MBP 2020-21 Book2 - Flipbook - Page 66
African-American Greek Organizations and their
Impact in in our Community
“If you are fortunate to have opportunity, it is your duty to
make sure other people have opportunity as well.”
Kamala Harris
The Divine Nine black sororities and fraternities
have been instrumental in the African American
community. From Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity founded in
1906 at Cornell University to Iota Phi Theta Fraternity
founded in 1963 at Morgan State University, and every
sorority and fraternity founded between these two
historical organizations, Greek organizations have helped
elevate communities and individuals throughout this
nation. African-American Greek organizations exist and
thrive because people working together for a holistic
development of a community can achieve more than one
person working alone.
Greek organizations have always amplified
networks and connections among African Americans.
They continually provide solidarity and strength which
support the spiritual drive among a people who were often
disenfranchised. Delta Sigma Theta for instance
participated in the Women’s Suffrage March in
Washington, D.C. in 1913. Even though they were
discouraged from doing so, still they persisted. That fight
for women’s right to vote is the origin of the power of African-American women at the voting booth.
This Greek organization galvanized women and now African-American women vote at a higher rate
than any other group across gender, race and ethnicity.
Alpha Kappa Alpha in 1949 demonstrated the importance of organizations, groups with a
particular purpose working together, by being the first sorority to apply for life membership in the
NAACP. In 1910 Alpha Phi Alpha’s member W.E.B. DuBois empowered the African-American
community by educating them with the creation of The Crisis, the magazine of the NAACP.
Omega Psi Phi launched Negro History and Literature Week to publicize, educate and
engender civic engagement of all people, especially African-Americans. This week expanded due to
national attention and birthed what we now know as Black History Month each and every February.
Phi Beta Sigma whose motto is Culture For Service and Service for Humanity saw the
importance of empowering African-American women by establishing a sorority to serve as a sister
organization to the fraternity, namely Zeta Phi Beta in 1920, the same year women obtained the right
to vote. Phi Beta Sigma demonstrated the strength of Greek organizations. This venture, creating a
sister organization, served to enhance civic and social development of our community by
encouraging and including women.
Zeta Phi Beta, constitutionally bound to Phi Beta Sigma, intentionally extended itself to the
educational and civic development beyond the American boarders into Africa. Zeta was the first
Greek organization to charter a chapter in Africa. This reflects the power of collective engagement.
Any organization increases the impact of a service or benefit when it goes beyond its natural borders
to extend itself to its sisters and brothers abroad. This is the hallmark of social development within
our own community.
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