Grand Historian Kevin Scott and William L. Crump Awardee Aaron Williams The Sixth Edition of The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi is Written
KappaAlphaPsi1911.com
WINTER - SPRING 2023
VOLUME CIX, ISSUE 1
VOLUME CIX, ISSUE 1
20
8
Journal Notes
10 Grand Polemarch's Message
12 Cover Story
94 The Kappa Foundation
122 A Look Back: Kappa History
126 To the Chapter Invisible
140 The Directory
12
CONTENTS 95
TABLE OF
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VOLUME CIX, ISSUE 1
Established 1914 First Editor
Frank M. Summers, Esq. Past Permanent Editors Lionel F. Artis 1921–1937 G. James Fleming 1938–1950 William L. Crump 1950–1975 Earl S. Clanton 1975–1985 Jonathan P. Hicks 1985–1989 Van Jordan 1989–1990 Mel L. Davis 1990–1999 Keflyn X. Reed 1999–2010 Jonathan P. Hicks 2011–2014 Thomas L. Cunningham IV 2014–2015 Cleveland Ferguson III, Esq. 2016— Editor Cleveland Ferguson III, Esq. Jacksonville (FL) Alumni Chapter KappaJournal1914@gmail.com
104
98
114
Assistant Editor Clarence Tucker Norfolk (VA) Alumni Chapter ctuckermpt@gmail.com Feature Writers
Nicholas Cole Earl T. Tildon Dr. Samuel Odom
88
Chapter Invisible Section Manager Aaron Williams Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter
aaronwilli02@yahoo.com National Photographer Michael L. Hume
John Milton Lee: The first Grand Keeper of Records, Rhen C. Bass, CPA: The current Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer and J. Ernest Wilkins: the longest-serving Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer
Belleville-O'Fallon (IL) Alumni Chapter mlhphotography@hotmail.com Feature Photographers Kevin Sellers Gregory L. Williams Graphic Artist Keith C. King Grand Historian Kevin P. Scott Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter GrandHistorian1911@gmail.com Advertising Sales Director John F. Burrell, Executive Director St. Louis (MO) Alumni Chapter cliffordfuse@gmail.com Cell: (314) 406-3472 International Headquarters 2322-24 North Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19132-4590 Phone: (215) 228-7184 www.KappaAlphaPsi1911.com
Northern Jonathan Glenn glennjb@alma.edu
South Central Jarvaun Lindsay theonlyjarvaun@gmail.com
Eastern Dr. DeAndre Howard provincereporter@epkapsi.org Southern Julius L. Collins southernprovincenews@gmail.com Western Jeffrey Brown pacificreporter@kapsi-western.org
Southwestern Aljay Foreman aljayforeman@yahoo.com Southeastern Dr. C. Douglas Johnson cdouglasjohnson@yahoo.com Middle Eastern Quentin Mitchell kwin10mitchell@gmail.com Northeastern Dermal McCrear nepdiamondnewsletter@gmail.com Middle Western Frank Smith franksmith831@yahoo.com
North Central Bond A. Thomas Jr. achiever@kapsi-ncp.org
Published quarterly by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., 2322-24 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19132-4590. Periodic postage paid at Philadelphia, PA and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions: $10 per year. USPS 291-300. No responsibility may be assumed by the Journal for receipt or return of material, news stories, photographs or creative pieces. Postmaster: Send address changes to: 2322-24 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19132-4590.
East Central Brandon Fenty brandon.fenty01@gmail.com
Submit all chapter-related material to your respective Province Reporter for consideration for publication in The Journal.
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JOURNAL NOTES
Kappa Alpha Psi: Remembering Our History and Telling Our Story and Continuing to Break Barriers and Builds Bridges
The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi, 6 th Ed.
thing to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
But we are delighted to feature Grand Historian Kevin P. Scott, Aaron S. Wil- liams’ Making of the 6th Edition of the Story of Kappa Alpha Psi, with the Story behind the Story. We celebrate their work and encourage every Kappaman to have a copy in his library and smart device! See page 12. Between The Story, The Journal , and the continued deft use of social media, brothers and their families should not be bereft of the knowledge of our history of achievement despite near-impossible odds. When we have the latest pronounce- ment that race is not to be a factor of consideration for educational (see page 80) opportunities enshrined in law, despite the very edifices in which these laws were created being built by the same ancestors who had no opportu- nity to benefit from the constitutional protections for multiple generations, we can look to our past. We can see the myriad barriers we have had to break to get to today. I consider how our ancestors—indeed our grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, sisters and brothers turned the overt stumbling blocks and barriers of Jim Crow, redlining, rejection, blackball- ing, passing over and other’s use of their privilege into opportunities for us to realize our dreams. Grand Polemarch Reuben A. Shelton III, Esq., led the fraternity to the 55 th Anniversary of the March on Selma, taking care to communicate the need for unity, the need for remembrance from whence we came and whom we must rely on to get to where we need to be. He strengthened partnerships with the Divine 9 and other stakeholder groups and led the fraternity through the teeth of the pandemic. It has been my honor to chronicle his administration.
