Sunday is the official kickoff of the International Grand Conclave of Omega Psi Phi, one of the largest African American fraternities in the country.

This is a very big convention for the city of Little Rock and the state of Arkansas. The brothers of Omega Psi Phi have been in downtown Little Rock for the past few days but Sunday is the official opening of the 74 international Grand Conclave.  more >>

Feed the Children partnered up with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and Florida Senator, Tony Hill.

Helping to ease the struggle, Feed the Children delivers shipments of food around the world to millions of families. Today, their destination was Little Rock, Arkansas.

A line of more than 400 cars flooded the parking lot of Saint Mark Baptist Church.

Each family received a 25 pound box of food, and personal care items. It may not sound like a lot, but for many families struggling at times to make ends meat, every little bit helps.

"We're just here to show love to this community. Humanitarian and we just feel like it's the right thing to do from our fraternity," says Tony Hill.  more >>

Dorothea Towles Church, the first successful black model in Paris, who discovered personal liberation on the runways of Christian Dior and Elsa Schiaparelli in the 1950’s, died on July 7 in Manhattan. She was 83.

Ms. Church began using her model’s discount to buy samples from the designers, piece by piece, until she had assembled several wardrobes’ worth of couture gowns that had rarely been seen by American audiences.

In 1954, she returned to America by ship, because she had so much luggage, and began a tour of black colleges with her collection. She staged fashion shows and fund-raisers for more than 200 branches of Alpha Kappa Alpha, a college sorority established by black women. Ms. Darden, who was 18 when she met Ms. Church at a benefit show organized by her father for the N.A.A.C.P in Montclair, N.J., became one of the models in her troupe.  more >>

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the nation's largest African-American women's organization, is hosting its 48th National Convention in Philadelphia, July 27 - August 2, 2006, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Delta members representing chapters in 46 states and several foreign countries will convene at the biennial meeting.

One Mission, One Sisterhood: Empowering Communities Through Committed Service is the theme for the national convention, whose purpose is to address issues relevant to African-American women, their families, and respective communities. Throughout its 93-year history Delta Sigma Theta has clearly distinguished itself as a premiere service organization that boldly addresses the challenges facing global communities.   more >>

University of Florida chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity hosted the fraternity's 24th annual Blue & White Weekend. Saturday's Royal Family Reunion Picnic was the culmination of a week of festivities held in Gainesville.

At 12:30 p.m., vehicles were rolling into the parking lot beside the fairgrounds' pavilion. Sport utility vehicles on 24-inch rims, tinted-out coupes and beat-up jalopies lucky just to have survived the long drive all arrived bearing plates from across the country. Chapters were represented from Georgia, Texas, New Jersey and Minnesota, among other states.

The event was organized by UF Phi Beta Sigma President Samuel Green, a UF junior, and his fellow fraternity members.  more >>

 When the two men of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and the three ladies of Zeta Phi Beta sorority began to stomp their feet and clap their hands, the eyes of hundreds of excited children zeroed in.

In an instant, as the step-dancing group picked up its rhythm, the entire West Greenville neighborhood of Chestnut Street seemed to finger snap, lean and rock.  more >>

Grads receive scholarships from Zeta Phi Beta sorority

Continuing its purpose of fostering the ideals of scholarship, sisterhood and service, the Forest Park Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. awarded three scholarships to recent high school graduates.

Jamila Williams, Walnut Hills High School, and Carolyn Banks, Mount Healthy High, each received $1,000 scholarships.

Lauren Richardson, Withrow University High School, received a $750 scholarship.  more >>

I have served as an expert witness on about eight hazing cases in the past six years. Part of my research on historically Black fraternities and sororities has been the persistent problem of hazing, hopefully finding some solutions. I have argued that the only way to really effect change is to raise the level of personal risk for those who haze. Being suspended from school hasn't been a great deterrent, but if people routinely go to prison, people would think twice.

So I was excited to read this weekend that Raymond Lee had been convicted of aggravated assault in the hazing of Braylon Curry. Curry, who miraculously survived, was forced to drink gallons of water that filled his lungs and caused his brain to swell. This was a story of national interest, even covered on the Today Show.   more >>