The 2025 Edward Waters University graduation turned into a
praise & worship service
Credit: A. Zachary Faison, Jr. -snip- Edward Waters University is located in Jacksonville, Florida.
**** Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases two YouTube video Shorts of the Gospel record "Every Praise"* by Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Crusade Choir being played during universities graduation ceremonies and other graduation ceremonies.
*"Every Praise" is commonly known as "Every Praise Is To Our God".
The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube. -snip- Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/06/hezekiah-walker-love-fellowship-crusade.html for the pancocojams post entitled Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Crusade Choir - "Every Praise" (also known as "Every Praise Is To Our God" (videos, & lyrics).
@Saginaw Dance Show, May 28, 2025 -snip- Please share information about the name of the man who is featured in this YouTube video short and where this video taken (the name of the high school or university that he graduated from).
Also, please share the link to any other YouTube videos of the Gospel song "Every Praise" being played at graduations so that they might be added to this pancocojams post.
This pancocojams post explores the performance art of "strolling" by graduates and/or other members of historically Black Greek letter fraternities and sororities "strolling" as it occurs during and/or after university graduation ceremonies.
The impetus for this post is this relatively widely repeated quote from an article about the incident that occurred during a University Of Florida 2018 graduation ceremony in which some Black graduates (and- some allege- also some White graduates) were forcefully pushed off the stage because they "strolled" or performed some other celebratory movements:
..."The University of Florida has suspended a faculty member who rushed mostly black graduates off the stage during a commencement ceremony.
The white employee, described as a chemistry lecturer, has been placed on paid administrative leave, according to AL.com.
Videos of the ceremony show the lecturer pushing and restraining black students who were “strolling,” or celebrating their achievement through actions like dancing, or what one graduate told The Gainesville Sun is "a cultural tradition in historically black fraternities and sororities." http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/387231-university-of-florida-suspends-official-who-pulled-black-graduates
University of Florida suspends official who pulled black graduates off stage during commencement by Avery Anapol - 05/11/18
****
The content of this post is presented for cultural, historical, entertainment and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all who are quoted in this post, thanks to all those who are featured in these the videos, and thanks to all those who published these videos.
****
MY COMMENTS ABOUT THE CUSTOM OF HISTORICALLY SFRICAN AMERICAN GREEK LETTER FRATERNITY AND SORORITY STROLLING AFTER UNIVERISTY GRADUATIONS by Azizi Powell, updated February 21, 2025
As a preface to the videos that are showcased in this post, I believe that it's important to determine:
1. whether strolling (and/or steppin) occurs by graduates and other members of their organization after the completion of the official graduation ceremony
2. whether strolling (and or steppin) occurs during and/or after separate cultural graduating ceremonies for Black university graduates
3. whether steppin or strolling movements are performed by individual graduates when they "walk' across the stage during the official university commencement ceremony or at other unplanned times during the official graduation ceremony
I believe that stepping and strolling are traditional performance movement arts which have been customary for groups (consisting of graduate members and other members) to perform after the official university graduation ceremony. (#1)
I also believe that having graduating members of BGLOs step or stroll into the auditorium may be a custom in some Black cultural university ceremonies. [#2] As is the case with #1, it appears that it may be a tradition in the making for BGLOs to step and stroll after the cultural graduating ceremony for Black graduates has ended.
However, I don't believe that #3 is a BGLO custom or tradition at either HBCU (historically Black Colleges & Universities) or at [historically and present day] PWIs (predominately White institutions).
Instead, I think that Black graduates dancing (or performing stroll-like movements) while receiving their diploma/certificate is part of the celebratory actions that any graduate regardless of his or her race or ethnicity might do at that time (I'm including movements such as doing a "dab", "crip walking", doing some other popular dance movement, and/or doing back flips-all of which [with the possible exception of the back flip) appear to me to have been part of that 2018 University of Florida incident.)
That said, the way that HBCUs and PWIs administrators respond to individuals or groups steppin and strolling during their official graduation ceremony might be different. And the way that the commencement audiences might respond to individual or groups engaging in such activities might be different.
****
DEFINITIONS AND HISTORY OF BLACK GREEK LETTER ORGANIZATION ORIGINATED "STROLLING"
"Strolling" and steppin are movement arts that originated with historically Black Greek letter organizations. and may be performed at various times, including during or after specific events. Although the movements arts of stepping and strolling are noticeably different, sometimes people (including members of BGLOs) refer to "strolling" when they actually mean "steppin".
Excerpt #1:
Pancocojams Editor's Note: This is a revision of a note that I wrote in 2013 a pancocojams post entitled "An Overview Of Black Greek Letter Organization Steppin & Step Cheers" http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/an-overview-of-black-greek-letter.html This portion of this post was last update on August 19, 2026.
"Steppin (Stepping) is a syncopated, choreographed performance art that occurs at competitive "step shows" and at other competitive and non-competitive events. The performance art of steppin originated among historically Black (African American) university based Greek lettered fraternities & sororities.
[...]
I've seen "the 1940s" given as the date that historically Black Greek lettered organizations began steppin'. I'm willing to accept that 1940s date as long as it's understood that the ways that stepping was done in the past is mostly different from the ways that steppin is done now.
