Does Gender Matter in Black Greek-Lettered Organizations?

Abstract

This article explores the salience of gender for African Americans in Black Greek-lettered organizations at a predominantly White institution. An emphasis was placed on the social capital that may be gained through historically Black fraternities and sororities as a result of their single-gender structures. A constructivist phenomenological approach guided the study. The study revealed that the women found gender to be important in establishing relationships in sororities, whereas men de-emphasized the role of gender in their fraternity experiences. The article closes with a discussion and implications of the findings and recommendations for future research.