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
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.
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.
Taken from
" A SHORT CHRONICLE OF KAPPA ALPHA PSI FRATERNITY"