Charles Henry Chapman was one of the (commonly referred to as Jewels) of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at Cornell University in 1906. During the organization stages of Alpha chapter, he was the first chairman of the Committees on Initiation and Organization. Chapman entered the field of higher education and eventually became Professor of Agriculture at what is now Florida A&M University (FAMU). During his tenure at FAMU, Chapman was a founder of the fraternity's Beta Nu chapter.