A HISTORY OF THE WASHINGTON (DC)
ALUMNI CHAPTER
1975 - 1999
Paul Phillips Cooke - The 44th Laurel Wreath Wearer
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: 1975-1979______________________________________________________________ 1
Oscar L. Mims - The 24th Chapter Polemarch [1974-76].................................................................1
Crump Retires as Journal Editor_______________________________________________________ 1
The First Metropolitan Chapters Founders Day Program__________________________________1
The Unification of Vietnam___________________________________________________________ 2
The 14th Eastern Province Polemarch - James B. Abram Jr _________________________________2
The First Student Revolving Loan Fund________________________________________________ 3
The Death of Past Grand Polemarch Theophilus Mann___________________________________ 3
The 60th Grand Chapter Meeting______________________________________________________ 4
A Tribute to Founder Irvin ................................................................................................................. 4
The First Guy Levis Grant Awardees................................................................................................. 5
The First Kappa Alpha Psi Humanitarian Awardees......................................................................... 5
The 22nd Grand Polemarch – Hiliary H. Holloway........................................................................... 5
The Holloway Philosophy____________________________________________________________ 6
New Industrial Bank of Washington Vice President - Terrance G. Blount____________________ 6
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation________________________________________________6
Ronald Joseph Taylor – The 25th Chapter Polemarch [1976-78] ....................................................7
Prestigious Law Firm Partner - Samuel C. Jackson_______________________________________ 7
The 1976 Harvest Ball________________________________________________________________ 8
The 39th President - James Earl Carter Jr________________________________________________ 8
The First Black Female Cabinet Member - Patricia Roberts Harris__________________________ 9
The 36th Solicitor General of the United States - Wade McCree____________________________10
The 1977 Province Council___________________________________________________________ 10
The 1977 LaMont Lawson Awardee___________________________________________________ 11
The 61st Grand Chapter Meeting _____________________________________________________ 11
The 1978 Easter Dance ______________________________________________________________ 11
The Tribute to Past Grand Polemarch William Henry Greene_____________________________ 11
The Lost Founder ___________________________________________________________________12
Bankers Convention Speaker - Grand Polemarch Holloway______________________________ 13
Frederick B. Senior – The 26th Chapter Polemarch [1978-80] ....................................................... 13
Surprise Tribute to Keeper of Records Blount___________________________________________ 14
New President of Equico Capital - Terrance G. Blount___________________________________ 14
The 1979 Province Council___________________________________________________________ 14
The Death of a Legend – Charles Rodger Wilson ________________________________________ 14
The 62nd Grand Chapter Meeting ____________________________________________________ 15
The Featured Entertainment - Nancy Wilson .................................................................................. 15
The Chapter Grand Chapter Meeting Campaign ..............................................................................17
The National Election ........................................................................................................................17
The 23rd Grand Polemarch – Oliver S. Gumbs................................................................................ 17
The 15th Eastern Province Polemarch - Clarence F. Nelson Jr_____________________________ 18
Province Board Elects Mims Senior Grand Vice Polemarch _______________________________ 18
The First Black Female General - Hazel Johnson Brown__________________________________ 19
CHAPTER 2: 1980-1989_____________________________________________________________ 20
Frederick B. Senior - The 26th Chapter Polemarch [1978-80] ....................................................... 20
The 1980 Province Council___________________________________________________________ 20
Johnson Launches New Cable Channel________________________________________________ 20
The Buy a Brick Program____________________________________________________________ 21
Black Female Broadcast Pioneer - Cathy Hughes________________________________________ 21
Kappa Alpha Psi First Legislative Weekend____________________________________________ 22
Richard Clark - The 27th Chapter Polemarch [1980-82]................................................................22
The 40th President - Ronald Reagan___________________________________________________ 22
The 63rd Grand Chapter Meeting _____________________________________________________ 24
Washington (DC) Selected Host for 66th Grand Chapter Meeting..................................................25
The National Headquarters Fund Raising Project_______________________________________ 25
Presidential Assassination Attempt___________________________________________________ 26
The Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation_____________________________________________________ 26
The American University Chapter____________________________________________________ 26
The First Female United States Supreme Court Justice – Sandra Day O’Connor_____________ 27
The Presidental Task Force on Private Sector Initiatives__________________________________ 28
Carter Announces Candidacy for Senior Grand Vice Polemarch___________________________29
The 1982 Province Council___________________________________________________________ 29
The Death of Past Grand Polemarch William Thomas Carter_____________________________ 29
The 64th Grand Chapter Meeting_____________________________________________________ 30
The National Election ........................................................................................................................31
The 24th Grand Polemarch – Robert L. Gordon............................................................................... 31
Terrance G. Blount – The 28th Chapter Polemarch [1982-84] ...................................................... 32
The Conclave Planning Committee ___________________________________________________ 32
The Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program _________________________________________________ 33
The Passing of Founder Edward Giles Irvin ____________________________________________ 33
New National Awards_______________________________________________________________33
The First Council of Junior Province Vice Polemarchs Meeting ____________________________34
Republican Civil Rights Pioneer Samuel C. Jackson to Chapter Invisible ___________________ 34
The Council of Province Polemarchs Meeting __________________________________________ 34
The 1983 Province Council___________________________________________________________ 35
Washington Silhouettes 25th Anniversary Celebration ___________________________________ 35
The 1983 Kappa House Issue _________________________________________________________ 35
The 20th Anniversary March on Washington Rally______________________________________ 36
The First Celebrity Auction__________________________________________________________ 36
The Death of Past Grand Polemarch William Henry Greene______________________________ 37
The Charter Bus to the Conclave______________________________________________________ 37
The 65th Grand Chapter Meeting_____________________________________________________ 38
The 1984 Off Site Chapter Meetings___________________________________________________ 38
Chapter Forms Charitable Affiliate ____________________________________________________39
Mims Announces Retirement as Eastern Province Senior Vice Polemarch __________________ 39
The 1984 Province Council___________________________________________________________ 39
The 1984 Easter Dance – Surprise Guests_______________________________________________39
The 1984 Awards Program___________________________________________________________ 40
Leroy Brown Jr - The 29th Chapter Polemarch [1984-86] ............................................................. 40
The Fourth Executive Secretary of Kappa Alpha Psi – Algernon F. Moultrie ________________ 40
Washington Alumni Prepares for the 66th Grand Chapter Meeting________________________ 41
Scholarship Endowment Fund Receives Tax Exemption _________________________________ 41
The Fifth Kappa Alpha Psi Journal Editor – Jonathan P. Hicks____________________________ 41
The Local Conclave Publication ______________________________________________________ 42
The 66th Grand Chapter Meeting_____________________________________________________ 42
The National Election ........................................................................................................................44
The 25th Grand Polemarch – Randall C. Bacon............................................................................... 44
The Fourth General Counsel – Cleophus Thomas Jr _____________________________________ 45
The Bacon Task Forces_______________________________________________________________45
