LOOK BACK KAPPA HISTORY
“Something, too, had happened to Washington. A great change in the city’s thinking and attitude had come about since the last Grand Chapter Meeting there. Many Kappas, were proud to say, had a part in bringing about that change. Negroes did register in great [DC] hotels, take the [Hotel] Statler for example … they did eat in the city’s splendid restaurants… and those who had time went to the great theaters. The wall of discrimina- tion and segregation [in Washington, DC] had crumbled. While Conclave Chairman C.K. Brown’s (Xi 1929) committee’s had done everything humanly possible to insure a pleasurable session, inside Grand Chapter [Business Sessions] was stormy … with too many decisive problems to be solved … with too little time to solve them democratically … with sessions beginning too late and lasting too long. From a planning point of view, Brown’s committees had done an excellent job of achieving good balance between entertainment and business. Failure to hold this balance was not theirs but Grand Chapter’s … pointing up the need for a complete study of Grand Chapter techniques and procedures.” - G. James Fleming Former Editor, The Kappa Alpha Psi Journal, February 1955 issue
Clockwise: 46th Grand Chapter Closed Banquet, December 1956, held at Morehouse College. The first Voting machines were introduced at the 46th Grand Chapter Meeting. Founders Lee, Armstrong, and Alexander (seated) sign autographs of undergraduates.
44th Grand Chapter Meeting Miners Teacher College, Washington, DC December 27-30, 1954 Kappa Alpha Psi returned to the nation’s capital to hold its annual Grand Chapter Meeting for first time since 1936. In 1954, racial conditions in Washington, DC was vastly different from those of 1926 and 1936. “Discrim- ination, if not prejudice, was lessening. The facilities of Howard University and Miner Teachers College (now the University of the District of Columbia) were utilized, to be sure, but a first was recorded when the Hotel Statler was obtained for the Closed Grand Chapter Banquet and the closed dance.” The daily business meetings were held at Miner Teachers College, while the Public Meeting was held at Andrew
Brotherhood.” He gave particular emphasis to current demands made upon college-trained men. Registration was held in the Admin- istration Building. The highlight of the session was the Closed Banquet in the college cafeteria. A “Snow Ball” dance followed the banquet at the Paradise Club. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity entertained the fraternity with a social at the Paradise Amusement Hall, where all social events of the week took place. An informal soiree sponsored by Alpha Kappa Alpha, Zeta Phi Beta Sororities, and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity was held at the Elks Rest. The Silhouettes hosted a brunch for the wives, followed by a city sightseeing tour by Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority.
Rankin Memorial Chapel on the campus of Howard
University. The Lincoln Colonnade and the District of Columbia Armory were venues for social events. Grand Chapter delegates elected C. Rodger Wilson as the 16th Grand Pole- march and conferred the 17th Laurel Wreath upon Dr. Jerome M. Tinsley for
SUMMER 2024 ♦ THE JOURNAL 39
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