And on the other, the Bible says:
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the dev- il and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, what- ever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ The 34 th Administration has continued the mission of serving the least of us. And while this issue of The Kappa Alpha Psi ® Journal updates our relfection on how Blacks persevered and achieved despite legalized racism in the U.S., it does not attempt to cover every nook or cranny, every event or notable achieve- ment. It does identify some of the insti- tutions and barrier-breaking milestones that inure to the success of African Americans. We also revisit my mentor and immedi- ate Past Chairman of the Publicity and Publications Commission, Brother Earl Tildon understanding of these prin- ciples. See page 28.
Cleveland Ferguson III, Esq., Editor J ust think it was a few short years ago when critics decided to declare that the U.S. had a post- racial society simply because the first Black president was elected in the U.S. In 2023, we have state leg- islatures making it unlawful for public schools to retain books that provide a platform for critically examining how laws and policies were used to subju- gate all “others” and for public univer- sities to use public dollars to support diversity, equity, or inclusion programs. Of course, history shows that diversity has been a singular strength of the United States. And the use of the levers of govern- mental power to further institutionalize separation, sow division, and the lack of care for others all inure to Matthew 25:35-45. On the one hand, the scrip- tures say: 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you some-
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A look back: Selma, Alabama. Grand Polemarch Reuben A. Shelton III, Esq., and the Council of Presidents lead the Divine Nine along with like-minded organizations and people of good will at the 55 th Anniversary of the March on Selma. Photo by Michael L. Hume. Now is the time to speak the names of tocracy, aristocracy, theocracy, or anarchy.
and standing as a bulwark against this ab- dication. When you look across our history and that of the oppressed in the U.S., I take seriously working daily to be in the flock of sheep rather than the herd of goats.
those who have had their lives ripped from them and let your voices be heard through your vote at every level of government. We reference an excerpt from the pre- scient message by Dr. Samuel D. Proctor on page 69 entitled “What Do We Owe to Caesar?” It is one of my favorite commen- taries in The Kappa Alpha Psi Journal. He reminds us that with our lack of participa- tion, we give ourselves to an oligarchy, plu-
Dr. Proctor exhorts the reader that we must participate if we want good govern- ment. We must also recognize the limits of government and know to turn to God to meet our spiritual needs. When you see the back cover, you will see another reason to hope, as another of our own has achieved where no other Brother has, in being the leader of a major party
Yours in the Bond, Cleveland Ferguson III, Esq. Editor
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GRAND POLEMARCH’S MESSAGE
Our Story
promote academic excellence, leader- ship, and community service.
fraternity bestows upon a member. Members have also received numer- ous civic awards on local, state and national levels. In addition to our many accomplished members, Kappa has established a network of undergraduate and alumni chapters across the United States and internationally. These chapters provide opportunities for members to network, collaborate, and continue our tradition of academic excellence, leadership, and community service. To capture and chronicle our rich history, we have completed a magnifi- cent historical project, thanks to the hard work and dedication of project leaders, Grand Historian Brother Kevin Scott, Brother Aaron Williams, and their talented team. The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi is a story of excellence, leadership, and ser- vice. From its founding in 1911 to its present-day network of chapters and members, the fraternity has remained dedicated to promoting its members' advancement and positively impact- ing society. With our rich history and continued commitment to excellence, Kappa will surely continue significantly contributing to society for many years. I hope you enjoy our story.
The ten founders are Elder Watson Diggs, Byron Kenneth Armstrong, Dr. Ezra D. Alexander, Attorney Henry T. Asher, Dr. Marcus Peter Blakemore, Paul Waymond Caine, Edward Giles Irvin, Dr. Guy Levis Grant, George Wesley Edmonds, and John Milton Lee. These ten men set out to create a fraternity that would provide oppor- tunities for their brothers to excel in all aspects of life and positively impact their communities. From our humble beginnings, Kappa has been dedicated to promoting academic excellence and leadership among its members. The fraternity has a rich history of achievement, with numerous members who have become successful leaders in many fields of human endeavor, including politics, business, sports, education and entertainment. Over the years, Kappa has also become known for our commitment to community service. Our members have worked tirelessly to uplift our communities and positively impact society. We have organized numerous service projects and initiatives, rang- ing from mentoring programs through our Guide Right initiative to disaster relief efforts and many more. Many distinguished Kappa broth- ers have won the fraternity's highest awards, including the Laurel Wreath Award, which is the highest honor the
Reuben A. Shelton III, Esq. Grand Polemarch
I am honored to present this publica- tion to my Kappa Alpha Psi brothers and the citizens of the communities in which we live and serve. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. is a historically Black fraternity founded on January 5, 1911, at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. The illustri- ous ten founders of the fraternity were students who recognized the need for a fraternal organization that would
Yours in the Bond, Reuben A. Shelton III, Esq. Grand Polemarch
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“
To capture and chronicle our rich history, we have completed a magnificent historical project, thanks to the hard work and dedication of project leaders, Grand Historian Kevin Scott, Brother Aaron Williams and their talented team.”
