Black History and Greek History

[Nupeology]

When the German army conquered Paris in 1940, Omega
Founder Ernest Just was captured and held as a prisoner of war
for a short time.


AKA Founder Norma Elizabeth Boyd was awarded a citation
as "Woman of the Year in the Field of Legislation" from the
National Council of Negro Women on June 13, 1948.
Three of Iota Phi Theta's 12 Founders have the first name
Charles. Sigma and Iota both have a founder by the name of
Charles Brown.


Two of the Alpha founders worked as waiters at white fraternity
houses. Callis worked at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Kelley at
the Beta Theta Pi House at Cornell University. This is where
they learned about the Greek Letter structure and format.
Callis always admitted that they patterned a great deal of the
foundation of the ritual after the "white boys." Callis also stated
that they were very helpful and cooperative in their quest to
organize the fraternity and even gave them a copy of their
ritual book.

It was Delta Founder Florence Letcher Toms who first began
collecting elephants, which has become a hobby of Delta's all
over the world.

AKA Founder Sarah Merriweather Nutter sent Founder Nellie
Quander a piece of ivy from the grave of former President
Grover Cleveland. This cutting was planted on the right side of
the Manual Arts Building at Howard University

The original idea of establishing a Panhellenic Council came in
1922 when Omega Psi Phi and Phi Beta Sigma were both
hosting their National Conventions in Atlanta at the same time.
The two fraternities held a joint meeting and proposed that the
established fraternities and sororities work together more
harmoniously. During this meeting both sides agreed to urge
the other fraternities and sororities to join up. Because of the
need for unity and the proposal from these two fraternities,
nine years later it became a reality. The official creation of the
NPHC took place in 1930. In 1935 Omega Psi Phi and Phi Beta
Sigma met again repeating the previous historical situation of
14 years before. Two of the Omega Founders, Dr. Oscar J
Cooper & Dr. Edgar A. Love personally visited the Sigma
Conclave to extend greetings.

Bulter University (SGRho's alpha chapter) and the University of
Indiana (Kappa's alpha chapter) are less than fifty miles away
from one another.

Of the twenty-two women who organized DST sorority, two
dated founders of Omega Psi Phi. Delta Founder Edith Young
dated Edgar Love and Frank Coleman dated and ultimately
married Edna Brown.

Did you know that the first African-American woman to win an
Academy Award in 1939, was a member of Sigma Gamma
Rho? Her name was Hattie McDaniels and she played Mammy
in "Gone With The Wind."

There have been more members of Phi Beta Sigma serving as
National President of the NPHC than any other NPHC fraternity
or sorority.

Until the mid-eighties all fraternity pledges that entered Hell
Week were considered "dogs". Omega Psi Phi is the only
fraternity that continues the unofficial "dogmatic image" once a
pledge has crossed.

There have been three husband and wife couples to both serve
as National residents of their organizations: Alpha Kappa Alpha
22nd Supreme Basileus, Janet Jones Ballard, was married to
Phi Beta Sigma's 22nd National President, Richard M. Ballard.
Dr. William Hale (20th General President of Alpha Phi Alpha)
and his wife Dr. Larzette Golden Hale (17th Supreme Basileus
of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority). Dr. Ivorite L. Scruggs was the
2nd National President of Phi Beta Sigma and his wife Ruth
Tappe-Scruggs was the 6th Grand Basileus of Zeta Phi Beta
Sorority.

Harlem Renaissance Writer and Folklorist Zora Neale Hurston
pledged Howard's Alpha Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority
around 1925.

Myra Davis holds the distinction of being the only woman to
serve as both Basileus of AKA and President of DST in 1912
and 1913 respectively.

Phi Beta Sigma & Zeta Phi Beta were the first and only
constitutionally bonded Greek Fraternity/Sorority, brother/sister
organizations. They share several of the same cardinal
principles within each respective organization.
Sigma & Zeta both share the same colors, creed, symbols from
their shields, and the namesake of the PHI BETA, they are true
originators of the terms "Frat" & "Soror".

The Founding of Delta Sigma Theta was actually a deadline, in
which the AKA's gave the 22 founders of DST to stop their
rebellion or face expulsion from the sorority. The 22 members
declined to obey the orders and DST was established and
founded.

Grace Coleman, sister of Omega founder Frank Coleman, was
elected Delta's first president in 1914 at Howard University.
Grace also was one of the first initiates of the sorority.

