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