Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship Inc. (Information & Videos)

musicandmeyaz, Apr 4, 2019

Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship, Inc. was founded on April 4, 1969 at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina by 12 women who decided to step out on faith and start a new non-greek Afrocentric sisterhood. The 2019 National Convention was held in Winston-Salem, NC from 3/27 to 3/31 to commemorate our 50th Anniversary. This video is a few clips and pictures I took at the convention.
**** Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams series presents information about Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship, Inc.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks to all others who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube. -snip- Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/11/groove-phi-groove-social-fellowship-inc_1.html for the closely related pancocojams post about Swing Phi Swing's brother organization Groove Phi Groove.

**** INFORMATION ABOUT SWING PHI SWING From https://www.swingphiswing.org/aboutus "Who We Are

Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship, Inc.® is a non-profit organization dedicated to community service, promoting and achieving academic excellence, and enhancing community and cultural consciousness. Our specific purpose is Supporting Women In Need of Growth, which facilitates the attainment of goals that are necessary for personal and professional growth. Swing welcomes diversity, encourages individuality, and offers a haven for women who feel a strong connection with their ethnic heritage.

As a service-based organization, we are committed to supporting organizations and efforts that parallel the goals of our beloved sisterhood. We proudly partner with national service organizations such as the National Council of Negro Women and participate in community building activities that raise awareness for issues that affect our community. Members donate their time and financial assistance to hurricane relief efforts; contribute to clothing, food and book drives; and volunteer at local women's shelters and soup kitchens.

We are a vibrant group of women with extraordinary strength, courage, innovation, and spirit. With 50+ graduate and undergraduate chapters, Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship, Inc. has proven to be a positive addition to many campuses and communities across the United States.

Mission Statement​

Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship, Inc.® is committed to affecting social change. Members of Swing Phi Swing will dedicate their time, energy and virtue to enriching the quality of life in the communities they serve.

Vision Statement

Our vision is to promote leadership, academic excellence, community involvement and civic and cultural consciousness. We strive to embody a Sisterhood through fellowship of women of all creeds.

Definition

​Swing Phi Swing is an acronym for:

​Sisters With Interest Never Gone

Sisters have the unique opportunity to take on leadership roles and make significant contributions to their family, community, and sisterhood.

Promoting Higher Intelligence

Our achievement and success is dependent on a commitment to academic excellence. Individual achievement leads to the strength of our community and Swing.

Supporting Women In Need of Growth

Our sisterhood offers support which facilitates the attainment of goals that are necessary for educational, professional, and personal growth by providing leadership, service, and fellowship among members and women in our communities."

**** SHOWCASE #2: Swing Phi Swing | Tabu Chapter | Spring 2015 Probate | Dir @DionneMilli

DopeDreamVisions, Apr 15, 2015 Intakes 5 New Members, Watch As They Unmask.

**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #3: Swing Phi Swing | Maatkare Hatshepshut | Spring 2016 Probate KargboPhotography, Jun18, 2016 Ace: Teresa Weems SKA Sister Soldier

Duece: Felicia Gilpin SKA Phire Fighter

Thru The Phire

**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #4: Swing Phi Swing "So Hard"

Kar'Nesha Davis, Oct 2, 2016

Regional 2015 Benedict Campus

**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #5: SWING PHI SWING

DISCOVER UMES, Dec 4, 2017

Created by student producer, Nadja Cox.

**** Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Two Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Step Show Performances (Videos Of First Place Stepping At Atlanta Greek Picnic - 2013 & 2017)

Terrance McDaniel, Jun 10, 2013

Phi Beta Sigma WINS 2017 Atlanta Greek Picnic $10,000 Step show (Official Video) 
Atlanta Greek Picnic, June 29, 2017

****

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases two first place step performances by members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

This post also includes selected comments from the discussion thread of the 2013 YouTube video that is embedded in this post.

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.  

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all past and present members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc and thanks to the step teams that are featured in these embedded videos. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
These videos aren't meant to imply that these were the only years that Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity won the Atlanta Greek Picnic step show. On the contrary, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity is often the winner of historically Black Greek letter fraternity step shows, i.e. (from a YouTube video search, that organization won first place at the Atlanta Greek Picnic fraternity step show in 2010, 2016, 2017, 2018. I may have missed other years that Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity won starting with 2010. Please add additions and corrections in the comment section below. Thanks!
 
I showcased these two videos in part because I like the performances and in part because I live in Pittsburgh (The 2013 step team is from the University of Pittsburgh & Robert Morris College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). 

****
SELECTED COMMENTS 
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxDTn36GEs0&ab_channel=AtlantaGreekPicnic

All of these comments are from 2013. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only. 

1. EmmanuelPierrePortraits 
"They won the Step Show & the Stroll off; It's obvious that Phi Beta Sigma Runs the Yard!"

**
2. Terrance McDaniel
"Congratulations the the bruhs of The Epsilon Kappa Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. you have made your bruhs and sororal very proud. II personally love Greeks and you gentleman took it back to a TRUE stepshow. Congratulations for you gentlemen truly have made your family proud..I commend you on a job well done :-)!!!!"

**
3. SuperInfo2000
"As a brother from the 80's.  This is what true Fraternity stepping is about.  Precision, execution, excitement.  And it feels good to see some of the same steps that we did evolve and done the way they are suppose to be done.  With execution and precision.  So GOMAB to my brothers and keep the winning tradition of Sigma focused and steady."

** 
4. pinky kitty
"nice which school is this? n these r sum fineeee sigmaz"

**
5. Ray68Dex
"What chapter are they from?"

**
6. st1rp3
"We're from the University of Pittsburgh (Epsilon Kappa Chapter) and one of the bro's on our team is from Robert Morris University (Alpha Pi Alpha Chapter)."

**
7. xodus1914
"Pitt holding it down like this? Spring 91 here. It feels good when 'new' chapters keep popping up on the radar. That's how you MAB! "

**
8. Ryan Hicks
"GOMAB or Go Home... good ish blu"

**
9. Big Dawg
"You did the damn thang Frat!"

**
10. choc2527
"ZZZZZZPPPPPPHHHHHIIIIII!!! Ya'll better do frat!"

**
11. Katie Lamas
"I KNOW THATS RIGHT FRAT!!! Z PHIII!!!!!"

**
12. steventhompson2914
"Well done Frat! Let haters hate! There will always be others that try to reach our level of stepping & fail. I'm glad you'll brought back the blind fold step! GOMAB!"

**
13. Yacht Life Vlogs
"BBBBLLLUUUUPPPPPHHHHHIIII!!!! #TEAMSIGMA ALL DAY"

**
14. st1rp3
"@Atlanta Greek Picnic...just curious...where's our intro video? Great video otherwise!"

**
15. Dee Rich
"I thought the intro was dry and lame...but when they started stepping, I began to see why they won. They hit that sh-t.* And I'm an Alpha. I can't hate. It was good."
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

**
16. SuperInfo2000
"I don't know what you were looking at, you either need glasses or something. Clearly the Sigma's had the best show, precision movements at their best, the blind fold step, etc. Besides Sigma's were the first to step back in the 70's due to brothers from Africa. Look it up. So it is normal and natural that the Sigma's usually win. It is unusual that another frat wins over Sigma, but when they do, the other frat has its game on. The Alpha's did not have their game on dancing in PJ's."

**
17. B
"No wonder they won the step show!! They were precise, entertaining and their blindfold segment was damn near flawless! Congrats to them; they earned it!!"

**
18. WILLIE LEE FRANCIS
"Hey frat, y'all did that there! Spring 1999 here from ZETA IOTA, Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, Louisiana!!! DEUCE CLUB!!! Congrats  on earning 1ST PLACE!!! G.O.M.A.B. Showstoppas for real!!!"

