A Look Back: Kappa History Middle Western Province Retropsective The Legacy of Washburn University Chapter, the Rho of Kappa Alpha Psi and Topeka (KS) Alumni in the Civil Rights Transformation of the United States: Part I B rothers of the Washburn University Chapter, the Rho of Kappa Alpha Psi and subsequently the Topeka (KS) man rights debates involving the disabled, older Americans and gays. Kappa Members and Lawyers Elisha Scott, Roy Vandyne, Raymond Reynolds, his opening remarks, he walked over to the evidence table and drank the alcohol. Brother Scott also was elected as Grand Strategus at the 29 th Grand Chapter Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Brother Raymond Reynolds, a fiery orator and lawyer served seven terms as Charles Bledsoe, Elisha Scott Jr. and James Woodson all fought for African American rights in Kansas in the late
Alumni Chapter have a legacy of achieve- ment which advanced Civil and Human Rights throughout the United States and particularly in the State of Kan- sas. Brothers Roy Vandyne (Rho 1921, charter member; Topeka (KS) AL charter member and first Polemarch) lawyer, Elisha Scott (Rho 1922; charter member Topeka (KS) Alumni) Attorney, Raymond Reynolds (Rho 1923) attorney, JB Holland (Rho 1927) educator, Charles Bledsoe (Rho 1932) at- torney, Elisha Scott Jr. (Rho 1936) attorney, Charles Scott (Rho 1941) attorney, John Scott (Rho 1943) attorney, Onan Burnett (Rho 1947) educator, Sam Jackson (Rho 1948) attor- ney, George Thompson (Rho 1949) correc- tions, Richard Mack (Topeka (KS) Alumni 1956) and Joe Douglas (Rho 1949) helped transformAmerica. The 1954 Brown v. Board of Educa- tion Supreme Court decision is credited with creating the conditions, momentum and the building block that led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ended segrega- tion in hotels, restaurants, theaters and other public facilities; the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which guaranteed all U.S. citizens the right to vote; created op- portunity for diversity “firsts” throughout America; and the education amendments in 1972 that included Title IX, which made it illegal to exclude anyone based on sex from participating in educational programs or activities receiving federal money. The decision is often cited in hu-
President of the Topeka chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Brother Reynolds led the fight to open the Topeka area public parks for all persons regard- less of their color and struck down an attempt to restrict access of black’s in housing. Brothers Elisha Scott and Raymond Reynolds com- bined efforts to get the movie “Birth of a Nation” banded from Kansas theatres. Aside from his acumen as a Lawyer, Brother Charles Scott possessed the unique ability to interact and connect with people and ensure comfortability, whether conversing with the Governor of Kansas or the man on the street. He listened to everyone, even young people empowering them with a sense of impor- tance. He held every office in the Topeka Alumni Chapter including Polemarch. His serious but relaxed manner and sense of humor made him popular with the undergraduate brothers at the Washburn University Chapter, the Rho of Kappa Alpha Psi and the Kansas State University Chapter, the Beta Psi of Kappa Alpha Psi. With the assistance of the University of Kansas Chapter, the Mu of Kappa Alpha Psi, the Washburn University Chapter, the Rho of Kappa Alpha Psi was chartered November 6, 1921 in Topeka,
1910s, 20s, 30s and 40s setting the groundwork for the Brown case. Broth- ers Charles Scott, John Scott and Charles Bledsoe prosecuted the Brown case. Brother Elisha Scott was an extraor- dinary lawyer with a flair for the dramatic and capable of bringing spectators in a court of law to tears. He became so well-known for representing the disenfran- chised and discriminated that he received written pleas for advice in envelopes addressed simply to “The Colored Lawyer from Topeka”. He frequently defended the rights of minorities against oil companies to ensure fair compensation for their land. A famous story alleged that Brother Scott while representing an African American farmer accused of bootlegging whiskey during prohibition, got his client’s case dis- missed for lack of evidence, when during
Publishing achievement for 105 years
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