LOOK BACK KAPPA HISTORY
“... THE DIAMOND JUBILEE MEETING IN INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ON AUGUST 10-15, 1986, WAS PURPORTEDLY THE GRANDEST CELEBRATION IN THE FRATERNITY’S 75-YEAR HISTORY.”
three organizations to Kansas City, KS, for a Public Meeting at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, followed by an Open Dance at Exhibition Hall at the Municipal Auditorium. AKA and Alpha business meetings were held in the Municipal Auditorium, while Kappa business meetings were conducted at the Paseo YWCA. The following day, musical artists from each organization were featured in a recital in Edison Hall in the Power and Light Building. A joint session of the three organizations with the American Council on Human Rights was held Friday afternoon. The Closed Banquet was held Friday night at the American Legion Hall, with a series of Open Houses afterward. The Kappa Closed Prom was held the following night in the Municipal Auditorium’s Little Theater. Headlined in the February 1950 issue of the Kappa Alpha Psi Journal , past Journal Editor G. James Fleming’s Con- clave recap article “Kansas City Not Up to 1940, But Still Great Host; [Frank] Summers Grand Polemarch” expressed his view of the 40th Grand Chapter Meeting was satisfactory but did not meet expectations when compared to the previous Kansas City Conclave in
1940. In Fleming’s view, “fellowship was jeopardized by the large numbers [of attendees]” combined with perceived service issues from facilities and a less than enthusiastic atmosphere. Sextet Joint Convention 42nd Grand Chapter Meeting, Cleveland, OH December 26-30, 1952 (KA Ψ , A Φ A, AKA, Δ ΣΘ , Z ΦB, and ΣΓP ) The final combined Black Greek-let- tered organization (BGLO) convention was held December 26-30, 1952, in Cleveland, OH. The previous two con- solidated conventions involved three of the eight BGLOs. On this occasion, six BGLO delegations, including Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, and Sigma Gamma Rho, uniquely co-hosted this assembly for the first time in history. This Sextet-Convention was held in conjunction with Kappa Alpha Psi’s 42nd Grand Chapter Meeting, and under the auspices of the American Council of Human Rights’ (ACHR) inaugural national convention, themed “Mobilization for Human Rights.” Nearly 4,000 members of the six
Black Greek letter organizations were in attendance. The groups sought to mobilize resources to strengthen civil rights and associated legislation. The ACHR’s joint business session was held in the Public Auditorium’s Music Hall. Past Grand Polemarch James E. Scott speaheaded ACHR’s efforts to plan theirinaugural national convention in Cleveland coinciding with Conclave. He served as the Joint Convention’s Co-Chairman and President of the ACHR’s Board of Directors. Each National PanHellenic Council organi- zation, including Kappa Alpha Psi, sent delegates to the ACHR convention. The 42nd Grand Chapter Meet- ing’s Business Sessions were held at Cleveland’s downtown Public Audi- torium. Over 700 delegates attended. Founders Guy L. Grant, Marcus P. Top: 1952 Sextet Joint Convention BGLO National Presidents (L to R): Frank M. Summers, KA Ψ , Dorothy Height, Δ ΣΘ , Nancy B. Woolridge, Z Φ B, Sally N. Edwards, ΣΓΡ , Laura Loveless, AKA, and A. Maceo Smith, A Φ A. Bottom: 42nd Grand Chapter Meeting Election Vote Tabulation.
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