Upon arriving at the Howard University campus this morning, students were shocked to find that five historic plots were vandalized. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity had their trees and plots covered in black spray paint.
“The University is aware that some of the Divine Nine Greek-lettered organizational plots located on the Main Yard of Howard’s campus have been defaced. These senseless acts of vandalism are unacceptable and run contrary to the values of respect and tolerance that we as an institution strive to uphold. The deliberate damaging of any Howard buildings or artifacts is expressly prohibited. The individuals responsible for these acts will be dealt with accordingly,” Howard said in a statement provided to The Hilltop.
“The Divine Nine has a rich historical legacy, and many of our most esteemed alumni credit their affiliations with these organizations for empowering their success and service. These fraternities and sororities are foundational to Howard’s identity as an institution of higher education. We take these acts of vandalism very seriously and thank the many individuals who have reached out to express their care and concern. Howard University Police Department has launched an investigation of the incident, and the University will address this issue promptly.”
Many people took to social media to voice their disdain about the vandalization, and speculate about a possible culprit; a Howard alumna with the Twitter handle @ThePoshLife_ tweeting, “Hope @HowardU looks into this seriously. Our organizations have a long standing history on this campus and the world tbh [to be honest]. And MOST of our orgs [organizations] started right here.”
This story is ongoing and The Hilltop will continue to update as new information emerges.
Copy edited by Jasper Smith
