National Background Information

The National Pan-Hellenic Council was established in 1930 at Howard University as a national coordinating body for the eight historically African American Fraternities and Sororities which had evolved on American college and university campuses by that time. Blatant racism had prevented many African American students on historically white campuses from joining general fraternities and sororities. African Americans were denied admittance to large numbers of campuses which still prohibited blacks from attending. Therefore, African American students on both types of campuses established fraternities and sororities to enhance their college experiences. These organizations did not then nor do they now restrict membership to only African Americans. They have developed, however, a distinctive African American style in their activities both social and philanthropic.