I believe that ZTA was the first NPC group to organize a national housing corporation :)

Sorry KappaStar, see CutiePie's answer for the correct info.

Does anyone else find it odd that out of the 26 groups in the NPC only 9 are called sorority ? :confused:

I just hope to one day get a clear answer to why Sigma Kappa was never a fraternity but yet still isn't the first sorority even though we are two days older than Gamma Phi Beta!

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Prof that suggested GPhiB use sorority, the same guy that told Alpha Phi to pronounce Phi like fee?

I *think* Alpha Phi called the 1902 meeting which is considered the first conference b/c it formed the basis for NPC.

You can check out Alpha Phi Milestones at http://www.alphaphi.org/about_alpha_...lestones.html.

Laura

Professor Coddington had connections to Alpha Phi, Gamma Phi Beta, and Alpha Gamma Delta, now known as the Syracuse Triad.

Alpha Gamme Delta was the first sorority founded with THE PURPOSE of becoming an International sorority. That was one thing that was inherit to our founding, actually! And AGD also was the first to start using the executive council format for their chapters that is so common amongst GLO's today.
Sarah
PS All in my pledge ed. manual!

Hmm...all very interesting...a friend of mine who's a Phi Tau told me he learned about the whole "fraternity before 1888, sorority after." I should share this thread with him :)

Lauradav- That is really strange, with both groups claiming to have started the NPC! Anyone out there know the real story?


And another fun fact: Alpha Phi was the first group to use their letters as their badge, rather than a symbol (key, kite, arrow, etc.), or a shape with the letters enclosed (like the badges of ADPi and Phi Mu).

More Alpha Gamma Delta Facts....
 

• The widest spread of collegiate chapters than any other NPC group across the US
• The first women's fraternity to establish a minimun GPA to attain for its chapters
• Has the largest international presence
• The first women's fraternity with the PURPOSE/INTENT (as Sarah said) of being International
• The first women's fraternity to establish and international philanthropy
• The first NPC to accept a MINORITY (not just black) member
• The first to have an Executive Council
• One of the first Central Offices established by an NPC (now IHQ) which was in NYC at the time
• ** We kind of have 2 Founders Days... Our initial Founder's Day, May 30th, and International Reunion Day which replaced Founders Day, the 3rd Sat in April. But I think we all celebrate both
• First NPC to establish Life Membership Alumnae Dues
• Purchase of first fraternity owned International Headquarters
• First to make our hazing program, "See Through The Haze...To A Clearer Purpose " available to all Greek organizations and colleges/universities
  
  Im surprised no one said this as a fave/first fact:
• We have 2 crest. One for our US chapters and one for our Canadian ones, b/c they cant have a helmet in honor of the Queen Mum
  
• We have 2 big sisters, Alpha Phi (1872),and Gamma Phi Beta (1874). We make the Syracuse Three or Syracuse Triad
• Our magazine, The Quarterly, is not only sent to actives and alumnaes homes, but also to colleges/universities and other womens and men fraternities and anyone else interested.

And not being biased or anything, but I seriously did read somewhere, and I believe that it was the NPC website, that Alpha Phi sent out the initial invitations to sororities asking them to unite in a conference or congress as it was called at that time.

From the official history of Delta Tau Delta: Civil War nearly kills the new fraternity. Saved by a two man horseback ride in a blizzard...

1858 Delta Tau Delta is founded at Bethany College. Eight undergraduates, angered by a fixed vote for a prize in oratory to be given at the Neotrophian Literary Society the only real forum for students to practice and demonstrate skills in poetry, public speaking, and writing essays respond by forming a secret society. The purpose of the new society, known only by the Greek letters Delta Tau Delta, is to see that the Neotrophian is returned to popular control, and delivered from the hands of the group of students who seized it.

The Fraternity was founded to right an unjust situation; Delta Tau Delta was born of the knowledge that integrity is essential. Its eight founders' outraged that one group of students would and could choose in advance the candidate they favored, then join together to swing enough votes for that man to win, regardless of his actual performance in the contest, presented the first opportunity for Delts to realize the importance of accountability.

1859 Bethany Chapter grants charters to three chapters; West Liberty, West Virginia University, and Jefferson. To establish membership, the new chapters are given a Constitution and Ritual, membership badges, and are taught the Fraternity's mottoes and purposes all of which had been devised by the eight founders shortly after the group's initial formation.

