Fraternities

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Kenyon College
Fraternities

Kenyon's first Greek-letter fraternity, Lambda Chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon originated in 1852 in defiance of a college ban on fraternal organizations. After being officially recognized by the faculty in 1854 , other fraternities began to emerge: Alpha Delta Phi (1858), Psi Upsilon (1860), Beta Theta Pi (1879), and Delta Tau Delta (1881). By the eighteen-eighties, nearly every incoming freshman pledge a fraternity, and for eighty years the social life of the College revolved around them. Even in the late 1960s over eighty per cent of incoming freshman pledged.

When black students began to arrive at Kenyon in the 1950s, they too wished to participate in Greek life. Most fraternities, however, had charters that excluded blacks from membership. With Greek life being such an all-encompassing aspect of Kenyon life, many Black students recall their exclusion as a very isolating and bitter memory of Kenyon.

Emblem Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity

Emblem of the Archon Fraternity A local fraternity, Archon, was one of the few exceptions at Kenyon that did offer black students membership. Archon became, in effect, the fraternity for students who did not fit in with other fraternities.

Not only limited to the social aspect, exclusion from fraternities had other ramifications as well. Campus housing was determined by fraternity membership, and Greeks held many of the positions in student government as well.

Excluded from fraternities, many blacks used involvement in sports and other extracurricular activities as their social outlet. Allan Ballard (K52), says that this also caused him to delve into his work as a coping mechanism.

Robert Bennett (K54) pictured with the Archons in 1952

Robert Bennett (K54) pictured with the Archons in 1952

In 1956, Beta Theta Pi made history by extending membership to William Lowry (K56), against the wishes of its national chapter. Lowry became the first black member of Beta Theta Pi, Incorporated. This incident made national history and caused many fraternities to revise their charters.

Lowry (far left) with the Betas in 1956

William Lowry (far left) with the Betas in 1956

Emblem of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity

Emblem of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity

Even after this landmark event however, black students felt that it was still an unspoken policy in some groups to exclude blacks as late as the 1970s. Today, fraternities, though still a presence at Kenyon, are not as large a part of campus life.

America in the 1950s

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Black Students @ Kenyon in the 1950s

Kenyon's first Greek-letter fraternity, Lambda Chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon originated in 1852 in defiance of a college ban on fraternal organizations. After being officially recognized by the faculty in 1854 , other fraternities began to emerge: Alpha Delta Phi (1858), Psi Upsilon (1860), Beta Theta Pi (1879), and Delta Tau Delta (1881). By the eighteen-eighties, nearly every incoming freshman pledge a fraternity, and for eighty years the social life of the College revolved around them. Even in the late 1960s over eighty per cent of incoming freshman pledged. When black students began to arrive at Kenyon in the 1950s, they too wished to participate in Greek life. Most fraternities, however, had charters that excluded blacks from membership. With Greek life being such an all-encompassing aspect of Kenyon life, many Black students recall their exclusion as a very isolating and bitter memory of Kenyon.		Emblem Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity
Emblem of the Archon Fraternity	A local fraternity, Archon, was one of the few exceptions at Kenyon that did offer black students membership. Archon became, in effect, the fraternity for students who did not fit in with other fraternities. Not only limited to the social aspect, exclusion from fraternities had other ramifications as well. Campus housing was determined by fraternity membership, and Greeks held many of the positions in student government as well.
Excluded from fraternities, many blacks used involvement in sports and other extracurricular activities as their social outlet. Allan Ballard (K52), says that this also caused him to delve into his work as a coping mechanism. Robert Bennett (K54) pictured with the Archons in 1952
In 1956, Beta Theta Pi made history by extending membership to William Lowry (K56), against the wishes of its national chapter. Lowry became the first black member of Beta Theta Pi, Incorporated. This incident made national history and caused many fraternities to revise their charters. William Lowry (far left) with the Betas in 1956		Emblem of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity