Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship, Incorporated was founded
at Morgan State College, on October 12, 1962. The purpose of the
Fellowship is to promote academic awareness, good ethical standards and
unity among graduate and college men, to create intelligent and effective
leaders, and to study and help alleviate social and economic problems
concerning society in order to improve the status of mankind.
At present, the Fellowship has more than 30,000 members, and more than 150 affiliate graduate and undergraduate chapters throughout the World. The membership includes a wide-range of backgrounds and occupations, including but not limited to, accounting, engineering, government, medicine, law, information technology, business entrepreneurs, professional athletes, education, skilled crafts, human resources, real estate, musicians, protective services, clergy, and the armed forces.
Why the name GROOVE?
During the 1960s, the word "groove" was popular among young Blacks. Websters dictionary defines the verb groove as "to perform deftly or smoothly." As a noun, groove is defined as "a fixed routine in the affairs of life." Hence to go "against the groove" means to work in opposition to the current establishment. Finally, "Grooving" was also associated with "socializing" or "fellowshipping." All three of these descriptions combine to form the basic essence of our Social Fellowship. The letter G, is meant to acknowledge the belief in a higher power that is infinite. In this realization we say:
God Rules Over Our Victorious Existence
Promoting Honor and Integrity
Goals Reached Out Of Valor and Endurance
The "Colors"
Our Founders attributed the significance of the letters and colors of Groove Phi Groove to African American's economic, political, and social living conditions. The colors black and white have the principle importance to the Fellowship by symbolizing the idea of balancing forces of good and evil in life
Why do we have a PHI in our name?
In Secrets of the Great Egyptians, Peter Thompkins tells us that the Khemit people of Africa (ancient Egyptians) originated Phi as a symbol of the creative function of the male reproductive system and more loosely as reproduction in endless series. It was a symbolic representation of the fire of life. Our Phi should in no way be confused with the Greek symbol Phi, which takes on the same look but a totally different meaning.
Why is Groove NON-GREEK?
It is by choice that we associate ourselves by this Afrocentric paradigm as opposed to a Greek model. Keeping in step with the reawakening of what has been termed, Black Consciousness, the Founders incorporated the prominent cultural and nationalistic ideals and creeds of the Black Power Movement into an organization that endeavors to continue the process of Black Pride and self-determination. Contrary to popular belief, the Fellowship was not established as an antagonistic organization to the established Black fraternal system, or as another Black fraternity without Greek designation. The Fellowship was envisioned and is manifested as a valid alternative to what was viewed as, and may still be preceived as an increaingly self-serving egotistical facade of collegiate, Black fraternal systems. Furthermore, we firmly believe that as Black people we should embrace our African heritage, not denounce it by embracing a European culture that had a great hand in our downfall as a people. We are Black by Nature, Non-Greek by Choice!
In name, Groove Phi Groove, Social Fellowship, Inc. was and is meant to evoke an identification and feeling towards the eternal rhythm and ancestral spirit among those members of the Black community. Given the state of affairs within the United States during the Black Power Movement, the name Groove symbolizes the harmony created and nurtured in the fellowship with one's brother and fellow man. Thus, the name of our organization is a CONSCIOUS change from the need to perpetuate a likeness to European culture, and a fear of identifying ourselves as who we are, Black Men! Groove Phi Groove was established not because white organizations rejected us, but because the Black community needed us!
Knowledge - Saau Her Mu/Pirate Chapter
In the early 1900's, we as a Black People in America were still climbing and clawing our way out of the pits of slavery and Jim Crow Laws. From as far south as Mississippi to the northern state of Maine, Black Americans were being strategically held back from progressing forward. At this specific time in American History, Black Americans could not even assemble together in small numbers. Without "permission" or a "permit" to assemble, Blacks would risk arrest or lynching. These "barbaric" man-made laws even pertained to Black Students at Major American Colleges and Universities. For these students to circumvent this unjust law, they had to join a school club or greek fraternity. Either one of these affiliations would grant them the "permission" they needed to assemble legally. The only problem was that in 1906, Blacks were not allowed to join any of the established clubs or fraternities because of the color of their skin. So they created their own fraterinity. The 1900's were a time of "self-hate" and "assimilation" for Blacks. So for us to create an "African" based fraternal organization during that time was imagineable. The Black Students of 1906 chose to assimilate themselves with their fellow white students by creating a "black greek" fraternity. It was that year that the "black greek" was born! Many other black greek lettered organizations followed this precedent. Known to be very "elitist", some of these black greek fraternities and sororities practiced the "Paper Bag Test". Basically, if you were darker than a brown paper bag, you were not allowed to become a member.
Then came the 60's!!!
A Time for Black Fists, Activism, Knowledge of Self & Revolution!
1962, a time when Black Activists, like Stokely Carmicheal, were giving speeches at Morgan State College(now university). Telling the Black Students of that time to stop assimilating, and begin acquiring the Knowledge of Self.
National Programs & Projects
* The Groove Fund, Inc..Scholarship Awards Program
* The Groove Fund, Inc..Tutorial Program
* The Groove Phi Groove Mentorship Program
* Project Outreach
* Project Missing Children
* Project UNCF
* Project NAACP/Urban League
"Through Loyalty & Integrity We Shall Achieve Greatness."
