"Thank you to @LincolnU for inviting me to speak at yesterday’s commencement, and a big congratulations to all of the new graduates!
Lincoln created a way for my grandfather, James Thomas, and in that, a way for me. I’m grateful.
Keep up with our administration by following us on: https://www.facebook.com/govwesmoore "... -snip- Lincoln University [Pennsylvania] is the United States' first degree-granting Historically Black College and University (HBCU).
****
This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video short of a portion of Maryland Governor Wes Moore's speech during Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)'s commencement (2025).
This post also includes a transcription of that excerpt from that video's captions.
The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and inspirational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Governor Wes Moore for his political, historical, and cultural legacy.
-snip-
The kente cloth stole that Governor Wes Moore is wearing is an example of the kente cloth colors and pattern that I refer to as the "pan African" kente cloth graduation stole. That particular style of kente cloth stole is worn by a number of African American university graduates during their commencement service.
****
TRANSCRIPT OF AN EXCERPT OF MARYLAND GOVERNOR WES MOORE'S SPEECH (at Lincoln University [Pennsylvania] Commencement, 2025 .
"And my grandfather’s journey actually helps to underscore some complicated feelings that I and many people do have about this country.
He taught me that you will find lessons not just about national pride or national spirit but you will find lessons in his history about what it actually means to be an American.
That first, he taught me that patriotism is not and cannot be a passive activity because the love of your country will be tested both in big ways and small. But patriotism is a responsibility of a lifetime.
Second, he taught me that patriotism is not a belief that your country is perfect, nor is it an understanding that your country has ever been perfect. Because loving your country does not mean lying about its history. That being an American has always come with struggle and sacrifice.
And third, he taught me that skepticism about your country is justified and you should always keep skepticism as your companion but it should just never as your captor.
Let the hard truths that you’ve learned about America be guides toward a better future and not grudges that will keep you in the past." -snip- Click https://youtube.com/shorts/SFeBTkhGn_w?si=6z8i9RD45aDX6JI4 for this YouTube video short's comments.
This pancocojams post showcases videos of some members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. wearing one or more kente cloth stoles with their graduation cap and gown.
The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who published these videos on YouTube. -snip- This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series about kente cloth graduation stoles.
A pancocojams post on this subject has been published for each of the "Divine Nine" historically Black Greek letter organizations. Click the "kente cloth graduation stole" tag below or click the name of the historically Black Greek letter organization in the tags below to find the pancocojams post on this subject that showcases videos of that paticular Black Greek letter organization wearing kente graduation stoles and/or another type of kente stole during university graduations.
****
THE BLACK 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 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."...
**** WHY KENTE CLOTH GRADUATION STOLES ARE WORN IN THE UNITED
STATES Since the 1970s in the United States, kente cloth has become
a widely 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 choosing to wear one or more kente cloth
stole/s 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), although Black Americans
graduating from a Predominately White Institution (PMI) may also choose to wear
one or more kente cloth graduation stole/s. While wearing a kente cloth stole
is a voluntary decision, it has become traditional to do so among those
graduates of either a HBCU or a PMI (Predominately White Institutions) who are
members of a historically Black Greek letter sorority or fraternity.*
The kente cloth stole represents the graduate's 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.
**** DESCRIPTIONS 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 2012, 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.
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).
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 provides information about the historically Black Greek letter organizations traditions of stepping and strolling.".
**** ADDITIONAL SHOWCASE VIDEOS
These are some of the YouTube videos that I found which met my criteria for this pancocojams post (i.e. members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity wearing one or more kente cloth stole/s with their graduation cap and gown).
These videos are given in chronological order (except for Video #1) and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: UT Nupes of Kappa Alpha Psi Spring '14 Graduation
Jeremy Dudley, May 26, 2014
Iota Delta chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi - University of Texas
Celebrating graduation with my boys the traditional way
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #3: Kappa Alpha Psi- Alpha Sigma Chapter-A Celebration of Graduation 2015
Marvin Price, April 16, 2015
Something that I decided to put togtehr after a photo shoot. I hope you all enjoy!
Southern University A&M College!
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #4: Georgetown College Nupes graduation stroll
Mike Bowen, May 28, 2021
One last stroll for the graduating Georgetown College Nupes. May 2021 -snip- Georgetown College is located in Georgetown, Kentucky.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #5: Kappa Alpha Psi | Alpha Sigma Chapter | Graduation Stroll Off Fall 2021 | (MUST WATCH)
Marvin Price, Dec 10, 2021
Graduation | 12/10/2021 -snip- Alpha Sigma chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity is at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The Lambda Zeta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sweetheart Song
At the end of every semester students graduate from every university looking towards the next step in their lives. Members of Greek fraternities and sororities, before saying their final farewells to the campus, set out a final march to signify the end of an era at their respective school.
