"We're closed off for a period of time," saysGrant. "But then we become some of the most activestudents on campus," Fulton adds.

"The organizations do service projects in theircommunities. They work in soup kitchens, at homesfor the elderly, in orphanages, as well asperforming such services as helping with voterregistration," says Alan Williams.

The groups also stress academic achievement.Students must have "B" averages in order, pledge,members say.

Although Black Greeks agree that the 'on line'period causes most non-members' misconceptions,they say they would never consider changing theirpledging practices because the rituals areintegral to the frats' purposes.

According to Grant, onlookers "peg an elitisttitle on us. Unfortunately you have to have thesepledging rituals to create the bond. It's a veryunique experience. To say we're separatist reallydoesn't fit because we're concerned with theUniversity," he said.

The purpose of initiation, Grant says, is tobuild unity between the members who are pledging."Being isolated from the Harvard community allowsthem to understand the fraternity better andunderstand themselves more. We take over theirsocial life for a few weeks. It's an intensebonding period for them."

"We're not trying to limit them with thisexperience. We merely need that time to isolatethem," Grant says. "They get the best of bothworlds by having the benefits of a Blackfraternity and living in a diverse community. It'smore of a support group than anything else."

The Black Greek system developed in partbecause Black students felt they needed such agroup, members say. Kappa Alpha Psi was founded atIndiana University in 1911 by the only 10 Blackmen then attending the school, Grant says. "Thepurpose was to unite Black men in an alienenvironment."

Traditional support groups were not availableto Black students at that time. The Blackfraternity system "developed because there was atime when [Black students] couldn't get into otherfraternities and sororities. So they created theirown system," says Eden Williams.

While Eden Williams says she understands whyBlack students chose to form their own separategroups, she adds that she is concerned that theBlack Greek system could have a negative effect onrace relations.

Members of Black sororities and fraternities"feel as though when they bond together they willbe overcoming racism. This is their way offighting it. Really, that only serves tosegregate, not bring together," Eden Williamssays. "I think interracial contact is the way toovercome racism."

"The real world is not all Black, so you haveto deal with and coexist with other races. Theblack fraternities don't represent reality. Theydo not help you deal with reality. It has becomemore of an escape," Eden Williams says.

But current Black Greeks say that many of thesame factors that prompted the original creationof the national fraternity system still applytoday.

They point to Boston's perennial racial tensionand say it is particularly difficult to be a Blackperson in the city. "I don't see the situation aschanged since 1911. Being Black, it can be roughsocially. There is a need of brotherhood. Theobject is not to alienate ourselves from thecommunity," Grant says.

Joining a Black fraternity or sorority is oneway Black students deal with what they call "astrong push to assimilate from the whites," saysTeddy Bosey, a Black student at MIT who does notbelong to a fraternity but who lives in apredominately Black dorm.