[25], To be considered for membership, a candidate must have at least a 2.5 gpa on a 4.0 scale. January 9th - Phi Beta Sigma. John SingletonJohn Singleton, BET founder Robert Johnson and Johnnie Cochran are some of the more than 100,000 members of Kappa Alpha Psi. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. () is a historically African American fraternity.Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never restricted membership on the basis of color, creed or national origin though membership traditionally is dominated by those of African heritage.The fraternity has over 160,000 members with 721 . It was also reported from one of the pledges that their Dean made them commit an activity called "Eat the Pi" a traditional chapter ritual where the pledges are ordered to perform cunnilingus on paid sex workers. He entered Carver Elementary School and Clark High School in Evansville, graduating in 1910. As a result, the Delaware State University chapter was suspended for 10 years. The idea originated with his father who was a Presiding Elder of the A.M.E. Church. The founders were three undergraduates . Primarily, under the efforts and leadership of the calm, methodical, and philosophical Elder W. Diggs and the critical, and scholarly Byron K. Armstrong, the Kappa Alpha Nu Fraternity was founded. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University . This city was largely populated by settlers from below the Mason-Dixon line and therefore found many sympathizers of the Southern cause. Blacks were not allowed to reside in on-campus dormitories, were not afforded off-campus accommodations, and . The ideals of the church were an important foundation of the Fraternity. These men of vision decided the Fraternity would be more than another social organization. In 1915, he became a student at Temple . Kappa Alpha Psi, a college Fraternity, was born in an environment saturated in racism. Unfortunate events resulted in Edmonds losing contact with the fraternity, and for many years not much was known about his life and whereabouts. 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 . Beginning July 2, members of Kappa . The Founders sought one anothers company between classes and dropped by one anothers places of lodging to further discuss the means of formulating the fledgling fraternity in an effort to relieve the depressing isolation. Vocationally, he was engaged in several enterprises. For their works to establish the fraternity, Diggs was named permanent chairman, Lee was designated as secretary and Armstrong as sergeant-at-arms. 2 Timothy 2:15. 1890-1958. [61], In 2018, it was reported that the chapter at Edward Waters College was beating and paddling pledges as well as forcing them to take a designer drug called "jig," a mixture of synthetic heroin, cocaine and LSD.[62]. Born out of the vestiges of racism, Kappa Alpha Nu encountered another metamorphosis, partially related to action of bigotry. Chartered and incorporated originally under the laws of the State of Indiana as Kappa Alpha Nu on May 15, 1911, the name was changed to KAPPA ALPHA PSI on a resolution offered and adopted at the Grand . Forever and a Day. Diggs and his brother (William Ellis) and sister (Effie) were reared by their mother, Cornelia. He helped organize, and for several years was president of, the Fairview Gold Club, the first Negro Golf Club in Pennsylvania. Lexington and the Shenandoah Valley have seen their share of history. The Kappa League is a series of activities designed to help young high school male students develop their leadership talents. The League includes a series of workshops to achieve its goals. Students from grades of 6 to 12th can join . Kappa Alpha Psi expanded through the Midwest, South, and West at both white and black colleges. Since the beginning, every endeavor was directed toward establishing the Fraternity upon a strong foundation before embarking on plans of expansion. [44], Also in 2009, two Kappas at the University of North Texas were arrested and charged with a Class B misdemeanor for brutally beating a pledge with a paddle. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin.The fraternity has over 150,000 members with 721 undergraduate and alumni chapters in every state of the . Henry Tourner Asher, Dr. Marcus Peter Blakemore, Paul Waymond Caine, George Wesley Edmonds, Dr. The names of the college chapters consist of either one or two Greek letters. For consideration into Kappa Alpha Psi on the alumni level, one must possess at least a bachelor's degree or the equivalent of such a degree from an accredited college or university. Guy Levis Grant (1891-1973), born in New Albany, Indiana, attended public schools in that city, was graduated from Scribner High School in 1909, and later entered Indiana University. Henry Tourner Asher, Dr. Marcus Peter Blakemore, Paul Waymond Caine, George Wesley Edmonds, Dr. He served as Grand Polemarch for the first six consecutive years of the Fraternity's existence. He proposed forming a separate 501(c)(3) charitable foundation to accept contributions to finance the headquarter's renovation project. The organization was given the temporary