Above left: Edward and Sarah Armstrong with Isaac, Irven, Ezekiel, Charles and Lindsay Armstrong. Above right: the Anthony Hotel, circa 1910. Below: Kappa Alpha Nu Journal featured a photo of Alpha Chapter, circa 1914. Opposite Page: First Grand Chapter Meeting, circa 1911.
brothers as the initiation team. In May of 1913, the third Kappa House Party has held in the Union Building on the campus of Indiana University. This was the first recognition of Kappa Alpha Nu, later to [be] known as Kappa Alpha Psi. In December 1913, the first Grand Chapter Meeting was held at the YMCA Indianapolis, Indiana. Elder W. Diggs was elected Grand Polemarch, Irven Armstrong, Grand Keeper of Records [and] Byron K. Armstrong, Grand Strat- egus. During the summers of 1912 & 1913, Elder W. Diggs, Byron K. Armstrong [and] Irven Armstrong waited tables at [the] Anthony Hotel, Fort Wayne, In- diana. During those two summers, the paperwork was done on Kappa Alpha Psi. From Fort Wayne, we induced Jesse Peters to go to Indiana [Univer- sity]. He became a well-known doctor and later was elected Grand Polemarch before his death.
Byron K. Armstrong AB Indiana 1913 Guy L. Grant AB Indiana 1915 Ezra D. Alexander MD Indiana 1917 Henry T. Asher AB Indiana 1914 Marcus P. Blakemore Dropped out 1912 John M. Lee Dropped out 1913 Paul W. Caine Dropped out 1911 Edward G. Irvin Dropped out 1911 George W. Edmonds Dropped out 1911 When war was declared in April 1917, Kappa Alpha Psi became involved at any early date all over the country. Polemarch Elder W. Diggs sat down and wrote President Wilson a letter pledging our support, although the President had announced that this was a white man’s war. When the training camp for Negro soldiers to be officers was started, Kap- pas from all over the country volun- teered. Our success in Indianapolis was hindered because orders had been issued to only take Negros over 30 years of age and I had to write the General in Chicago before I could get examined. Brother Diggs was over 30 and was ac- World War I
cepted. When our Grand Chapter Meeting was called in December 1917, the Grand Polemarch was already in the army. As Grand Keeper of Records, I was called upon to take charge and make all arrangements. This I did. Since our Grand Vice Polemarch could not be here, I presided over all the meetings. Polemarch. [In] December 1918, I was in France along with many other Kappas; so no meeting was held until April 1919 in Chicago, Illinois, where I was re-elected. The next meeting was held in Champaign, Illinois at Easter time, 1920 – there I was re-elected for the third time to serve until Decem- ber 1920, where George F. David was elected Third Grand Polemarch. When time came for the election of officers, I was elected the Second Grand
The Charter Members of Kappa Alpha Psi ®
Part 2 will be featured in the next issue of the Kappa Alpha Psi ® Journal.
Elder W. Diggs AB Indiana 1917
90 | WINTER ISSUE THE JOURNAL
Publishing achievement for more than 100 years
Publishing achievement for more than 100 years
THE JOURNAL WINTER ISSUE | 91
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