Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and state Sen. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, on June 18 debuted new license plate designs honoring five Black Greek-letter organizations.
The participating fraternities and sororities are Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.; and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
For $25, members can order a license plate with their organization’s design by mail or in person after downloading the form. Nonmembers can order a collector plate for $10, though those plates can’t be registered for vehicles.
The plates were Anthony’s idea, who called them a display of civic engagement and educational advancement.
“The establishment of these organizations was an act of courage, and a commitment to uplifting one another in a time of few opportunities and many barriers,” she said in a news release. “Their missions are more important than ever.”
Cheri Hardmon, senior press secretary for the Michigan Department of State, said in an email to the Free Press that the participating organizations met the minimum threshold of 500 members who would buy a plate, which is required by state law.
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.; Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. did not meet the requirement, Hardmon said, while Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. chose not to participate.
“If additional National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) sororities and fraternities want to offer license plates to their members and meet that threshold, they can also be included in the program,” she said.
Find more information on the special organization and collector plate programs here.
Tristan McFolley is a Detroit Free Press intern. Reach him at tmcfolley@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan releases license plates for Black fraternities and sororities
Reporting by Tristan McFolley, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Tristan McFolley, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
