As America anticipates the celestial spectacle of a solar eclipse, Monday’s event holds profound significance beyond its astronomical marvel. For many, it’s an opportunity to witness...
Did you know that Alpha Kappa Alpha founder Lucy Diggs Slowe was the first African American woman to win a major sports title? Lucy Diggs Slowe...
Did you know that the first Black Major League Umpire Emmett Ashford was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi? Ashford crossed through the Upsilon Chapter of...
Time for another blast from the past! This time we have collected a list of HBCU women’s sports teams and athletic groups from the early 1900s....
August 20th, 2020 celebrates 100 years since the 19th Amendment, which prohibited denying suffrage to anyone on the basis of sex, was ratified and adopted into...
In the early 20th century, a growing movement was underway to recognize and celebrate the contributions of African Americans to American history. Among the organizations at...
Establishing chapters out west and on the Pacific coast was a crucial goal for Black sororities and fraternities, especially as they sought to create organizations that...
This article is the first part of a two-article series highlighting Black Greek life in the Midwest. The Midwest is a critical site for understanding the...
Dr. Lee Patrick Brown is a criminologist and entrepreneur, who in 1997 become the first African-American mayor of Houston, Texas. He served three terms from 1998...
Did you know that secret service agent Abraham Bolden is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha? Bolden pledged the Alpha Psi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha...
Did you know that Mary T. Washington Wylie the nation’s first Black woman to earn a CPA license was a member of Sigma Gamma Rho? Born in...
Were you aware that Chicago Black Renaissance author Frank Marshall Davis is a Sigma? Davis pledged Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. in 1925. Frank Marshall Davis...
Did you know that Alice Cary was a member of Zeta Phi Beta? Cary chartered the Beta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. at Morris...
Did you know that Hattie McDaniel, the first African American to win an Oscar was a member of Sigma Gamma Rho? It is true! Hattie McDaniel...
Did you know that criminal justice icon Charles Freeman was a Sigma? Freeman was a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Charles Freeman was...
Were you aware that Anne Gamble Kennedy was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha? Kennedy pledged the Pi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. at...
Did you know that Howard University legend Dr. Melvin Evans was a member of Phi Beta Sigma? Evans pledged the Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma,...
Did you know that Vista Equity Partners Founder Robert F. Smith is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha? Smith pledged the Alpha Chapter of Alpha Phi...
Did you know that GPS pioneer Gladys West is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha? West pledged the Alpha Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,...
Did you know that military pioneer Daniel James Jr. was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi? General James pledged the Nashville Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha...
Did you know that United States military pioneer Wesley Brown was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha? Brown pledged the Sigma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha...
Did you know that Robert Morton Duncan was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi? Duncan is a Spring 1946 initiate of the Zeta Chapter of Kappa...
Did you know that the first African American to be elected to United States Congress as a Democrat was a Sigma? During his time at Columbia...
Did you know that the first female President of the National Medical Association, Edith Irby Jones, was a member of Delta Sigma Theta? Jones was initiated...
Did you know that Ethel L. Payne, known to many as the “First Lady of Black Press,” was an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority,...
Did you know that the late 70s lineup of the iconic Motown singing group “The Temptations” were members of Phi Beta Sigma? Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin,...
Did you know that Samuel Pierce, the first African American Fortune 500 company board member was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha? Pierce pledged the Alpha...
Did you know that Edith Sampson, the first woman to receive a law degree from Loyola University was a member of Zeta Phi Beta? Sampson was...
Did you know that Alexis Herman, the first Black Secretary of Labor is a member of Delta Sigma Theta? Herman pledged the Gamma Alpha Chapter of...
Did you know that Jazz saxophonist Cannonball Adderley was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha? Adderley pledged the Beta Nu chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,...
Did you know that actress/vocalist Etta Moten Barnett was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha? Barnett pledged the Delta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc....
Did you know that Malvin Russell Goode, United Nations correspondent was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha? Goode pledged the Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha...
Did you know that the first African American head coach in the NFL Fritz Pollard was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha? This is a fact!...
Did you know that the first African American woman to practice law before the United States Supreme Court was a member of Zeta Phi Beta? Violette...
