Fraternity History
History
KAPPA ALPHA PSI, a college Fraternity, now comprised of functioning Undergraduate and Alumni
Chapters on major campuses and in cities throughout the country, is the crystallization of
a dream. It is the beautiful realization of a vision shared commonly by the late Revered
Founders ELDER WATSON DIGGS, "THE DREAMER"; JOHN MILTON LEE; BYRON K. ARMSTRONG; GUY LEVIS GRANT;
EZRA D. ALEXANDER; HENRY T. ASHER; MARCUS P. BLAKEMORE; PAUL CAINE; EDWARD G. IRVIN and
GEORGE W. EDMONDS. It was the vision of these astute men that enabled them in the school year
1910 - 11, more specifically the night of January 5, 1911, on the campus of Indiana University
at Bloomington, Indiana, 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.
It is a fact of which KAPPA ALPHA PSI is justly 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. The Constitution of KAPPA ALPHA PSI is
predicated upon, and dedicated to, the principles of achievement through a truly democratic
Fraternity. 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 Chapter in December 1914. This change became effective
April 15, 1915, on a proclamation by the then Grand Polemarch, Elder Watson Diggs.
Thus, the name acquired a distinctive Greek letter symbol and KAPPA ALPHA PSI thereby became a
Greek letter Fraternity in every sense of the designation. From its inception, and for the next
six years, Brother Diggs served as the Grand Polemarch of KAPPA ALPHA PSI Fraternity. Through
his leadership and indefatigable application, augmented by the efforts of B.K. Armstrong, and
John M. Lee, who comprised the remainder of the original Grand Board of Directors, the infant
Fraternity was guided through the most perilous years of its life. Accordingly, much of the
credit for the organization's survival through this period is shared by these three men.
From its inception, every endeavor was directed toward establishing the Fraternity upon a
strong foundation before embarking on plans of expansion. By the end of the first year, working
together, Diggs and Armstrong had completed the ritual and had commenced work on the coat of
arms. Work on the latter was completed during the following summer by Diggs, Armstrong and Lee
while they were pursuing employment at a hotel in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In selecting a suitable
motto, Diggs, Armstrong and Lee solicited the aid of a Professor of Greek Art at Indiana
Technical College at Fort Wayne, Indiana. Having adopted a motto which mutually suited them,
they carried a sketch of the coat of arms to a commercial engraver in Fort Wayne, from which
he made the first metal plate. For years, in order to safeguard the ritualistic secrets of
the Fraternity, Diggs laboriously typed and bound the rituals. It was not until he moved to
Indianapolis, Indiana, where he met an old German printer in whom he had confidence, that he
entrusted the esoteric materials of the Fraternity to a commercial printer. In the spring of
1912 Diggs wrote in a little blue examination book the first Constitution, which was adopted
in 1920 with but a few revisions. This edition remained in use until 1926 when it was
supplanted by the codified edition jointly written by Diggs, J. Ernest Wilkins, and
W. Ellis Stewart. In 1957 the Constitution again underwent major revision.
Now substantially established and provided with a Constitution, Ritual, coat of arms, motto,
and guiding hand in a dynamic Grand Chapter, the Fraternity was ready for expansion.
In the summer of 1912 Diggs visited the University of Illinois at Urbana, Illinois, where he
met Earl B. Dickerson, President of the Old "Illini Club." This club constituted the nucleus
of the University of Illinois Chapter, the Beta, which was chartered on February 8, 1913.
Gamma Chapter (later changed to Indianapolis Alumni Chapter) was established on
December 29, 1913, followed by the establishment of Delta Chapter at the University of Iowa,
on March 7, 1914. The latter was subsequently changed to Gamma Chapter, and the designation
of Delta assigned to the Wilberforce University Chapter at Wilberforce, Ohio.
Epsilon Chapter, Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, was established December 4, 1915,
as the first chapter in the East. Elder W. Diggs journeyed from Indiana to give this
chapter his personal and official installation, recognition and blessing.
Thus ended the infancy of KAPPA ALPHA PSI, whereupon the Fraternity embarked upon an era
of expansion. Except for the years of World War I and II, when several Grand Chapter
meetings were suspended, KAPPA ALPHA PSI has grown and prevailed with unabating impetus.
KAPPA ALPHA PSI Fraternity, relatively early, envisioned the modified attitudes of college
administrators and administrations regarding certain frivolous activities previously
identified with Greek letter organizations; and it initiated appropriate changes.
Among the early changes brought about was the banning of paddling and other forms of
physical abuse, and the introduction of constructive endeavors during pledgeship and
probation. To date, KAPPA ALPHA PSI Fraternity is organizationally and administratively
mature. It moves steadily toward a tomorrow of promise, productivity and influence.
Kappa Alpha Psi was founded on the campus of Indiana University on January 5, 1911.
The Fraternity's fundamental purpose is achievement. Early in this century, African-American
students were actively dissuaded from attending college. Formidable obstacles were erected
to prevent the few who were enrolled from assimilating into co-curricular campus life. This
ostracism characterized Indiana University in 1911, thus causing Elder W. Diggs,
Byron K. Armstrong, and eight other black students to form Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity,
which remains the only Greek letter organization with its 1st Chapter on the University's
campus. The founders sought a formula that would immediately raise the sights of black
collegians and stimulate them to accomplishments higher than they might have imagined.
Fashioning achievement as it's purpose, Kappa Alpha Psi began uniting college men of
culture, patriotism and honor in a bond of fraternity.
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