**
19. PromisePinkee
"The white sigma got them this win, because I was getting bored. I honestly think they won because of the crowed reaction(which was 80% Blue & White) otherwise It shoulda been a tie. #IJS ps. I never seen sexy sigmas until now, whats in their blue juice lol"

**
Reply
20. st1rp3
"well, to be fair...we had an intro video that isn't apart of this video...the chant we did at the beginning is a play off of what Drew Brees does with the Saints. I don't know why our video isn't on here...but I do appreciate the kind words...It meant alot to us that other org's appreciated what we did, so thank you for that.

**
Reply
21. T Jones
"I disagree. The were clean and on point. That's what stepping is. "The white sigma got them this win".....Not sure how I feel about that line being as though he did not appear until the end. However, I believe they deserved to win."

**
Reply
22. Brian Clemons
"Naw they won this comp before my Brandon(aka he's not white he's just a Lightskin Sigma lol) and my spec came out. They just added fuel to an already burnt match. But come to western pa and you'll find out what our blu juice bout lol."

**
Reply
23. st1rp3
"I didn't get us this win! I do appreciate the ego boost, though lol. Our chapter is from the University of Pittsburgh but our bros hometowns are Philly, Rochester NY, Seattle, Harrisburg, Greensboro NC, Chicago and the list goes on. So come up north to find us lol."

**
24. st1rp3
"I don't think I got us the win either...hell, you cant see it on the video, but I messed up at one point. lol. We've been practicing for months, 3-5 hours at a time. We were on point, in sync, intense, precise, etc. etc. a few miscues here and there but we stuck to stepping and kept the intensity up. GOMAB."

**
25. lenardjdavis03
"That's what's I'm talking bout! Y'all already know What it is!"

**
Reply
26. st1rp3
"Thanks frat! we worked pretty hard for months to fine tune everything. We've had countless frat and soror's from the 80s, 90s, & early 00s coming up to us and thanking us for sticking to stepping, no gimmicks. We're glad we made you all proud and it was an honor representing Sigma in such a prestigious event. GOMAB!"

**
27. T C
"I'm a Nupe and I admit that sh-t* was tight."
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

**
28. Tre C
"GOMAB was turnt up...dey tore the stage up BLU PHI"

**
29. Pamaisnaturalle
"Awesome job Frats! Much dove love"

**
30. Kim Mallard
"HAVE MERCY!! Go Frat!! Zzzzzzzzzz Phi!!!"

**
31. dovelyace1920
"annnnnnd they killed it as usual...great job frat! ZZZZZZZ- PHI!"

**
32. celiaalexanderlaw
"Alright Now Frat! That was sooo sweet.  Good transitions. Loved it!"

**
33. FYoOpinion
"I love the complexity of their steps!!!"

**
34. grown1914
"I loved it...GOMAB...frat went HARD..."

**
35. B Whitesides
"Congrats. Sigma all day, all week, all year..Forever! We can't be stopped. GOMAB"

****
Thank for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Hyperlinks To Pancocojams Posts That Are Specifically About Omega Psi Phi, Fraternity Inc

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents hyperlinks to all of the pancocojams posts as of this date that specifically showcase Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. was founded in 1911 at Howard University, Washington D.C.

Links to additional specific posts about Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. will be added to this post when they are published on this pancocojams blog. 

This post also presents information about Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. from that organization's official website.

The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the Founders of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and thanks to all past and present members of that historically Black Greek letter organization. 
-snip-
Additional information, videos, and chant/songs examples of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. can be found in general pancocojams posts about historically Black Greek letter organizations (BGLOs) that are members of Divine Nine. Click the tags found below for links to those pancocojams posts.  

Pancocojams posts that showcase each of the Divine Nine organizations will be published ASAP. Those links will be included in the general "African American fraternities and sororities" tag. 

Disclaimer: This tag isn't meant to imply that the Divine Nine organizations are the only Black fraternities and sororities.  

****
INFORMATION ABOUT OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC.
From https://oppf.org/about-omega/
"Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. is the first international fraternal organization founded on the campus of a historically black college.

On the evening of November 17, 1911, Omega Psi Phi was founded inside the Science Building (later renamed Thirkield Hall) at Howard University located in Washington, D.C. The founders were three undergraduates — Edgar Amos Love, Oscar James Cooper and Frank Coleman. Joining them was their faculty adviser, Ernest Everett Just.

