Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship Incorporated
Encyclopedia
Swing Phi Swing is a non-profit social fellowship, as opposed to a traditional Greek lettered sorority, that performs service to communities of color.
and the burgeoning of the Black Power Movement. Twelve African-American women, with the help of their brother organization Groove Phi Groove
, founded Swing Phi Swing on Friday, April 4, 1969 which was the one year anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, Swing has over 25 active graduate and undergraduate chapters throughout the United States.
The twelve founders were:
Jeanette Butler
Anita Chase (Watson)
Beverly Dorn (Steele)
Finesa Dunovant (Walker)
Jane Harris
Rosalind Marshall
Marilyn Reid
Patricia Story
Ellen Tomlinson (Carter)
Brenda Travers (Satterfield)
Lorraine Watkins (Phillips)
Talma Woods
At a time of social unrest, these twelve young women created an organization that would honor the trailblazers of the Civil Rights Movement and their legacy. The founding date is the one year anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and many Black Americans were still reeling from this great loss which marked the end of an era; but it made a way for the Black Power Movement that heralded into the 1970s.
During the 1970s, Swing Phi Swing saw a tremendous growth in membership as Black college women across the South, the Midwest, and the East Coast heard the news of an afro-centric Sisterhood. Chapters were started at prominent Historically Black Colleges and Universities like Hampton University
(Hampton Institute), Morgan State University
, Tuskegee University
(Tuskegee Institute), Wilberforce University
, Shaw University
, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
. The current National President is Sharon Chandler who will serve from 2009 to 2012.
On April 4, 2009, Swing Phi Swing celebrated 40 years of service and sisterhood in Winston-Salem, NC during their National Convention. Eight of the surviving founders attended the convention and were present to give insight on how they founded the organization.
History
Swing Phi Swing was founded at Winston Salem State University in Winston Salem, NC, at the conclusion of the Civil Rights MovementCivil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
and the burgeoning of the Black Power Movement. Twelve African-American women, with the help of their brother organization Groove Phi Groove
Groove Phi Groove
Groove Phi Groove is a social fellowship founded at Morgan State College as an alternative to mainstream Black fraternities...
, founded Swing Phi Swing on Friday, April 4, 1969 which was the one year anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, Swing has over 25 active graduate and undergraduate chapters throughout the United States.
The twelve founders were:
Jeanette Butler
Anita Chase (Watson)
Beverly Dorn (Steele)
Finesa Dunovant (Walker)
Jane Harris
Rosalind Marshall
Marilyn Reid
Patricia Story
Ellen Tomlinson (Carter)
Brenda Travers (Satterfield)
Lorraine Watkins (Phillips)
Talma Woods
At a time of social unrest, these twelve young women created an organization that would honor the trailblazers of the Civil Rights Movement and their legacy. The founding date is the one year anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and many Black Americans were still reeling from this great loss which marked the end of an era; but it made a way for the Black Power Movement that heralded into the 1970s.
During the 1970s, Swing Phi Swing saw a tremendous growth in membership as Black college women across the South, the Midwest, and the East Coast heard the news of an afro-centric Sisterhood. Chapters were started at prominent Historically Black Colleges and Universities like Hampton University
Hampton University
Hampton University is a historically black university located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It was founded by black and white leaders of the American Missionary Association after the American Civil War to provide education to freedmen.-History:...
(Hampton Institute), Morgan State University
Morgan State University
Morgan State University, formerly Centenary Biblical Institute , Morgan College and Morgan State College , is a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Morgan is Maryland's designated public urban university and the largest HBCU in the state of Maryland...
, Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University is a private, historically black university located in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund...
(Tuskegee Institute), Wilberforce University
Wilberforce University
Wilberforce University is a private, coed, liberal arts historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio. Affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, it was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans...
, Shaw University
Shaw University
Shaw University, founded as Raleigh Institute, is a private liberal arts institution and historically black university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1865, it is the oldest HBCU in the Southern United States....
, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a land-grant university located in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest publicly funded historically black college in the state of North Carolina.NC A&T is a constituent institution of the University of North...
. The current National President is Sharon Chandler who will serve from 2009 to 2012.
On April 4, 2009, Swing Phi Swing celebrated 40 years of service and sisterhood in Winston-Salem, NC during their National Convention. Eight of the surviving founders attended the convention and were present to give insight on how they founded the organization.
Demographics
Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship Inc. is divided into seven regions across the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. Each region is directed by a Regional Administrator which monitors all chapter and members-at-large in her jurisdiction.[1]Current Graduate Chapters
- Atlanta Graduate Chapter
- Boston Graduate Chapter
- Central Carolina Graduate Chapter – Raleigh, NC
- Charlotte Graduate Chapter
- DC Metro Graduate Chapter http://www.swingphiswingdcmetro.org/ – Washington, D.C.
- Detroit Graduate Chapter
- Garden State Graduate Chapter – New Jersey
- Hampton Roads Graduate Chapter - Hampton Roads, VA
- Haraambe Graduate Chapter – Fayetteville, NC
- Los Angeles Graduate Chapter - Los Angeles, CA/Southern California
- Mid South Graduate Chapter http://www.midsouthswings.org – Memphis, TN
- Nia Graduate Chapter – Baltimore, MD
- Philadelphia Graduate Chapter
- Raleigh Graduate Chapter http://www.raleighgradswings.org/
- Rukiya Busara Piedmont Triad Graduate Chapter http://www.swingphiswing-rubu.org/ – Winston Salem, NC
- Sankofa Graduate Chapter – Las Vegas, NV
- South Carolina Graduate Chapter – Columbia, SC
- Tri-State Graduate Chapter http://www.freewebs.com/tristategradchap/ – New York, New Jersey, & Connecticut
Current Undergraduate Chapters
- Aggie Chapter - North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
- Andile Engara Undergraduate Chapter - University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- Ainka Makeda Marali Moliehi Undergraduate Chapter - Pennsylvania State University
- Awo Egbe Obirin Otito Undergraduate Chapter - Grambling State University
- Bison Undergraduate Chapter - Howard University
- Bulldog Undergraduate Chapter - Johnson C. Smith University
- Ebony Undergraduate Chapter - Benedict College
- Gendaga Bimbisha Tabu Undergraduate Chapter - Lincoln University
- Groove Undergraduate Chapter - Winston-Salem State University
- Harambee II - Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University
- Maatkare Hatshepsut Bulldog Undergraduate Chapter - Bowie State University http://mhbswings.webs.com/
- Maisha New Birth Undergraduate Chapter - University of Maryland-Eastern Shore
- Maraabe Undergraduate Chapter - University of Pennsylvania, Drexel and Temple Universities
- Marali Nubia Bear Undergraduate Chapter - Morgan State and Towson Universities http://www.freewebs.com/marali-nubia/
- Masika Ghayda Niara Undergraduate Chapter (College of New Rochelle)http://www.freewebs.com/masikaghaydaniara/
- Muntu Chapter - Shaw University
- Ndada Amuk Kwa Pindua Undergraduate Chapter (Adelphi University)http://www.freewebs.com/ndadaamukakwapindua/
- Njoki Mayasa Nyawela Undergraduate Chapter - Cheyney State University
- Nkijha Undergraduate Chapter - Saint Augustine College
- Odu Ifa Undergraduate Chapter - Virginia Commonwealth University
- Siyanda Undergraduate Chapter - East Carolina University
- Subira Chemwuapu Chapter - Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI