# Black Fraternities and Hazing

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-fraternities-and-hazing/73297>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 21, 2001, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-fraternities-and-hazing/73297 "2001-07-21T05:12:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-fraternities-and-hazing/73297/1 "2001-07-21T05:12:24Z")

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Traditionally black fraternities haze. In most cases, far more so than traditionally white ones. Of course it is, if not common, not that unusual for white frats to have black members. On rare occasion a white will pledge a black fraternity.

The stories I hear indicate the black fraternities are brutal about hazing. I’ve seen the Sigma, and Omega brands. I roomed with a Kappa, and he told me about beatings. A temp working for me pledged Kappa Alpha Psi at a black University. This is a CO-ED BAND fraternity! He quit because he did not like people hitting him. Another friend of mine went to U.of Indiana (late 70’s-early 80’s), and said the pledges did the equivilant of a minstrel show.

I know well national fraternal boards of the white frats speak loudly against hazing. Only because they don’t want to get sued.

When I hear a story of a pledge dying from alcohol poisoning, I assume a white fraternity. When I hear of stupid incidences like running around in burlap diapers, I assume a white fraternity. Hell, give me a few shots of Tequila and I will run around in a burlap diaper. When I hear of brandings, beatings, and serious humiliation, I assume a black fraternity.

Why? Is there a history or tradition behind this?

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-fraternities-and-hazing/73297/2 "2001-07-21T20:12:09Z")

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This site mentions two lawsuits against black fraternities: [HAZING IN BLACK FRATERNITIES](http://www.stophazing.org/fraternity_hazing/blackfrat.htm)

> [@](#):
>
> one 20-year old junior . . . reflected. "Pledging helps us bond with one another, and that bond is eternal…People …learn about themselves through adversity and that’s what pledging brings out…pledging will never stop…chapters will take their pledges underground…continue to haze them and that’s when things get hectic.  
> [http://www.ncat.edu/~phibetas/under.htm](http://www.ncat.edu/~phibetas/under.htm)