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This is Why We “Step” A History of Stepping in Black Greek-Lettered Culture

The Divine Nine: a look into Black Greek life at FSU The Importance of

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The Divine Nine: a look into Black Greek life at FSU The Importance of Black Greek Letter Organizations This is Why We “Step” A History of Stepping in Black Greek-Lettered Culture

HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE DIVINE NINE Black Greek-letter Organizations : Belief, Truth, and Positive Organizational Deviance

How Fraternities and Sororities Impact Students (Or Do They?)

The Divine Nine: a look into Black Greek life at FSU

Brianna Milord and Deion A. Sainvil, Assistant News Editor and Assistant Arts and Culture Editor

FSU currently has seven of the nine organizations represented on campus, with five being represented in this article. NPHC began at Florida State’s campus in 1967, with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. The fraternity was officially chartered in 1970. The pledge line, often called “The Super Fine 9,” boasts some FSU and Tallahassee notables such as Fred Flowers (FSU’s first black athlete and current owner of a local law firm), Hansel Tookes (former CEO of Raytheon Aircraft Corporation) and John Marks (former Tallahassee mayor and attorney.)

There are few more defining characteristics of the college experience than that of Greek life.

Thanks to movies like Animal House, the phrase conjures up ideas of toga parties, reckless behavior and pulling pranks on rival frats.

Most share the same ideas and notions about Greek life, but there’s a faction that some won’t ever know or acknowledge.

The Divine Nine, or Black Greek letter organizations is made up of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. This coalition of five historically black fraternities and four historically black sororities contains a history that dates back to the early 1900s’. During that time, violent inequities of black scholars were an accepted norm in the American education system. In

response to the racial segregation and disenfranchisement that denied black students entry into the previously established and predominantly white sororities and fraternities, they decided to create their own Greek organizations. The founding brothers and sisters of NPHC Black Greek organizations became committed to creating spaces for black students to promote allyship, academic accountability, and service scholarship within their respective organizations.

BEFORE THE LETTERS: Familial influence was a big factor in the decision for a lot of the students interviewed to becoming Greek, with many drawing inspiration and values from those that were most influential in their upbringing.

KJ Pittman-Riley, Second VicePresident of the Chi Theta Chapter

of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc: My mom kinda instilled into me when I was younger, ‘be a Que, be a Que, don’t be nothing else.’ And of course it was a natural thing, even if she didn’t tell me, it was natural. Because everybody else was whatever so I took a liking to guys here, I looked into the chapter and all the people that were in my chapter were amazing.”

LIFE WITH LETTERS: The transition into becoming a member of a Black Greek organization brought about many changes to the lives of the Greeks interviewed, assisting in their self-discovery and affirming their leadership and personal development.

Pittman-Riley: Within myself I became way more organized, I figured out with the whole initiation that 24 hours is a lot of time.

Rozier: I’m definitely busier– I always used my planner but now I go everywhere with my planner.

We have to be strong in this world, we definitely have to have knowledge.” helped me think a lot on my toes.

It helped me prepare basically, just how to think on my toes, how to adapt to change. Composure as well, it taught me to be composed.

Rozier: I’ve grown a lot in my sense of understanding. I don’t feel as though I am ignorant as to what is going on in the world because I am

surrounded by people higher up than me within the organization that enlighten me on so many different things. I feel like it’s made me more aware of what’s going on in the world and aware of the woman that I am becoming and want to become.

Pittman-Riley: I figured that you should utilize all your time to fullest ability. Honestly, that’s why I can say that I can study for two exams in one day and write a whole paper and do this that and a third and still have enough time to myself at the end of the day because I utilized every single minute of every single hour.

Cyrille: I was able to tap into a potential that I never knew I had.

It gave me a stronger work ethic. It

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WHAT THE ORGANIZATION

MEANS: Although the organizations in the Divine Nine may represent similar ideals, there is an identity associated with each organization that makes them all stand out from each other.

Pittman-Riley: We have to hold this fraternity to a certain respect. Can’t be doing crazy things or having crazy situations come about us so when they say I’m a Q and hopefully my fraternity brothers are upholding this fraternity in the right way it would mean a lot to people.

Williams: To be a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated you have to be a man of great

character, a man of loyalty, and a man capable of trailblazing his own path. In order to be able to do that you have to learn how to listen as well as lead.

Brown: Being part of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, means to strive for excellence in academics, it means to be selfless, it means that you have wholeheartedly agreed to adhere to the mission of the organization and that your success is indicative to the success of the organization.

Cyrille: To be a Sigma is to seek to better a community. It’s having self-control, self-respect, personal pride. You have to believe in the idea of inclusion rather than exclusion - that’s something we’re really big on. You also have to value your scholarship.

Williams: We pride ourselves on being the “People’s Champ” which means that we try to create long-lasting positive and intentional connections with every person that we meet.

Simpson: Being a Kappa has made me want to always stay ahead of the game. I make sure that I have a good face for myself and my fraternity so that I don’t do anything that could embarrass them.

Pittman-Riley: We take our bond with our line brothers and line sisters very serious, it’s not a just join in college type thing, this for the rest of your life. This doesn’t end when we walk across the stage: I’m going to be at my line brother’s weddings and their baby showers, I’m going to be there when their babies are being delivered. It goes on to the day we die.