National Headquarters Additions_____________________________________________________45
The Diamond Jubilee Committee _____________________________________________________ 46
National Committee and Commission Chairmen_______________________________________ 46
The Kappa Foundation Club _________________________________________________________ 46
Samuel McCoy - The 30th Chapter Polemarch [1986-88] .............................................................. 46
The 1986 Province Council___________________________________________________________ 47
The 16th Eastern Province Polemarch - Howard L. Tutman Jr_____________________________ 47
The 67th Grand Chapter Meeting – the Diamond Jubilee Celebration______________________ 47
The Religious Service........................................................................................................................ 48
The Public Meeting........................................................................................................................... 48
The Business Sessions ....................................................................................................................... 48
The National Headquarters............................................................................................................... 48
The Awards Program........................................................................................................................ 48
The Undergraduate Luncheon .......................................................................................................... 49
The Champagne Breakfast................................................................................................................. 49
The Pilgrimage to Bloomington........................................................................................................ 49
The Graveside Ceremony................................................................................................................... 49
Special Gifts....................................................................................................................................... 49
The Diamond Jubilee Closed Banquet................................................................................................49
The Commemorative Scroll ............................................................................................................... 50
The Commemorative Plaque ..............................................................................................................50
The National Election ........................................................................................................................50
The 17th Guy Levis Grant Awardee – Richard A. Naylor II............................................................ 51
The Ninth Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer – Terrance G Blount...................................... 51
The Death of Past Grand Polemarch Earl B. Dickerson___________________________________ 51
The Death of Past Grand Polemarch Frank M. Summers_________________________________ 51
The 17th Eastern Province Polemarch - Charles A. Brockett_______________________________ 51
The Fifth Executive Secretary of Kappa Alpha Psi – Dr. Oscar L. Mims_____________________ 52
The Martin Luther King Prayer Breakfast______________________________________________ 52
The Sale of the Kappa House_________________________________________________________ 52
New Leadership at the Kappa Foundation _____________________________________________ 53
New Basketball Coach at South Carolina State University - Cy Alexander__________________ 53
The Debt Liquidation Party __________________________________________________________ 53
The 1987 Halloween Gala____________________________________________________________ 53
Grand Polemarch Position on Fraternity Organizational Structure_________________________53
The 1988 Easter Dance ______________________________________________________________ 54
Walter H. Brown Jr - The 31st Chapter Polemarch [1988-90] ...................................................... 54
A NewKappa House Proposition_____________________________________________________ 54
The 68th Grand Chapter Meeting_____________________________________________________ 55
The Salute to Blacks in the Military..................................................................................................57
The 26th Grand Polemarch – Dr. Ulysses McBride......................................................................... 58
The 18th Eastern Province Polemarch - Howard L. Tutman Jr_____________________________ 59
The New Pledge Program ___________________________________________________________ 59
Two Civil Rights Organizations Eliminate Turf Battles___________________________________ 59
Smith Named Acting Executive Secretary ______________________________________________ 60
The 41st President - George Herbert Walker Bush_______________________________________ 60
The International Headquarters Task Force_____________________________________________62
New Role for C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference__________________________________63
The Province Polemarch Directives____________________________________________________63
Black Enterprise Magazine Adds Washington Alumni Member ___________________________ 63
The 75th Anniversary of the Kappa Journal____________________________________________ 63
The Death of Past Journal Editor Earl S. Clanton III______________________________________64
The International Headquarters Ground Breaking Ceremony _____________________________64
The International Headquarters Contribution Recognitions______________________________ 65
The Sixth Kappa Alpha Psi Journal Editor – A. Van Jordan _______________________________ 65
The First Black Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff – Colin Powell________________________ 65
The Panamanian Affair______________________________________________________________ 66
The 69th Grand Chapter Meeting_____________________________________________________ 66
CHAPTER 3: 1990-1999_____________________________________________________________ 69
Walter H. Brown Jr - The 31st Chapter Polemarch [1988-90] ...................................................... 69
The End of the Cold War ____________________________________________________________ 69
The Risk Avoidance Workshops______________________________________________________ 69
The Membership Intake Program_____________________________________________________ 69
The First Black Governor of the Commonwealth - L. Douglas Wilder ______________________ 70
Walter E. Fowlkes - The 32nd Chapter Polemarch [1990-92] ....................................................... 71
The Persian Gulf War_______________________________________________________________ 71
The Death of Laurel Wreath Wearer George James Fleming _______________________________71
The New Chapter Agenda___________________________________________________________ 72
The Seventh Journal Editor – Mel. Davis_______________________________________________ 72
The Dedication of the International Headquarters_______________________________________72
The Revitalization of the Chapter Guide Right Program _________________________________ 73
Maury Elementary School Project.................................................................................................... 73
WKAY – 100 Program...................................................................................................................... 74
The Kappa Foundation Grant............................................................................................................74
New US Supreme Court Associate Justice - Clarence Thomas_____________________________ 74
The 70th Grand Chapter Meeting_____________________________________________________ 75
The Arrington Resolution................................................................................................................. 79
The First William L. Crump National History Awardee - George F. David III............................... 79
The 27th Grand Polemarch – Robert L. Harris................................................................................. 80
The 19th Eastern Province Polemarch - William B. Croom ________________________________ 81
The Sixth Executive Secretary of Kappa Alpha Psi - Dr. W. Theodore Smith_________________ 81
International Headquarters Library Honors Margaret Arrington__________________________ 81
The End of Apartheid_______________________________________________________________ 82
Centennial Celebration for Irven Armstrong ___________________________________________ 82
The Chapter Bylaws________________________________________________________________ 82
New United Nations Ambassador - Edward Perkins____________________________________ 82
Anthony B. Hill -The 33rd Chapter Polemarch [1992-95] ............................................................. 83
A New Economic Thrust_____________________________________________________________83
The 42nd President - William Clinton _________________________________________________ 84
New Georgia Congressman - Sanford D. Bishop Jr______________________________________ 85
New Maryland Congressman - Albert Wynn___________________________________________ 86
Kappa Billion Dollar Brother - Reginald Lewis__________________________________________86
The Juvenile At Risk Room __________________________________________________________ 87
The Death of Judge Thurgood Marshall________________________________________________87
