The Whitney Museum of American Art, in partnership with the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Meatpacking District Management Association, recently hosted Divine Nine Day at the Whitney during the museum’s ongoing Free Second Sunday program.
On display through Feb. 9, the exhibit “Edges of Ailey” honors the life, artistic treasures and legacy of the late legendary Alvin Ailey.
According to the Whitney website, this is “the first large-scale museum exhibition to celebrate the life, dances, influences, and enduring legacy of visionary artist and choreographer Alvin Ailey. This dynamic showcase — described as an ‘extravaganza’ by curator Adrienne Edwards — brings together visual art, live performance, music, a range of archival materials, and a multiscreen video installation drawn from recordings of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) repertory to explore the full range of Ailey’s personal and creative life.”
During Divine Nine Day at the Whitney this holiday season, members from the Black Greek Letter Organizations within the National Pan Hellenic Council came together to celebrate their accomplishments and the enduring legacy of their beloved sororities and fraternities.
They viewed rarely seen archives, performance footage, recorded interviews as well as historic gems such as notebooks, letters, poems, short stories, choreographic notes, drawings, and performance programs and posters gathered from Ailey’s archives.
Photos courtesy of Lia Chang
L to R: Amy Roth, chief operating officer of the Whitney; Erich McMillan-McCall, WICG associate & founder of Project1Voice; Brianna O’Brien Lowndes, chief managing officer of the Whitney; Maya Latimer, 2024-26 NPHC Greater New York president; Richard E. Pelzer II., WICG associate & founder of HarlemCLX; and Kevin M. Buist, 2020-2024 NPHC-NYC President. 
Donna Walker-Kuhne, president and founder of Walker International Communications Group, Inc. (WICG) and graduate of the Howard University School of Law, said, “This past weekend was a testament to the power of collaboration and the enduring spirit of the Divine Nine. We made history, we celebrated our heritage, and we reaffirmed our commitment to service and excellence. Here’s to many more moments of unity and impact!”
Family and friends joined alumni from Historically Black Colleges and Universities as well as Predominantly White Institutions during this family-friendly day of art. While members of Divine Nine organizations posed for pictures and celebrated their collective unity and strength, the museum and the Ailey exhibit were also open to the public.
Key in the coordination in this celebration of excellence, was Maya Latimer, 2024-26 National Pan Hellenic Council Greater New York (NPHC-NYC) president; Kevin M. Buist, former 2020-2024 NPHC-NYC President, Melissa Estrado, Howard University Alumni Association (HUAA) Region I chair, and Erich McCall McMillan, a member of WICG team and of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., who had the vision of bringing together the National Pan-Hellenic Association at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
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