"Walk Together Children" Spiritual Sung By Choir Wearing Kente Cloth Stoles (video, lyrics, information) 2026 reprint

Walk Together Children

MetroSingers, Uploaded on Jun 15, 2009

MetroSingers, Hyattsville, MD
http://www.metrosingers.com

Song recorded and produced by Hope Channel
-snip-
Here's a comment exchange from this video's discussion thread: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv5NaxKOVlI

"Awsome performance. Who's arrangement is this."
-jimmyj09, 2010

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Reply
"Dr. Raymond Wise - an AMAZING gospel performer/arranger/composer. i had the blessing of singing in his gospel choir at Ohio State University while he was there. so great!"
-allisonpepple, 2010

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams  post showcases a performance of the African American Spiritual "Walk Together Children" (also known as "There's A Great Camp Meeting In The Promised Land"). Information about an early arranger of that Spiritual and the lyrics to a contemporary arrangement of that song are also included in this post.

This post also includes information about the custom of African American choirs & other African American people wearing Ghanaian kente cloth stoles, as shown in the featured video.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown composer/s of "Walk Together Children". Thanks also to the arrangers of that song, particularly to Moses John Rosamond Johnson. Thanks to the choir that is featured in this video & to the arranger of that rendition of that Spiritual. Thanks also to those who are quoted in this post & to the publisher of that featured video.
-snip-
This is a reprint of a 2013 pancocojams post with the same title. That post has four comments and is still available on this blog. https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/walk-together-children-lyrics-examples.html

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ARRANGEMENTS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN SPIRITUALS (FORMERLY KNOWN AS "NEGRO SPIRITUALS"
From http://www.negrospirituals.com/composers.htm
"Composers:

The authors of the first Negro spirituals are not known: these were spontaneous, unwritten songs.

After the Civil War, African American musicians arranged Negro spirituals, then composed the first Gospel songs. Here are short biographies of some composers...

John Rosamond JOHNSON (1873-1954)

His father was born free in Virginia. His mother taught school and had knowledge on the European tradition in music.

He obtained his musical education in the New England Conservatory, then in London, England. With his brother James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), a poet writer, he collected and arranged old Negro spirituals.

Together with his brother and Bob Cole, he sang secular songs.

His best known choral work is "Walk Together, Children" (1915) but he also composed the anthem « Lift Every Voice and Sing ».
He served as the director of the Music School Settlement for Colored, New York."

**
Click http://www.negrospirituals.com/news-song/there_s_a_great_camp_meeting.htm for an arrangement of "There's A Great Camp Meeting In The Promised Land" that was included in the 1940 book American Negro Songs edited by John W. Work

**
A commonly found arrangement of "Walk Together Children", particularly for children & youth, is to substitute the verb in each verse of that song. In so doing, "Walk Together Children" serves as a great example of a "zipper song":

Walk together children.
Don't you get weary.
Walk together children.
Don't you get weary.

Walk together children.
Don't you get weary.
Walk together children.
Don't you get weary.
There's a great camp meeting in the Promised Land.

Talk together children etc.

Sing together children etc.

Shout together children etc.

Pray together children etc.

Work together children etc.

[Add other action words & end with "Walk together" verse.]

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LYRICS WALK TOGETHER CHILDREN
(as arranged by Dr. Raymond Wise)

Chorus:
O, Walk together children
Don’t you get weary
Walk together children
Don’t you get weary
Walk together children
Don’t you get weary
There’s a great camp meeting in the Promised Land

Talk together children
Don’t you get weary
Talk together children
Don’t you get weary
Talk together children
Don’t you get weary
There’s a great camp meeting in the Promised Land

Soloist: One of these days and it won’t be long
Group: Walk together children don’t you get weary
Soloist: You gonna look for me and I’ll be gone
Group: There’s a great camp meeting in the Promised Land
Soloist: When I get to heav’n gonna sing and shout
Group: Walk together children don’t you get weary
Soloist: There’ll be nobody there to put me out
Group: There’s a great camp meeting in the Promised Land

Chorus
[So] Walk together children etc.

Part of Group: We gonna walk
Remainder of Group: Yes we gonna walk
We gonna talk
Yes we gonna talk
We gonna shout
Yes we gonna talk
We gonna sing
Yes we gonna sing

We gonna walk
We gonna walk
We gonna talk
We gonna talk
We gonna shout
We gonna shout
We gonna sing
We gonna sing
We gonna walk
Walk
We gonna talk
Talk
We gonna shout
Shout
Sing
Sing all the glory to Jesus
We gonna walk
Yes we gonna walk
We gonna talk
Yes we gonna talk
We gonna shout
Yes we gonna talk
We gonna sing
Yes we gonna sing
We gonna walk
We gonna walk
We gonna talk
We gonna talk
We gonna shout
We gonna shout
We gonna sing
We gonna sing
We gonna walk
walk
Talk
talk
Shout
Shout
Sing
Sing
Sing hallelujah to Jesus
Because there’s a great camp meeting
A great camp meeting
A great camp meeting
In the Promised Land.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the video. Additions & corrections are welcome.

