SilverTurtle, you hit the nail on the head. The reasons you stated are why SOME of the NPHC Organizations extend honorary memberships. Why did I say "some"? Because not all NPHC Organizations extend honorary memberships.
I think it's important to note that not all famous members are honorary: Spencer Christian (Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.), Star Jones (Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.), Mother Love (Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.), and Stuart Scott (Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.) to name a few. So you see Mojo, we don't extend memberships to famous people just to say "Shirley Ceasar and Camille Cosby are Deltas." We can name drop without extending honorary memberships. We do it to say "You've made outstanding strides in your field. We would be honored if you would wear our letters." We MUST be doing SOMETHING right in our "regular" membership since these two ladies, and other honorary members within the NPHC, were so inclined to accept.
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Kelli
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
12-
Delta Nu-94
MAL, Southern Region
Savannah State University c/o 1997