Although SGRho's were founded at Butler College in 1922 they
were not the first black sorority established at Butler University.
The AKA's had established a chapter two years before their
founding in 1920.

AKA Founder Lucy Diggs Slowe organized the first junior high
school in Washington DC, Shaw Junior High School. She was
appointed principal Howard University

The first Black Fraternity established at Howard University was
Alpha Phi Alpha in 1907 Beta Chapter.

The First Black Fraternity founded at Howard University was
Omega Psi Phi in 1911.

The First Black Sorority founded at Howard University was
Alpha Kappa Alpha in 1908

The First Black Fraternity to be recognized by Howard
University as a national fraternity was Phi Beta Sigma in April
1914. Omega's recognition came later the same year in
November.

Although Kappa Alpha Psi was not founded at Howard
University, two of their founders Byron K. Armstrong and Elder
Watson Diggs attended Howard University in the 1909-1910
school year before transferring to the University of Indiana.

Alpha Kappa Alpha founder Lucy Diggs Slowe, became the first
African-American Dean of Women at Howard University and
held that post until she died in 1937. Charles Harris Wesley,
Alpha historian presided at her funeral and Omega Founder,
Frank Coleman was a pallbearer.

In a race to be the first sorority incorporated at Howard
University, both Deltas and AKA's alpha chapters were
incorporated on the same day. The AKA's incorporated as a
national organization in 1913, papers were processed 20
minutes before the Deltas. DST was not incorporated as a
national organization (an entire entity) until 1930.

Sigma Founder Dr. Leonard F Morse became the first male
student at Howard University to earn 2 degrees and 2 diplomas
in three years of college.

December 28th- 29th 1916 Phi Beta Sigma held its 3rd annual
convention at its Alpha Chapter House in Washington DC. One
of its guest speakers was Omega Psi Phi 4th Grand Basileus
George Hall, who was also a Masonic fraternity brother to
Sigma Founder A. Langston Taylor.

[ARTIC-U-LATE]

Interesting....

[marquise1911]

Nice...

[SKEEphistAKAte]

I learned alot. A few inappropriate comments popped into my head but I'm working on that good ole' restraint . Where was this taken from?

[mulattogyrl]

Originally posted by Nupeology
The Founding of Delta Sigma Theta was actually a deadline, in
which the AKA's gave the 22 founders of DST to stop their
rebellion or face expulsion from the sorority. The 22 members
declined to obey the orders and DST was established and
founded.

Those rebellious, hard-headed Deltas I tell ya...

[SKEEphistAKAte]

Originally posted by mulattogyrl
Those rebellious, hard-headed Deltas I tell ya...

^^LOL, don't get me started with the commentary. You KNOW I am trying to be good...

[Nupeology]

Knowledge is Great ....What's up Marquis1911 tell me something good.

[marquise1911]

Originally posted by Nupeology
Knowledge is Great ....What's up Marquis1911 tell me something good.

Naw, I'mma let you shine!!! That's some stuff. I would add my 11 cents but not yet...

[Boom_Quack13]

Some of the facts are questionable, or I should say plain old untrue.

[marquise1911]

Originally posted by Boom_Quack13
Some of the facts are questionable, or I should say plain old untrue.

call'm out!!!

[DSTinguished1]

Originally posted by Boom_Quack13
Some of the facts are questionable, or I should say plain old untrue.

Yeah some things did make me raise an eyebrow

[Nupeology]

BQ13 call them out...We don't need any false info

[Lady of Pearl]

Originally posted by SKEEphistAKAte
I learned alot. A few inappropriate comments popped into my head but I'm working on that good ole' restraint . Where was this taken from?

Yes, I too would like to consider the source of reference from which this information was taken from also.

[DoggyStyle82]

All fraternities were not known as "dogs" well into the 80's. That statement is blatantly wrong

[ladygreek]

Originally posted by DoggyStyle82
All fraternities were not known as "dogs" well into the 80's. That statement is blatantly wrong

I don't know about it extending into the 80s, but when I pledged all of the fraternity pledges did become "dogs" upon entering their probate period and wore dog collars in the colors of their frat. (Maybe I should qualify this and say on the campuses with which I was familiar.) That is how the campus knew a particular group was entering Hell Week. Prior to the Black Power Movement they all had shaved heads. During the Movement they all wore 'fros.