In her book Soul Stepping Elizabeth Fine quotes a 1924 Howard University student newspaper The Hilltop article entitled "Hell-Week" in which members of Omega Psi Phi and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternities are described as pledges "dancing about the campus..." (p.15).
That dancing or marching on campus that is documented in that book didn't look the same as the Black Greek lettered organizations' steppin' styles that developed in the 1980s and 1990s. Elizabeth Fine wrote that "The shift from the old-style circular stepping of the 1940s and 1950s to the increasingly complex synchronized movement style of the 1980s and 1990s attests to the new role stepping has in asserting black cultural identity" (p. 6).
-end of quote-
Historically Black Greek lettered fraternities and sororities also perform the movement art of strolling (strolls) since at least the late 1980s*
*r.obinna5396 wrote in her comment in the discussion thread for the YouTube video "The ΑΚΑ "Set it Off" stroll (2nd video)" published by Mitchell Hill, Jr. on Nov. 3, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCrdnldsIGM&t=76s that "the Beta Alpha chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Inc. introduced the "Set It Off" stroll on FAMU's campus in
1987-1988."
-end of quote- Strolls are competitive or non-competitive movement art that is performed in a vertical line to a particular R&B or Hip Hop record by two (and usually more) members of a Greek letter organization. The An early name for "strolls" was "party walks", since that strutting, dancing, leisurely walking group activity was "spontaneously" performed at parties (dance gatherings). A step team may perform a stroll when they are leaving the stage at the completion of their step performance.
Each historically Black Greek letter organization has their own distinctive ways of strolling. Each historically Black Greek letter fraternity or sorority has particular R&B/Hip Hop songs (records) that are only associated with their organization. In addition, some songs (records) are used for strolls by more than one organization or by each of these organizations,
Like "steppin", "strolls" can be
performed at competitive events (a
"stroll-off") with fraternities competing against fraternities, and
sororities competing against sororities. Strolls (and stepping) can also be
non-competitive ways of "repping" one's organization at university sponsored or non-university sponsored outdoor or indoor gatherings. "Unity strolls" are examples of non-competitive strolling that are performed by members of more than one or all of the historically Black Greek letter organizations. Sometimes unity strolls may also include members of non-historically Black Greek letter organizations. During a unity stroll, these organizations either stroll separately after each other, or stroll together in one vertical line.
Non-competitive strolls may be performed at picnics, at wedding receptions, and at other social events that are attended by a mixed population of members of Greek letter organizations and by people who aren't members of Greek letter organizations.
In this 2015 pancocojams post http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/04/african-american-examples-of-walk_11.html "African American Examples Of Walk Arounds - Cakewalks And Other Non-Religious Examples", I maintain that historically Black Greek letter fraternity and sorority strolling should be considered as a contemporary example of a non-religious Black American "walk around" (circular dance movement) performance art tradition.
Other historical and contemporary examples of Black American non-religious walk arounds are "the cakewalk", "Chicago stepping" (dance), and "Detroit stepping" (ball room) dance. The "ring shout" is a historical example of a Black American religious walk around.
This video of strolling is included in that 2015 pancocojams post:
AKA Stroll
JeMarcTV, Uploaded on Apr 19, 2009
Albany State Universitys 43 P.E.A.R.L.S of the Gamma Sigma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha strolling to their old school song after their probate.
-snip-
Here's the comment that I wrote after this video:
"Strolling" (also known as "stroll offs" and "party walks") are non-competitive and competitive group struts and dancing performances to recorded music. Strolling shares the same history and early sources as historically Black Greek letter[ed] fraternity and sorority stepping and is now performed by Latino Greek lettered organizations, multi-cultural Greek lettered organizations, and others. Like sorority and fraternity "stepping", "strolling" has undergone and is still undergoing considerable performance changes. Click http://www.greekster.tv/page/greek-strolling-history-and for another definition of "strolling" and comments about the history of strolling (stroll offs, party walks). Also click the "strolling" tab below for more pancocojams posts that about strolling and more pancocojams post that feature examples of historic ally Black Greek lettered organization stroll offs.
-snip- That greekster.tv. link is no longer viable.
"Old School" is a usually positive phrase that means something from the past. The AKA probates [new members] and their sorors [sisters] are strolling to the 1984 record "Set It Off" by Strafe.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS OF BLACK GRADUATES AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THEIR BGLO STROLLING AFTER OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY GRADUATIONS
Example #1: The Grad Stroll #FAMU
Benjamin Evans, Published on May 2, 2012
No better place to graduate than Florida A & M University. Watch all the love from organizations, fraternities, sororities and families after graduation.
****
Example #2: Morgan State University Graduation 2014 - Delta Sigma Theta
Michael Parker, Published on Jul 28, 2014
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO OF BLACK GRADUATES AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THEIR BGLO STEPPIN AND STROLLING DURING BLACK CULTURAL GRADUATIONS
Jabulani Black Graduation 2014 SFSU
JaRon McReynolds, Published on Mar 7, 2015
-snip-
San Francisco State University
-snip-
Here's information about the word "jabulani" from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jabulani
"Jabulani is a Zulu word meaning "rejoice"...