The Maury Elementary School Project_________________________________________________ 88
The 1993 Metropolitan Founders Day Programs________________________________________ 88
The Death of Laurel Wreath Wearer Arthur Robert Ashe _________________________________ 88
The 71st Grand Chapter Meeting _____________________________________________________ 88
The First Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation Luncheon ............................................................................90
The 30th Anniversary March on Washington___________________________________________ 90
The First Black United State Surgeon General - Dr. Jocelyn Elders_________________________ 90
Black on Black Crime _______________________________________________________________ 91
The Death of Past Grand Polemarch Oliver S. Gumbs____________________________________91
1993 Nobel Peace Prize Recipient - Nelson Mandela_____________________________________ 91
The 1994 Metropolitan Chapters Founders Day Programs________________________________ 94
Grand Polemarch on Underground Pledging ___________________________________________ 94
The Southeast Missouri State University Tragedy _______________________________________ 94
Fraternity Suspends New Member Activities___________________________________________ 95
The First Chapter Advisors Workshop_________________________________________________ 95
New Anheuser Busch Executive – John Jacob ___________________________________________95
The First Undergraduate Leadership Summit___________________________________________97
New Acting Athletic Director at Howard University - A. B. Williamson ____________________ 97
Washington Alumni honors Kappa Congressmen_______________________________________ 97
Kappa Scholarship Named Endowment Program_______________________________________ 98
The WKAY-100 Life Management and Leadership Development Program__________________ 98
The 1994 Winter Province Board of Directors Meeting___________________________________ 98
The 20th Eastern Province Polemarch - Joseph E. Finley _________________________________ 98
The 1995 Special Province Board of Directors Meeting___________________________________ 99
The 1995 Metropolitan Chapters Founders Day Programs________________________________ 99
The 1995 Province Council___________________________________________________________ 99
Barrington D. Scott – The 34th Chapter Polemarch [1995-96]................................................... 100
Expansion of WKAY-100 Project_____________________________________________________ 101
The 72nd Grand Chapter Meeting ___________________________________________________ 101
The 28th Grand Polemarch – Ronald R. Young ............................................................................. 102
The 30th Senior Grand Vice Polemarch – Howard L. Tutman Jr.................................................. 102
The 11th Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer – William B. Croom........................................102
New Achievement Commission Chairman – Anthony Hill______________________________ 103
The Kappa Alpha Psi Legal Defense Fund____________________________________________ 103
The Million Man March ____________________________________________________________ 103
The Chapter Development Specialists________________________________________________ 105
First African American NIC President – Hiliary H. Holloway____________________________ 105
The United Negro College Fund_____________________________________________________ 105
The Chapter House Rehabilitation Committee_________________________________________ 106
The Death of Past Grand Polemarch Irven Armstrong __________________________________ 106
Charlie Mahone Jr - The 35th Chapter Polemarch [1996-98] ...................................................... 106
Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter Celebrates 75th Anniversary ___________________________ 106
First African American Secretary of Labor - Alexis Herman______________________________107
The Chapter Strategic Planning Session _______________________________________________107
The Death of Laurel Wreath Candidate Samuel DeWitt Proctor__________________________ 107
The 73rd Grand Chapter Meeting ____________________________________________________ 108
The 21st Eastern Province Polemarch - Anthony B. Hill _________________________________ 109
The Seventh Executive Director of Kappa Alpha Psi – Richard Lee Snow__________________ 110
The 1998 Province Council__________________________________________________________ 110
The Governance Task Force _________________________________________________________ 111
Michael R. Butler - The 36th Chapter Polemarch [1998-00]....................................................... 112
The Clinton Impeachment__________________________________________________________ 112
The Death of a Legend – Judge William S. Thompson___________________________________114
The 1999 Province Council__________________________________________________________ 116
The Eastern Province Life Membership Program _______________________________________117
The 74th Grand Chapter Meeting____________________________________________________ 117
The 29th Grand Polemarch – Howard L. Tutman Jr ...................................................................... 117
The Death of a Basketball Pioneer - John B. McLendon__________________________________118
Washington Alumni Chapter 75th Anniversary Celebration_____________________________ 120
Little Rock Nine Receive Highest Civilian Award______________________________________ 121
THE APPENDIX__________________________________________________________________ 122
The Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter Grand Polemarchs: 1975 - 1999 .................................. 122
The Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter Grand Chapter Officers: 1975 - 1999 ......................... 122
The Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter Grand Chapter Meetings: 1975 - 1999 ....................... 122
The Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter Eastern Province Polemarchs: 1975 - 1999............... 122
The Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter Eastern Province Councils: 1975 - 1999 .................... 122
The Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter Polemarchs: 1975 - 1999 .............................................. 122
The Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter Laurel Wreath Wearers: 1975 - 1999 ......................... 123
The 27th Laurel Wreath Wearer [1977]: Dr. William Thomas Carter........................................... 123
The 36th Laurel Wreath Wearer [1985]: Ernest Harold Davenport, CPA..................................... 123
The 42nd Laurel Wreath Wearer - Dr. William L. Crump............................................................. 123
The 44th Laurel Wreath Wearer [1995]: Dr. Paul Philips Cooke................................................... 123
The Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter Elder Watson Diggs Awardees: 1975 - 1999............. 125
The 25th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee [1980]: Dr. Herman J. Tyrance ...................................... 125
The 34th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee [1983]: Sylvester R. Hall................................................ 125
The 36th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee [1985] – James Carter Jr ................................................. 125
The 50th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee [1993]: Dr. Joseph Bruton .............................................. 126
The 58th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee [1995]: Dr. Oscar L. Mims ............................................. 126
The 63rd Elder Watson Diggs Awardee [1999]: Atty. Richard Clark............................................ 127
Chapter Grand Chapter Awards: 1975 - 1999................................................................................128
Chapter Pillar of the Province Awardees: 1975 - 1999................................................................ 128
The Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter LaMont H. Lawson Awardees: 1975 - 1999.............. 128
Executive Order Number One.......................................................................................................... 129
Executive Order Number Two......................................................................................................... 130
Executive Order Number Three........................................................................................................132
Washington (DC) Notables & Pioneers......................................................................................... 134
The First Black Female Delegate to US House of Representatives- Eleanor Holmes Norton ........ 134
Fortune 300 Chief Executive Officer – A. Barry Rand ................................................................... 135
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
CHAPTER 1: 1975-1979
Oscar L. Mims - The 24th Chapter Polemarch [1974-76]
Oscar Lugree Mims was born June 7, 1934, in Washington [DC]. A product of the DC Public School
system, Mims was an outstanding basketball player at Dunbar High
School. He matriculated at DC Teachers College and earned a BS degree
[1959]. He also attended Bank Street College of New York, and earned a MS
degree from Howard University [1964] and an Ed.D degree from the
University of Massachusetts [1971]. In 1974, he attended the prestigious
Federal Executive Institute.
