Background

Over the decades of the founding of BGLOs, pivotal moments such as The Great Depression, World Wars, and the Civil Rights Movement occurred. BGLOs became organizations dedicated to service during those times, specifically the Jim Crow era, providing the utmost support to black communities and people during times of heavy racism, discrimination, and segregation. Most BGLOs, with the exception of two, were founded at Historically Black Colleges and Universities such as Howard University, Cornell University, and Morgan State University, where these organizations were necessary to promote equality and the fight for black rights. As time continued, the desire to join grew heavily, but not everyone was "fit" for membership. The process of pledging started as a way to choose those who were dedicated, loyal, and overall ideal candidates for the respective organizations. Click here to learn more about the history of BGLOs.

With that, pledging, now hazing, did not start with BGLOs, nor does it just occur in BGLOs. White Greek organizations founded considerably before BGLOs have and still haze, in addition to bands, sports teams, and more. What constitutes the difference in BGLOs is “how hazing is manifested within these organizations—the culture that undergirds the practice” (Parks et al., 2014, 945). It has become the center of BGLOs. Those who are known not to have had a process are looked down upon within the Greek world, hence why the process is desired. To learn more about the history of hazing, click here.