BGLO why *INCORPORATED* emphasized?
 

I've noticed that the BGLOs and the chapters of APO, GSS, KKY & TBS on black campuses make a *HUGE* deal about the fact that their fraternity or sorority is Incorporated. (such as for example "I belong to Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, INCORPORATED". I have never found anything that indicates that the legal incorporation for the BGLOs differs in any way from the WGLOS (NIC or NPC). Why the emphasis?

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Naraht
Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Volunteer

Naraht,

I am not a member of a BGLO so therefore I could not answer your question. However, I believe the answer to your question lays within this forum.

I remember the same question being posed many times before, and members of these Incorporated organizations provided sufficient answers.

Your answer may also be found in the respective organizations' forums by doing a search. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif

Randy,

The emphasis is because, at the time of their founding, it was very difficult if not almost impossible for African-Americans to form legal corporations, etc. It is a great source of pride that the founders of the NPHC groups were able to incorporate their organizations at a time when many in their community could not do so.

Barbara

OK, that makes sense. I would imagine a lot of them tried in 1910s & 1920s Washington DC which wouldn't have been easy. I would imagine the Iotas (1960s Maryland) & the non NPHCers (which would have been incorporated largely by whites) do it largely for consistency and shared tradition on the black campuses...




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Naraht
Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Volunteer

I must disagree with you in the statement that you said that you guess that Iota Phi Theta (not sure about the Non-NPHC BGLO's) did it just for consistency.

First of all, the "incorporated" is important because it helps in aiding the process toward keeping our organization's letters and general symbols (like our shield) ours.

It helps in the patent process and discourages non-licensed vendors to market our name or our symbols.

That is largely why organizations tend to do this.

Also its a respect thing like PnguinTrax mentioned as well. Iota Phi Theta was born during a time period where it was still extremely tough for a black organization to incorporate ourselves.

The 60's was still a VERY difficult period for African-Americans especially "up-and-coming" organizations and social groups who were seen as a threat to the status quo (much like organizations such as SNCC, the Black Panthers, and other radical Pan-Africanist groups).

It might not have been just as tough for an organization born in the 1960's to receive an incorporation as it was for one in the 1900's-1930's, but let me assure you it was a struggle for black orgs. incorporated or not to do anything during that period.

So to sum it up, the incorporation concept is two-fold: to protect the name & symbols of our orgs. and to show respect to the stuggles that our organizations faced early on in their foundings.

Hope that helps.

Anyone with more knowledge on the subject then myself, please add on or correct me.


Much luv and respect to all GLO's.


FYI: I believe (not 100% sure though) that all greek orgs. tend to ascend towards incorporation but not all use the "inc" in their names.


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Suntzu 1963
Member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.
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[This message has been edited by suntzu1963 (edited August 03, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by suntzu1963 (edited August 03, 2001).]

My question is less why they incorporated and more why they emphasize it so much. I agree that it does help with copyrights (I really think you mean that rather than patents).

Even though I am a resident of Maryland, I don't have a good feeling for when the state government would have moved to supporting black causes openly.

For all the creation of Iota Phi Theta is noteworthy, I don't think it would have been viewed as much of a threat to general status quo as the SNCC and the Black Panthers.

I'd be very surprised if any greek letter org of more than a half dozen chapters isn't incorporated.

I agree with your two fold purpose, but only the second makes sense for the extra emphasis that the BGLOs give to them. And that second reason really doesn't seem to exist at the same level for the non-NPHCs (Especially my fraternity given the significant help from BSA we had to incorporate)



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Naraht
Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Volunteer

I'd have to agree with you 100% suntzu1963, that's exactly the reason. That is your answer naraht. No one (not ever a member of the organization) can come along and one day decide, "Hey I don't like the letters of the organization, lets change it, and while we're at it, lets change the colors, and everything else." If an organization is incorporated, certain things will remain the same. naraht, not to get too much into details, but do a lil research on early history of BGLO's and you'll see that this almost happened. This is why the incorporation of my organization is a HUGE deal.

This topic has been addressed before, as OohTeenyWahine has indicated. However, the net is that the emphasis on incorporation stems from the history of BGLOs within the NPHC. As Showstopper1908 mentioned, there have been events that occurred in the histories of different NPHC BLGOs that have/ could have fundementally altered the existance and operation of said organziations based upon its incorporation status or lack thereof. Therefore, it's more an internal thing from NPHC member to NPHC member than it is anything else.

