Black Fraternities, Sororities Face Challenge of Being in Step With Today’s Issues - Higher Education: The nation’s historically Black Greek letter organizations (BGLOs), collectively referred to as the “Divine Nine,” have played an integral part in American history. Since each organization’s founding throughout the 20th century, Black fraternities and sororities have not only provided African-Americans with a community to support one another, they have also made notable contributions to society, particularly in the areas of civil rights, social welfare and politics.
The list of trailblazing African-Americans who have hailed from BGLOs spans the spectrum of American life, ranging from labor leader A. Philip Randolph, who was one of the organizers of the 1963 March on Washington; to Arthur Ashe, who was ranked among the best tennis players in the world; to singer and actress Lena Horne; and to educators and scholars Mary McLeod Bethune and W.E.B. DuBois.
