got reinstated at a time when there were many people openly against black fraternities on campus,” Hickombottom said.

Many more pages are filled with successful events, prominent speakers and famous members.

Thurgood Marshall, an Alpha Phi Alpha alum, visited the NU campus in the ’60s before being appointed to the Supreme Court. Other famous alumni include the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Olympic runner Jesse Owens, civil rights leader Andrew Young, writer and philosopher Cornel West, congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and actor Paul Robeson.

Alpha Phi Alpha member Mike Blake sees NU’s chapter as a proud continuation of this legacy.

“We are a group of men who continuously try to serve the community at Northwestern and abroad,” said Blake, a Medill junior.

Hickombottom said the fraternity is “an organization of men with high standards of morals and deeds,” which is evident in their philanthropy events throughout the year. This includes Alpha week, the largest step-show party in the Midwest and an MLK Day political forum and candlelight vigil.

“It’s amazing to come to college and realize you have a family away from family, a home away from home,” Blake said.