History
Kappa Alpha Nu, now known as Kappa Alpha Psi, was created on January 5, 1911, on the campus of Indiana University at Bloomington, Indiana. At the time Indiana University was a predominately white school, with an enrollment of only 10 African American males. Outraged with not being able to attend events permitted to white students only, 10 men by the names of: Elder Watson Diggs, John Milton Lee, Byron Kenneth Armstrong, Guy Levis Grant, Ezra Dee Alexander, Henry Tourner Asher, Marcus Peter Blakemore, Paul Waymond Caine, Edward Giles Irvin, and George Wesley Edmonds gathered and created the second fraternity within the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). “The Fraternity would seek to raise the sights of young black youths and stimulate them to accomplishments higher than might otherwise not be realized or even imagined. With achievement as its purpose, Kappa Alpha Psi began uniting college men of culture, patriotism and honor in a bond of fraternity” (Kappa Alpha Psi| Epsilon Kappa).
Impact on Society
Like Kappa Alpha Psi, many Greek sororities and fraternities, both black and white, have made it their mission to give back to the community through charitable
work and donations. In July 2005, Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity partnered with St. Jude Hospital to donate more $500,000 in support of the hospital’s Sickle Cell
program. Chapters within the fraternity have also gathered to help unite and give back to the community, for example The Flint Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha
Psi. For the 2014 Thanksgiving Holiday season the chapter raised funds that was used to create turkey baskets for 125 families. The chapter has helped to serve
over 500 families, since the start of the charity in 2009.
Diggs' Contributions to Kappa Alpha Psi
When Diggs sought out to establish Kappa Alpha Psi, he did so with five objectives in mind:
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To unite college men of culture, patriotism and honor in a bond of Fraternity;
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To encourage honorable achievement in every field of human endeavor;
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To promote the spiritual, social, intellectual and moral welfare of its members;
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To assist the aims and purposes of colleges and universities;
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To inspire service in the public's interest.
Diggs used these five objectives as his blueprint to expand his fraternity to other educational institutions nationwide. Because of his determination and dream to
expand, there are now over 700 chapters nationwide and global, which include more than 150,000 members.
National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)
The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) was created on the campus of Howard University on May 10, 1930. The council was formed with the following African
American Greek originations Omega Psi Phi and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternities, and Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta and Zeta Phi Beta Sororities, a year later
Alpha Phi Alpha and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternities joined. In 1937 Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority joined, and in 1997 Iota Phi Theta Fraternity joined creating what is
now known as the divine 9.
“The stated purpose and mission of the organization in 1930 was “Unanimity of thought and action as far as possible in the conduct of Greek letter collegiate
fraternities and sororities, and to consider problems of mutual interest to its member organizations.” Early in 1937, the organization was incorporated under the
laws of the State of Illinois and became known as “The National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated.”
1940's Kappa Alpha Psi
Arthur Ashe, tennis legend, humanitarian and prominent member of Kappa Alpha Psi, 1975.
ΑΦΑ, AΚA, KAΨ, ΩΨΦ, ΔΣΘ, ΦΒΣ, ΖΦΒ, ΣΓΡ, ΙΦΘ