In the early 1900s African Americans found themselves navigating new terrain college campuses students organized underground networks that provided community service and camaraderie eventually those networks expanded into nine fraternities and sororities called the divine nine tonight we’re excited to present the first episode in the special series a crossing over black Greek life [Applause]
Because [Applause] the divine nine I’ve heard about this organization my entire life and I’m a bit of a legacy my sister’s a Delta my cousin’s a Delta my aunts and AKA I could go on and on but the truth is even though I’m surrounded by this incredible culture I
Only know the basics and who could blame me no one teaches you this in school so to learn about this incredible culture I called Todd Sterling so what makes up the divine nine the divine nine is the group of the nine black Greek letter organizations that make up divine
Nine why were these organizations founded wait wait wait wait timeout if you want to really understand the history of the divine nine you need to take a step back a couple steps back actually my name is Walter Kimbrough and I am the author of black Greek 101 the culture
Customs and challenges of black fraternities and sororities the fraternity and sorority movement in the United States begins in 1776 with the founding of Phi Beta Kappa it really sort of branches off from the literary societies that existed in higher education but they served an even broader purpose like most things at that
Point in time in American higher education most of the students were white in upper middle class there were very few black students and they didn’t really arrive to campus until the early 1800s why were these organizations founded the organizations were originally founded because there were so few African Americans going to college
And they gave African-Americans who were like-minded an opportunity to come together it sounds to me like trying to create a network a safe haven to be in at an all-white University absolutely that predominantly white University was Cornell in 1904 six black students attended and they didn’t come back the
Next year so by 1906 new black student students were desperate for a community Alpha Phi Alpha was the result the Alpha Phi Alpha was founded December 4th 1906 and was founded by our seven Jewels Alpha Phi Alpha was just the beginning after that black fraternities started popping up in droves
Kappa Alpha Psi Incorporated founded 1911 at Howard University in Washington D.C Omega sci-fi Incorporated founded 1911 at Howard University Phi Beta Sigma Incorporated founded 1914 at Howard University Iota Phi Theta Incorporated founded 1963 at Morgan State University in Baltimore Maryland now these organizations in the divine nine were just the ones that stuck
What if I told you there were actually dozens of black Greek life organizations let’s check back in with our expert for some context when we think about historically black fraternities and sororities a day we hear the term the divine nine and so most people think there are only nine of these groups in
Actuality there have been over 70 black fraternal organizations that have existed in the United States they might be known as wine sci-fi or whiskey sci-fi others then might have more Afrocentric names in an all-swahili name like Malik Sigma PSI it started off all Swahili they added Greek letters later
On as a part of what they did so we focus a lot then on people who want to be part of the divine nine organizations but of course there’s another aspect of black Greek life that I’ve been neglecting it’s the women’s side DeVille Essex is a 101 year old AKA from
Louisiana making her the oldest member in her chapter so what year did you cross I don’t say cross what year did I become an alpha Capital it was in 1953 on May 2nd at Grambling Epsilon PSI Omega was the chapter there and I was among the first women added to that Charter chapter
I graduated from Grambling in 1945 and Greeks were not a part of Gremlin at that time I had been out of college 11 years when they graduate chapter Epson and style Omega was chartered at Grambling well if they didn’t have any Greek activity on the Grambling University in 1945. how did
You find out about akas well we had teachers members of The Faculty who were akas and really when they got ready to Charter that chapter they had to get women from Minden Monroe and Shreveport to make the number for chartering but so I knew about him
And I I was inclined to follow that and when it came along they invited me and I accepted yeah suppose you were not invited would you be able to just sign up no some some organisms some Greek organizations they can apply but you have to be invited
And we are encouraged not to say that you were going to invite I wouldn’t tell you I was going to invite you just in case the membership said no Alpha Kappa Alpha was the first black sorority it was founded by Ethel hedgeman at Howard University she gathered 12 other ladies to organize
It and it was modeled after both Alpha Phi Alpha and white only women’s organizations at Brown our theme service to all mankind you look at all people who need help and help them but you have you carry yourself in such a way that those looking at you want to be like you
That’s the basic thing more sorority started after the akas Delta Sigma Theta Incorporated found in 1913 Howard University Zeta Phi Beta Incorporated founded 1920 Howard University Sigma gamma row Incorporated founded 1922 at Butler University things have certainly changed since 1906. black Greek membership is up and it’s not uncommon
To find members in different parts of the world I’m learning that this culture is Rich it’s historic and it’s Unique another example of black perseverance episodes of crossing over black Greek life will air on Fridays for the rest of this month so I hope you guys stay tuned
With us but they made it happening they were Crusaders they were definitely Crusaders they made a network and it was very imperative for them can’t wait to keep on saying that
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