A Giant Remembered: Bro. Z. Alexander Looby’s Legacy Comes Alive in Nashville
The July 2025 mural dedication honors Bro. Looby’s fearless pursuit of justice, his devotion to education, and his enduring impact as one of Omega Psi Phi’s greatest sons.
Flashback — July 2025, Nashville, TN: The North Nashville community gathered in celebration as a new mural honoring Bro. Z. Alexander Looby (Α ’20) was unveiled on the wall of the Z. Alexander Looby Community Center—a powerful tribute to one of Omega Psi Phi’s most courageous giants. The 94-foot masterpiece, brought to life by Creative Girls Rock® and lead artist Elisheba Mrozik, depicts Bro. Looby alongside fellow civil rights icons Diane Nash, Thurgood Marshall, and Bro. J.C. Napier. Each brushstroke tells the story of a man who defied segregation, defended the voiceless, and stood tall through the most turbulent chapters of the Civil Rights Movement. From his days at Howard University, where he was initiated into the Fraternity through Alpha Chapter in 1920, to his leadership as the 17th Grand Basileus, Bro. Looby embodied Omega’s sacred principles of Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance, and Uplift.
As the sun set over Nashville on July 16, city leaders, fraternity brothers, and residents reflected on Bro. Looby’s enduring legacy. Mayor Freddie O’Connell called him “one of the finest public servants Nashville has ever known,” noting his pivotal role in desegregating schools and defending student protesters during the 1960 Nashville sit-ins—an act of courage that led to his home being bombed by segregationists. Yet, Bro. Looby’s resolve never wavered. His spirit of service and sacrifice lives on in every law he helped change, every student he inspired, and now, every color painted across the community center that bears his name. Over fifty years after his passing, the mural stands not just as art, but as a call to action—reminding all who see it that justice, once pursued with conviction, echoes for generations.
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