How Did The Actions And Attitudes Of Black Collegiate Fraternities And Sororities

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In what ways did the actions and attitudes of Black collegiate fraternities and sororities in the early and mid-twentieth century contribute to the atmosphere that resulted in the Civil Rights Movement (1954 - 1963)?

Christina Onuoha
S. Lukiri
January 2015

Word Count: Plan of the investigation
While the civil rights movement did not begin until 1954, Black fraternities and sororities have existed on American college campuses since the early twentieth century. During much of the twentieth century, and to some degree, the twenty-first century, these organizations have had significant influence on the political and social atmosphere of the Black community. This investigation will address the question “In what ways did Black collegiate …show more content…

The National Pan-Hellenic Council was created in 1930.
The BGLOs that are members of the NPHC were formed within a relatively short amount of time (over half a century).
Many civil rights leaders were members of BGLOs.
Social movement theory and the Civil Rights Movement
Some sociologists believe that the establishment of Black fraternities and sororities is a social movement in itself and describe the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Greek-letter organization (BGLO) movement as “tributaries from the same stream.”
Several sociologists also believe that the BGLOs provided a “frame extension” for the Civil Rights Movement.

Evaluation of Sources
E. Franklin Frazier, Black …show more content…

However, it is debatable whether the presence of Black fraternities and sororities contributed to the atmosphere leading up to the Civil Rights movement. These fraternities and sororities provided a positive, encouraging atmosphere that helped them fulfill their purpose, and this may have been perpetuated in the atmosphere of the Civil Rights movement. These organizations also allowed for the development of leadership skills among its members, several of which became critical contributors to the Civil Rights movement. However, the veneration of professionalization among the black bourgeoisie (and consequently, Black Greek-letter organizations) may have been more of a hindrance than a catalyst to the development of the Civil Rights

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