Whether the founders realized it at the time or not, brotherhood truly did sustain the Fraternity. Had they not had the foresight to extend welcoming arms to other young men interested in becoming Delts, the organization would have dissolved.

1861 Jefferson Chapter assumes Fraternity control and Alpha designation. Henry Bell, a founder and alumnus, comes from his home in Kentucky to search for a way to preserve the Fraternity after the last remaining Bethany members leave for the armed forces. In Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, at Jefferson College, he find Rhodes Sutton and Samuel Brown and persuades them to come to Bethany to be initiated. The two men brave a snowstorm and nearly impassible mountain roads on horseback to be initiated at Bethany on February 22. Sutton and Brown return to Canonsburg the following morning and that day initiate two more men at Jefferson.

Henry Bell knew his responsibility to keep Delta Tau Delta alive and flourishing; he was accountable to his brothers and to future members of the Fraternity. A man of integrity, he knew to look for other men of integrity Rhodes Sutton and Samuel Brown to entrust with the future of the organization.

I saw somewhere that DZ had several other NPC sororities merge into it, including Delta Sigma Epsilon, one of the AES sororities. What other NPC groups include merged groups in their rolls? I know AXD doesn't.

Beta Firsts


First Fraternity founded west of the Alleghenies (the "Old" West)
First Fraternity on 35 campuses - more than any other GLO
First and oldest continuously published Magazine
First to establish a chapter west of the Mississippi
First to form districts for Administrative purposes
First to publish an open constitution for widespread distribution
First to have Alumni chapters
First to have a General Convention and one the few to have Annual ones
First to adopt a 2.5 GPA for a chapter to remain in good standing at convetion
First to adopt a 2.5 for all members

Some other interesting facts:
There was a Beta on the supreme court from 1877 to 1975, including 4 in 1911 and three from 1881-1889
More than 197 Betas have been members of Congress (either Senators, or representatives) which is more than any other Fraternity

In 1959, the 11 chapters Theta Sigma Upsilon sororities merged into Alpha Gamma Delta

Even more questions to discuss!
 

Sorry KappaStar, see CutiePie's answer for the correct info.

Okay, guys, I amended my post and put up the founding dates so you can verify the fraternity/sorority conundrum!

Does anyone else find it odd that out of the 26 groups in the NPC only 9 are called sorority ? :confused:
yeah, I guess it is a bit strange, but in layman's terms, they're all basically sororities, wouldn't you agree?

I just hope to one day get a clear answer to why Sigma Kappa was never a fraternity but yet still isn't the first sorority even though we are two days older than Gamma Phi Beta!
Yeah, that is a weird situation, yet I always believe that that Professor Coddington coined the phrase "sorority" for Gamma Phi Beta? (see below...I correct myself later!)

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Prof that suggested GPhiB use sorority, the same guy that told Alpha Phi to pronounce Phi like fee?

That's always what I believed.
However...here is a question about the Syracuse Triad..
Alpha Phi Fraternity was founded on October 10, 1872
Gamma Phi Beta Sorority was founded on November 11, 1874
Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity was founded on May 30, 1904.
All 3 groups had contact with Prof. Coddington. So, if AGD came *AFTER* GPhiB (a sorority), why is AGD a Fraternity and not a Sorority? How come? How come?

Also, as for non-white women being initiated into NPC orgs, I have always thought that Sigma Kappa initiated the first African American woman (Barbara something was her name) and that Alpha Gamma Delta initiated the first Asian woman, Diana Lam.

Oh, and a few more tidbits:
Kappa Kappa Gamma and Pi Beta Phi comprise the Monmouth Duo.
Alpha Sigma Alpha, Kappa Delta, Zeta Tau Alpha and Sigma Sigma Sigma comprise the Farmville Four.

As for the founding of the NPC: everything that I have ever read had leaned that Alpha Phi spearheaded the getting together of all the groups. I will search my pledge manual and other books and see if I can come up with the definitive answer! :D

This debate was brought up a couple of months back, and I still don't have any real confirmation as to why this is. Although, if you are ever at HQ, for either Sigma Kappa or Gamma Phi Beta, all you would have to do is look on the original charters. They would either say fraternity or sorority, and then find out when they began regular use of the term. IMHO, I think that this won't be solved for a while!! :)

Betarulz,

Not disputing your comments, but...

