As she stood in front of the National Pan-Hellenic Council plots outside of the admissions building during homecoming in October of 2020, Terina Matthews Davis was almost in tears. Her decades-old fight to empower Black Greek life on UofL’s campus was coming to fruition. 

The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) was established at Howard University in 1930 with the purpose to “foster cooperative actions of its members in dealing with matters of mutual concern.” In Davis’ words, “NPHC, to me, embodies the principles of Kwanzaa.”

Although NPHC did not have a presence on UofL’s campus until 1992, Black Greek life was at the core of the Belknap campus’ student life for several years prior.

“We were an HBCU (Historically Black College or University) within a PWI (Predominantly white institution),” said Dr. Beverly Dilworth Frye, a 1988 College of Arts and Sciences and 1995 School of Medicine graduate. “The Black community was very close knit. We were a huge commuter school – most students were gone at 5 p.m. and the only people left on campus were African American students.” 

There were only a handful of Black Greek members on campus when Frye was a freshman in 1985. While she was somewhat familiar with historically Black fraternities and sororities as the stepdaughter of a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, it wasn’t until a casual conversation in the lobby of Miller Hall that she decided to pursue membership in a Delta Sigma Theta.

Without an active chapter on UofL’s campus, there was work to be done. With the help of some like-minded women and a persuasive petition to area and regional alumnae, the Xi chapter of Delta Sigma Theta reactivated at UofL in 1988. The oldest collegiate chapter of any Black Greek organization in Kentucky, originally chartered in 1922 at Simmons College, welcomed Frye in a group of 10 women that spring. 

The sorority’s reactivation followed a group of men initiated to Omega Psi Phi just a week before and line of women initiated to Alpha Kappa Alpha the previous semester. Their chapters were joined by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and, in seemingly no time, there was an active Black Greek presence at the University of Louisville.

“It just seemed like this fire that was catching on, but we still didn’t have our own entity,” Frye explained.

By the time Davis, a 1993 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, set foot on campus, eight Black Greek organizations were active at the university.

“Because of [Dr. Frye], I’m a Delta,” Davis said. “If there hadn’t been those 30 women who wrote that letter, Xi wouldn’t be here.”

Although she says she’d advise against it, Davis was dead-set on attending a school with a Delta chapter. Without that petition in the 80s, Xi may not have existed at UofL when the soon-to-be-voice of the students’ fight for NPHC was choosing a university.

When Davis was initiated in 1990, Black Greek organizations were operating under the guidance of the Panhellenic Council and Interfraternity Council (IFC).  Although Black Greek organizations were required to have representation at IFC and Panhellenic meetings, some chose not to attend. Davis noticed stacks of missed-meeting fines piling up in the fraternities’ mailboxes, which was a catalyst for change. Black Greek organizations needed guidance that truly represented them. They needed a place for themselves within UofL’s campus to do the work of Black Greeks and the Black community. They needed NPHC.

The road did not come without a few bumps along the way.

As the student government vice president at the time, Davis had a seat at the table to represent the Black Greek community – and she used it. She used it to represent students who historically did not have the choice to join a Greek organization, so they made their own. She used it to voice students’ desire for an organization that would foster the needs of the Black community and would allow students to thrive in a space that was uniquely their own.

Initially seen as a form of separation by administration, the request for NPHC was not immediately met. The students didn’t waver. Instead, they became more persistent. They took up camp in front of the administration building to ensure their collective voice was heard by Dr. Golden, then-vice president of Student Affairs. When they were brought inside, in an act that could only be described as “true grit” by Keira Martin, UofL’s Coordinator for Fraternity and Sorority Life, they slept in front of his office.

“It wasn’t just the Black Greek community, [IFC and Panhellenic] had to support us,” Davis explained as she noted that the groups showed support by bringing food to the administration building. “At the end of the day, we knew that we all had to come together to make this a reality.”

Their efforts paid off in 1992 when Golden agreed to meet with then-National NPHC president, Daisy M. Wood, a Delta from the Louisville Alumnae chapter. Soon after, NPHC was brought to the University of Louisville which is now home to chapters of each of the Divine Nine historically Black fraternities and sororities.

After being founded in 1913, Delta’s first act of social activism was to participate in the women’s suffrage march. Frye noted that since the sorority was established, the active members and alumnae have continuously used their voices to say that Black people, Black women, matter.

“[Rosa Parks] didn’t know what that day would result in,” Davis noted. “I need Black students to understand – don’t give up the fight.”

Frye and Davis agree, the fight for social justice does not end after graduation. 

