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, it has never restricted membership based on color, creed, or national origin, though membership traditionally is dominated by black men. The fraternity has over 260,000 members with 721 undergraduate and alumni chapters in every state of the United States, and international chapters in ten countries.
Kappa Alpha Psi sponsors programs providing community service, social welfare, and academic scholarship through the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation. It is a supporter of the United Negro College Fund and Habitat for Humanity. Kappa Alpha Psi is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the North American Interfraternity Conference. The fraternity is the oldest predominantly African American Greek-letter organization founded west of the Appalachian Mountains still in existence. It is known for its "cane stepping" in NPHC-organized step shows.
History
The fraternity was founded as Kappa Alpha Nu on the night of January 5, 1911, by ten African-American college students. The founders of the fraternity were Ezra D. Alexander, Byron Kenneth Armstrong, Henry Tourner Asher, Marcus Peter Blakemore, Paul Waymond Caine, Elder Watson Diggs, George Wesley Edmonds, Guy Levis Grant, Edward Giles Irvin, and John Milton Lee.In addition to the founders, Frederick Mitchell's name is on the application for the incorporation of the fraternity, but he withdrew from school and never became a member of the fraternity. The founders endeavored to establish the fraternity with a strong foundation before embarking on plans of expansion. By the end of the first year, the ritual was completed, and a design for the coat of arms and motto had begun.
The name Kappa Alpha Nu may have been chosen 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. The organization known today as Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. was nationally incorporated under the name of Kappa Alpha Nu on May 15, 1911. The name of the organization was changed to its current name in 1915, shortly after its creation. The fraternity is unique among NPHC-affiliated organizations in that it has two names: Kappa Alpha Psi and Kappa Alpha Nu.
During this time, there were very few African-American students at the majority-white campus at Bloomington, Indiana, and they were a small minority due to the era of the Jim Crow laws. Many African-American students rarely saw each other on campus and were discouraged or prohibited from attending student functions and extracurricular activities by white college administrators and fellow students. African-American students were denied membership in athletic teams except for track and field. The racial prejudice and discrimination encountered by the founders strengthened their bond of friendship and growing interest in starting a social group.
By 1913, the fraternity expanded with the second undergraduate chapter opened at the University of Illinois—Beta chapter; then the University of Iowa—Gamma chapter. In 1915, Kappa Alpha Psi chartered undergraduate chapters on Black college campuses at Wilberforce University—Delta chapter, and Lincoln University —Epsilon chapter. In 1920, Xi chapter was chartered at Howard University. In 1921, the fraternity installed the Omicron chapter at Columbia University, its first at an Ivy League university. The fraternity's first chapter in the South was established in 1921 at Morehouse CollegePi chapter. The first chapter in the West was established in 1923 at University of California, Los AngelesUpsilon chapter. Kappa Alpha Psi expanded through the Midwest, South, and West at both white and black colleges.
Some believe the Greek letters Kappa Alpha Nu were chosen as a tribute to Alpha Kappa Nu, but the name became an ethnic slur among racist factions. 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. 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." Kappa Alpha Psi has been the official name since April 15, 1915.
In 1947, at the Los Angeles Conclave, the National Silhouettes of Kappa Alpha Psi were established as an auxiliary group, whose membership comprises wives or widows of fraternity members. In 1980, the Silhouettes were officially recognized and granted a seat on the board of directors of the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation. Silhouettes provide support and assistance for the activities of Kappa Alpha Psi at the Grand chapter, province, and local levels.
Kappa Alpha Psi is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the North American Interfraternity Conference. It has over 150,000 members and is divided into twelve provinces, with each chapter under the aegis of a province.
Symbols and traditions
The original name is the source of the nickname for members, "Nupes". The phrase Phi Nu Pi has a deeper meaning only known to its membership.The fraternity's badge is diamond-shaped and features a raised black scroll with the Greek letters ΚΑΨ. The fraternity's colors are crimson and cream. Its flower is the red carnation. Its motto is "Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor".
The Kappa Alpha Psi Journal has been the official magazine of the fraternity since 1914. The Journal is published four times a year in February, April, October, and December. Frank M. Summers was the magazine's first editor and later became the fourteenth grand polemarch.
Kappa "Kane"
In the 1950s, as black Greek-letter organizations began the tradition of step shows, the fraternity began using the "Kappa Kane" in what it termed "cane stepping". The kappa canes were longer in the 1950s than in later decades. In the early 1960s, the cane was decorated with the fraternity colors. In the 1970s, the cane was shortened so brothers could "twirl" and tap the cane in the choreography with high dexterity. The process of covering the cane in the fraternal colors is considered "wrapping".In the 1960s, the national organization did not condone the use of canes or Kappa Alpha Psi's participation in step shows, contending that "the hours spent in step practices by chapters each week would be better devoted to academic or civic achievement." Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Ulysses McBride complained about the vulgar language and obscene gestures sometimes engaged in by cane-stepping participants during these stepshows. In 1986, during the fraternity's 66th national meeting, cane stepping was finally recognized as an important staple of Kappa Alpha Psi.
Activities
Guide Right
Guide Right is a program for the educational and occupational guidance of youth, primarily inspirational and informational. Its reach extends to high schools and colleges alike. In the latter, giving due attention to the needs of undergraduate Brothers. Conceived in 1922 by Leon Walker Steward and suggested at the twelfth Grand chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, Guide Right became the fraternity's national service program.The five national Guide Right initiatives are Kappa League Jr. Kappa League, A-MAN Program, St. Jude Research Hospital, and the premier program, "Kappa Kamp," which enables inner city boys to attend camps across the county.
Kappa League
The Kappa League was founded on February 12, 1970, by the Los Angeles Alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi; under the direction of Leon W Steward. Steward brought the idea to Los Angeles from Dayton, Ohio, where he had worked closely with Jay Crosby to expand the Guide Right activities of Dayton Alumni chapter. The Kappa League is a series of activities designed to help young high school male students develop their leadership talents. The activities provide both challenging and rewarding experiences to enhance their lives. The goal of the league is to help the students achieve worthy goals for themselves and to make meaningful contributions to their communities. It includes a series of workshops to achieve its goals. Students from grades 6 to 12th can join.Student of the Year
The Student of the Year competition is a contest that encompasses six areas deemed critical to a successful life: scholarship, talent, community involvement, poise and appearance, career preparation, and model chapter operation. Each province sponsors a pageant during its council. In the year of a Grand Chapter Meeting, the province winners compete at the Grand Chapter Meeting. The first Student of the Year Pageant was held on May 20, 1972, at Drexel University, under the direction of Mel Davis. The first Pageant at the Grand Chapter Meeting occurred at the 58th Grand Chapter Meeting.Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation
The Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation, established in 1981, is the philanthropic arm of the fraternity and assists both alumni and undergraduate chapters in support of scholarships, after-school programs, and national projects such as Habitat for Humanity.The Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation was conceived by Oliver S. Gumbs, the 23rd Grand Polemarch. In May 1982, he proposed forming a separate 501 charitable foundation to accept contributions to finance the headquarters' renovation project. The foundation also accepts contributions from individuals, organizations, and businesses.