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America's black fraternities and sororities are a unique and vital part of 20th century African-American history. Since the creation of the first fraternity in 1906 at Cornell University, they hove provided young black achievers with opportunities to supped each other, while serving their communities and the nation. But never before has information about African-American f...more
Published November 1st 2001 by Kensington (first published 2000)
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Non-Fiction Books on the African-American Middle, Upper, and Elite Class 73 books — 7 voters
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Feb 14, 2016*Dee's Book Carousel* rated it it was amazing Shelves: history, african-american-heroes, loyalty
'The Divine Nine: ...' focused on the history of African-American fraternities and sororities in America. It was rich with the origin and culture of these historical frats/sororities.
If you like learning about the founding members along with the men and women who joined these rich traditions, then you will really enjoy reading this thought-provoking book.
5 HISTORICAL STARS *****
If you like learning about the founding members along with the men and women who joined these rich traditions, then you will really enjoy reading this thought-provoking book.
5 HISTORICAL STARS *****
As a member of one of the D9 sororities (Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.), I found this book to be an insightful and unbiased resource for those interested in the historical perspective behind the Black Greek Letter Organizations.
Mar 27, 2015David Ward rated it liked it
The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities by Lawrence C. Ross Jr. (Kensington Publishing Corp. 2000) (371.85). This volume focuses on the histories and ideals of the African-American fraternities and sororities whose members self-identify as being members of one of 'The Divine Nine.' The volume never makes clear whether there are any other black Greek fraternal organizations in addition to these nine. The 'Divine Nine' consists of five fraternities and four sor...more
![Divine Divine](https://image.isu.pub/190127151332-5722eb372dcc845eeeb8292a209b3796/jpg/page_1_thumb_large.jpg)
This was like the must read in college!! haha...because everyone wanted to join a sorority!! But it was informative and really helped me understand what the sororities were really about...and it wasn't just what I was seeing on campus!
It provides a great knowledge on the Africian American Greek System. They go thru the history, challenges, service and mention notable members.
May 16, 2019Talia rated it it was ok · review of another edition
I have mixed feelings about this one. I liked how the book provided background and history about each organization. I did not like the format of the book. It went from background history, to interviews with current chapters, back to history. Too much jumping around for me. I couldn’t follow it.
I didn’t read it in its entirety. Instead, I found it more useful to jump around and read the history of each organization, then flip through stories about the famous people from each organization.
I’m in...more
I didn’t read it in its entirety. Instead, I found it more useful to jump around and read the history of each organization, then flip through stories about the famous people from each organization.
I’m in...more
I wish there would have been more information about the Black fraternal movement generally, and also about why the organizations do the things they do (e.g., rationale behind their intake process, why they call new member classes “lines,” etc). But, maybe that’s not for outside minds to know! Lawrence Ross is an incredible author and I appreciate his commitment to furthering knowledge about this topic.
Mar 16, 2013Jessica Davis rated it really liked it · review of another edition
excellent textbook with a great deal of interesting information.
Very informative, great to learn the history of people changing other peoples lives in college.
Loved it and learned a lot.
This is an excellent book that gives you the history of the African American Greek organizations.
Apr 30, 2014Gwendolyn Mayo rated it it was amazing
My Dad is a member of Omega Psi Phi, my Godmother is a Zeta and my cousins are AKA's. The Divine Nine was suggested to me by my Dad when he became a Q. The book is well written and complete.
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Lawrence Ross attended both the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in History. Ross also has a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in screenwriting from the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television.
Ross began his writing career in the mid 1990s as the managing editor of Rap Sheet magazine, the west coast’s first h...more
Ross began his writing career in the mid 1990s as the managing editor of Rap Sheet magazine, the west coast’s first h...more
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Prince Hall Freemasonry (PHA) is the first historically Blackfraternal organization. The first Greek Letter fraternal organization was Alpha Kappa Nu at Indiana University in 1903. Wilberforce University is where Gamma Phi was established in 1905. Sixty miles away at Columbus, Ohio in March 1905, Pi Gamma Omicron was founded at Ohio State University (formation originally reported in the Chicago Defender in 1905). These organizations folded quickly without successfully establishing more than one college chapter each. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, established at Cornell University in December 1906, is the first Black intercollegiate fraternity (the first to have more than one college chapter). It still exists today.
