This is Part II of a two part series on the influence of the United States military on historically Black Greek lettered fraternity & sorority steppin.
This post provides information about the military referent "devil dogs" and the informal referent "Q Dogs" for persons associated with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. In so doing I wonder if there is any connection between the two referents.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/military-influences-on-fraternity.html for Part I of this series.
Part I provides excerpts about this subject and several videos that illustrate points made in those excerpts.
This content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and historical purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
EDITOR'S COMMENT
I recognize that some information about secret, members only organizations is secret on purpose. Why persons associated with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. call themselves Q Dogs may be one of the secrets that only members of that organization know- or only fully know. Yet, there's published information online and off-line that purports to explain why "Q Dog" is used, while emphasizing that this is not an official term for members of that fraternity. Some of those excerpts are cited or linked to in this post.
Furthermore, as a community folklorist, I'm interested in documenting, studying [sussing out], and sharing cultural information & examples. And I am concerned that too much secrecy may mean that what is known and experienced now may be lost to future generations, just as I'm sure we've lost or forgotten much of our cultural past. As as an admittedly long inactive member of a historically Black Greek letter organization-Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Gamma Zeta chapter, 1966)- I respect the priviledge BGLO members have to their seecrets. However, although I debated for some time whether to publish a post on this subject, I've decided to go ahead and do so, knowing that this is, after all, just speculation, and not necessarily facts.
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INFORMATION EXCERPTS
(These excerpts are presented in no particular order and are numbered for reference purposes.)
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil_Dog
"Devil Dog is a motivational nickname for a U.S. Marine. It is said to be based on the apocryphal use of "Teufel Hunden" [sic] by German soldiers to describe Marines fighting in World War I...
…The April 27th article from the LaCrosse Tribune was probably referring to the action on April 20, 1918, the first action between the Marines and the Germans. The Germans made several attacks against the Marines on that date and were unable to dislodge them. The article states that it was the first scrap between the Marines and the Germans, showing that it was prior to the major fighting in June.
The term "Devil Dog" has its origins at Belleau Wood. It was in a dispatch from the German front lines to their higher headquarters explaining the current battle conditions that described the fighting abilities of the new, fresh Americans as fighting like "Teufel Hunden" or "Hounds from Hell.
The term "Devil Dog" is a very common nickname for all Marines. "Devil Dog" is historically a well-accepted term of endearment, as a title of honor. The "dog" in the phrase is usually associated with the bulldog, in line with the original 1918 poster, such as the bulldog being a common mascot in the Corps."...
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Culturally, bulldogs are considered to be tenacious & ferocious when challenged or when called upon to protect someone or something. I think that this is the core attributes of the miltary nickname "devil dog" and I think that this may be one of the reasons why persons associated with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. are called "Dogs". Note that the bulldog is also the breed of dog that is associated with that fraternity. Read Part I of this series about the influence of the United States military on historically Black Greek lettered organizations. I would be surprised if persons associated with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity weren't aware of the history of and the positive associations of the military devil dogs. However, there is a historical reason for the use of "dogs" in association with Ques besides the possible connection with the Marine "devil dog" nickname.
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Excerpt #2
From Soulstepping: African American Step Shows by Elizabeth C. Fine (University of Illinois Press (2007, p 167)
“Pledging rituals photographed during the 1940s and 1950 reveal the linear formations of pledges marching in line*. The first pictures of Greek activities appeared in the 1940s. The 1943 [Howard Year Book] Bison included several unlabeled photographs of fraternity and sorority pledges on-line and a fraternity engaged in a public skit. Twelve young men in suits and ties, with dog collars and long chains around their necks, pose behind the university’s sundial (“the Dial”), traditional gathering spot for Omega Psi Phi (the “Q dogs”). The Omegas unofficially adopted the dog as their mascot (the mascot of Howard University before 1920 was a bulldog), and many members howled and used canine symbols.
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Omega Psi Phi Fraternity was founded November 17, 1911 on the campus of Howard University. http://www.omegapsiphifraternity.org/
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I wonder if the bulldog was selected as Howard University's mascot before 1918 (before the Marine's devil dog nickname was coined or was it selected after that nickname & its bulldog poster were publicized? It may be just a coincidence that Howard University's mascot before 1920 was a bulldog and that same breed of dog is the symbol of the Marine's devil dog referent. But maybe this isn't a coincidence at all...
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Excerpt #3
From http://www.opp2d.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=267853&module_id=24958
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity: The Mighty Second District
“Myths abound about the meanings of certain words, phrases and activities often practiced by Omega men. One myth is the origin of the title “Quedog”. To date, no documented proof of the initiation of this term to describe members of the fraternity has been found. The term used by many as a term of endearment is not an official term in the Omega vocabulary. Also of note is the reference to the symbol of the Bulldog. The origins of this symbol are as mysterious as the myths of the ancient Egyptian Pyramids. No matter what you hear, the bulldog is not the official mascot of the fraternity.”
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Excerpt #4
From http://pages.uoregon.edu/nphc/bglos.html University of Oregon: Black Greek Letter Organizations
4. What's the distinction between an "Omega Man" & a "Que Dog"?
An "Omega Man" is the name sake term bestowed upon members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. once their members join the organization. A "Que-Dog" is a mythical term used to identify pledges while on line during the final stage of the pledge process. It's important to understand that "Que Dogs", canine calls, and camouflage paraphenelia doesn't directly reflect the enitre outlook of the organization as set in the guideline by the Grand Chapter. *Please note* Never address or call a member of Omega a "Que-Dog" for it is rather disrespectful. In essence "MEMBERSHIP HAS IT'S PRIVLEDGES!"
4b. "Why the DOG image"?
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. does not have, nor has it ever endorsed, a mascot of any type to be representative of the organization. So why do so many Omega Men like the "dog" image? "WE ARE NOT DOGS even though those who misunderstand us would view us otherwise because we possess a dawg-matic determination to make changes and the tenacity to see them through, the loyalty of man's best friend and the guardianship to protect the ones we truely love."
This analogy was written by the chapter members of Fayetteville State.
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In addition to the attributes mentioned above, there's no question that another cultural meaning attributed to "men as dogs" is closely tied with masculinity and heterosexual attraction and sexual activity. There's also no doubt that -at least publicly- those sexual connotations are a prominent part of the Q nickname as evident in the widely heard term "Nasty Dawgs" that Ques use for themselves. Witness the Ques's reaction to George Clinton's 1982 massive hit Funk record "Atomic Dog". That record is widely considered the Ques' unofficial anthem. Perhaps that record is the reason why the "nasty dog" connotation of "Q dogs" appears to be the symbolism for dog that is most publicly emphasized by Ques and by other BGLO members regarding Ques. Or perhaps that record was just a fortuitous, perfect fit that reflected the public ascendancy of that sexual connotation over all the other symbolism associated with the word "dog".
Perhaps those of us who aren't members of Omega Psi Phi, Inc. will never know what "dogs" really mean with regard to that organization, but I bet it means more than nasty dogs.
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FEATURED VIDEOS
Example #1: Atomic Dog at the Centennial Conclave
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Darryl Blackwell, Uploaded on Aug 21, 2011
The Bruhs hoppin' to Atomic Dog in DC at the Centennial Clave.
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Omega Psi Phi (Fall 2012 SCSU Bulldog Showcase)
Terrell Harmon, Published on Aug 21, 2012
Xi Psi Chapter
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Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, to those who are featured in these videos and to the publishers of these videos.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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Also, a video entitled "Omega Psi Phi Que Doggs" is included in Part I of this series. The link for that pancocojams post is given above.
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Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, to those who are featured in these videos and to the publishers of these videos, and to all members past and present of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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