Did You Know Legendary Jazz Composer Duke Ellington Was A Member of Alpha Phi Alpha? This is true! Duke Ellington was a pioneer in music and...
Beautiful Black fraternity and sorority couples have existed over 100 years so let’s celebrate their love. We’ve compiled a list of some of the prominent D9...
While searching through online newspaper archives we came across the story of a man named Jack Campbell who claimed to be the last slave auctioneer alive...
Did you know that Atlanta’s first Black millionaire was a brother of Alpha Phi Alpha? In December of 1924, during Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity’s 17th General...
Did you know that most of Kappa Alpha Psi’s founders served in the US military during WWI? It’s true. Of the ten men who founded the...
On September 19, 1963, in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, 12 men came together at Morgan State University (then Morgan State College) and created Iota...
The brothers of Phi Beta Sigma are doing their part to help the National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter(NAPRPP) Museum with COVID-19 relief funds. The museum, which...
Most of us were taught about Lewis and Clark’s expedition across North America in US History class. We hear about Sacagawea, the difficulty of the terrain,...
The following is a speech given by Frederick Douglass on July 5th, 1852. He was initially asked to give the speech when the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery...
Frederick Douglass and Harriet Ross Tubman were both born into slavery around the same time on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and became two of the best-known African...
This article was originally published on 8/17/2017 With the decision by Kappa Alpha Psi’s Colin Kaepernick to boycott the National Anthem, our nation has started to...
Netflix’s new series Self-Made has opened up a discussion about Black women’s economic impact on America. Self-Made is a new mini-series that chronicles the story of...
In June of 1924 the Eta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, at this time a mixed chapter composed of both undergraduate and graduate members from New...
Throughout the years, women of Alpha Kappa Alpha have been trailblazers in the field of music. To celebrate their success in the field, we at Watch...
The brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi take their mission of “Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor” to heart especially when it comes to the field...
The following was submitted to Watch The Yard to be published by Michael Tullier, APR, Tuskegee University Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing Students and...
Did you know that Nelson Mandela gave the 1991 convocation speech at Texas Southern University? The following is the video of Mandela giving his speech at...
Did you know that the founder of the The Chicago Defender and the Bud Billiken Parade was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.? It’s true. Robert Sengstacke...
Black greekdom is currently mourning the passing and honoring the legacy of Kappa Alpha Psi member Dr. Granville Coggs who passed away at the age of...
The first black student to ever enroll at the University of Alabama, Autherine Lucy Foster, was presented an honorary doctoral degree on Friday. Foster, a member...
It was just announced that the oldest living descendant of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.’s five founding members was inducted into the sorority. Wynona Kidd, the 95-year-old...
The alumnae of Bennett College are trailblazers and have made their mark on the world. Bennett College, one of the two HBCUs dedicated to African American...
In the 1940s, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity sought to further address the educational, economic, political, and social needs of black Americans. News of the fraternity’s exploits...
Did you know that Wilbert McClure, the light middleweight gold medal champion of the 1960 Olympic Summer Games is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi? Wilbert...
You might not know it, but the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. have some pretty strong connections to NASA and space travel. Earlier this...
Did you know that the first Black Mayor of New York, David Dinkins is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha? Dinkins crossed the Beta Chapter of...
On September 5, 1963 James Baldwin and Malcolm X went head to head in a debate about Black identity in the United States. Take a listen...
Did you know that a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc was the first Black woman General in the United States Army ? Hazel Johnson-Brown became the...
Did you know that the first Black woman neurosurgeon in the United States is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.? In 1981 at the...
The stories of senior members of Black fraternities and sororities are amazing to hear. In 1942, Victor Roberts was one of the charter members of the...
In 1963, more than a dozen African-American girls, between the ages of 12-15, were arrested and locked in a dilapidated stockade for two months without charges....
The stories of senior members of Black fraternities and sororities are amazing to hear. In 2010, Hanief Saterfield shot an interview with Franklin Henderson for the 1911 Project...
It was recently announced that this month a new documentary about Reginald F. Lewis, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi who was famous for being the...
Many know that the FBI wiretapped Martin Luther King Jr. during the 1960s, but have you ever seen the letters that they sent him threatening him...
