List of African-American fraternities and sororities

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African-American fraternities and sororities are social organizations that predominantly recruit black college students and provide a network that includes both undergraduate and alumni members. These organizations were typically founded by Black American undergraduate students, faculty, and leaders at various institutions in the United States.

Contents

Fraternities

Following is a list of active and inactive African American fraternities, in charter date order.

NameCharter date and rangeFounding locationTypeAffiliationStatusReferences
Prince Hall Freemasonry September 29, 1784 Boston, Massachusetts Freemasonry, community-basedActive
Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America 1843 New York City, New York General, community-basedIndependentActive
International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor 1872 Independence, Missouri General coed, community-basedIndependentActive
Grand United Order of True Reformers 1873General and benevolence, community-basedIndependentInactive
Knights of Pythias of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa 1880 Vicksburg, Mississippi Benevolence society, community-basedIndependentActive
Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World 1897 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania General, community-basedIndependentActive
Alpha Kappa Nu 1903–1911 Indiana University Social, collegiateIndependentInactive
Sigma Pi Phi 1904 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Professional, community-basedIndependentActive
Pi Gamma Omicron 1905–c.1950 Ohio State University Social, collegiateIndependentInactive
Gamma Phi 1905–before 1950 Wilberforce University Social, collegiateIndependentInactive [1]
Alpha Phi Alpha December 4, 1906 Cornell University Social collegiate NPHC Active
Kappa Alpha Psi January 5, 1911 Indiana University Bloomington Social, collegiate NPHC Active
Omega Psi Phi November 17, 1911 Howard University Social, collegiate NPHC Active
Phi Beta Sigma January 9, 1914 Howard University Social, collegiate NPHC, NIC (former)Active
Gamma Tau 1934–c. 1950s Howard University Social, collegiateIndependentInactive [2] [3]
Wine Psi Phi March 2, 1959 Howard University Social, collegiate and graduateIndependentActive [4] [a]
Groove Phi Groove October 12, 1962 Morgan State University Social, collegiateIndependentActive
Nu Gamma Alpha 1962 Howard University Social, collegiate and graduateIndependentActive [5] [6]
Iota Phi Theta September 19, 1963 Morgan State University Social, collegiate NPHC, NIC Active
Phi Eta Psi April 5, 1965 Mott Community College Social, collegiateIndependentInactive [7] [8] [b]
Phi Delta Psi March 21, 1977 Western Michigan University Social, collegiateIndependentActive
Chi Alpha Phi 1979 Lincoln University Coed service, collegiate and communityIndependentActive [9] [10] [11]
Sigma Phi Rho April 26, 1979 Wagner College Social, collegiateIndependentActive
Delta Psi Chi 1985 University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee Social, collegiateIndependentActive [12]
Phi Omicron Psi February 16, 1986 Virginia Commonwealth University Social, collegiateIndependentInactive [13]
Beta Phi Pi 1986 Western Illinois University Social and Service, collegiateIndependentActive [14] [15] [16]
Megisté Areté 1989 Eastern Illinois University Christian, collegiateIndependentActive [17]
Upsilon Phi Upsilon March 31, 1990 Southern University Service, collegiateIndependentActive [9] [18] [19]
Nu Gamma Psi 1994 Plymouth, North Carolina Social, community-basedIndependentActive [20]
Phi Rho Eta August 22, 1994 Southern Illinois University Social, collegiateIndependentActive [21]
Men of God 1999 Texas Tech University Christian, collegiateIndependentActive [22] [23] [c]
Gamma Beta Chi November 15, 2002 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Service, collegiateIndependentActive [9] [24] [25]
Nu Alpha Nu 2006 Alabama State University Service, collegiateIndependentActive [9] [26]
Alpha Tau Mu September 2, 2009 Tuskegee University Coed service, collegiateIndependentActive [27] [28] [9]
Beta Nu Theta 2017 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Coed service, collegiateIndependentActive [9] [29]
Chi Gamma Kappa January 22, 2017 Georgia Service, communiy-basedIndependentActive [9] [30] [31] [d]
Psi Delta Tau February 13, 2017 Alabama Military, community-basedIndependentActive [32] [33]
  1. In later years, many chapters operated as a co-ed "frarority". Today, only one graduate chapter remains active.
  2. All college chapters are now inactive, although the national alumni association is still active.
  3. Founded by a group of men who talked about God at a Step Show. MOG performs a yearly Step Show filled with mimes, dancers, and singers in honor of their beginning. MOG has grown but prefers to remain small, limiting the number of members in each chapter.
  4. Members must be enrolled in college, have a college degree, or professional certification in her chosen career and live in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, North Carolina or South Carolina