-snip-
Click from 1:50 to 2:10 in this video to see various BGLOs steppin and strollin into the auditorium of this cultural event.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO OF SPONTANEOUS STEPPIN PERFORMANCES DURING A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY'S OFFICIAL GRADUATION CEREMONY
Fall Graduation @ Grambling State University 2013
Patricia Brown, Published on Dec 21, 2013
Grambling State University 2013, CB Brown graduation
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO OF A BLACK GRADUATE DOING BGLO STEPPIN OR STROLLING MOVEMENTS DURING HIS "WALK" ONSTAGE AT A PWI (PREDOMINATELY WHITE INSTITUTION OFFICIAL GRADUATION
Iota Stops UF Graduation
Karen Figueredo, Published on May 13, 2013
-snip-
"Iota" = Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.
This pancocojams post presents selected comments from an online discussion thread about the custom of graduates in the United States decorating their graduation cap (mortar board).
Videos of Black American university students wearing decorated graduation caps are also included in this post.
****
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks also all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITORS NOTE [Revised May 16, 2018]
As a result of my admittedly rather limited research on this subject, it appears that in the United States the custom of decorating graduation caps (mortar boards i.e. "an academic cap with a stiff, flat, square top and a tassel") occurred as early as "the 1970s" [Read discussion thread comments that are found below]. I'm not sure which racial group in the United States was the first to decorate their graduation caps.
The fact that the embedded videos in this pancocojams post focus on Black graduates in the United States isn't meant to imply that decorating graduation caps is an African American custom only. On the contrary, there are lots of online articles, discussion thread comments, and YouTube videos that imply or document that a number of White American high school and university graduates have worn decorated graduation caps.
**
In 2014 when I searched YouTube to find videos of Black students in the United States wearing kente cloth stoles in their graduation ceremonies*, I didn't notice any Black graduates with decorated caps. However, when I visited YouTube this week in search of videos of Black cultural graduation ceremonies, I was struck by the number of Black graduates from certain universities in the United States who wore decorated caps.
Although Black American high school graduates may also decorate their graduation caps, I haven't found any YouTube videos (as of this date) of Black high school graduates wearing decorated caps. For that reason, the video portion of this pancocojams post focuses on showcasing examples of Black American university graduates with decorated graduation caps.
Note that in my search for video documentation for this post, I happened upon a 2013 Black graduation video that includes a decorated graduation cap. That video is given as Example #1 below.
**
DISCLAIMER: This pancocojams post doesn't mean to imply that all or most Black students in the United States who have graduated from universities by at least 2014* have decorated graduation caps. [*2014 was the year that I published a post on Black graduating students wearing a kente cloth stole for their graduation or being given ("donned" with) a kente cloth stole during a graduation ceremony. Most of the videos that are embedded in that post are dated before 2014.]
Instead, I think that whether a Black student in the United States graduating from a university decorates her or his graduating cap depends in large measure on which university/college she or he attends. And I'm not sure what the criteria are that differentiates the universities where Black students decorate graduation caps from the universities where Black students don't follow this custom. For example, I don't think that you can separate these categories between whether the universities are HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) or PWI ( [historically and present day] Predominately White Institutions).
For example, here are two 2017 YouTube videos of Black graduation ceremonies in the United States and one 2018 YouTube video which showed no Black graduates wearing decorated caps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2df3cNEkHCc 2017 "Clark Atlanta University Commencement Procession"
Clark Atlanta and Howard are HBCUs and Harvard is a PWI.
I also am unable to ascertain whether Black graduating university students who are members of a historically Black Greek letter fraternity or sorority are more likely to wear decorated graduating caps post 2014. My guess is that this depends on whether the custom of wearing decorated caps has permeated the university that the student is graduating from.
In contrast, in almost all of the post 2014 YouTube videos that I've watched of Black students in the United States graduating from universities (and I've watched a lot of those videos) the graduating Black students wore one and often two or more kente cloth stoles. Furthermore, usually the color combination for that kente cloth stole or one of those kente cloth stoles was the pan-African colors of red, green, and gold along with the color black.
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM DISCUSSION THREADS ABOUT DECORATING GRADUATING CAPS IN THE UNITED STATES
These comments are numbered for referencing purposes only. I'm particularly interested in comments about when this custom may have begun and the reasons commenters give for this custom .
These commenters included no racial or ethnic identifiers in their comments.
1. by mmc51264, MSN, RN
"I finished my BSN in March, but I walked yesterday. What is with the over the top decorating of the mortar boards? When I got my ADN, many of my classmates decorated theirs, but I saw some outrageous, and some very unprofessional ones at that. Not just nursing. They split up the different colleges and the Health Sciences walked with Education. I have walked 4 other times and don't remember this from a few years ago."
**
2. May 9, '15 by Been there,done that
"Graduation is a personal experience. Some choose to make it a celebration."