name of Alpha Omega, while they further developed the formation of the organization. The activities provide both challenging and rewarding experiences to enhance their lives. The fraternity has many notable members recognized as leaders in the arts, athletics, business, Civil Rights, education, government, and science sectors at the local, national and international level. Blacks could go weeks without seeing one another on campus. The fraternity is unique among NPHC affiliated organizations in that it has two names: Kappa Alpha Psi () and Phi Nu Pi (). [26] Kappa Alpha Psi also prides itself in that it no longer bestows honorary membership. The organization was given the temporary name ofAlpha Omega, while they further developed the formation of the organization. These men of vision decided the Fraternity would be more than another social organization. During their lives, all four were Master Masons. 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. It is a fact of which Kappa Alpha Psiis 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. by Talibah Chikwendu July 7, 2011. On January 5, 1911, such an organization was born and thus Kappa Alpha Psi (then Kappa Alpha Nu) became a reality. 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. WEBSITE. His family won a $1.4 million wrongful death lawsuit against the fraternity and several Kappas served time in prison. Consequently, eight other men met with Diggs and Armstrong for the purpose of organizing such a fraternity. Omega Psi Phi. TIES TO THE SEVEN JEWELS. [5] The former editor of the magazine was Jonathan Hicks. The NPHC is composed of nine international black Greek-letter sororities and fraternities and promotes interaction through forums, meetings, and other mediums for the exchange of information, and engages in cooperative programming and initiatives through various activities and functions. Through its worldwide prominence, Kappa Alpha Psihas had a global impact on events which affect our local communities as well as places around the globe. 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. An educator by profession, he taught in the public schools of Indianapolis, Indiana, where he was elevated to a principalship. In the school years of 1910-11, a small group of Black students attended Indiana University. In 1920, Xi chapter was chartered at Howard University. [47], Also in 2010, the fraternity chapter was permanently banned from the campus of Georgia State University for being a repeat offender and beating a student pledging so badly that he coughed up blood.[48]. [24], Membership is a solemn commitment. Nationally, Kappa Alpha Psi has provided summer enrichment camps and provided funds for St. Jude Medical Research Center to assist in the fight against childhood catastrophic diseases by raising more than $1 Million. 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. Notable Prince Hall Masons *Bro. 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. Upon Americas entrance into World War I, Diggs resigned his principalship to enter the Nations first Officers Training Camp at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, and was commissioned a lieutenant. 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. The racial prejudice and discrimination encountered by the founders strengthened their bond of friendship and growing interest in starting a social group. 103 . It is a tribute to the ten deceased founders of Kappa Alpha Psi. Zeta Phi Beta. Each Province sponsors a pageant during its council. Track and Field was the only sport which Blacks were able to demonstrate their athleticism. 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. Phi Beta Sigma. Philadelphia, PA 19132-4590, Consequently, eight other men met with Diggs and Armstrong for the purpose of organizing such a fraternity. Founder Edward Giles Irvin. Howard University and the Creation of Kappa Alpha Nu Seven years after the creation and dissolution of Alpha Kappa Nu, forces were set in motion . After leaving school, he pursued a Journalistic career in various cities throughout the country until World War I. FSU also placed the chapter under investigation to identify and prosecute all members involved in the beatings. The first Student of the Year Pageant was held on May 20, 1972 at Drexel University, under the direction of Mel Davis. Careful consideration was given to ensure the organization established a firm foundation the first year before efforts to expand were attempted. He received the degree of LL.B. J5 refers to the day the fraternity was founded " 5 January. [5] In 1986, during the fraternity's 66th national meeting, cane stepping was finally recognized as an important staple of Kappa Alpha Psi.[5]. The percentage of Blacks on campus was less than 1%. of the Order. From the beginning, Lee was an active participant in the founding of Kappa Alpha Nu. The Historyof the Order. [13] The resolution to rename the group was adopted in December 1914, and the fraternity states, "the name acquired a distinctive Greek letter symbol and KAPPA ALPHA PSI thereby became a Greek letter Fraternity in every sense of the designation." Subjects. This change became effective April 15, 1915. [5] The Journal is published four times a year in February, April, October and December. In 1920, he married Mary Hunter, a teacher in the Indianapolis Public School system. Kappa Alpha Psi was founded on the campus of Indiana University on January 5th, 1911. Sigma Gamma Rho. Study sets, textbooks, questions. He was graduated from Bloomington High School in 1910. By the end of the first year, the ritual was completed, and a design for the coat of arms and motto had begun. Kappa League was founded on Thursday, February 12, 1969, by the Los Angeles Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., at Alain It was renamed the Kappa Instructional Leadership League The Founders were Mel L. Davis and Edgar H. Bishop. Some of these members include: Ralph Abernathy, Wilt Chamberlin, Montell Jordan, Benjamin Jealous, Oscar Robertson, Cedric the Entertainer, Arthur Ashe, Mike Tomlin, Gayle Sayers, Adrian Fenty, Robert S. Abbott, Bennie Thompson, Donald Byrd, Johnnie Cochran, Ed Gardner, Smokie Norful, John Singleton, Tom Bradley, Bob Johnson, John Conyers, Alcee Hastings, Lerone Bennett, Jr., Kwame Jackson, Bill Russell, Tavis Smiley, Marvin Sapp, and Colin Kaepernick to name a few. January 16th - Zeta Phi Beta. Founded October 13, 1926. 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. 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. September 19th - Iota Phi Theta. [5] The organization known today as Kappa Alpha Psi was nationally incorporated under the name of Kappa Alpha Nu on May 15, 1911. The Chief Founder and others. . Able assistance provided by each of the remaining Founders furnished necessary sustenance for the embryonic group. Some key factors to remember if you are interested in becoming a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Home. [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. Copyright 2022 The Brooklyn-Long Island Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Established on notable ideals including unity, honorable achievement, and service to the public, Kappa Alpha Psi is an organization of . The Greek Letter was chosen in place of N and the Fraternity acquired a distinctive Greek letter symbol andKappa Alpha Psithereby became an indistinguishable Greek-letter Fraternity. This city was largely populated by settlers from below the Mason-Dixon line and therefore found many sympathizers of the . The fraternity revised its membership development and intake process, instituted policies against hazing and has taken steps to reinforce and strengthen its stance against prohibited conduct. Founder Elder Watson Diggs, was quiet, polished, scholarly, a prolific writer and commonly referred to as 'the Father of Kappa'. 25, Indianapolis, Indiana One of the Founders of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Internationally, Kappa Alpha Psi members have answered the call to service by proudly serving our military in wars since WWI and raising funds to assist those in need following natural disasters around the world, including hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons and earthquakes. Click on a name in the right menu to read a short bio of the Founders of Kappa Alpha Psi. John Milton Lee. The kappa canes were longer in the 1950s than in later decades. David was first Grand Polemarch who had not been nurtured by the Alpha chapter under the influence of the Founders, proposed dividing the Fraternity into supervisory districts. There was an additional misunderstanding being attributed to the acronym of the Fraternitys Greek letters, KAN. Some confused the abbreviation of the letters to refer to the state of Kansas. Kappa Alpha Psi, a college Fraternity, was born in an environment saturated in racism. The founders endeavored to establish the fraternity with a strong foundation before embarking on plans of expansion. [11], By 1913, the fraternity expanded with the second undergraduate chapter opened at the University of IllinoisBeta chapter; then the University of IowaGamma chapter. He was graduated from High School in 1909 and entered the University of Indiana the following year. In the school years of 1910-11, a small group of Black students attended Indiana University. Some key factors to remember if you are interested in becoming a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Home. The state of Indiana became a stronghold for the Ku Klux Klan. These men of vision decided Kappa Alpha Nu would be more than another social organization. The Four Founding Fathers of the Order. In March 2012, the University of Florida chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi was suspended because of thirteen misdemeanor-level sworn complaints involving striking and harassing pledges. In 1929, he married Laura Hammons. Consequently, the few Blacks who took up residence in Bloomington in those early years were socially ostracized and encountered extreme acts of prejudice and discrimination. Diggs presided as president, while Irvin was assigned as temporary secretary of Alpha Omega. Blacks could go weeks without seeing one another on campus. He was born in Hopkinsville, Christian County, Kentucky, on December 23, 1883, and was the eldest son of three children. Read about the time and period of KA's founding. January 5th - Kappa Alpha Psi. 