(ThyBlackMan.com) When you think about Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta, one can only see two of the most powerful, respected and storied organizations in the entire African American community (my sister is an AKA, my aunt is a Delta, and my brother is an Alpha, so I have to tread carefully – smile).
As America enters into the most significant social justice struggle of this century, you would expect these organizations to be front and center, fighting alongside the millions of men and women who believe in a better future for black children. In fact, many black greeks are out in the streets, blocking traffic, marching, rallying and fighting to protect their loved ones from the dangers of police terror, racial profiling, and mass incarceration.
But unfortunately, right now, people aren’t talking about the courageous efforts being shown by members of these organizations. Instead, the focus has been on very public stances that sorority leaders have taken to protect their public image.
According to Kirsten West-Savali at TheRoot.com, both organizations have asked their members not to wear their paraphernalia at protests going on around the country. The AKAs were the first topic of conversation yesterday after a letter from a chapter president asked members not to wear the group’s logo during protests, and Kirsten says that the Deltas may be joining them as well.
AKAs received an email that said sisters could wear sorority colors at protests, but asked them to “refrain” from wearing any sorority “paraphenalia.” Deltas were notified of a similar prohibition on their organization’s website.
In both cases, the instructions contained a disclaimer of legal liability—which appears to be the impetus for the ban. But as of press time, my calls, seeking comment, to both the national offices of Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta had not yet been returned.
It’s quite interesting to see organizations that are known for advancing racial progress in America working so hard to detach themselves from the movement that has crossed both racial and socioeconomic boundaries. For the first time in years, black people everywhere have come together for a unified cause. The only other exception was the push to elect the first black president. I don’t recall the organizations asking members not to wear their logos and letters to rallies for President Obama.
This might lead to the following questions: Why would any greek letter
organization rush to distance itself from protests supporting Eric Garner and Michael Brown? Is it because they are black men? Is it because they are poor? Is it because neither of these men went to college? Had police brutally beaten, say, Valerie Jarrett’s daughter, would the organizations have the sent out the same memos? Are they making statements because these protests are larger than most? Have they done this in the past for other major movements (say, when Dr. King marched)? It might take a social experiment of unimaginable magnitude to determine if this is black elitism at work, or simply good corporate stewardship.
Kirsten West-Savali and I don’t agree on everything, but I respect her opinion. In fact, she should be a host on MSNBC, along with Yvette Carnell, but she’s too smart for TV. Kirsten too seems curious as to why the Deltas or AKAs would risk missing out on the civil rights movement of our generation:
And given the histories of both sororities—and the legacies of such illustrious AKAs as C. Delores Tucker, Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King; as well as Fannie Lou Hamer, Myrlie Evers-Williams and Mary McLeod Bethune, all members of DST—some young activists have rejected their organizations’national directives because they believe that the directives run, fundamentally, in opposition to the values upon which these sororities were built.
As corporate entities, it’s understandable that Delta and AKA leadership would be concerned about how their brands are perceived in the public eye. But one can’t behave like a jealous boyfriend, seeking to control every move of the woman (or women) in your life. Analagously, the extraordinary women of Delta Sigma Theta and Alpha Kappa Alpha have their own minds, interests, desires and objectives. It would seem that some sort of vote could be taken in order to determine if the organizations can take a unified stance on behalf of Eric Garner without worrying that white people will no longer give them money.
Here’s something that organization leadership might want to consider. I’ll say it bluntly, and I hope it comes out in the way it’s intended: We are officially in the Era of the Field Negro.
Educated, wealthy African Americans who seek to beg their way into historically racist institutions are no longer admired by those who are forced to live life on the margins. Substance now matters more than flash. Courage means more than wealth. When the rest of the world is taking a stand, no one respects the person or group who chooses to remain sitting down.
As a case-in-point, notice how the people of Ferguson blew off leading civil rights figures when they came to the city to try to control the situation. Efforts to tow the line, manage the masses, call for peace or avoid commitment to important social issues in order to avoid being labeled “the bad negro” might have worked in the 1980s, but they don’t work today.
People are sick and tired, and America is in the middle of an upheaval unlike anything we’ve seen in half a century.
You can still make your money and get tremendous respect from the public, but in the end, people want to know that you stand for something other than your new Mercedes Benz. Based on how the AKAs and Deltas were founded, their reason for existence has been activism and progress. Perhaps it’s time for members of both organizations to encourage courageous leadership, this is not the time to be afraid.
One shouldn’t assume that every AKA and every Delta cares about the police death of Eric Garner. But we can rightly assume that they would like to make their own decision. Let’s hope these organizations decide to do the right thing by taking a unified stand.
Staff Writer; Dr. Boyce Watkins
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. For more information, please visit http://BoyceWatkins.com.