Alpha Phi Alpha's success inspired the founding of other Black Greek intercollegiate organizations. Today, these organizations (fraternities and sororities) are known collectively as the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and emphasize public service and civil rights. Some non-NPHC Black fraternal organizations, such as the Swing Phi Swing and Groove Phi Groove, do not solely use Greek letters in their names.
The first Black professional Greek fraternity, Sigma Pi Phi, was established in Pennsylvania in 1904.
Early formation (attempted or not existing today)[edit]
Name | Year formation attempted | Incorporated | Collegiate | Greek lettered |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alpha Kappa Nu | 1903 | No | Yes | Yes |
Pi Gamma Omicron | 1905 | No | Yes | Yes |
Gamma Phi[1] | 1905 | No | Yes | Yes |
Gamma Tau[2]:34 | 1934 | No | Yes | Yes |
Fraternities[edit]
Name | Founded | Incorporated | Collegiate | Greek lettered | NPHC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prince Hall Freemasonry | 1775 | Yes | No | No | No |
Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World | 1897 | Yes | No | No | No |
Sigma Pi Phi | 1904 | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Alpha Phi Alpha | 1906 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Kappa Alpha Psi | 1911 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Omega Psi Phi | 1911 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Phi Beta Sigma | 1914 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Wine Psi Phi[3] | 1959 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Nu Gamma Alpha[4] | 1962 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Iota Phi Theta | 1963 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Malik Sigma Psi (also known as MALIK Fraternity) | 1977 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Phi Delta Psi | 1977 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Sigma Phi Rho | 1979 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Beta Phi Pi [5][6] | 1986 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Megisté Areté (Christian)[7] | 1989 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Phi Rho Eta | 1994 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Sororities[edit]
Name | Founded | Incorporated | Collegiate | Greek lettered | NPHC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alpha Kappa Alpha | 1908 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Delta Sigma Theta | 1913 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Zeta Phi Beta | 1920 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Sigma Gamma Rho | 1922 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Iota Phi Lambda | 1929 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Eta Phi Beta[8] | 1942 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Tau Gamma Delta[9][10] | 1942 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Gamma Phi Delta | 1943 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Zeta Delta Phi[2]:100 | 1962 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Kappa Theta Epsilon | 2009 | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Omega Epsilon Rho Service Sorority[11] | 2009 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Other[edit]
Name | Founded | Incorporated | Collegiate | Greek lettered | NPHC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Groove Phi Groove - males | 1962 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Swing Phi Swing - females | 1969 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Malika Kambe Umfazi - females[2]:107 | 1995 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^The History of Fraternities and Sororities in America
- ^ abcWalter M. Kimbrough (2003). Black Greek 101: The Culture, Customs, and Challenges of Black Fraternities and Sororities. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press. ISBN978-0-8386-3977-1.
- ^Elizabeth Calvert Fine (2003). Soulstepping: African American Step Shows. University of Illinois Press. pp. 159–. ISBN978-0-252-02475-7.
- ^Black History Month the Divine Nine
- ^Beta Phi Pi History
- ^Seo, Byung-In, and Aaisha N. Haykal (2018). Chicago State University. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 45 of 127–. ISBN9781467129794.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- ^Sisterhood acts on foundations of Christianity, friendship
- ^Nina Mjagkij (13 May 2013). Organizing Black America. Routledge. pp. 195–. ISBN1-135-58123-1.
- ^National Council of Negro Women, Inc. NATIONAL AFFILIATES ASSEMBLY
- ^The Pittsburgh Courier from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · Page 6 August 14, 1971
- ^ECC holds panel discussion on racial profiling
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