National Pan-Hellenic Council

Walter M. Kimbrough

Beginning with the formation of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at Cornell University in 1906 and during the next two decades, African American students sought to find ways to make meaning of their college experiences outside of the classroom. For those attending predominantly White universities, fraternities and sororities provided a means for them to create a comfortable space in an often hostile environment. For students at Howard University, the historically Black institution where five of these groups were formed during this time, the fraternities offered an opportunity for students to play a role in the creation of extracurricular student life. For women at both Black and White institutions, sororities offered a haven in an overwhelmingly male environment. The National Pan-Hellenic Council is an organization of African American fraternities and sororities that promotes an exchange of information and cooperative programming and initiatives among these groups. This entry describes how the council was ...

Users without subscription are not able to see the full content on this title. Please, subscribe or login to access all content on this website.