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| {{Infobox Fraternity | | |||
| letters = KAΨ| | |||
| name = Kappa Alpha Psi | | |||
| motto = ''Achievement in every field of human endeavor'' | | |||
| crest = ] | | |||
| founded = ], ] | | |||
| type = ] | | |||
| scope = International | | |||
| address = 2322 Broad Street | | |||
| symbol = | | |||
| city = Philadelphia | | |||
| state = Pennsylvania | | |||
| country = USA | | |||
| chapters = | | |||
| current chapter of the year = Delta Eta (Philly City-Wide) | | |||
| colors = ] and ] | | |||
| free_label = Nickname | | |||
| free = Kappas, Nupes | | |||
| homepage = | | |||
| birthplace = ] | | |||
| flower = Red ] | | |||
| symbol = ], ]| | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Kappa Alpha Psi (KAΨ) ''' is the second oldest collegiate ] ] with a predominantly ] membership. Since its founding in 1911 at Indiana University, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin. The fraternity has over 105,000 members with 600 undergraduate and alumni chapters in every state of the ], and international chapters in the ], ], ], ], the ] and ]. The Fraternity is the first NPHC member to have been incorporated as a national body documented by the Kappa Alpha Psi Mid West Provinces Newsletter . | |||
| The president of the national fraternity title is known as the Grand ], who assigns a Province Polemarch for each of the twelve provinces (districts/regions) of the nation. The fraternity has many notable ] recognized as leaders in the arts, athletics, business, ], education, government, and science sectors at the local, national and international level. The ''Kappa Alpha Psi Journal'' is the official magazine of the fraternity since 1914. Frank M. Summers was the magazine's first editor and later on became the 14th Grand Polemarch. | |||
| Kappa Alpha Psi is a major contributor in the fields of political, social, cultural and scholastic achievement. The fraternity sponsors programs providing community service, social welfare and academic scholarship through the ''Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation'' and is a supporter of the ] and ]. Kappa Alpha Psi is a member of the ] (NPHC) and the ] (NIC). The fraternity is the first predominantly African American Greek-letter society founded west of the ] still in existence, and is known for its "cane stepping" in NPHC organized ]. | |||
| {{portalpar|African American|AmericaAfrica.png}} | |||
| ==History== | |||
| ===The Founders=== | |||
| ]] | |||
| The men who founded Kappa Alpha Psi, and were dedicated to the principles of achievement through a truly democratic fraternity are: | |||
| {| | |||
| | valign="top" | | |||
| * Elder Watson Diggs | |||
| * Ezra Dee Alexander | |||
| * Byron Kenneth Armstrong | |||
| * Henry Turner Asher | |||
| * Marcus Peter Blakemore | |||
| | valign="top" | | |||
| * Paul Waymond Caine | |||
| * George Wesley Edmonds | |||
| * Guy Levis Grant | |||
| * Edward Giles Irvin | |||
| * John Milton Lee | |||
| |} | |||
| 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.<ref name=natlhistory>{{cite web |url=http://www.kappaalphapsi1911.com/fraternity/history.asp |title=Kappa Alpha Psi (ΚΑΨ) Founding History |publisher=kappaalphapsi1911.com |accessdate=2006-05-07}}</ref> | |||
| ===Founding=== | |||
| ] | |||
| The fraternity may have begun in 1903 on the Indiana University campus, but there were too few registrants to assure continuing organization. In that year a club was formed called Alpha Kappa Nu, but the club disappeared after a short time. There is no record of any similar organization at Indiana until the fraternity was founded as Kappa Alpha Nu on the night of ] ] by ten African-American college students.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.germantownalumni.org/fraternity |title=The History of Kappa Alpha Psi |publisher=Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Germantown Alumni Chapter |accessdate=2006-04-26}}</ref> | |||
| During this time there were very few African-American students at the predominately white campus at Bloomington, Indiana and they were a small minority due to the era of ]. Many African-American students rarely saw each other on campus and were discouraged or prohibited from attending student functions and extra-curricular activities by white college administrators and fellow students. African-American students were denied membership on athletic teams with the exception of 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. From the beginning, the founders' goal was to create a fraternity founded on Christian ideals and for the purpose of achievement regardless of a person's race or social class.{{fact}} | |||
| ] | |||
| By 1912, the fraternity expanded with the second undergraduate chapter opened at the ]—Beta chapter; then the ]—Gamma chapter. After this, Kappa Alpha Psi chartered undergraduate chapters on ] at ]—Delta Chapter, and ]—Epilson Chapter. In 1920, Xi Chapter was chartered at ]. Among colleges primarily for black youth, Howard was the scene of the organization of the first black college ] ], ]'s ''Beta'' chapter,<ref>{{cite book | last=Wesley |first=Charles H. |authorlink=Charles H. Wesley| title=The History of Alpha Phi Alpha, A Development in College Life | origyear=1928 |publisher=Foundation Publishers | year=1981 | id=ASIN: B000ESQ14W |pages=pp. 43}}</ref> and Howard would also witness the founding of the ''Alpha'' chapter of five ] members. In 1921, the fraternity installed Pi chapter at ], its first chapter in the south. Kappa Alpha Psi expanded through the ], ], and ] at both white and black colleges. | |||
| ] | |||