Mims was a unique professional. Trained as an educator, he was a career
federal government employee who spent most of his career at the
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and the Department of
Housing and Urban Development. Mims was an adjunct professor at the
University of Massachusetts and a consultant to several professional
organizations.
His professional affiliations included - National Community School
Education Association, National Education Association, American Association of School
Administrators, American Council of Education, National Advocacy Committee on Black Higher
Education, and American Society for Public Administrators. He was extremely active in a number
of community and social action organizations, including the Urban League and the NAACP. His
outstanding service earned him numerous awards, and recognition in the Third edition of Who’s
Who Among Black Americans.
Mims, a 1955 Beta Kappa initiate, was Polemarch [1956-59] and its de facto leader during a period
when it did not have sufficient members to meet the minimum membership requirements.
Mims affiliated with the Chapter during the 1960s. The members elected him Vie Polemarch in
1963 and again in 1971. Mims attended his first Grand Chapter meeting as a Scroller in 1954. His
fond memories of the experience and the desire to host the Fraternity as a member led to his
involvement with every committee impaneled by the Chapter to host a Grand Chapter meeting. He
was a local co-chairman of the 66th Grand Chapter meeting. He earned a LaMont H Lawson
Award for his dedicated service to the Chapter.
Within the Eastern Province, Mims served as Nominating Committee chairman [1962-64], Board of
Directors [1977-1979], and Senior Vice Polemarch [1979-1984].
In 1982, Grand Polemarch Gordon appointed Mims the National C. Rodger Wilson Leadership
Conference chairman. In 1986, the Executive Committee, pursuant to a recommendation of Grand
Polemarch Bacon, appointed Mims the fifth Executive Secretary of Kappa Alpha Psi. He was the
first member of the Chapter to hold this position.
Crump Retires as Journal Editor
Journal Editor Crump announced his retirement effective with the publishing of the December
1974 issue after 25 years of service. Crump continued to raise the bar of excellence established
by his two predecessors.
The First Metropolitan Chapters Founders Day Program
For years, the chapters in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan areas held separate programs
to honor the founding of the Fraternity. In 1974, Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter Polemarch
Joseph Bruton asked Vice Polemarch Oscar L. Mims to organize a joint program with the other
area alumni chapters – Annapolis (MD) Alumni, Baltimore (MD) Alumni, Columbia (MD)
Alumni, and Silver Spring (MD) Alumni. Polemarch Bruton felt a joint program would improve
the fellowship among the brothers and would eliminate possible conflicts among programs
sponsored by the chapters, including the area undergraduate chapters. Vice Polemarch Mims
enlisted the assistance of Howard L. Tutman Jr [Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter], a fellow
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
employee at the US Department of HUD, and Dr. Samuel Proctor Massie [Annapolis (MD)
Alumni Chapter] in this endeavor.
The Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter hosted the first program in January 1975 at the Howard
University Blackburn Center. The chapters agreed to hold the affair each year and to name it the
Metropolitan Chapters Founders Day program. Each area alumni and undergraduate chapter
would not only have input into the formal program but would also have roles in the program.
The chapters agreed to rotate the site of the affair among the cities in the Baltimore-Washington
corridor and that any excess funds generated by a program would help offset the cost of the
affair for the succeeding year. Hence, it was not a fund raising activity for any chapter.
The success of the 1973 Celebration sponsored by the Hampton [VA] Alumni Chapter and this
affair prompted chapters in the southwestern and Eastern Shore regions of the Province to
adopt a similar format. To avoid conflicts, no cluster area Founders Day Program occurs on the
same day. This enables brothers from different parts of the Province to attend programs outside
their immediate area.
The Unification of Vietnam
The weakening of South Vietnam following the signing of the Paris Peace Treaty led Hanoi to
believe it could win control over the South through a massive conventional invasion. It set 1975
as the year to mount a final offensive. Hanoi expected the offensive to last at least two years but
the rapid collapse of the South Vietnamese Army surprised them. After the initial attack in the
Central Highlands northeast of Saigon on January 7, 1975, the South Vietnamese Army began to
fall apart. On March 25, 1975, the ancient imperial city of Hue fell and on March 29, 1975, Da
Nang, site of a former U.S. military headquarters, fell. On April 20, 1975, President Thieu
resigned, accusing the U. S. of betrayal. On April 30, 1975, his successor issued his unconditional
surrender to the Provisional Revolutionary Government. Almost 30 years after the declaration
of independence by Ho Chi Minh, there was finally a unified Vietnam.
The 14th Eastern Province Polemarch - James B. Abram Jr
James B. Abram Jr, a native of Oklahoma, earned a BA degree from Langston University [1959],
and MS and PhD degrees from Oklahoma State University in 1963 and
1968 respectively. He was an outstanding scholar and a member of –
Sigma Xi, Kappa Delta Pi, Alpha Kappa Mu and Beta Kappa Chi
fraternities.