**
3. May 9, '15 by mmc51264, MSN, RN
"yes, but to put "i busted mine to save yours" on a mortar board is really unprofessional. Maybe it's just me, but graduation is a life changing event and it just seems to cheapen it. I saw one hat that had about 30 pink plastic flowers glued to it. Not sure what the point of that was. All I know is that I have never seen this until the last 3 or so years. I walked in 93, 95, 05 12 and 15 and didn't see it until '12. I guess I am old-fashioned"
**
4. May 10, '15 by Guy in Babyland, BSN, RN
"When I graduated with my first Bachelor's degree 25 yrs ago from a large university, all my family could see was a sea of blue gowns and mortar boards. There was no way they could pick me out. A few years later, my ex graduated from the same school. When she graduated, she marked the top of her mortar board so that we could identify her in the crowd. Very few others did the same. I think that over the years graduates have become more and more over the top, that it has become excessive."
**
5. May 10, '15 by dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN
"I just kinda figured it was an easy way for your family to pick you out of the crowd. Are people who tie stuff to their suitcases special snowflakes as well?
My siblings all graduated in the 90s and early 2000s and I saw this all over the place. Even at my brother's hooding ceremony. (Where my mom almost punched a protesting Westboro Baptist member. RIP mom abd and happy Mother's Day.)"
6. May 10, '15 by AZBlueBell, ADN, RN
"I've only ever known about people decorating the hats for graduation starting with my oldest brother graduating from high school (a long time ago). Sure some people choose not to but I've never been to a graduation where NO ONE did it. Mostly, they do it so their friends and family can see them in the sea of other graduates.
I hate graduations and I think they are pointless. Just give me my degree and I want out. I didn't walk for high school (finished my credits early so I could move on with life!) and I doubt I'll walk for my nursing school graduation either. It's too much fuss and I don't care for it."
**
7. May 10, '15 by nurseprnRN
"Hell, they've been doing this at graduation at the Tercentenary Theater (otherwise known as Harvard Yard) for years, decades. My first husband graduated in 1972 and they did it then. The Law School often appends sharks, the Dental School often uses toothbrushes, one year Pubic Health and Medicine used condoms (consensually), the Education and Divinity schools do theirs variably. You get the idea.
Although undergrads getting ABs attend graduation in the Yard, they have their recognition ceremonies back at their Houses, and since the crowds are much smaller I don't know if they decorate them.
I've seen some pretty good ones in the newspaper covering all the college and university graduations in the Boston area. MIT's are usually the cleverest. I kinda like it.
As for me, I didn't get to walk for my BS (moved out of town the week before) or my MN (had a baby). I get to attend another college's graduation almost every year, but they're in uniform (Maritime Academy) and there is no Bedazzling."
**
8. May 10, '15 by Not_A_Hat_Person, RN
Quote from Anonymous865 I was also complaining about cow bells, air horns, whistles, and yelling from the audience when their special snowflake's name was announced. It didn't matter that the dean had asked the audience to hold their applause until all graduates had been announced so all names could be heard.
At my little sister's undergrad graduation, one sorority started cheering and blowing air horns as soon as a member approached the stage, before their name was read."
9. May 10, '15 by PulselessNine
"That's been going on forever. I saw some crazy stuff 30 years ago when watching my aunt graduate. I'm hoping I can come up with something as entertaining for those in the audience to watch. Don't take it too seriously."
**
10. May 11, '15 by No Stars In My Eyes
"Never have heard of this trend nor witnessed it. It seems to me that the mere fact of graduating is a good excuse/reason to feel positively giddy, so what the heck. Plenty of time to "be professional" once you start a job. Graduation is a kind of blow-out event, don't you think?
But I do think the audience is rude for using air horns, etc."
**
11. May 11, '15 by SweenyG, BSN, RN
"It wasn't done as much in the 1980s when I first graduated, but I did decorate the hell out of it for my BSN last year. I have also been to four college graduations of my sons where the kids decorated their mortar boards. IMHO--graduations are joyous celebrations and should include a little silliness and humor just expresses that so well!"
**
12. May 11, '15 by hopefulRN'17, ASN, RN
"GrnTea: YES!!!! I have worked at the Dental School going on 12 years now and I LOOOOVE the creativity each year. I will also be decorating mine. Very tasteful... no names... not gaudy. Our school is all black from head to toe so it is nice to be able to stand out a bit.
I do agree though, that some can be very inappropriate."
-snip-
"Our school is all black from head to toe" = the graduation caps and gowns are all black...
**
13. May 11, '15 by guestng82
"At all three of my schools (HS, junior college and university), if you tried to do anything like this, you got pulled out of the line and could not walk. Even our shoes and the clothes we wore under the gowns had to be specific colors or you could not walk."
-snip-
"or you could not walk" = participate in the graduation ceremony (walk across the stage to receive your diploma)
**
14. May 11, '15 by xoemmylouox, LPN, RN
"I don't see anything wrong with it as long as it isn't too tacky. I have seen plenty of nice ones that have allowed us to distinguish that person from the rest. I think graduation is a time of celebration and fun. Some schools do not allow it. To each their own."
**
15. May 11, '15 by ElvishDNP, BSN, DNP, RN, NP
"When I got my BSN in 2001, lots of people decorated their mortarboards for the big ceremony where ALL the graduates from all disciplines (bachelors, masters, doctorate) filed into one portion of the stadium and family/friends sat in the rest. It's a big stadium, holds over 60k people. People wanted their loved ones to be able to see them. I carried a Mexican flag with me so my Mexican boyfriend (who is now my Mexican husband) would see me. My Canadian roommate had a big red maple leaf on her mortarboard.