Regarding the service and band GLOs on historically black campuses that emphasize the incorporation status...I can only guess why they do it, as I'm not a member. Certainly it is probably not for the same reason that members of the NPHC state ours.



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Finer Womanhood: the "Cat's Meow" Since 1920

I'd be very surprised if Colors were included in the Articles of Incorporation, but its possible.

I'm sort of surprised that the formation of DST got brought into the discussion, but it seems to happen everywhere else in NPHC discussions, so why not. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

Again, I appreciate that Incorporation does have its usages, but I think the original answer to why AKA emphasizes *INCORPORATED* and KKG (for example) does not is the first one given, the fact that incorporation of a black organization would have been difficult in that period of time.


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Naraht
Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Volunteer

I guess the reason that KKY for example would make a point of using incorporated at HBCUs is if the Omegas have just finished stepping and have said incorporated at the top of their lungs, there is no downside to KKY not saying it as well since they are incorpated as well and it makes a difference to some...



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Naraht
Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Volunteer

That still doesn't answer the question of why Tau Beta Sigam and Kappa Kappa Psi emphasize it on predominantly black campuses. I am a member of TBS as well and we don't ever refer to ourselves as being "incorporated" and neither does KKPsi. Can someone help me out?

This is just another way for them to imitate us w/o really BEING us.



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MCCOYRED
Mu Psi '86
BaltCo Alumnae

Dynamic...Salient...Temperate...Since 1913

Two comments on that.

1) Would you rather have the service/band greeks act more like their brothers/sisters in the chapters on the non-HBCU campuses? i.e. co-ed pledge classes and no pride in their black heritage?

2) Were the Iotas immitators from their founding in 1963 until their joining of the NPHC?



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Naraht
Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Volunteer

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At long last, I found one NPC group that is for sure "incorporated"...
http://www.alphaomicronpi.org/conten...cies/term.html

TERMINOLOGY POLICIES
Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity, Inc.

The term "incorporated" shall not be used on fraternity publications or stationery except where it is legally required.
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I would think that pretty well all NPC orgs and all NIC orgs are incorporated...the reasons being:
I'm not a lawyer, but there are advantages to incorporation: tax advantages, the incorporated entity continues even after the creators (i.e. founders) of the "corporation" pass away, also the corporation can be sued, but not the actual people of the company. What I mean by that is say someone slips on the icy steps of your GLO's house. They might sue the fraterity but they can't actually sue a specific person, therefore, you don't have to worry about the sue-er taking you for everything that you personally have.
Not sure if that made sense.

I am a lawyer and, yes, you are correct. As stated in other threads on the topic, there are legal reasons why one may want to incorporate their organization. The tax code pus fraternal organizations in a different classification for tax purposes. That alone is a good enough reason. Also the incorporation makes the organization its own legal entity, able to act and be sued in its name and not in its members name. It affords each member protection from personal legal liability f. It will continue until dissolution regardless of the passing of its creators. I, too, would suspect all national fraternities and sororities would be incorporated. It is part of their legal name and I would be shocked if there are members who do not know for sure if their org is incorporated. There is a reason that the passage quoted mentioned when use of the term is legally required. Believe me there are such circumstances.

As to why BGLO's emphasize it- why does it matter? It is our legal name and we can say it however we want, reason or no.

BTW- Incorporation does not generally prevent anything about the org from being changed. It can be renamed, dissolved etc. as long as it is done in accordance with whatever procedure is laid out in the articles of incorporation.

The emphasis is a matter of pride and a matter of history. However, I do not equate the emphasis of the word with pride in my Black heritage, just pride in my organization's heritage. I do not see how that would translate t other orgs who did not have the same struggle towards incorporation. I am not sure how you see that as pride in theri Black heritage unless thay ar saluting the accomplishments of the other fraternities and Sororities that were not White and incorporated on their own. Other orgs who do it may have their own reason, they may not. I do suspect some (not all but some) do it because they heard NPHC orgs do it. So be it.

(Hope the tone is not too grumpy, work is kicking my a$$ today)

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Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
Baltimore Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter
#3 of ER 30
Spring 1999

"No finer girls will you ever see, and I'm so glad I pledged- for what?
For DST!"