Above: October 1938 Kappa Alpha Psi Journal. Source: Fraternity archives. Right, Grand Historian Scott reviewing an artifact from 5 th Grand Polemarch Earl B. Dickerson's papers. Below: Grand Historian Scott and Aaron Williams.
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The Story Behind The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi, 6 th Edition
A labor of love, tenacity and pride
K appa Alpha Psi has undergone several changes throughout the eleven decades and two years since its founding. Some of Kappa’s most significant modifications and growth occurred in its first quarter century. The office of Grand Historian was non-existent until 1925. Before the Grand Historian office was established, the Fraternity had no dedicated person or commit- tee responsible for safeguarding and retaining the Fraternity’s archives. The Fraternity did not have a physical structure that would serve as the offi- cial repository for its artifacts and other historical materials until the National Headquarters building was acquired in 1954. During the Fraternity’s forma- tive years, the emphasis on expanding the Fraternity exceeded the attention given to authoring a historical record. Once the significance of this endeavor was assumed, brief Fraternity historical accounts were composed. The earliest formal history composi- tion was The Handbook of Kappa Al- pha Psi (1928). It, and its succeeding editions (1936 and 1952), gave cursory recapitalizations of the Fraternity’s his- tory. Through Founder Guy L. Grant’s preliminary efforts and the selection of 8 th Grand Polemarch J. Jerome Peters as the lead author of our first official history book, we received The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi in 1967. Since that time, four subsequent editions have been published, and the 6 th ed. will soon be in print. This article addresses and highlights the labors endured to create the 6 th ed. and details how this By Kevin P. Scott and Aaron S. Williams
Historian their yearly programs for security purposes. Many chapters lose archives over a period of years and most of this material is lost for- ever. The response in this respect is poor.” Many manuscripts were used as sources to aid in filling the gaps of failing memories. Some of these include, but are not limited to: Kappa Alpha Psi Journals (1914-1954), Confidential Bulletins (1923-1954), The Handbook of Kappa Alpha Psi (1928, 1936 & 1952), and numer- ous unpublished historical narratives by Founders Elder W. Diggs, Byron K. Armstrong, John M. Lee, Past Grand Polemarchs Irven Armstrong and George F. David, II, and Grand Historians. Those written accounts were ac- cented by interviews conducted by Founder Grant of early members, in- cluding Founders Diggs and Ezra D. Alexander and Past Grand Polemarch Irven Armstrong. In the early 1950s, Founder Grant also re-established and led a national Committee on the History of Kappa Alpha Psi. This committee conducted research and gathered the indispensable materials that would be the foundation of the Fraternity’s history record. Accord- ing to Founder Grant, “With the aid of the membership, our committee was able to gather valuable material which seemed almost irretrievable.” The compilation of this informa- tion provided Past Grand Polemarch Peters and his two co-authors, Past Grand Polemarch C. Rodger Wilson
The Story of Kappa Alph Alpha Psi, 6 th edition.
publication will be unique from its predecessors.
Past Accounts of Our History
The composition of the 1 st ed. of The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi (1967) was wrought with numerous difficul- ties. Foremost among the complica- tions was the accumulation of histori- cal material. Founder Grant recalled in 1955, “Over a three-year period I, as your Grand Historian, have traveled to many parts of the country in quest of material . . . The chapters have been advised to send to the Grand
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and William L. Crump, a wealth of information, from which The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi, 1 st ed., was written.
Subsequent editions were published (2 nd ed.-1972, 3 rd ed.-1983, 4 th ed.-1991, 5 th ed.-2003) using the original publi- cation as the foundation for those books. The most signifi- cant hurdle had been cleared to acquire source information from the Fraternity’s earliest years. Following editions of The Story continued the chronicle from where the previous pub- lication left off. Grand Historian Emeritus Ralph J. Bryson authored the 5 th ed. Its account ended in 1999, following the election of Howard L. Tutman as Grand Polemarch. It became the basis on which the 6 th ed. would be written. The average time between printing the five editions is nine years. The interval between the 5 th and 6 th editions was 20 years. Since the information included in the 5 th ed. concluded in 1999, 22 years of history would need to be compiled for the 6 th ed. Due to the extensive length of time the previous edition of The Story was published and to adhere to a constitu- tional requirement for an updated adaptation to be written, Grand Polemarch Thomas L. Battles, Jr. authorized Grand Historian Kevin P. Scott to compose the 6 th ed. of The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi. Correspondingly, Scott (Chicago (IL) Alumni 1998) invited Aaron S. Williams (Zeta Upsilon 1986) of the Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter to work alongside him as co-author. Previous editions of The Story concluded with the elec- tion of the newly elected Grand Polemarch. Scott initially planned to end the next edition following the Centennial Anniversary in 2011. Since so much time had passed since that event, Scott decided to conclude the book’s history with the 84 th Grand Chapter Meeting, in Philadelphia, PA, in 2019. However, due to the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, Scott and Williams decided to incorporate the extraordinary circumstances the pandemic caused the Fraternity during the first term of Grand Polemarch Reuben A. Shelton's tenure into the 6 th ed. The 6 th ed. now ends with the conclusion of the 85 th Grand Chapter Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, in July 2021.
Grand Historian Kevin Scott
listed that he felt needed to be told. He also noticed that a broader narrative of who the Founders were on a personal level was absent. Another missing aspect he believed needed to be addressed was the details of what led to the Fraternity’s founding, including the facts about several other Fraterni- ties that preceded Kappa Alpha Psi. Some of the popular Fraternity urban legends, largely popularized and spread through social media, were addressed. The facts about those subjects were included in the 6 th ed. to formally counter the unsubstantiated folklore. Aside from enhancing the existing written history with the aforementioned particulars, Scott envisioned the 6 th ed. being a conduit to showcasing a broader aspect of the Fra- ternity’s history through pictures that haven’t been seen by any living member. Scott felt these images would succinctly help tell the story that words could only attempt to. Scott planned to use pictures from each decade of the Fraternity’s existence. Williams augmented Scott’s idea by suggesting that the 6th ed. photos should show how the Fraternity’s undergraduate members have changed throughout the years. From this suggestion, a directed emphasis was placed on selecting photos of undergraduate and alumni members to accurately depict the entire membership. Scott’s initial plan for the 6 th ed., was to change orienta- tion from a portrait to a landscape layout. This feature pro- vided additional space to display panoramic images across
Initial Concepts to Create a Unique Version of The Story
Before one word was written, Grand Historian Scott outlined his vision for how the 6 th ed. would undergo sig- nificant changes and raise the bar from its previous versions and among the other Divine 9 organizations. Scott respected the previous authors and the work they put in to create the previous editions. However, when he read The Story, he observed several instances of Fraternity history that were not
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the wider width of the pages and give the reader a closer look at the members in the photo. Ultimately, this proposed design was discarded due to publishing restrictions. Scott’s vision was for the book to be published in three formats: hardcover book, e-book, and audiobook. Time was the primary consideration regarding the book's completion, so the audiobook version was postponed to be released later potentially.
obstacles from the onset of taking on the task of writing the publication. Grand Historian Scott conferred with Grand Historian Emeritus Bryson about obtaining the 5 th ed. master copy so that edits could be easily performed, and digital files of images could be ac- cessed. Bryson informed Scott that he did not have the master file or digital copies of the photos. Scott realized he had to establish a template to create the 6th ed. He contacted the publisher and obtained the PDF file of the 5 th ed. Scott converted each chapter to Microsoft Word documents, for editing purposes. High-resolution photographs were taken of each 5 th ed. image being considered for use in the 6th ed. Scott cast a wide net to acquire an array of information needed for 6th ed. content. Scott distributed a “Don’t Be Left Out of History” message to the membership via email and social me- dia. The “Don’t Be Left Out of History” message was published in numerous Journal issues. International Head- quarters (IHQ) emailed the message to the membership three times over 18 months to ensure no one missed it. IHQ also set up a web portal on the national fraternity website for members and chapters to easily submit content. Scott and Williams reviewed and evalu- ated numerous submissions for consid- eration to be included in The Story.
Complications and Laborious Toils With Composing the 6 th Edition
oughly explained, and some topics not addressed. Scott began the meticulous job of line editing in 2016, and earnest writing started sometime in 2019. Scott and Williams maintained the majority of existing text from the 5 th ed. but periodically made grammatical or sentence structure edits. Scott and Williams created a list of topics they deemed important for inclusion in the 6 th edition. The research and a scrupulous review of archived Kappa published material, historical photographs, manuscripts, and documents were conducted to obtain the new informa- tion. Some of this information was acquired from previous editions of The Kappa Alpha Psi Journal, The Handbook of Kappa Alpha Psi, The State of the Fraternity, The Confiden- tial Bulletin, and numerous Fraternity history manuscripts composed by several Fraternity luminaries, includ- ing Founders John M. Lee, Byron K. Armstrong and Grant and 2 nd Grand Polemarch Irven Armstrong, current and past IHQ leadership, former Grand Chapter officers and Chiefs of Staff to past Grand Polemarchs, among others. Additional material was sourced from archived newspapers, books, and Grand Historian Scott and Aaron Williams reviewing and organizing past Kappa Alpha Psi Journals at IHQ.
Founder Grant provided additional recollections of the ordeals he experi- enced when attempting to accumulate historical source material for the 1st ed., “Writing the early history of the Fraternity in detail presented many perplexing problems. Many parts of the early history were veiled in mystery. My task was to unveil these mysterious facts and bring them to light for who knows but somedayust one seemingly insignificant statement or deed might change the whole concept of action describe there to.” Drawing compari- sons to the difficulties Founder Grant experienced when he began to collect source information for The Story, Scott and Williams also encountered several
Scott decided early on that the best way to resolve issues he discovered in the earlier editions was to perform line-by-line edits of the entire 5 th ed. content. Some of the matters of concern he observed were typographical errors, ambiguous information, some content not thor-
Aaron Williams
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similar resources. Scott and Williams also contacted several current and past National Committee Chairmen to ob- tain information about their respective committee activities. Many of those members provided written accounts about their committee endeavors and accomplishments. Scott conducted the review, research, evaluation, and edits of the content from the 5 th ed. (1900-1999). After a thorough assessment, some of the previously existing text was removed and/or replaced with updated information. While Scott was perform- ing these tasks, Williams conducted the research and composed articles for the 1999-2021 topic contents. For this 22-year timeframe, Scott and Williams covered numerous member’s/chapter’s achievements, Fraternity programs, events between 11 Grand Chapter Meetings, and 6 Grand Polemarch administrations.
Exchequer Rhen C. Bass, and IHQ Di- rector John F. Burrell to apprise them of the progress. Scott selected four reliable and capable members to serve on the 6th ed. Edit Committee: 93 rd Elder W. Diggs Awardee Terrance G. Blount, 95 th Elder W. Diggs Awardee Charles W. Morgan III, Frederick H. Black Sr., and George M. Chavis Sr. Each week, these Associate Review Editors were given 1-2 chapters of the 33-chapter manuscript to read, edit and submit their critiques to Scott and Williams. The Edit Committee read and edited 30-70 pages each week. They subse- quently met with Scott and Williams every Monday via video conference, where their suggested changes were discussed and evaluated for inclu- sion in the final draft. The 6 th ed. was improved substantially with the Edit Committee's diligent and exacting review, edits, and suggestions.
permission was obtained to enhance the visual experience. The 6 th ed. greatly benefited from the Fraternity document and photograph artifacts obtained via the Kappa Archive Recov- ery Initiative for source material and exhibits. While the book was being laid out, Scott and Williams had a job opening for a graphic artist to be sent out to the members through IHQ. Several members applied for the enviable posi- tion. Interviews were conducted, and sample renditions of potential book cover designs were submitted to the committee, consisting of Scott, Wil- liams, and Donald Woolridge (Eta Beta 1988) of the Louisville (KY) Alumni Chapter. After each design was re- ceived and evaluated, graphic designer, Larmarrous Shirley (Alpha Upsilon 1991), was selected to create the book cover artwork.
An E-Book version of the 6 th Edition
Editing the Manuscript
Book Layout
After completing those book portions, Scott and Williams then switched roles and performed edits of each other’s work. Additional modifica- tions were made for the correctness and completeness of the topics. Once those tasks were complete, Scott and Williams jointly reviewed the new complete 6 th edition utilizing Zoom video conferencing and Dropbox for cloud storage of manuscripts. They collaboratively worked together on the draft manuscript to prepare for review by an Edit Committee. Scott then also provided to the living Past Grand Polemarchs, a draft copy of the chapter encompassing their time as Grand Polemarch, to review the information regarding their respec- tive administration to ensure accuracy. Scott and Williams periodically briefed Grand Polemarch Reuben A. Shelton, III, Grand Keeper of Records and
Scott and Williams then converted the manuscript into Adobe InDesign and conducted the layout of each page. This process included the selection of photos to accent portions of the text. Each previously used image was evalu- ated to determine its importance in the 6 th ed., if it should remain in the book, if a different photo should replace it, or if no picture would be used in that lo- cation. In some instances, photographs new to The Story would be selected to emphasize the material's context better or showcase the newly written content. For example, the previous editions did not feature panoramic photos at Grand Chapter Meetings. Several of those im- ages were selected for this publication, and their dimensions would expand across several columns of text, so the reader could easily view them.
Scott further envisioned how the 6th ed. would be distinctive from the previous editions and apart from other Divine 9 organizations. From the beginning, Scott envisioned the 6th ed. as a hardcover and digital (e-reader) book. After completing the hardcover layout, Scott and Williams made the necessary layout revisions for the e- reader. The e-reader is enhanced with special content not included in the hardcover book. It features an exten- sive reference section that contains data and facts on many items of inter- est in table format. Williams’s painstaking efforts to compile this information led to the initial reference section draft that con- tains various listings including, but not limited to, Grand ‘Chapter Meetings, Grand Polemarchs, Grand Chapter officers, National awardees, and Prov- ince Polemarchs, to name a few. Scott
Unique photographs not owned by the Fraternity were selected, and
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reviewed and validated the accuracy of each listing. Williams used The Kappa Alpha Psi Journal as a primary source of information to compile the refer- ence section. Scott utilized additional Fraternity archive resources to conduct his review and modify this data.
