delta sigma theta. line jacket. howard university, spring 2006. NYlon jacket. FLANNEL lining. sewn on letters. size large. 42-44 in,
The term "colors on your back" is a commonly used phrase amongst African American fraternities and sororities. It refers to the color scheme of the organization one is involved with. The color scheme is placed on all of the organization's paraphernalia, especially line jackets.
Line jackets are given to members after they "cross" into the sorority, Meaning they have completed the pledging process and now have membership to the organization.. Located on the front of the jacket are the Greek lettering of the sorority. Sewn on the sleeve is the semester and year that the line crossed. Located on the back of the jacket in the center is the number the woman was placed in line with her line sisters. Above the number is a nickname, and underneath the number is the name of the line.
While being pledged, prospects are given numbers in line based on how knowledgeable they are about the sorority, Number one states to everyone that woman knows and can remember the most information. In some cases, the number is given based on a woman's height. Some members prefer their pledge line to ascend by height for appearance purposes.. For various reasons a nickname is given. Typically, the nickname refers to a positive attribute of the pledge.