National Pan-Hellenic Council

Not to be confused with National Panhellenic Conference.

National Pan-Hellenic Council
NPHC
Data
Established	1930
Members	9
Continent	North America
Country	United States
Organization type	Social

The National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. (NPHC) is an umbrella organization for nine historically black, international Greek lettered fraternities and sororities. Each of the nine NPHC organizations evolved during a period when African-Americans were being denied essential rights and privileges afforded other college students.

NPHC was formed as a permanent organization on May 10, 1930 on the campus of Howard University, in Washington, D.C. NPHC was incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois in 1937. Omega Psi Phi, Kappa Alpha Psi, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, and Zeta Phi Beta were the 5 founding members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) in 1930. The council's membership expanded as Alpha Phi Alpha (1931), Phi Beta Sigma (1931), Sigma Gamma Rho (1937), and Iota Phi Theta (1997) joined the NPHC.

The council promotes interaction through forums, meetings and other mediums for the exchange of information and engages in cooperative programming and initiatives through various activities and functions.

The organization's stated purpose and mission in 1930:

Unanimity of thought and action as far as possible in the conduct of Greek letter collegiate fraternities and sororities, and to consider problems of mutual interest to its member organizations.

Today, the primary purpose and focus of member organizations remains community awareness and action through educational, economic, and cultural service activities. The individual member is also expected to align with a graduate/alumni chapter, following graduation from college to perpetuate the purpose of the council.

History

The NPHC was established in an age when racial segregation and disenfranchisement plagued African Americans, the rise of each of the black fraternities and sororities that make up the NPHC bore witness to the fact that despite hardships African Americans refused to assent to a status of inferiority. [1]

Five of the Council's nine member organizations were founded at Howard University beginning in 1908, after Alpha Phi Alpha established its second chapter, Beta, in 1907 at Howard.

In 1987, the first permanent national office for NPHC was established in Bloomington, Indiana on the campus of Indiana University through the joint cooperation of Indiana University and the National Board of Directors of NPHC.

Notable programs

The NPHC collectively sponsors programs at the national level and asks that each chapter implement some or all of these initiatives in their local area. The Pan-Hellenic campaign enlists "Greeks" from all over the world to help construct the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial, to enlighten the world of their support, remembering the Man, the Movement, and the Message! [2]

Social initiatives

1. All National "Thrusts" of the Affiliates
2. National Bone Marrow Foundation
3. Get Out the Vote Campaign
4. National Seat Belt Campaign
5. National African American Tobacco Education Network
6. Race for the Cure of Breast Cancer
7. Prostate Cancer Awareness Program

The member organizations spearhead their own national programs as part of their social and service programs. Some notable programs include:

• Alpha Kappa Alpha's "The Ivy Reading AKAdemy," is a reading initiative which focuses on early learning and mastery of basic reading skills by the end of third grade.
• Alpha Phi Alpha sponsors Project Alpha in conjunction with March of Dimes. Other programs of the fraternity are Go To High School, Go To College and Voteless People Is a Hopeless People. The fraternity jointly leads programming initiatives with Head Start, Boy Scouts of America and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
• Delta Sigma Theta's major programs are based upon the organization's Five-Point Programmatic Thrusts: Economic Development, Educational Development, International Awareness and Involvement, Physical and Mental Health, and Political Awareness and Involvement.
• Iota Phi Theta's The National Iota Foundation is utilized to obtain funding for chartiable causes and philanthropic programming.
• Kappa Alpha Psi established the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation as the philanthropic arm of the fraternity to assist both alumni and undergraduate chapters support of scholarships, after-school programs, and national projects such as Habitat for Humanity.
• Omega Psi Phi made National Negro Achievement Week an annual observance in 1927, and it continues today as Achievement Week. The fraternity gives an annual gift of $50,000 to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).
• Phi Beta Sigma's Phi Beta Sigma Educational Foundation, and Phi Beta Sigma Housing Foundation are two of its national programs. In addition, Project S.A.T.A.P.P., assist men in helping them to become strong fathers. Lastly, Phi Beta Sigma is the first NPHC organization to provide a federal credit union (Omega Psi Phi is the second), in which, membership is exclusive to members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
• Sigma Gamma Rho's Public service, leadership development, and education of youth are the hallmark of the organization's programs and activities which include Project Reassurance and Operation Big Bookbag.
• Zeta Phi Beta's Stork's Nest Program encourages women to seek prenatal care and healthy behaviors within the first trimester of pregnancy in an effort to increase the prevention of birth defects and infant mortality..

Members

The members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council are shown below in alphabetical order .  :

Member	Founded	Headquarters	Chapters	NPHC
Alpha Kappa Alpha	(1908-01-15) January 15, 1908 Howard University	Chicago, Illinois	900+	1930
Alpha Phi Alpha	(1906-12-04) December 4, 1906 Cornell University	Baltimore, Maryland	700+	1931
Delta Sigma Theta	(1913-01-13) January 13, 1913 Howard University	Washington, D.C.	950+	1930
Iota Phi Theta	(1963-09-13) September 13, 1963 Morgan State University	Baltimore, Maryland	200+	1997
Kappa Alpha Psi	(1911-01-15) January 15, 1911 Indiana University as Kappa Alpha Nu	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	600+	1930
Omega Psi Phi	(1911-11-17) November 17, 1911 Howard University	Decatur, Georgia	800+	1930
Phi Beta Sigma	(1914-01-09) January 9, 1914 Howard University	Washington, D.C.	850+	1931
Sigma Gamma Rho	(1922-11-12) November 12, 1922 Butler University	Cary, North Carolina	500+	1937
Zeta Phi Beta	(1920-01-16) January 16, 1920 Howard University	Washington, D.C.	800+	1930

Crests/Shields and mottos

• Alpha Phi Alpha First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All
  Alpha Phi Alpha
  First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Service to All Mankind
  Alpha Kappa Alpha
  Service to All Mankind
• Delta Sigma Theta Intelligence is the Torch of Wisdom
  Delta Sigma Theta
  Intelligence is the Torch of Wisdom
• Iota Phi Theta Building A Tradition, Not Resting Upon One!
  Iota Phi Theta
  Building A Tradition,
  Not Resting Upon One!
• Kappa Alpha Psi Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor
  Kappa Alpha Psi
  Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor
• Omega Psi Phi Friendship is Essential to the Soul
  Omega Psi Phi
  Friendship is Essential to the Soul
• Phi Beta Sigma Culture For Service and Service For Humanity
  Phi Beta Sigma
  Culture For Service and Service For Humanity
• Sigma Gamma Rho Greater Service, Greater Progress
  Sigma Gamma Rho
  Greater Service,
  Greater Progress
• Zeta Phi Beta A Community-Conscious, Action-Oriented Organization
  Zeta Phi Beta
  A Community-Conscious, Action-Oriented Organization

See also

• National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations
• National Multicultural Greek Council
• National Panhellenic Conference
• North-American Interfraternity Conference
• United Council of Christian Fraternities and Sororities
• Concilio Interfraternitario Puertorriqueño de la Florida

External links

• National Pan-Hellenic Council website
• NPHC—Greeks asking Greeks
• Greekopedia article about NPHC Organizations