Multitasking as Authors and Conducting Administrative Affairs
Scott and Williams were working full-time while conducting the author- ship of the book. Every spare moment obtained was utilized to complete each task. Scott set an ambitious deadline for the book’s publication. He sought to have the book ready for distribution during the 86th Grand Chapter Meet- ing in the summer of 2023. Aside from managing personal and professional responsibilities while working on writing and editing the book, Scott and Williams also needed to manage the administrative functions. Scott and Williams needed to find a publishing company for the book. Sev- eral publishing companies were identi- fied to potentially become the book’s publisher. Scott and Williams formed a committee consisting of International Headquarters Deputy Director Ryan Tucker, Director of Risk Prevention & Education Jason Hall, Publicity & Pub- lications Commission Chairman Cleve- land Ferguson III and Chief Operating Assistant to the 33 rd Grand Polemarch Leo T. Brown to assist with creating a Request for Proposal (RFP) for these companies. The RFP was sent, and no response was received. The committee subsequently learned that the publish- ing companies do not respond to RFPs. Each of the publishing companies was then contacted personally. Sheri- dan Publishing was found to satisfy our needs and was selected. Administra- tive Membership Manager Marilyn L. Brock, and Fraternity National Webmaster Josepher L. Williams were subsequently added to the aforemen-
Aaron Williams and Grand Historian Kevin Scott
tioned administrative committee to play particular roles in launching and managing the book sales for Interna- tional Headquarters. Williams led the effort to obtain costs and other operational informa- tion from the publisher. He developed a spreadsheet so that a price for the book could be determined. Scott and Williams met with Executive Direc- tor Burrell, the Fraternity’s Executive Committee, and the Grand Board of Directors. These meetings determined and approved the logistics of book distribution and pricing.
versions of the 6 th ed, into public and college libraries. Also, an evaluation of the 6 th ed. is required to determine when an audiobook is feasible.
Not an Individual Effort
As Founder Grant stated in 1955, regarding the 1st ed. of The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi, “When the history of Kappa Alpha Psi is written, it will be the handiwork of many brothers, without their aid, there will be no comprehensive history of Kappa Alpha Psi.” The same remains true in this case with the 6th ed. The authors are greatly indebted to all the brothers and others who have played roles, large and small, that contributed to making the 6 th ed. a reality and set a new standard to heights never reached before and for others to emulate.
Post-Launch
After the 6 th ed. is available for pur- chase, Scott and Williams have further tasks to complete. First, all documents and images associated with the 6 th ed., such as early draft manuscripts, presentations, and images require cloud storage as Fraternity artifacts for Kappa’s perpetual historical retention. They need to collaborate with the pub- lisher to get both printed and e-book
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COVER STORY
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COVER STORY
Saluting Grand Historian Kevin Scott
B rother Kevin Scott is a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a retired 32-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department. He achieved the rank of Detective in 2000. In this role, he investigated a wide range of violent and property crimes and various crimes against chil- dren on the far south side of Chicago. Brother Scott had also been previously assigned to develop intelligence of real-time violent crime offenses and domestic threat awareness assessments throughout the city of Chicago. Brother Scott is a 1998 initiate of the Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter. He has served in various capacities at that chapter, most notably as Senior Vice Polemarch, Historian, and Reporter. He serves the Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter as its Historian, an office he has held since 2007. Brother Scott re- cently held dual chapter membership, where he also served as the Evanston (IL) Alumni Chapter’s Vice Polemarch and Historian. Brother Scott previ- ously served as Historian of the North Central Province, where he performed two years of research that uncovered new information about Founder Paul W. Caine’s burial place and other unre- corded historic details of this Founder’s life. In 2013, Brother Scott was elected as the Fraternity’s 15 th Grand Histo- rian and has conducted a wide array of projects to preserve and celebrate
the Fraternity’s history. A few of his most remarkable endeavors include the establishment of the Kappa Archive Recovery Initiative; the composition of a centennial anniversary history book for the Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter; video interviews of seven immediate Past Grand Polemarchs; directed the collection and submission of original Fraternity artifacts to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture, and led efforts to the establishment of a scholarship in honor of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Founder Elder W. Diggs at Indiana University-Bloomington’s School of Education. Chief among Brother Scott’s ac- tivities is his current writing of the 6 th Edition of The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi. He has also spearheaded a col- laborative relationship between Indiana University and the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation to fund the commission of a portrait of Founder Elder Watson Diggs at Indiana University’s School of Education as the institution’s first Black graduate. Brother Scott earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Chicago State University and completed a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leader- ship at Lewis University. Brother Scott and his wife, Regina (a member of ∆ ΣΘ Sorority, Inc.), reside in Chicago with their daughter, Kayla.
Grand Historian Kevin Scott
Here's to Grand Historian Scott!
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Delight Effortlessly
Welcome Kappa alpha psi! With miles of dazzling waterfront, authentic culture, cuisine and nightlife, Tampa Bay has a million ways to play. All with an easy, laidback vibe.
VisitTampaBay.com
PUBLISHING ACHIEVEMENT IN EVERY FIELD OF HUMAN ENDEAVOR tbcvb_49613_02_Kappa_Alpha_Psi_Ad_FP_m.indd 2
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UPSILON CENTENNIAL OBSERVANCE
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UPSILON CENTENNIAL OBSERVANCE
Upsilon Chapter members posing in front of the new chapter marker. Inset is a collage of Upsilon Chapter Charter Members.