Term Explanations:
Camp meeting - an outdoor worship gathering of Christians

Promised Land - Heaven

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ADDENDUM - AFRICAN AMERICANS WEARING KENTE CLOTH STOLES
Beginning around 1960s and increasingly since the 1980s, African Americans ministers and choirs have worn kente cloth stoles as a fashion accessory to their church robes. Kente cloth stoles symbolize these ministers' & choir members' identification with their African heritage.

By far the most commonly found example of kente cloth that is worn in the USA is the red & orange colored kente cloth stole with the pattern shown in the "Walk Together Children" video that is featured in this post. This color combination & pattern of kente cloth is so widespread among African Americans who wear kente cloth that many African Americans think that this is the only traditional color combinations and patterns of that cloth. However, one popular custom among African Americans who are members of a historically Black fraternity or sorority is to wear a kente cloth stole over their robes during their graduation ceremony commencement. Those Greek letter stoles are made in the two colors that are association with those fraternities or sororities and include the initials of the graduates' fraternity’s or sorority’s Greek letter name.

This custom of Black graduates accessorizing their graduation robes with a kente cloth stole expresses those graduates' identification with and pride in their African heritage and their Black Greek lettered organization, as well as their pride in their accomplishment of graduating from that university or college.

Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kente_cloth and http://www.nmafa.si.edu/exhibits/kente/top.htm for information about kente cloth.

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/02/wearing-kente-cloth-stoles-during.html for the 2014 pancocojams post entitled "Wearing Kente Cloth Stoles During American Graduation Ceremonies".

Kente Graduation Stole Meanings and Symbolism

Sankofa Edition, Oct. 21, 2021

Find out what the symbols of kente cloth mean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_mIEhFUcAY
-snnip-

This video shows the red. yellow, and green color combination that is used in the version of kente cloth stoles that is frequently worn by African Americans over their black robes during their university graduation ceremonies. I refer to kente cloth with this color combination as "pan African kente cloth, because it is the same color combination with the color black as pan-African flags.

This particular version of kente cloth became the customary color combination for African American university graduation stoles since around 2015. From around 2000 to 2014, the most common color combinations for kente cloth stoles in the United States-including graduation stoles-was an orange-red combination. That color stole is worn by choir members in the 2009 YouTube video that is shown at the top of this post.

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Visitor comments are welcome.

****
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Visitor comments are welcome.

Why So Many African Nations Have The Colors "Red, Yellow, And Green" In Their Flags

Why Many African Flags Use Red, Yellow, and Green — The Powerful Truth Behind the Colors #fyp

BiBi Ola, Jul 4, 2025  LAGOS

Why do so many African countries use red, yellow, and green in their flags?

It’s not a coincidence — these colors have a deep meaning that goes back to Ethiopia’s victory at the Battle of Adwa and the rise of African freedom.

From Ethiopia to Ghana, Senegal, Mali, and Cameroon, many African nations chose these colors to stand for unity, hope, and freedom from colonial rule.

In this video, BiBi Ola TV tells the story behind the red, yellow, and green — and why they became symbols of Pan-African pride.

****
Edited by Azizi Powell 

Latest revision - July 20, 2026

This pancocojams post showcases two YouTube videos about African nations that have red, green, and yellow (gold) in the official flag representing their nation. 

These videos presents information about the meanings of the colors red, green, and yellow (gold) in the flags of those African nations.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the producers and publishers of these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Why Do West African Countries Have Such Similar Flags?

General Knowledge, May 19, 2023

[...]

In this video I talk about the fact that many West African countries have flags with similar colors: Red, Green and Yellow/Gold. I explain how these colors come from the original flag of Ethiopia, most likely due to the fact that this country was not colonized by Europeans in the same way as the rest of the continent, thus becoming an inspiration for other African nations at the time of their independence. Many of them did not choose the colors based on Ethiopia's flag directly, but rather through regional influence of other countries around them that did so, with Ghana being a strong influence in this regard, while Ethiopia remains as the indirect influence. Some of these countries are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Senegal, São Tomé e Príncipe and Togo. These also share an historical connection, given that many of them were colonized by France, save some exceptions where the colonizer was the United Kingdom or Portugal. We learn how each of the countries adopted the current colours, what the direct influence is, when it happened, what the flags previously used were, as well as the possible connections between them. I also briefly mention the other set of colors that are sometimes known as 'Pan-African' - red, black and green - although these are mostly used by nations in East Africa.

TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 00:55 The Pan African Colours 03:03 Ethiopia - The Origin of the Colours 04:42 Shortform 05:46 Benin 06:57 Burkina Faso 07:50 Cameroon 08:41 Central African Republic 09:30 Chad 10:20 Congo 10:55 Ghana 12:43 Guinea 13:02 Guinea-Bissau 13:35 Mali 14:12 Senegal 14:46 São Tomé e Príncipe 15:16 Togo 15:58 Summary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm56yxJH_-o&t=66s

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ALPHABETICAL LIST OF AFRICAN NATIONS THAT HAVE RED, GREEN, & YELLOW IN THEIR FLAGS

Benin
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Ethiopia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Mali
Republic of the Congo (also known as "Congo Brazzaville")*
Senegal
São Tomé e Príncipe
Togo
-snip-
The flag for the larger and more well known nation the Democratic Republic of the Congo (also known as "DRC" or "Congo Kinshasa") doesn't have these colors.

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NON-AFRICAN NATIONS WHOSE FLAG HAVE THE COLORS, RED, YELLOW, AND GREEN

From AI Overview

"Several non-African nations feature red, yellow (or gold), and green in their flags, including: 

Bolivia: A horizontal tricolor of red, yellow, and green.

Grenada: A flag featuring a red border with two yellow and two green triangles, a central star, and a nutmeg symbol.

Guyana: A green flag with a red triangle, a yellow arrowhead, and black and white borders.

Lithuania: A horizontal tricolor of yellow, green, and red.

Myanmar: A horizontal tricolor of yellow, green, and red with a large white star in the center."
-snip-
Particularly in these nations that don't have a majority population of people of Black African descent, the meanings of these colors may vary from the meanings that the colors have for the flags of the African nations.

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BONUS VIDEO - Kente Graduation Stole Meanings and Symbolism

Sankofa Edition, Oct. 21, 2021

Find out what the symbols of kente cloth mean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_mIEhFUcAY
-snip-
This video shows the red. yellow, and green color combination that is used in the version of kente cloth stoles that is frequently worn by African Americans over their black robes during their university graduation ceremonies. I refer to kente cloth with this color combination as "pan African kente cloth, because it is the same color combination with the color black as pan-African flags.

This particular version of kente cloth became the customary color combination for African American university graduation stoles since around 2015. From around 2000 to 2014, the most common color combinations for kente cloth stoles in the United States -including graduation stoles was an orange-red combination. That color stole is worn by xhoir members in this 2009 YouTube video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv5NaxKOVlI

****
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Visitor comments are welcome.

A Clip From "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air" Television Series' Easter Episode (1996): Carton & Ashley Sing "This Little Light Of Mine"

 
Fresh Prince this little light of mine

swayzone, May 25, 2009

"From the last and final season! :( "
-snip-
Statistics as of April 5, 2006 at 7:20 AM EDT 

Total # of views = 1,653,710

Total # of comments = 510

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a 1996 clip from the television series "Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air". In that clip Carlton and Ashley sing a duet version of "This Little Light Of Mine", but the church choir interrupts their singing. Will Smith is shown in that clip playing a tambourine.

This post also presents some comments from that video's discussion thread.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural and entertainment purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who were part of the 1990s' "Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air" television series. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

Happy Easter!
-snip-
Notice the kente cloth stoles that the pastor and the choir members wear over their robes.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/03/color-meanings-of-ghanas-ivory-coasts.html for a pancocojams post entitled "Color Meanings Of Ghana's & The Ivory Coast's Kente Cloth (information & videos)". . Click the tags below for other pancocojams posts about kente cloth and other subjects that are found in this pancocojams blog,. 

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INFORMATION ABOUT "THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR" TELEVISION SERIES
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fresh_Prince_of_Bel-Air
"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom created by Andy and Susan Borowitz that aired on NBC from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The series stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager born and raised in West Philadelphia who is sent to live with his wealthy uncle and aunt in Bel-Air, Los Angeles, where his lifestyle often clashes with that of his upper-class relatives.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was a hit for NBC, running for 148 episodes over six seasons.[1][2] Smith and James Avery were the only actors who appeared in each episode.[3] The series was Smith's star vehicle into television and film.

A reunion special/retrospective reuniting the surviving cast debuted on HBO Max in November 2020.[4][5] A more dramatic reimagining of the series, titled Bel-Air and based on the fan film of the same name, received a two-season order for Peacock, and was released on February 13, 2022.[6]

Summary

The theme song and opening sequence set the premise of the show. Will Smith is a street-smart African-American teenager, "born and raised" in West Philadelphia. While playing street basketball, Will accidentally hits a group of young people with the ball, causing a confrontation that frightens his mother, who sends him to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle in the opulent neighborhood of Bel Air.

Will's working class background ends up clashing in various humorous ways with the upper class world of the Banks family – Will's stern uncle Phil and tough but fair aunt Vivian and their children, Will's cousins: spoiled Hilary, pompous Carlton, impressionable Ashley and baby Nicky (introduced in season 3), as well as their sarcastic butler Geoffrey"...

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREAD OF THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsXBFX2mpjI&list=RDvsXBFX2mpjI&index=1

2009

1.@wlx
"OH MY GOD!!! THANK YOU!!! I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS EPI FOR A LONG LONG LONG TIME!!

this clip is awesome!"

