The Iota Mu chapter of Alpha Sigma Alpha was officially installed this past April at Bluefield State University, a Historically Black institution in southern West Virginia.
Unlike the Divine Nine organizations traditionally seen at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Alpha Sigma Alpha is part of the National Panhellenic Conference and was founded in 1901 at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia. According to the group’s charter, the sorority was established “to cultivate friendship among its members, and in every way to create pure and elevating sentiments… to elevate and ennoble womanhood in the world.”
The announcement sparked mixed reactions on social media. Some users questioned the presence of a historically white sorority at an HBCU, while others pointed to the changing demographics of the region and the institution itself.
“I love y’all, but please educate yourselves on the history of this HBCU,” one user wrote. “Then take a look at the demographics in the state of West Virginia.”
Bluefield State, founded in 1895, once served a primarily Black residential population. But by the late 1950s and early 1960s, desegregation and regional shifts in the coalfields population transformed the school into a commuter college that increasingly enrolled white students.
Today, the university is home to just under 2,000 students and is a member of the CIAA athletic conference. According to Data USA, the population of Bluefield is about 90.5% white and only 3.8% Black.
Despite its historical roots, the university now promotes itself as a diverse and inclusive environment.
“Bluefield State is one of two HBCUs in West Virginia and is one of the fastest-growing campus communities in the country,” the university states on its website. “The University is situated in the terraced hills of Bluefield, W.Va., a small city known for its friendly, welcoming community.”
The many impressions on the post have highlighted a deeper conversation within the community, are HBCUs becoming too inclusive?
“We shout for inclusion and diversity so why not show them we can do it first!”
