• Celebrity
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
  • Fashion
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weaves
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle News
    • Build Your Legacy
    • Coronavirus: Everything You Need to Know
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
    • Currency Conversations
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Videos
  • Events
    • Black Women in Hollywood
    • WELLNESS HOUSE: YEAR OF RENEWAL
    • LEVEL UP: Entrepreneur Summit (DEC 2020)
    • Power Tools
    • SHE GOT NOW
    • Girls United Summit
    • Making Moves Now: Virtual Bootcamp
    • #EF SESSIONS
    • Dear Black Men
    • Cares Act
    • News & Announcements
  • Festival
  • Subscribe
  • Essence Studios
  • Girls United
  • NaturallyCurly
  • Shop Essence

Follow Us

Skip to content
  • Essence Studios
  • Girls United
  • NaturallyCurly
  • Shop Essence
  • Celebrity
    • Celebrity
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
  • Fashion
    • Fashion
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Beauty
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • AVEENO® Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weaves
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle News
    • Build Your Legacy
    • Coronavirus: Everything You Need to Know
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
    • Currency Conversations
  • News
    • News
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Videos
  • Events
    • Events
    • Black Women in Hollywood
    • WELLNESS HOUSE: YEAR OF RENEWAL
    • LEVEL UP: Entrepreneur Summit (DEC 2020)
    • Power Tools
    • SHE GOT NOW
    • Girls United Summit
    • Making Moves Now: Virtual Bootcamp
    • #EF SESSIONS
    • Dear Black Men
    • Cares Act
    • News & Announcements
  • Festival
  • Subscribe
Home · Lifestyle

Alpha to Omega: The Ultimate Guide to Black Greek Culture

This January marks the founding of five of the biggest Black sororities and fraternities, including the Deltas, AKAs, and the Kappas. From step shows to social action, African-American sororities and fraternities have been one of the cornerstones of the college experience for more than 100 years. With our A to Z guide to the “Divine Nine,” Essence gives you the lowdown on Black Greek life.

By Jennifer Cunningham · January 11, 2016October 27, 2020
01
Alpha to Omega: The Ultimate Guide to Black Greek Culture

This January marks the founding of five of the biggest Black sororities and fraternities, including the Deltas, AKAs, and the Kappas. From step shows to social action, African-American sororities and fraternities have been one of the cornerstones of the college experience for more than 100 years. With our A to Z guide to the “Divine Nine,” Essence gives you the lowdown on Black Greek life.

Getty Images
02
A

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. – Established in 1908 at Howard University, it’s the oldest sorority among the Divine Nine. Today, the organization boasts close to 300,000 members, including Gladys Knight, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Phylicia Rashad and the late Coretta Scott King. The sorority’s tenets include friendship, service and advocacy.

Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images
03
B

Black Lives Matter— Fraternity brothers and sorority sisters both in and out of college marched in Black Lives Matter demonstrations nationwide – with many rocking their Greek jackets as they took to the streets.

Getty Images
04
C

Crossing Over – A clandestine ceremony where a pledge “crosses over” to become an official member of the sorority or fraternity. The process can take hours, or days, and during the process, pledges learn and participate in the group’s secret rituals. 

Getty Images
05
D

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc— Sisterhood, scholarship and service are the tenets this sorority was founded upon back in 1913, when the group splintered with the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Deltas’ have a rich history of political action – U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Rep. Shirley Chisholm and civil rights leader Amelia Boynton Robinson are some examples. Besides politics, the group leads programs and services based around education, voting rights and health. 

Getty Images
06
E

Elephant — Deltas are known to collect elephants as a tribute to one of their 22 co-founders, Florence Letcher Toms, who collected them.

07
F

Friendship–The friendships made in a sorority or fraternity last a lifetime.  

Getty Images
08
G

Green (and pink!)—Salmon pink and apple green are the signature colors of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

Getty Images
09
H

Hazing–A controversial – and illegal – practice of humiliating or otherwise abusing recruits as part of initiation. Although it’s officially banned, fraternities and sororities both black and white have been cited for the practice. 

Getty Images
10
I

Iota Phi Theta—Boasting the motto: “Building A Tradition, Not Resting Upon One,” Iota Phi Theta is the youngest of the “Divine Nine” organizations, founded in 1963 at Morgan State University during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. The fraternity actively participated in the movement – one of it’s first coordinated actions was a successful picket line of the white-only Northwood Theater across the street from Morgan State. 