I guess I'm one of those perpetual kids that doesn't really have a problem with people celebrating a graduation they've (hopefully) worked hard for."
16. May 13, '15 by katie115, ADN, RN
"Wow, what is with some of your replies? I'm not going to decorate anything on my mortar board, but if it's not a big deal, why are we complaining? Who cares!
If you're hyper-focused on someone's mortar board, I think you need to re-focus into something that actually matters."
**
17. May 18, '15 by heartnursing, BSN
"WOW I cant even believe what I am reading..people actually do this?? and wear boas? They sure know how to make a graduation ceremony a joke. Keep it traditional and stop making yourselves look like a joke because really that is what it looks like, not to mention how unprofessional. Just because you can does not mean you should."
**
18. May 19, '15 by Whispera, CNS Pro
"When did this trend start? When my husband graduated from Notre Dame in 1972, many decorated their mortar boards. I remember one that said "hi Mom!". Everyone also threw their caps in the air at the end of the ceremony. The ceremony as well as the marching-in were quite dignified. The play with the caps was a joyful celebration. I loved it."
**
19. May 20, '15 by TrishRNNew2NH
I graduated in '99 from a NY community college. Let me tell you we had it all . I had a pinning ceremony the florence nightengale lamp and candle ceremony which was separate from graduation . Even honors and every graduating nurse had RN on their mortar board in our graduation ceremony. The Nursing professors wanted us to stand out among the over 2000 graduates. In Their words why shouldn't we "you are the best of the best. I also had a pi theta kappa sash and we were all sporting our pins quite proudly. Most of whom I had the pleasure of graduating with finished with high honours and most of the awards were presented to Nursing students . We worked our collective bums off. We were awesome and should stand out. In my humble opinion lol"
**
20. May 20, '15 by turtlesRcool
"Definitely not a new thing. I graduated in 98, and there were definitely lots of people decorating their mortar boards then.
I've never decorated mine, but that's because I'm not particularly crafty. I always enjoy looking at them, though."
Comment:
"Lollypop Black Hat June 05 · 07:22:54 PM
As a long-time teacher, I have attended dozens (maybe 50) of graduations. In the 70s the hippie decorations got so out of hand that schools I was in all went back to the traditional garb issued by the school—NO INDIVIDUAL CHOICES-- became the standard. After the ceremony the kids could put on stoles, ribbons, flowers, whatever they wanted for their photos. It’s a ceremony. There are traditions and standards that apply to all."
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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
With the exception of these embedded DIY (do it yourself) tutorial videos, the scenes of Black graduates wearing decorated graduation caps are scattered throughout those embedded videos.
University of Nevada, Reno, Published on Jul 1, 2013
The sights, sounds and purpose of the 4th Annual Black Graduate Celebration hosted by the by The Center for Student Cultural Diversity at the University of Nevada, Reno.
-snip-
Click 1:02 for an example of a decorated graduation cap.
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Example #2: "Don't Touch My Crown" Graduation Cap DIY
Altavia Lowery, Published on Dec 13, 2016
Hey Yall !!! I am so excited to be graduating from college this upcoming Friday, December 16th, 2016!!! This video is a graduation cap decoration D.I.Y. It was inspired by A Seat at the Table by Solange, “Don’t Touch My Hair (ft. Sampha). I hope you all enjoy. Be on the lookout Friday for my Graduation Vlog!!!!
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Example #3: HOW TO| Decorating My College Graduation Cap| (2016)
Kadreanna Shakay, Published on Dec 20, 2016
Black Girl Magic! This video gives you ideas for your graduation cap! If anyone recreate, let me know my Instagram @kadreannascofield !! Tag me🎓❤️. I FINALLY MADE IT. Arkansas State Alumna🎓❤️
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Example #4: VUU Graduation SPR 16
Irving LCpl Malcolm J, Published on Jul 6, 2016
Alpha Phi Alpha 3rd House Step
-snip-
"VUU" = Virginia Union University is located in Richmond, Virginia.
Examples of decorated graduation caps are shown from the beginning of this video.
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Example #5: Howard 2017
Nigel Wilkie, Published on May 16, 2017
Howard University - School of C Graduation
Music
"Swag Surfin' (Explicit)" by F.L.Y. (Fast Life Yungstaz)
-snip-
Examples of decorated graduation caps are shown from the beginning of this video on.
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Example #6: My LIT graduation! Class of 2017!
Tevin AllenVlogz, Published on May 25, 2017
Enjoy my experience of finishing my undergrad! Officially a alumni at CSULB! Black Graduation 17'
Click 5:07 and 8:35 for some examples in this video of decorated graduation caps.
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Example #7: COLLEGE VLOG #10: MY CSULB BLACK GRAD 2017. LIT LIT LIT!!!
Ms. Kyari, Published on Jun 25, 2017
-snip-
Click from 1:00 to around 3:32 for some examples in this video of decorated graduation caps.
