Before You Pledge: Essential Information You Should Know About the Divine Nine is an important read for all those considering joining a Black Greek Letter Organization or for anyone wanting to simply learn about the origin of this august body of black men and women. The dawn of the twentieth century brought many challenges to young African American students seeking enrollment at all-white college campuses. Intense racial prejudice forced many black students to leave predominantly white universities. And at the same time, on Historically Black College campuses, the desire for fellowship through shared social experiences led to the rise of Black Greek life, starting with Cornell University in New York. Alpha Phi Alpha, the first black fraternity formed at a predominantly white university in 1906, would point the way for similar organizations to develop. Between 1906 and 1922, eight Black Greek Letter Organizations were formed, with a ninth in 1963. Known collectively as the “Divine Nine,” these five fraternities and four sororities would go on to shape the course of Black America. Together, these young black men and women would face down racial prejudice, take the lead in the fight for social justice, in the end, reshape the American cultural landscape. Finally, no other group of people can claim to have the sheer degree of accomplishments in all areas of human activity in the United States and in many other parts of the world compared to the Divine Nine.