Greek Life Timeline

Though Final Clubs, fraternities, and sororities are long-standing staples of the Harvard social scene, their presence is anything but static. Last year, sorority Alpha Phi set down its roots in Cambridge, while fraternity Kappa Sigma reinstated its Harvard chapter last week after an eighty-year hiatus. FM digs into the archives to create a chronology of Harvard’s dynamic Greek life.

1779

The third chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, America’s first Greek collegiate society, is established at Harvard College.

1837

The Harvard chapter of Alpha Delta Phi, from which the AD Club originates, is founded.

1852

A chapter of the Zeta Psi fraternity, to which the Spee Club traces its origins, is founded.

1860

Alpha Delta Phi surrenders its charter following an internal disagreement over the Civil War.

1876

Theodore Roosevelt enrolls in Harvard College, where he becomes a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and Alpha Delta Phi.

1893

Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s parent organization, Massachusetts Gamma, is established on March 17.

1896

The Phi Delta Psi fraternity is founded, just nine years before being recognized as the Owl club.

1914

26 undergraduate clubs, including Harvard’s seven fraternities, sign an agreement to forbid canvassing and pledging students in their freshman year. This pact is later abandoned by many of these organizations.

1933

Kappa Sigma voluntarily disbands, a dissolution that the fraternity’s website attributes “to actions by the University.”

1988

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III contests that the University cannot officially recognize fraternities because of “a policy against single sex institutions...Harvard groups also cannot be affiliated with national organizations.”

1989

A chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity is founded at Harvard. Chartered in 1992, Sigma Chi is, according its the website, the “oldest continuously active fraternity at Harvard University.”

1991

In a Crimson article detailing controversial recruitment letters sent out by Sigma Alpha Mu, the former Dean Epps states that the University has “very great doubts about the efficacy of fraternities, because many have the reputation for the abuse of alcohol and for interference with academic work.”

1993

Harvard’s first sorority, a chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta, is founded on campus. Kappa Alpha Theta was also the United States’ first all-female Greek organization.

1994

Delta Gamma, one of Harvard’s four sororities, is founded.

2001

After the disbanding of its flagship charter, Massachusetts Gamma, in 1980, SAE is re-established as Harvard’s third fraternity.

2002

Mark Zuckerberg joins Alpha Epsilon Pi, or “AEPi.”

2011

Sororities welcome the largest rush class in Harvard history, with 268 undergraduates rushing the three organizations. This same year, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon all acquire off-campus social spaces.

2013

Alpha Phi, which according to its website is “consistently ranked #1” among US sororities, becomes Harvard’s fourth sorority.

2014

Kappa Sigma is re-established as Harvard’s fourth fraternity, after 80 years of inactivity.