FAQ 34 - Black College Fraternities and Sororities
mbowen, Tim Irvin <ziggy29@rahul.net>, Jaye Carre, Dawn Renee Dean, C.C.
Walker
34a. What are the black fraternities & sororities?
The 'Big Eight'
Fraternities Colors Pledges (unofficially)
Fraternity Colors Pledge Class Alpha Phi Alpha Black & Old Gold Sphinxmen Kappa Alpha Psi Crimson & Creme Scrollers Omega Psi Phi Purple & Gold Lamps Phi Beta Sigma Blue & White Crescents Sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha Pink & Green Ivies Delta Sigma Theta Red & White Sigma Gamma Rho Royal Blue & Gold Auroras Zeta Phi Beta Blue & White Archonians Others Interesting
Sigma Phi Rho (The Boule')
Zeta Delta Phi
Fraternities:
Beta Phi Pi Black and White
34b. Should they be black only?
I think this is a tough call. I strongly support freedom of association
for individuals and non-discrimination policies for institutions and
government agencies. Fraternities are in the "gray area" between
the individual and the institution (*and* the government at public
universities).
That is, if a bigoted individual refuses to personally associate with
blacks, that's his business. If this individual is required to make
hiring decisions or college admissions decisions, he is *not* free to
exercise the same bigotry within the institution. Similarly, a black
*individual* may refuse to associate with a white person. A black
person in charge of a government organization--even one primarily for
blacks--can *not* refuse to associate with whites while on the job.
The question, as I see it, is this: Is a fraternity just a somewhat
well-organized collection of individuals, who *should* have the
right to determine membership, or an institution which should be bound
to a strict non-discrimination policy? A similar question can apply
to virtually any private group of individuals, such as a country club.
If a "black organization" fails to admit a white, is it wrongfully
discriminating? I think it comes down to this: Is the organization
receiving any government support? If so, discriminating on the basis
of race is inappropriate. If not--if the organization is completely
member-supported, then I suppose it should be legal to refuse admitting
whites. Hypocritical, perhaps, if this group exists partially to
fight discrimination itself, but legal.
If the organization receives *any* money from the university,
and the university is public, then we have a violation of the 14th
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as well as the Civil Rights Acts
of 1964 and 1991. Or at least we *should*.
-- T.Irvin 4/95
I think this is a terrific idea if the organization stays
predominately black, and continues its "black" focus, community service,
awareness, culture, etc. I think it is a double standard if we complain
about where we cannot go in white society but deny whites a chance to
experience our society. I think that a frat or sorority is a terrific
place for whites and other races to experience what black people think
and experience the culture *firsthand* instead of some pathetic history or
sociology class.
-- D.R.Dean 4/95
34c. Do you think that Black fraternities/sororities are important for the
growth of African Americans?
34d. Is the 'greek' aspect of black fraternal life counter-productive?
No.
Specific information:
ZETA PHI BETA Sorority, Inc.
Founded 1920 on the campus of Howard University, Zeta is the
constitutionally bound sister organization to Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity,
Inc. We were the first official brother and sister organization.
Cecily Walker -- 4/95
Other Related information
Fraternies and Sororities abandoned the names of their pledge clubs in
1990. The names are used unoffically, but are not used in wide, or in
official use. If you are providing historical perspective, great, but
the names really aren't used any more.