Abram began his career in 1959 as a high school science teacher. In
1963, he accepted a position in the Biology Department at the
Maryland State College. Between 1963 and 1970, he become an
Associate Professor of Biology at the College. In 1970, he moved to
Hampton Institute as an Associate Professor of Biology and was
promoted to Professor of Biology in 1973. While at Hampton, Abram
helped form a chapter of the American Institute of Biological Sciences.
Abram was also a consultant in health sciences for Bennett College
[Greensboro, NC], a member of the Middle States Association Accreditation team, and a
panelist for the National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship Program. He wrote and
published several articles and received professional awards for his achievements in biology.
Abram, a 1956 initiate of the Langston University Chapter, the Alpha Pi of Kappa Alpha Psi, was a
part of a Kappa legacy. His father - James Branch Abram - was a 1941 initiate of the Tulsa (OK)
Alumni Chapter affiliated with the Oklahoma City (OK) Alumni Chapter. James B. Abram III,
his son, was a 1981 Alpha Iota initiate.
While a student at Langston, Abram served as Keeper of Records and Polemarch. At the 47th
Grand Chapter meeting [1958], the delegates elected him the Grand Lieutenant Strategus. In
1973, Grand Polemarch Allen, who had known Abram from his days as a Southwestern
Province Polemarch [1956-1964], appointed him the National Guide Right Director.
Abram was affiliated with several alumni chapters located in areas where he was pursuing his
career endeavors. He was affiliated with the Oklahoma City (OK) Alumni Chapter [1959-1963]
and served as the Chapter Historian. The members of the Middle Western Province also elected
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
him the Province Historian. In 1963, he affiliated with the Princess Anne (MD) Alumni Chapter.
Within that chapter, he served as Keeper of Records. Province Polemarch Tildon appointed him
the advisor to the Gamma Xi. In 1971, Abram affiliated with the Hampton (VA) Chapter. Within
that chapter, he served as Polemarch. Province Polemarch Overton appointed him advisor to
the Beta Chi. The delegates at the 1970 Eastern Province Council elected Abram to the Province
Board of Directors.
As Province Polemarch, Abram established three major achievement awards The William Henry Greene Award
The William Thomas Carter Award
The I. W. E. Taylor Award
The First Student Revolving Loan Fund
Past Grand Polemarch W. Henry Greene – a member of the Howard University Board of
Trustees - presented a program to the Fraternity designed to help students with emergencies. Dr.
Greene was well aware of the various financial packages available to students at Howard
University but felt there was a need for a program to help students buy small items and books.
He proposed a student revolving loan fund that would enable students to borrow small amounts to
meet emergencies. The principal payments together with the interest would replenish the fund
for the next set of students requiring assistance. Brothers could establish funds at their alma
maters by contributing at least $500. The Fraternity through its Scholarship Endowment Fund
would add an additional $500, to increase the total to at least $1,000.
Past Grand Polemarch Greene presented a check to Carl Anderson [Washington (DC) Alumni
Chapter], Vice President of Student Affairs, to establish the first fund at Howard University.
Besides Past Grand Polemarch Greene, the organizing contributors from the Washington (DC)
Alumni Chapter included Past Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Jesse O. Dedmon Jr
Past Grand Board member James Carter Jr
Past Chapter Polemarch Joseph Bruton
Past Chapter Polemarch Richard Clark
Past Chapter Polemarch C. K. Brown
S. Roy Bryant
J. W. Cutliff
William S. Harps
John T. Harrison III
Columbus W. Kelley
Jesse Morton
Sylvester F. Posey
Bernard F. Sewell
The Eastern Province was the first province to establish Kappa Alpha Psi Student Revolving Loan
funds at each institution of higher learning where there was a Fraternity chapter .
The Death of Past Grand Polemarch Theophilus Mann
On May 11, 1975, Theophilus Mann, the ninth Grand Polemarch, died at Provident Hospital.
His funeral attracted hundreds of dignitaries, civic leaders, and friends, to the Miller & Major
Cathedral Chapel in Chicago to pay their final respects. Grand Polemarch Allen read a
resolution from the Fraternity. Past Grand Polemarchs Wilson and Dickerson presented a
resolution from the Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter, and Mayor Daley extended an official tribute
on behalf of the city.
Past Grand Polemarch Mann was an officer in the US Army who earned several awards while
serving in the European theater during World War II. He retired from the US Army Reserves as
a Lieutenant Colonel.
Within the Chicago community, Past Grand Polemarch Mann was Vice Chairman of the
Chicago Housing Authority, Chairman of the Chicago Housing Authority Integration
Committee, a member of the Police Board, a board member of the Supreme Life Insurance
Company, and a trustee of the Provident Hospital.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The 60th Grand Chapter Meeting
The Fraternity held its 60th Grand Chapter meeting on August 8-12, 1976 at the Fairmont Hotel
in New Orleans, LA with the New Orleans (LA) and the Alpha Sigma as the hosts. The meeting
attracted the usual Fraternity dignitaries, including –
Founder Byron K. Armstrong
Founder Edward G. Irvin
Past Grand Polemarch W. Thomas Carter
Past Grand Polemarch Ernest H. Davenport
Past Grand Polemarch Thomas Bradley
Past Grand Polemarch C. Rodger Wilson
Past Grand Polemarch W. Henry Greene
Past Grand Polemarch Earl B. Dickerson
The Public Meeting was held in the main ballroom of the Fairmont Hotel. US Air Force (four
star) General Daniel “Chappie” James, a 1969 Nashville (TN) Alumni Chapter initiate, was the
principal speaker. James, the first black four star general in the history of the military,
challenged the audience to prepare for the second half of the 20th century. The Public Meeting
was also the forum for the most significant display of appreciation to an individual member of
the Fraternity – Founder Edward Giles Irvin, the 24th recipient of the Laurel Wreath.
The Awards Program was another spectacular event highlighted by the dynamic oratory of
Cleophus Thomas Jr, a 1974 initiate of the Epsilon Epsilon at Miles College and among the
organizers of the Eta Chi at the University of Alabama in 1975. Thomas, the first black elected
president of the University of Alabama Student Council, was the first member of a Greek letter
chapter featured as the keynote speaker at a public event of a Grand Chapter meeting. Grand
Polemarch Allen presented a number of awards to members, including three Elder Watson Diggs
Awards and the first Guy Levis Grant Awards.
The delegates passed a resolution acknowledging the accomplishments of the Fraternity during
the tenure of Grand Polemarch Allen, including –
Establishing a Headquarters Management Committee
Establishing the Guy Levis Grant Award
National recognition to non-members
Revision of the National Pledge Manual
Establishing the Publications Endowment Fund
Acquiring Province flags
Purchasing property next to the National Headquarters
Initiation of controls for pledging
Establishing the Kappa Alpha Psi Housing and Economic Development Corporation
A Tribute to Founder Irvin
The presentation of a Laurel Wreath to a member is an occasion highlighted by a synopsis of the
achievements of the recipient. However, the conferral to Founder Irvin took the presentation to
a new level. Besides the impressive jeweled pin and certificate of achievement, Founder Irvin
received a book of special letters from the most honored members of the Fraternity, and several
prominent individuals. Grand Polemarch Allen read exerts of some of the letters to Founder
Irvin as the audience listed carefully to the announced author and the comments. They included
Attorney Hiliary H. Holloway [Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer]: “You have
endeared yourself to a generation of Kappas and others, and stand as a monument of
achievement, humility and sterling character. You have made it your practice to see
that we not only put men into Kappa but that we put the precepts and traditions of
Kappa into men.”
Dr. William Thomas Carter [20th Grand Polemarch]: “No worthier Laurel Wreath
designate graces our illustrious fraternal community. At an age when most of our
elder brothers have become inactive, you have remained a young at heart Kappaman
and by your presence and counsel have contributed to Kappa’s greatness.”
Attorney Richard B. Millspaugh [17th Grand Polemarch]: “Over the years and
particularly during the period when it was my honor to serve our Fraternity as an
officer, I could always be confident of my position whenever I looked in your
direction and observed your nod of affirmation.”
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
•
•
Attorney Earl Burris Dickerson [fifth Grand Polemarch and 14th Laurel Wreath
recipient]: “Conferral of the Laurel Wreath is our highest honor for achievement, a
tangible recognition of your life long faith and unshakeable belief in Kappa Alpha Psi,
and I am extremely proud to be among those who salute you on this memorable
occasion.”
George Taliaferro [a 1948 initiate at the Alpha and Special Assistant to the President of
Indiana University]: “You have been a giant model, a beacon light, and a calm and
steady influence. I would like to make a presentation from the Trustees, President and
Faculty of Indiana University to Edward G. Irvin, founder of Kappa Alpha Psi
Fraternity, in recognition of his courage and leadership in founding the Kappa Alpha
Psi Fraternity; in appreciation of his fraternal award of the Laurel Wreath; as a son of
Indiana University; and a pioneer journalist.”
Gerald R. Ford [38th President of the United States]: “It can give you a great sense of
satisfaction to know that this fine organization has exerted such a positive influence
on our society. You can be especially heartened by the inspiration and direction its
programs have given young Americans, thus helping to ensure the vitality and
strength of our nation for many years to come.”
Richard J. Daly [39th Mayor of Chicago (IL)]: “I want to join with your many
admirers throughout the country in congratulating you for the contributions to
America you made through the founding of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. You led
the way despite, great obstacles, and have benefited many black students and our
entire country.”
The First Guy Levis Grant Awardees
Stephen Alexander, Langston University [Alpha Pi of Kappa Alpha Psi]
Joseph Jimerson, Univ. of Southern California [Beta Omega of Kappa Alpha Psi]
Cleophus Thomas Jr. University of Alabama [Eta Chi of Kappa Alpha Psi]
Walter Peacock, University of Louisville [Alpha Omicron of Kappa Alpha Psi]
The First Kappa Alpha Psi Humanitarian Awardees
The Grand Board of Directors authorized the presentation of an award to non members to
acknowledge their contributions to society and the world community. The award included a
framed citation summarizing the achievements of the recipient.
• United States Supreme Court Associate Justice William Orville Douglas;
• Paul Robeson, a renowned activist
The 22 nd Grand Polemarch – Hiliary H. Holloway
Hiliary H. Holloway, a native of Durham [NC], was one of the most recognized members of the
Fraternity when he placed his name before the delegates at the 60th Grand Chapter as a
candidate for the office of Grand Polemarch. His record within the Fraternity was impeccable.
Holloway was the first Executive Secretary of Kappa Alpha Psi and with the assistance of his wife –
Gwen – and sister – Margaret - opened the first National Headquarters.
He resigned as Executive Secretary in 1965 to embark upon a legal career
that included his appointment, in 1968, as Vice President and General
Counsel at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
When Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer J. Ernest Wilkins Jr chose
to retire at the conclusion of the 43rd Grand Chapter meeting [1953], the
new Executive Secretary volunteered to accept the additional
responsibilities of that office, making him the first employee of the
Fraternity to serve as an elected officer. The delegates at the 54th Grand
Chapter meeting [1966] elected him the Grand Keeper of Records and
Exchequer. At each subsequent Grand Chapter between 1968 and 1975,
the delegates affirmed their confidence in him by electing him to office,
without any opposition. When he announced his candidacy for Grand
Polemarch, no member opposed him, and he was essentially elected by acclimation.
Immediately following his installation, Grand Polemarch Holloway called upon chapters and
members to support the NAACP in its effort to raise funds to appeal an oppressive judgment
handed down by a Mississippi State Court. The respect and admiration for the new leader
resulted in thousands of contributions ranging from $100 to $1.500.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The Holloway Philosophy
Grand Polemarch Holloway believed a plan of action is – “that vital document elaborating
where we are, where we want to be, and how we are going to get there.” He impaneled a Long
Range Planning Committee chaired by Past Grand Polemarch Carter to develop a mission
statement and an action plan. He appointed Past Grand Polemarch Allen to head a fund raising
drive for the Publications Endowment Fund. He designated the Kappa Housing and Economic
Development Corporation, headed by Past Grand Polemarch Davenport, as the official Fraternity
travel, housing and conference coordinator. This was along with its responsibilities for
developing and implementing programs to provide opportunities for brothers to participate in
housing and economic development projects.
