Videos Of Historically Black Greek Letter Fraternities & KKPsi (Music Fraternity/Sorority) Singing Their Organization's Hymns

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision: Feb. 6, 2021

This pancocojams post showcases a video of the university based band members fraternity and sorority Kappa Kappa Psi, Inc. crossing arms while singing their hymn.

This post also.documents video examples of the five historically Black Greek lettered fraternities who are members of the "Divine Nine" singing their organization's hymn.

In some of these organizations members are shown linking arms with persons standing on either side while singing their fraternity hymn. 

The content of this post is presented for cultural purposes.

All coyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/11/videos-of-members-of-historically-black.html for the companion pancocojams post entitled "Videos Of Members Of Historically Black Greek Letter Sororities Singing Their Hymn Or Their Sweetheart Song".

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
I believe that the custom of linking (crossing) arms with people standing on either side is done to foster and convey unity and symbolize the strong bond that members of these organizations have with each other. 

As documented by these videos, the crossed arms stance is often accompanied by the singers swaying back and forth in time with the song.

In the United States, this crossed arm (linked arm) stance and swaying back and forth while singing songs are most closely associated with the civil rights song "We Shall Overcome".  Here's some information about the song "We Shall Overcome" from https://christiansforsocialaction.org/resource/we-shall-overcome-the-story-behind-the-civil-rights-song/
"We Shall Overcome"—The Story Behind the Civil Rights Song", 8 August 2017, By Victor M. Parachin
..."Though untutored in music, [Rev. Charles] Tindley had natural musical gifts that would play a prominent role in his life and ministry. He often sang in church services, and would frequently pause during one of his sermons to sing. As melodies and lyrics came to him, Tindley began to put pen to paper, eventually writing more than 60 hymns. Several of his hymns continue to appear in modern hymnals. One of his earliest songs was written and published in 1900, titled “I’ll Overcome Some Day.” It became widely used in congregational singing and, in 1945, underwent a transformation when the words were changed to the plural “We Shall Overcome Some Day.” This slight change was introduced by Zilphia Horton, an American union organizer, civil rights activist and musician. Horton had the remarkable ability to take popular songs from church hymnals, such as “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize,” “This Little Light of Mine,” or “We Shall Not Be Moved,” and transform them into protest songs. In October of 1945, Horton adapted Tindley’s hymn for union workers on strike in Charleston, South Carolina. With them on the picket line, Horton led them in linking arms and singing “We Shall Overcome.” A few years later, in 1950, the song was recorded and increased its visibility and popularity among various groups supporting civil rights.

We Shall Overcome” was launched as the anthem of the American Civil Rights movement in August of 1963"...
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I added italics to highlight this sentence.

My guess is that the linked arm stance was used, in part, to convey solidarity and also to make it more difficult for police to separate and then arrest protestors.  

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-we-shall-overcome-civil-rights-song.html for more information about "We Shall Overcome" from  the pancocojams post entitled "We Shall Overcome" Civil Rights Song & Its Linked Arms/ Hands Held Stance". 

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DISCLAIMER:
This post doesn't mean to imply that these Greek letter organizations always cross arms while singing these hymns. For example, there are YouTube videos of members of some of these fraternities singing their hymn standing arm in arm but not crossing their arms.

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
These videos are presented in chronological order based on the video's publishing date with the oldest video presented first.

Example #1: KKPsi Hymn [Kappa Kappa Psi]



Ahandful ofIdiots, Published on Apr 25, 2012
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Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread:
APA470 (2014)
"This was at Troy University following Step 4 Life that year."
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This hymn is an adaptation of the religious song “Beams of Heaven”
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Since I haven't featured information and videos of KKPsi as much as I have for these other fraternities, here's a lik to KKPsi's Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kappa_Kappa_Psi.
"Kappa Kappa Psi, National Honorary Band Fraternity (ΚΚΨ, colloquially referred to as KKPsi), is a fraternity for college and university band members in the United States. It was founded on November 27, 1919 at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, now known as Oklahoma State University, in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Kappa Kappa Psi primarily operates as a recognition society[1] providing service, leadership opportunities, and social programming for band members. Tau Beta Sigma, National Honorary Band Sorority, has been recognized as a sister organization since 1947, and the two organizations share National Headquarters in Stillwater Station, a converted historical Santa Fe rail depot that was purchased by the fraternity and sorority in 1991.

Since 1919, more than 66,000 men and women have been initiated into Kappa Kappa Psi, with nearly 6,000 collegiate members active today.

[...]

May 1957 saw the first chapters at historically black universities: On May 19, the Delta Alpha chapter at Langston University was installed; three days later, the Gamma Omega chapter was established at Texas Southern University.[19]"...

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Example #2: Alpha phi alpha 2012 Morehouse graduation



86009742, Published on May 20, 2012

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Example #3: Omega Dear - Mu Alpha Chapter - Omega Psi Phi - 2013



BRENDA J. PEART, Published on Nov 18, 2013

This is the conclusion of Mu Alpha Chapter (Port City Ques) of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., 2013 National Achievement Observance Week held at Burke High School.
Theme: "Advancing Omega's Future through Leadership, Vision and Excellence"

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Example #4: Centennial Founders Day Hymm at Howard University



Phi Beta Sigma, Published on Jan 9, 2014

Brothers of Phi Beta Sigma singing the Fraternity hymn at the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Centennial Monument to be erected at Howard University!

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ADDENDUM - A Video of The Two Additional Historically Black Greek Lettered Fraternities Singing Their Fraternity Hymn

These videos are presented in chronological order based on the video's publishing date with the oldest video presented first.

Example #1: The Kappa Alpha Psi Hymn | 60th Anniversary Black White Delta Nu Ball



UPDATED, Published on Nov 8, 2015

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Example #2: Iota Phi Theta Hym at SIUE



Iota Phi Theta, Published on Apr 23, 2016

Men of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Sing Fraternity Hym in quad of Southern Illinois University Edwadsville.

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