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series about the custom of Black graduating students having Black cultural graduation ceremonies. These graduation ceremonies are usually held in addition to and not in place of the school's or university's official graduation ceremonies for the general population.
This post showcases eight videos of Black graduation cultural ceremonies throughout the United States.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-university-of-torontos-2017-black.html for Part I of this post. Part I presents two article excerpts about and two videos of the University of Toronto's 2017 Black graduation ceremony. Selected comments from one of these videos' discussion threads are also included in this post.
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The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks also all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
BACKGROUND
The earliest date that I've found for a separate Black graduation cultural ceremony in the United States is 1987 (from information on the California State University, Long Beach.video given as Example #5 below.) If you know of any earlier graduation ceremonies for Black university students and/or pre-university level Black students, please share that information in the comment section below. Thanks!
The custom of holding a Black cultural graduation ceremony appears to have become more widespread in the United States since 2012. It's optional for Black graduating students to attend Black cultural graduation ceremonies and these ceremonies are usually held in addition to the school's or university's official graduation ceremony.
I don't believe that the custom of "donning of the kente cloth" (placing a ceremonial kente cloth around the neck of a graduating student during a commencement program) is that widespread. Instead, it's been my experience that graduating students either purchase the kente cloth stole themselves prior to the graduation ceremony and wear the stole to that ceremony or some group or an individual purchases the stole for them and gives it to them to wear prior to the beginning of a graduation program.
**
Here's an excerpt from a 1991 article entitled 'Everybody Wants a Piece of Africa Now':
"Cal State Northridge students have been wearing the cloth sporadically since the early '70s, says Margaret J. Brown, 53, coordinator of the university's black graduation ceremonies". She says wearing kente stoles at graduation has become a tradition...
[...]
"It's part of a larger movement, a new generation that has discovered an appreciation of African culture--its music and art," says Abena Busia, an associate English professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey, who was born in Ghana. Much of the cloth is made in red, green and gold, colors that came out of the Pan African movement in the 1950s.
Many high school and college students wear strips of kente around their necks during graduation ceremonies. At prominent black colleges such as Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Morehouse, Hampton and Spellman in Atlanta, kente--in the form of scarves, hats and book bags--has become commonplace."... http://articles.latimes.com/1991-10-27/news/vw-1049_1_kente-cloth October 27, 1991|DONNETTE DUNBAR | TIMES STAFF WRITER.
-snip-
I believe that the custom of Black graduates in the United States wearing a kente cloth stole (or two kente cloth stoles) started to become more common in the mid 1990s and is now worn by almost all university level African Americans graduates.
Kente cloth stoles comes in numerous color combinations with meaningful geometric designs woven in the fabric. However, as mentioned above, for African Americans, by far the most common kente color combinations are the stoles with the colors of the pan-African flag (red, green, and gold) with the addition of the color "black". It's also quite customary for members of historically Greek letter fraternities and sororities to wear kente cloth stoles in the colors of their organization, with the organization's Greek letters woven on that stole. These fraternity or sorority stoles may be worn along with the pan-African colored kente cloth stole or another stole such as one from a university honor society.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-history-significance-of-pan-african.html for a 2014 pancocojams post entitled
"The History & Significance Of The Pan-African Red, Gold, And Green Flags"
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Here's an excerpt from an article about Virginia Tech's "Donning Of The Kente Cloth" ceremony:
From http://www.virginia.edu/oaaa/cult_events.html
Annual Donning of the Kente Graduation Ceremony
"The origins of Kente cloth date back to 12th century Africa, in the country of Ghana. The cloth was worn by Kings, Queens, and important figures of state in Ghanaian society, during ceremonial events and special occasions. In a total cultural context, Kente is more important than just a cloth. It is a visual representation of history, philosophy, ethics, oral literature, moral values, social code of conduct, religious beliefs, political thought, and aesthetic principles. Today as African-Americans wear Kente cloth, they do so for inspiration, to honor, to celebrate, to connect, and to reflect on our collective heritage and communal struggles and successes.
The first "Donning of the Kente Ceremony" was held at Virginia Tech on the eve of spring commencement in 1995, as an African-American celebration of achievement sponsored by Virginia Tech's Black Organizations Council. Ronald Giddings was the founder of the "Donning of the Kente Ceremony" at Virginia Tech. It is a unique way to honor and recognize African-American graduates"...
Example #1: Fresno County 2012 African American Graduation
LeachMedia Published on May 23, 2012
2012 Fresno County African American Graduation ceremony held at Fresno Memorial Auditorium. Hosted by San Joaquin Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
-snip-
Fresno County is in California.
I think that this is a cultural celebration for elementary school students apart from their official graduation ceremony.
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Example #2: 2012 UCLA African American Student Graduation Procession
jwnealy3 Published on Jun 17, 2012
The beginning of the African American graduation ceremony, lead by traditional African dancers.
-snip-
This is probably an optional ceremony that African American graduates might participate in apart from their official graduation ceremony.
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Example #3: Marshall University: The 2014 Donning of Kente Celebration
MarshallU, Published on May 2, 2014
We take a look at The 2014 Donning of Kente Celebration.
-snip-
Marshall University is located in Huntington, West Virginia.