Did You Know: T.C. Carson, who played “Kyle” on 90s sitcom Living Single, is one of the fraternity’s roughly 30,000 members. 

Getty Images
11
J

John Singleton—John Singleton, BET founder Robert Johnson and Johnnie Cochran are some of the more than 100,000 members of Kappa Alpha Psi. Founded in 1911 at Indiana University, the organization’s focus today includes health education and mentoring programs for young men. The group’s colors are crimson and cream, and its leaders are referred to as “polemarchs.”

Getty Images
12
K

Kappa Alpha Psi —Established in 1911 at Indiana University, it’s the third oldest fraternity among the Divine Nine. The motto of the organization is decidated to “the principles of achievement through a truly democratic Fraternity.”

 

Getty Images
13
L

Line – a group of prospective recruits who pledge a fraternity or sorority together. 

Getty Images
14
M

Mona Scott Young’s “Sorority Sisters” – a short-lived reality TV show about nine sorors, which caused an uproar among Black Greeks and the Black community because of its negative portrayal of the women and their sororities. Advertisers bailed, and many of the cast members were either expelled or suspended from their sororities. 

Loading the player...
VH1
15
N

Nupe – A nickname for a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.

Getty Images
16
O

Omega Psi Phi— Established in 1911 at Howard University, Omega Psi Phi’s key principles are manhood, scholarship, perseverance and uplift. Well known members include Steve Harvey, Michael Jordan the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., Shaquille O’Neal and Tom Joyner. 

Fun fact: Dr. Charles Drew, whose pioneering blood plasma research paved the way for the blood banks of today, was an Omega man, and wrote the fraternity’s official hymn, “Omega Dear” in the 1940s.

Getty Images
17
P

Phi Beta Sigma— This 102-year old fraternity was founded at Howard University on the tenets of brotherhood, scholarship and service. Since then, it’s members, known as Sigmas, have swelled to more than 100,000, and include Dr. George Washington Carver, Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia). Former President Bill Clinton and actors Blair Underwood and Malik Yoba are all honorary member. The Sigma’s motto is “Culture for service and service for humanity.”

Getty Images
18
Q

Que Hop – Omega Psi Phi’s signature dance move, usually to George Clinton’s “Atomic Dog.” 

Getty Images
19
R

Rituals – each organization has its own unique rituals for crossing over, becoming a member and celebrating new members, which are all kept a secret until the intiation process begins for potential pledges.

Getty Images
20
S

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority— A group of seven teachers founded Sigma Gamma Rho in 1922 at Butler University in Indianapolis – basing the sorority’s values on sisterhood, honesty, respect and accountability. Its mission, in part, is to “enhance the quality of life for women and their families in the U.S. and globally through community service.”

Today, the organization boasts more than 85,000 sorors in seven countries. Celebrity sisters include Kelly Price, MC Lyte, U.S. Rep. Corine Brown (D-Florida). 

Did You Know: “Gone With The Wind” actress Hattie McDaniel was also a member of Sigma Gamma Rho.

AP Photo
21
T

Tattoos – or brands to be more precise – are a longstanding, yet extremely painful tradition among some black Greeks to express devotion to their sorority or fraternity. The technique involves heating a metal brand shaped into Greek letters, and then searing the skin with it. 

Getty Images
22
U

University— the epicenter of all Greek life. 

23
V

Volunteering is a major component of Greek life. 

Getty Images
24
Y

Yellow Tea Rose— The official flower of the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority. 

25
Z

Zeta Phi Beta— Five Howard University coeds started Zeta Phi Beta back in 1920 on the principles of scholarship, service, sisterhood and finer womanhood. 

Today, the more than 125,000 Zeta Phi Beta sorors head up advocacy programs like Z-HOPE, which provides community service and mentoring. Famous sorors include Harlem Renaissance author Zora Neale Hurston, comedian Sheryl Underwood – who also served a stint as president – and singers Syleenah Johnson and Dionne Warwick.

Getty Images

Read More

Lifestyle
Why Anti-Bullying Advocate Logan Browning Initially Didn't W...
News
Derek Chauvin Is Found Guilty Of Murdering George Floyd
Lifestyle
Curves And Confidence: Celebrity Women Serving Body Positivi...
Beauty
Black Girl Nail Technicians Killin’ The Nail Game
Black Celeb Couples
Then and Now: Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict's Love Through The...
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2021 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now