In the early 1960s, the cane was decorated with the fraternity colors. . [39] As a result, the fraternity has had many complaints of hazing lodged against it, most related to the pledging process. Founder Elder Watson Diggs, was quiet, polished, scholarly, a prolific writer and commonly referred to as 'the Father of Kappa'. For eight years, he conducted a successful catering business in Philadelphia; he organized and served as Vice President and Secretary of the Mutual Emergency Union, a mutual aid company in Philadelphia. Conceived in 1922 by Leon Wop Stewart, and suggested at the twelfth Grand chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, Guide Right became the Fraternity's National Service Program. Alpha and Omega, the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet correlate to Christ and the Founders relationship and connection to the church. Kappa Alpha Nu became the first incorporated Black Fraternity in the United States once granted a charter by the Indiana Secretary of State on May 15, 1911. In 1931 he married Mary Walker Robinson. The founders were three undergraduates . "The Birth of a Nation" was based on a Kappa Alpha member's book. These men of vision decided Kappa Alpha Nu would be more than another social organization. The charter members were Elder Watson Diggs, Byron K. Armstrong, John M. Lee, Henry T. Asher, Marcus P. Blakemore, Guy L. Grant, Paul W. Caine, George W. Edmonds, Ezra D. Alexander and Edward G. Irvin. With the new responsibility of supporting the family, George took a job with the area coal mines and worked with the coal mines and the railroad until he died of pneumonia on June 13, 1962. One hundred years ago this year, 10 men matriculating at Indiana University came together to found Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. The name of Fraternity and the image it portrayed was of paramount importance. One pledge was beaten so badly that many of the veins in his backside were broken and he developed a life-threatening gangrene infection. [42][43], In 2009, Louisiana State University (LSU) placed an eleven-year ban on the fraternity for repeated hazing violations and severe abuse of pledges. [4] The Kappa Alpha Psi Journal has been the official magazine of the fraternity since 1914. "What they wanted to achieve being founded in the . These incidents caused the Founders to change the name of the Fraternity. Kappa Alpha Psi was founded January 5, 1911, at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana and its opposition to hazing or unlawful or anti-social conduct of any kind has been continuous since its founding, implicit in its founding precepts and explicit in its declaration first published in the year 1949 stating that hazing in any form is illegal. He received the degree of LL.B. [46], In 2010, a pre-med student at Wayne State University suffered kidney failure and was hospitalized for twelve days after weeks of physical abuse by men of the fraternity. And during the original establishment of provinces, the following provinces were established: Eastern, Middle Eastern, Central, Great Lakes, Northwestern, Western, Southern, and Southeastern Provinces. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. . The fraternity has over 160,000 members with 721 undergraduate and alumni chapters in every state of the United States, and international chapters in the United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, Japan, United States Virgin Islands, Nigeria, South Africa, and The Bahamas.[4]. [50][51], In 2013, a former pledge at California State University-Bakersfield sued the fraternity after being shot with a BB gun and hit with canes and horse whips that left him paralyzed. Ezra D. (Dee) Alexander 32 Constantine Consistory No. The 20 pearls indicate the nine original founders, seven sophomores who were invited a month later and four women who incorporated the sorority and expanded its influence on college campuses. Many brothers have questioned whether or not the founders were Masons or. Omega Psi Phi. He helped organize, and for several years was president of, the Fairview Gold Club, the first Negro Golf Club in Pennsylvania. Careful consideration was given to ensure the organization established a firm foundation the first year before efforts to expand were attempted. Blacks were not allowed to reside in on-campus dormitories, were not afforded off-campus accommodations, and . He later went into business in Peoria, Illinois and was fatally burned during an explosion of gaseous materials in his business in 1931. The Fraternity's fundamental purpose is achievement. Some members of Kappa Alpha Psi, who do not subscribe to the organization's motto of achievement, have elected, in defiance of the rules and regulations of the Fraternity, to conduct underground pledging and engage in acts of hazing in clear violation of fraternity rules and criminal statutes of the various states. [63][64], In April 2019, three Virginia State University members were arrested and charged with 10 counts of hazing. The decision upon the name Kappa Alpha Nu may have been to honor the Alpha Kappa Nu club which began in 1903 on the Indiana University campus but had too few registrants to effect continued operation. John Milton Lee fired the first shot. Kappa Alpha Psi celebrated its 100th anniversary on January 5, 2011; one of four African American intercollegiate fraternities to do so. Kappa Alpha Psi, a college Fraternity, was born in an environment saturated in racism. Founded in 1911 on the campus of Indiana University at a time when Greek life wasn't an option for Black students, the fraternity now has more than 200,000 member-examples of its creed including . This change became effective April 15, 1915. Brother Caine went into the catering business in his hometown, later attended Columbia University, set up a catering business in Gary, Indiana, and published a book on catering, which was copyrighted in 1919 by the Hurst Publishing Company. The organization was given the temporary name of, The Founders were God-fearing, and serious minded young men who possessed the imagination, ambition, courage and determination to defy custom in