The Enduring Legacy of Fraternities and Sororities: A History of Brotherhood, Sisterhood, and Evolving Traditions

A fraternity, derived from the Latin "frater" meaning brother, is a fraternal organization that brings individuals together for a variety of religious or secular purposes. While traditionally associated with men, fraternities can also include women. These organizations, societies, clubs, or fraternal orders foster companionship and brotherhood/sisterhood, often dedicated to religious, intellectual, academic, physical, or social pursuits.

Origins and Evolution

The roots of the Western concept of fraternities lie in the Christian context, particularly within the religious orders of the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages. This concept later expanded to include medieval confraternities and guilds. The background of the modern world of fraternities can be traced back to the confraternities in the Middle Ages, which were formed as lay organizations affiliated with the Catholic Church. Some were groups of men and women who were endeavoring to ally themselves more closely with the prayer and activity of the church; others were groups of tradesmen, which are more commonly referred to as guilds. These later confraternities evolved into purely secular fraternal societies, while the ones with religious goals continue to be the format of the modern Third Orders affiliated with the mendicant orders.

In England, the development of fraternities may have originated with guilds that served as precursors to trade unions and friendly societies. These guilds provided insurance for their members during a time when there was no welfare state, trade unions, or universal health care. In London and other major cities, some Guilds (like the Freemasons and the Odd Fellows) survived by adapting their roles to a social support function. Eventually, these groups evolved in the early 18th century into more philosophical organizations focused on brotherly love and ethical living, with some elements inspired by organizations such as chivalric orders. Among guilds that became prosperous are the Freemasons, Odd Fellows and Foresters.

Fraternities in the United States: A Dynamic History

The development of modern fraternal orders was especially dynamic in the United States, where the freedom to associate outside governmental regulation is expressly sanctioned in law. There have been hundreds of fraternal organizations in the United States, and at the beginning of the 20th century the number of memberships equaled the number of adult males. This led to the period being referred to as "the Golden age of fraternalism." Throughout the latter part of the 19th century and into the 20th century, many American fraternal orders such as the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Loyal Order of Moose, and Fraternal Order of Eagles implemented practices and rituals inspired from orders such as the Freemasons and Odd Fellows. These organisations were segregated and Black organisations were founded that were based on the white ones such as Prince Hall Freemasonry, Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America, Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World, as well as original fraternal organisations such as the Independent Order of St.

In the United States, fraternities in colleges date to the 1770s but did not fully assume an established pattern until the 1820s. The oldest active social American college fraternity is the Kappa Alpha Society founded in 1825 at Union College. Sigma Phi Society (1827) and Delta Phi Fraternity (1827) were founded at the same school and comprise the Union Triad. Expansion to other schools by way of approved chapters operating under a charter or warrant has been the model whereby US fraternities have grown nationally and into Canada. This resulted in the formation of national structures of governance where previously each nascent fraternity had been under the control of its first, often "Alpha" chapter.

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US fraternities formed in roughly three waves. The "old-line" fraternities are considered those that formed prior to, and during the American Civil War, all of which were Eastern or Southern. The next wave coincided with the period immediately after the Civil War until 1920, organizations normally modeled after the old-line fraternities. After WWII, the most recent wave of formation has largely been on ethnic or multi-cultural lines, which continues today. Prior to the formation of the NIC, NPC and other associations, whole chapters or schismatic groups of members would occasionally break away to form new fraternities as an offshoot of a former national.

Purpose and Attributes

Fraternities can be organized for many purposes, including university education, work skills, ethics, ethnicity, religion, politics, charity, chivalry, other standards of personal conduct, asceticism, service, performing arts, family command of territory, and even crime. There is almost always an explicit goal of mutual support, and while there have been fraternal orders for the well-off there have also been many fraternities for those in the lower ranks of society, especially for national or religious minorities. The ability to organize freely, apart from the institutions of government and religion, was a fundamental part of the establishment of the modern world.

