DeSoto ISD Black Greek Letter Organization (BGLO) members serve on every campus and department in DeSoto ISD. These organizations have been historically instrumental in every civil rights, educational empowerment and social justice movements in this country and beyond, most for at least a century. Renowned leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Dorothy Irene Height, Jesse Jackson, Constance Baker Motley, Ralph Abernathy, and John Lewis were members of these organizations.
DeSoto ISD has named two of our campuses in honor of two BGLO members: Curtistene S. McCowan (Delta Sigma Theta) Middle School and Katherine Johnson (Alpha Kappa Alpha) Technology Magnet.
Also known as The Divine 9 or D9, these organizations were founded on college campuses with a mission to improve the lives of communities in which they resided and impart global advancement towards equal human rights. Each organization maintains an educational support component that typically includes youth groups and/or college scholarships.
In founding order, the D9 organizations are:
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Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Founded 1906, Cornell University
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Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Founded 1908, Howard University
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Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Founded 1911, Indiana University
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Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Founded 1911, Howard University
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Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Founded 1913, Howard University
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Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Founded 1914, Howard University
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Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Founded 1920, Howard University
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Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Founded 1922, Butler University
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Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Founded 1963, Morgan State University
Community service is the DNA of these organizations, and DeSoto ISD has been and is currently being served by board and cabinet members, central office and campus leaders as well as classroom teachers and support staff who hold D9 membership. Members share information with students about ‘greek’ life in college and alumni responsibilities. In addition, several local D9 chapters as well as the National Pan Hellenic Council Greater Southwest DFW Metroplex chapter provide scholarships to DeSoto High School students along with volunteer services in voter awareness and registration, health services and educational support.
While separate and independent, the common goals of the D9 organizations frequently bring them together for service and support projects. On February 16, in celebration of African American History Month, DeSoto ISD D9 members held a unity dress day to bring awareness to the historical significance of the organizations. Members take this opportunity to answer student questions about their individual organizations, particularly those students planning to attend college.
Some upcoming service and support events and activities coming up soon and sponsored by the Best Southwest area D9 include:
February 19th from 12 - 1:30PM
Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/yafmfmvj
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. has partnered with Google in the Grow with Google: Black Women Lead initiative. This initiative is to train 100,000 Black women in digital skills by 2022. The pandemic has resulted in unemployment for millions of Americans, and its impacts are further revealing the economic opportunity gaps that still exist for Black women.
DEADLINE February 22, 2022
Ivy and Pearl Foundation scholarships
https://www.ivyandpearlfoundationdallas.org/scholarships.html
DEADLINE February 27, 2022
Torch of Wisdom Scholarship
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IFsUb1DqI4-WQq74fjPHgCUNiMktn9Z0/edit
DEADLINE February 27, 2022
Beacon of Knowledge Scholarship
https://docs.google.com/document/d/15a93iQ_a3Y50CZZPZPumE6-Y1lr1Adyl/edit
COMING SOON: Fredrica Chase Dodd Scholarship, Deadline March 12
Applications will be available in the Counselor’s office
For more information, visit http://dallasalumnae.org/scholarship/