Sororities

Following is a list of active and inactive African American sororities and women's fraternities, in charter date order.

NameCharter date and rangeFounding locationTypeAffiliationStatusReferences
Alpha Kappa Alpha January 15, 1908 Howard University Social, collegiate NPHC Active
Delta Sigma Theta January 13, 1913 Howard University Social, collegiate NPHC Active
Zeta Phi Beta January 16, 1920 Howard University Social, collegiate NPHC Active
Sigma Gamma Rho November 12, 1922 Butler University Social, collegiate NPHC Active
Phi Delta Kappa May 23, 1923 Jersey City, New Jersey.Professional, educationIndependentActive [34]
Iota Phi Lambda June 1, 1929 Chicago, Illinois Professional, collegiateCoalition of Black Business SororitiesActive [35]
Lambda Kappa Mu January 19, 1937 Manhattan, New York Professional, non-collegiateCoalition of Black Business SororitiesActive [35] [36]
Eta Phi Beta October 1942 Lewis Business College Professional, collegiateCoalition of Black Business SororitiesActive [35] [37]
Tau Gamma Delta 1942 Lewis Business College Social, community-basedIndependentActive [38] [39] [a]
Gamma Phi Delta February 28, 1943 Lewis Business College Service, collegiate and graduateCoalition of Black Business SororitiesActive [35]
The Links November 9, 1946 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Social and service, non-collegiateIndependentActive
Zeta Delta Phi 1962 Bronx Community College Service, collegiateIndependentActive [40] [b] [41] :100
Alpha Pi Chi January 7, 1963 Chicago, Illinois Service, community-basedIndependentActive [9] [42] [c]
Swing Phi Swing April 4, 1969 Winston-Salem State University Social, collegiateIndependentActive
Kappa Psi Epsilon September 24, 1982 Rutgers University–Newark Social, collegiateIndependentActive [6]
Phi Alpha Psi Spring 1992 Virginia Commonwealth University Social, collegiateIndependentInactive [43] [d]
Psi Delta Chi October 2, 1994 University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Social, collegiateIndependentActive [44] [34] [e]
Gamma Pi Alpha November 12, 1994 Tuskegee University Service, collegiateIndependentActive [45] [9]
Delta Rho July 1, 2004 Orlando, Florida Service, community-basedIndependentActive [9] [46] [f]
Kappa Theta Epsilon February 24, 2009 Houston, Texas LGBTQ professional, community-basedIndependentActive
Alpha Pi DeltaJune 28, 2010 Dallas, Texas Service, lesbians, community-basedIndependentActive [47] [48]
Nu Alpha Omicron 2012 Alabama State University Service, collegiateIndependentActive [9]
Gamma Pi Chi July 16, 2016 Georgia Professional service, community-basedIndependentActive [9] [49] [g]
Zeta Sigma Psi June 7, 2019 Hampton, Virginia Military, community-basedIndependentActive [50] [51]
Psi Delta Chi MSI November 8, 2019 Jacksonville, Florida Military, community-basedIndependentActive [52]
Gamma Theta Xi 2024 Texas Service, collegiate NAAGLA Active [53] [54]
  1. Sorority was formed as Phi Gamma Delta Sorority in 1942. Its name changed to Tau Gamma Delta Sorority Inc. on October 17, 1951.
  2. Sorority starte as Houseplan (Zeta Delphi) in 1962 and was incorporated as Zeta Delta Phi Sorority in 1964.
  3. Its founders were all associated with Alpha Gamma Chi. Members are mostly African American professionals.
  4. The sorority had four chapters, including Alpha - VCU (1992), Beta - Morgan State University (1994), Gamma - Coppin State College (1994), and Epsilon - University of the Virginia Islands.
  5. Not affiliated with the Psi Delta Chi military sorority.
  6. Members must be at least 25 years old. Most members are professional women.
  7. Members must be enrolled in college, have a college degree, or professional certification in her chosen career and live in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, North Carolina or South Carolina

