The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) at Bowling Green State University oversees the Divine Nine. The Divine Nine is another name for the nine historically black fraternities and sororities that are recognized nationwide.
Marissa Bobo, President of the Iota Iota chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Inc. (AKA) at BGSU, explained what the NPHC consists of.
“It’s the Black Greek lettered sororities and fraternities, there are five fraternities and four sororities. But, we don’t have all of those sororities on campus,” she said.
Danielle Cain, President of BGSU’s NPHC, said the council works to bring the organizations together and find common goals.
“As a whole, it’s a council that aims towards being able to promote unity amongst the nine organizations,” she said. “Figuring out our common ground and our common interests, and being able to promote that connection through those interests.”
According to BGSU’s website, these Greek organizations were formed when Black students were denied the same privileges given to other students. Over time, they’ve aimed to provide Black students a safe community.
“We were started when there were not many organizations for Black people. There weren’t really a lot of collegiate organizations for us,” London Kelly, member of the Exceptional Epsilon Omicron chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Inc. at BGSU, said. “These organizations were started to give Black people a space. It gave minorities space to be with people that were similar to them.”
Bobo said the Divine Nine organizations are important to have at predominantly white institutions, or PWIs.
“It’s like a community for Black college individuals that want a community to uplift them, because at a PWI, it’s kind of difficult to fit into certain situations,” she said.
The Divine Nine have different generational traditions that set them apart from other organizations. Kelly explained why these traditions are an important part of their history.
“It’s important that people understand the history behind them because they weren’t just started for no reason. It’s for a reason, and we have different practices than other organizations,” she said. “It’s a history behind stepping and behind strolling, why we put up the signs that we do, the noises we do and the moves we do.”
Strolling and stepping, traditions within Divine Nine organizations, involves signature moves, dances or chants. Cain explained how these traditions have a deeper meaning most are unaware of.
“Once we created those safe spaces, we were able to innovate our organizations and create things like strolling or stepping,” she said. “That’s how we show our brotherhood and sisterhood within our organizations.”
While each fraternity or sorority has their own unique set of values, Kelly said there are common goals all of them work to accomplish.
“All of our organizations hold scholarship, service and brotherhood or sisterhood near to our core,” she said.
“The overarching things I see from all of them is service, scholarship and being better for the community,” Ian Smith, President of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Inc. at BGSU, said. “Everyone wants to hit those few things.”
Kelly explained they also aim to make new Black students feel welcome on campus.
“We strive to make, especially first year students, feel comfortable. So, we hold a lot of events. Every organization has their own individual week throughout the semester as well,” she said.
The Divine Nine organizations serve different purposes, with community service being an important one.
“We try to do as many community service based activities on and off campus, because we think it’s really important to build each other up as well as influencing your community,” Bobo said.
Kelly explained one of the reasons she joined her sorority was due to their work giving back to the community.
“I’m very social action oriented. I love serving my community. Social action is one of our values that is aligned with my personal values,” she said.
Along with community service, Bobo said the organizations focus on ways to strengthen their academics.
“Whether that be scholarships for college students or just hosting study tables, which is something that a lot of us do just to bring awareness in bettering our grade point averages,” she said.
Many students like Bobo join a Divine Nine organization to continue their family’s legacy. Bobo’s mother was also a member of the AKA sorority.
“I kind of grew up seeing my mom do service. She had really high values and morals, and she just carried herself a certain way that I really look up to,” she explained.
Kelly said looking into the different organizations before joining is recommended before making a final decision.
“Research is always the most important thing to do when joining any organization. I had found that Delta Sigma Theta was the one that aligned with my values the most,” she said.
Cain said one thing that sets apart the Divine Nine organizations from others is the commitment after graduating.
“We just try to promote lifelong membership as opposed to other fraternities and sororities that may be just based in undergrad,” she said.
Networking is another aspect of being in a Divine Nine organization that can help students when they graduate.
“Having these connections within these fraternities and sororities, you’d be able to network with one another,” Cain said. “Once you graduate as well, there are different ways that you can engage in mentorship with people in your organization.”
Smith explained the members within the organizations have a bond for life after their time at BGSU.
“Those people turn into friends and they turn into family. They turn into people that you experience great things with,” he said.
Members of Divine Nine organizations are able to learn new skills that can help them in the future.
“Becoming an AKA really pushed me outside of my comfort zone and allowed me to take on challenges that I wouldn’t ever think I would,” Bobo said.
