Greek life reminicent of segregation of the 1950's

Photo by Rebecca Macias of the University of Southern Mississippi

Schools like Winthrop University shout diversity and celebration of culture. But when it comes to segregation blacks and whites of Greek organizations, it seems that someone never heard about Brown v. Board of Education (1954) which integrated black and white schools.

The school year begins, the freshman arrive and the sororities and fraternities pounce on the new students like lions pouncing on a zebra.

Winthrop University has convocation every year which displays the different religious groups, clubs and Greek sororities and fraternities.

While walking through the vast amounts of tables during the convocation picnic, when one comes to the Greek tables the members are either predominantly black or white.

Little or no integration of race is practiced when it comes to sororities and fraternities at Winthrop.

Very few black students are in the predominately white fraternities and sororities while there are equally as few white students in the black Greek organizations.

It is ironic that Winthrop has this problem when they frequently boast the the goodwill and harmony different races will enjoy on the culturally diverse campus.

Winthrop University is not the only college that has this issue.

The New York Times discusses a similar issue at the University of Alabama in 2001.

The article, "Alabama university attacks fraternity bias," states that of the 37 white fraternities, no black members were accepted during the pledge season.

With statistics like this, one would think that Governor George Wallace was still spouting pro-degradation speeches on campus steps.

The president of the school, Andrew Sorensen, demanded that sororities and fraternities needed to accept black members into their clubs or they would face punishments.

But should Greek clubs have to face punishment and threats to accept different races into their groups? Shouldn't they be welcoming them in with open arms?

An article from the student newspaper The Student Printz of the University of Southern Mississippi, stated that many of these groups justify that the segregation is based on the historical background of the clubs.

"Racial integration in Greek life lingers," says that some of the black fraternities that were formed in the early 1900s say that their club was a product of segregation in the early part of the century when it was founded.

Though organizations have been predominately black or white for decades, is no excuse for their lack of racial diversity today.

We are living in a generation that walks on their tip-toes to constantly make sure they are politically correct.

Talking in speech to avoid offending different races is not the same as actions that bring these races together.

Sororities and fraternities are supposed to be the pinnacle of college society that some students might look to for an example.

An example needs to be set in regards to integrating fraternities and sororities before the two races are once again ripped apart by separation.