| There are some who believe the greek letters Kappa Alpha Nu were chosen as a tribute to Alpha Kappa Nu<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kapsimwp.com/News/MW0402/MW0402.html |title=Message from the Province Polemarch |publisher=Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Middlewestern Province |accessdate=2006-09-12}}</ref>, but the name became an ] among ] factions. Founder Elder Diggs, while observing a young initiate compete in a track meet, overheard fans referring to the member as a "kappa alpha nigger", and a campaign to rename the fraternity ensued.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://studentorganizations.missouristate.edu/kapsi/Kappa%20Alpha%20Psi%20informational_files/frame.htm#slide0006.htm |title=Kappa Alpha Nu becomes Kappa Alpha Psi |publisher=Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Mu Epsilon Chapter |accessdate=2006-05-08}} </ref> 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 1915.<ref name=natlhistory/> | |||
| In 1947, at the ] ], the National '''Silhouettes''' of Kappa Alpha Psi were established as an auxiliary of the fraternity. 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.southwesternprovince.org/Silhouette/index.htm |title=History of the National Silhouettes of ΚΑΨ |publisher=Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Southwestern Province |accessdate=2006-05-08}}</ref> | |||
| The 2004-2006 International Chapter of the Year award is held by the Delta Eta chapter, compised of students from ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name=deltaeta>{{cite web |url= http://dolphin.upenn.edu/~kappa/index.html |title=2004-2006 International Chapter |publisher=Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Delta Eta Chapter |accessdate=2006-09-26}}</ref> | |||
| ==National programs== | |||
| The Fraternity began "Guide Right," its national social out-reach program, in 1922. The Guide Right Program assists youth between the ages of 5 to 25 with education, tutoring, mentorship, and financial assistance for college.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indykappa.com/guideright.php |title=ΚΑΨ Guide Right Program |publisher=Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Indianapolis Alumni Chapter |accessdate=2006-05-08}}</ref> The programs of Guide Right are "Kappa League," "Kappa Alpha Psi Scholarship," "A-MAN,"<ref> {{cite web |url=http://www.aman.org/KappaInfo/Kappahome.html |title=Kappa Alphi Psi, Inc. Partners with A-MAN, Inc. To Promote Interest In Science and Technology Among Youth |publisher=A-MAN, Inc. |accessdate=2006-11-27}}</ref> and the premier program, "Kamp Kappa," which enables ] boys to attend camp at Hemlock Overlook Park in ].<ref> {{cite web |url=http://www.indykappa.com/guideright2.php |title=The Programs of Guide Right |publisher=Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Indianapolis Alumni Chapter |accessdate=2006-05-08}}</ref> | |||
| The "C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference" is held annually in each province to educate and train alumni and undergraduates officers to more effectively execute individual chapter procedures and initiatives. | |||
| 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.<ref name=kapf>{{cite web |url=http://kappafoundation.org/ |title=Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation |publisher=kappafoundation.org |accessdate=2006-05-08}}</ref> | |||
| ===Pan-Hellenic membership=== | |||
| {{Main|National Pan-Hellenic Council}} {{Main|North-American Interfraternity Conference}} | |||
| The fraternity maintains dual membership in the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC). The NPHC is composed of nine international black Greek-letter sororities and fraternities and promotes interaction through forums, meetings, and other mediums for the exchange of information, and engages in cooperative programming and initiatives through various activities and functions.<ref name=NPHC>{{cite web |url=http://www.nphchq.org/about.htm |title=National Pan-Hellenic Council Aboutpage |publisher=NPHC |accessdate=2006-07-02}}</ref> The NIC serves to advocate the needs of its member fraternities through enrichment of the fraternity experience, advancement and growth of the fraternity community, and enhancement of the educational mission of the host institutions.<ref name=NIC>{{cite web |url=http://www.nicindy.org/ |title=North-American Interfraternity Conference |publisher=NIC |accessdate=2006-07-02}}</ref> | |||
| ==The History of the Kappa Kane== | |||
| ] | |||
| The ] is viewed by the fraternity as a symbol of a "Gentleman" and is an unofficial tradition and symbol of the fraternity. In the 1950s, as black greek-letter organizations began the tradition of ], the fraternity began using the "Kappa Kane" in what it termed "cane stepping." In the 1960s, the cane was decorated with the fraternity colors, and shortened in the 1970s so brothers could "twirl" and tap the cane in the choreography with high ]. The national organization did not condone the use of canes in step shows and contended that "the hours spent in step practices by chapters each week would be better devoted to academic or civic achievement." Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Ullysses McBride complained about the vulgar language and obscene gestures sometimes engaged in by cane-stepping participants. The Fraternity succumbed to the pressure of undergraduate chapters in 1986 and added cane stepping as an official item on the Grand Chapter agenda.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.agpalumni.com/kane_history.htm |title=The History of the Kane |publisher=Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Arlington/Grand Prairie Alumni Chapter |accessdate=2006-05-08}}</ref> | |||
| ==Famous Kappa Alpha Psi Members== | |||
| A List of famous Kappa Alpha Psi members. | |||
| ==Footnotes== | |||
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| ==External links== | |||
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| ====Kappa Alpha Psi==== | |||
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| {{National Pan-Hellenic Council}} | |||
| {{North-American Interfraternity Conference}} | |||
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