From the initials of the Greek phrase meaning, “friendship is essential to the soul“, the name Omega Psi Phi was derived. That phrase was selected as the motto.

Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift were adopted as Cardinal Principles.

On November 23, 1911, Edgar A. Love became the first Grand Basileus (National President). Oscar J. Cooper and Frank Coleman were selected to be the Grand Keeper of the Records (National Secretary) and Grand Keeper of Seals (National Treasurer), respectively. Eleven undergraduate men were selected to become the charter members.

Alpha chapter was organized with fourteen charter members on December 15, 1911. Brothers Edgar A. Love, Oscar J. Cooper and Frank Coleman were elected the chapter’s first Basileus, Keeper of Records, and Keeper of Seals, respectively.

Brother Cooper became the fraternity’s second Grand Basileus in 1912 and authorized the investigation of establishing a second chapter on the campus of Lincoln University located in Pennsylvania.

Brother Love was elected as the third Grand Basileus in 1912 and served until 1915. In 1912, Howard University officials did not initially recognize the fraternity as a national organization and Omega Psi Phi’s leadership refused to accept limited recognition. As a result, the fraternity operated without official sanction, until the university withdrew its opposition in 1914, the same year Beta chapter was chartered at Lincoln University.

Omega Psi Phi was incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia on October 28, 1914."...

****
HYPERLINKS TO PANCOCOJAMS POSTS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Be Owt Videos

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/04/omega-psi-phi-fraternity-inc-be-owt.html

April 22. 2013

**
Devil Dogs & Q Dogs - Are There Connections Between These Two Referents?

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/devil-dogs-q-dogs-are-there-connections.html

November 29, 2013

**
"Darling Omega" Song & Two Other Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Songs From The 1970s

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/04/darling-omega-song-two-other-omega-psi.html

April 5, 2014

**
Was The Lindy Hop An Early Source For Fraternity Stepping?

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/10/was-lindy-hop-early-source-for.html

October 12, 2016

****
Fraternity Stepping Scene In A 1993 Episode Of "Fresh Prince Of Bel Air" TV Show

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/fraternity-stepping-scene-in-1993.html

March 12, 2021

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Hyperlinks To Pancocojams Posts That Are Specifically About Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents hyperlinks to all of the pancocojams posts as of this date that specifically showcase Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity ority, Inc. was founded in 1911 at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Links to additional posts about Kappa Alph Psi Fraternity, Inc. will be added when they are published on this pancocojams blog. 

This post also presents information about Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Inc. from that organization's official website.

The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the Founders of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc, and thanks to all past and present members of that historically Black Greek letter organization. 
-snip-
Additional information, videos, and chant/songs examples of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc can be found in general pancocojams posts about historically Black Greek letter organizations (BGLOs) that are members of Divine Nine. Click the tags found below for links to those pancocojams posts.  

Pancocojams posts that showcase each of the Divine Nine organizations will be published ASAP. Those links will be included in the general "African American fraternities and sororities" tag. 

Disclaimer: This tag isn't meant to imply that the Divine Nine organizations are the only Black fraternities and sororities.  

****
INFORMATION ABOUT KAPPA ALPHA PSI FRATERNITY, INC
From https://kappaalphapsi1911.com/page/History
"Kappa Alpha Psi®, a college Fraternity, was born in an environment saturated in racism.  The state of Indiana became the 19th state of the Union in 1816 and it founded Indiana University in Bloomington four years later.  This city was largely populated by settlers from below the Mason-Dixon line and therefore found many sympathizers of the Southern cause.  Consequently, the few Blacks who took up residence in Bloomington in those early years were socially ostracized and encountered extreme acts of prejudice and discrimination.  The state of Indiana became a stronghold for the Ku Klux Klan.  Their intolerance toward Blacks fueled the negative mindset of other Whites residing there.  Vigilante lynchings of Blacks were commonplace.  This environment made day-to-day life for Blacks an arduous task and attempts to successfully achieve in school, nearly impossible.  Despite the growing hostility of Whites toward Blacks in Indiana, some Black students sought a college education at Indiana University, as it was a tuition-free university of the highest quality.  However, few Blacks could remain longer than a year or so without having to withdraw in search of employment.

The campus of Indiana University at that time did not encourage the assimilation of Blacks.  The administration maintained an attitude of indifference, as Blacks slowly matriculated and were likewise swiftly forgotten.  The percentage of Blacks on campus was less than 1%.  Blacks could go weeks without seeing one another on campus.  Blacks were not allowed to reside in on-campus dormitories, were not afforded off-campus accommodations, and they were also denied the use of all other university facilities, and were barred from participating in contact sports.  Track and Field was the only sport which Blacks were able to demonstrate their athleticism.

In the school years of 1910-11, a small group of Black students attended Indiana University.

Most of them were working their way through school.  The number of places where they might assemble was limited. Realizing that they had no part in the social life of the university and drawn together by common interests, they decided that a Greek-letter fraternity would do much to fill the missing link in their college existence.

Two of these men, Elder Watson Diggs and Byron Kenneth Armstrong, had previously attended Howard University and had come into contact with men belonging to the only national Black Greek-Letter Fraternity currently in existence.  Their experiences at Howard gave rise to the chief motivating spirits which sowed of the seed for a fraternity at Indiana University and crystallized the idea of establishing an independent Greek-letter organization.

Consequently, eight other men met with Diggs and Armstrong for the purpose of organizing such a fraternity.

[...]

On January 5, 1911, the Fraternity then became known as Kappa Alpha Nu, possibly as a tribute to the Black students of 1903 (the Alpha Kappa Nu Greek Society) who preceded them at Indiana University.  These men of vision decided Kappa Alpha Nu would be more than another social organization. 

[...]

Born out of the vestiges of racism, Kappa Alpha Nu encountered another metamorphosis, partially related to action of bigotry.  One day as one of the Fraternity members, Frank Summers, was running the hurdles, Founder Diggs overheard a White student state, “He is a member of Kappa Alpha Nig”.There was an additional misunderstanding being attributed to the acronym of the Fraternity’s Greek letters, KAN.  Some confused the abbreviation of the letters to refer to the state of Kansas.  The name of Fraternity and the image it portrayed was of paramount importance. These incidents caused the Founders to change the name of the Fraternity.  The Greek Letter Ψ was chosen in place of N and the Fraternity acquired a distinctive Greek letter symbol and Kappa Alpha Psi ®thereby became an indistinguishable Greek-letter Fraternity.  The name was officially changed to Kappa Alpha Psi on a resolution adopted at the Grand Chapter Meeting in December 1914. This change became effective April 15, 1915."...

****
HYPERLINKS TO PANCOCOJAMS POSTS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT KAPPA ALPHA PSI FRATERNITY, INC.

Lou Rawl's Song "Memory Lane" & Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Song "Hand Me Down My Kappa Kane"

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/08/lou-rawls-song-memory-lane-kappa-alpha.html

August 7, 2016

** 
Information About Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc's History Of Stepping With Kanes & Videos Of Kappa Kane Masters

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/08/information-about-kappa-alpha-psi.html

August 31, 2018

**
Honoring (1929-1951 Soft Shoe Dancers) The Berry Brothers For Their Tremendous Contribution To The Traditions Of Historically Black Greek Letter Organizations Stepping With Canes

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/09/honoring-berry-brothers-for-their.html

September 6, 2018

**** 
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc's Song "A Zeta Train Is A-Slowly Pushing" (videos & lyrics)

A Zeta Train is a slowly pushing....STRICTLY BIZNESS PROBATE Feb25, 2011

Sasha  Lightbourne, Mar 2, 2011

****

Beta Alpha Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Probate Spring 2014 Part. 1
Human Jukebox Media, April 25, 2014, Southern University
The "Zeta Train" Song is sung in the beginning of this video.
****

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents a video of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. chant "A Zeta Train Is Slowing Pushing" (performed in the beginning of this video.  