The Rise of Sororities

Like many things in life, Greek Life wouldn’t be what it is today without the women who are a part of it. In 1851 at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia, the first secret society for women was founded. Called The Adelphean Society, it promoted the “the mental, moral, social, and domestic improvement of its members.” Wesleyan College gained another women’s society the following year in 1852, known as The Philomathean Society. This is where “the firsts” get a little tricky, both of these societies did not become Greek-letter organizations until the 1900s when they became Alpha Delta Pi and Phi Mu respectively. The first Greek-letter fraternity for women was Kappa Alpha Theta, founded at DePauw University in 1870, whereas the first Greek-letter organization to call themselves a sorority was Gamma Phi Beta. Founded at Syracuse University in 1874, Gamma Phi Beta had their own term coined for them by Dr.

Fraternity Life: Activities and Expectations

Fraternities and sororities engage in activities which include academic, professional, and personal development, philanthropies to raise money for nonprofit organizations, community service, and social development. Fraternities and sororities are values-based meaning their origination or purpose for existing is grounded in its founding values. These values are espoused throughout an organization’s programs and initiatives. Upon initiation into a fraternity or sorority, you become a member for life. The intent with lifetime membership is to emphasis the importance of joining something bigger than yourself while also enjoying the privileges afforded by such organizations.

Like most other worthwhile extracurricular activities, how much you get out of your Greek membership is related to how much you put into it. The time commitments vary from chapter to chapter. New members attend a variety of activities to meet other chapter members, learn about the organization’s history and values and develop leadership skills. Each chapter has a weekly chapter meeting, fundraising events, community service projects, educational programs and other events that members are expected to attend. These events are planned in advance to allow members time for studying, involvement in other organizations, work, and other activities. Time spent at chapter events ensures you are getting the most out of the organization.

One of the tremendous assets of affiliation with a Greek letter organization is the nationwide network of alumni members of the organization. As you prepare to enter the career world, alumni members can assist in job placement through their knowledge of where jobs are and who is hiring.

Financial Aspects

Fraternities and sororities are families, communities, but they are also legal corporations. Officers within each chapter are elected to manage the day-to-day operations of the organization. These officers are assisted by members serving on committees and by alumni who act as advisors. Each chapter is self-supported through dues paid by all members. The cost of living in a fraternity house tends to be more cost-efficient compared to living in a residence hall.

Financial obligations vary by chapter, although annual expenses in the first year of membership average approximately $900 for sororities and $800 for fraternities. Financial obligations after the first year of membership decrease and average around $500 for sororities and $475 for fraternities. Note: Financial statistics are for Interfraternity Council (IFC) fraternities and Panhellenic Association (PHA) sororities. National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) fraternities and sororities are not included in the figures above.

Rituals and Traditions

Rituals vs. Initiation into a fraternity or sorority is an exciting, yet serious, ceremony that conveys the purposes and special values of the respective fraternity or sorority. These ceremonies often are referred to as rituals. These rituals are full of the traditions and values that make the chapters unique. The rituals of Greek organizations have nothing to do with hazing; they are not scary, shameful or degrading. Most fraternities and sororities are secret societies. After an initiation ritual, the organization's secret motto, secret purpose, and secret identification signs, such as handshakes and passwords, are usually revealed to its new members.

Most fraternities and sororities adopted the chivalric tradition of heraldry, including a crest, coat of arms, colors, and motto. They may also have official flags, symbols, flowers, jewels, mascots, patron saints, or a Greek divinity.

Rush and Pledging: Joining the Fold

Today, most fraternities and sororities select potential members through a two-part process of vetting and probation, called rushing and pledging, respectively. During rush (recruitment), students attend designated social events, and sometimes formal interviews, hosted by the chapters of fraternities and sororities in which they have particular interests. Those applicants who receive a bid and choose to accept it are considered to have "pledged" the fraternity or sorority, thus beginning the pledge period (new member period). A new member period may last anywhere from one weekend to several months. During this time, new members might participate in almost all aspects of the life of the fraternity or sorority, but most likely not be permitted to hold office in the organization. After the new member period, a second vote of members may sometimes be taken, often, but not always, using a blackball system.