I have been told that the former Delt chapter at the University of Colorado at Boulder was the oldest Greek Letter Organization founded West of the Mississippi. I'm not sure that's true, and would be interested to know which was actually first. I was told that by an international president of our Fraternity.

About thw first minority woman initiated...

Diana Lam- Alpha Gamma Delta- UBC -initiated in 1952
Barbara Delany- Sigma Kappa- Cornell(?)- initiated in 1954
I know Lam was initiated first, cuz this topic has been brought up before and its was 2 years before Delany, but I cant remember whether the years are 1952:1954, or 1954:1956? I believe the first one is correct.
As far as the Syracuse III go...I dunno, I dont think anyone can really tell you why AGD is officially a fraternity and not a sorority. It might be just because even though the word sorority was around, it was just more common to be known as a women's fraternity. It just states in our new member book that , "unlike other groups that were founded as local groups or literary societies, AGD was founded to become a national women's fraternity."

Okay after a little research, just on the fact that I don't like to be wrong if I can help it, I found that the University of Colorado-Boulder was founded in 1876 which would be a full 10 years after the establishment of the Alpha Beta chapter of Beta Theta Pi at the University of Iowa. Also noticed that Delta Tau Delta's international website claims something about the "Four Divisions of the Fraternity" in 1874 and something about Delt being the first Fraternity to do so. Now I'm not sure exactly what the Four Divisions are but they sound similar to administrative districts like Beta has. If this is true then Delt would be incorrect to claim that they were the first Organization to do this because Beta did it a year earlier in 1873. Perhaps though I'm reading something else in to it that isn't really there so I could be wrong and whatever you did, you did first.

I love learning stuff from other GREEKS!
 

About the first minority woman initiated...
Diana Lam- Alpha Gamma Delta- UBC -initiated in 1952
Barbara Delany- Sigma Kappa- Cornell(?)- initiated in 1954
I know Lam was initiated first, cuz this topic has been brought up before and its was 2 years before Delany, but I cant remember whether the years are 1952:1954, or 1954:1956? I believe the first one is correct.
Thank you so much for the information! Also, just to help out, according to
this webpage, Diana Lam's initiation year was 1953, and I did a search on the threads...Barbara Delaney was 1956 (1 or 2 posts said "1957"....go figure)

As far as the Syracuse III go...I dunno, I dont think anyone can really tell you why AGD is officially a fraternity and not a sorority. It might be just because even though the word sorority was around, it was just more common to be known as a women's fraternity. It just states in our new member book that , "unlike other groups that were founded as local groups or literary societies, AGD was founded to become a national women's fraternity."

Thanks so much for your thoughtful posts! That makes a lot of sense actually!
I just found this tidbit as well, from an old, old thread, posted by localsororities:
Actually, the word "sorority" was coined specifically for the Gamma Phi Betas by Professor Frank Smalley of Syracuse U in 1882. Before that time, all the new women's groups were called "women's fraternities" or "societies," making Gamma Phi Beta the first "sorority." ..
and also an old post by SoCalGirl:
Okay this is what GPhiB's website says:
"Eight years after their first meeting, two members of the Alpha chapter went to the University of Michigan to charter the Beta chapter. Upon their return to Syracuse, Professor Frank Smalley commented, "I presume that you young women are now members of a sorority." Thus, Gamma Phi Beta became the first women’s fraternity to be called a sorority."
(So I guess it wasn't Professor Coddington, after all! )

I think I have solved the Sigma Kappa / Gamma Phi Beta mystery!!!
This is what I surmised happened.......
Sigma Kappa founded on November 9, 1874
(perhaps it was called Sigma Kappa Society or just Sigma Kappa)
Gamma Phi Beta founded on November 11, 1874
(perhaps it was called Gamma Phi Beta Society or just Gamma Phi Beta)
So, it cannot be argued that Sigma Kappa, is indeed the OLDER group. However, Professor Frank Smalley invents the word SORORITY not until 1882 in Syracuse (where Gamma Phi Beta is, so they would have had "access" to the word first).
What must have happened is that Gamma Phi Beta adopted the word first , calling themselves "Gamma Phi Beta Sorority", since they were right there in Syracuse...Frank Smalley would have said the word to them directly. Then Sigma Kappa must have adopted the word themselves after, calling themselves "Sigma Kappa Sorority". Therefore, Gamma Phi Beta kind of beat Sigma Kappa to the word "Sorority" first, so in that line of thinking, Gamma Phi Beta is the first "sorority", even though Sigma Kappa is technically the older of the 2 groups! Ai yi yi! So confusing!

