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The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

    History and impact of stepping for NPHC

    The ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. perform their stroll at the “NPHC Showcase.” Their chants included phrases such as,  “I want to walk like an elephant, talk like an elephant, move like an elephant, groove like an elephant, D.E.L.T.A.“ paying tribute to their sorority’s mascot, the elephant.
    Courtesy of Le Souvenir

    The university has many Greek events such as “NPHC Showcase” where the National Pan-Hellenic Council’s sororities and fraternities can showcase their organization’s history and culture.

    First Vice President of the Lambda Omicron chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Ashley Morgan discussed the showcase as an informative event.

    “I believe it’s important to showcase our values through the movement of stepping because of the historical significance of our sorority’s founders being of African descent,” said Morgan.

    Morgan explained how the showcase is an important event for the NPHC community.

    “I believe the National Pan-Hellenic Council Greek Showcase is a great opportunity to share our history and culture to the campus body about not only what our organization stands for and represents, but also how our chapter, Lambda Omicron chapter, has contributed to the local communities and on Southeastern’s campus.”

    One way these organizations show pride in their chapters is through stepping and strolling with chapters working in unity to create music through their steps and calls, such as the presentations at the “NPHC Showcase.” Stepping has come into the light of mainstream media over the past few decades with probates, which is the NPHC presentation of new members, being posted on YouTube and the 2018 movie “Step Sisters” where a member of a fictitious outreach helps a fictitious sorority Sigma Beta Beta win a step show to save their chapter’s charter on the university campus.

    According to greek.umd newsletter “The Yard,” “The roots of stepping can be traced to African traditions of chanting and dancing, as well as military drills and Motown R&B acts such as, ‘The Temptations’” and began as a way to celebrate their organizations. “Step shows were organized, and the best steppers would gain more recruits for their organizations.”

    President of the Kappa Nu chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Cedric Dent Jr. described the roots of stepping.

    “It’s basically from ancient society,” said Dent. “We were once slaves before. So, we couldn’t talk. We couldn’t speak the language, so we had to use our bodies to step. Other fraternities and sororities have their different moves, but ours I can say is very creative because we do things differently. It’s tenacity. It’s efficient. It’s accurate. It’s based off what we do as an organization, and we showcase that in our steps and how we potentially try to portray our organization.”

    The university’s NPHC organizations such as Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. began as organizations dedicated to academic excellence and community service, and the stepping came later. Member of the Kappa Nu chapter Eugene Davis discussed their fraternities’ establishment starting as a social studies club that turned into a literacy club and became a fraternity.

    “It started off to bring students together in general, not just black students, but because black students were excluded from joining certain organizations on Cornell,” said Davis. “Our founders decided that they needed to start an organization to help uplift and bring together a more collective body of interracial students. A lot of black students start to come together, more so black men, to help uplift one another, and that’s where the stepping, the strolling, all of that came about later on. But we started out by giving service, giving back to the community.”

    The NPHC takes their culture seriously and has taken steps to make sure their history is not appropriated by trademarking their signatures.

    “Our steps were uniquely designed for our sorority,” said Morgan. “They help express and demonstrate unity within the organization. Our moves reflect our values of being women of substance, poise and class. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. received a patent for a sound mark, the ‘skee-wee’ call, from the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Jan. 10, 2017, making it a registered trademark. The sorority also received a trademark for the pinky-hand gesture on March 7, 2017. These trademarks were installed in order to preserve the perpetuity of the sorority.”

    The sounds and motions evolved throughout the years to showcase the organizations’ values through movement and sound. Morgan explained why it is crucial each organization has its own signature.

    “It is important to have these specific signatures of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. because it sets the sorority apart from other Greek organizations by having unique characteristics that are symbolic for the women who are members of this Greek organization” said Morgan.

    Stepping is a chance for others to learn about the NPHC culture. Dent discussed how the organization is more than stepping.

    “Stepping is ten percent of that,” said Dent. “I think people get it confused because they just look at step and Alpha Phi Alpha as all they do is step and party, which is a misconception of us. We provide service. We do work hard. We do make our grades and things.”

    President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Cedric Dent Jr. strolls with his line brothers during the “NPHC Showcase.” The showcase was a way for the National Pan-Hellenic Council sororities and fraternities to display their heritage and culture for the community. 
    Courtesy of Le Souvenir

     

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