Onward & Upward

For over one hundred years the 9 historically black fraternities and sororities of the National Pan-Hellenic Council have worked tirelessly to improve the lot of African-Americans, striving for equality, education, and full participation in American life. Those organizations include Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Omega Psi Phi, Delta Sigma Theta, Kappa Alpha Psi, Sigma Gamma Rho, Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta, and Iota Phi Theta; together, these organizations have helped mold some of the most relevant and dynamic African-American leaders of our times. W.E.B. Dubois, Coretta Scott King, Jesse Jackson, Thurgood Marshall, Shirley Chisholm, Stokely Carmichael, John Lewis, Ralph David Abernathy, Rosa Parks, Andrew Young, and Martin Luther King, Jr. are among the countless men and women who crossed the burning sands. They pledged to uphold the light of excellence and serve the community through their respective fraternities and sororities. The history of these women and men is the history of America, and their place in leading African-American progress is unparalleled. This is the story of the divine 9's leadership and service.