A little interesting fact...

Until a year ago, Chi Omega did not have a declaired National Philanthropy. Instead it encouraged its members to do service in their community where need-be. Then a partnership with Make-A-Wish occured and finally, we have a National Philanthropy.

I would have to guess we are were one of the only sororities to not have a national philanthropy. But that's still just a guess!

Hootie

I wanted to bump this up because I enjoy reading all the cool things about everyone else's GLOs.

Me too...
Keep em' coming ladies and gents! :)

PHI sigma sigma was the first woman't fraternity.. (we are a fraternity) that was founded on the basis that we wouln't exclude members based on religion. The founders were from different religions and all wanted to join the same soror. so they made their own. =)

Here's Two From Me
 

This is a really interesting thread! Wish I had found it earlier!

Well here's two about my sorority...

Instead of recognizing actual people as founders, we recognize the schools that all the delegates were from when they met in NYC to form Gamma Sig. Those are:

Drexel Institute of Technology (Zeta Chapter)
Brooklyn College (Beta Chapter)
Queens College (Theta Chapter)
New York University (Delta Chapter)
Boston University (Epsilon Chapter)
Los Angeles City College (Gamma Chapter)
University of Houston (Alpha Chapter)
Miami University of Ohio (Eta Chapter)

Each school got to pick their own chapter name as well.

Another fact-Gamma Sigs don't recognize Alpha Chapter (@ the University of Houston) as the founding chapter. We recognize Zeta Chapter instead, because the ladies there decided to research, plan and initiate what is now Gamma Sigma Sigma. We are proud that Zeta Chapter is still alive and kickin'-and celebrating 50 Years at Drexel!

She is an AZD Alumna from the chapter at WVU.

These facts are so interesting! Offhand, I can't really think of anything about Gamma Phi that hasn't been touched on, but an interesting fact about my chapter is that we are the only sorority on campus to have a house mother and a house father. They're a lovely elderly couple and they're like another set of grandparents for all of us girls. We're so lucky to have them! :)

KD Represent!
 

Some interesting Kappa Delta facts:

~We are the first sorority founded out of the Farmville Four

~The first organization to be granted membership into the NPC immediately upn petition, and the first one granted both entrance and representation at the same meeting. (Oct. 16, 1912)

~In order to join the NPC, our Alpha and Sigma chapters had to give up their charters, because they were at schools that were not 4 year "senior" institutions. The Alpha chapter was reinstated after the State Female Normal School became Longwood College (now Longwood University.)

~Kappa Delta has 482 chartered alumnae associations, the most of any NPC group.

~We also have 4 national philanthropies: Girl Scouts of the USA, Prevent Child Abuse America, Children's Hospital of Richmond, VA, and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Research Awards.

~We also have 2 official symbols: the dagger and nautilus shell; 2 mascots: the teddy bear and katydid; and correct me if I'm wrong, but we are the only sorority to have 3 official jewels: the diamond, emerald and pearl.

That we have a secret whistle, that most members dont know that it even exists......It was made up by one of our founders who was a Musician.....and its a couple notes not like an actual metal whistle......cause when I first heard about it thats what I thought it was......I had this picture of a shiny dog whistle....its pretty funny now.......

I think my favorite SigKap fact is that Rhea Seddon, Lambda chapter, took her Sigma Kappa badge on her flight into space. Her first flight into space was aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1985. She is a mission specialist for NASA.

Another fun fact is that the creator of Barney is a Sigma Kappa, and I have been told that's why he is purple. Who would have thought? hehe :)

Maggieaxid and KDShan,

Just wanted to mention that it was reported in both the Denver Post and the Boulder Daily Camera that Patsy Ramsey (Jon Benet's mom) was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.

Interesting Sigma Kappa fact
 

Another interesting Sigma Kappa fact...