See also

References

  1. "History". www.csus.edu. Archived from the original on January 22, 2018.
  2. Kimbrough, Walter D. Black Greek 101: The Culture, Customs, and Challenges of Black Fraternities and Sororities. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2003. pp. 44 and 47. ISBN   1-61147-281-4
  3. Anson, Jack L. and Marchesani Jr. Robert F., eds. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 20th edition. Indianapolis: Baird's Manual Foundation, 1991. ISBN   0-9637159-0-9
  4. Elizabeth Calvert Fine (2003). Soulstepping: African American Step Shows . University of Illinois Press. pp.  159–. ISBN   978-0-252-02475-7.
  5. Hazelwood, Janell (February 21, 2018). "Black History Month: The Divine Nine". Black Enterprise. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Home". Nu Gamma Alpha. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  7. "Founding Fathers". Phi Eta Psi Fraternity, Inc. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  8. "Emeralds of Phi Eta Psi Fraternity, Inc". Eastern Michigan University Archives. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Service Sororities and Fraternities". BlackOrgs.net. November 25, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  10. "CHI ALPHA PHI Service Fraternity Inc". www.facebook.com. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  11. "Alpha Chi Phi Service Fraternity, Inc". Linkedin. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  12. "UWM's first Black Greek-letter organization 'Delta Psi Chi' was founded in 1985". UWM REPORT. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. February 26, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  13. "The Founding Fathers". Phi Alpha Psi Sorority, Inc. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  14. "Beta at a Glance". www.betaphipi.org. Archived from the original on May 16, 2020.
  15. Seo, Byung-In; Haykal, Aaisha N. (2018). Chicago State University. Arcadia Publishing. p. 45. ISBN   978-1-4671-2979-4.
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  17. Hodge, Roberto. "Sisterhood acts on foundations of Christianity, friendship". The Daily Eastern News. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  18. "The U." Upsilon Phi Upsilon. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  19. "Chapters of P.H.I." Upsilon Phi Upsilon. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  20. "About | Nu Gamma Psi Fraternity INC". www.nugammapsi1994.com. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023.
  21. "Home". Phi Rho Eta Fraternity, Inc. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  22. "Christian Fraternities and Sororities – BlackOrgs" . Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  23. Moses, Megan (April 18, 2019). "Men of God Christian fraternity serves community". The Daily Toreador. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
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  25. "Registered Chapters". Gamma Beta Chi NSFI. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
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  33. "History & Mission". Psi Delta Tau. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  34. 1 2 "UWM's first Black Greek-letter organization 'Delta Psi Chi' was founded in 1985". UWM REPORT. University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. February 26, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  35. 1 2 3 4 "History". Omicron Chapter of Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Incorporated. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  36. "LKM History". Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority, Inc. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  37. Nina Mjagkij (2013). Organizing Black America. Routledge. pp. 195–. ISBN   978-1-135-58123-7.
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  40. "History". Zeta Delta Phi Sorority, Inc. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
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  52. "About Us". Psi Delta Chi Military Sorority Inc. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  53. "Gamma Theta Xi Sorority, Incorporated | Black Greek Sororities | Non Profit | Community Service |". Gamma Theta Xi. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  54. "NAAGLA Charters First African American Greek Letter Organization, Gamma Theta Xi Sorority, Incorporated". News Channel Nebraska. Retrieved October 17, 2024.