Since then, my feelings have grown much less cynical. Much of this is due to my adult interactions with frat/soro members, Deltas specifically. I’ve befriended and dated a number of them, and I’ve seen first hand how their memberships weren’t crutches or props as much as a large network of support and fellowship. And I can’t really fault another Black American for seeking a safety net to help them navigate through America. Obviously, the typical freshman considering pledging Que might be thinking more about panties and parties than post-graduate partnerships.

And perhaps the frats helping to organize protest marches, or the soros who mobilized to support Loretta Lynch were those horny and half-baked 18-year-olds when they first pledged too. In fact, I’m sure they were. But if a social decision

We have to adhere to the mission of the organization and that your success is indicative to the success of the organization.”

And while I have no intent on pledging any grad chapters, attending that wedding and watching those Black women and men — some in their 20s; some in their 70s — stroll and chant and dance with each other like they all were on the same line, made me get a little verklempt. I get it now.

an 18-year-old makes ends up being a net positive as an adult, a less than positive intent for making the decision just doesn’t matter as much.

As part of our Black History Month series, the FSView looks to shed light on the brothers and sisters of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, or NPHC, clearing the air on the misconceptions of Greek life while also talking with executive board members to discuss the impact it has on students’ lives.

There are few more defining characteristics of the college experience than that of Greek life. Thanks to movies like Animal House, the phrase conjures up ideas of toga parties.

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The fraternities and sororities of NPHC not only have the task of attempt to exemplify and represent the ideal individual, but also the ideal representation of the black man and woman.

Brown: All women should strive to hold themselves to a high standard, stay individualistic and true to themselves and remain passionate, driven and selfless. As women, we should promote unity among black women, give back whenever and however we can and remain supreme in academics, because no one, can take away what you’ve learned.

Cyrille: In terms of being a black man, it’s recognizing that America is not made for us. That’s where the composure comes in, the adaptability comes in, the agility comes in. We just try to prepare everyone to know things aren’t always going to be sweet, so when it does come, don’t be surprised. We’re gonna be prepared for it.

Pittman-Riley: We have to be strong in this world, we definitely have to have knowledge. Our people, we perish because we lack knowledge. Seeing a black face

in college does a lot for me. With my black man, I want them to be strong, be knowledgeable, be prepared because life is uncertain for us no matter if you’re an athlete, no matter if you’re a Que, no matter if you’re a businessman that makes a million dollars a year. At the end of the day you’re a black man you’re liable to be treated in society as just a black man.”

negative attention and stereotypes that get attached to many Greek organizations.

MISCONCEPTIONS

Rozier: We’re big on discretion because we have so much history within our organizations. It’s very sacred to us – very sacred to our hearts, so we don’t go around informing everyone on it because it’s

The stigma with NPHC and lack of information about the council often creates generalizations based on the

Williams: Black Greeks are not anybody to be afraid of or fear at all. We are regular people just like you and if we can help in any way, we always do. We are so much more than stepping and strolling and parties.

special to us.

Simpson: Our symbols mean a lot to us. We hold dear to our hearts our fraternities and sororities and our history. They’re also typically going to be small at the lines because we’re very selective about the people that we bring in.

Pittman-Riley: It’s not something to do, it’s something to live by, something to uphold, every day in life. everytime you walk out the door, you’re upholding the things you adhere to.

Cyrille: People have many misconceptions, if you’re not going to open your mind, then you’re going to forever be ignorant and naïve. It’s nothing about Greek life in general, it’s just open your mind to be introduced into a different world, because NPHC is a different world.”

Pittman-Riley: Everything in life deserves research. Everything in life deserves for you to look at it from a different lens. Just don’t take things for what they are. Try to look deeper into it and try to understand if you see a member, even if you’re not interested in joining Greek organization, just ask questions.

Pittman-Riley: Above all I hope that we’re upholding our traditions, our principles, and our values. So for the people who don’t know, really just take the time to look into what we are and what we stand for before you give us any preconceived notions.”

Williams: We are also here to make a change in the community and to reach out to our younger generation and give back all of the wis-

We’re big on discretion because we have so much history within our organizations.

It’s very sacred to us.” dom and knowledge that we wish we had when we were their age.

Stereotypes of Greek life and the intentions of students that come up and talk to Greeks is also something that is often called into question, with some explaining that they can tell that their peers view them differently since becoming Greek.

Simpson: Sometimes you know when people are trying to joining certain organizations – because they want to be in Greek life.

Rozier: I feel as though a lot of people don’t see you as their peers, they sometimes put you on this pedestal.

Simpson: You kind of see people’s motives, and being greek, I can see that people’s interactions with me have definitely changed since becoming a Kappa.

Rozier: I can understand where they come from because when you’re in a leadership position, people look up to you but it can be a little awkward sometimes cause you

just want to have a normal conversation but in the back of your head, you’re like well what are this person’s intentions – are you talking to me because you really want to get to know me or you want advice on how to be successful in college, or are you talking to me for other purposes? *** The National Pan-Hellenic Council is rich with proud tradition, history and alumni. While its members may have different letters and colors, the foundation is uniform in seeking to bring together the African American community and exemplify the ideal black man and woman. The issues and solutions concerning black Greek life are parallel to race relations in America. Research and conversation with an open mind is needed to inform and peacefully co-exist.

The Greeks interviewed for this article stress the importance of education in matters that we may not be interested in in order to attempt to see things from another perspective, we can respect one another and see each other as ordinary people beneath the surface. The National Pan-Hellenic Council is a storied and celebrated community of people dedicated to serving their community and making an impact in the world. There are lessons to be learned from its history and current members. *The FSView reached out to every Black Greek letter organization and were able to include everyone who responded back.

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