The following photograph depicts the Sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. of New Orleans, as they gather to receive and regale the famous contralto and AKA...
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., was founded on January 9th, 1914. A lot of things have happened in the world since 1914 and to put everything in...
Did you know that a member of Phi Beta Sigma is credited with having invented techno music? His name is Kevin Saunderson and he is considered...
American civil rights attorney, the first woman to be appointed to the United States Commission on Civil Rights, and the 14th National President of Delta Sigma...
Did you know that Malcolm X’s wife Dr. Betty Shabazz was a member of Delta Sigma Theta? It is true! Dr. Betty Shabazz, widow of slain...
The brothers of Iota Phi Theta know it, but many outside of their great fraternity don’t know that one of the fraternity’s founders just so happens...
If you want to know about manliness, hard work and grit, look no further than Alpha Phi Alpha’s very own, Woody Strode. Strode was a college...
HBCUs have a long and strong history of athletic programs. For all of you history lovers and football buffs out there we have compiled a list...
On Saturday, Dick Gregory, a pioneering force of comedy in the 1960s who later became an iconic social and political activist died of heart failure at...
Did you know that in the 1850’s a Louisiana scientist claimed to have found a disease called drapetomania which made slaves run away from their masters?...
Did you know that the founding father of the latino-based fraternity Sigma Lambda Beta just so happens to be a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.? The...
Sports teams were one of the ways that Black fraternities showed their influence on college campuses and in the community in the 1910s, 1920s, 1930s and...
Did you know that baseball legend Kenny Lofton is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi? Before his 17-year career as a six-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner...
It is very rare to find any video relating to Black greek life before the 1980s but boy do we have something for you. We have...
In September of 1848, Frederick Douglass wrote an open letter to Thomas Auld — the man who, until a decade previous, had been Douglas’ slave master before...
Do you know the history of Juneteenth? June 19th is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, two and...
Written by Laura D. Reid (@thisisldr) When former President Barack Obama ran his 2008 presidential campaign utilizing multi-racial coalitions, he took a page out of Tom...
Did you know that the first white member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., was a freedom rider who was hunted by the KKK for working...
We at Watch The Yard recently came across the music video to “Ho Frat Swing” by Ho Frat Ho, a 90s rap group who had some...
Civil Rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is undoubtedly one of the most renowned Alphas of all time. Many know that King was an Alpha...
Delta Sigma Theta is packed with DEVASTATING DIVAS! Check out our list below of “20 Famous Women You Didn’t Know Were Members Of Delta Sigma Theta!” Share...
It turns out that the real life Samuel L Jackson is just as bad a** as all the characters he plays. In 1969, actor Samuel L...
If you are a member of the African-American community you have definitely heard the song “Lift Every Voice and Sing” sang at churches, political events, HBCUs and...
Author, Zora Neale Hurston, was born 126 years ago today, on Jan. 7, 1891 and members of Black fraternities and sororities are celebrating her. Zora pledged...
He was an amazing inventor, botanist and scientist in the early 1900s and is know for Carver developing hundreds of products using the peanut, sweet potatoes and...
Members of Kappa Alpha Psi have served in every conflict since World War I. Today, Kappas are in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast...
Time for another history lesson! We at WatchTheYard.com just came across this short documentary on the musical traditions and recollections of eight retired African-American railroad track...
It is with great regret that we inform you that Brother Albert C. Spurlock (Beta Chapter 1933) of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. passed away on 2/4/15...
As you probably already know, there are two things that we at WatchTheYard.com really love; Greek Unity and Black History. We have searched the internet and...
The brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi had a very strong presence among the ranks of Tuskeegee Airmen who served as the first African-American military aviators in the...
Are you ready for Eartha Kitt to give you LIFE?! The following video is from a 1982 interview with Eartha Kitt where an interviewer repeatedly asks...
Did you know that the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the religious group Nation of Islam (NOI) once was on line to pledge Omega...
While shadows of colorism still exist within the culture of African-American fraternities and sororities in the United States, there was a point in which it was blatantly...
By WatchTheYard.com Contributing Writer Laura D. Reid Not even Prince could resist the pretty girls that wear twenty pearls. In 1994, His Royal Badness featured Marva...
