ELDER WATSON DIGGS
CELEBRATING THE NEW MURAL AND HISTORICAL MARKER HONORING ELDER WATSON DIGGS IN HIS BIRTH STATE OF KENTUCKY
E
lder Watson Diggs, a native son of Christian County, Kentucky, was reared in a home where education
was valued and emphasized. Diggs’ father and paternal grandfather were born in Virginia, in the era of slavery, and they could both read and write. Diggs spent his adolescent years as a laborer, which likely helped to form focus and tenacity in his endeavors. His quiet, yet confident demeanor suited him perfectly to teach. As early as c. 1903, Diggs began his path as a teacher, inspiring and nurturing the next gen- eration, fostering growth, and serving as a role model for others to emulate. He continued in this vocation, working as a teacher and principal at several schools in Kentucky and Indiana. At times, he served in uncommon roles, as a community worker, janitor, and as an assistant to others while heading the school. This humble and unpretentious mindset underscores the reason why he was so revered by so many. Diggs’ respectful and unassuming nature drew people to him. In each endeavor he undertook, he was placed in a leadership role. He led the charge to found the second-oldest Black Greek collegiate fraternity and only
The Hopkinsville-Ft. Campbell (KY) Alumni Chapter hosted the unveiling.
“ THE COMMEMORATIVE EFFORTS WERE SPEARHEADED BY BROTHER JEFF TAYLOR, WHO FIRST PROPOSED THE IDEA TO THE CHAPTER 15 YEARS AGO.”
intercollegiate fraternity founded on Indiana University’s campus, which continues to exist and thrive 114 years later, with over 250,000 members and 691 chapters worldwide. He was the first Black person to graduate from Indiana University’s School of
Education and subsequently obtained a Master’s degree in that field. He piloted the body of this organization to enlist in the Army during World War I, seeking to establish Black men as patriots and demand equal treat- ment. He was among the first to enlist
66 THE JOURNAL ♦ SUMMER 2025
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator