African American Fraternities and Sororities : The Legacy and the Vision

African American Fraternities and Sororities: The Legacy and the Vision explores the rich past and bright future of the nine Black Greek-Letter organizations that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council. In the long tradition of African American benevolent and secret societies, intercollegiate African American fraternities and sororities have strong traditions of fostering brotherhood and sisterhood among their members, exerting considerable influence in the African American community, and being on the forefront of civic action, community service, and philanthropy. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Toni Morrison, Arthur Ashe, Carol Moseley Braun, Bill Cosby, Sarah Vaughan, George Washington Carver, Hattie McDaniel, and Bobby Rush are among the many trailblazing members of these organizations. The rolls of African American fraternities and sororities serve as a veritable who's who among African American leadership in the United States and abroad. African American Fraternities and Sororities places the history of these organizations in context, linking them to other movements and organizations that predated them and tying their history to one of the most important eras of United States history -- the Civil Rights struggle. African American Fraternities and Sororities explores various cultural aspects of these organizations such as auxilliary groups, branding, calls, stepping, and the unique role of African American sororities. It also explores such contemporary issues as sexual aggression and alcohol use, college adjustment, and pledging, and provides a critique of Spike Lee's film School Daze, the only major motion picture to portray African American fraternities and sororities as a central theme. The year 2006 will mark the centennial anniversary of the intercollegiate African American fraternity and sorority movement. Yet, to date, little scholarly attention has been paid to these organizations and the men and women who founded and perpetuated them. African American Fraternities and Sororities reveals the vital social and political functions of these organizations and places them within the history of not only the African American community but the nation as a whole. This Book Explores The Past And Future Of The Nine Black Greek-letter Organizations That Make Up The National Pan-hellenic Council, And Places The History Of These Organizations In Context, Linking Them To Other Movements And Organizations That Predated Them And Tying Their History To One Of The Most Important Movements Of United States History - The Civil Rights Struggle.--book Jacket. Pledged To Remember: Africa In The Life And Lore Of Black Greek-letter Organizations / Gloria Harper Dickinson -- The Origin And Evolution Of College Fraternities And Sororities / Craig L. Torbenson -- Black Fraternal And Benevolent Societies In Nineteenth-century America / Anne S. Butler -- The Grand Boule At The Dawn Of A New Century: Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity / William H. Harris -- Education, Racial Uplift, And The Rise Of The Greek-letter Tradition: The African American Quest For Status In The Early Twentieth Century / Michael H. Washington And Cheryl L. Nuñez -- In The Beginning: The Early History Of The Divine Nine / Andre Mckenzie -- Lobbying Congress For Civil Rights: The American Council On Human Rights, 1948-1963 / Robert L. Harris, Jr. -- Sister Acts: Resistance In Sweetheart And Little Sister Programs / Mindy Stombler And Irene Padavic -- The Body Art Of Brotherhood / Sandra Mizumoto Posey -- Calls: An Inquiry Into Their Origin, Meaning, And Function / Marcella L. Mccoy -- Variegated Roots: The Foundations Of Stepping / Carol D. Branch -- Sisterly Bonds: African American Sororities Rising To Overcome Obstacles / Clarenda M. Phillips -- Racism, Sexism, And Aggression: A Study Of Black And White Fraternities / Tyra Balck, Joanne Belknap, And Jennifer Ginsburg -- How Black Greek-letter Organization Membership Affects College Adjustment And Undergraduate Outcomes / Shaun R. Harper, Lauretta F. Byars, And Thomas B. Jelke -- The Empty Space Of African American Sorority Representation: Spike Lee's School Daze / Deborah Elizabeth Whaley -- In The Fell Clutch Of Circumstance: Pledging And The Black Greek Experience / Gregory S. Parks And Tamara L. Brown -- Future Directions / Tamara L. Brown, Clarenda M. Phillips, And Gregory S. Parks. Edited By Tamara L. Brown, Gregory S. Parks, Clarenda M. Phillips. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 471-484) And Index.

African American Fraternities and Sororities: The Legacy and the Vision explores the rich past and bright future of the nine Black Greek-Letter organizations that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council. In the long tradition of African American benevolent and secret societies, intercollegiate African American fraternities and sororities have strong traditions of fostering brotherhood and sisterhood among their members, exerting considerable influence in the African American community, and being on the forefront of civic action, community service, and philanthropy. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Toni Morrison, Arthur Ashe, Carol Moseley Braun, Bill Cosby, Sarah Vaughan, George Washington Carver, Hattie McDaniel, and Bobby Rush are among the many trailblazing members of these organizations. The rolls of African American fraternities and sororities serve as a veritable who's who among African American leadership in the United States and abroad. African American Fraternities and Sororities places the history of these organizations in context, linking them to other movements and organizations that predated them and tying their history to one of the most important eras of United States history—the Civil Rights struggle. African American Fraternities and Sororities explores various cultural aspects of these organizations such as auxilliary groups, branding, calls, stepping, and the unique role of African American sororities. It also explores such contemporary issues as sexual aggression and alcohol use, college adjustment, and pledging, and provides a critique of Spike Lee's film School Daze, the only major motion picture to portray African American fraternities and sororities as a central theme. The year 2006 will mark the centennial anniversary of the intercollegiate African American fraternity and sorority movement. Yet, to date, little scholarly attention has been paid to these organizations and the men and women who founded and perpetuated them. African American Fraternities and Sororities reveals the vital social and political functions of these organizations and places them within the history of not only the African American community but the nation as a whole.

African American Fraternities and Sororities: The Legacy and the Vision explores the rich past and bright future of the nine black Greek-letter organizations that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council. In the long tradition of African American benevolent and secret societies, intercollegiate African American fraternities and sororities have strong traditions of fostering brotherhood and sisterhood among their members, exerting considerable influence in the African American community, and being in the forefront of civic action, community service, and philanthropy.The rolls of African American fraternities and sororities serve as a veritable who's who among African American leadership in the United States and abroad. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Toni Morrison, Arthur Ashe, Carol Moseley Braun, Bill Cosby, Sarah Vaughan, George Washington Carver, Hattie McDaniel, and Bobby Rush are among the many trail-blazing members of these organizations.African American Fraternities and Sororities places the history of these organizations in context, linking them to other movements and organizations that predated them and tying their history to one of the most important movements of United States history-the civil rights struggle. The book explores various cultural aspects of the "divine nine," such as auxiliary groups, branding, calls, and stepping, and highlights the unique role of African American sororities. It also examines such contemporary issues as sexual aggression and alcohol use, college adjustment, and pledging, and provides a critique of Spike Lee's film School Daze, the only major motion picture to portray African American fraternities and sororities as a central theme.Little has been written about these organizations and the men and women who founded and perpetuated them. African American Fraternities and Sororities reveals the vital social and political functions of black Greek-letter organizations and places them within the history of not only the African American community but the nation as a whole. The first African American fraternities and sororities were established at the turn of the twentieth century to encourage leadership, racial pride, and academic excellence among black college students confronting the legacy of slavery and the indignities of Jim Crow segregation. Among their ranks are legendary artists, politicians, theologians, inventors, intellectuals, educators, civil rights leaders, and athletes This chapter elucidates the myriad ways "Africa" has been preserved and perpetuated in the rituals, public accounts, and service projects of black Greek-letter organizations (BGLOs).