If you have been to Howard University or have read The History of Alpha Phi Alpha, A Development in College Life, by Bro. Dr. Charles H....
Being able to listen to one of your founders speak should be considered truly a blessing in 2016 and something that everyone should do if they...
Did you know that Martin Luther King Jr. was a big Star Trek fan and that in the 1960s he personally convinced Nichelle Nichols, the African-American...
Are you a member of a BGLO who has some knowledge to share with the rest of greekdom? We at WatchTheYard.com are urgently looking for members...
Did you know that America’s first Black billion dollar businessman was a Nupe? It is true! Reginald F. Lewis (December 7, 1942 – January 19, 1993) was...
While searching through the archives, we recently came across this letter written by W.E.B. DuBois to Ruth T. Scruggs of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. in...
Yahoo just created a documentary on hymn lining, the disappearing art of African-American singing which dates back to slavery in the American South. For the mini-documentary...
Back in the day, the whole campus knew you were online when you started pledging. We at WatchTheYard.com have scoured the internet and found 10 rare...
The Nupes and the Deltas have always had a special connection and we have a proof! While looking through the State Historical Society of Iowa’s records,...
In honor of Omega Psi Phi, we have created the following list of rare pictures of Lampados Pledge Club members from back in the day when...
Thursday January 28th, 2016 marks the 30th anniversary of the Challenger space shuttle exploding in 1986 just 73 seconds after taking off over Cape Canaveral for its...
Today we celebrate the 72 birthday of American political activist, scholar, and author, Angela Davis (born January 26, 1944). Angela emerged as a prominent counterculture activist...
Watch The Yard has created a list of some of Alpha Phi Alpha’s top 20 most influential members. Share with your network on social media and...
Time for another great piece of history! We at WatchTheYard.com have stumbled upon a letter from the brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi’s Beta Lambda Chapter to...
Did you know that all of the members of The Temptations are members of Phi Beta Sigma? We were just submitted this picture of the Motown...
Today the NPHC world celebrates Sigma Gamma Rho’s Founders’ Day so we at WatchTheYard.com thought it would be great to make a list of “10 Famous SGRhos.”...
Did you know that Alpha Phi Alpha crossed its first non-Black member in 1946? His name was Bro. Dr. Bernard Levin, and he was the first...
Did you know that many major universities in the United States including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, Rutgers, Williams and the University of North Carolina have deep...
When it comes to auxiliary groups, very few can compete with the Sweethearts of Kappa Alpha Psi. We at WatchTheYard.com want to take you on a...
James Baldwin was truly one of the greatest of his time. Check out this short clip of Baldwin on Dick Cavett, explaining institutional racism to people...
Did you that the brothers of Phi Beta Sigma have a deep connection with today’s Justices or Else: 20th Anniversary Million Man March? In 1995, Phi...
Did you know that W.E.B. Du Bois’ daughter, Nina Yolande Du Bois Williams (1900-1961), was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.? We at WatchTheYard.com...
Time for a quick look back into the past! Check out this video of Muhammed Ali responding to a woman who called him “arrogant” on television...
Long live the NUPES! Brother Robert L. Williams “Lefty” turned 103nd birthday on August 17th making him the oldest living member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Brother...
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of Alpha Phi Alpha’s most renowned members. We at WatchTheYard.com have obtained a photograph of his financial membership...
Technology is AMAZING! Someone was able to digitalize Howard University’s entire yearbook from 1964 and now you can scroll through it as if you are holding...
1970’s Deltas did not play and when it came to hair … these ladies were on point! Click on the arrows below to see 15 pictures...
The City Council in Ithaca, New York has approved the house that Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. started in as a historic landmark. Earlier in February,...
This may be the most well-rounded documentary about Black greekdom that exists! And who is it about? The women of Delta Sigma Theta! In 2006, Derek...
With the rise of social media and reality TV, the concept of being “petty” has somehow become something that is popular among young people in our...
Check out this slideshow of Sigmas back in the day! Share this slideshow with your friends on social media and give them a look back into...
JET Magazine wad founded in 1951 by John H. Johnson of Johnson Publishing Company in Chicago, Illinois. During its beginning, it was marketed as “The Weekly...