pursuit of a college education and careers. [6] The current editor of the magazine is Earl T. Tildon. Founder Elder Watson Diggs, while observing a young initiate compete in a track meet, overheard fans referring to the member as a "kappa alpha nig", and a campaign to rename the fraternity ensued. [45], And also in 2009, a former pledge at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga sued the fraternity for $1 million to cover medical bills caused by an encounter with violent fraternity members. The president of the national fraternity is known as the Grand Polemarch, who assigns a Province Polemarch for each of the twelve provinces (regions) of the nation. We were founded in 1981 by 5 women who had the limitless vision of uniting ALL women regardless of race, religion, or creed. Forever and a Day. The goal of the League is to help the students achieve worthy goals for themselves and to make meaningful contributions to their communities. The fraternitythe second historically Black fraternity to be foundedwas established on the . John Milton Lee, born in Danville, Indiana, September 7, 1890, was graduated from the Danville High School in 1910 and entered the University of Indiana and there completed three years of pre-medical work. Because of a disastrous fire in the Fraternity house in which he was employed, he never finished his sophomore year. Blacks could go weeks without seeing one another on campus. John SingletonJohn Singleton, BET founder Robert Johnson and Johnnie Cochran are some of the more than 100,000 members of Kappa Alpha Psi. [11], By 1913, the fraternity expanded with the second undergraduate chapter opened at the University of IllinoisBeta chapter; then the University of IowaGamma chapter. The fraternity is unique among NPHC affiliated organizations in that it has two names: Kappa Alpha Psi () and Phi Nu Pi (). Founder Edward Giles Irvin served in the U.S. Army during the WWI as a Combat Medic and was cited for bravery for his actions with the Expeditionary Forces in France. Diggs presided as president, while Irvin was assigned as temporary secretary of Alpha Omega. Low 36F. The Fraternity has over 125,000 members with 700 undergraduate and alumni chapters in nearly every state of the United States, and international chapters in Nigeria, South Africa, the West Indies, the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea and Japan. Posted on November 12, 2018 by Fran Becque, Ph.D. [37] Any member, who participates in underground pledge activities, or hazing of any kind, shall be expelled from the fraternity.[38]. Elder Watson Diggs (circa 1883-1947), born in Christian County, Kentucky, was a graduate of Indiana State Normal (now Indiana State Teachers College) and Indiana University, the birthplace of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. Kappa Alpha and the Heritage of our Founding. Fidelity Lodge No. The percentage of Blacks on campus was less than 1%. degree in 1915. Their experiences at Howard gave rise to the chief motivating spirits which sowed of the seed for a fraternity at Indiana University and crystallized the idea of establishing an independent Greek-letter organization. However, the culture of underground pledging is deeply embedded in fraternities and sororities as a whole and extreme hazing continues to be widespread across the organization. Ernie Banks *Bro. The organization was given the temporary name of Alpha Omega, while they further developed the formation of the organization. Diggs and his brother (William Ellis) and sister (Effie) were reared by their mother, Cornelia. [5] The Journal is published four times a year in February, April, October and December. Except for the years of World War I and II, when some Grand Chapter Meetings were suspended, Kappa Alpha Psihas grown and prevailed with unabating impetus. Local chapters of Kappa Alpha Psi participate in community outreach activities to feed the homeless, provide scholarships to young people matriculating to college, serve as mentors to young men, participate in blood drives and serve as hosts of seminars for public health awareness to name a few. The founders endeavored to establish the fraternity with a strong foundation before embarking on plans of expansion. Kappa League was adopted by the Grand Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. at the 56th Grand Chapter which was held August 12-15, 1970. Who are the Founders of Kappa League The founders of the Kappa Instructional Leadership League were Mel L. Davis and Edgar H. Bishop. January 16th - Zeta Phi Beta. It remains the only Greek letter organization with its Alpha Chapter on Indiana Universitys campus. Officially known as Sigma Pi Phi, the Boul was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1904 by Dr. Henry McKee Minton and five of his colleagues. He held teaching positions in Florida, Indiana, Kansas, and Oklahoma. We must realize and acknowledge that the first eight of what know makes up the bulk of the BGLO's were founded between 1906 and 1922. Through its worldwide prominence, Kappa Alpha Psi has had a global impact on events which affect our local communities as well as places around the globe. KAPPA ALPHA (KA) ORDER: Kappa Alpha Order was founded on 21 December 1865 at Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) at Lexington, Virginia, by James Ward Wood and three others. He was graduated from Bloomington High School in 1910. He served as Grand Polemarch for the first six consecutive years of the Fraternitys existence. The Kappa Alpha Psi tree was vandalized on Howard University's campus. In the year of a Grand Chapter Meeting, the Province winners compete at the Grand Chapter Meeting. According to sworn complaints made by pledges at FAMU, they were punched, hit with canes, hit with two-by-fours, and suffered extreme exhaustion due to hazing. The American fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi has established over 350 "chapters" (local sections) in universities and colleges all over the United States and elsewhere, in addition to about 90 chapters of alumni in American cities and a small number of colonies.The majority of the chapters remain active. Despite