BGLO origins

I am glad to see that people try to research and post some history. I have to disagree with the origin of Black Greek Letter Organizations. I am a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated.We were founded at Cornell University December 4, 1906. At the time of our founding..our Jewels felt a need to have a fraternity for Black college men. The opportunity to join white fraternities would have not served thier purpose. What will SIGMA CHI, SIGMA ALPHA EPSILON do for the Black community. Gina Lynn why didn't you join DELTA DELTA DELTA or GAMMA PHI BETA...You had that opportunity. The doors were open for you. Why DELTA SIGMA THETA? The doors of the white fraternities and sororities at the time when our organizations were founded did not welcome us. My founders knew what they were doing. Creating a organization to uplift the Black Community. I cannot speak for the later fraternities on there reasoning to start another when A PHI A was already around. We started out of a need.

Originally posted by Gina_lynn:
By the time Sigma Gamma Rho was founded at Butler, the other 3 organizations had already formed and (at least Delta) had chapters on their campus. They had a group they could have joined had they wanted to.

First of all, thank you APhiA rep for giving us the real deal. We should all be well aware of the necessity for the founding of APhiA and other BGLOs as well.

Gina Lynn, damn, what is UP with the misinformation? I can see you giving us what you know of other BGLOs, but how do you continuously give out the WRONG info about your own Delta Sigma Theta? You should know that there was no Delta chapter at Butler U ever. There is a citywide, but that wasn't established until 1925. Also, your comment about Delta policy of only approving chapters for triple A rated schools? Triple A? In Search of Sisterhood *a book that anyone can buy in the store* distinctly states that schools had to be rated A. Here's the excerpt:
p.92
"Under the influence of Sadie Alexander, Delta, nominally at least, only accepted chapters at institutions that were rated "A" by the Association of American Universities, the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, or the Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Schools."

Did I miss two A's? Please, back track, and do not post things unless you know them to be true. It makes people wonder what kind of young ladies are being brought into Delta? Apparently ones who don't know the info. Thank goodness I know better.

Good day

[Finer Woman10-A-91]

Perhaps the "history version" was meant to state they were the first "new" BGLO "founded and established" on Butler U's campus.

The truth is AKA was only "founded" once...every other chapter was following the foundation of Alpha chapter...new charters...but not the "Mother Pearl"...as we say at Howard.

Originally posted by Discogoddess:
SoloRHO (and other women of Sigma Gamma Rho):

I'm confused. I have always heard and read that SGRho was the first African-American sorority at Butler, founded in 1922, yet I know that Kappa chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha was chartered on Butler's campus in February 1920. I know Kappa chapter's charter also included other schools, in addition to Butler. I'm not sure about Delta Sigma Theta and Zeta Phi Beta's beginnings at the school, but I'd be interested in knowing more about the history of African-American sororities at Butler and I hope you can shed some light. Thanks.

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Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated...Every Finer Woman's Dream!

[Gina_lynn]

Gina Lynn, damn, what is UP with the misinformation? I can see you giving us what you know of other BGLOs, but how do you continuously give out the WRONG info about your own Delta Sigma Theta? Did I miss two A's?

Good day

[/B]

First, I would like to direct you to the post following the one that you chose to highlight, where, like a woman, I acknowlaged my mistakes. Secondly, it depends on what reading you use to find the A to AAA comparison. Some school rating systems used a system that started with A, others used one that started with AAA and that compairison had to be accounted for. It's similar to the way that some schools are on a 3 point scale while others are on a 4 point scale.

And as for your (completely unneccesary) linkage of my mistake to all of the ladies in my sorority, I am sorry that you haven't had the pleasure of meeting and being wowed by my sorors in your area in a way that would make it unneccesary to base your whole opinion of over 200,000 women based on a single post. You should seek them out and see what wonderful things they were doing. I would write you personally, but, yet again, such insightful and uplifting information has been provided through an UNREGISTERED USER.

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If you can't raise conciousness, at least raise hell!--Rita Mae Brown

[This message has been edited by Gina_lynn (edited July 19, 2000).]

[Blessed1]

I belive the "Light that shines in the East" that Dirty Bill is referring to is that of the Masons and Eastern Stars.

[someblueguy]

-well, this had been good!

-i thank each of the people who posted tidbits of info about Delta and AKA and Alpha and SGRho that one might not normally know.

-to say that Alpha started the 'MOVEMENT' of foundations of other BGLO's is a little misguided. first of all, as we all know, the first fraternity founded was Phi Beta Kappa, founded at the College of William and Mary, and the first sorority [if i'm not mistaken] was Alpha Delta Pi, where it was was founded escapes me right now... but anyway, those organizations set the precedents for founding organizations that embodied the spirit of fraternity and brotherhood and sisterhood. maybe we should recognize them, instead.