Sigma Kappa was the first NPC sorority to develop a consistent graphical identity in I believe 1996. We have a graphic standards manual that specifically explains what shades of purple and maroon are to be used, the official fonts, an in-depth explanation of how the logo can be reproduced (size proportions, how to produce the motto of choice underneath, where the shield can be, etc.), and several other guidelines. I've become very familiar with this manual during the time as PR chair!

Do any other NPC sororities have graphic standards? Or an fraternities for that matter? I know we are the only ones on my campus...the girls at the campus newspaper advertising department always inform me of that one!

I honestly don't know if this is true or not...she's never been mentioned anywhere else as a "famous alum". Perhaps nobody wants to claim her.....

ThetaGirl1997 --

Exactly... why would HQ want to claim her? Famous Theta's are famous because they excel in some area -- art, entertainment, science, etc... They are notable because of who they are... not because of a criminal case. Patsy Ramsey is not famous of her own accord, she was simply thrust into the public eye.

Not that I'm defending her or anything, but she was Miss West Virginia 1977. I know a lot of GLOs consider pageant titles as some form of distinction.

Try this site: http://denver.rockymountainnews.com/...y/1031pat.html
It mentions that she visited the AZD house at WVU on her visit to campus on Oct 31, 1997.
Personally, I wouldn't claim her if she were in my sorority, and from what I heard from some girls in the AZD house, they were less than thrilled with her visit.

Huh, that's really weird... thanks for clearing it up though. Guess the Colorado papers just need to check their facts better next time!

That is hard to believe.

How many chapters does XO have, about 180? Some schools have over 40 sororities. There are probably thousands of schools around the country and thousands of local sororities.

I dont see how they could have 1 out of 10.

I may have posted this but I dont' think so. The coolest thing about Theta Chi I think is that we only had ONE active member one time. IT was during civil war, our Alpha chapter (called alpha chapter before there was a beta) was at a military school and everyone was fighting. We almost folded to a different local fraternity but the one guy said NO and got three other guys to join based our history and ideals. Then we grew into what we are today. The highest precentage of active chapters to total chapters installed. Beat that, hot shot!!

I too had heard...
 

...that Patsy Ramsey was an AXiD...(heard this from an Atlanta AXiD who was mortified when Patsy and hubby moved to Atlanta -- "Gawd I hope she doesn't get involved with our group!")

Gamma Phi Beta has an Oscar Winner -- Cloris Leachman (won 1971 Best Support Actress Oscar for The Last Picture Show and Pulitizer Prize winner: Mary Wells Ashworth wrote a biography on George Washington that won a Pulitizer in 1958

other sorority factoids I know of:

The only sorority with royalty is DZ -- Crown Princess Martha of Norway (I think she is still alive too) was initiated when she was in the US -- in North Dakota or Wyoming or Nebraska -- can any DZ's shed light on this one?

AEPhi's Ruth Bader Ginsburg is one of our nation's Supreme Court Justices

Sarah Tilghman Hughes (DG) was the first femal federal judge; she swore in LBJ on the plane after JFK assassination

Margaret Chase Smith (Sigma Kappa) first woman elected to teh US House of Reps and Senate

Zeta's Dr Ellen Zwilich is the first and only female winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Music (1983)

In 1938, KD's Pearl Buck was the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature for The Good Earth -- this book also won the Pulitzer prize

TriDelta's Doris Kearns Goodwin won the Pulitzer Prize in History in 1995 for No Ordinary Time about FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt

Artist and KD Georgia O'Keeffe has won the Medal of Freedom -- the nation's highest civilian honor

Other sorority Oscar winners:
Faye Dunaway -- Pi Phi -- 1995: Best Actress "Network"
Joanne Woodward -- ChiO -- 1957: Best Actress "Three Faces of Eve"
Patricia Neal - ChiO -- 1963: Best Actress "Hud"
Christine Lahti - DG -- 1995: Best Short Film -- Live Action (she was the director)
Eilene Heckert - PiPhi - 1972: Best Supporting Actress "Butterflies Are Free"
Edith Head -- DZ -- 7 (that's seven!!) Oscars for costume design

Sherry Lansing -- Sigma Delta Tau -- first female head of a movie studio

First woman aviator to fly solo around the world (1964) Jerri Mock (Phi Mu)

Space Shuttle astronauts:
Jan Davis = AXiD
Rhea Seddon = SK
Bonnie Dunbar = KD
Anna Fisher = PiPhi
the late Laurel Clark :( = Gamma Phi

Two sorority women have been Miss Universe:
Sylvia Hitchcock (1967) - Chi O
Shawn Weatherly (1980)- TriDelta

Re: I too had heard...
 

