 The
story of Kappa Alpha Psi is to a large extent the story of black
students everywhere, whether organized or not, who attended
predominantly white colleges or universities in America prior to
World War II. The accomplishments of these first Black students
is all the more noteworthy because typically they worked their
way through college. Their determination in the face of
seemingly insurmountable social and economic odds is the source
of inspiration to less than full privileged students at white
institutions of higher learning throughout America. To
understand this is to understand the birth of college
fraternities among Blacks.
Black-sponsored Greek letter organizations on
the Indiana University campus might well have begun in 1903, but
there were too few registrants to assure continuing
organization. In that year, a club was formed called Alpha Kappa
Nu with the purpose of strengthening the Blacks' voice at the
University and in the city of Bloomington. There is no record of
any similar organization at Indiana until the chartering of
Kappa Alpha Nu, a forerunner of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity,
Incorporated, in 1911.
The Ten Illustrious Founders gave birth to a
great concept, the idea that if we are going to be brothers, let
us be brothers on the best terms that we know. If we are going
to bind ourselves together, let it be around something that is
strong enough to hold us; if we are going to sing, let us sing
about something that will have a lasting refrain; if we drink a
toast, let it be of something beyond the trivial and the vulgar;
let us exalt the theme of achievement.
Reliance would be placed upon high Christian ideals and the
purpose of honorable achievement in every field of human
endeavor. The Fraternity would seek to raise the sights of young
black youths and stimulate them to accomplishments higher than
might otherwise not be realized or even imagined.
-----Excerpts taken from
"The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi"-----
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