The scene seems very familiar: females gyrating to loud music that vibrates the houses on Rugby Road while guys ogle them. The only real difference between this and any of the other dozens of parties on Grounds is that the majority of the participants are black.
Although the party is sponsored by a fraternity, it is not one you will find in a big house on Rugby Road. Rather, the sponsor is a "black" fraternity and a member of the Black Fraternal Council. In a time when the University is stressing the unity of all people, students and administrators are revisiting the question of why there is a need for separate "black" organizations. What is so different about the fraternities and sororities in the BFC that separates them from other Greek organizations?
Fraternity members say the answer goes far beyond race and begins with differences in purpose, commitments and cultures. For example, unlike fraternities and sororities in the Inter-Fraternity Council or the Inter-Sorority Council, the BFC organizations consider themselves more service-oriented, rather than socially oriented. Even the parties sponsored by BFC-affiliated groups tend to serve more as fund-raising events than social events, and alcohol is rarely present.
Historically the primary mission of these fraternities and sororities has been to uplift the community, especially the black community, BFC Co-Chairman Kevin Stokes said.
Generally, black students are more likely to join in these efforts, but none of the organizations within the BFC are limited strictly to black students. In recent years, some of these organizations at the University have had non-black members, and other chapters across the nation now include non-black members.
The historical context under which these organizations came into existence also points to why they are treated differently than IFC/ISC organizations. Many were formed during the early 1900s when black students were not accepted at white institutions or in white organizations. The need for strong support within black communities was very real and these fraternities and sororities were formed at colleges and universities to meet that goal.
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Many blacks also choose to join historically black fraternities and sororities, because there are generational connections, such as when a parent or family member is also tied to the same organization.
There also tends to be a deeper lifelong commitment and active role in historically black fraternities and sororities, said Aaron Laushway, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. Many people do not join until graduate school or even until they are adults. Adult members often continue to sponsor scholarships and organize community services.
Despite the service record of these fraternities and sororities, they tend to be less visible on Grounds than the IFC and ISC organizations. Their membership numbers are much smaller than those of IFC and ISC organizations. Only seven organizations comprise the Black Fraternal Council, compared to 48 in the IFC and ISC. Also, the individual chapters are much smaller, ranging in membership from two to seven students, compared to 40 students in an average IFC sponsored fraternity, and about 90 in an average sorority.
The IFC/ISC sponsored fraternities and sororities gain additional visibility because they have chapter houses around Grounds. As of yet, no BFC organizations have chapter houses in Charlottesville.
"IFC houses have been established for so long and have member dues to help support them," Laushway said. Because BFC organizations are newer and smaller than IFC/ISC organizations and have a smaller base of alumni support, they have not been able to acquire houses.
Also, unlike other fraternities and sororities, BFC organizations do not have a rush process to recruit students. Instead, prospective members learn about organizations through a series of interest meetings sponsored by individual fraternities and sororities and the BFC.
Like other organizations, the BFC fraternities and sororities are selective. They look for the students who will best represent the chapters' ideals, which means they do not necessarily solely recruit black students. Most have a very specific image they want to uphold. This image drew many current members to their respective organizations. The sisterhood, service commitment, and uplifting done by the women of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Inc. impressed Michelle Jones, a member of the organization.
However, this comes across as "elitist" to some students and discourages interest. "Some members come across as if they're above me, like being in [BFC organizations] makes them better than other black students," second-year College student Michael Townes said.
But other students believe BFC fraternities and sororities provide lifelong support and friendship.
"I would think of joining a sorority because I believe that the concept of sisterhood and having a core group that supports and uplifts you is a good one," first-year College student Erva Cockfield said.
Although fraternity and sorority members in the BFC said they feel that their purposes are not met by the doctrines of the IFC and the ISC, they have not severed themselves completely from those organizations. The councils, along with the Multi-Cultural Greek Council, which serves Greek letter organizations that do fit in the IFC, the ISC, or the BFC, have joined forces on many occasions to reinforce their common goals, Stokes said. For instance, in light of the national tragedy Sept. 11, all four councils came together for the "White Ribbon Campaign" in support of the victims of the terrorist attacks. Another joint project was building a house with Habitat for Humanity, which facilitates the construction of housing for low-income families. Also in the works is an Executive Greek Council, which will be comprised of the heads of all four individual councils and will focus on better relations between all Greek-letter affiliated organizations.
Now celebrating its 10th year on Grounds, the BFC is looking forward to promoting its mission statement of unity and the coordination of activities of intercollegiate, historically black fraternities and sororities.
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