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Example #4: Jabulani Black Graduation 2014 SFSU
JaRon McReynolds, Published on Mar 7, 2015
-snip-
San Francisco State University
-snip-
Here's information about the word "jabulani" from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jabulani
"Jabulani is a Zulu word meaning "rejoice". It is often used as a first name, and in that context is often shortened to "Jabu".
Other uses
Adidas Jabulani, the match ball used in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, held in South Africa
Jabulani, a suburb of Soweto, South Africa
"Jabulani", a song by PJ Powers
Jabulani (Hugh Masekela album), a 2012 studio album by Hugh Masekela"
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Example #5: COLLEGE VLOG #8 | CSULB Black Graduation
Ms. Kyari, Published on May 23, 2016
29th Annual African American Graduation Celebration at California State University, Long Beach.
Enjoy! And don't forget to like :)
-snip-
Notice that the blogger indicated that this 2016 video documented the 29th annual African American Graduation Celebration. That means that this celebration began in 1987.
Here are two comments from this video blog's (vlog's) discussion thread:
-snip-
Myra Corinthian, 2017
"I've never seen this before love it! so do the grads not graduate with other people?"
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REPLY
Ms. Kyari, 2017
"The grads can choose to do regular commencement with others too. You can do one or the other or both. It's cool."
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Example #6: Kente Stole Ceremony 2017
Regis College, Published on May 4, 2017
Regis seniors from the Class of 2017 share what the Kente Stole means to them. As a community that welcomes all without distinction, we are proud to celebrate diversity and inclusion, and to recognize students from diverse backgrounds for all their accomplishments over the years.
-snip-
Regis College is located in Weston, Massachusetts (approximately 12 miles from downtown Boston.)
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Example #7: Umoja Black Graduation Ceremony ISU 2017 Highlights
Unlimited Perspectives, Published on May 26, 2017
Illinois State University May 11, 2017
Theme: From a Mighty Stock WE Come
The mission of the Umoja Steering Committee is to provide a graduation celebration that is representative of African American and African tradition, heritage, culture, and legacy. We want to encourage students to set their sights on the completion of their chosen majors, and as a recruitment tool to motivate others to pursue advanced degrees at ISU after seeing the success of their peers.
Over the years, Black graduation recognition ceremonies have become an essential expression of a rite of passage at many colleges and universities throughout the nation and it is our hope that Umoja will serve as a tool to encourage academic excellence and community responsibility.
-snip-
"Umoja" (pronounced oo-MOH-jah) is a Swahili word meaning "unity".
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Example #8: First Ever Black Graduation at Harvard 2017
Zakhele Nkosi, Published on May 24, 2017
-snip-
Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series about the custom of Black graduating students having Black cultural graduation ceremonies. These graduation ceremonies are usually held in addition to and not in place of the school's or university's official graduation ceremonies for the general population.
This post presents two article excerpts about and two videos of the University of Toronto's 2017 Black graduation ceremony. Selected comments from one of these videos' discussion threads are also included in this post.
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The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
ORONTO — Organizers of a graduation ceremony for black students at Canada's largest university say the event is meant to acknowledge the barriers that remain for people of colour pursuing academia.
The ceremony is being held Thursday at the University of Toronto after two students took it upon themselves to organize the event for black students completing degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
While the event is organized and run by students, it is going ahead on campus with the university's blessing and financial support.
Co-organizer Jessica Kirk says the event, believed to be the first of its kind in Canada, will give about 80 black graduates a chance to celebrate the accomplishment of overcoming systemic barriers unique to racialized groups seeking higher education.
She says black students face subtle racism in the classroom, contend with societal barriers that make it more difficult to pursue their studies, and often lack the benefit of black faculty members and senior academics to offer guidance and mentorship.
She also says that the special event, which will take place in addition to traditional convocations, seems appropriate in light of the students' extra efforts.
"We wanted to take a moment because of the different forms of adversity that they've had to face while at university and kind of congratulate them for making it to the finish line," Kirk said in an interview.
Kirk became involved in the event when her friend Nasma Ahmed returned from a black graduation ceremony held at a university in California. Other American universities, including Harvard, have held similar celebrations in the past.
[...]
Malinda Smith, political science professor at the University of Alberta...Smith praised U of T for its support of the black graduation, saying it sets a more inclusive tone.
"It sends an important message that you can actually have a commitment to valuing diversity and a commitment to excellence at the same time," she said. "It also sends a message to the students in the university that the university values them."
Complement to, not replacement for official ceremony
Others, however, criticized U of T's position.
A column in a local right-wing newspaper accused the school of "manufacturing victimhood" by endorsing the black graduation, while many social media users decried the decision as a backward step.
"U of T black students want separate graduation ceremony, for years fighting for inclusion, now want segregation, King wasted his time," wrote one Twitter user.
Both Kirk and Hannah-Moffat emphasized that the event was a complement to, not a replacement for, an official U of T convocation ceremony.
Kirk, who plans to begin masters studies at the school in September, said she hopes it marks the beginning of ongoing initiatives to make all students feel included.
"Yes, we're happy that we got the support and we're definitely thanking them for that, but we think that the conversation does need to continue beyond the event."
