Not only is September the month of heading back to school, picking classes, and organizing your planner, but if you’re an upperclassmen, it’s also time to consider joining a National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) organization, or one of the Divine Nine. That’s right — with the fall semester comes sorority and fraternity recruitment. If you’re considering which organization to join, here are some of Gen Z’s favorite celebrities who have been in Greek Life — specifically the Divine Nine organizations.
Let me break it down for you: The Divine Nine is a group of nine historically Black Greek sororities and fraternities. These organizations are dedicated to building Black student communities and championing their members to excel both in and out of the classroom. The NPHC (or Divine Nine) is the umbrella council of Black sororities and fraternities across America.
The main organizations that are part of the Divine Nine include (but are not limited to) Alpha Kappa Alpha, Omega Psi Phi, Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Delta Sigma Theta, Phi Beta Sigma, Iota Phi Theta Sigma Gamma Rho, and Zeta Phi Beta. Here are some celebrity alumni of these Divine Nine Greek organizations.
- Kamala Harris
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Vice President Kamala Harris is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, and she says that being part of the sorority at Howard University helped her become vice president.
- Maya ANgelou
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Angelou was an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, where she pledged in 1983 and was initiated into the Epsilon Lambda chapter.
- Wanda Sykes
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In 2021, Wanda told Us Weekly, “I’m a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.!” Sykes attended Hampton University.
- Jada Pinkett Smith
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Jada Smith is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
- Lionel Richie
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Richie is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, and pledged in 1996 as part of Tuskegee’s Alpha Nu Lambda chapter.
- Steve Harvey
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While Steve Harvey was attending Kent State University, he became a member of Omega Psi Phi.
- Alicia Keys
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Singer Alicia Keys was a part of Alpha Kappa Alpha in 2004, and you can find cute photos of her during her active time in the organization on the internet.
- Shaquille O’Neal
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What O’Neal has said about his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, is heartwarming: “When I was in college, those guys looked out for me. I was a young buck on campus. They showed me around at the football games. They just had so much brotherly love.” He pledged at Louisiana State University.
- Colin Kaepernick
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QB Colin Kaepernick was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi when he was attending the University of Nevada.
- aretha Franklin
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Queen Aretha became an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta in 1992.
- Star Jones
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The televised lawyer known for her shows Divorce Court and The View is part of Alpha Kappa Alpha, and attended American University in Washington, D.C.
- Michael Jordan
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Michael Jordan is a member of Omega Psi Phi, and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- Omari Hardwick
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You might recognize Hardwick from the May 2023 movie The Mother, co-starring Jennifer Lopez. This leading man is a brother of Alpha Phi Alpha.
- K. Michelle
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The “Can’t Raise a Man” singer was in Delta Theta Sigma, and pledged in the Beta Alpha chapter in the fall of 2001.