Lawrence Ross facts for kids

Lawrence C. Ross Jr. (born February 20, 1966) is a writer who creates both history books and fictional stories. He is known for his books about African American fraternities and sororities. He also writes about race and education on college campuses.

About Lawrence Ross

Lawrence Ross was born in Los Angeles, California. He went to Loyola High School. After high school, he studied history at the University of California, Berkeley and UCLA. He also earned a special degree called a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. This degree focused on how to write screenplays for movies and TV shows.

Before becoming a full-time author, Ross worked as a reporter. He wrote for the Los Angeles Independent Newspaper. In 1997, he became the managing editor of Rap Sheet magazine. This was one of the first hip hop magazines on the West Coast.

Writing About Black Greek Life

In 1997, Ross, who is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, started writing an important book. It was called The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities. This book was the first to cover all the groups in the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). The NPHC is an organization for historically black Greek-letter fraternities and sororities.

The Divine Nine became a very popular book. It appeared on bestseller lists for newspapers and magazines like the Los Angeles Times and Essence. Because of this book, Lawrence Ross traveled to many colleges and universities. He has spoken at over 300 schools. He teaches students about the history of NPHC groups. He also talks about how members can live up to their promises.

Ross has also written articles for websites like The Root.com and CNN.com. These articles often discuss African American Greek life and education.

Other Books by Ross

In 2001, Ross published his second book, The Ways of Black Folks: A Year in the Life of a People. In this book, he shares stories about black people from different parts of the world. The National Association of Black Journalists chose it as a "Fall Must Read" book.

Ross also writes fiction. His first novel, Friends With Benefits, was chosen by Doubleday's Black Expressions Book Club. This means it was a main selection for their readers.

In 2007, his fourth book, Skin Game, was published. Later, in 2016, he released his sixth book, Blackballed: The Black and White Politics of Race on America's Campuses. This book explores issues of race on college campuses.

Lawrence Ross has been a guest on National Public Radio and TV shows like Good Morning Atlanta. He has also been interviewed in many magazines, including Ebony, Savoy, Essence, and Newsweek. His work has also been featured in the Los Angeles Times.

In 2018, the University of La Verne gave Lawrence Ross an honorary PhD degree. This is a special award that recognizes his important contributions.

Published Works

• The Divine Nine : The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities, New York, NY: Kensington Publishing, 2000.
• The Ways of Black Folks : A Year in the Life of a People, New York: Dafina ; London : Turnaround, 2004.
• Blackballed : The Black and White Politics of Race on America's Campuses, New York: St. Martin's Griffin.

See also

• List of Alpha Phi Alpha brothers