NPHC @ KU

There were 44 African American students at the University of Kansas in 1909. However, by 1920 there were over 100 African American students enrolled in classes. Despite the fact that more students of color were attending the university, increasing racism and the Jim Crow system of racial separation led to segregation across sports teams and student organizations. Students of color were segregated from white students for housing, dining, swimming, and social events as well as student government, band, glee club, and ROTC, to name a few. Out of the need to create support structures for students of color, several Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs) began to charter chapters of their organizations on campus. Many of these chapters were founded with the support of alumni members from other chapters who had moved to Lawrence, Kansas, and are among the oldest chapters of these BGLOs in the country.

At one time all Divine Nine Organizations were present on The University of Kansas’s campus:

  • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. -Delta Chapter: February 15, 1915

  • Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. -Upsilon Chapter: December 21, 1917

  • Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. -Mu Chapter: March 27, 1920

  • Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. - Psi Chapter: June 5, 1925

  • Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. -Rho Eta Chapter: April 29, 1976

  • Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. - Eta Iota Chapter: October 9, 1976

  • Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. - Omega Theta Chapter: March 27, 1979

  • Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. - Zeta Omicron Chapter: October 20, 1979

  • Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. - University of Kansas Colony: May 13, 1997

**Please check out our chapters section to see which organizations are currently active