Many Greek-letter organizations give preferential consideration for pledging to candidates whose parent or sibling was a member of the same fraternity or sorority. Membership in more than one fraternity or sorority is acceptable, but only under specific Greek councils. Recently, some Greek-letter organizations have replaced the term "pledge" with that of "associate member" or "new member". Sigma Alpha Epsilon, in 2014, abolished pledging altogether.

Chapter Houses: A Home Away From Home

Unique among most campus organizations, members of social fraternities and sororities usually congregate and sometimes live together in large houses, generally privately owned by the organization or by the organization's alumni association. Often, fraternities and sorority houses, called lodges or chapter houses, are located on the same street or in close quarters within the same neighborhood, which may be colloquially known as "Greek row", "frat row", or "sorority row". Chapter houses became more common in the late 19th century, when organizations began to grow in size and wealthy alumni were able to help purchase or build houses. The first purpose-built residential chapter house is believed to have been Alpha Delta Phi's chapter at Cornell University, with groundbreaking dated to 1878. Alpha Tau Omega became the first fraternity to own a residential house in the South when, in 1880, its chapter at the University of the South acquired one.

Diversity and Inclusion: Overcoming Historical Barriers

Numerous Greek organizations in the past have enacted formal and informal prohibitions on pledging individuals of different races and cultural backgrounds. This began with historically White fraternities and sororities excluding African Americans due to racism. Racist policies have since been abolished by the North American Interfraternity Conference, and students of various ethnicities have come together to form a council of multicultural Greek organizations.

Fraternities and sororities traditionally have been single-sex organizations, with fraternities consisting exclusively of men and sororities consisting exclusively of women. Much more commonly, coed fraternities exist in the form of service fraternities, such as Alpha Phi Omega and Epsilon Sigma Alpha and others. These organizations are similar to social fraternities and sororities, except they are coed and non-residential.

Controversies and Criticisms

Fraternities and sororities have been criticized for practicing elitism and favoritism, discriminating against non-White students and other marginalized groups, conducting dangerous hazing rituals, and facilitating alcohol abuse and campus sexual assault including rape culture. Fraternities and sororities have often been characterized as elitist or exclusionary associations, organized for the benefit of a largely White, upper-class membership base.

Fraternities, and to a lesser extent, sororities, have been criticized for hazing, sometimes committed by active undergraduate members against their chapter's pledges. Ball State University and the Greek councils rigorously enforce hazing policies and organizations that violate them are subject to serious and immediate sanctions.

Notable Alumni and Impact

There is a high representation of former fraternity and sorority members among certain elites in the United States. Since 1900, 63 percent of members of the United States cabinet have been members of fraternities and sororities, and the current chief executive officers of five of the ten largest Fortune 500 companies are members of fraternities and sororities.

Studies have found that university graduation rates are 20 percent higher among members of Greek-letter organizations than among non-members, and students who are members of fraternities and sororities typically have higher-than-average grade point averages. Each organization requires its members to maintain a minimum GPA to continue their membership. Fraternity and sorority members who maintain high GPAs may be invited to join notable Greek honor societies, such as Gamma Sigma Alpha and Order of Omega.

Greek Life Around the World

In Germany the German Student Corps are the oldest academic fraternities. Twenty-eight were founded in the 18th century and two of them still exist. Most of their traditions have not changed much for the past two centuries. At Swedish universities, especially those of Uppsala and Lund, students have organized in student nations since the 16th century. These organizations are open to all students who wish to join.

The arrival of the fraternity system in Asia accompanied the introduction of the American educational system in the Philippines. The first fraternities were established in the University of the Philippines. The now-defunct Patriotic and Progressive Rizal Center Academic Brotherhood (Rizal Center Fraternity), a brotherhood of Jose Rizal followers, was founded in 1913. This was followed by the Rizal Center Sorority.

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