Alpha Lambda Tau () was an American men's college fraternity founded in 1916 at Oglethorpe College in Brookhaven, Georgia. For its first decade, Alpha Lambda Tau permitted expansion only within the Southern states. In , the national organization of Alpha Lambda Tau dissolved; the majority of its chapters affiliated with Tau Kappa Epsilon.

History Alpha Lambda Tau originated as the Alpha Lambda Club at Oglethorpe College in Brookhaven, Georgia on .Yamacraw (yearbook). Brookhaven, Georgia: Oglethorpe University, 1923. p.103. via Internet Archive. In 1920, the group held its first biennial convention. In preparation of becoming a national fraternity, the club incorporated in the State of Georgia as Alpha Lambda Tau on . Being of Southern origin, it was originally decided that the fraternity would not expand north of the Mason–Dixon line.

Alpha Lambda Tau grew by absorbing numerous local fraternities at Southern universities. Beta was established in 1922 at the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, followed by Gamma at Mercer University in 1923. The fraternity dropped its anti-northern expansion policy at the 1927 national convention and issued a charter to Lambda at the University of Illinois."Fraternity News". The Tri-Angle of Tri-State College, , p. 4.

Alpha Lambda Tau became a junior member of the National Interfraternity Conference (NIC) in . By 1930, it had initiated 1,250 members in had fifteen chapters. It also had alumni chapters in Chicago, Birmingham, and Atlanta.Modulus (yearbook). Angola: Tri-State College, 1941. p. 78. via Internet Archive.

In the fall of , the national organization of Alpha Lambda Tau dissolved. Five of the eight chapters that were active in merged with Tau Kappa Epsilon. Several chapters went to other national fraternities. However, there was no official merger between Alpha Lambda Tau and another organization.

Symbols Alpha Lambda Tau's badge was round with four gold arms with the letter ALOT. Its center featured a black shield with a serpent, a cross, and two torches. There were three stars above the shield and one below it. Its pledge pin was a gold shield with a black enamel serpent and cross in the middle, with black panels on either side.

The fraternity's colors were old gold and black. Its flower was the American Beauty rose. Its publication was The Rose Leaf.

Chapters Following are the chapters of Alpha Lambda Tau.

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status Alpha – Oglethorpe College Brookhaven, Georgia Inactive Beta – Alabama Polytechnic Institute Auburn, Alabama Merged () Gamma – Mercer University Macon, Georgia Merged () Cauldron (yearbook), Macon: Mercer College, 1924. p.173. via Mercer University Libraries. Delta – Louisiana Tech University Ruston, Louisiana Merged () Lagniappe (yearbook). Ruston, Louisiana Tech University, 1933, p. 161. via Internet Archive. Epsilon – University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, North Carolina Inactive Zeta – North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering Raleigh, North Carolina Merged () Agromeck (yearbook). Raleigh: North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering, 1944. p.142. via Internet Archive. Eta – Howard College Homewood, Alabama Inactive Entrenous (yearbook.) Homewood: Howard College, 1930. p. 158. via Internet Archive. Theta – University of Georgia Athens, Georgia Inactive Iota –1947 Presbyterian College Clinton, South Carolina Merged () Kappa – Wofford College Spartanburg, South Carolina Inactive The Bohemian (yearbook). Spartanburg: Wofford College, 1936. p.182. via Internet Archive. Lambda – University of Illinois Champaign, Illinois Inactive Mu – University of Arkansas Fayetteville, Arkansas Inactive Nu – Lyon College Batesville, Arkansas Inactive Xi – University of Chattanooga Chattanooga, Tennessee Merged () The Shield and Diamond. vol. 57, no. 4 (June 1948): p. 34. Omicron – Transylvania University Lexington, Kentucky Merged () Pi – University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama Inactive Rho – Culver–Stockton College Canton, Missouri Inactive Sigma – University of Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky Inactive The Kentucky Kernel. January 19, 1932, p. 1. via Internet Archive. Tau – University of Maryland, College Park College Park, Maryland Merged () "Iota Nu Delta Goes National". Maryland Alumni News. December 1934. p. 3. via Internet Archive. Upsilon –193x ? Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan Inactive Phi – Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy Rolla, Missouri Inactive Rollamo (yearbook) . Rollo: Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, 1936. p. 81. via Internet Archive. Chi ? – Western State College of Colorado Gunnison, Colorado Inactive Psi – Tri-State College Angola, Indiana Merged ()

See also

List of social fraternities

References