A LOOK BACK: KAPPA HISTORY
Elder W. Diggs Scholarship Established at Indiana University
Supported by a Culture of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
By Kevin Scott, Grand Historian
E ducation is a vital aspect of a civilized society. It has been the cornerstone of all people and cul- tures, well before the recovered written record can recount. Whether informal or formal, at its simplest form, education prepares a person in various aspects of life. It can equip an individual with the knowl- edge to become a greater version of himself and achieve a better standard of health, comfort, and happiness. Over the course of time in the United States, formal instruction for Blacks has either been denied; quality education has been restricted or made unaffordable. After slavery, the unscrupulous practices of Reconstruction sustained the constraints against the education of Blacks. This denial only intensified Black people's desire for education. An increasing number of Blacks were able to fight against the odds to matriculate and graduate from college. Kentuck- ian Elder Watson Diggs was among this number. He embraced education as a means for him to achieve and shared this dream with others he taught. The spirit of his vision was manifested by a scholarship recently estab- lished and named in his honor at his alma mater, Indiana University. In his youth, Diggs worked as a laborer and was edu- cated in the racially segregated and poorly funded ‘colored schools’ of Madisonville, Kentucky. By 1904, Diggs discontinued his daily labor jobs and concentrated his teaching efforts. He continued to teach until he went to Indiana Normal School (now Indiana State University) to enrich his knowledge and teaching abilities. The normal schools were institutions established to train elementary school teachers to instruct at public schools. Diggs was one of two Black males in his graduating class, and upon his graduation in 1908, he became formally licensed to teach throughout Indiana. He moved to Bloomington, Indiana, and secured a job at School #5. The teacher’s certificate enabled him to earn more money than he previ- ously was paid. Still, he needed to continue his education to receive higher pay and make a more significant impact. In the fall of 1909, Diggs enrolled at Howard Univer- sity and sought to earn a bachelor's degree in education. Diggs made the acquaintance of Hoosier Byron K. Arm- strong during his freshman year at Howard. Diggs didn’t find his experience at Howard to be welcoming. Byron’s cousin, Irven Armstong, was a student at Indiana Univer-
Founder Elder Watson Diggs
sity during the same school year. Byron visited with Irven near the end of the spring term and was impressed with the school. Byron shared this information with Diggs, and both students transferred to Indiana University in the fall of 1910. Diggs found that college life at Indiana University was extremely challenging for Blacks. Black students were restricted from enjoying nearly all courtesies afforded to their white counterparts. They were denied from engaging in contact sports, residing in the student dor- mitories, joining established social clubs/fraternities, and the use of the various facilities on campus. Diggs found that a small number of other Black students were suffering the same injustices. Nine of these students, including Byron K. Armstrong, banded with Diggs to establish a fraternity under a common cause to relieve these is- sues. They founded Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity (initially named Kappa Alpha Nu) in 1911, with the fundamental purpose of achievement. Despite the varied obstacles placed in their way, these founders and others who followed them were inspired by their aim and became
46 | SPRING 2022 ♦ THE JOURNAL
PUBLISHING ACHIEVEMENT IN EVERY FIELD OF HUMAN ENDEAVOR
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator