MALIK (fraternity)

MALIK
MΣΨ
FoundedMay 13, 1977; 47 years ago (1977-05-13)
LIU Post
TypeMulticultural fraternity
AffiliationNMGC
StatusActive
EmphasisBlack, Brown, and Latino empowerment
ScopeNational
Motto"The Mind Is the Standard of the Man"
PillarsManhood, Achievement, Leadership, Integrity, and Knowledge
Colors  Orange and   Black
SymbolThe Angry Afrikan
MascotSnake[1]
PublicationThe Crown
PhilanthropyThe MALIK Foundation
Chapters6 active, 16 chartered
NicknameThe Kings; The Steel, and Velvet Brothers
National Stroll TeamTeam S.T.A.B
Headquarters, New York
United States
Websitewww.malikfraternity.org

MALIK Fraternity, Inc., previously known as MALIK Sigma Psi or MΣΨ, is an American multicultural intercollegiate fraternity founded on May 13, 1977, at CW Post College of Long Island University for men of color. Rather than refer to themselves as black Greeks, they use the term "Afrikan Fraternalists". Though mainly aimed toward Black, Brown, and Latino men, MALIK has members of all races, ethnicities, and creeds.

History

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Roland K. Hawkins, Larry B. Martin, and Darryl L. Mitchell first conceived of the fraternity and are known as its Khalifas. In its organizational state, the Khalifas defined the fraternity's values as "S.N.A.K.E.": Success, Nobility, Achievement, Knowledge, and Enlightenment. The Khalifas recruited twelve more founders, later called the Sir Crowns of MALIK Sigma Psi because every king has a crown. The Sir Crowns of MALIK Sigma Psi were:

  • James Banks
  • Joseph Diaz Jr.
  • Edward Harris
  • Ernest Heyward
  • Lethorne Johnson
  • George Lembrecht
  • Kyle Little
  • Anthony Pitts
  • Edward Rivers
  • Kevin Simon
  • Bryant Stafford
  • Al Washington

Together these 15 men established MALIK Sigma Psi on May 18, 1977, at CW Post College of Long Island University.[2][3][4] MALIK was founded as, and still is, a social justice fraternity.[5] Its founders were men of color; several were of Latino ancestry.[3][6]

Although a fraternity, the founders set the precedence of being very open with information, symbols, and knowledge, a major departure from the very secretive nature of traditional fraternalism.[7] Ideologically, MALIK is against the idea of black Greeks.[8] It organizes its Kingdoms (chapters) according to the Arabic alphabet as opposed to Greek letters.[8] Rather than referring to themselves as being black Greeks, members of MALIK use the term "Afrikan Fraternalists".[9] The group did not join the National Pan Hellenic Council.[10]

MALIK was incorporated in the State of New York in 1979. On May 18, 2002, MALIK Sigma Psi transitioned its name to MALIK Fraternity, Inc.[2] The fraternity still uses the acronym MSP, though it has a completely separate meaning from MΣΨ.

In October 2023, MALIK joined the National Multicultural Greek Council, as it was a better fit for the fraternity's vision of multiculturalism.[11]

Symbols and traditions

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African Fraternalism includes such beliefs as the African origin of civilization, reclaiming the stolen legacy of African knowledge, the oneness of all African peoples, the importance of ritual and initiation, the value of a male ritual kinship system, respect for and seeking equal partnership with women, the reception and cultivation of the Spirit of Learning, the necessity of serving the community, the calling to work on one's personal and spiritual development, the study and promotion of "MALIKology" and African symbology, and the usage of African symbolism.

MALIKology is the Fraternity's interpretation of the "science of manhood." The acronym MALIK is represented as Manhood, Achievement, Leadership, Integrity, and Knowledge. It is a synthesis of science, history, philosophy, and cultural values and practices from the African Diaspora about the nature, purpose, direction, function, and responsibility of manhood.[3] The group's name partially comes from the Arabic name of Malcolm X.[3]

The group had originally used an entirely Swahili and Arabic name but were forced to change it because of New York's requirement that all college fraternities must have at least two Greek letters in their name.[3] In this case the M is the Latin Alphabet, as opposed to being a Mu while the Σ and Ψ are both Greek letters. The name of the fraternity can also be written as "ملك" or "م ل ك", reflecting the fraternity's use of the Arabic abjad as opposed to the Greek alphabet.

The fraternity's motto is "The Mind is the Standard of the Man". Its pillars are Manhood, Achievement, Leadership, Integrity, and knowledge. Its colors are orange and black. Its symbol is The Angry Afrikan. Its mascot is the snake. Its members are called The Kings, The Steel, and Velvet Brothers. Its publication is The Crown.

Foundation

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In 2013, the MALIK Foundation, Incorporated was established as an IRC Section 501(c)(3) "to ensure the freedom, resilience and wellness of African and African Diasporic communities..." The Foundation holds an annual fundraising dinner called the Black History Month Gala.[12] The foundation's focus areas are male youth development, community resilience, and leadership development.[13]

Chapters

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Collegiate

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The undergraduate kingdoms (chapters) of MALIK are named after the letters in the Arabic alphabet in the common hijāʾī order.[14][a] Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are in italics.

