THE HISTORY OF NPHC
The National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated (NPHC) is currently composed of nine (9) International Greek letter Sororities and Fraternities: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Omega Phi Psi Fraternity, Inc. NPHC promotes interaction through forums, meetings and other mediums for the exchange of information and engages in cooperative programming and initiatives through various activities and functions.
On May 10, 1930, on the campus of Howard University, in Washington DC, the National Pan-Hellenic Council was formed as a permanent organization with the following charter members: Omega Psi Phi and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternities, and Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta and Zeta Phi Beta Sororities. In 1931, Alpha Phi Alpha and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternities joined the Council. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority joined in 1937 and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity completed the list of member organizations in 1997.
The stated purpose and mission of the organization in 1930 was “Unanimity of thought and action as far as possible in the conduct of Greek letter collegiate fraternities and sororities, and to consider problems of mutual interest to its member organizations.” Early in 1937, the organization was incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois and became known as “The National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated.”
1906 Cornell University Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
1908 Howard University Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
1911 Indiana University Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
1911 Howard University Omega Psi Phi Fraternity
1913 Howard University Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
1914 Howard University Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity
1920 Howard University Zeta Phi Beta Sorority
1922 Butler University Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority
1963 Morgan State University Iota Phi Theta Fraternity
The growth of NPHC fraternities and sororities, on both historically white and historically black campuses, can be viewed in three distinct phases:
Post World War I:
Undergraduate chapters of NPHC affiliate organizations began to spread
to major research universities admitting Blacks and to major historically
Black colleges in the South. Graduate chapters were birthed in cities
across the US as civic and service organizations, due to blatant racism
prohibiting African Americans from participating in general civic organizations
within their communities after college graduation.
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Post World War II:
NPHC affiliate chapters proliferated on southern historically Black college
campuses. Many cultural traditions which differed markedly from historically
white college traditions became refined and embedded within the African
American tradition and culture (e.g., " lining" and public skits
on campus as a part of "pledging").
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Post Civil Rights Act 1964:
Many colleges and universities which had previously denied admittance
to African Americans or which had small enrollments grew in their enrollment
of African Americans and established chapters on their campuses. Such
actions caused the numbers of NPHC affiliate organizations to swell to
over 400 undergraduate chapters and just as many graduate chapters on
the average for each organization. Presently, there are approximately
1.5 million members of undergraduate and graduate affiliate chapters served
by NPHC.
The Establishment of a Tradition:
In 1992, through the joint cooperation of Indiana University-Bloomington and the National Board of Directors of NPHC, the first permanent national office for NPHC was established in Bloomington, Indiana on the campus of Indiana University. Prior to its establishment, for over a 62 year period, the national office would sojourn from one officer to the next.
NPHC changed its national constitution
in 1993, at the National Convention, to allow for the appointment of its
first Executive Director, Dr. Michael V. W. Gordon. At the same convention,
NPHC changed its constitution to create the possibility for like organizations
to apply for membership. In 1995, the first international council was
chartered in Nassau, Bahamas. While in 1996, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity
joined as its ninth affiliate member.
"Why
the Tradition Must Continue On College Campuses"
To understand the need for and concept of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc., one must first consider, understand and familiarize oneself with the historical accounts and significance of predominantly Black Greek-letter organizations. While having their own distinct heritages, the nine (9) member organizations of NPHC offer insight and a unique perspective into this understanding and the development of Black socioeconomic and cultural life.
Each of the nine (9) NPHC organizations evolved during a period when African Americans were being denied essential rights and privileges afforded others. Racial isolation on predominantly white campuses and social barriers of class on all campuses created a need for African Americans to align themselves with other individuals sharing common goals and ideals. With the realization of such a need, the African American (Black) Greek-lettered organization movement took on the personae of a haven and outlet, which could foster brotherhood and sisterhood in the pursuit to bring about social change through the development of social programs that would create positive change for Blacks and the country. Today the need remains the same.
While NPHC affiliate organizations recognize the social aspect of Greek college life, the primary purpose and focus of member organizations remains community awareness and action through educational, economic, and cultural service activities. NPHC affiliates and their respective members have pledged to devote their resources to service in their respective communities, realizing that the membership experience of NPHC organizations goes beyond organizational membership during an individual’s college career. A lifetime commitment to the goals and ideals of each respective organization is stressed. The individual member is also expected to align himself with a graduate/alumni chapter, following graduation from college, with the expectation that he/she will attend regular chapter meetings, regional conferences and national conventions, and take an active part in matters concerning and affecting the community in which he or she lives.
The need to form campus-based councils to represent NPHC affiliate organizations is not motivated by a “separatist” philosophy. The establishment of councils assists in maintaining a distinct identity as “service based organizations,” as opposed to organizations that may be strictly social in nature; NPHC, Inc. does not advocate a disassociation from NIC, NPC, or NALFO organizations on college campuses. The council’s purpose is to promote unity and expose members to the “service for life” philosophy and foster leadership development and scholarship. Furthermore, the National Pan-Hellenic Council provides a forum for participation and interaction among the members of affiliate organizations and the organizations themselves. It provides for a stronger unified voice and a stronger unified body. The continued advocacy for the establishment of local councils not only stems from tradition, but also from the realization that many colleges and universities maintain organization registration policies requiring an organization to belong to a national organization and that national organization to a national umbrella organization, in order to function on that respective campus.
It is the endeavor of
NPHC, Inc. to foster a more stable environment on campuses for local NPHC
councils, provide a forum for dialogue, and provide training for and management
of it's respective councils. Having such an entity in place to serve as
an umbrella organization centralizes and provides a clearinghouse for
information sanctioned by the NPHC Council of Presidents, whether on the
university/college campus and/or in civic, social, and political arenas.
It is essential to have such a voice to advocate concerns of local councils
and assert the position of the national body, particularly in decisions
or rulings that may have a negative impact.
Copyright 2003 National Pan-Hellenic Council - University
of Washington, Seattle Chapter. All Rights Reserved.
This page was masterfully created by Soror. Rochelle Tate, Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
Questions and Comments can be sent to rocat@u.washington.edu, NPHC-UW
Web Master. Your ideas are greatly appreciated.
