THE SIGMA CHAPTER CENTENNIAL
Across the Fraternity, alumni and undergraduate chapter member rosters increased as brothers in the military returned home. After high school, men who entered the military and postponed college for World War II subsequently enrolled in colleges and universities using the United States G.I. Bill. Sigma Chapter revitalization efforts benefited from this surge in college enrollments of African Americans. The school newspaper's July 6, 1947, issue, the Michigan Daily, contained a headline "Kappa Alpha Psi Returns to Activity" announcing the chapter's resumption as an active student orga- nization. The chapter in 1947 began to have intake lines consistently, and by the early 1950s, some Scroller Club lines had nearly a dozen students. During this time, Sigma again was an undergraduate host chapter with the Alpha Beta Chapter for the 38th Grand Chapter Meeting held in Detroit in December 1948. Sigma Chapter House In addition to generating interest in the Fraternity among the U-M gradu- ates, the fraternity leadership at the Grand Chapter, provincial, and local levels strongly believed acquiring an on- campus chapter house would raise the chapter's profile in the U-M community and bolster its long term viability. This initiative was highlighted in remarks by the newly elected 12 t h Grand Polemarch Augustus G. Parker in the February 1946 issue of the Kappa Alpha Psi Journal. "There are a number of colleges and universities where we should have chapter houses, but in your Grand Polemarch's opinion, our greatest need for a chapter house is at the University of Michigan. Kappa Alpha Psi has never attained the position of eminence at the University of Michigan to which it is rightfully entitled, and a chapter house would go far in attaining this desired result." This initiative took several years to raise funds and secure an appropriate property near campus. Led by National
Housing Fund chairman Brother Joseph A. Craigen and his chapter, Detroit (MI) Alumni, the alumni of Sigma Chapter, and the Grand Board of Directors final- ized the required transactions to obtain a chapter house. In 1954, the chapter acquired a seven-bedroom, 2,500 squar foot house located at 1702 E. Hill Street near fraternity row one-half mile south- east of the center of campus. Acquiring the fraternity house was a watershed event for the chapter. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the chapter utilized the property as its head- quarters for all fraternity events, includ- ing chapter meetings and hosting visiting brothers. Chapter members resided at the house as well as non-Kappas. The house was also a popular meeting spot for African American U-M and Eastern Michigan University students. "Sigma Chapter always hosted a lawn party at the Kappa house on the first Saturday after the start of classes in the Fall. This usually followed the first home football game of the year and attracted almost every black student on campus. Later in the Fall, the brothers would host a "Thanksgiving Feast" for all stu- dents. Almost every weekend, there was a party or some gathering at the Kappa house. It was a popular place to be." Kappa Alpha Psi is the only NPHC organization to maintain an official chapter on the Michigan campus. The chapter vacated the property in the early
1970s.
Modern Era of Sigma Chapter From the 1950s to the present day, the chapter has maintained a consistent presence on the U-M campus. In the 1950s and 1960s, the chapter spon- sored various social events, including an annual Sweetheart Ball held at the Michigan Union Ballroom. In 1976 the chapter sponsored a sold-out concert at Hill Auditorium starring Richard Pryor with special guest Labelle featuring Patti Labelle. The proceeds from the show and the after-party reportedly under- wrote the chapter's activities for the next few years. The chapter co-sponsored in the 1980s a concert with the popular funk band "Slave." In the mid-1980s, the chapter spon- sored "Kappa Icebreaker" and "Michigan vs. Michigan State Victory Celebra- tion," the single largest event for African American students on campus. In 1988, the chapter created its annual "Night at the Set" Talent Show," which showcases the best talent on campus. Since then, this event has been going strong and is the chapter's longest-running initiative. The chapter also started the Miss Black University of Michigan Pageant in 1989, held at the Power Center, a prime cam- pus event venue. Sigma Chapter held many charitable events such as the Kappa Klaus Christ- mas bucket drive for United Negro Col-
"From Undergraduate Chapters." Kappa Alpha Psi Journal: October 1989
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