CHAPTER NEWS CENTENNIAL
“JACKSONVILLE (FL) ALUMNI CHAPTER (JAC) WAS CHARTERED ON FEBRUARY 27, 1925, THUS BECOMING THE FIRST BLACK GREEK- LETTER ORGANIZATION IN JACKSONVILLE AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA.”
JAC charter members Bolton, Keller, and Young also brought achievement in Kappa with them to Florida. Keller and Bolton were also charter members of the Xi Chapter at Howard University Chapter, as Polemarch and Keeper of Records, respectively. Bolton and Keller also served on the first Pan-Hel- lenic Council at Howard University of which Bolton served as its chairman. Young also served as a charter member and Keeper of Records of the Colum- bia University Chapter, the Omicron of Kappa Alpha Psi, and a charter member of the Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter. He went on to serve as Southeastern Province Polemarch in 1926 and a member of the Grand Board of Directors in 1928. As documented in “A Historical View: Jacksonville Alumni Chapter Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. 1925-1975,” written by Dr. Robert L. Mitchell, 18th and 22nd JAC Pole- march, the early development and growth of the chapter paralleled that of the fraternity. “Conditions of the times in Jacksonville during the late twenties fostered an attitude of indifference for African Americans with denial of entertainment and recreational
facilities commonplace. The establish- ment of the JAC brought relief to the distressing and depressing lifestyles of many men who shared a common interest and, as a result of their educa- tional levels of attainment and value orientation, had come to believe in high Christian ideals and the purpose of achievement and that these beliefs could be better exemplified through togetherness. Through the bond of brotherhood, though primarily as the social fraternity, the chapter sought to raise the sights of Black youth and adults and stimulate them to achieve regardless of existing conditions and forces that would hinder a man from reaching his fullest potential. Early Kappa men occupied positions of influence and prestige throughout the community, which in many instances provided convenient access to leader- ship roles in the social, recreational, and educational structures”. Scholarship was a focus as early as 1928 when local high school student George Crockett, Jr. received the Kappa scholarship award underwritten by JAC to attend Morehouse College. Crockett (Pi 1928) went on to become the first African American lawyer in
From the March 12, 1925 issue of the Black Dispatch newspaper.
Lee, Jr., Jacob Wycliffe Keller, Lewis H. Meyers, Thomas R. Reid, Jr., and John C. Wright. JAC’s history is joined closely with the chartering of Xi, Omicron, Atlanta (GA), and Baltimore (MD) Alumni chapters. Pi Chapter charter member Dr. Hamilton M. Holmes (Pi 1921) and Kappa Chapter charter member Dr. Albert B. Cooper (Kappa 1919, both charter members of the Atlanta (GA) Alumni Chapter serving as the chapter’s first Polemarch and Vice Polemarch respectively, provided invaluable assistance and guidance during the earliest days of JAC.
WINTER 2024-2025 ♦ THE JOURNAL 57
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