October Campbell

Dr. Butler
Sigma Gamma RHO Herstory PDA
November 16, 2015

Last week was founders week for the sorority Sigma Gamma RHO chapter and they
hosted an event down in the rotunda open to the public. The event started at 7:22 as any of their
normal events would sense they were founded on November 12, 1922 on a Sunday at Butler
University by seven young educators whose aim was to protect and give back to the community.
The sorority was established on December 30th, 1929. SGRHO is the only sorority of the four
historically African-American sororities which comprise the National Pan-Hellenic Council
(NPHC) established at a predominantly white campus. The initial goal of the sorority was to
protect the black students who attended Butler University from one of the leaders D.C.
Stephenson of the Ku Klux Klan who lived right next to BU. They would walk these students to
and from their classes to make sure they were not bothered or killed for that matter while trying
to attend their next class. The young founders eventually became a sorority and now thrive at
many colleges as well as universities including Johnson. C. Smith University to promote
Greater Service, Greater Progress which is their sororitys slogan.
Another thing that the Sigmas touched base on was domestic violence and how often it is
overlooked but is highly noticeable in the black community. We were informed on how domestic

abuse doesnt have to start off as physical abuse but verbal abuse and can take a turn for the bad
from there if the verbal abuse is allowed and continues. Of course verbal abuse is unwanted also
but if you can stop it from there or recognize that you are in an unhealthy relationship from
picking up on the negative actions of your spouse you could save yourself from being part of a
physically abusive relationship and a violent partner. Domestic violence is all about that spouse
having some sense of control over you which lowers your self-esteem, puts you in a state of
depression, and can make you scared for your life. Domestic violence can be caused by both men
and women but mostly reported by women when it does become a problem. I never really knew
the inside and outs about Domestic violence relationships but I can see now why it would be
hard for someone who has been in one to get out of if they tried. One thing I learned is that its
not always about violence with these type of relationships but it could be because of financial
reasons, children, material things, or you could have so much love for that person that you feel
that if you do leave no one will ever love you like that particular partner did.
Last but not least they informed us on how most of the Hip Hop music we listen to today
degrades our black men and women when initially Hip Hops objective was to uplift our men and
women of color and not bring them down; and how the media portrays the black community in a
negative way. I can whole heartedly agree with the music degrading our race as well as the media
because all they seem to notice is how big or round a womans buttocks are or how much weed
or alcohol a man has along with how many bxtches he can get. I am very offended by the
music because its like how can you demoralize your own race when thats what our fight is
today and has been for many years now is gaining respect from other races and becoming
equals. None of that will change if we dont start with ourselves. No one will ever take us serious
if we dont even take one another serious and hold each other accountable for some of the

unacceptable events that we have allowed to transpire thus far. As far as the media they will only
publish what we allow them to. If we want to see change it has to come within us first then is
when we will be able to change the opinions and views of others until then we will forever be
degraded and put down but I digress.