New Industrial Bank of Washington Vice President - Terrance G. Blount
On April 1, 1976, Terrance G. Blount [New York (NY) Alumni Chapter] became a Vice President
and Senior Loan Officer at the Industrial Bank of Washington. Industrial, one of the largest
minority-owned institutions in the nation, had been a fixture in Washington (DC) since 1934.
Born in Washington [DC] but reared in Greensboro [NC], Blount attended North Carolina
College [1963-64] before transferring to Howard University and earning a BS degree [1967]. In
1968, he enlisted in the US Army to attend Officer Candidate School.
Following a three-year tour as a commissioned officer in the Military Intelligence Branch, he
joined the Bankers Trust Company of New York [1971] as a loan officer trainee. Blount finished
third in a class of 15 despite the fact his training was not in business as was many of his
classmates. The bank assigned him to its Fifth Avenue Office – the largest in the system and
whose corporate customers had the most sophisticated and complex credit needs. The Office
Executive appointed Blount head of the corporate credit department in September 1972, making
him the first black appointee. In December 1972, the bank promoted Blount and assigned him to
its office in the heart of the garment district. There, Blount came under the watchful high of one
of the most respected corporate lenders in the system. Under his tutelage, Blount sharpen his
lending skills. The garment district consisted of manufacturers who were the principal
suppliers to the major retailers in the nation. They were accustomed to interacting with bankers
with ethnic backgrounds similar to their backgrounds. However, they came to accept Blount
and readily discussed their business needs with him. The bank appointed Blount an officer in
December 1973.
When Blount moved to Washington, he was in the midst of building a successful career at the
bank and in line for a promotion to an elite loan production group. He was one of the youngest
senior managers in the nation. During his tenure at Industrial, Blount worked with George
Brokemond, a 1957 Beta initiate and President of Highland Community Bank of Chicago, to
expand the lending activities among minority banks with Fortune 500 corporations.
Blount pledged the Fraternity at the Alpha Kappa [1964] and was a 1975 initiate of the New York
(NY) Alumni Chapter. At the New York Alumni Chapter, he published the first Chapter
newsletter. When he moved to Washington [DC] in 1976, he affiliated with the Washington [DC]
Alumni Chapter. In February 1977, Grand Polemarch Holloway appointed Life Member Blount
to the Fraternity Finance Committee.
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
In 1976, the Congressional Black Caucus formed the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
Democratic Congresswoman Yvonne Burke [CA], the Caucus chairperson, was a driving force
behind the formation of the Foundation. The incorporating board of directors were •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Congresswoman Burke [President]
Albert Nellums [Vice President]
Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm
Congresswoman Cardiss Collins
Congressman Parren Mitchell
Congressman Andrew Young
Roscoe Dellums
Olfield Dukes [a 1956 initiate of the Alpha Beta at Detroit Teacher College]
Robert Green
Coretta Scott King
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
•
•
•
•
Dr. Benjamin Mays
Alma Rangle
LeBaron Taylor
Barbara Williams
The Foundation is a non partisan, nonprofit, public policy, research, and educational institute. As
envisioned by its founders, its mission is – “to serve as a non-partisan policy oriented catalyst
that educates future leaders and promotes collaboration among legislators, business leaders,
minority-focused organizational leaders, and organized labor to effect positive and sustainable
change in the black community.” The Foundation has worked to broaden and elevate the
influence of blacks in the political, legislative and public policy arenas. In aiding policy makers,
the Foundation sponsors forums and leadership seminars to stimulate dialogue and to educate
blacks in the fundamentals of legislative and public policy development. These forums bring
together people of diverse perspectives to explore and formulate solutions to critical domestic
and foreign policy issues confronting the black community.
Corporate contributions and fundraising events support the Foundation programs. Each
September, the Foundation sponsors the Annual Legislative Conference in Washington [DC], which
provides a national forum to develop strategies and viable solutions to public policy issues
facing Black America. During the Conference, Caucus members and their spouses join the
Foundation in hosting several special events including an Awards Dinner, Prayer Breakfast,
Benefit Concert, Fashion Show and a number of other events to generate revenue to support the
education and leadership programs. Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter was one
of the first presidential candidates to address the Foundation Awards Dinner.
Ronald Joseph Taylor – The 25th Chapter Polemarch [1976-78]
Ronald Joseph Taylor, a native Washingtonian, was a product of the
District of Columbia Public System. After graduating from Dunbar
High School, he matriculated at Howard University, earning a BS
degree in 1958. Polemarch Taylor served as an officer in the United
States Army following his graduation and separated from the military
after three years. He accepted a position in the federal government and
retired from the Department of Labor in 1990.
Taylor, a 1955 Xi initiate, was among the group of young Turks who
affiliated with the Chapter during the 1960s. He was a member of every
major committee and especially enjoyed working on the Harvest Ball
Committee. His election continued a transition of power to brothers
initiated into the Fraternity during the middle 1950s. Taylor was a
protégé of Elder Watson Diggs Awardee LaMont H. Lawson, and J.
Neal King – the 19th Polemarch.
Prestigious Law Firm Partner - Samuel C. Jackson
Attorney Samuel C. Jackson, an Assistant Secretary at the Department of HUD, left government
service, in 1976, to join the Washington [DC] branch of the Strook, Strook & Lavin law firm.
Jackson was one of the first blacks to join the firm as a partner.
Born in Kansas City [KS] at the end of the 1920s, Jackson was a product of its public school
system. After graduating from high school, he matriculated at Washburn University earning BS
and JD degrees in 1951 and 1954 respectively. While attending law school he served as a clerk in
the law office of the Scott firm, who represented the local plaintiffs in the Brown vs. Topeka
Board of Education case that eventually made its way to the US Supreme Court.
Following a tour of duty in the military, he returned to Topeka in 1957 and opened a law office.
Besides practicing law, Jackson was an active member of the NAACP. He served as president of
the Topeka chapter of the NAACP, Vice President of the Kansas NAACP State Conference, and
held several legal and executive positions in the regional and national NAACP. He was also a
Deputy General Counsel of the Kansas Department of Welfare.
