85th Virtual Grand Chapter Meeting Issue

Leonard E. Clemons South Central Province Polemarch

SOUTH CENTRAL PROVINCE POLEMARCH LINEAGE

SOUTH CENTRAL PROVINCE HISTORY

Polemarch.

i.

Nelson M. Willis 1925-1929 (Southern

T he South Central Province was originally encompassed within the Southern Province. Between 1926 and 1950, Provinces were not fixed entities. At the 40th Grand Chapter meeting [1950], the Provinces underwent a major transfor- mation that included the merging of Provinces, establishing unique bound- aries, and renaming of Provinces. The delegates, at subsequent Grand Chapter meetings, continued to fine-tune the management responsibilities of the Province Polemarchs. One of the most significant changes was the adop- tion of legislation requiring a Province Polemarch to affiliate with an alumni chapter within the geographic area that he supervises. The first documented mention of the South Central Province is in the March 1935 Kappa Alpha Psi Journal. H. C. Russell of the Louisville Alumni Chapter is listed as Province

Province Polemarch) ii. Fred A. Clement 1930-1931 (Southern Province Polemarch) iii. Nelson M. Willis 1931-1932 (Southern Province Polemarch) iv. Harvey C. Russell 1932-1933 (Southern Province Polemarch) v. Henry H. Walker 1933-1934 (Southern Province Polemarch) 1. Harvey C. Russell Sr.* 1934-1936 2. Rufus E. Clement* 1936-1937 3. Rufus S. Stout 1937-1944 4. Theodore Rowan* 1944-1945 5. Henry S. Wilson* 1945-1947 6. William J. Gupton* 1947-1949 7. William F. Butler* 1949-1952 8. William Dickerson Donnelly* 1953-1954 9. Jack O. LeFlore* 1954-1957 10. A. Maceo Walker* 1957-1959 11. Hubert B. Crouch* 1959-1962 12. Louis P. McHenry* 1962-1965 13. R. L. Wynn* 1965-1968 14. Melvin N. Conley* 1968-1972 15. Shannon D. Little* 1972-1978 16. Louis N. Willis* 1978-1986 17. Ocie C. Pleasant* 1986-1990 18. Mark A. Scott 1990-1991 19. Robert W. Scales 1991-1994 20. John P. Russell Jr. 1994-2002 21. Prentice J. Siegel 2002-2007 22. Willie F. Brooks Jr. 2007-2011 23. Byron D. White 2011-2016 24. Leonard E. Clemons 2016-present

Based on this information, it can be intimated, the South Central Province was established December 30th, 1934 at the 24th Grand Chapter Meeting. The 24th Grand Chapter was held in New York from December 26 through the 30th. Dr. Jesse Jerome Peters, the eighth Grand Polemarch, would have made the appointment of Brother Harvey C. Russell, Sr. as Province Polemarch. In 1951 Kentucky, Tennessee and Northern Mississippi were realigned and titled the South Central Province while most of Arkansas, and Mississippi along with all of Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas became the Southwestern Prov- ince of Kappa Alpha Psi. The first Prov- ince Polemarch for the original Southern Province was Nelson Willis who was a member of Louisville (KY) Alumni dur- ing his time as a Province Polemarch.

(* denotes deceased)

122 | SUMMER 2021 ♦ THE JOURNAL

VIRTUAL 85 TH GRAND CHAPTER MEETING

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