Kappa Alpha Psi, a college Fraternity, now comprised of functioning undergraduate and alumni
chapters on major campuses and in cities throughout the United States and abroad, is the crystallization
of a dream. It is the glorious realization of a vision shared commonly by the late Revered Founder
Brother Elder Watson Diggs, Brother Bryon K. Armstrong, Brother John Milton Lee, Brother Guy L. Grant,
Brother Ezra D. Alexander, Brother Henry T. Asher, Brother Marcus P. Blakemore, Brother Paul W. Caine,
Brother George W. Edmunds, and Brother Edwin G. Irvin. It was the vision of these astute men which
enabled them in the year of 1910-1911 to form the organization now known as
KAPPA ALPHA PSI FRATERNITY, Incorporated.
The fundamental purpose of Kappa Alpha Psi as envisioned and spoken by the Founding fathers
give this organization its unique and distinguishing aspects. They sought to "shape a group
personality unique in the annals of College Greek letter organizations around the ideal of achievement."
In the early years, the concept of achievement was mainly concerned with improvement
of personal status and security, and the meeting of the everyday demands of living.
This was at a time when the hope of a people were dim. Their social and economic life
was warped by social distance. There was little incentive to advance in school beyond the
elementary grades. Baccalaureate degrees were rarities, and graduate degrees were almost non-existent.
This concept of achievement has undergone enlargement over the years. Social distance has lessened.
Economic opportunity has become better. The striving of our people is being increasingly rewarded
each and everyday. High school graduation, craft training and college degrees up and through to the
Doctorate level has increase tremendously. Kappa Alpha Psi, the name is rooted in achievement,
and assumes a position of leadership in the acceleration of preparedness for the present and
the future offerings.
This means to members of Kappa Alpha Psi that whatever is done must be done well and
in accordance with the highest standards around.
A little known Kappa History
In the Fall of 1914, Elder Wastson Diggs lived in a converted stable because of the lack of
men's dormitories and the scarcity of lodging accomadation for negroes. Subsequently,
he lease a five-room house at 721 Hunter Street that had been built for occupancy by it's owner,
but because of the death of the owner wife, he had never served that purpose.
This was the Kappa Alpha Psi first Fraternity chapter house.
It is difficult to assay the total benefits from living together in an ordered routine of
study and cultural development. However, it can be stated positively that a close bond
of brotherhood was discovered by our Illustious founders. That high point came each day
when just before study hours when the brothers would engaged is a discussion or just gathered
around the piano that Brother Diggs rented.
What is the difference between Pleasure and Pain?
Kappas in the 99th Pursuit Squadron
These men formed an unofficial "Pursuite Chapter" at Chanute Filed while being trained
as airplane mechanics and ground crew specialists...Shown are G.L. Black, Clovis Bordeaux,
John Rogers, James Reed, Fred Black, James Nelson and Edgar A. Pope.
Judge Irven C. Mollisonwas the first black to be given a federal Judgeship on the mainland.
The judge of the U.S. Customs Court was congratulated by Judge Webster J. Oliver.
Kenneth Billups wrote the music to the Kappa Alpha Psi Hymn.
August 8,1964 Atty. Thomas Bradley,Mayor of Los Angeles, CA., and recipient of the Laurel Wreath,
was elected as the Eighteenth Grand Polemarch
Kappas in Government
John Conyers, Jr.(D-MI), was the first elected to the House of Representatives in 1964.
A graduate of Wayne State University with a Bachelor and Doctor of Law Degrees,
he has held many positions during his tenure.
George W. Crockett, Jr.(D-MI), was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1980.
A graduate of Morehouse collee and the University of Michigan with an AB and JD Degrees,
respectively, he is also the recipient of Honory Doctorates from Morehouse College and Shaw University.
Mervyn Malcom Dymally(D-CA), was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1980.
A graduate of California State University wit a B.A. Degree in Education, Dymally began
a career as a teacher of exceptional children in Los Angeles.
Walter E. Fauntroy(D-DC), was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1970.
A Cum Laude graduate of Virginia Union University, he received a Bachelor of Divinity Degree
from the Yale University Divinty School.
Louis Stokes(D-OH), was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1968.
He became his State first black member of Congress. A Western Reserve University and the Cleveland
Marshall Law School of Cleveland State University, Bro. Stokes is a recipient of
Honorary Doctorates from 18 Universities.
During the Memphis Convention of 381 African American Mayors, 79 of which were women,
Atty. Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr.,was a feature speaker.
Before he died in 1993 at the age of 50, Reginald Lewis presided over the largest African American-owned
business in the nation, the billion-dollar TLC Beatrice International Holdings, Inc., headquarter in Manhattan.
Edward Gardners
President of Soft Sheen Products, Inc.
Percy E. Sutton
CEO of Inner City Broadcasting Corp., and Owner of the Famed Apollo Theater in N.Y.
William Cox
CEO of Publishers of Blacks in Higher Education, and recent
inductee into the HBCU Hall of Fame
William Johnson
CEO of Black Entertainment Television, Inc.; This industry pioneer launched BET
(Black Entertainment Television)in 1980 and sold it to Viacom in 2001
for nearly $3 billion, a deal that sealed his status as the country's first black billionaire.
Today the BET network, of which he's still CEO, reaches more than 71.9 million households.
Johnson's latest goal: to acquire an NBA team. (He lost out on the Charlotte Hornets in March.)
Keith Clinkscales, Alpha Xi(#21 Spr.83)
Most recently, Mr. Clinkscales was President, CEO and a co-owner of Vibe Ventures,
where he launched Vibe in 1993 in partnership with music legend Quincy Jones and Time Inc.
Vibe experienced tremendous growth and success under Mr. Clinkscales' direction.
As Time Inc.'s first African-American president, Mr. Clinkscales led Vibe to profitability in
only three years. In 1993, circulation launched at 100,000 and catapulted to more than 700,000 by 1999.
A magna cum laude graduate of Florida A&M University, Mr. Clinkscales also received an MBA
from Harvard Business School. He was recently appointed Treasurer of the Apollo Theater Board of Directors.
Kwame Jackson
was one of the two final candidates on Donald Trump's American television reality series The Apprentice.
Jackson is currently chairman of Legacy Holdings LLC, which among other things is building a multi-billion
dollar real estate project near Washington, D.C. Kwame Jackson is chairman of Legacy Holdings LLC
As the former host of BET TONIGHT with Tavis Smiley on Black Entertainment Television,
Tavis Smiley became known as Black America's favorite talk show host. Smiley is founder of the
Tavis Smiley Foundation, a nonprofit organization, whose mission is to encourage, empower and enlighten Black youth. "
Alpha Chapter
Ed Bradley
Correspondent Ed Bradley's 23rd on 60 Minutes. He joined the broadcast as co-editor during the 1981-82 season.
Bradley was born June 22, 1941, in Philadelphia and graduated from Cheyney (Pa.)
State College in 1964 with a B.S. in education. He lives in New York.
John Singleton
Director of Boyz N The Hood,Poetic Justice,Higher Learning,
Rosewood, Shaft, Baby Boy, 2Fast 2furious, Remeber the Titans
Joe Clair
Host of BET's Rap City, Alpha Iota(Morgan State) F'89
Well as if stand-up and television were not enough,
Joe added radio personality to his list of job titles. Starting as co-host on the Sunday Night Hip Hop Show
on D. C's WPGC, Clair expanded his audience even further. The morning show quickly
shot to the number one slot in the city. After two and a half years of radio,
Joe left to focus on comedy, thus the move to New York City.
Cedric the Entertainer
Comedian, In 1992, he made his first TV appearance on It's Showtime at the Apollo.
Soon after, he appeared on HBO's Def Comedy Jam and BET's ComicView, which he would later host
for the 1994-95 season. In 1994, Cedric also won the Richard Pryor Comic of the Year Award from BET.
playing Steve Harvey's friend, Cedric Jackie Robinson, on his sitcom, The Steve Harvey Show
His acting career grew and he began appearing in movies, including Big Momma's House, Dr. Dolittle 2,
Barbershop, Barbershop 2, Serving Sara, Johnson Family Vacation, Intolerable Cruelty, Man of the House,
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Be Cool.
Finesse Mitchell
Comedian, From 2003 to 2006, he was a regular performer on Saturday Night Live.
Mitchell has also appeared on such television shows as Showtime
at the Apollo and NBC's Late Friday.He is a graduate of the
University of Miami, where he was a member of the University of Miami's football team
Montell Jordan
Recording Artist
Beta Omega(Pepperdine),1989
Donnell Jones
R&B singer
Bobby Valentino
R&B singer, He first entered the music scene in 1996 with the
now-defunct youth quartet Mista. Some years after Mista
disbanded, he enrolled in Clark Atlanta University where he
majored in Mass Communications, graduating in 2003 with a
Bachelor of Arts degree. He is also a member of
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated.
Donald Byrd
Trumpeter; Donald Byrd, Born in Detroit in 1932, his studies at Wayne State University (1954)
were interrupted by military service, during which he played in an Air Force band.
He then attended the Manhattan School of Music (MA in music education). At the same time
he was the favorite studio trumpeter of the bop label Presitge (1956-58), though he also recorded frequently
for Riverside and Blue Note.
His best-selling album Black Byrd led to the formation
of his students into the Blackbyrds, a hit group of the mid-1970s.
Kenny Burrell
Jazz Artist; A member of a musical family, Kenny Burrell began playing guitar at the age of 12.
In 1951, while studying music at Wayne State University, he worked for a month with Dizzy Gillespie's
sextet, making his recording debut. After graduating in 1955,
he toured with Oscar Peterson, and then moved to New York in 1956.
Billy Taylor
Jazz Pianist
Mark Adkins
Delta Pi - Spring '81
Sinbad's
Manager/Brother
John Marshall Jones
Northwestern's Theta Chapter, Spring '80
He is perhaps best known for portraying Floyd Henderson on the WB's Smart Guy.
Sharif Atkins
While at Northwestern in 1996, Atkins was initiated as a
member of the Theta Chapter. Television actor
who gained fame for his role as Dr. Michael Gallant,
a character that debuted in the eighth season (2001)
of the NBC Universal Television medical drama ER.
Whitman Mayo
Actor
Played "Grady" on the "Sanford and Son" sitcom,Starring Roles
The Cape (1996) - Sweets McCain
The Van Dyke Show (1988) - Doc Sterling
Hell Town (1985) - One Ball
Grady (1975) - Grady Wilson
Mayo went on to appear on shows such as Different Strokes, Hill Street Blues, and ER.
In his later years, Mayo was on the faculty of Clark Atlanta University, where he taught acting.
Whitman Mayo died on May 22, 2001
Earnest Thomas
Actor
Played "Roger" on the "What's Happening"sitcom;
Malcolm X (1992).... Sidney
... aka X (1992) (USA: poster title)
What's Happening Now!" (1985)TV Series.... Roger Thomas (segment "Raj")
Piece of the Action, A (1977).... John
1977) (mini) TV Series
What's Happening!!" (1976) TV Series.... Roger Thomas (segment "Raj")
Jester Hairston
Actor
Played "Rolly Forbes" on "Amen" and "Pops" in "I'm Gonna' Get You Sucka'!";
Starring Roles: Amen,(1986)- Rolly Forbes
That's My Mama (1974) - Wildcat
Amos 'n' Andy (1951) - Henry Van Porter / Leroy Smith
Max Juliens
Actor
Played Goldie in the Blaxploitation film "The Mack";
How to Be a Player (1997) .... Uncle Fred
... aka Def Jam's How to Be a Player (1997)
Thomasine & Bushrod (1974).... Bushrod
Mack, The (1973).... Goldie
... aka Mack and His Pack, The (1973)
Getting Straight (1970).... Ellis
Deadlock (1969/I) (TV).... Coley Walker
Up Tight! (1968).... Johnny Wells
Savage Seven, The (1968).... Grey Wolf
Psych-Out (1968).... Elwood
Black Klansman, The (1966).... Raymond
... aka I Crossed the Color Line (1966)
... aka I Crossed the Line (1966)
Xi Chapter, 1953