At the University of Alabama this final step has become an iconic gesture on the steps of Coleman Coliseum. It's only fitting it's captured for posterity.
**** Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest Revision; May 25, 2025
This pancocojams post showcases videos of some members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. wearing one or more kente cloth stole/s with their graduation cap and gown.
The content of this post is presented for historical and
cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and
thanks to all those who published these videos on YouTube. -snip- This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series about kente cloth graduation stoles.
A pancocojams post on this subject has been published for each of the "Divine Nine" historically Black Greek letter organizations. Click the "kente cloth graduation stole" tag below or click the name of the historically Black Greek letter organization in the tags below to find the pancocojams post on this subject that showcases videos of that paticular Black Greek letter organization wearing kente graduation stoles and/or another type of kente stole during university graduations.
****
THE BLACK 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 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."...
**** WHY KENTE CLOTH GRADUATION STOLES ARE WORN IN THE UNITED STATES Since the 1970s in the United States, kente cloth has become a widely 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 choosing to wear one or more kente cloth stole/s 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), although Black Americans graduating from a Predominately White Institution (PMI) may also choose to wear one or more kente cloth graduation stole/s. While wearing a kente cloth stole is a voluntary decision, it has become traditional to do so among those graduates of either a HBCU or a PMI (Predominately White Institutions) who are members of a historically Black Greek letter sorority or fraternity.*
The kente cloth stole represents the graduate's 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.
**** DESCRIPTIONS 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 2012, 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.
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).
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 provides information about the historically Black Greek letter organizations traditions of stepping and strolling.".
**** ADDITIONAL SHOWCASE VIDEOS These are some of the YouTube videos that I found that met my criteria for this pancocojams post (i.e. members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. wearing one or more kente cloth stole/s with their graduation cap and gown.)
These videos are given in chronological order (except for Video #1) and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Delta Sigma Theta Lambda Zeta Graduation 2010
XLNB, Agust 7, 2010
The Ladies of Lamba Zeta set it owt for the undeniably
capable women who are now passing from their collegiate career to the throngs
of their life & future.
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #3: Surprise Graduation Proposal! Que-Delta Engagement
Reggie McD. Dec
16, 2017
After
falling in love as undergraduates and almost 5 years of dating, Ja'Mahl makes
Kameron his lifetime partner. Congrats Kameron and Ja'Mahl!
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #4: The Virginia State Deltas Stepping at Graduation
Hbcugrad, May 26, 2019
The Virginia State University members of Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority Inc
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #5: She Made the Whole City Proud | A Delta Sigma Theta Graduate
Adrian The SnapGod, May 6, 2021
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #6: UMES Spring 2021 Commencement Delta Sigma Theta Show
DISCOVER UMES, Aug
11, 2021
On May 14, after the University of Maryland Eastern Shore's
Spring 2021 Commencement, this UMES group of sisters put on a #DeltaSigmaTheta
Show! 🐘ΔΣΘ🐘
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. FAMU's Beta Alpha Chapter Singing After Graduation in Spring 2012 -snip- "FAMU"= Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, located in Tallahassee, Florida.
**** Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest revision: May 25, 2025
This pancocojams post showcases videos of some members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. singing and strolling while wearing one or more kente cloth stole/s with their graduation cap and gown.
The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who published these videos on YouTube. -snip- This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series about kente cloth graduation stoles.
A pancocojams post on this subject has been published for each of the "Divine Nine" historically Black Greek letter organizations. Click the "kente cloth graduation stole" tag below or click the name of the historically Black Greek letter organization in the tags below to find the pancocojams post on this subject that showcases videos of that paticular Black Greek letter organization wearing kente graduation stoles and/or another type of kente stole during university graduations.
****
THE BLACK 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 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."...
**** WHY KENTE CLOTH GRADUATION STOLES ARE WORN IN THE UNITED STATES Since the 1970s in the United States, kente cloth has become a widely 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 choosing to wear one or more kente cloth stole/s 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), although Black Americans graduating from a Predominately White Institution (PMI) may also choose to wear one or more kente cloth graduation stole/s. While wearing a kente cloth stole is a voluntary decision, it has become traditional to do so among those graduates of either a HBCU or a PMI (Predominately White Institutions) who are members of a historically Black Greek letter sorority or fraternity.*
The kente cloth stole represents the graduate's 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.
**** DESCRIPTIONS 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 2012, 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.
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).
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 provides information about the historically Black Greek letter organizations traditions of stepping and strolling.".
