The Blue Print

[water]

[water]

THE BLU PRINT

During the turn of the century, times were extremely difficult for Blacks in America. One organization in particular that was working to improve the condition of life for those individuals was an order known as Free and Accepted Masons. While striving towards the uplifting of the quality of life for Blacks, this organization was somewhat limited in what it could do because of the requirements for membership. Only males who had reached the age of 21 and had proven themselves to be of good character were allowed to apply for membership, which meant that mostly blue collar workers could be Masons.

However, our founders had visions as to how to create a shortcut, or place a stepping stone if you would, for the Masonic fraternity. Born on college campuses, the fraternities were designed to attract the more formally educated Black man into the plan of "salvation." Each of the four Black Greek-lettered organizations were founded by at least one man who was a member of the order of Freemasons. Because they were blessed with the ability to organize, they laid out the designs that would attract potential members into their organizations and give them just enough "light" to be beneficial to the fraternity, but little enough to generate a craving for more until they were ready to make that next step.

If one were to examine the mottos and crests of each organization, they would notice striking similarities between each of them, rather it be elements of the shields or similarities in mottos. Anyone who has "traveled" some would have more insight into to these similarities.

PHI BETA SIGMA Fraternity, Inc. was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9th, 1914 by three young black, male students. The founders, Honorable A. Langston Taylor, Honorable Leonard F. Morse and Honorable Charles I. Brown wanted to organize a Greek letter fraternity that would truly exemplify the high ideals of brotherhood, scholarship and service.

The founders deeply wished to create an organization that viewed itself as "a part of" the general community. They believed that each potential member should by judged on his own merits rather than his family background or affluence, without regard of race, nationality, colors, skin tone or texture of hair.

The wished and wanted their fraternity to exist as a part of an even greater brotherhood-sisterhood which would be devoted to the "inclusive we" rather than the "exclusive we."

From its inception, the founders also conceived PHI BETA SIGMA as a mechanism to deliver services to the general community. Rather than gaining skills to utilized exclusively for themselves and their immediate families, the founders of PHI BETA SIGMA held the deep conviction that they should return their newly acquired skills to the communities from which they had come. This deep conviction was mirrored in the fraternity motto, "Culture for Service and Service for Humanity."

Today, more than three-quarters of a century later, PHI BETA SIGMA has blossomed into an International organization of leaders. No longer a single entity, the fraternity has now established the PHI BETA SIGMA Educational Foundation, Inc. and the PHI BETA SIGMA Federal Credit Union (to build financial equity within our target communities)

With the force, vigor, power, and energy of its more than 100,00 dedicated men, united in more than 700 chapters across the United States, Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean, PHI BETA SIGMA Continues to faithfully perpetuate composite growth and progress as the "people's fraternity" dedicated to providing services to all humanity.

www.zetazetasigma.com/history/history.htm

[water]

www.blogtalkradio.com/TPWG/2008/02/20/James-Davis-director-of-Black-Greek-Organizations-The-Foundation

[water]

Garrett R. Donato


This article was written by my old head (4-EXi-97) for our underground chapter newsletter that we produce twice a year, The Alpha Truth. Long but hope you enjoy.

THE KEMETIC ORIGIN OF BLACK FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES (spring 98 issue)
By Bro. Innerlyte
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I AM NOT A GREEK!! Nothing about my organization was or is Greek. If you study and do your research, you will find that A Phi A, just like its predecessor, the Prince Hall Masons, was founded purely on Egyptian principles. The purpose of this article is to inform those who are miseducated or unfamiliar in regards to the kemetic origin of mine or anyone else’s historically Black fraternity or sorority.

First of all, there is no such thing as Greek philosophy. It has been proven that all aspects of “Greek Philosophy” which evolved into “Western Civilization” were taken, I mean stolen, from Egypt. When Alexander the Great invaded Egypt, Aristotle, a well known Greek philosopher, quickly secured all knowledge and ideas from the royal libraries and temples of Egypt and claimed them as his own. Interestingly enough, when Aristotle brought these foreign ideas back to Greece and tried to teach them, he was indicted and exiled. Now you must ask yourself if Greece can really be credited for the very teachings they persecuted and rejected. Obviously, no. Greek philosophy, including the idea of secret societies, is actually stolen Egyptian philosophy. This brings us to the Egyptian Mystery System. Like modern day fraternities, the Egyptian Mystery System was a secret order, and membership was gained by the learning of lessons, rites of passage, initiation, and a pledge to secrecy. The Egyptian Mystery System was the center of organized culture, the mecca of religion, math and science. In their quest for membership, aspirants underwent purification of the mind, body, and soul by way of disciplinary intellectual exercises, bodily asceticism, and a variety of tests and ordeals to determine mental and spiritual fitness for initiation.

Before we make the connection between the Egyptian Mystery System, and modern day fraternal organizations, we must not ignore the aspect of Freemasonry. The term is derived from the Egyptian “phre” which means sun and “mas” which means child, thus “phre-massen” or “Sons of Light.” Consequently, “Sons of Light” is the third and highest level of the Egyptian Mystery System. Hence, it is no surprise that the Masonic order cited Egypt as a cornerstone of its roots, believing it to be the original home of masonry and geometry.

The Black Masons, better known as the Prince Hall Masons, were officially established in Boston, Massachusetts in 1784. This marked the founding of the first Black fraternal organization. From the Prince Hall Masons grew the first Black collegiate fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha. Six of the fraternity’s seven founders were Prince Hall Masons. They were also among the few Blacks in the early 1900’s who were acquainted with African history and Ethiopian tradition. Hence, Alpha Phi Alpha was fashioned in the tradition of the Masonic Order and indirectly, the Egyptian Mystery System.

Dr. Asa Hillard III, renowned scholar, developed a format of the ancient Egyptian pledge process which is symbolized by the pledge process of fraternities and sororities today. In this Egyptian pledge system, initiates are segregated from regular life, put in pressured situations designed to make them mature and perform, forced to share a common living experience, taught lessons by the priests or elders, expected to wear uniforms signifying their status, sent through physical tests or ordeals, given new names, and taught a new language, handshake, songs, chants, dances, and secrets. The pledge process of today is unmistakably symbolic and similar to that of ancient Egypt.
s, Ques or any other kemetic secret society, stop. You have been properly educated on the subject, now it’s your job to use the knowledge
Finally, I just want to inform those who were preciously unaware of this historic connection between our organization and the motherland that you are not alone. Eurocentric society has fervently perpetuated stereotypical images of Black fraternities and sororities as well as the notion that the whole concept of the secret society is uniquely Greek. But now you know otherwise. So, next time you or someone else makes the mistake of using the “G” word in reference to Alphas, AKAs, Delta.