Black Fraternities & Sororities

About Black Fraternities & Sororities

The first Black Greek Letter Organizations or BGLOs began in the early 1900s as clubs for Black students to collaborate on academic achievement, engage in service, and establish bonds of friendship. Today, BGLOs are among some of the largest fraternities and sororities worldwide with hundreds of chapters. Students who engage in a BGLO will benefit from personal and professional development, the advancement of social issues, service to the community, and first-rate leadership opportunities.

Black Fraternities & Sororities at Illinois

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been home to BGLOs for more than 100 years. Many of the organization’s first chapters were founded on our campus. With such a rich history at Illinois, our students enjoy networking with prominent alumni while belonging to an organization which has made a tremendous impact on the campus. Historically Black Greek Letter Organizations engage in an informal method of recruitment often referred to as intake. All of these fraternities and sororities will host informational sessions where the chapter will present information on the organization and specifics on how one would go about joining. All of the BGLOs at Illinois begin considering applicants as early as their second semester freshman year, yet many will only consider prospective members as early as their sophomore year. To determine when you would eligible to join a BGLO, please visit their national websites or contact the local chapter to learn more.

All of our Black Greek Letter Organizations are a members of the Black Greek Council.