-snip-
The bold font in this excerpt was included in the original article.
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Excerpt #2:
From http://torontosun.com/2017/06/22/university-of-torontos-black-graduation-misses-the-mark/wcm/e724586f-de34-48c0-ae6b-4422cd37e8a6 University of Toronto's Black Graduation misses the mark
Sue-Ann Levy, Published: June 22, 2017
..."One of the event’s organizers Nasma Ahmed, said the “celebration” (based on similar events held at universities in California and at Harvard) featured an awards ceremony – 10 students received a variety of awards for community service and research, among other things – and “naming out” all the black student graduates there.
“This was to celebrate black students and to recognize their work,” she said, insisting this was a “community building opportunity.”
Ahmed, who graduated this past Monday with a B.A. in public policy, said about 100 graduates attended, along with other black students and speakers like Akua Benjamin, a black activist based in the Ryerson faculty of social work.
Ahmed sounds like a lovely woman and I have no doubt her intentions were honourable.
But for heaven’s sake, perhaps someone should explain to [University of Toronto’s vice-president of human resources and equity] Hannah-Moffat what inclusion means and while we’re at it, ask her whether she is an adherent of Toronto’s motto, namely that “Diversity (is) our strength.”
Last I looked, inclusion means learning to live together, being included as one and accepting and recognizing each others’ differences. It is not segregating a group of students at a special ceremony – one of the many groups (like my own, Jewish students) who fought for years for inclusion – and perpetuating their perceived victimhood.
That said, Hannah-Moffat did indicate she’s happy to consider any similar suggestions for a segregated graduation from “racialized groups” in the future.
I’m not sure what she means by racialized, but I’m sure I’ll be marginalized by the SJWs who will disagree with the common-sense view expressed in this column and will need to find a safe space.
Since I’m a U of T MBA grad, how about we hold a special graduation celebration for Jewish people next year?
Wait, how about Jewish lesbians?
I think Hannah-Moffat and the like-minded U of T administrators are on to something.”
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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: Historic graduation ceremony at U of T
CityNews Toronto, Published on Jun 22, 2017
A special type of celebration at U of T honouring black graduates who hope events like this spark important conversations about race and education.
-snip-
"U of T" = University of Toronto (Canada)
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Example #2: University of Toronto students host Canada’s first black graduation
Maclean's, Published on Jun 29, 2017
Students Jessica Kirk and Nasma Ahmed organized the convocation to celebrate the success of black graduates at the University of Toronto.
-snip-
Notice that a few of the graduating students wore kente cloth stoles.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/02/wearing-kente-cloth-stoles-during.html for a related 2014 pancocojams post about Black students wearing kente cloth stoles in graduation ceremonies. That post is one of four pancocojams post about the custom of wearing kente cloth stoles at special church services, and at other occasions in the United States and elsewhere.
-snip-
Here are selected comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers assigned for referencing purposes only.) All of the comments are from 2017.
1. Jay N
"Why is segregating yourself a good thing?"
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2. mellowandjello
"Heck, maybe i'll schedule a white's only graduation ceremony! (No Greeks or Southern Italians)
Oh wait, can't do it. Only okay for visible minority groups."
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4. Kenneth Freeman
"As a black man, and as a graduate of an HBCU, I actually do not agree with this seemingly growing trend. I know that everyone Black person does not have the opportunity, or desire, to go to an HBCU but I just do not get the thought process behind attending a PWI but wanting to have your own graduation. Like, were non-Blacks allowed to attend and be recognized at this event? If not, that's kind of defeating the purpose of inclusion is it not? I mean honestly, being very frank, if some white student decided to have a graduation celebration for just whites, we would all be up in arms. I just don't get the purpose behind these separate graduations, especially when the attendees are still participating in the general graduation. Sometimes people great problems with their well meaning intentions."
-snip-
"HBCU" = Historically Black Colleges And Universities
Here's an excerpt from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historically_black_colleges_and_universities
"Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. This was because the overwhelming majority of predominantly white institutions of higher-learning disqualified African Americans from enrollment during segregation.[1][2] There are 101 HBCUs in the United States, including public and private institutions. This figure is down from the 121 institutions that existed during the 1930s.[3] Of these remaining HBCU institutions in the United States, 27 offer doctoral programs, 52 schools offer master's programs, 83 colleges offer bachelor's degree programs and 38 schools offer associate degrees.[4]"...
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REPLY
5. William James
"Kenneth Freeman Their are no HBCUs in Canada."
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REPLY
6. Koal Kottentail
"Kenneth Freeman I attended the University of Toronto and I agree with you to some extent. Being black in Canada can be lonely we only make up 1 million people on consensus. Note that we don't have HBCUs here and U of T and York U are the only universities here that have Black fraternity chapters. There are alumni clubs for certain professions like the Black Law society of Upper Canada for attorneys, judges and other legal professsionals
There's very little representation of African Canadian students and Professors at U of T it's a prodimently Asian and White institute. Most blacks students choose York. Taking this into consideration I see why this is happening. You would probably be inclined to join a black student association or club if you studied here. HBCU's are a cultural privilege for African Americans. Overall I'm indifferent to what these new generation of students are practicing."
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This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.
