Brown, editor of African American Fraternities and Sororities: The Legacy and the Vision, a book that features Posey’s research on branding.īrands often appear in discreet places such as the chest or the left upper arm. “It’s an indication: ‘I am a member, I’m proud of that fact,’ ” says Tamara L. “You are physically changing the shape of who you are.” “It’s one of the most prominent and personal ways you can adopt something into your identity,” Posey says. And they can be a symbol of manhood, of toughness. Brands can display a sense of belonging, a mark of the successful completion of a challenging pledgeship.
Members acquire brands for a number of reasons. Jones, University of Louisville professor and author of Black Haze: Violence, Sacrifice, and Manhood in Black Greek-Letter Fraternities, estimates that more than half do. It’s hard to determine exactly how many black fraternity members have brands, but Ricky L. And while branding does have ties to slavery, fraternity men with brands dismiss that connotation. Some believe that the ritual was inspired by African scarification traditions. Bush is rumored to be branded with a symbol of his Yale fraternity, Delta Kappa Epsilon. But secret societies and religious orders, such as those in ancient Greece, also used brands throughout history to mark followers, Posey says.Īs for the college Greek system, the earliest recorded incidence dates back to 1931, but because of the secretive nature of fraternities and sororities, it is difficult to determine an exact timeline, Posey says.Īlthough the practice is associated with black fraternities, there are exceptions. The practice of branding dates back thousands of years, says Sandra Mizumoto Posey, a folklorist and professor at California State Polytechnic University who has researched the subject.īranding is most commonly associated with slaves and cattle.
“It marks a time and a life, a milestone in your life and a commitment to the organization.” “It’s just like a tattoo,” says Aaron Brown, 23, Mitchell’s fraternity brother at FAMU.
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