College fraternities and sororities have been around since the late 1700s, but it wasn’t until 1906 and 1908 that Black college men and women could even join a Greek letter organization. Since then, nine Black Greek letter organizations have incorporated and formed the National Panhellenic Council, or Divine 9.
Tatiana Cash is a member and takes a brief look at how Greek life lasts long after college. For some, joining us sorority or fraternity is something you do in college and then you graduate and recall your Greek days fondly. But when you join AD 9, be it Alpha AKA Kappa, Delta,
Q Sigma, Zeta, SG Row or an iota. Commitment. It does not end when you graduate college. It does not end when you are out of Graduate School. I myself have a cousin that he ended up pledging a predominantly white organization. When he and I talked about it, he says,
Ohh, I was talking about his fraternity, whereas I when I talk about mine, ohh I am and I will always be. You see people that you know that are older, 50607080 representing Sigma, you know, and that’s a beautiful thing. Alpha Phi AA Kappa, Alpha Kappa, Alpha psi, Omega Psi, Phi Delta Sigma Theta,
Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta, Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma rho, and iota Phi Theta were all founded to give black collegiates a group where they can feel seen, heard, get mentorships, professional development. It’s a group of people you can always find doing some sort of community service. And yes, these Members do pay to
Be part of these organizations. You pay for your friends too. I’ve never seen it in that manner that I paid for my friends. What I saw was that I joined a group of like minded individuals that had ambitious goals and dreams partnering with Big Brothers and Big Sisters or it was partnered
With Marsha Dimes or you know how do how do we make an impact. I mean so it in truth the matter is it costs money to have make impact. Right now one of our things is Firefly Nights is that’s local where we honor people from the UAW
To be able just to showcase them. And all the great things that they’re doing in the community, I’m not sure about anybody else, but my money is not long enough to give out a half $1,000,000 or 1/4 of $1,000,000 in scholarships. But I can be part of an organization
That gives, I can contribute. And while it’s important to focus on all the good nine is doing for their members and communities around the globe, another truth must be acknowledged. The dark side to all Greek life. Those things are what the news, basically. Focuses on a lot of the times because you
Want people to be aware of those situations. They do happen, and I’m not gonna deny that. So I would like for you know, the parents who are interested in having their kids participate in Greek life to know that those situations may occur. But that is not it. Greek life consists of multiple things.
Each organization has its own colors, Shield, mascot and model, and all claim to be the best of the 9. Although, you know, we all kind of stand alone, we all can work together to improve and better the community. We are not the cribs, we are not the blood. Just because we have different
Colors don’t mean that we are, you know, we are against each other. We are all together for the betterment of the Community and the black experience. And don’t be fooled though everyone may not always wear their letters or broadcast their acts of service, that work behind the scenes is very
Serious and they are committed. And there’s some people that you wouldn’t even know that are part of sororities, are returning ties that are part of very big decisions, very big just trends and monumental changes that are happening. Because we do have, we have a love for our community.
As long as there is injustice, as long as there is a need to mentor, as long as there is a need to uplift the African Americans, there is a need for Alpha Phi Alpha. Kind of cash WTO L 11. Each of these organizations is actively taking members at the collegiate and graduate levels.
They are also hosting community service and social activities throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.
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