National Pan-Hellenic Council

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National Pan-Hellenic Council
NicknameDivine Nine
FoundedMay 10, 1930;93 years ago (1930-05-10)
Founded at Howard University
Type Trade association
Members
9
Website NPHC National website

The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is a collaborative umbrella council composed of nine historically African American fraternities and sororities, commonly called the Divine Nine, and also referred to as Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs). The NPHC was formed as a permanent organization on May 10, 1930, on the campus of Howard University, in Washington, D.C., with Matthew W. Bullock as the active Chairman and B. Beatrix Scott as Vice-Chairman. NPHC was incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois in 1937. [1]

Contents

The council promotes interaction through forums, meetings, and other media for the exchange of information and engages in cooperative programming and initiatives through various activities and functions.[ citation needed ]

Each constituent member organization determines its own strategic direction and program agenda. Today, the primary purpose and focus of member organizations remains camaraderie and academic excellence for its members and service to the communities they serve. Each promotes community awareness and action through educational, economic, and cultural service activities.[ citation needed ]

History

The National Pan-Hellenic Council was established in an era when Greek letter collegiate organizations founded by white Americans did not want to be affiliated with Greek letter collegiate organizations founded by African Americans. [2]

The organization's stated purpose and mission in 1930:

Marcia Fudge speaking at the 2017 National Pan-Hellenic Council Forum. Marcia Fudge speaking at the 2017 National Pan-Hellenic Council Forum.jpg
Marcia Fudge speaking at the 2017 National Pan-Hellenic Council Forum.

Unanimity of thought and action as far as possible in the conduct of Greek letter collegiate fraternities and sororities, and to consider problems of mutual interest to its member organizations. [3]

The founding members of the NPHC were Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Delta Sigma Theta, and Zeta Phi Beta. The council's membership expanded as Alpha Phi Alpha (1931), Phi Beta Sigma (1931), Sigma Gamma Rho (1937), and Iota Phi Theta (1996) later joined. In his book on BGLOs, The Divine Nine: The History of African-American Fraternities and Sororities in America (2001), Lawrence Ross coined the phrase "The Divine Nine" when referring to the coalition. [4] As required by various campus recognition policies, neither the NPHC, nor its member national or chapter organizations discriminate on the basis of race or religion.

In 1992, the first permanent national office for NPHC was established in Bloomington, Indiana on the campus of Indiana University through the joint cooperation of Indiana University and the National Board of Directors of NPHC. Prior to its establishment, for over a 62-year period, the national office would sojourn from one officer to the next. [3]

Affiliate organizations

The members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council are shown below in order of founding: [3]

NameGreek lettersTypeFounding dateFounding universityHeadquartersChaptersTotal initiatesJoinedNotes
Alpha Phi Alpha ΑΦΑFraternityDecember 4, 1906 Cornell University Baltimore, Maryland 706 [5] 200,000 [5] 1931First intercollegiate African American fraternity.
Only NPHC organization to be founded at an Ivy League university.
Alpha Kappa Alpha ΑΚΑSororityJanuary 15, 1908 Howard University Chicago, Illinois 1,005 [6] 290,000 [6] 1930First intercollegiate African American sorority.
First NPHC sorority to be nationally incorporated.
Kappa Alpha Psi ΚΑΨFraternityJanuary 5, 1911 Indiana University Bloomington Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 720160,0001930Founded as Kappa Alpha Nu.
First NPHC organization to be nationally incorporated.
Omega Psi Phi ΩΨΦFraternityNovember 17, 1911Howard University Decatur, Georgia 7501930First fraternity to be founded at a historically black university.
Delta Sigma Theta ΔΣΘSororityJanuary 13, 1913Howard University Washington, D.C. 940+ [7]
(including alumnae chapters)
1930
Phi Beta Sigma ΦΒΣFraternityJanuary 9, 1914Howard University Washington, D.C. 740185,0001931Constitutionally bound with Zeta Phi Beta.
Zeta Phi Beta ΖΦΒSororityJanuary 16, 1920Howard University Washington, D.C. 8001930Constitutionally bound with Phi Beta Sigma.
Sigma Gamma Rho ΣΓΡSororityNovember 12, 1922 Butler University Cary, North Carolina 70085,000+1937Only NPHC sorority founded at a predominately white institution.
Iota Phi Theta ΙΦΘFraternitySeptember 19, 1963 Morgan State University Baltimore, Maryland 30030,000 [8] 1996Only NPHC organization founded in second half of the 20th century.