**
2. @Temoki
"Will + Tambourne + Look of Pure Glee = Epic"

**
3. @SteelAVic18
"love the Mothers and Will over there in the corner praising the LORD!!!"

**
4. @lonnieNII
"this a good clip and all , but i thought this was gonna be the blooper when will was screamin and fainted"

**
5. @gellybean25
"hahaha why that choir do that going to stop singing back up then start again"

**
Reply
6. @Beezy0308, 2021
"The conductors fault"

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2010

7. @swayzone87
"@keffpost100 TV episode 1996 season 6 episode18"
-snip-
This comment was written in response to a question about the episode's number in season 6.

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8. @xxxbloodysamaritan
"Tatyana Ali, you are phenomenal. I love this woman. :D I wish I was around for this show or could go back in time. :("

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9.@Jordan_Mitchum
"this is how i got look at things right now.....and the laughter!"

**
10. @KiwiBabeee
"I miss Fresh Prince!!!!!!!!!!!!"

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11. @evensout
"always loved this song...."

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12.@bmoregrl88
"Will's working that tambourine lol"

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13. @briggitbro
"This isnt even will scene but that 4 second shot makes this vid bloody awesome!"

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14. @OtakuEmma
"I hear this kind of atmosphere is always present in black churches, not meaning to sound stereotypical or racist but our white churches are so damn boring. So much energy here. >.<"

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Reply
15. @drayanair,2011
"@OtakuEmma nope, not stereotypical. its true lol."

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Reply
16. @Virchew, 2011
"@OtakuEmma This is calm compared to most black churches lol"

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Reply
17. @lerenna, 2011
"@OtakuEmma it's often followed by long speeches , so don't worry , not always as fun and good singing like this :)"

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Reply
18. @ddoctorlee, 2011
"@OtakuEmma check out an apostolic church! they are on fire and amazing...every race!"

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Reply
19.  @Kate8790, 2011
"@OtakuEmma That's not racist. Just the truth, lol. My church is boring but I'm too afraid to try a church like this. Basically afraid of being the only white girl and looked down upon or something, lol."

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Reply
20. @mikjon67, 2011
"@Kate8790 Now that will never happen! They would greet you warmly and they would make you feel at home! The real Christian way to accept a stranger! (By the way I'm white too)"

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Reply
21. @Kate8790, 2011
"@mikjon67 I know it's silly to think. A little stupid to think honestly but I can't help it. I'm too scared to try. Maybe someday, hopefully."

**
22. @peetiewonder
"Why is Shaft the pastor?"
-snip-
Actor Richard Roundtree, who is casted as the pastor in this "Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air" episode, starred in the 1971 action/drama movie "Shaft". Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(1971_film) for information about that movie.

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2011

23. @IluvMJandBrunoMars
"I miss the 90's"

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24. @TheAmbivalency
"Ashley and Carlton are really talented"

**
25. @ownmycity
"ashley was always my childhood crush. she is so bomb"

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26. @Spasmads
..."the series ran between 1990-1996 with the first episode aired 9/10/90, and the last episode on the 5/20/96."...

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Reply
27. @RBNK157, 2016
"I was so sad with the last few chapters of season 6 knowing its going to end! when will turn off the Lights..."

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28. @babygiraffe123
"Haha, Will was ROCKIN' that tambourine....lol"

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29. @babygiraffe123
"I would LOVE to attend a church service like this. Seems so exciting and fun. My parents insisted that me, my sisters, and brother attend church, as kids, and the services were so subdued and solemn, it made you afraid to so much as scratch your own head, lest the pastor give you a warning glare."

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Reply
30. @Goldstone93, 2020
"This looks way better than my church, where it’s all boring hymns, shaking hands, and praying in silence."

**
31. @Thekeysweremoved
"Miss TV like this:("

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32.@NickyLess
"Carlton and Ashley ftw! This is one of the only songs I enjoyed singing at school as a kid. Amazing rendition :)

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Reply
33. @babygiraffe123
"I remember singing this song around the campfire, when I went to bible-camp, as a kid. Loved the song then, and love it now. <3

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2012

34. @NoInfringementIntent
"I so wish we had more scenes with Alfonso and Tatyana singing together; they harmonize so well! :-)

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35. @Caesarthechannel
"I came here for 1:50"

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2013

36. @7REDBOWANDTOD
"I love gospel, especially this song. It's like the king of gospel. Plus these two have very good voices, and do the song justice. Not too mention this was one of the greatest shows on TV."

**
37. @elhanabdi6636
"will smith at the end Epic LOL"

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38. @musicksol
"They just don't make shows like this anymore and its a shame.."

**
39. @tonymontana-mh8ff
"I don't know much christians, but are they catholics, protestants or orthodox ?"

**
Reply
40. @lilygrace6689
"They are Protestant. There are many different types of Protestants, they are most likely Baptists."

