U.S. presidents' fraternities
 

I recently heard that all but three United States presidents belonged to college fraternities. I've looked but can't find anything about this ... such as, is this true, which fraternities and who did and did not belong. Does anyone know?

Go to this link: http://www.greek101.com/greek/grk_famous.stm
and scroll down to Politicians.
You will find some of the info that you seek there.

Actually it's all but 3 presidents since 1825 have been in fraternities. Unfortunately, I have no idea which ones they were. Maybe someone else knows.

RUgreek

U.S. Presidents
James Abram Garfield - Delta Upsilon
Chester A. Arthur - Psi Upsilon
William Howard Taft - Psi Upsilon
Woodrow Wilson - Phi Kappa Psi
Calvin Coolidge - Phi Gamma Delta married to Grace Goodhue Coolidge - Pi Beta Phi
Harry S. Truman - Alpha Delta Gamma
John F. Kennedy - Phi Kappa Theta
Ronald Reagen - Tau Kappa Epsilon
George H. W. Bush - Delta Kappa Epsilon
Bill Clinton - Alpha Phi Omega

U.S. Vice Presidents
Charles W. Fairbanks - Phi Gamma Delta
Thomas Riley Marshall - Phi Gamma Delta
Charles Evans Hughes - Delta Upsilon
Charles G. Dawes - Delta Upsilon
Nelson Rockefeller - Psi Upsilon
Alben Barkley - Delta Tau Delta
Henry Wallace - Delta Tau Delta
Dan Quayle - Delta Kappa Epsilon

Also:

Rutherford B. Hayes - DKE, Delta Chi chapter
Theodore Roosevelt - DKE, Alpha chapter
Gerald R, Ford - DKE, Omicron chapter

WRONG! Brother Truman is a Lambda Chi Alpha! Just curious, where did you get this info? It does need to be corrected.

------------------
Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Chapter
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.

That's absolutely correct, Truman was LXA. Here's a bunch more:

Presidents:
Grover Cleveland - Sigma Chi
William McKinley - Sigma Alpha Epsilon

Vice President:
Adlai Stevenson - Phi Delta Theta

And just in case anyone was curious, presidential candidate George W. Bush Jr. is DKE, not sure if Gore is anything, maybe someone else knows.

AXPAlum

Corbin,

I got my information from each national's web site. Therefore, the information came directly from Alpha Delta Gamma! http://alphadeltagamma.org/history.htm Contact the ADG National President Anthony DeSantis at ADeSan2323@aol.com so that you guys can straighten things out.

Perhaps, Truman joined both organizations before NIC came up with their dual membership policy. There is a similar overlap of some early NPC members before the Unanimous Agreement prohibiting dual membership went into effect.

Truly most of the Presidents were probably in a fraternitiy, but It was brought to my attention that all the Presidents were Masons but two!
I thought I might throw that in there!

Wow...

I just learned some interesting things about Masons. It seems pretty ironic that most would be in Fraternities since so many are based on Christian principles and the Masons...well that's another story...pretty interesting!

I emailed the guy, but as of yet haven't recieved an answer. I know Truman was initiated postgrad into LCA. I don't think he was in a fraternity in college, plus he was fairly old (for a college student) when he did go to college.

------------------
Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Chapter
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.

So you are implying that Masons are non-Christian or what? Correct me if I'm misunderstanding your post.

Opening can of worms,
"33"

Okay, I've been wondering about this for the longest time....what the heck are "Masons"...isn't that a bricklayer?

33GIRL...

I certainly don't mean to offend anyone, but that was the interesting thing that I learned about the Masons. This was only heresay from a woman who's father was a Mason...the information that I learned is geared away from Christianity and therefore it seems ironic to be in a fraternity (well, some fraternities)...also, when it comes to the President's, especially those who attend church, it's even more ironic. I really don't have facts. I don't know that there is a way we will ever know b/c it's all secret...anyway, any information would be appreciated and I am sure quite interesting...

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Holy Moly:
[B]33GIRL...

I certainly don't mean to offend anyone, but that was the interesting thing that I learned about the Masons.
________________________________________
"You got's to be more careful!" As one of my favorite comidians would say. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

Anyway, Masons are men of Virtue and every one that I have ever met is a Christaian..(wait, I know a few Muslim Masons)...But the fact is that the "ugly rumor" that claims Masons and other Masonic organizations to be anything other than godly are nothing but "ugly rumors".

If you do a little research, I am sure that you wil find the truth. Repeating heresay is just as bad as assuming...and you know what happens when you assume.... http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

Peace

To end the Henry S. Truman discussion, he was both.

Actually he was part of many fraternities: Alpha Delta Gamma, Beta Sigma Tau, Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Alpha Delta, and Sigma Delta Kappa.

That was the order that he was invited to be an honorary member. He was not in a fraternity in college, Meaning unlike some of the other presidents he really wasn't in a fraternity.

QUOTE=Corbin Dallas;4314]I emailed the guy, but as of yet haven't recieved an answer. I know Truman was initiated postgrad into LCA. I don't think he was in a fraternity in college, plus he was fairly old (for a college student) when he did go to college.[/QUOTE]

Truman accepted his invitation at the age of 60, long after he had graduated college.

Erm...the "discussion" ended 9 years ago.

Be sure to check posting dates. Welcome to GC.

LOL. Some of my favorite recruitment threads are from long ago. It is a good idea to check the date before you answer back, however

:eek::eek:

He's never going to win . . . Go Ralph Nader!!!

As long as this ancient thread was bumped, I guess it's worth pointing out for anyone who hasn't been around for previous discussions that both of the above statements are Greek Urban Legend, i.e., not true.

OK, since we are delving into ancient threads, DKE has six presidents:

Rutherford Hayes
Theodore Roosevelt
Franklyn Roosevelt
Gerald Ford
George H.W. Bush
George W. Bush

FDR was initiated by Harvard (Alpha Chapter) while it was 'underground' but he did go through the full regular initiation and was active in his chapter.

Harry S Truman is a Lambda Chi Alpha. He is the reason that the Lambda Chi Alpha ritual is the only fraternity whose ritual has been taken out of the Library of Congress.

Here we go again...

It's an urban legend. You will not find a Greek ritual book in the Library of Congress.

http://www.phigam.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=348

No, it's Ronald Reagan who kept Teke's ritual out of the LOC.

I kid. ZTAngel is right; it's a Greek urban legend.

:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Benjamin Harrison Phi Delta Theta

ooh I knew Clinton was Greek but I didn't know he was in APO. he was also made an honorary member of Phi Beta Sigma

I'm also laughing at how old this thread is. it was started when I was in sixth grade O_O

No social greeks at Georgetown U. Just Alpha Phi Omega and a Foreign Service Professional at least in the 1960s when he was there. Current status of Greeks at G'town is a little more fuzzy.