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UPSILON CENTENNIAL OBSERVANCE
The University of California, Los Angeles Chapter, The Upsilon of Kappa Alpha Psi
Celebrates 100 Years of Achievement
Past members of the Upsilon Chapter returning to the UCLA campus for the chapter’s centennial observance.
school administration to plan a week of activities and observance’s the Frater- nity 33 rd chapter. The current Upsilon Chapter members and the alumni of Upsilon created the Upsilon Centen- nial Celebration Committee (UCCC) to organize the centennial events. Past Western Province Polemarch Kevin D. Kinsey (Upsilon 1981) of the Beverly Hills-Century City (CA) Alumni led the UCCC as General Chairman with Kevin G. Harbour, Sr. (Upsilon 1977) of the Long Beach/Inglewood/South Bay
(CA) Alumni serving as Vice Chairman. Planning the centennial week took months of planning, coordination, and communication between UCCC, UCLA officials, and fraternity officials. Kinsey commenting on Upsilon’s Centennial Observance prior to the start of the week’s activities “We are coming back to celebrate 100 years of existence at this prestigious university. We’re look- ing to our future, the future of UCLA, the future of Kappa Alpha Psi, and the
By Kevin D. Kinsey and Aaron S. Williams
Introduction T he University of California, Los Angeles Chapter, the Upsilon of Kappa Alpha Psi Frater- nity celebrated its Centennial Celebration the week of April 20-25, 2023, on the campus of UCLA. Led by Centennial Chairman Kevin D. Kinsey, alumni from Upsilon and the current Upsilon worked together with
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UPSILON CENTENNIAL OBSERVANCE
future of an African American presence on [UCLA] campus, as well as the insti- tutionalized sanction of bringing about a number of new leaders who will present themselves as accomplished achievers in the future.”
in fraternity history. The Upsilon Chapter was the fraternity’s first chapter es- tablished on the West Coast. The Fraternity in 1923 now expanded past its nucleus of chapters in the Middle West and extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Upsilon Chapter predates the Western Province which was established in 1925 and is the province’s first chapter. Many Upsilon initiates were
UCLA Background
Founded as the Los Angeles branch of the California State Normal School in 1881, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is one of the nation’s top public universities. An international- ly renowned research university, UCLA emphasizes interdisciplinary teaching among other disciplines.
Upsilon Chapter Centennial Committee General Chairman Kevin D. Kinsey speaking to the local media at the chapter marker unveiling.
responsible for the chartering of the Los Angeles (CA) Alumni in August 1938.
and a past Junior Grand Vice Polemarch:
Chapter Chartering
• 18 th Grand Polemarch and 22 nd Laurel Wreath Laureate Thomas Bradley (Upsilon 1938); • 25 th Grand Polemarch and 49 th Laurel Wreath Laureate Randal C. Bacon (Upsilon 1958);
Due to its geographic location, Upsilon was the Fraternity’s only un- dergraduate chapter west of the Rocky Mountains for nearly a quarter century, until the chartering of the Beta Omega at the University of Southern California and the Gamma Alpha at the University of California-Berkeley, both in 1947.
Kappa Alpha Psi, led by the 4 th Grand Polemarch W. Ellis Stewart, chartered the Upsilon Chapter on the campus of the Southern Branch of the University of California (now called the University of California, Los Angeles) on April 25, 1923. From the October 1923 issue of the Kappa Alpha Psi Journal: After a struggle for over six months to establish a chapter of the Noble Clan of KA Ψ , Upsilon Chapter, with the aid of Byron Kenner, formerly of Beta; Attor- ney C.T. Ross of Eta; [A. Moore] Shearin of Delta; and [Wendell P.] Gladden, formerly of Xi Chap- ters. On the night of May 12, 1923, thirteen gentlemen were initiated into the Fraternity becoming Upsilon Chapter charter initiates: Alonzo A. Adams, George D. Greene, Joseph N. Birch II, Lorenzo B. Graham, Jefferson M. Brown. Edgar K. Johnson, Leon C. Clark, C. Louis Rosser, William Rux Jr., Benjamin Colby, Walter Enton, Edward Thompson, and Leon Whitaker.
• 39 th Laurel Wreath Laureate Ar- thur R. Ashe, Jr. (Upsilon 1963);
Key Facts on Upsilon
• 45 th Laurel Wreath Laureate
Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. (Upsilon 1956);
Upsilon was the second Greek-letter fraternity and the first African American fraternity established on the UCLA campus. As early as the 1920s, students from other west coast schools as far away as the University of California-Berkeley in the Bay Area were initiated into Kappa Alpha Psi via Upsilon. Numer- ous schools such as Cal State- Los Angeles, Cal State-Santa Barbara, Cal State-Irvine, Cal State-Northridge, Loyola-Marymount, Whitter College and Chapman College were a part of the chapter at various times during Upsilon’s 100 years.
