Lecturer to speak on fraternities, sororities

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Lawrence C. Ross Jr., an author, lecturer, filmmaker and humorist, will speak at 7 p.m. Friday in the Ohio Room of Kilcawley Center.

The event, which also includes a book-signing, is free and open to the public.

The lecture will focus on the history of African-American fraternities and sororities and how they can grow their organizations, and it’s sponsored by the YSU Division of Student Affairs and the Divine Nine/National Pen-Hellenic Council. The Devine Nine refers to the nine historically black fraternities and sororities.

Ross has written five books, including “The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities,” which is in its seventh printing with more than 50,000 copies sold. It also is on Amazon.com’s African-American studies best-sellers’ list, and for the past year has been the No. 1 best-selling book among African-American college students.

Ross earned a bachelor’s degree in history from UCLA and a master of fine arts from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. He has lectured at more than 300 universities, as he is universally recognized as an expert in the field of African-American fraternities and sororities. He has appeared on National Public Radio, “Good Morning Atlanta,” and has been interviewed in Ebony, Savoy, Essence, the Los Angeles Times, Africana.com, and the London Times, among others. For more information, visit http://alpha1906.com/