NATIONAL COMMENTARY
The Days the World of Kappa Stood Still
By: Earl Tildon, Chairman, 96 th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee
“In the year of 1911 where the arbutus blooms in the spring Kappa Alpha Psi ® was founded and of its praises we sing. ”
W hen ten African Ameri- can male undergradu- ate students at Indiana University at Bloom- ington, Indiana, attempted to pursue a college education, they joined together with common concerns, seeking to make the accomplishments of their goals and objectives reality. These ambitious young men recognized the obstacles and bar- riers that stood between them and the successful academic destinations they wanted to reach. This was the beginning of what would be the dream of establish- ing a fraternity that would be dedicated to “achievement in every field of human endeavor”. This dream began more than 112 years ago. This dream was the beginning of their journey to overcome the human deficit perpetrated by the blatant, legal, and dehumanizing system perpetuat- ing the post-slavery culture of America. These students experienced the pain and suffering of racial discrimination, but kept moving diligently ahead. And then, over more than a century, 34 stalwart, noble Kappa men (Grand Polemarchs) assumed the mantle of leadership of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., carrying out the vision of its ten Founders, raising the bar in every area of society. We basked in the glory of our success and suddenly witnessed the most humbling experience of our Kappa lives; something called the “Coronavi- rus” that stopped Kappa in her tracks. We were suddenly in the middle of an earth-changing pandemic, having to redefine the word “normal”. We have learned that the “Coronavirus” is highly contagious and “distance” had become a new living standard, at least until an appropriate vaccine became available to
together the disparate treatment they were receiving versus their Anglo-Saxon fellow-students. In fact, two founders, Elder Watson Diggs and Byron Ken- neth Armstrong had attended Howard University and saw the advantages that members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity had as students on a historically Black college campus. Obviously, they wanted no less in Indiana. What will Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity be like when a new norm is defined in the post-Coronavirus pandemic period? What work will we, as leaders in the fraternity have done to restructure the operations to fit the times? As a sixty-eight year member of our Noble Klan, I’m casting my lot with to- day’s leaders and undergraduate Kappas. I believe that the exposure they have had to the global society has enabled them to overcome many of the obstacles that the Founders and forbearers were forced to endure because of extenuating circum- stances. I know that tomorrow’s Kappas will have far more tools in their historic tool boxes than their predecessors, and greater opportunities to use them. To my undergraduate brothers, I urge you to seize every opportunity to learn first-hand and vicariously what Kappa history was like. Don’t pass a Senior Kappa by, and don’t let a Senior Kappa pass you by without you touching the hem of his garment and learning everything you can about him and his achievements. Also, remember that there are many things that you can teach a Senior Kappa, and he may still be in the mode of learning, for he has etched in his heart the words: “achievement in every field of human endeavor”, and he has vowed to keep on learning until he reaches that Golden Shore.
contain this virus.
Grand Polemarch Shelton was chal- lenged. in ways that the Founders could not have imagined. He was faced with the dilemma of following the nation’s guidelines to close down most of the operations of the Fraternity, permitting members and staff to retreat in – place in their homes for safety. People across the world were being hospitalized and dying from the effects of the virus. Everything seems painful as you watch our fraternity life seemingly crumble be- fore your eyes, and you just don’t know where to turn. You can’t escape it, run from it, or turn back time; you just have to brave the storm and hope for the best afterwards. However, usually bad things happen in our lives in order to usher in better things. You can’t have a rainbow without a storm, so remember that the next time you deal with a life crisis. Fortunately, the Fraternity was founded as an undergraduate organization on col- lege campuses in America. It provided opportunities for students (primarily African Americans) to socialize together, to share ideas, interests and ambi- tions with each other. They witnessed
28 | WINTER - SPRING 2022 ♦ THE JOURNAL
PUBLISHING ACHIEVEMENT IN EVERY FIELD OF HUMAN ENDEAVOR
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online