 That year he was initiated as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first fraternity founded by and for blacks.In September 1929 he married Vivien Buster Burey and began to take his studies seriously, graduating "cum laude" with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American literature and philosophy.Marshall wanted to study in his hometown law school, the University of Maryland School of Law, but did not apply because of the school's segregation policy.