National Pan-Hellenic Council
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National Pan-Hellenic Council
Data
Established	1930
Members	9
Continent	North America
Country	United States
Headquarters	Decatur, Georgia
Organization type	Coalition of members

The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is a collaborative organization of nine historically African American, international Greek lettered fraternities and sororities. The nine NPHC organizations are sometimes collectively referred to as the "Divine Nine." The member/partner organizations have not formally adopted nor recommended the use of this term to describe their collaborative grouping. The NPHC was formed as a permanent organization on May 10, 1930 on the campus of Howard University, in Washington, D.C. NPHC was incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois in 1937.

The council 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.

Each constituent member organization determines its own strategic direction and program agenda. Today, the primary purpose and focus of member organizations remains camaraderie and academic excellence for its members and service to the communities they serve. Each promotes community awareness and action through educational, economic, and cultural service activities.

History

The National Pan-Hellenic Council was established in an age when racial segregation and disenfranchisement plagued African Americans, the rise of each of the black fraternities and sororities that make up the NPHC bore witness to the fact that despite hardships African Americans refused to assend to a status of inferiority.^[1]

The organization's stated purpose and mission in 1930:

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.^[2]

The founding members of the NPHC were Omega Psi Phi, Kappa Alpha Psi, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, and Zeta Phi Beta. The council's membership expanded as Alpha Phi Alpha (1931), Phi Beta Sigma (1931), Sigma Gamma Rho (1937), and Iota Phi Theta (1996) joined this coalition of Black Greek letter organizations (BGLOs). In his book on BGLOs, Lawrence Ross coined the phrase "The Divine Nine" when referring to the coaltion.^[3]

In 1992, the first permanent national office for NPHC was established in Bloomington, Indiana on the campus of Indiana University through the joint cooperation of Indiana University and the National Board of Directors of NPHC.^[2]

Notable programs

NPHC chapter in the Bahamas

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Social initiatives

Each partner/member organization has adopted and executes their own bevy of unique and signature programs. From time to time they unanimously collaborate on special programs and projects when adopted and directed by the Council of Presidents (COP) where the need is apparent, compelling and urgent. The COP is comprised of the chief nationally elected officer of each partner/member organization. The COP is the controlling authority for all matters related to cooperative activities between the nine partner/member organizations.

While the member organizations spearhead their own national programs as part of their social and service programs. The Pan-Hellenic campaign enlists "Greeks" from all over the world to help construct the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial.^[4]

• Alpha Kappa Alpha's "The Ivy Reading AKAdemy" is a reading initiative which focuses on early learning and mastery of basic reading skills by the end of third grade.^[5]
• Alpha Phi Alpha sponsors Project Alpha in conjunction with March of Dimes. Other programs of the fraternity are Go To High School, Go To College and Voteless People Is a Hopeless People. The fraternity jointly leads programming initiatives with Head Start, Boy Scouts of America and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.^[6]
• Delta Sigma Theta's major programs are based upon the organization's Five-Point Programmatic Thrusts: Economic Development, Educational Development, International Awareness and Involvement, Physical and Mental Health, and Political Awareness and Involvement.^[7]
• Iota Phi Theta's The National Iota Foundation is utilized to obtain funding for chartiable causes and philanthropic programming such as the annual IOTA Black College Tour conducted each Spring to introduce graduating High School Seniors to Historically black colleges and universities.^[8]
• Kappa Alpha Psi established the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation as the philanthropic arm of the fraternity to assist both alumni and undergraduate chapters support of scholarships, after-school programs, and national projects such as Habitat for Humanity.^[9]
• Omega Psi Phi made National Negro Achievement Week an annual observance in 1927, and it continues today as Achievement Week. The fraternity gives an annual gift of $50,000 to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).^[10]
• Phi Beta Sigma's Phi Beta Sigma Educational Foundation, and Phi Beta Sigma Housing Foundation are two of its national programs. In addition, Project S.A.T.A.P.P., assist men in helping them to become strong fathers.
• Sigma Gamma Rho's Public service, leadership development, and education of youth are the hallmark of the organization's programs and activities which include Project Reassurance and Operation Big Bookbag.^[11]
• Zeta Phi Beta's Stork's Nest Program encourages women to seek prenatal care and healthy behaviors within the first trimester of pregnancy in an effort to increase the prevention of birth defects and infant mortality.^[12]

Members

The members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council are shown below in alphabetical order.^[2] :

See also

African American portal

• National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations
• National Multicultural Greek Council
• National Panhellenic Conference
• North-American Interfraternity Conference
• United Council of Christian Fraternities and Sororities
• Concilio Interfraternitario Puertorriqueño de la Florida

Citations

1. ^ "Celebrating Community: A Tribute to Black Fraternal, Social and Civic Institutions". Houston Public Library. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
2. ^ ^{a b c} "About the National Pan-Hellenic Council". nphchq.org. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
3. ^ *Ross, Jr, Lawrence (2001). The Divine Nine: The History of African-American Fraternities and Sororities in America. New York: Kensington, pp. 37-38. ISBN 075820325X. 
4. ^ "Greeks Asking Greeks". Kintera. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
5. ^ "National Programs" (PDF). Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
6. ^ "Projects and Programs". Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
7. ^ "Delta Programs". Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
8. ^ "Service Initiatives". Iota Phi Theta Fraternity. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
9. ^ "The Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation". Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
10. ^ "International Mandated Programs". Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
11. ^ "National Programs". Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
12. ^ "Signature Programs–Stork's Nest". Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.

Further Reading

• Brown, Tamara L., Gregory S. Parks, and Clarenda M. Phillips. (2005). African American Fraternities and Sororities: The Legacy and the Vision. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0-8131-2344-8
• Hughey, Matthew W. and Gregory S. Parks (14 June 2007). “Broken Bonds: Are Black Greek Organizations Making Themselves Irrelevant?” Diverse Issues in Higher Education. 24(9): 21.
• Hughey, Matthew W. and Gregory S. Parks. (9 March 2007). “A Bleak Future for Black Greeks.” The Black College Wire.
• Hughey, Matthew W. and Gregory S. Parks. (Spring 2008). “The Education of the Black Fraternity and Sorority Advisor, Ten Critiques.” Perspectives: 22-25.
• Hughey, Matthew W. and Gregory S. Parks. (October 2007). “Measuring Up: Twelve Steps Closer to a Solution on BGLO Hazing.” Essentials: A Publication for Members of the Association of Fraternity Advisors.
• Hughey, Matthew W. (forthcoming 2008).“Brotherhood or Brothers in the ‘Hood? Debunking the ‘Educated Gang’ Thesis as Black Fraternity and Sorority Slander.” Race, Ethnicity, and Education, 11(4).
• Parks, Gregory Scott. 2008. Black Greek-Letter Organizations in the 21st Century: Our Fight Has Just Begun. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0-8131-2491-9
• Skocpol, Theda, Ariane Liazos, and Marshall Ganz. (2006). . What A Mighty Power We Can Be: African American Fraternal Groups and the Struggle for Racial Equality . Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-12299-1.