the growing hostility of Whites toward Blacks in Indiana, some Black students sought a college education at Indiana University, as it was a tuition-free university of the highest quality. Founded in 1911 at Indiana University, the . The activities provide both challenging and rewarding experiences to enhance their lives. Henry Tourner Asher (1892-1963), born in Woodburn, Kentucky in 1892, was graduated from the Bloomington High School in 1910. As a result, the Delaware State University chapter was suspended for 10 years. Kappa Alpha Psi, a college Fraternity, was born in an environment saturated in racism. Consequently, eight other men met with Diggs and Armstrong for the purpose of organizing such a fraternity. However, few Blacks could remain longer than a year or so without having to withdraw in search of employment. The state of Indiana became a stronghold for the Ku Klux Klan. On January 5, 1911, the Fraternity then became known asKappa Alpha Nu, possibly as a tribute to the Black students of 1903 (the Alpha Kappa Nu Greek Society) who preceded them at Indiana University. The state of Indiana became the 19th state of the Union in 1816 and it founded Indiana University in Bloomington four years later. Membership in Kappa Alpha Psi is a lifelong dedication to the ideas and lofty purposes of Kappa Alpha Psi, which considers for membership only those aspirants whose personal, social and academic qualifications are acceptable to both the College and Fraternity. [54], In March 2014, several Kappas from the University of Memphis were arrested and charged for hazing and beating pledges. Founded at Howard University in 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha is the oldest Greek-lettered organization established by African-American college-educated women and the first sorority of any type at MIT. Paul Waymond Caine was born in Charleston, Indiana, in 1891 and attended grade school and high school in Greencastle, Indiana. [27], In February 2022, fraternity member and head financial director of the fraternity, Curtis Anderson, was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for embezzling $3 million from the fraternity over six years. Vocationally, he was engaged in several enterprises. Since the beginning, every endeavor was directed toward establishing the Fraternity upon a strong foundation before embarking on plans of expansion. Ras J. He served as a member of the Grand Board of Directors and was the Fraternitys Historian. Born out of the vestiges of racism, Kappa Alpha Nu encountered another metamorphosis, partially related to action of bigotry. Grand Polemarch David II, implemented the division of the Fraternity into three districts. [41], In 2006, the chapter at Florida A&M University was suspended after two members were sentenced to serve two years in prison and three others given three years of probation due to an anti-hazing law established in Florida following a hazing death involving the Kappa Sigma fraternity at the University of Miami in 2001. A few clouds. It is the beautiful realization of a vision shared commonly by the late Revered Founders that enabled them to sow the seed of a fraternal tree whose fruit is available to, and now enjoyed by college men everywhere, regardless of their color, religion or national origin. The Kappa League was founded Thursday, February 12, 1970 by the Los Angeles (CA) Alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi; under the direction of Leon W Steward. [49], In April 2012, the fraternity at Arkansas Tech University was permanently banned from campus for beating a pledge into a coma. The idealist, John Milton Lee also contributed significantly to the fledgling organization. It is a fact of which Kappa Alpha Psi is proud that the Constitution has never contained any clause which either excluded or suggested the exclusion of a man from membership merely because of his color, creed, or national origin. Reliance would be placed upon high Christian ideals and the purpose of ACHIEVEMENT. Realizing that they had no part in the social life of the university and drawn together by common interests, they decided that a Greek-letter fraternity would do much to fill the missing link in their college existence. The founders of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. are: Elder Watson Diggs, more affectionately known as 'The Dreamer', Dr. Ezra D. Alexander, Dr. Byron Kenneth Armstrong, Atty. Guy Levis Grant (1891 - 1973) Born in New Albany, Indiana, attended public school in that city, was graduated from Scribner High School in 1909, and later entered Indiana University. FOUNDED 1952 Learn about Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity, Inc. in OrgCentral. Type Image Identifier 11B2A478-214E-4C58-B223-227760285153 2007/046/FP052-11 Subject Mason Fraternal Organization Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (KA) Kappa Alpha Psi was founded in 1911 at Indiana University, and in 1930 the fraternity joined the NPHC as a member organization. One of the 5 Objectives of the Fraternity is: To promote thespiritual, social, intellectual and moral welfare of members. Many aspects of the Fraternitys rites are engrained in Christianity ideals and contain excerpts from the Bible. Some confused the abbreviation of the letters to refer to the state of Kansas. Aside from his success as a Journalist, Brother Irvin was a pioneer in promoting basketball and track athletics in the small town schools of Indiana. Kappa Alpha Psi is a college fraternity established by ten black college students at Indiana University in 1911. The number of places where they might assemble was limited. Guy Levis Grant, Edward Giles Irvin, and Sgt. [24], Membership is a solemn commitment. November 13, 2004 - Bro. He was graduated from High School in 1909 and entered the University of Indiana the following year. The campus of Indiana University at that time did not encourage the assimilation of Blacks. [21], The NIC serves to advocate the needs of its member fraternities through enrichment of the fraternity experience, advancement and growth of the fraternity community, and enhancement of the educational mission of the host institutions.