This post also presents information about Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. That historically Black Greek letter sorority was founded on Jan. 16, 1920 at Howard University.

The content of this post is presented for cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the Founders of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and thanks to all those who are featured in this video. Thanks to the composer/s of the song "The Zeta Train Is Slowly Pushing" and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of this video on YouTube. 
-snip-
Happy 101 Founders' Day to all past and present members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.!
 
****
INFORMATION ABOUT ZETA PHI BETA SORORITY, iNC.
From https://zphib1920.org/our-history/
"About Zeta Phi Beta
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. was founded January 16, 1920, at Howard University, Washington, D.C.  The Klan was very active during this period and the Harlem Renaissance was acknowledged as the first important movement of Black artists and writers in the U.S.  This same year the Volstead Act became effective heralding the start of Prohibition and Tennessee delivered the crucial 36th ratification for the final adoption of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote.  The worst and longest economic recession to hit the U.S. would define the end of the decade-The Great Depression.

It was within this environment that five coeds envisioned a sorority which would directly affect positive change, chart a course of action for the 1920s and beyond, raise consciousness of their people, encourage the highest standards of scholastic achievement, and foster a greater sense of unity among its members.  These women believed that sorority elitism and socializing overshadowed the real mission for progressive organizations and failed to address fully the societal mores, ills, prejudices, and poverty affecting humanity in general and the black community in particular.

Since its inception, Zeta has continued its steady climb into the national spotlight with programs designed to demonstrate concern for the human condition both nationally and internationally.  The organization has been innovative in that it has chronicled a number of firsts.  It was the first National Pan-Hellenic Council organization to centralize its operations in a national headquarters, first to charter a chapter in Africa, first to form auxiliary groups, and first to be constitutionally bound to a fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.   The sorority takes pride in its continued participation in transforming communities through volunteer services from members and its auxiliaries.  Zeta Phi Beta has chartered hundreds of chapters worldwide and has a membership of 100,000+."...

****
LYRICS TO "A ZETA TRAIN IS A-SLOWLY PUSHING"

Zeta Train is a slowly pushing, gotta keep on moving
Pink and Green you don't mean a thing
Red and White get out of my sight
'Cause you haven't seen a lady until you've seen a Zeta
She'll be wearing the lovely Blue and White...keep on pushin...

It's a hard road, searching for my Beta
It's a hard road to Zeta Land
Don't wanna be no AKA, Delta just won't do
Don't wanna Ee-yip-yip for no SGRho
Just wanna wear that White and Blue.

Zeta Train is a slowly pushing, gotta keep on moving
Pink and Green you don't mean a thing
Red and White get out of my sight
'Cause you haven't seen a lady until you've seen a Zeta
She'll be wearing the lovely Blue and White...keep on pushin...

Source for this version of this song: https://www.horntip.com/mp3/2000s/2001ca_black_greek_soundz_songs_and_chants_(CDs)/2001ca_zeta_phi_beta_sorority/06_zeta_train.htm  Black Greek Soundz - Zeta Train  

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Black Fraternity & Sorority Tradition Of Strolling During Or After A University Graduation Ceremony

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision: February 21,2025

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

"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-

Since at least the 1990s,historically Black Greek lettered fraternities and sororities also perform the movement art of strolling. (strolls).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.

"UF" = University of Florida [?]

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Prince Hall Shriners' Tradition Of "Riding" (Performing Processional Versions Of The Camel Walk Dance)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision- April 24, 2023

This pancocojams post showcases a few examples of Prince Hall Affiliated (PHA) Shriners' riding. Selected comments from one of these videos' discussion threads are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all the Prince Hall Affiliated Shriners who are featured in this post. Thanks also to those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the producers of these videos on YouTube.

****
DISCLAIMER:
I have no affiliation or direct or indirect contact with any member of the A.E.A.O.N.M.S. (Shriners) or with any other Masonic or Shriner organization.

As indicated above, this information is posted for folkloric, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

Additions and corrections to this information are very welcome.