• 33 rd Elder Watson Diggs Award- ee Edgar H. Bishop (Upsilon 1946)
• 28 th Junior Grand Vice
Polemarch Willie Williams (Up- silon 1956)
Other notable Upsilon initiates in- clude former U.S. Congressman Mervyn Dymally (Upsilon 1950); professional football player Brett Hundley (Upsi- lon 2013); renowned actor Whitman Mayo (Upsilon 1956); trailblazing major league umpire Emmett Ashford (Upsi- lon 1941); retired Circuit Court Judge Bernard S. Jefferson; Olympian, past UCLA head mens basketball coach Walt Hazzard Upsilon 1961); Olympic track
Among its distinguished roster
of initiates include two past Grand Polemarchs, four Laurel Wreath Laure- ates, one Elder Watson Diggs Awardee,
The chartering of the Upsilon Chap- ter signified a momentous milestone
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• Frank LaVigne (Upsilon 1933) – Western Province (1946-47)
her father’s achievements in deseg- regating the umpiring ranks of major league baseball’s color barrier. After this event, fraternity members and other D9 members adjourned for a Sip & Smoke Reception at Post and Beam Restaurant at Destination Crenshaw. On Friday, April 2, 2023, the UCCC sponsored a Civic Engagement Lun- cheon at the Beverly Hills Hilton with 250 guests in attendance, including the 27 th Grand Polemarch Robert L. Harris Esq. introducing the 45 th Wisconsin Lt. Governor, the Honorable Mandela Barnes (Gamma Phi 2005) who deliv- ered the keynote address. Past UCLA Black Alumni Associa- tion President Kevin G. Harbour, Sr. (Upsilon 1977) served as the luncheon Master of Ceremonies. Other honored speakers and guests included UCLA Chancellor Dr. Gene D. Block, Los An- geles Board of Public Works President Pro Temp, Commission Dr. Michael R. Davis, and Assemblyman Reginald Jones Sawyer. General Chairman Kinsey honored former Regent of California and Superior Court Judge Sherill D. Luke along with other notable Upsilon Legends such as the families of Tom Bradley, Randall C. Bacon, Arthur Ashe, Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., Walt Hazzard, the former California Appellate Court Justice Edwin Jefferson and Chief Justice Bernard S. Jefferson, who was the first African American to graduated Magna Cum Laude from UCLA. Later in the day, the Los Angeles (CA) Alumni Chapter House was the venue for a Panhellenic Party and Fish Fry. On Saturday, April 22, 2023, the day kicked off with a Centennial Fellowship Breakfast at the UCLA Luskin Confer- ence Center. Fraternity members gath- ered to pay tribute to all those fraternity members who were UCLA student- athletes at the university. Former Bruin Football Player, Kourt D. Williams, Ph.D. served as the Master of Ceremony
• Thomas Bradley – Western Prov- ince (1947-1957)
• Robert F. Green (Upsilon 1935) – Western Province (1958-59 and 1964-67)
• Randall C. Bacon – Western Province (1964-67)
• Edgar H. Bishop – Western Province (1988-1992)
• Kevin D. Kinsey – Western Prov- ince (1995-01)
star and renown physicist James LuValle (Upsilon 1933); longtime UCLA vice chancellor Winston C. Doby (Upsilon 1964); the former California Appellate Court Justice Edwin Jefferson (Upsilon 1926); and retired Superior Court Judge and the first African American president of the UCLA student body Judge Sher- rill D. Luke (Upsilon 1947). • Upsilon has served as an under- graduate host chapter for three Grand Chapter Meetings: Upsilon Chapter Centennial Committee General Chairman Kevin D. Kinsey presents an appreciation gift to keynote speaker Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes at the celebration banquet.
• Three buildings on the UCLA campus are named after Upsilon initiates.
1. Thomas Bradley
2. Arthur Ashe
3. James LuValle
Upsilon has a long history of sup- porting the renowned Black & White Ball, annually held in November by the Los Angeles (CA) Alumni. Traditionally, Upsilon members, along with other area chapters attending the ball, select the queen and her court. Los Angeles (CA) Alumni have sponsored this formal ball since the mid-1930s.
1. 37 th Grand Chapter Meeting held in August 1947, which was the first Conclave held on the West Coast;
Centennial Observance Activities
2. 47 th Grand Chapter Meeting held in August 1957;
On Thursday, April 20, 2023, the observance week started with a Com- munity Service Day Event. Later in the day, a documentary film produced by Raymond Bell entitled Called Up: The Emmett Ashford Story was screened to attendees. After the showing of the film, the UCCC presented a citation to Ms. Adrienne Cheri Ashford, daugh- ter of former baseball umpire Emmett Ashford. The citation acknowledged
3. 69 th Grand Chapter Meet- ing held in December 1989, which was the Fraternity’s last Winter Conclave to date.
• Province Polemarchs from Upsilon
• John W. Brewer (1936) – West- ern Province (1941-47)
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