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2014

41. @TheAnahi99
"I miss this show"

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Reply
42. @ThreeLittleElks
"Dont we all Anahi, dont we all.."

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2015

43. @TheGamingGuy-kh6pt
"I love this show. my sister likes Hilary and my favorite character is will and carlton"

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2016

44. @myamoorehouse2334
"i love this show sooooo much i watched it over and over again"

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45. @seanreyes6866
"1:50 Will is always acting so crazy!"

**
46. @strifyisbetterthanyou3800
"I could tell Ashley and Carlton were getting pissed lol"

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47. @elenarodriguez922
"I didn't understand why Carlton and Ashley were so confused and suprised by the choir. Didn't they go to rehearsal?"

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Reply
48. @claredelune
"IIRC Ashley and Carlton were competing to be the soloist (before the Rev chose both of them) so they were expecting to be featured more."

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Reply
49. @bigmanshad, 2018
"Humor, sir."

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50. @revrobbins693
"the reverend roundtree made the whole thing for me and the best shaft in my opinion"

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2017

51. @an9513
"Im so sad in life right now..but this brings me joy"

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Reply
52, @smill1985, 2021
"I hope, 3 years later, that you're doing better.  🤗"

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53. @acspenner
"alfonso's voice. dude is so multi talented"

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Reply
54. @jhgjhggj
"I already knew Tatyana could sing but never knew Alfonso could sing as well!"

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55. @ericspreviewshow1803
"This is so funny I can't stop laughing."

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2018

56. @Takomuhra
"A long time ago, when even TV show music had soul..."

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57.@MamaWhit87
"As a kid i would cry laughing at this lol..i miss this show."

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58. @josephgeorge8510
"Old fashion church service"

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2019

59. @Theylvumaya17
"Carlton sounds like Michael Jackson"

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60. @juliannalago7649
"My new favorite version of this song. Tatiana’s voice is amazing, and Alfonso is simply awesome. I don’t think there’s anything brother can’t do."

**
61. @Flock2x
"That organ player was really workin that thang tho!!!🔥"

**
Reply
62. @johanbrand8601
"Oh yeah!!!!"

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2020

63. @hannamahmoud1524
"Who here in 2020 tryna survive quarantine"

**
64. @demetrrius3000
"Carlton and Ashley obviously missed choir rehearsal that week lol"

**
Reply
65. @joe-93
"Lol obviously"

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66.@minkim9550
"I am just wondering how many shows today versus in the 90s did they actually show the cast in church like this?  It seems rare now but I don’t watch much tv!"

**
67. @Bagofnowt
"The rev is Shaft!"

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68. @zoomprintings
"IF THIS AINT A REAL BLACK CHURCH HAHAHAHAH!!!! ANY LEAD THAT SINGS IN OUR SERVICES BETTA COME WITH IT JACK BAHAHAHAHA"

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69. @Fouad-Faraj
"This is more than just perfect comedy!

No other version of this song can compare to this performance! Why didnt they do an extended performance...or did they? If they did I need it. 

No other version could compare , I need much more Haha"

**
Reply
70. @themarkofl1649
"Couldn't agree more brotha, this song would blow up in Spotify, I would love to add it to my playlist"

**
71. @bodypump12
"This was really the most beautiful way to end the series! "

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2021

72.@therealog.1255
"Best "prince of bel air" moment ever"

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2022

73. @aidenbrandon3242
"This little light of mine I'm going to let it shine lt shine this little light of mine I'm going to let it shine"

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2023

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2024

74. @Skilyablay
"I remember this scene absolutely knocked my socks off as a kid and it still blows me away."

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2025

76. @EdBoy1215
"A pity this humorous bit had to happen in the same episode where Uncle Phil sits on Nicky's rabbit."

**
77. @SeanBarnes-r7w
"Do they still do this in church when they sing a song the congregation be standing up clapping"

 ****
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Visitor comments are welcome.

Three Videos & An Article Excerpt About University Graduation Cords & Stoles In The United States (Part II- Examples & Explanations)

@montclairstu, June 6, 2023
-snip-
Read the transcription below for the captions that are given in this video.
-snip-
Montclair State University is located in Montclair, New Jersey

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series about the custom of non-academic university organizations in the United States conferring stoles and/or cords and/or other decorations such as medallions (medals) to its members to wear during those members' graduation ceremonies. 

This pancocojams post presents videos about university graduation and an except article excerpt comme

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-custom-of-non-academic-university.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post presents three online AI (Artificial Intelligence) results about that subject.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who provided information so that AI could present this information online as it is found in this post.

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TRANSCRIPTION OF SHOWCASE VIDEO #1 (given at the top of this post)
Pancocojams Editor: This English language transcription is largely made from the captions that appear on the video's screen, but also includes some dialogue that is given in that video which isn't in the captions.  I added a description of those people who were interviewed [in brackets.]

These words may not be spelled correctly in this transcription. Additions and corrections are welcome.