Judith Resnik, who was killed in the Challenger disaster, was an AEPhi.

My Phi Mu facts :o)
 

Found on the Phi Mu Message Boards...

Can you name three men who were Honorary Members of Phi Mu? (Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee)

What national sorority merged with Phi Mu in 1939? (Alpha Delta Theta)

--I also find the connections between Phi Mu and Alpha Delta Pi extremely interesting. There's a board in the Greek Life section discussing how connected the two individual groups really are. Craziness!

And on famous Phi Mu's:
-Mary Wickes, actress, Aunt March in "Little Women" and Sister Mary Lazarus in "Sister Act"
-Betty Montgomery, currently serving as the first female Attorney General of Ohio (yay for my state lol!)

Most interesting fact? I'd tell you but then I'd have to kill you:D

Here are a few famous brothers though:

Al Michaels Television Announcer, ABC Monday Night Football
Alan Cranston U.S. Senator, CA
Archie Manning NFL Quarterback
Patan Manning (Active) -- QB Ole Miss
Bob Barker Television Personality
Bob Graham Governor of Florida (1978-1986); U.S. Senator, FL
Bobby Dodd Coached Tennessee to 165-64-8
Boyd Tinsley Violinist for the Dave Matthews Band
Charles Schwab Chairman, C. Schwab Stock Co.
Chet Jastremski 1964 Olympic Bronze Medalist; Cover of Sports Illustrated; Swimming Hall of Fame
Clarence Kelly Director of the FBI from July 9, 1973 through February 23, 1978. Kelley; Kansas City Police Chief; FBI Special Agent (1940-1961)
Clifford P. Hansen U.S. Senator
Col. Paul Tibbetts Pilot of Enola Gay
Cy Young 1952 Olympic track Gold Medalist
Dallas Green Major League baseball player; manager of Chicago Cubs and New York Mets
Dick Howser 1961 Alabama Rookie of the Year; managed K.C. Royals to World Series title
Dr. Tom Coburn U.S. Representative, OK
Dumas Malone Pulitzer Prize Historian
Felix "Doc" Blanchard Three-time All-American; 1945 Heisman trophy winner
George Mitchell former Senate Majority leader
Glenn Miller Glen Miller Band & Orchestra
Greg Swindell Major League baseball player, Houston Astros; Baseball American's All-Ttime College All-Star Team
Harrison Ford Movie Actor, Director
Hayes Alan Jenkins 1956 Olympic figure skating Gold Medalist
Herman E. Talmadge Governor of Georgia (1949-1955); U.S. Senator, 1957-81
Jack Katz Owner, Panama Jack Sun Products
James A. McClure U.S. Senator
James Dean Movie Actor
Jody Powell President Carter's Press Secretary
Lindy Infante Head Coach, Green Bay Packers (1988-1991)
Lloyd Bentson former U.S. Senator from Texas; 1988 Vice Presidential candidate; former Secretary of the Treasury
Mike McCormack NFL Hall of Famer
Norm Johnson Ranks 15th all time in points scored in NFL history
Pat Riley Basketball coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, the N.Y. Knicks, and the Miami Heat; won 4 NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers
Paul "Bear" Bryant Football Coach, Alabama
Paul Rudd Movie Actor
Quentin N. Burdick U.S. Senator
Robert Michel U.S. Representative, IL
Ron Evans Astronaut
Shadoe Stevens TV & Radio Star
Stan Jones NFL Hall of Famer
Steve Stenstrom Quarterback, Stanford University; Heisman trophy candidate
T. William Samuels CEO, Makers Mark Distillery
Tom Johnson President, CNN
Tommy Vardell Running Back, Cleveland Browns
Trent Lott U.S. former Senate Majority Leader
Vance Brand Astronaut
Walt Dropo American League rookie of the year in 1950, played 12 seasons for the Red Sox
William Inge Playwright
Zane Grey Western Novelist