100 YEARS
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter Celebrates Its Centennial: The First Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi ®
By Aaron Williams
CAC History Book
C hicago, IL was at the center of weeklong celebration events honoring the centennial an- niversary of the chartering of the first alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, the Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter (CAC), and the 98 th North Central Province (NCP) Council Meeting. CAC Polemarch P. Scott Montgomery (Theta 1987) on CAC Centennial Week, “The unique aspect of this week was CAC combined our Centennial Week activi- ties with the North Central Province ac- tivities. The merger of the programs was both a challenge but also a blessing as the Province delivered brothers from all over the NCP to celebrate the Centenni- al with us. Many meetings, conference calls and hard work helped the Chapter and Province collaboratively orchestrate a successful week.” Brother Montgom- ery is no stranger to planning centennial celebrations as he participated in the planning of the hugely successful Theta Chapter Centennial in 2017. North Central Province (NCP) Polemarch Byron C. Thornton was in attendance as CAC kicked off its Centennial Week Celebration with a St. Jude Sunday of Hope observance on the west side of Chicago at the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. The church and its congregation welcomed two dozen CAC members for the service. Rever- end Charles A. Hamilton (Alpha Upsilon 1969) and a CAC member, is pastor Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter Centennial
of the church. Members of the CAC Kappa Khorus sang several songs during the worship service. Two early week social events led to a CAC Centennial Celebration on the actual charter date of April 17. The Edward G. Irvin Foundation (EGIF) Achievement Center hosted over 200 brothers from numerous chapters from across the Chicago metro area to observe and celebrate the chartering of the fraternity’s first alumni chapter. This Brothers Only event included many toasts to the fraternity, the chapter, and brothers now in Chapter Invisible. CAC conducted a brief program where past CAC polemarchs in attendance expressed remarks and remembrances. To mark the historic occasion, brothers autographed a huge postcard placed on a wall at the facility while they fellow- shipped. CAC Centennial Chairman Daniel Brisard (Joliet (IL) AL 1998) com- mented, “I think brothers finally real- ized how momentous this occasion was at our second event of Centennial week, a Brothers Only event at the EGIF Achievement Center. The feel- ing of brotherhood in the room was only eclipsed, in my opinion, by the same feeling at our Grand Chapter Centennial Conclave in 2011. The great history of CAC, and the names associated with it, were captured most poignantly with a great slide show presentation that ran continuously throughout the evening. I personally still have goosebumps.”
Brothers who purchased the CAC Centennial Souvenir package received a special keepsake. Grand Historian Kevin Scott, who is also the CAC Histo- rian, authored an extensive history book of the Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter totaling nearly 200 pages. The book covers the circumstances surrounding the establishment of the alumni chapter concept, bios of charter members, char- ter members and prominent members of the chapter, introduction of various honorary members of the fraternity that associated with CAC and identification of key milestones in its history. The book also contains exhibits, photos and maps that detail numerous historical fraternal landmarks in Chicago and the surround- ing area as well as identifying buildings in Chicago named after Kappa Men. The following morning after the Brothers Only Centennial Event, the EGIF Achievement Center was the locale for a joint sponsored CAC and NCP Peace Summit which had a theme and focus of “Sustaining Peace at Home, at School and in the Commu- nity.” Activities then transitioned from the Woodlawn area of Chicago where the EGIF Center is located to down- town Chicago and the historic Palmer House Hotel. Located on the corner of State and Monroe streets in Chicago's Loop District, the Palmer House Hotel is the longest continually operating hotel in America and built after the Great 98 th North Central Province Council
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Publishing achievement for 105 years
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