**** ADDITIONAL SHOWCASE VIDEOS These are some of the YouTube videos that I found that met my criteria for this pancocojams post (i.e. members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority members wearing kente cloth with their graduation cap and gown).
These videos are given in chronological order (except video #1) and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
Showing Love to my Sister Jazmine & all of her Friends
Alumni and Sorority Sisters, Alpha Kappa Alpha! Graduation Day from UNIT in
North Dallas. Class of 2016 .
She Finally Made it! Seeing her cross that stage
was just one small feat in comparison to all of the other great things she is
doing in her life! All in all . I can truly say I am proud of the Woman that
she is becoming, she couldn't have made me proud! -snip- "UNT" = "University of North Texas at Dallas" located in Dallas, Texas.
**** SHOWCASE #3: Alpha
Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Beta Alpha Chapter from FAMU 2016 Graduation
Songfest
Sharayne, MFT, Jun
18, 2016
Alpha Kappa Alpha Beta Alpha Chapter from FAMU Singing After
Spring 2016 Graduation
I would like to thank everyone who has supported
me along the way. On May 5th, I received my Bachelors of Arts in Environmental
& Sustainability. This is chapter performance we did after 2 other brothers
and myself crossed the stage. I’ll continue to vlog it just won’t be college
vlogs anymore for now!
**** Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest Revision: May 25, 2025
This pancocojams post showcases videos of some members of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. wearing one or more kente cloth stole/s with their graduation cap and gown.
The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who published these videos on YouTube. -snip- This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series about kente cloth graduation stoles. A pancocojams post on this subject has been published for each of the "Divine Nine" historically Black Greek letter organizations. Click the "kente cloth graduation stole" tag below or click the name of the historically Black Greek letter organization in the tags below to find the pancocojams post on this subject that showcases videos of that paticular Black Greek letter organization wearing kente graduation stoles and/or another type of kente stole during university graduations.
****
THE BLACK 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 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."...
**** WHY KENTE CLOTH GRADUATION STOLES ARE WORN IN THE UNITED STATES Since the 1970s in the United States, kente cloth has become a widely 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 choosing to wear one or more kente cloth stole/s 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), although Black Americans graduating from a Predominately White Institution (PMI) may also choose to wear one or more kente cloth graduation stole/s. While wearing a kente cloth stole is a voluntary decision, it has become traditional to do so among those graduates of either a HBCU or a PMI (Predominately White Institutions) who are members of a historically Black Greek letter sorority or fraternity.*
The kente cloth stole represents the graduate's 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.
**** DESCRIPTIONS 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 2012, 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.
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).
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 provides information about the historically Black Greek letter organizations traditions of stepping and strolling.".
**** ADDITIONAL SHOWCASE VIDEOS These are the YouTube videos that I found which met my criteria for this pancocojams post (i.e. members of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity wearing one or more kente cloth stole/s with their graduation cap and gown).
These videos are given in chronological order (except video #1) and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Iota Phi Theta - Centaur Walk & UF Graduation Fall 2010
tonystark1963, May 6, 2010
My Fall 2010 graduation & another brother at the
University of Florida (Gamma Omicron Chapter). We also did the Centaur Walk
after.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #3:
UAlbany Iotas, May 23, 2017
On behalf of the brothers of the Delta Rho
"DeathRow" Chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. , we would like
to congratulate brothers Jarius Jemmott, Matthew Sierra, Richard Ogarro, Nathan
Honegan, Cameron Crawley and Nicholas Reyes for graduating SUNY Albany with
their Bachelor's Degrees. Keep paving the way brothers. OW OW!
The Brothers of Alpha Eta perform a tribute to its fraternity and graduating members. IYHIDM
**** Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest revision: May 25, 2025
This pancocojams post showcases videos of some graduating members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. wearing one or more kente cloth stole/s with their graduation cap and gown.
The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who published these videos on YouTube. -snip- This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series about kente cloth graduation stoles.
A pancocojams post on this subject has been published for each of the "Divine Nine" historically Black Greek letter organizations. Click the "kente cloth graduation stole" tag below or click the name of the historically Black Greek letter organization in the tags below to find the pancocojams post on this subject that showcases videos of that paticular Black Greek letter organization wearing kente graduation stoles and/or another type of kente stole during university graduations.
****
THE BLACK 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 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."...
**** WHY KENTE CLOTH GRADUATION STOLES ARE WORN IN THE UNITED STATES Since the 1970s in the United States, kente cloth has become a widely 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 choosing to wear one or more kente cloth stole/s 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), although Black Americans graduating from a Predominately White Institution (PMI) may also choose to wear one or more kente cloth graduation stole/s. While wearing a kente cloth stole is a voluntary decision, it has become traditional to do so among those graduates of either a HBCU or a PMI (Predominately White Institutions) who are members of a historically Black Greek letter sorority or fraternity.*
The kente cloth stole represents the graduate's 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.
**** DESCRIPTIONS 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 2012, 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.
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).
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 provides information about the historically Black Greek letter organizations traditions of stepping and strolling.".
**** ADDITIONAL SHOWCASE VIDEOS These are the YouTube videos that I found which met my criteria for this pancocojams post (i.e. members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. wearing kente cloth stole/s with their graduation cap and gown.)
These videos are given in chronological order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Spring
2011 Georgia State University Graduation - Phi Beta Sigma ( www.PiAlpha1914.org
)
PiAlphaPBS, Jun 18, 2011
Us (The Pi Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated @ Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta.) continuing Pi Alpha tradition, by performing the founders step at the 2011 Georgia State University Graduation!
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #3: Theta
Delta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. at the University of Alabama
Down With The Browns, Dec 15, 2014
Graduation fall 2014
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #4: Soul" FAMU Sigmas
Shawn Williams, May 13, 2016
The "HARD"Alpha Eta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc setting off Soul after Spring 2K16 graduation #GOMAB
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #5: Theta
Delta chapter Phi Beta Sigma | Spring Graduation 2018 | The University of
Alabama
John White, May
9, 2018
The
Definition Theta Delta chapter of Phi Beta Sigma stepping for graduation at the
University of Alabama!
Lynne Halliburton, May 4, 2019 Austin Peay State University is a public university [Clarksville, Tennessee]
Rho Kappa Chapter Graduation Hop May 2019
**** Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest revision: May 25, 2025
This pancocojams post showcases videos of some members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. wearing one or more kente cloth stole/s with their graduation cap and gown. The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who published these videos on YouTube. -snip- This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series about kente cloth graduation stoles. A pancocojams post on this subject has been published for each of the "Divine Nine" historically Black Greek letter organizations. Click the "kente cloth graduation stole" tag below or click the name of the historically Black Greek letter organization in the tags below to find the pancocojams post on this subject that showcases videos of that paticular Black Greek letter organization wearing kente graduation stoles and/or another type of kente stole during university graduations.
**** THE BLACK 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 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."...
**** WHY KENTE CLOTH GRADUATION STOLES ARE WORN IN THE UNITED
STATES Since the 1970s in the United States, kente cloth has become
a widely 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 choosing to wear one or more kente cloth
stole/s 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), although Black Americans
graduating from a Predominately White Institution (PMI) may also choose to wear
one or more kente cloth graduation stole/s. While wearing a kente cloth stole
is a voluntary decision, it has become traditional to do so among those
graduates of either a HBCU or a PMI (Predominately White Institutions) who are
members of a historically Black Greek letter sorority or fraternity.*
The kente cloth stole represents the graduate's 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.
**** DESCRIPTIONS 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 2012, 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.
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).
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 provides information about the historically
Black Greek letter organizations traditions of stepping and strolling.".
**** ADDITIONAL SHOWCASE VIDEOS These are some of the YouTube videos that I found which met my criteria for pancocojams post (i.e. members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. wearing one or more kente cloth stole/s with their graduation cap and gown).
These videos are given in chronological order (except video #1) and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Omega Psi Phi -Iota Psi - OSU Graduation 2011 pt.2
D'Juan Armstead, Jun 15, 2011
The IPsi Bruhs @ The Ohio State University Settin it OWT
after graduation.
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #3: Beta Eta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi We Are The Brother Ques
XLNB, May 14, 2012
At the end of every semester students graduate from every
university looking towards the next step in their lives. Members of Greek
fraternities and sororities, before saying their final farewells to the campus,
set out a final march to signify the end of an era at their respective school.
At the University of Alabama this final step has become an
iconic gesture on the steps of Coleman Coliseum. It's only fitting it's
captured for posterity.
Shot By Xavier Burgin and Kevyn Bryant
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #4: JP2 2017 MSU Graduation
Jonathan Parnell, May 6, 2017
Que's Hopping -snip- "JP2" and "MSU" probably refer to St. John's Student Center at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan.
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #5: Mu Psi dog team spring 2018 graduation
Curtis Pope, May 13, 2018 -snip- The Mu Psi chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. is at North Carolina A&T State University.
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #6: 20 years of Omega Psi Phi Graduation hops at the University of Alabama
Old School Ques, May 5, 2020
In honor of the 2020 grads,
Omega Psi Phi (Beta Eta) Graduation March at the University of Alabama (old school to new school) **** Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
