Honoring Founders, Fostering Community
New National Pan-Hellenic Council Legacy Plaza honors Carolina’s first Black Greek organizations.
New National Pan-Hellenic Council Legacy Plaza honors Carolina’s first Black Greek organizations.
Carolina’s National Pan-Hellenic Council Legacy Plaza has been a long time coming for the founders of the first historically Black sororities and fraternities on campus.
“When I arrived on Chapel Hill’s campus in 1971, there were no Black Greek letter organizations,” said Deborah Wilder, a charter member of the omicron chapter of Delta Sigma Theta. “I’ve been a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta for 48 years, and this plaza is a way to say, ‘We were here, and we made the University better for it.’”
The UNC NPHC Legacy Plaza is located on South Campus between SASB North and South and consists of nine columns representing each of the founding Black Greek organizations. The pillars are arranged in chronological order of when the organizations were chartered. An inner circle of pavers and an outer circle of bricks feature the names of donors who made the plaza possible.
“The (NPHC) sororities on campus don’t necessarily have a home, a place where they can gather that is specially meant for them like their counterparts that have houses,” said UNC Student Affairs Director of Development Zack Hawkins. “This gives them a home for them to share their culture, not only amongst themselves but with the entire campus. This is a safe space for them to have fun, enjoy each other’s company and get to know one another.”
The plaza is now completed and open for visitors.
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