Any word on the Pike Colony at Howard

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

PKS voting to not be all white is not the same has actually being non-discriminatory.

I can't think of the words to describe it, but it's like TKE took the affirmative to come right out and state that they wouldn't discriminate blacks, and PKS took the negative, as in we're not officially all white by process of elimination.

Not exactly, I don't think, at least not as described on the History page at Phi Kappa Sigma's website:

According to the first Constitution, Alpha Chapter was authorized to issue charters to new chapters. At the First Phi Kappa Sigma Convention of 1856, the Constitution was amended to require the unanimous approval of all existing chapters in order to establish a new chapter. The development of the abolition movement in the North and the arguments over secession in the South made it impossible for the Fraternity to grant charters to many fine groups located in colleges in the North and particularly in New England. This fact retarded the growth and development of the Fraternity above the Mason-Dixon Line. Theta Chapter at Centenary College, circulated a petition among the southern chapters, asking for an amendment to the Constitution providing that the Fraternity "be an organization for white men, and for white men only." It was further requested that the attitude of the northern brothers on the slavery question be ascertained and all chapters be informed. Mu Chapter, at the old University of Louisiana, presented the problem before the Convention of 1860. After three days of sincere debate, the chapters of the Fraternity unanimously voted that no discriminatory clauses should be included in the Constitution of the Fraternity. This Phi Kappa Sigma policy from 1860 has never been modified in any way.

I take this as a pretty affirmative decision not to discriminate, at least officially. I cannot speak to whether or how much this policy was ignored by chapters over time. But the same could be said with regard to chapters of fraternities that officially removed discrimination clauses -- just because the clauses were removed nationally doesn't mean the practice immediately changed everywhere.