Black Ivy League institutions as being "Howard University, Hampton University, Spelman College, Fisk University, Morehouse College, Tuskegee University and Dillard University." The "North Star" News described "Howard, Fisk, Hampton, Morehouse, Morgan, Tuskegee, and Cheyney ... as the equivalent of a Black Ivy League." Lincoln University in Pennsylvania has also been mentioned as being included in the group. In 1976, the "Chicago Tribune" included "Morehouse, Atlanta University, Morris Brown, Gannon, Clark and Spelman..." The actual Ivy League is an eight-member athletic conference. At one point in history, some of these institutions debated forming a Black Ivy League athletic conference without reaching an agreement. Although
This Is Ivy League in August 2005 when Ryland discovered that his old friend Alex was not only still playing music but living just ten minutes away from him in Brooklyn, NY. The duo quickly began writing songs together which would later become the indie/pop/folk sound that we know as This Is Ivy League. Blackinton and Suarez were approached to join Gabe Saporta's newly formed band Cobra Starship after he found fast success with the hit song, "Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)". The song was featured on the soundtrack for the film "Snakes on a Plane" and the band was offered a record