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
As a result of watching some YouTube videos and reading their comment threads, I've recently learned that there are other predominately Black Shriner organizations besides Prince Hall Affiliated Shriners. I also recently learned that although the performance dance/strolling movement called "riding" is considered a PHA Shriner tradition, some members of those mostly Black non-PHA Shriner organizations may also perform "riding" steps/dances. According to comments that I have read in those videos' discussion threads, those performances are done differently than PHA Shriners and, unlike the PHA Shriner tradition, sometimes those performances include women.

Because my intention was and still is to document the Prince Hall Affiliated Shriners' tradition of riding, I've substantially revised the above mentioned Zumulayah and this pancocojams post because they showcased videos of riding performances by non-Prince Hall affiliated organizations and published this post which has added content.

I apologize for any confusion that may have occurred as a result of previous versions of those posts.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/09/prince-hall-shriners-tradition-of.html for a post that contains the same revised content of this post and the Zumulayah post along with added comments in the discussion section.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/09/videos-of-camel-walk-dance-shriners.html for a earlier pancocojams post entitled "The Camel Walk" Dance & Shriners "Riding" Camel Walk Strut". That post includes descriptions of the camel walk dance, three videos of different styles of the camel walk dance, as well as two videos of Shriners who I believe are Prince Hall Affiliated Shriners.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRINCE HALL SHRINERS
The formal name for the Prince Hall Shriners is the "Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine". (A.E.A.O.N.M.S.) This Black fraternal organization is informally called "Prince Hall Shriners" ("PHA") in part to distinguish them from "mainstream" Shriners who are predominately White.

Prince Hall (1735 – 1807) was an African American noted as a tireless abolitionist, for his leadership in the free black community in Boston, and as the founder of Prince Hall Masonry (in 1775). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Hall)

The Prince Hall Shriners were founded in 1893.

"The Camel Walk" has been at least informally adopted as a signature group march of the Prince Hall Shriners. That fraternal organization's adoption of the "Camel Walk" for their processionals is likely because the camel is connected with the Shriners' (both "mainstream and PHA). As part of their Middle Eastern theme, the members of the Prince Hall Shriners are called "Nobles" & they are known for wearing tasseled fezzes.

Here's an excerpt that provides some explanations about other terms that ae used by A.E.A.O.N.M.S.
https://lsc-pagepro.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=678894&article_id=3801653&view  The Rag-Time Origins Of The Camel Walk"by  Noble Damajo Smith, Rameses Temple  #5,Charlotte, North Carolina [no publishing date, but the latest citation is  2020] 
"The camel, a useful means of support in the desert, is used to move people and goods between one oasis and another (an oasis is a fertile spot in the desert, where water is found.)  An oasis also can be considered a pleasant or peaceful area or period in the midst of a difficult, troubled, or hectic situation.  We hve designed each city wherein a Temple of a Mystic Shrine resides as an Oasis, the Desert has been designated as the state or region that houses that Oasis/Temple and the national body that is the umbrella covering for the Dominion of the Imperial Council.  Therefore, these fertile, pleasant, and peaceful Temples draw a direct relationship with the symbolic nature of the Mystic Shrine.  They are the center for our community service activities such as voter registrations, college scholarship awards, back to school supply giveaways, health screenings and our diabetic initiatives. We invite all that are within our walls to share in our social functions as well”…

-end of quote-
Some comments in the discussion threads of  YouTube videos A.E.A.O.N.M.S. indicate that the Prince Hall Shriners’ performance of the Camel Walk dance is called "riding". A version of the 1983 song "White Horse" by Jim Stahl and John Guldberg of the Danish duo Laid Back appears to be the (at least unofficial) anthem of the Prince Hall Shriners' riding. I believe that "White Horse" is used as the go-to record for the PHA Shriners' anthem for the processional strutting/dancing performance that they call "riding" because of the word "ride" in that song's lyrics and because of the song's very danceable beat and not because of the meaning of the term "white horse" (cocaine) in that record.

