The Divine Nine, a collective unit of historically African American fraternities and sororities, emerged in the early 1900s due to racial prejudice and societal racial discrimination with a goal of providing safe spaces and community for Black students amongst the plight.
The D9 is made up of the following organizations: Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Delta Sigma Theta, Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho and Iota Phi Theta.
The organizations share the common goal of encouraging camaraderie and academic excellence among its members, as well as service to the communities they exist within.
As of today, five out of nine of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) are currently active on the USC campus.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is the first intercollegiate historically African American fraternity. Founded on the campus of Cornell University in 1906, the Alphas’ goal is to “promote brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for the communities they serve”. Notable alumni of the organization include historian W.E.B DuBois and civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.
The Alpha Delta chapter at USC publicly announced their pledge class, colloquially known as a “line” in D9 organizations. The Alphas Akili Nyingi line welcomed 12 new members during their most recent recruitment on March 22nd.
Justin Chan, pursuing a doctorate of occupational therapy at USC, has been a part of Alpha Delta for the majority of his college experience. Much of the appreciation from his fraternity comes from the mentorship and guidance from his brothers which has led to lifelong learning, Chan said.
“I want to be as successful as some of my brothers in Alpha Delta and also just the NPHC as a whole,” Chan said. “It’s really been an enlightening experience for me and I could not have asked for a better experience.”
As Chan nears graduation, he predicted successful futures for his fellow fraternity members.
“They will really come up with great stuff for the campus and their respective communities and for the L.A. community,” Chan said. “They have very different minds in the sense that they have very different backgrounds, so there’s all these different perspectives.”
In the past, the Alphas have provided scholarships, conducted beach cleanups and have recently volunteered to give water bottles to the unhoused in Downtown L.A.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. was founded in 1908 at Howard University. Known as the first Black sorority, their mission statement is to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards; to promote unity and friendship among college women; to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women in order to improve their social stature; to maintain a progressive interest in college life; and to be of service to all mankind.
Vice President Kamala Harris and activist Coretta Scott King are notable members of the sorority.
Civil engineering major Jessica Brown serves as the president of the Iota Beta chapter of USC and has been a member of the sorority since her sophomore year. Brown, who is now a senior preparing for graduation, recounted her time as an AKA and how joining a D9 organization has shaped her college experience.
“I was able to expand my connections across campus with women that are excelling in their fields,” Brown said. “They just helped me grow.”
“We have a special focus on providing and catering events towards the Black community,” Brown explained. “Creating that space for ourselves, but also for the other people that are not members of the D9 organizations, it’s really critical to make it more about campus and making it more inclusive for everyone.”
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc, whose motto is “achievement in every human endeavor”, was founded in 1911 at Indiana University.
Dylan Smith became a member at USC in the spring of 2020 and everybody he pledged with has since graduated. Now, the Beta Omega Chapter which comprises three schools, University of Southern California, Loyola Marymount University and Pepperdine University, has added its latest members from the KLARITY line.
“I have 10 little brothers that I can depend on and count on,” Smith said. “We can check on each other and the yard [campus] will be vastly different.”
Smith said Greek culture has become stigmatized and urged people to inform themselves before making judgements. He encouraged people to “research what NPHC stands for” and be open to learning about D9 organizations.
“It’s very important to have a family here on campus, a home away from home,” Smith said.
Notable Kappas include L.A. native director John Singleton and former Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. which is focused on sisterhood, scholarship and service, was founded in 1913 at Howard University.
Notable Deltas include former United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch and actress Cicely Tyson.
Adenike Makinde is a senior studying real estate development and became a member of the sorority in spring of 2021.
“For Black students to be able to express themselves at a PWI (predominately white institution), they can find and become more in tune with that side of them,” Makinde said. “The Divine Nine represent all facets of our culture and just who we authentically are.”
In being a Delta, Makinde opened her world to thousands of people outside of USC.
When Makinde traveled back home during the pandemic, she realized there are no limits to her sisterhood.
“It’s been nice to go back [home] and see people that I was with in elementary school become Alphas and members of the D9,” Makinde said.
Makinde talked about the pride in going to public places like the airport and seeing other Greek members wearing their letters, as she said it allows them to connect on a deeper level through shared experiences.
“History runs entirely deep into our culture,” Makinde said.
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was founded in 1922 at Butler University. Now celebrating their centennial year, the SGRhos are dedicated to providing greater service, greater progress.
Notable members of the sorority include Olympic swimmer Maritza Correia McClendon and singer Kelly Price.
The last line of SGRhos at USC crossed in the spring of 2018 and now they welcome three new members known as Uzima.
Lika Dozier crossed at the Elite Theta Epsilon chapter in the spring of 1996 and currently serves as the graduate advisor of the chapter.
Dozier highlighted how the SGRhos have had a strong presence on campus, including leadership roles in the Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs (CBCSA) and Black Alumni Association.
“Unbeknownst to them [students], they have been influenced by more SGRhos than they know and I’m super proud of that,” Dozier said.
Her goals for NPHC at USC involve expanding the collectivity of the yard by adding “more Greeks on campus because the larger the numbers, the better the possibility for visibility if we work together.”
Dozier said if students are interested in getting to know more about the Divine Nine organizations at USC, they can follow the organizations on Instagram and attend Black Welcome Week and Meet the Greeks this upcoming fall 2022 semester.
It’s a new day on the yard, and it’s looking bright.
The writer is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.