What is Kappa Kappa Psi?

I was with some of my bruhs at a club down in New Orleans and we ran into some guys from Kappa Kappa Psi. They stepped had brands and had a sign. I went to visit a friend in Ohio and met another gentleman from Kappa Kappa Psi. He said he never heard of branding, stepping, or anything of that nature. Are there two Kappa Kappa Psi's or is it different in regions??? Someone please enlighten me.

[PenguinTrax]

Kappa Kappa Psi is an honorary band fraternity. They are not historically African-American. Some chapters on HBCU campuses adopt calls and hand signs.

Tau Beta Sigma is the honorary band sorority affiliated with KKPsi.For more information on these organizations, visit http://kkytbs.org

Kappa Alpha Psi is a fraternity affiliated with the National Pan-hellenic Council.

[This message has been edited by PnguinTrax (edited October 06, 2000).]

[supafly]

KKPsi is a national marching band fraternity.
And as it is with different GLO's, different regions do certain things. I've met members of KKPsi from Louisiana and they have been in several step shows and they do very well.

Thanks for the knowledge!

[dominatrix]

supafly,
are you a member of kkpsi? if so, maybe you should review your mc book and preamble cause kkpsi is a national honorary band fraternity, not marching band frat!

[UltraMagnus]

...like previously mentioned KKPsi is the National Honorary Band Frat. Stepping and signs vary in popularity regionally. Being a bro from the Zeta Chi chapter at the University of South Carolina, this puts us in the south(southeastern district) where it is VERY popular. Almost the majority of the chapters step(or try to) down here, no matter racial or sex makeup...I guess it's just were you are that determines the influence.

GO COCKS!!

[Senusret I]

Alpha Phi Omega is similar to KKPsi in that our traditions are also regional. . .however, we're a service fraternity. I think technically, according to Baird's manual, we are both in the same category of "Recognition Fraternities". Somebody let me know if I'm wrong on that.

[bro_strawter]

I've been very familiar with Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma for a very long time. It wasn't until former President Clinton's inaugaration that I learned that both orgs were co-ed. I was shocked Can someone explain to me how this works. Most HBCU chapters I know of are all male (KKPsi) and all female (TBS)

In Greekdom,

[Bro. Jones]

hmm... you DO learn something new everyday

*snicker*

[BLUTANG]

Hi, i am in Tau Beta Sigma, the sister organization to Kappa Kappa Psi. I would allow a Brother to post the distinction between the two orgs, but it seems that none of them frequent GC.

Kappa Kappa Psi is a National Honorary Band Fraternity. Being an organization which serves the band, university department of music, and the community of music at large. the webpage for our national headquarters is http://www.kkytbs.org

Someone asked about the org being coed. Since the nature of membership is honorary we are obligated under Title IX to extend membership to qualified persons regardless of gender. So you may see a man in Tau Beta Sigma or a woman in Kappa Kappa Psi. please don't confuse my statement about extending membership - this doesn't mean that everyone who wants in gets in, but we are not social orgs that can limit membership to a single sex.

You also pointed out that some members have brands, step, do a call and have hand signs. It's all in brotherly (and sisterly) love. Some chapters have a rich tradition of stepping, others don't...

And being an honorary fraternity allows members of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma to pursue membership in NPC/NPHC orgs as well. You may have a person in Kappa Kappa Psi and Kappa Alpha Psi (or any other org, you get the picture). it happens.

And as far as it being a "marching band" frat - that is not the case. Some universities do not have marching band but they still have Kappa Kappa Psi and/or Tau Beta Sigma. we are of service to the Director of Music at the university.

Hope this info helps.

[bro_strawter]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. My fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega is very similar to Kappa Kappa Psi except we are a National Service Fraternity. We have all male chapters and co-ed chapters. We step, have calls and handsigns as well.

I have lots of friends whom are members of TBS and KKPsi. I think both are wonderful organizations.

In Greekdom

[NiaX]

I have a question for bro_strawter: I went to look at the Tenn. State website, and I saw the ladies had one hand sign na d the males had another. Why is there two different hand signs? Is the handsign the ladies hold up the same as Gamma Sigma Sigma, and they will eventually form a GSS chapter? I am just wondering, b/c that is very interesting.

[zphi06]

Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma are two DIFFERENT organizations working for the same cause. so, yes, we have different hand signs. I'm also a soror of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, INC. our brother organization, Phi Beta Sigma has a different sign from us as well. I personally think that the co-ed chapters confuse a lot of people because they start getting the organizations mixed up. I go to a school that is not HBCU, and we disapprove of the co-ed "stuff." I think the only times they should be co-ed is when the school does not have both organizations...only TBS or KKY.

p.s. back on the hand sign thing....KKY and Phi Beta Sigma signs are VERY similar....some people can't tell the difference!!

[DramaQueenAX]

Just to Reply to the previous response,
I'm in the Alpha Chi Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma at Northern Arizona University. Recently our chapter of TBS has be become co-ed for the first time and it was only last year that our brother chapter put through it's first female member in KKY. I feel that know matter what your sex you can be in either organization and it not be a problem. True many chapters have never been co-ed but there is nothing wrong with a little change. It's nice having a male perspective on things and he gives us new insites that we might not have thought about before.

ITB,
DramaQueenAX
Joint Treas.
AX Sec/Treas.

[bonelifer]

I would like put out a reminder that the handsign can vary from different regions because it isn't OFFICIAL. I know of brothers in the South(Louisiana) Area that throw up a sign that can be described as very similar to the (Folk Nation) handsign and no they aren't in that gang. That's just a little info for you noggin.