Click http://www.aeaonms.org/about.htm and http://www.sinai59.org/DomainHistory.htm for information about the PHA Shriners.

Also, click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwATF5dnfq4 for a sound file of the 1983 record "White Horse".

****
FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are presented in chronological order based on the date of their YouTube posting, with the oldest dated videos posted first.) Selected comments from a few of these videos' discussion threads are also included in this post.

Warning: The "Ride The White Horse" record that appears to be routinely used for the Shriners' "riding" custom contains the repeated word "b**tch". Although this blog usually doesn't feature any videos that contains profanity, I'm including these videos in the interest of documenting a few video examples the Prince Hall Shriners (PHA) tradition of "riding".

****
Example #1: Noble Ride Out @ Savannah State University



hotsoup1969, Published on Nov 2, 2008

Rabia 8 Nobles of The Mystic Shrine Rides it Out At Savannah State Homecoming 2008

****
Example #2: Ahmed Temple #37



Princess314, Published on Oct 10, 2010

Riding Clyde...PLEASE NOTE, if you don't like it, and don't agree, then don't watch it and take your negative comments with you.
********People didn't know how to read and/or follow directions so I removed the comment section. God Bless!************

****
Example #3: Golconda Temple No. 24 Nobles camel walking into the formal dinner dance



Uploaded by bks2295 on Mar 7, 2011

****
Example #4: NOBLES

.

MrMyPushUps, Uploaded on Mar 18, 2011

ARABIA TEMPLE#12
BLACK STONE DISCIPLES
OASIS OF PORTSMOUTH DESERT OF VA
Party At The Shriners
Deep South Shriners-PHA (A.E.A.O.N.M.S)
-snip-
Here are selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
1. rwshelby, 2009
"I see you Nasty Nobles........Ryde Owt Nasty Nobles"

**
2. NOBLEGREEN54, 2009
"Now That's how NOBLES ride!!!"

**
3. mike08832, 2009
"Ride it out NOBLES!!!! LMBO"

**
4. Golconda #24 Newark, NJ
Nawlinsfanforlife, 2011
"Nothing like Nobles making their presence felt!
Oro Temple #9 El Paso, Texas"

**
5. Bradley Warren-EL, 2011
"Ryde Clyde!!!! Looking good nobles!!! Who Ya Wit!!!1 MOOOOOOLLLLLLAAAAAHHHHHH Memphis, TN"

**
6. Edward Jones, 2011
"Get it Nobles. Greetings from the Dessert of Texas, Oasis of San Antonio"

**
7. Renoaldo Spells, 2012
"Wats up bro this is Wildhog #16 your line bro Take me to Mecca!!!!!!!!"

**
8. bigrider2806, 2012
"as an English Freemason with no knowledge relating to any of this i would be so grateful if someone would explain a little for me ."

**
REPLY
9. T James, 2012
"@bigrider2806 Its just some thing that Prince Hall Shriners do, like part of the culture in the group"

**
REPLY
10. FET Engineer
"bigrider2806 it's called "fun" and "fellowship"... enjoying themselves our way and there's nothing wrong with that. "
-snip-
I've read a few other comments that allude to the esoteric meaning of PHA Shriner riding beyond its entertainment and socializing purposes. To summarize one comment that I read on another YouTube discussion thread, PHA Shriners' riding symbolizes the three wise men (who were nobles) visiting and honoring the new born baby Jesus.

**
11. Klark Kent, 2013
"Gitty clyde up!"
-snip-
PHA Shriners's "riding" appears to also be referred to as "riding Clyde". "Gitty" is a form of the phrase "Giddy up"- a command for a horse to move forward.

**
12. Ronald Hargrove, 2015
"@SSGT Flavor Princehall is King, the noble are just riding. If it want for masonry it want be no franternities"
-snip-
I can't find the comment from SGT Flavor, but I presume from the response that that comment questioned the similarities between riding and fraternity strolling or stepping.

****
Example #5: Nobles Camel Walk



LB9139, Published on Oct 2, 2013

Kuwat Temple #7 Oasis of Grambling Desert of Louisiana

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.