What Do Your Chords Represent?
[Questioner]-What are you wearing today?
1. [Black man]- "So "I'm wearing my Delta Chi stole, Order Of Omega, IFC,  university fellows and cast department"

2. [White woman] -" I am wearing my organizational liaison one from SGA, I have my treasurer of MSDC, and then there's my cord for being a RSO leader"

3. [Latina woman]- "I am wearing my because I am a member of RSO tassel because I am part of an organization called LASO, being the Latinissimo chair"

4. [White woman] - "I'm wearing my student athlete stole, my national honors society stole,  my sorority Theta Phi Alpha."

5. [man from Egypt wearing a stole that has the colors of his nation's flag & its name] - "I'm not a Greek.-Egypt" [The caption reads "Land of the Great- Egypt"]

6. [man from Peru wearing a stole that has the colors of his nation's flag & its name) -  Peru

7-[man from Ecuador wearing a stole wearing a stole that has the colors of his nation's flag & its name] -"Ecuador"

8. [man from the nationof Puerto Rico, a United States territory, wearing a stole that has the colors of his nation's flag & its name ] - "Puerto Rico"
-snip-
The screen shot for this video includes a Black woman graduate who is wearing a crimson and cream Delta Sigma Theta Sorority ,Inc. kente cloth stole watching the interview. Delta Sigma Theta is a historically Black Greek letter organization.
-snip-
In the context of universities, "SGA" means "Student Government Association".

"RSO" = Registered Student Organization

"Order of Omega" is a Greek honor society which isn't the same as any of the Greek letter organizations that have the Greek letter "Omega" in their name.

In the context of this video short, "I'm not a Greek" means "I'm not a member of a Greek letter organization.

Notice that some students from other nations or from United States' territory may wear a stole with the color and/or the name of their nation.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - CORD AND STOLE TOUR 

@KaitlynJohnson, May 13, 2025
-snip-
This video short is given without my transcription of its captions. The woman in the video identifies a number of stoles and cords from various honor societies at the University as well as cords from her sorority Kappa Alpha Theta.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 -Explaining the Graduation Gown, medals, cords, and tassels!
  

Dr. Abi Eso-Adeleke, May 27, 2021  #gocanes

2021 University of Miami Undergraduate Graduation Ceremony! #canegrad #gocanes #umiami2021
-snip-
Here's my transcription of that video with spelling corrections, added capitalizations and punctuation marks:

"So this medallion symbolizes um my work on the trailblazer project.  The new trailblazer project is essentially a commemorative plaque and wall dedicated to the first Black graduates of the university. This specifically is supposed to go on the cap itself

These cords which are white black and blue are for Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society which I'm a brother of .

This orange and white is for student government in my time at eastern government and then this specific stole is for student government as well because i was the president.

And then this is the student center complex because i was a student supervisor and student employee for many many years.

And then this medal is for the Ronald A. Hammond scholar which is the scholarship that i did receive which is a full tuition scholarship at the University. And then this kente cloth is for to commemorate the Black graduates. Specifically, it's an African rite of passage so that's why we wear the kente cloth.

And that’s it.
-snip-
There are many types of kente cloth with different color combinations and traditionally with one or more adinkra symbols*. I refer to the type of kente cloth that is shown in this video as the "pan-African kente cloth" because of its green, gold, red, and black colors which ae the colors of the pan-African flag. Since at least the early 2000s, this pan-African kente cloth color combination has become the most widely used type of kente cloth among African American university graduates.
-snip-
* Click https://www.adinkrasymbols.org/ for information and pictorial examples of adinkra symbols. To quote that page, "Adinkra are visual symbols that represent concepts, proverbs, and aphorisms. They originated from the Gyaman people of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. Back then, they featured as prints on cloth which royals wore to important ceremonies. But they have transcended these Ghanaian and Ivorian origins. They now grace logos, clothing, furniture, architecture, and more. These new usages embody a global recognition of their profound cultural significance."... 

****

ARTICLE EXCERPT:- GRADUATION HONOR CORD COLORS- WHAT DO THEY MEAN? 
From https://www.graduationsource.com/blog/graduation-cord-colors-their-meanings [given with no writer's name or publishing date; retrieved on June 2, 2025]
"Graduation cords are rope-like accessories that drape around the graduate's neck so the two tassels hang down the gown. There are a variety of graduation cord colors, which have been codified by the Association of College Honor Societies. Some institutions also develop their own color-specific traditions with graduation honor cords as well.  In this guide, we share details about all the major graduation cord colors, including their associated degrees, honors, and clubs.

College & University Graduates

Each institution may have its own specific meanings for these cords, and there could be additional colors representing other achievements or honors. The list below provides a basic understanding but should be cross-referenced with specific college or university guidelines for precise meanings.

Gold Cords: Often signify high academic achievement, such as graduating cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude.

Red Cords: Can represent achievement in a particular field, like humanities or journalism.

Blue Cords: Typically indicate academic success in areas like education or philosophy.

Green Cords: Often associated with success in science or environmental studies.

Purple Cords: Commonly used to denote honors in fields such as law or theology.

Pink Cords: Often represent accomplishments in music or the arts.

 Silver Cords: May signify volunteer service or significant community engagement.

Orange Cords: Typically represent achievements or distinctions in the field of engineering.

Black Cords: Could symbolize business or accounting achievements.

White Cords: Traditionally linked to arts and letters or humanities.

Double/Multi-Colored Cords: Sometimes used to represent membership in an honor society or a dual accomplishment in different academic fields.
-snip-
This article continues with information about the meaning of different high honor cord colors for high school graduates.”

This article also presents more detailed information about the meaning of specific colors and some academic disciplines  and (PWI) Greek letter organizations that are represented by a certain colors or by  a combination of certain colors.…

****
This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series on university graduation cords and stoles.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Continuing The African American Custom Of Wearing At Least One Kente Cloth Stole Over Their Graduation Gown During Their University Graduation Ceremony

Sankofa Edition, Nov 1, 2021

A video showing how sankofaedition.com Authentic Kente Cloth Graduation Stole is woven.
-snip-
This video showcases the kente cloth pattern that has become the standard colors and standard design among Black people in the United States, particularly worn as a stole over a university graduation gown by HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & University ) graduates.

The kente cloth pattern in this video features the pan-African colors of green, gold, and red along with the color black. The colors green, gold, and red are known as pan-African colors because they are used as the colors for the flags of a number of African nations including Ethiopia and Ghana. (Kente cloth is most often associated with Ghana, West Africa.)

Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan-African_colours for information about pan-African colors. That page includes depictions of  African nations whose flags have the colors green, gold, and red, or green, gold, red, & black, or red, black, and green.

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojam series on the custom of some African American male or females students who are graduating from a college/university wearing at least one kente cloth stole with their graduation gown. 

This post showcases a YouTube video of a Kente cloth color combination and pattern that has become standard in the United States, during graduations and for other uses (such as various decorations, book marks, clothing designs etc.)   

This pancocojams post also includes my notes about the history of the voluntary custom of African Americans wearing kente cloth stoles during university/college graduation.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/05/seven-youtube-videos-of-2025-hbcu.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases several 2025 videos of Black graduates from historically Black colleges and universities wearing kente cloth stoles in their graduation ceremony.

The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetics purposes. All copyrights remain with their owners. Thanks to all those who are featured in this showcase video and thanks to the publisher of that video on YouTube. -snip- This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series about kente cloth graduation stoles.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/03/some-members-of-alpha-phi-alpha.html for a 2022 pancocojams post entitled "Members Of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Wearing One Or More Kente Cloth Stole/s With Their Graduation Cap & Gown". A pancocojams post on this subject has been published for each of the other "Divine Nine" historically Black Greek letter organizations. 

Click the "kente cloth graduation stole" tag below to find more pancocojams posts on this subject, including a post on this custom with the same title that is given for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity except for the name of the specific historically Black Greek letter fraternity or sorority that you are interested in reading about and seeing videos of.

**** THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CUSTOM OF WEARING KENTE CLOTH STOLE/S DURING UNIVERSITY GRADUATIONS
by Azizi Powell (latest revision May 25, 2025)

"BACKGROUND
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kente_cloth [retrieved May 25, 2025]
"Kente refers to a Ghanaian textile made of hand-woven strips of silk and cotton.[1] Historically the fabric was worn in a toga-like fashion among the Asante, Akan and Ewe people. According to Asante oral tradition, it originated from Bonwire in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. In modern day Ghana, the wearing of kente cloth has become widespread to commemorate special occasions, and kente brands led by master weavers are in high demand.

Due to the popularity of kente[2] cloth patterns, production of mass-produced prints with the kente patterns have become popular throughout West Africa, and by extension the whole of Africa. Globally, the print is used in the design of academic stoles in graduation ceremonies worn mostly by black people in the United States and Canada."

KENTE CLOTH GRADUATION STOLES IN THE UNITED STATES
Since the 1970s in the United States, kente cloth has become a recognized short cut symbol of African heritage. Kente cloth is the most widely known example and often the only known example of traditional African fabric in the United States. There are countless contemporary usages of kente cloth designs in the United States including as clothing fabric, book marks, and Kwanzaa ornaments. However, the most widely adopted use of kente cloth in the United States has been Black Americans’ wearing one or more kente cloth stole with the standard cap and gown (robe) during graduation ceremonies.  This custom is especially found among Black Americans who are graduating from a Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU), university or college, although Black Americans graduating from a Predominately White Institution (PMI) may also wear one or more kente cloth graduation stoles. While wearing a kente cloth stole is a voluntary decision, it has become traditional among those graduates in either a HBCU or a PMI (Predominately White Institutions) who are members of historically Black Greek letter sororities and fraternities.* 

The kente cloth stole represents the graduates' connection to and pride in their African heritage, and their pride in their accomplishment of graduating. If they are members of a historically Black Greek lettered fraternity or sorority, the favored stole is in the two colors of their organization and includes that fraternity's or sorority's three Greek letters.
-snip-
*Members of these organization that aren't Black may also follow that custom of wearing one or more kente cloth stole in their graduation ceremony.