-i cannot speak as an authority for Alpha, Kappa, Omega, or Iota, but as far as Sigma is concerned, our founders wished to create a fraternity that embraced and emphasized the TRUE spirit of fraternity, as understood by the ancient Greeks, as well as for the uplifting of the black community as a whole by emphasizing it's role as A PART OF the community instead of APART FROM it. the initiator of that dream, A. L. Taylor had a grand design for a fraternity.
-what i have come to understand about Kappa is that it started out as kind of social support group, Kappa Alpha Nu, but the administration wouldn't let them organize, so they met secretly off-campus, thereby forming Kappa Alpha Psi.
-what i have come to understand about Omega is that it started out as a bible study group for the black professors, and in time it turned into Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
-what i have come to understand about Iota is that they started out as a mock-Greek org. in the 60's. back then, mock groups like Groove Phi Groove and Wine Psi Phi popped up. and then there was I Phelta Thigh, which some members then took steps to organize a fraternity that was afro-centric and family and ethics oriented, thus Iota Phi Theta.

-like i said earlier, i don't claim to be an authority. ask somebody, 'go back and do more research'

-i'm out.

[someblueguy]

- i missed wraping my point up from early in my last post... in conlcusion, Alpha was the first surviving BGLO [Sigma Pi Phi was the first established], founded out of necestiy as stated by A_PHI_A_MUCHI_11-5-95_#3. Each subsequent BGLO was founded out of a necestiy as deemed so by their founders.

-i'm out

[SoloRHO]

Group, I have to apologize for my ignorance, but are you serious? Wine Psi Phi? I Phelta Thigh? Is that for real??? I don't mean to disrespect ANYONE. I just really wanna know. Hook a sistah UP!!! )
I find it hard to believe that Iota Phi Theta and all that they stand for, as a member of the Divine Nine, was once "I Phelta Thigh". Sorry ya'll I just need some clarification. )

SoloRHO
PEACE: Proper Education Always Corrects Error

[Rain Man]

I don't know about the Iota Phi Theta/I Phelta Thigh bit, but I can vouch for the Wine Psi Phi bit

Wine Psi Phi and their sister sorority, Beta Phi Burgundy has been classified by some as a subrosa group. These are organizations who are social and drinking is their "purpose?". In 1977 a brother of Wine Psi Phi died as a result of drowning while drunk? (I don't know the specifics offhand, but I do know it occured in Tennessee).

For more info on these two subrosa groups, read Wrongs of Passage or Broken Pledges, both written by Hank Newer.

Hope this helps.

[SoloRHO]

THanks RainMan.
I definately will look into those books.
)
SoloRHO

[blu_theatrics]

Solo I have heard of Groove phi groove and since you are on college club too, I know they have a board in there under the greek life message boards, I'm actually gonna cheack it out tonight so I'll let you know what I find out

Originally posted by SoloRHO:
Group, I have to apologize for my ignorance, but are you serious? Wine Psi Phi? I Phelta Thigh? Is that for real??? I don't mean to disrespect ANYONE. I just really wanna know. Hook a sistah UP!!! )
I find it hard to believe that Iota Phi Theta and all that they stand for, as a member of the Divine Nine, was once "I Phelta Thigh". Sorry ya'll I just need some clarification. )

SoloRHO
PEACE: Proper Education Always Corrects Error

[SoloRHO]

Actually, I've known about Groove phi Groove SFI and Swing phi Swing SFI for some time now. My best friend is the president of his chapter of GphiG. What threw me for a loop was the Wine Psi Phi org. I had never heard of it. But I will definitely follow Rain Man's lead and read those books. )

[DirectorDST99]

Where are you all getting your information? Some of this just simply can not be from documented research.

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Director #2
LMAC
Spr 99

[Rain Man]

Originally posted by DirectorDST99:
Where are you all getting your information? Some of this just simply can not be from documented research.

As I mentioned before, I got my research from the books "Broken Pledges" and "Wrongs of Passage" by Hank Newer regarding the Beta Phi Burgundy and Wine Psi Phi bit. If you were referring to someone else's post, I apologize.

DON'T BELIEVE ME? CHECK IT OUT!

[Rain Man]

As I mentioned before, I got my research from "Broken Pledges" and "Wrongs of Passage" by Hank Newer about the Beta Phi Burgundy/Wine Psi Phi incident. If Director DST99 was referring to someone else's post, I apologize for being on the defensive.

DONT BELIEVE ME? CHECK IT OUT!

Da Rain Man


[This message has been edited by Rain Man (edited August 07, 2000).]