FORT PIERCE, Fla. — In celebration of Black History Month, Indian River State College (IRSC) is presenting ‘The Divine Nine’—a salute to the nine original U.S. Black sororities and fraternities.
The program will take place Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. on the McAlpin Fine Arts Center on the IRSC Massey Campus in Fort Pierce.
The event will include commentary and perspective on the history and contributions of these sororities and fraternities, with musical selections performed by students from Lincoln Park Academy, Fort Pierce Central High School, Port St. Lucie High School and Fort Pierce Westwood Academy.
“America’s Black fraternities and sororities are a vital part of African American history,” said Adriene Jefferson, IRSC Dean of Northwest Center, Equity Officer/Title IX Coordinator. “These nine organizations continue to play an integral role in the advancement of African-Americans, and we invite the community to celebrate with us as we shine a light on their countless contributions.”
‘The Divine Nine’ were established at the start of the 20th century and shared a common goal: to educate and uplift the Black community from racial inequities.
Members of these sororities and fraternities were also heavily involved in social justice movements such as the Women’s Suffrage, Civil Rights Movement and Black Lives Matter.
These organizations have made significant strides to help unite Black communities across the nation and continue to serve various social causes collectively.
Also known collectively as the National Pan-Hellenic Council, ‘The Divine Nine’ is comprised of:
- Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Founded 1906, Cornell University
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Founded 1908, Howard University
- Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Founded 1911, Indiana University
- Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Founded 1911, Howard University
- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Founded 1913, Howard University
- Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Founded 1914, Howard University
- Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Founded 1920, Howard University
- Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Founded 1922, Butler University
- Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Founded 1963, Morgan State University
In 1965, with the advent of integration, Indian River Junior College and Lincoln Junior College merged, creating one college to serve students in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie Counties.
As the college continues to grow in scope and role, the board of Trustees felt a name representative of the college’s comprehensive service was appropriate and, in 1970, changed its name to Indian River Community College.
The college is now named Indian River State College as it reflects the wide variety of Bachelor’s Degree programs offered.
The free event is open to the public and takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 6 p.m. in the McAlpin Fine Arts Center (Building T).
It’s located on the IRSC Massey Campus at 3209 Virginia Avenue in Fort Pierce.
For more information about the event, visit irsc.edu, email info@irsc.edu, or contact the IRSC Student Communications Center at 1-866-792-4772.