African American women in CPC, opinions, please?

[FSUZeta]

that's too bad. every chapter missed out on a fabulous member!

[ellebud]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

that's too bad. every chapter missed out on a fabulous member!

First of all, thank you. I think that I would have benefited from being in any house because, as the years have passed I am still friends with a few of my sisters and I benefitted in many ways from my membership. And life has a way of working its' way out.

I will say that I transferred to the school across town and reaffiliated there. During my senior year 1970s we pledged a Black girl. She was NOT the first btw. Pat (her first name) was also involved with the BSU. She informed us that on campus SHE couldn't recognize us or acknowledge us. I graduated before I heard the end of the story.

Our first Black girl, who graduated in the late sixties, was a former Miss Teen USA, or California...perhaps runner up? Obviously she was stunning. During rush when we had our scrapbooks out, somehow her picture was always showing. NOT because she was Black...because she was drop dead gorgeous.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by ellebud

I will say that I transferred to the school across town and reaffiliated there. During my senior year 1970s we pledged a Black girl. She was NOT the first btw. Pat (her first name) was also involved with the BSU. She informed us that on campus SHE couldn't recognize us or acknowledge us. I graduated before I heard the end of the story.

Our first Black girl, who graduated in the late sixties, was a former Miss Teen USA, or California...perhaps runner up? Obviously she was stunning. During rush when we had our scrapbooks out, somehow her picture was always showing. NOT because she was Black...because she was drop dead gorgeous.

*cough*

Tokenism.

*cough*

[ellebud]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

*cough*

Tokenism.

*cough*

Sorry, no. She was gorgeous and semi famous in those years. Every house shows off their best and brightest in present time and the history of the house as in we've always been great. (as in those days, "you join us and you can be with gorgeous girls going to fabulous events" and "look how long we have been doing fabulous events!") It definitely wasn't along the lines of, look how liberal and nice we are. It was, "we are so gorgeous and always have been!!!"

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by ellebud

Sorry, no. She was gorgeous and semi famous in those years. Every house shows off their best and brightest in present time and the history of the house as in we've always been great. (as in those days, "you join us and you can be with gorgeous girls going to fabulous events" and "look how long we have been doing fabulous events!") It definitely wasn't along the lines of, look how liberal and nice we are. It was, "we are so gorgeous and always have been!!!"

I'm not just talking about that.

But, let's pretend that I was. Given the 1960s context, I do not believe there wasn't a trace of "liberal white people with the beautiful and famous Black person" going on there. I wouldn't believe you even if you claimed there wasn't; and you most likely can't remember 100% of what your 1960s college brain was thinking and you definitely don't know what was entrenched in the other women's 1960s thought processes and actions.

You have to understand that there is something embedded in comments such as: "...we pledged a Black girl," "she was NOT the first btw," "She informed us that on campus SHE couldn't recognize us or acknowledge us" and "Our first Black girl...Obviously she was stunning. During rush when we had our scrapbooks out, somehow her picture was always showing. NOT because she was Black...because she was drop dead gorgeous." These are actually very typical majority-minority relations comments that illustrate tokenism on the part of the majority and the minority (the token). I'm not claiming any bad intentions on your part. I am talking about structural dynamics and how we consciously and subconsciously reinforce them everyday.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by ellebud

First of all, thank you. I think that I would have benefited from being in any house because, as the years have passed I am still friends with a few of my sisters and I benefitted in many ways from my membership. And life has a way of working its' way out.

I will say that I transferred to the school across town and reaffiliated there. During my senior year 1970s we pledged a Black girl. She was NOT the first btw. Pat (her first name) was also involved with the BSU. She informed us that on campus SHE couldn't recognize us or acknowledge us. I graduated before I heard the end of the story.

Our first Black girl, who graduated in the late sixties, was a former Miss Teen USA, or California...perhaps runner up? Obviously she was stunning. During rush when we had our scrapbooks out, somehow her picture was always showing. NOT because she was Black...because she was drop dead gorgeous.

So "Pat" joined and didn't want to let people know she was a member? I know this was back when it was common to wait a semester for initiation, so I'm guessing you don't know how that story ended? Seems like a good way to not get initiated as a sister and not have to worry about anyone knowing.