“At the end of the day, you take away Delta Sigma Theta, you take away Alpha Kappa Alpha, you take away Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho, you remove Omega Psi Phi, Kappa, we’re still African American men and women who endure the same struggle,” said Frye. She tearfully continued, “The fight that Terina and the NPHC organization went through, it established a place that belongs to us on the University of Louisville’s campus.”

Often referred to as the Divine Nine, NPHC is a collaborative organization of nine historically Black, international Greek lettered fraternities and sororities.

“Homecoming weekend was amazing and I am so grateful I was able to be apart of such a historical group of events,” said Corey Thomas, NPHC president and member of Kappa Alpha Psi.

Throughout the years, UofL has strived to support NPHC growth on campus.

“It was intentional that we would have the Divine 9 here,” said Michael Mardis, dean of students. “Our goal at the university is student success and one of the goals that I was charged with when hired was to create a vibrant campus life here at UofL. Part of that vibrant campus life is creating engagement opportunities so that students will have a greater opportunity to be successful.”

The strategic effort to enhance NPHC began in 2006, when a suite in Community Park was developed so that NPHC organizations could have a gathering place on campus. In 2009, a committee outlined steps to address organizational sustainability, and essential steps to ensure future NPHC success on campus. In 2011, an official NPHC coordinator full-time position was approved.

“The fact that the Divine 9 is on the University of Louisville’s campus is something beautiful to see,” said Thomas. “The university does indeed recognize us for who we are and what we do as a black body.” 

The Division of Student Affairs hosted a variety of NPHC events during Homecoming 2017 including:

• The NPHC Step Show at The Louisville Palace
• An NPHC/AAAC Step Show Reception @ SET
• An NPHC 25th Anniversary Pre-game Tailgate which saw more than 400 attendees
• On field recognition at the homecoming football game. Mardis and Mordean Taylor-Archer, vice president of Diversity and International Programs, welcomed a current student and alum from each NPHC organization, as well as the NPHC Student President and the NPHC Alumni President
• An NPHC Group Worship Service at Bates Memorial Baptist Church
• An NPHC 25th Celebration featuring national Keynote speaker Tish Norman on the topic: “A Photographic History of Black Fraternalism”

“I have never been to a tailgate before so it was really fun to be able hang out with not only my peers but also meet and mingle with alumni,” said Thomas. “Walking out onto the field during the homecoming football game and to be recognized by the university was an experience of a lifetime. I hope that this is something that can be done every year because I think it is important for the NPHC to be noticed not only to gain exposure but to allow us to showcase unity on a predominately white institution.”

The photo album for the entire weekend is located .

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Advance tickets can be purchased for $15 . Tickets will be available at the door for $20.

“The homecoming step show brings out a large group of NPHC and black alumni,” said Jeffrey Cross, NPHC adviser. “The show is a great way for the NPHC fraternities and sororities to enhance the UofL homecoming experience and make their mark on campus.”

The fraternities and sororities spend several months preparing for the show by practicing step routines, developing a theme and creating props. Most chapters begin practicing in the summer and continue to practice up until the day of the show. One winner will be selected from among both the fraternities and sororities to receive a $1,000 dollar cash prize for their chapter as well as year-long bragging rights.

In 2014, Kappa Alpha Psi won first place for the fraternities and Delta Sigma Theta for the sororities.

For more information about the event contact Jeffrey Cross.

The goal of the week is to provide the university community with more information on all of the “Divine 9” NPHC Greek Organizations, including community service and social justice issues.

“The National Pan-Hellenic Council would like to show that we are very diverse and present here on campus through our NPHC week,” said Austin Ferrell, UofL NPHC president and member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. “Our key objectives for the week are promoting justice, visibility, social action, service and fun. We as a council would like to welcome everyone in hopes that they will gain knowledge presented at the various events.”

Here’s the full schedule:

• Tuesday, Sept. 6, 6:30 p.m.: “NPHC is ‘All That’,” Student Activities Center, Multipurpose Room. Learn about each NPHC organizations and get your questions answered from members.

• Wednesday, Sept. 7, 6 p.m.: “Soul Food,” Student Activities Center, Multipurpose Room. Complete a community service project with NPHC. Attendees should bring toiletry items or $2 for our service project. Attendees will box toiletry items and take them to different locations in Louisville. 

• Thursday, Sept. 8, 6 p.m.: “A Different World,” Student Activities Center, Multipurpose Room. Learn your rights as student when approached by law enforcement. Network with officials from the University of Louisville and Metro Louisville.

• Friday, Sept. 9, 3 p.m.: “‘Recess’ Field Day,” Student Recreation Center, Intramural Field. Have fun with NPHC with field day-style activities.

• Saturday, Sept. 10, 10 p.m.: “House Party,” Red Barn.