New Article Explores Media Portrayals of Black Americans and the Historic Role of the Divine Nine

The op-ed challenges why negative portrayals of Black Americans dominate media while the Divine Nine’s long history of excellence remains largely unseen.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, November 3, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Author and media host Lana Reid has released a new article examining how Black Americans are represented in mainstream media and how that depiction contrasts with the long-standing contributions of the Divine Nine, the nine historically Black fraternities and sororities founded between 1906 and 1963.

The commentary highlights the visibility gap between media depictions of Black life and the documented impact of the Divine Nine, which collectively includes more than four million members worldwide and has helped shape generations of leaders across education, public service, business, politics, the military, and community development. Reid explains that the purpose of the article is to help broaden public understanding of Black excellence beyond the narrow portrayals often seen in television and news programming, noting that the Divine Nine has produced leaders in nearly every sector of American life for more than a century.

The Divine Nine organizations include: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.; Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.; Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.; and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.

The article also references 2023 data from the Pew Research Center, which reported that 63 percent of Black adults believe news coverage of Black people is more negative than coverage of other racial groups, while 57 percent said media platforms tend to focus on only certain types of Black stories.
The full article can be read at: https://lanareid.com/why-the-world-knows-the-stereotype-but-not-the-story-rethinking-the-visibility-of-black-excellence-in-america

About Lana Reid
Lana Reid is an award-winning author, media host, and founder of Conversations in Color, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) grassroots organization dedicated to creating uplifting, community-building spaces of dialogue for Black voices. She is also the creator and host of The Male Perspective, home of the Black Men Matter Series, and facilitator of Sistas Rebuilding Sisterhood, an intergenerational community of Black women focused on connection, healing, and empowerment.

Lana Reid
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