DESCRIPTION OF KENTE CLOTH GRADUATION STOLES IN THE UNITED STATES
"Kente cloth is a traditional fabric of the Akan people of Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Togo West Africa. The custom in the United States of African Americans wearing kente cloth as stoles during graduation (particularly from universities, but sometimes also from high school and from middle school) is an adaptation of the ways that kente was traditionally worn. Since 2010, it has become customary for many African Americans who are graduating from universities (colleges) to wear a particular design of kente cloth stoles that has a green, gold, red, and black color combination. Because those are the colors for the Pan-African flag, I refer to this kente graduation stole as the "pan-African kente graduation stole".

Instead of or in addition to wearing this green, gold, red, and black colored kente cloth stole, some members of historically Black Greek letter fraternities or sororities (regardless of their race or ethnicity) often choose to wear one or more customized kente cloth stole/s. A customized graduation stole has the two colors that represent that Greek letter organization and also includes that fraternity's or sorority's three Greek letters (representing that organization's name). Graduates who wear the pan-African kente graduation stole and/or their fraternity or sorority's customized kente stole may also wear other academic stoles that they have earned. based on my YouTube video searches, it doesn't appear to be a custom for  African American university students in general or for members of Black Greek letter organizations to wear pan-kente cloth stoles or customized kente cloth stoles at any other time other than during these graduation ceremonies and after graduation stepping or strolling performances.

Much less frequently, kente cloth stoles may be worn by Black graduates in the United States at other levels such as children graduating from elementary school or teenagers graduating from high school.

The green, gold, red, and black pan-African kente cloth graduation stole seems to be the standard kente graduation stole for African Americans as a whole since at least 2012. It appears to be customary for some members of historically Black Greek letter organizations who are graduating from a university to also wear a customized stole for their fraternity or sorority as well as any academic stole that they have earned in addition to or in place of that pan-African kente graduation stole. The customized fraternity or sorority kente graduation stoles have that organization's two colors, the organization's name, and its three Greek letters (such as Alpha Phi Alpha ΑΦΑ).

In the admittedly informal YouTube searches that I've conducted, I haven't found any videos that show kente cloth stoles being worn by members of any historically Black Greek letter organizations at any time other than for their university graduation ceremony and their stepping, strolling, hopping, singing performances that may spontaneously occur immediately after that formal graduation ceremony.

The earliest YouTube video that I've found that shows a member of a historically Black fraternity/sorority wearing a customized kente graduation stole is Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (video published August 10, 2010;  https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/03/some-members-of-delta-sigma-theta.html.

Two other early examples of kente cloth graduation stoles are Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/03/some-members-of-phi-beta-sigma.html (video published in May 2011) and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity (published in June 2011) https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/03/some-members-of-omega-psi-phi-fratrnity.html .

Prior to around 2010 or 2011 members of historically Black Greek letter organizations wore customized graduation stoles made out of some shiny materials [?] or made out of cloth. Graduation stoles made out of kente cloth began to be seen in those videos from 2010 and 2011 on, although those customized graduation stoles made from other fabrics appear to still be worn by some members of those historically Black Greek organizations (BGLOs).

It's important to note that it has become traditional for members of a historically Greek letter fraternity or sorority to wear a kente cloth stole during their graduation ceremony that represents that fraternity or sorority (with the two colors of that organization, and the organization's three Greek letters). It also appears that graduating members of historically Black fraternities or sororities often wear a traditional pan-African green, gold, red, and black kente cloth stole along with their fraternity/sorority kente cloth stole. In addition, that graduating senior can wear other honor stoles with these aforementioned stoles.

It's important to note that these customs aren't limited to graduating students at HBCUs. Some Black graduating seniors at PWIs (predominately White institutions) also follow the kente cloth customs that I've described, particularly if they are members of a historically Greek letter fraternity or sorority. For Black graduating students who aren't members of any Black Greek letter organization at a HBCUS or at a PMIs, wearing kente cloth stoles is a voluntary decision. The decision to wear a kente cloth stole may be positively influenced by the fact that especially a HBCUs, a University President and at least some of that university's staff may wear a pan-African kente cloth stole or some other kente cloth stole over their robe along with another or some other stoles. 
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/03/how-color-combinations-for-kente-cloth.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "How The Color Combinations For Kente Cloth Stoles Have Changed For African American Graduating Students." That post provides more descriptions of the pan-African kente cloth graduation stole.

Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/05/black-university-graduates-in-united.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "Black Fraternity & Sorority Tradition Of Strolling During Or After A University Graduation Ceremony". That 2018 post also provides information about the historically Black Greek letter organizations traditions of stepping and strolling.".

**** This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams. Visitor comments are welcome.