Traditional Greek housing

Traditional Greek housing amongst NPHC organizations is rare. Unlike most National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) and North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) organizations that have many traditional Greek houses primarily for undergraduate members on or near their college campuses, NPHC organizations have only a few. Most of the few existing NPHC organization houses are untraditional and unaffiliated with a college. In recent years, a growing number of undergraduate chapters of NPHC organizations have advocated for convenient traditional Greek housing for recruitment, meetings, stroll/step practices, socializing, and storing chapter paraphernalia but the lack of proper funding and coordination amongst members continues to be a major issue. In substitute of it, some undergraduate chapters have settled for small outdoor Greek plots to help substantiate their presence on campus. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iota Phi Theta</span> International historically African American collegiate fraternity

Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. (ΙΦΘ) is a historically African American fraternity. It was founded on September 19, 1963, at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, and is currently the 5th largest Black Greek Lettered Fraternity. Members of the close-knit afrocentric fraternity proudly embrace the organization’s youth, uniqueness, individualism and modern idealism. As a contemporary organization, many members have had the great honor of meeting, fellowshipping with and/or engaging in personal or virtual discussions with one or more of their founders. Today there are over 301 undergraduate and alumni chapters, as well as colonies located in 40 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, The Bahamas, Colombia, South Korea, and Japan.

The North American fraternity and sorority system began with students who wanted to meet secretly, usually for discussions and debates not thought appropriate by the faculty of their schools. Today they are used as social, professional, and honorary groups that promote varied combinations of community service, leadership, and academic achievement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clemson University fraternities and sororities</span>

Clemson University opened in 1893 as an all-male military college. It was not until seventy years later in 1959 that the first fraternities and sororities arrived on campus. In the 1970s, they became recognized as national fraternities and sororities. The Greek life has now increased to 44 chapters on campus: fraternities and sororities from the National Panhellenic Conference, the North American Interfraternity Conference, the Multicultural Greek Council, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Virginia fraternities and sororities</span> American Greek life system

Fraternities and sororities at the University of Virginia include the collegiate organizations on the grounds of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. First founded in the 1850s with the establishment of several fraternities, the system has since expanded to include sororities, professional organizations, service fraternities, honor fraternities, and cultural organizations. Fraternities and sororities have been significant to the history of the University of Virginia, including the founding of two national fraternities Kappa Sigma (ΚΣ) and Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ).

References

  1. "Mission – National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated". February 16, 2016. Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  2. Gillon, Kathleen E.; Beatty, Cameron C.; Salinas, Cristobal (2019). "Race and Racism in Fraternity and Sorority Life: A Historical Overview". New Directions for Student Services. 2019 (165): 9–16. doi: 10.1002/ss.20289 .
  3. 1 2 3 "About the National Pan-Hellenic Council". nphchq.org. Archived from the original on December 22, 2009. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
    • Ross, Jr, Lawrence (2001). The Divine Nine: The History of African-American Fraternities and Sororities in America. New York: Kensington. pp. 37–38. ISBN   0-7582-0325-X.
  4. 1 2 "Home". Alpha Phi Alpha. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc". aka1908.com. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  6. "Chapter Locator". Delta Sigma Theta. Archived from the original on June 9, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  7. "Chapter Locator". Iota Phi Theta® Fraternity Inc. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  8. Richmond, Mckenzie (October 11, 2018). "NPHC Greek houses absent on Fraternity and Sorority Row". The Daily Mississippian. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023.
  9. Blake, Suzanne (August 21, 2018). "Black fraternities and sororities get new home in Ram Village". The Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  10. Mauldin, Amelia (October 11, 2018). "MGC and NPHC houses still not on campus maps". The DePauw. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023.
  11. Smith, Maya (August 16, 2019). "U of M Students Look to Raise Funds for African-American Greek Organizations". Memphis Flyer . Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  12. "Membership". Charlotte Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Archived from the original on August 4, 2021.
  13. White vs Black Greek Life: "There's a Greek letter … for everyone"
  14. "EDITORIAL: Greek life has lost its identity at IU". January 13, 2019.
  15. "Greek plots return to Morgan's campus | the Spokesman". October 11, 2018.
  16. "Exploring Black Greek Life". March 15, 2017.

Further reading