Black Greek Organizations

[AspenRose]

As our country elects its first black president, Alpha Kappa Alpha wraps up their 100 year anniversary.

Alpha Phi Alpha had their 100 year anniversary in 2006.

We've seen a lot of forces for positive change in the black community in the past hundred years. Some (like a couple of cousins and an aunt) would argue that black greek organizations played an integral part in that.

Others (like another one of my cousins) may argue that other organizations have done more to strengthen black communities and that black greek organizations are nothing more than an elite social club meant to isolate its members and flaunt wealth and education.

What do you think? Are you a member of a Divine Nine organization, giving back and working hard in the community? Are you a member but lapsed in your involvement? Or are you a "GDI" who has found alternate constructive ways of strengthening neighborhoods and schools?

(I'm trying to get past the stereotypical "School Daze" colorism issues, here....thanks :-) )

[freestyle]

1. As someone who is proudly unaffiliated, I think they do some good.

The Black fraternities and sororities are certainly active in community service, especially youth programs, and that is great. These are mostly the graduate chapters. On campuses, they are as frivolous as any other fraternity or sorority. The main benefits are to their own members, but that is sort of the point.

[AspenRose]

2. That IS a good point

It is usually the graduate chapter members who seem to do the heavy lifting, but maybe it's because undergrads are busy with trying to get through school and don't have the time to devote to projects? :shrug:

(Of course, if one is too busy with school, perhaps they shouldn't be pledging, but that's just my opinion)

[Name removed]

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[HamdenRice]

4. I think you can't lump them together. I was Phi Beta Sigma in college.

The OP asked not to get into the color/School Daze thing, but I feel I have to mention a little history here. When these organizations first were being created at Howard University, there was exclusion of dark skinned students. Phi Beta Sigma was founded as the frat that dark skinned students could join, and it has always been much more conscientious and service oriented than the others, perhaps because of its "underdog" commitment. Moreover, when African students began arriving during the late colonial era, because they were dark skinned, they joined PBS, with the result that several first African heads of state were Sigma members -- Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana) and Namdi Azikiwe (Nigeria) -- and hence there has been more involvement in Africa as well.

It always distinguished itself primarily as a service fraternity, not a social fraternity.

When I pledged Sigma (late 70s) at the same time that groups of Alphas and Q-dogs were pledging, the differences between what we had to do was enormous. They were doing stupid prank stuff typical of frat initiations. We had to organize an academic conference, write a business plan, do a charity event (played wheel chair basketball against some disabled kids and lost) and so on.

Also, the reason I pledged in the first place was that the PBS group in my local community gave me a scholarship in the form of an allowance, and they supported a dozen or so college kids in the neighborhood.

I don't think you can lump them together.

[Number23]

5. Hamden, you PLEDGED in the 70's??

I would pay good money to see some of your line pictures!! :)