Quote:
Originally posted by MIDWESTDIVA:
I see that several NPHC members have brought up the fact that the predominately White Greek letter organizations had a past filled with racial discrimination. Most can't fathom why an African-American would want to join an organization that wouldn't have given them the time of day 90 years ago. Likewise, I have wondered why a dark-skinned African American would want to join a BGLO that once used the paper bag test. Hell, 90 years ago, the BGLOs wouldn't have wanted them either. Especially if they were the descendent of share croppers, like me. I think the discrimination enacted by the BGLOs is worse than the discrimination enacted by PWGLOS, but that's just my opinion.
I do realize that things have changed drastically since 1906 and 1908. Such things do not happen anymore (I hope) and somehow, people are able to either overlook this ugly part of their organization's history, or it was never an issue for them in the first place. My question is this, if African Americans realize that things are changing within their own organizations (with respect to skin color and social status), why is it so difficult to realize that things are changing in the predominately White organizations as well (with respect to racial diversity)?
[This message has been edited by MIDWESTDIVA (edited May 05, 2001).]
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1. The discrimintion continued much furhter than 90 years ago. (You may have been facetious but we all know that it was a reality for many orgs until the 60's and 70's)
2. I do not think that is necessarily a reason to say "don;t join that org." now if it is not their current practice. I don;t mean on paper (because no one would put that on paper today) but in practice.
3. I don;t think you can hold the paper bag test against BGLOs alone. It was a standard through out much of Black social life and extended way outside of BGLOs. Now that is not an excuse of any kind, but blame cnnot be sat at their doorstep alone or as though it was a practice of thier creating. Additionally, that fact does not negate the significant historical distinction between BGLO's and WGLO's as far as the role and opportunity for African-American's is concerned.