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. These incidents caused the Founders to change the name of the Fraternity. His dream began to take shape at a May 1982 with the past Grand Polemarchs and the national officers in Washington, D.C. Notable Prince Hall Scottish Rite Masons United Supreme Council Northern Jurisdiction *Deceased members are identified with asterisk (*) *S.P. Members of the fraternity need a minimum 2.5 GPA to be considered for Kappa Alpha Psi scholarships. He was born in Hopkinsville, Christian County, Kentucky, on December 23, 1883, and was the eldest son of three children. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated is a historically African American Greek-letter fraternity that was founded on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington. John Milton Lee fired the first shot. Seven young women who were educators founded Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. on November 12, 1922, in Indianapolis, Indiana. While there, he majored in chemistry, graduating with the A.B. Kappa Alpha Psi is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC). Raymond Pace Alexander . Kappa Alpha and the Heritage of our Founding. The History of Alpha Psi . Diggs presided as president, while Irvin was assigned as temporary secretary of Alpha Omega. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. He was also a member of the Board of Managers of the Columbia Community Branch of the YMCA. The Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity Alumni Directory, 80th-anniversary edition, 1984, was published. Mildred Hale Freeman stood before the National Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio and boldly conceded for the establishment of a chapter on the campus of Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State College in Nashville, Tennessee and on Saturday, May 14, 1932 Alpha Psi was chartered.With the courage of Ethel Hedgeman Lyle and the undaunted spirit of the Burke sisters . He held teaching positions in Florida, Indiana, Kansas, and Oklahoma. When MIT was founded in 1861, most students lived locally and commuted from home. Nor would the new Fraternity seek its members in the manner of other Greek organizations from among the sons of wealthy families or families of social prestige. 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. Nor would the new Fraternity seek its members in the manner of other Greek organizations from among the sons of wealthy families or families of social prestige. 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. In the year of a Grand Chapter Meeting, the Province winners compete at the Grand Chapter Meeting. [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. One of the 5 Objectives of the Fraternity is: To promote the, It was clear at the outset that the new fraternity would not warm over principles or practices of other organizations. He was awarded the Laurel Wreath in 1935. The Fraternity would seek to raise the sights of Black youths and stimulate them to accomplishments higher than might otherwise be realized or even imagined. The state of Indiana became the 19th state of the Union in 1816 and it founded Indiana University in Bloomington four years later. [60], Also in 2016, the chapter at Florida State University (FSU) was suspended by the university after a concerned mother of a pledge shared with a Tallahassee news station a disturbing video showing pledges being brutally beaten with canes by Kappas. Two of these men, Elder Watson Diggs and Byron Kenneth Armstrong, had previously attended Howard University and had come into contact with men belonging to the only national Black Greek-Letter Fraternity currently in existence. To this Fraternity, the maker of the commitment becomes synonymous with the commitment itself. These three Founders are credited with guiding the infant Fraternity through the most perilous years of its life. And that the Order of the Eastern Stars (PHA) is considered the "Mother of all" Greeks of: Alpha Kappa Alpha. In 2011, the fraternity registration was cancelled at the University of Texas at San Antonio for striking pledges and providing misleading information to university officials during the hazing investigation. 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. A historical marker outside of the Kappa Alpha Order's Xi chapter fraternity house at Southwestern mentions that the fraternity was "founded in 1865 by former Confederate soldiers at . 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. George, being the eldest son, became head of the family, thus preventing his return to school. Paul Waymond Caine (1891-1931) was born in Charleston, Indiana, in 1891 and attended grade school and high school in Greencastle, Indiana. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. . Nationally, Kappa Alpha Psihas provided summer enrichment camps and provided funds for St. Jude Medical Research Center to assist in the fight against childhood catastrophic diseases by raising more than $1 Million.