LOOK BACK KAPPA HISTORY
“FURTHERMORE, FOUNDER DIGGS BELIEVED ANNUAL GRAND CHAPTER MEETINGS MINIMIZED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROVINCE COUNCILS.”
Grand Chapter Meeting, December 26-29, 1923, in Louisville, Kentucky, the first publicized social affairs held by BGLOs occurred. Omega Phi Psi hosted a “smoker” (social party), and the Ladies Auxiliary hosted a theater and reception party. To reduce expen- ditures, local chapters curtailed their social events during the Great Depres- sion. The practice of BGLOs hosting social affairs during the respective organization’s national meeting con- tinued throughout the mid-late 1950s. DEBATE: ANNUAL OR BIENNIAL CONCLAVES? Starting with the 17th Grand Chap- ter Meeting in 1927, the fraternity considered proposals to amend its Constitution to accommodate chang- ing the frequency of the Grand Chapter Meetings. Some delegates proposed moving the Grand Chapter Meetings from annually to biennially. A frequent Conclave attendee, Founder Elder W. Diggs did not support the Grand Chapter meeting annually. Founder Diggs expressed his opinion on this matter in the Decem- ber 1928 Kappa Alpha Psi Journal issue article entitled, “How Often Should the Grand Chapter Meet?” Founder Diggs provided the
following statements to support his rationale for a Biennial Grand Chapter Meeting, “...to meet every year is a waste of both time and money; Officers elected at any one Grand Chapter Meeting need and should be assured of having at least two years to work out a constructive program; Meeting every two years should make it possible for more chapters to be represented at any
“How Often Should the Grand Chapter Meet?” Elder Watson Diggs, The Kappa Alpha Psi Journal , December 1928.
given Grand Chapter Meeting.” Furthermore, Founder Diggs believed annual Grand Chapter
Silhouettes), and other social clubs to host dances and receptions during Kappa’s Conclave, including the other NPHC fraternities. Local Kappa Alpha Psi chapters would respond in kind and host a social event honoring an NPHC organization when those NPHC fraternities/sororities held their annual national conventions. The earliest record of a Public Meeting occurred at the 11th Grand Chapter Meeting, December 27, 1921, in Cleveland, Ohio. A member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. made welcoming addresses. The earliest known affair hosted by a local social club occurred by the Chicago Assembly during the 12th Grand Chapter Meeting on December 29, 1922, in Chicago, Illinois. At the 13th
meetings minimized the effectiveness of Province Councils. “Our men are not able and should not undertake to have two important meetings such as these in one year.” In succeeding years, the Grand Chapter periodically debated tran- sitioning Conclaves to a biennial schedule but did not implement a revised routine meeting time frame until 1961. Prior to this time, there were a few temporary fluctuations of Summer Conclave Meetings (1933, 1947, and 1957). Join us for Part 2 of this series, which explores and revisits Grand Chapter Meetings held on college campuses. Part 2 is scheduled for publication in the next issue of The Kappa Alpha Psi Journal . ♦
36 THE JOURNAL ♦ SPRING 2024
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