Number Kingdom Symbol Charter date and range Institution Location Status References
1 Genesis May 13, 1977 LIU Post Brookville, New York Inactive [15]
2 Alif ا 1978 New York Institute of Technology New York City, New York Inactive
3 Ba ب 1980 Rutgers University New Jersey Inactive
4 Taa ت 1981 Hofstra University Hempstead and Uniondale, New York Inactive
5 Thaa ث 1982 Adelphi University Garden City, New York Inactive
6 Jeem ج 1984 Stony Brook University Stony Brook, New York Active [15]
7 Ha ح 1991 Norfolk State University Norfolk, Virginia Inactive [15]
8 Kha خ 1994 State University of New York at Old Westbury Old Westbury, New York Active
9 Dal د 1994 University at Buffalo Buffalo, New York Inactive
10 Thal ذ 1998 Farmingdale State College East Farmingdale, New York Inactive
11 Ra ر 1999 State University of New York at New Paltz New Paltz, New York Active
12 Zay ز 2003 Binghamton University New York Active
13 Sin س 2006 Ramapo College Mahwah, New Jersey Inactive
14 Shin ش 2006 University at Albany, SUNY Albany, New York Active
15 Ṣād ص 20xx ? City College of New York New York City, New York Inactive
16 Daad ض April 25, 2017 Cornell University Ithaca, New York Active [15]
  1. ^ Many Kingdoms use Egyptian hieroglyphics to identify themselves in addition to the Arabic letters they've been given

Graduate

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Graduate chapters (Shabazz) are named after locations. Chapters are named using location and letters in the Arabic alphabet. Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are in italics.

Number Shabazz Symbol Charter date and range Location Status References
1 N.Y.C. Alif ا New York City, New York Active
2 Newark Ba ب Newark, New Jersey Active
3 Westchester Taa ت Westchester County, New York Inactive
4 Long Island Thaa ث Long Island, New York Inactive
5 D.C. Jeem ج Washington, D.C. Active
6 Charlotte Ha ح April 12, 2017 Charlotte, North Carolina Active [15]
7 Orlando Kha خ Orlando, Florida Active
8 Atlanta Dal د Atlanta, Georgia Active

Auxiliary Groups

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24 women established the Malik Melodies Sweetheart Club on the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University on December 14, 1978, as a social service organization and the official auxiliary women's group to MALIK Fraternity.[16][17] Malik Melodies was reorganized in 1998 as the Malik Melodies Sisterhood, Inc, becoming an independently run organization.

Notable members

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Honorary members

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "English: Brothers of Malik Sigma Psi in apparel, featuring a brother in Snake apparel, the animal that represents MALIK Fraternity". 13 May 1982.
  2. ^ a b History of MAILK Fraternity
  3. ^ a b c d e f Walter M. Kimbrough (2003). Black Greek 101: The Culture, Customs, and Challenges of Black Fraternities and Sororities. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press. pp. 102–103. ISBN 978-0-8386-3977-1.
  4. ^ MALIK Fraternity, Inc. NMGC Page
  5. ^ "Committee for Social Justice".
  6. ^ Kofi Lomotey (2010). Encyclopedia of African American Education. SAGE Publications. p. 302. ISBN 978-1-4129-4050-4.
  7. ^ "Meet the Crowns | MALIK Fraternity Incorporated | the Mind is the Standard of the Man". Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2016-02-26.
  8. ^ a b Anand Prahlad (1 January 2006). The Greenwood Encyclopedia of African American Folklore: A-F. Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-33036-0.
  9. ^ Dennis E. Gregory (October 2003). The Administration of Fraternal Organizations on North American Campuses: A Pattern for the New Millennium. College Administration Publications. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-912557-27-4.
  10. ^ Tamara L. Brown; Gregory Parks; Clarenda M. Phillips (2005). African American Fraternities and Sororities: The Legacy and the Vision. University Press of Kentucky. p. 469. ISBN 0-8131-2344-5.
  11. ^ "NMGC - National Multicultural Greek Council » MALIK Fraternity Joins National Multicultural Greek Council". nationalmgc.org. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  12. ^ "About MALIK Foundation". Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  13. ^ "Our Work". Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  14. ^ "MALIKfraternity/SheffeyAdmin - Chapters". Archived from the original on 2018-07-27.
  15. ^ a b c d e "HISTORY". malikfraternityorg. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  16. ^ "Faqs | MALIK Fraternity, Inc".
  17. ^ Malik Melodies - Our Founders
  18. ^ a b c d e "Honorary Members". Malik Fraternity Inc. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  19. ^ Gerald G. Jackson (2005). We're Not Going to Take It Anymore. Beckham Publications Group, Inc. p. 298. ISBN 978-0-931761-84-3.
  20. ^ Johnson Publishing Company (9 April 1981). "Jet". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company: 25. ISSN 0021-5996.
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