The Black Greek Life in College

The smell of carnival foods, music blasting through the tall speakers, and the crowd going wild is the first thing one hears as one enters the stadium. Shortly, one hears the sounds of clapping, stomping, and yelling as the Greek organizations compete for the grand prize, title of recognition, and bragging rights. People are dancing and supporting their favorite groups as they perform the routines the groups have been practicing for days. The final group performs and walks off stage drained with all the energy they put into the performance. Everyone crosses their fingers hoping their Greek organization won. Different colors, like salmon pink and apple green, surrounds the stadium representing the different groups. The MC (Mic Controller) comes out and tantalized everyone with the final results. Once the results were called out, screams and bantering erupts from the crowd as the crowd is signaled to leave. Everyone leaves and hangs out with friends and their favorite Greek organization. As one sits in the stand, one thinks why they are entertained by such activities. Many overlook the important purposes of joining a sorority. History can only tell why sororities were created and where they originated.

Before the eighteenth century, one would not even know what a sorority was; let alone what a sorority meant to the community. Today, everyone is familiar what sorority mean and what they accomplish for the community. The American Heritage Student Dictionary’s definition of sorority is “a chiefly social organization of women students at a college or university; an association of women” (882). The dictionary’s definition gives the impression of a general sorority. Lawrence Ross defines sorority as more than the wearing of letters, or...

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...eek words that formed the motto of the sorority, “by culture and by merit” (Brown 184).

Works Cited

Barker, Cyril J. "Who Are the Black Greeks and Why?" New York Amsterdam News. 18 Feb 2010- 24 Feb 2010: 17+. Print.

Brown, Tamara L., Gregory Parks, and Clarenda M. Phillips. African American Fraternities and Sororities: The Legacy and the Vision. Lexington: University of Kentucky, 2005. Print.

Fine, Elizabeth C. Soulstepping: African American Step Shows. University of Illinois: Urbana, 2003. Print.

Kimbrough, Walter M. Black Greek 101: The Culture, Customs, and Challenges of Black Fraternities and Sororities. Cranbury: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2003. Print.

Ross, Lawrence C. The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities. New York: Dafina, 2001. Print.

"Sorority." The American Heritage Student Dictionary. 2003. Print.