IN MEMORIAM
and prepared it for the 21 st century. His immediate action as the new Grand Polemarch was to issue Executive Order #1 which further defined instances of hazing and other prohib- ited acts. Dr. McBride after this 1988 election, “I plan to devote a great deal of energy toward cleaning up some of the nonsense asso- ciated with our pledge lines on our college campuses. My first executive order will be to outline some specific items pertaining to pledging, which must and will be enforced. There will be more structure to pledge period, and the information Scrollers should learn. All of this other foolishness must end. The first thing a young man should do when he goes to college is get an education. Kappa ought to enhance that, not retard it.” Later in his administra- tion, McBride authorized a committee to devise a new program to replace the Scroller Club as the Fraternity’s membership intake program. In his view, the Fraternity had to make significant changes in membership intake to protect the Fraternity’s long-term viability. “Pledg- ing is dead. Now the only question is how expensive
Grand Polemarch Ullysses McBride is survived by his wife of 68 years, Mabel Jean (née Copridge) McBride; daughter, Valeri Jean McBride; brother, Evander McBride; two sisters, Dorothy McBride and Mary Bolden; a brother- in-law, Horace Copridge, Jr. (Isabella); and a host of nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents; brothers John McBride, James McBride, and Willie McBride; sisters Margaret Locke and Betty McBride; one niece; one nephew; his father-in-law and mother-in law, Horace Copridge, Sr.
“Grand Polemarch McBride mentored many brothers in life who became great achievers in every field of human endeav- or. If I had to sum ‘Doc’ up, he was a friend, my mentor, my Kappa Daddy. He wanted to do God’s will.”
- Thomas L. Battles, Jr., 33rd Grand Polemarch
are we going to make the funeral,” Dr. McBride commented in 1990. At the 74 th Grand Chap- ter Meeting held in Atlanta, GA, the Grand Chapter conferred the 46th Laurel Wreath to Dr. McBride for his extensive, extra meri- torious contribution and leadership to the Frater- nity’s advancement. Long after his tenure as Grand Polemarch and 4th South- ern Province Polemarch, brothers from near and far continued to seek his counsel at Southern Prov- ince Councils—inviting his critiques, benefiting from his wisdom, and receiving, at times, the blessing of the 26th Grand Polemarch on their endeavors throughout Kappa Alpha Psi. In addition to Kappa Alpha Psi, Dr. McBride was an Archon of the Delta Pi member Boulé of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He was a member of Alpha Kappa Mu and Kappa Delta Pi Honor Societies. Dr. McBride also served as: • Member of Board of
Trustees (Knoxville College) and (University of South Alabama) • Member of Board of Deacons, Greater Mount Triumph Missionary Bap- tist Church, Atmore, AL • Member of the Escambia County Industrial Board • Chairman of the West Escambia Utilities Board • Board member for the Southern Council of Black American Affairs, the Escambia County Department of Human Resources, Atmore Community Hospital; D. W. McMillian Hospital (Brewton), Atmore United Fund, and the Atmore Public Library • Board member for the Southern Association of Community, Junior, and Technical Colleges • Lay member on the Alabama State Bar Disci- plinary Commission • Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Conference (Escambia County branch)
and Thelma Copridge; brother-in-law, Clayton
Copridge; and sisters-in law, Hortense Brown and Edythe Carpenter. On September 5, 2025, Grand Polemarch McMikle issued to the Kappa Alpha Psi membership, a 30-day observance of official mourning. At the home- going service, McMikle announced the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation has created a scholarship fund named after the 26 th Grand Pole- march. Southern Province Polemarch Jason M. Jones announced the Southern Province planned to donate $50,000 over the next five years to the newly estab- lished scholarship fund. ♦
SUMMER 2025 ♦ THE JOURNAL 83
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