Iota Phi Theta

Early activism – Northwood Theater

Brothers participated in various protests and sit-ins throughout Baltimore to fight racial segregation. The earliest was a protest organized with a civic interest group, composed mostly of Morgan State College students, against the theater at Northwood Shopping Center in Baltimore, Maryland, located diagonally across the street from Morgan State College. In the majority-white area, Northwood continued to segregate its services, affecting thousands of students at the historically black college. In many theaters, only white people could occupy seating on the main floor, while black people were restricted to the "Jim Crow" balcony, often with a separate ticket booth and entrance.

This protest started February 15, 1963, and over the course of the six days, the total number of picketers involved reached 1500, and over 400 individuals were arrested. The protest took place in the context of a longer history of protests against the theater's white-only policy. Annual demonstrations against the theater had been held since 1955, including a sit-in at Northwood and picketing downtown. The theater was a last holdout of racial segregation in the blocks surrounding the college. On February 22, 1963, the theater capitulated to student demands and ended its white-only policy.^[6]

Incorporation, philanthropy, and growth

The fraternity functioned as a local entity until the first interest groups were established in 1967 at Hampton Institute (Beta Chapter) and Delaware State College (Gamma Chapter). Further expansion took place in 1968, with chapters formed at Norfolk State College (Delta Chapter) and Jersey City State College (Epsilon Chapter). The fraternity was legally incorporated on November 1, 1968, as a national fraternity under the laws of the State of Maryland.^[5]

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the fraternity supported the Big Brothers of America. In 1974, the then Grand Polaris, Thomas Dean, appeared in a local television commercial on behalf of Big Brothers of America. The fraternity continues to support service initiatives with national organizations such as the NAACP, the United Negro College Fund, the National Sickle Cell Foundation, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the National Federation of the Blind, and Project IMAGE, as well as its own fraternity service initiatives.

The first steps toward moving the fraternity from a regional to a national scope were taken with the creation of Upsilon Chapter at Southern Illinois University in 1974. It was also during this period that the fraternity's first four graduate chapters were formed across the South and the East Coast, which created a base for the organization in the Northeast, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest regions of the country. The next regional expansion occurred in 1983 with the establishment of the Alpha Chi (San Francisco State University) and Xi Omega (San Francisco Bay Area alumni) chapters in California.^[5]

Joining the NIC and NPHC

While joining the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) was an important objective for the fraternity, it prioritized entering an affiliation that would provide resources and relationships essential for Iota's long-term growth and development. With that in mind, Iota Phi Theta successfully petitioned for membership in the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC; a federation of 69 North American men's fraternities) in 1985. Iota Phi Theta became the second historically African American fraternity to join the NIC and remains one of only four historically African-American fraternities which are NIC members.^[7]

While its NIC membership was and is beneficial, Iota continued contact with the NPHC, which at the time had no expansion policy with which to accept new members. At its 1993 national convention, the NPHC adopted a constitutional amendment which provided for expansion, and several years later, a NPHC expansion committee developed criteria for potential new member organizations and a procedure by which they might apply.^[7]

In 1996, Iota Phi Theta submitted a formal application to the NPHC expansion committee for review, after which it was delivered to the NPHC Executive Board. After deliberation, the board unanimously approved Iota Phi Theta's membership application. Effective November 12, 1996, Iota Phi Theta was accepted as a full member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, with all its rights, privileges, and responsibilities. To commemorate Iota's entry, the NPHC conducted a formal induction ceremony at its February 1997 leadership conference. This ceremony was attended by hundreds of Iota men, including the Grand Council and a number of the fraternity's founders, as well as hundreds of well-wishers and supporters from the NPHC community.^[7]

1990s and international expansion

In 1992, the fraternity established the National Iota Foundation, Inc., a tax-exempt entity which grants scholarships and other financial assistance to those in need. Since its creation, the foundation has distributed over $250,000 in programs and services.

The fraternity became an international entity with the establishment of a colony in Nassau, Bahamas in 1999, military chapters in South Korea (Alpha Rho Omega, 2005) and Japan (Beta Pi Omega, 2009), and Theta Mu (The Diego Luis Cordoba Tech University of Choco; Quibdó, Chocó, Colombia, South America, 2013).

