Embracing a rich tradition — space and recognition for the NPHC’s Divine Nine

BOONE, N.C. — Centrally located next to the Veterans Memorial garden and near the B.B. Dougherty Administration Building, a grassy swath in front of I.G. Greer Hall is shaded in summer and protected in winter months by a cropping of hardwoods. The area is slated to become a formal gathering space for the historically black Greek-letter organizations that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), often collectively called the Divine Nine.

Across the United States, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have developed a tradition of providing a gathering space for the Divine Nine. For well over 50 years, it has been an established HBCU tradition to provide these plots as a visible way to commemorate legacies of the Divine Nine on college campuses.

Appalachian’s students have been advocating for such a space for close to 10 years. According to Appalachian’s Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Willie C. Fleming, “When Chancellor Everts arrived on campus, students, faculty and staff brought the idea to her attention and she was immediately supportive of the project.” Students and staff presented their findings, along with a conceptual design, to Appalachian’s Board of Trustees, Fleming said. With the board’s endorsement, the space was dedicated over the 2017 Homecoming weekend. “This has been a long time coming,” Chancellor Everts said. “And it is time.”

In her speech at the dedication, Jaelyn Felder, president of both the National Pan-Hellenic Council and Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society at Appalachian, said the plots will give the NPHC greater visibility on a predominately white campus. As an important diversity recruiting tool, she said one goal would be to fully educate the Appalachian Ambassadors, students who direct campus tours for potential students and their families, about the NPHC and the Plots and Gardens project.

“The plots will also be NPHC’s ceremony space as well as our community hang out,” Felder said. “We will use the space during the organization’s Founder’s Day, new member presentation shows and for our special events.”

At the dedication, Felder reminded the crowd that student, faculty, staff and alumni NPHC members have held influential positions throughout Appalachian’s history. “There are NPHC members that stand as some of the greatest leadership on this campus,” she said. “This greatness should be appreciated, and these plots, this land that you are all standing on, will do that.”

The following fraternities and sororities make up the NPHC, often collectively called the Divine Nine. Seven of the nine NPHC organizations, indicated by asterisks, have chapters on Appalachian’s campus.

• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, founded 1906 at Cornell University *
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, founded 1908 at Howard University *
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, founded 1911 at Indiana University *
• Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, founded 1911 at Howard University *
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, founded 1913 at Howard University *
• Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, founded 1914 at Howard University *
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, founded 1920 at Howard University *
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, founded 1922 at Butler University
• Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, founded 1963 at Morgan State University

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Dec. 21, 2017

Dr. Willie C. Fleming ’80 ’84, Chief Diversity Officer and Member, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Pi Nu Chapter:

“Across the United States, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have developed a tradition of providing a gathering space for the historically black Greek-letter organizations that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), often collectively called the Divine Nine. For well over 50 years, it has been an established tradition for institutions to provide these plots as a visible way to commemorate legacies of the Divine Nine on their campuses.

“I am pleased to share with you that Appalachian will soon honor its rich cultural heritage through this tradition.”

Read Dr. Fleming's letter

About Appalachian State University

As the premier, public undergraduate institution in the state of North Carolina, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls more than 19,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.

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