Chronicle of Higher Education - web daily - November 9, 2001
Black Student Breaks Color Barrier in U. of Alabama's Fraternity System By ERIC HOOVER
For the first time, a black student has joined what had been an all-white fraternity system at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa.
The university did not release the name of the student or the fraternity Thursday. Cathy Andreen, a university spokeswoman, said the student wanted to maintain his privacy.
Although no black students participated in the fall fraternity rush, the university's student newspaper, The Crimson-White, reported that a white fraternity had extended a bid to the black student during the post-rush pledge period.
"The Greek system may not be widely diverse, but this is certainly a good step," Ms. Andreen said.
The news follows months of debate over whether the university's administration should try to integrate Alabama's Greek system, which includes 21 traditionally all-white fraternities. The segregated social organizations came under increased scrutiny this year after Melody Twilley, a black student, failed to gain an invitation from any of the university's 15 all-white sororities. (See an article from The Chronicle, June 8.)
At the time, Alabama officials said they did not think any black student had ever broken the Greek system's color barrier. In September, Christina Houston, a sophomore whose father is black and whose mother is white, announced that she had joined an all-white sorority in the fall of 2000. In the past, some white students have been members of the university's black fraternities.