Traditionally, only the fraternity's members display its name "Iota Phi Theta", letters ΙΦθ, and shield in Charcoal Brown (PMS 469) and Gilded Gold (PMS 871 Metallic).

In 2012, Iota Phi Theta was ranked #20 on Newsweek's "Top 25 Fraternities" list.^[8] September 19, 2013 marked the fraternity's 50th anniversary. Since its founding date, Iota Phi Theta has continued to grow and has become the fifth-largest and fastest growing predominantly black fraternal organization in the United States.^[9] As of June 2018, there have been over 30,000 members initiated in the US and overseas.^[4]

Community service

Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. facilitates and participates in community service throughout various communities, particularly in those historically disenfranchised.

Iota Phi Theta runs the following programs and partnerships under its Kaya ([kah-ya], meaning "village" in Swahili) Community Service Initiative:^[12]

• I-S.H.I.E.L.D. – In spring 2016, the fraternity created an initiative designed to address and end all forms of abuse. I-S.H.I.E.L.D. is an acronym that stands for "IOTAS Saving, Healing, Improving, Empowering Lives Daily". The initiative addresses five areas: human trafficking, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, elder abuse, and child abuse/bullying.
• Delete Blood Cancer – In spring 2016, the fraternity and the Delete Blood Cancer group (DKMS) partnered to raise awareness about various blood-related cancers and register potential marrow donors, with emphasis on African Americans and other communities of color.
• The American Red Cross – In January 2015, the fraternity partnered with the ARC to provide assistance to communities through the United States in the areas of blood drives, disaster relief operations and other areas in which they believe cooperation and support will be mutually beneficial.
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital – Since 2012, the fraternity has supported St. Jude primarily through the annual St. Jude Run/Walk to End Childhood Cancer. Teams composed of members of the brothers, Sweethearts, and their families and supporters raise funds throughout the year and run or walk during the event.
• The I.O.T.A. ("Intelligent, Outstanding, Talented Achievers") Youth Alliance (I.Y.A.) – a national umbrella program, established in 1991 (by Grand Polaris Robert Clark and First Lady Felita Clark), through which individual chapters address the needs of and issues relevant to local black youth. Since its inception, I.Y.A. programs have included mentorship, manhood development, relationship building, college awareness, HBCU tours, athletics, academic support (scholarships, academic and career advising/counseling, tutoring), and personal development.

Iota Phi Theta also has programs specific to health issues affecting minority men under its Afya Njema ([aah-fee-yah] [j-ma], meaning "Good Health" in Swahili) 360 Health Initiative:

• Iota Phi Theta Men's Health Program – Established in Spring 2016, this program raises awareness of preventable health problems and encourages early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. Chapters sponsor health awareness seminars, workshops, and 'hands-on' support for fraternity members, other African American males, and men of color.
• I-PhiT ("Impact Others Through Awareness by Implementing Public Health Initiatives Throughout the World.") – I-PhiT is a volunteer-based organization founded in 2011 by its President and CEO, Iota brother David Odige. I-PhiT and Iota Phi Theta have joined to address national and international public health issues through education, community involvement, and awareness.

Audrey Brooks and Iota Sweethearts

In the early growth and development of the fraternity, Morgan State University staff member Audrey Brooks assisted the Brothers and became a vital resource to Iota Phi Theta, providing protection and support for the fledgling organization. In recognition of her support, the fraternity granted Ms. Brooks the title of "Eternal Sweetheart". Brooks continued to support of Iota Phi Theta through her life and was a frequent guest at Iota conclaves and workshops until her passing in 2003. The Iota Sweetheart Auxiliary was formed soon after in her honor and has become a fraternity tradition. During a Sweetheart Workshop held during the 1999 Iota Phi Theta Conclave in Oakland, California, Ms. Brooks stated, "The Purpose of Iota Sweethearts is to smile and be gracious on behalf of Iota. Anything else is inappropriate," which became the philosophical foundation of the Sweetheart Auxiliary.^[13]

The Iota Sweethearts, Inc. (ISI) was founded in September 2014 to reorganize the Iota Phi Theta Sweetheart Auxiliary, which the fraternity then dissolved in January 2015. In October 2015, ISI and the fraternity signed an agreement which officially formalized the historical relationship between the organizations.^[13]