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The Columbus Dispatch
Monday, June 3, 2002
Tiffany Y. Latta
Dispatch Staff Reporter

After she earned a master's degree, married and raised a family, Alice Betsill joined a sorority at 62.

"Finally, after completing these things and with my children all grown up, I had time to do the things that I always wanted to do,'' she said. "I wanted to connect with other women . . . and was impressed with the things that Delta (Sigma Theta) was involved in.'' Betsill, 72, of Whitehall, is one of about 1.5 million members of historically black sororities and fraternities.

About 20 percent are undergraduates; the rest are affiliated with alumni chapters, even if they were not members in college.
Black fraternities and sororities allow people to pledge without having been collegiate members, as long as they have college degrees. That's different from most predominantly white Greek organizations, said Virginia LeBlanc, executive director of the National Pan-Hellenic Council in Bloomington, Ind.

The council represents the nation's nine historically black Greek groups: Alpha Phi Alpha, Iota Phi Theta, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi and Phi Beta Sigma fraternities and Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Sigma Gamma Rho and Zeta Phi Beta sororities.

All of these groups except Alpha Phi Alpha have collegiate chapters at Ohio State University. All have alumni chapters in Columbus.

Betsill, for example, knew a member of the Delta Sigma Theta alumnae chapter and obtained information through her. Although the mention of fraternities and sororities may conjure images of
parties and step shows, the focus at the college level is just as much on community service, LeBlanc said. That's true, too, of the alumni groups, which also are geared to networking with other black professionals.

Black fraternities and sororities were born as service and civic
organizations in the early 1900s, when black college students were barred from joining predominantly white Greek organizations. The black students used the organizations to connect with others and to bring about social change, especially during the civil-rights movement, said Walter Kimbrough, vice president of student affairs at Albany State University in Georgia. The groups still address issues facing blacks and focus on improving educational, economic and political inequities in their communities, said Kimbrough, who has studied the Greek culture of blacks.

In addition, members find that they have something in common even with people who are otherwise strangers, he said. "Regardless of where you move, you can find someone else in your fraternity or sorority (with whom) you will have that instant connection. You can do community service and be connected with some of the most influential people
in your community.''

The first time Betsill attended a Delta Sigma Theta national convention -- in Baltimore in 1992 -- she was amazed by the size of the group. "It was somewhat overwhelming but at the same time gratifying to see so many positive African-American women from different walks of life,'' she said.

John Boxill, 40, manager of chapter services for the American Red Cross in Columbus, joined the local Alpha Phi Alpha alumni chapter seven years ago after having earlier helped the group provide HIV/AIDS education to young black men. Boxill said he didn't have time to join a fraternity while studying zoology at Ohio State. But, he said, most of his teachers in Columbus schools and other role models were members of a fraternity or sorority.

The local fraternity recently became partners with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America to provide mentoring for area youth.
"When we became involved, there were 400 children on the waiting list for a big brother or big sister and 46 percent were African-American boys,'' said Boxill, president of the local alumni chapter.

"In 18 months, the Alpha (Phi Alpha) chapter had recruited 50 men.'' The group also raises money for sickle-cell anemia research, college scholarships and other community programs.
Boxill might have been attracted to the group by the service component, but he soon discovered other selling points.
"I enjoy the fellowship, the feeling of camaraderie and the opportunity to pull others up as you climb.''