Every Greek organization has its share of notable members, even some famous ones that they like bringing to the forefront when speaking about their organization. BGLO’s are no different. We LOVE talking about our notable members whether they were initiated through normal means or granted honorary membership. I just want to share some of my observations with you on the subject.
There are many notable members of our BGLOs. Here are a few that you will find splattered on the websites of BGLO’s everywhere:
Alphas - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Duke Ellington, Lionel Ritchie, Thurgood Marshall, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., David Dinkins, Cornell West.
Some less honorable: Former DC Mayor Marion (Tyrone Biggums) Barry, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick with his money stealing cheating A$$… accused of 12-counts complaint charging perjury, conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice and misconduct. What is up with Alpha mayors and controversy?


AKAs - Maya Angelou, Jada Pinkett Smith, Phylicia Rashad, Rosa Parks, Star Jones, Donda West (Kanye’s Mom), Loretta Devine, Alicia Keys.
Some less honorable: Karyn McConnell Hancock: The AKA who recently was charged with faking her kidnapping in order to escape tax debts and her own life’s mess. This makes the chick posing spread eagle with AKA para on pale in comparison.

Kappas - Arthur Ashe, Tavis Smiley, John Singleton, Cedric The Entertainer, Johnnie Cochran, Penny Hardaway, Percy Sutton, Wilt Chamberlain.
Some less honorable: Bob Johnson: The founder of the network that is poisoning the minds of Black folks everywhere; BET. Nothing worse than sending an whole generation to hell. THANKS BOB!

Omegas - Michael Jordan, Steve Harvey, Shaquille O’Neal, Bill Cosby, Count Basie, Vince Carter, Rev. Jessie Jackson, Carter G. Woodson.
Some less honorable: Have you seen the Ques LATELY? Geesus.

Deltas - Lena Horne, Aretha Franklin, Carol Mosely-Braun, Mary McLeod Bethune, Hazel Johnson Brown, Ph.D, Natalie Cole, Vashti M. McKenzie, Shirley Caesar.
Some less honorable: Christine Beatty: The Delta who was having an affair behind her own sorority sister’s back with the Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick and accused of 12-counts complaint charging perjury, conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice and misconduct. Talk about sisterly relations! He must have really been putting it down for you to do that to your soror.

Sigmas - George Washington Carver, Bobby Jones, Huey P. Newton, Emmit Smith, Morgan Freeman, A. Phillip Randolph, Blair Underwood, Malik Yoba.
Some less honorable: Rick James (This has not been confirmed nor denied) LOL The milk’s gone bad!

Zetas - Zora Neale Hurston, Ester Rolle, Sarah Vaughan, Ja’net Dubois, Madame C.J. Walker, Melba Moore, Vanessa Williams (Soul Food), Minnie Ripperton.
Some less honorable: Dionne (I needs my weed) Warwick, as if her psychic friends network wasn’t bad enough putting her up there with Ms. Cleo, Their Current Grand Basileus Barbara C. Moore.

SGRhos - Hattie McDaniel, Victoria Rowell, Brenda Joysmith, Mother Love, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Lorraine E. Hale, Kelly Price, Lana Michele Moorer “M.C. Lyte” .
Some less honorable: I couldn’t realty find any SGRho’s with any dirt on em. Maybe its because no one wants to … I will leave that up to you all.
Iotas - Calvin Murphy, T.C. Carson, Spencer Christian, Desi Arnez Hines.
Some less honorable: I really couldn’t that many Iotas, honorable or not. That is not a joke people. 
It is no secret that many of our organizations get our prominent members from honorary membership, which is a process in which an organization will bestow membership on an individual they deem worthy of membership. Ideally, their lives will demonstrate a commitment to the ideals, principles and service the organization holds dear. Realistically, that doesn’t always happen. I have always liked the principle of honorary membership, and it should be a great and cherished honor an organization gives to an outsider, but it presents some problems to me as well as other members of the NPHC.
Your “average” member of a BGLO, has attended college, and has met the requirements (no matter how lax they may be) by applying for membership either on the collegiate or graduate level. Based on their grades, community service and other factors depending on the organization, they were accepted or rejected.
It seems as if we don’t count honorary members as “real members” of our orgs, even though many were given some initiation rite, whether it was similar to the initiation of members in chapters or not. In many orgs, they are not given the same privileges as a member who is not honorary. Many members of the NPHC believe that because they don’t go thru the pledging or intake process as other members do, they only get in because of the prestige or the amount of money they have.
Some feel as if their letters are just being given away, while some members ask these questions: “Are these members “reppin” us as hard as we are reppin them?” One might ask? Do they do any service or participate in the national organization after being initiated? Do these members contribute financially to the organization? Should they? “Why can’t the person just apply for membership into a chapter if they are truly interested in membership?”
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity makes it known that they do not, nor have they ever, accepted honorary memberships… well any more.Alphas no longer accept them. Other organizations while they have accepted honorary members in the past have sworn up and down that they do not use this avenue of membership except for the highest of candidates.
I’m just a little intrigued about two members who were given membership into Alpha Phi Alpha and Phi Beta Sigma. Frederick Douglas and George Washington Carver were both granted honorary membership into A Phi A and PBS respectively, HOWEVER Frederick Douglas DIED on February 20, 1895, almost 11 years BEFORE the founding of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. In 1921, members of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity designated Frederick Douglass as an honorary member of the fraternity. Please explain to me how a DEAD man can pledge?

George Washington Carver was indeed alive during the time Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity was founded, however he was granted honorary membership on February 20, 1938, and there are questions to him being “aware” of this honor during the time because he died about five years after that. (I know someone will straighten me out on this one LOL)
With all the talk about our prominent members there are some who are just mentioned for name recognition, and don’t do jack scrap for their org. There are some members who are indeed active and have contributed much. While I think the honor should be given in RARE circumstances, let’s please not use this membership designation to “pad” our famous membership rosters.
Now let’s clear up some misconceptions, you have questions in your head about that famous person who one sorority/fraternity claimed to be a member only to be WRONG!
Lets play a game: True or FALSE. Don’t cheat!
Jasmine Guy is a Zeta.
Tisha Campbell is an AKA
Quincy Jones is an Alpha/Que?
Kellie Shanygne Williams (Laura Family Matters) is a Delta
Keisha Knight Pulliam (Rudy Cosby Show) is a Delta
W.E.B. DuBois is an Alpha
Sylveena Johnson (singer) is a Zeta
George “P-Funk” Clinton is a Que
Morris Chestnut is a Sigma
Jackie Robinson is an Alpha
Debbie Allen is a Delta
I’ll give the answers in the next blog. Now speculate away.