Comments

Interviewee: Marci Whitehead

Interviewers: Dr. Mark Naison and Donna Joseph

Summary by Ellie Harkins

A woman of many talents, positions, and contributions to her various communities, Marci Whitehead exemplifies beautifully how Greek sororities transform the lives of those in participation and beyond. Whitehead herself grew up in multiple areas of Virginia, Washington, D.C., and New York City, yet the Bronx was her home, where she began her inspirational educational journey. Growing up, hip hop music flooded her neighborhood, and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball programs dominated her free time. Her childhood was marked by the tangible sense of community within her home and neighborhood.

Attending Lehman High School, Whitehead secured an excellent education. Still, she described it as being “probably ten minutes from my house, but it was cultures away” ([03:38]). Whitehead and Black students were disenfranchised from their white counterparts when it came to their expectations of the future. When applying for colleges, Whitehead was effectively on her own without guidance. She ultimately attended Long Island University (LIU), where she played basketball for one year. Whitehead was always interested in science, a passion that continued into her college years. When she majored in Biology and Education, she was initially hoping to pursue a career in the medical field.

Whitehead searched for a community within her campus and, in 1978, joined the Greek sorority Alpha Phi Alpha (APA). She was drawn to the Theta Tau group specifically because “they presented themselves in such a dignified manner in public” ([10:36]). During her undergraduate career, Whitehead held the positions of President, Vice President, and Membership Chair within Alpha Phi Alpha. The discrimination faced in her youth did not stop at Long Island University, as one of her professors gave her a failing grade in Chemistry due to his distaste for “black people and the sciences” ([12:54]). Working with APA and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Whitehead scheduled a formal meeting with her professor, despite his initial lack of care and failure to apologize. She remembered the meeting by describing a want “to disappear” ([12:54]). Through her APA sisters, she sought a strong sense of camaraderie, driven by their shared cultural background and their shared striving for sisterhood.

After graduating from LIU and securing both a teaching position, which proved not to be her passion, and a social work job at Abbott House, Whitehead continued her involvement in Greek life. In the early 1980s, Whitehead joined the Eta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA), where she served as President, Graduate Advisor, Membership Chair, and Bachelors Standard Chair during her tenure. She was a very active member and leader, striving to keep the organization’s spirit alive through the various events such as “rites of passage, all of our acts of greed, programs, Aka Rosa, our highway beautification, The Great Bronx Cleanup” ([38:33]). Through mentorship, Whitehead became a great leader who focused on maintaining the organization's standards, starting at the top and trickling down. For Whitehead, she emphasizes the importance of each sister and how “every story touched [her] heart” ([40:42]). Looking at the organization today, Whitehead emphasizes the importance for the directors and younger members to learn about the principles that founded AKA: Sisterhood, Scholarship, and Service.

Although Whitehead’s life is far more complex, she highlights how APA and her own hard work help shape the Bronx community, its members, and herself. Greek life isn’t just about one’s active participation in college, but, as Whitehead states, it is a “lifelong bond” ([27:40]).

Disciplines

African American Studies | Public History

Download
COinS