In 1965, he came to Washington [DC] to serve as one of the five original members of the US
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission established by President Johnson. In 1969,
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
President Nixon appointed him General Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development. In that capacity, he was one of the highest-ranking blacks holding an
appointed government position. Jackson did not perceive his appointment as window dressing.
Rather, he used his power to promote programs that focused on the black community, and to
advance the careers of black federal career employees. During his tenure at HUD, the
percentage of blacks in managerial and supervisory positions rose dramatically.
Jackson was a Republican who often commented – “we all cannot be in the same party if we
expect to get anything done.” He was a founder of the Council of 100 – a group for black
Republicans, and an active participant in Republican politics.
At Strook, Strook & Lavin, Jackson continued his involvement in the Republican Party. Because
of his familiarity with the nuances of the operation of the federal government, he was a
principal liaison of the firm with political appointees.
Jackson always maintained contact with his Kansas roots. He was a close friend of the Scott
family, particularly Brother John Scott, and Brother William Harris, another Kansas transplant
in Washington [DC].
Jackson, a 1948 initiate of the Rho at Washburn College, was a Life Member, affiliated with local
chapters in Topeka [KS] and Washington [DC]. He was a speaker at Grand Chapter meetings
and Province Councils, and always available to a brother. Never impressed with his
accomplishments, he characterized himself as “a poor Kansas lawyer.”
The 1976 Harvest Ball
The Chapter held its annual Harvest Ball at the DC Armory during October 1976. The event
attracted guests from throughout the Washington Metropolitan area to an evening of fun and
frolic. Prominent on the dance floor for much of the evening was Past Polemarch Richard Clark
in his plaid dinner jacket. Other notables moving about through the crowd were Brothers Henry
“Hank” Young, Leroy Brown Jr, and James Hinkle. Even Keeper of Exchequer Nash partook of
the festivities but not without his cigar hanging from his mouth. While the event did not meet
financial expectations it was another fun evening for brothers and their guests.
The 39th President - James Earl Carter Jr
James Earl Carter Jr was born in Plains [GA] on October 1, 1924. He was a devout Southern
Baptist who spent his formative years learning the peanut
farming business and talking about politics. Carter attended the
local public school system and earned an appointment to the
United States Naval Academy. After graduating from the
Academy [1946], he served in the nuclear submarine program
under Admiral Hyman Rickover. In 1954, following the death of
his father, he resigned from the Navy and returned home to
Plains to run the family business.
In 1962, Carter entered politics and won election to the state
senate. In 1966, he ran for Governor of Georgia but lost. He was
successful in his second attempt in 1970. Carter was one of the
youngest governors in the nation, and attracted attention by
emphasizing ecology, efficiency in government, and the removal of racial barriers.
In 1972, the peanut farmer–politician set his sights on the presidency. In December 1974,
Governor Carter announced his candidacy for president. During the next two years, he and his
family campaigned throughout the United States projecting the image of an outsider who
wanted to restore creditability to the government. In 1975, he won the support of most of the
old Southern civil-rights coalition, primarily because of the endorsement of Georgia
Congressman Andrew Young [D-GA]. Governor Carter won 19 of 31 primaries by appealing to
conservatives and liberals, blacks and whites, and the poor and affluent. The delegates at the
1976 Democratic Convention nominated him on the first ballot. Governor Carter chose
Minnesota Senator Walter Mondale as his running mate.
Carter was one of the first politicians to recognize the importance of minorities in the general
election and was the first presidential candidate to appear at the Congressional Legislative
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Weekend. At the 1976 Congressional Black Caucus Dinner, Carter flashed his toothy smile and
opened his remarks with – “Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, my name is Jimmy
Carter and I am running for president.” Carter campaigned hard against President Ford,
debated him three times, and won by 56 electoral votes.
President Carter aspired to make government competent, compassionate, and responsive to the
American people and their expectations. In an era of rising energy costs, mounting inflation,
and continuing tensions, it was impossible for his administration to meet the high expectations
he established for his administration.
President Carter worked hard to combat the continuing economic woes of inflation and
unemployment. By the end of his administration, he could claim an increase of nearly eight
million jobs and a decrease in the budget deficit, as measured by a percentage of the gross
national product, an economic term that measures the total market value of all final goods and
services produced by the citizens of an economy during a given period, usually one year. Unfortunately,
inflation and interest rates were at near record highs, and efforts to reduce them caused a short
recession.
President Carter realized a number of achievements in domestic affairs. He addressed the
energy crisis by establishing a national energy policy and decontrolling domestic petroleum prices
to stimulate production. He promoted government efficiency through civil service reforms. He
sought to improve the environment. His expansion of the national park system included
protection of 103 million acres of Alaskan lands. To increase human and social services, he
established the Department of Education and bolstered the Social Security system. Carter
appointed record numbers of women, blacks, and Hispanics to senior government positions.
In foreign affairs, President Carter set his own style. His championing of human rights received
a chilly reception, primarily in the Soviet Union. In the Middle East, he helped bring amity
between Egypt and Israel through the Camp David Accord of 1978. He succeeded in obtaining
ratification of the Panama Canal treaties. Building upon the work of his predecessors, he
established full diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and completed
negotiation of the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty with the Soviet Union.
However, President Carter experienced some serious setbacks. The Soviet invasion of
Afghanistan led to the suspension of the ratification of the SALT II pact. The holding of the U. S.
embassy staff in Iran, as hostages, dominated the news during the last 14 months of his
administration. At the same time, inflation was spiraling out of control. The combination of the
Iran hostage crisis coupled with the continuation of high inflation was a major factor in his
unsuccessful 1980 reelection. To embarrass President Carter, the Iranian government released
the 52 hostages immediately after Ronald Reagan took the oath of office as the 40th president.
After leaving office, President Carter committed himself to humanitarian causes. Time, the
healer of all wounds, helped restore President Carter to a place of prominence within the
Democratic Party and among the world leaders.
The First Black Female Cabinet Member - Patricia Roberts Harris
President Carter appointed Patricia Roberts Harris Secretary of HUD
effective January 1977, making her the first black woman to enter the
presidential line of succession.
Born in Mattoon [IL] on May 31, 1924, she was the daughter of a railroad
dining car waiter. Roberts matriculated at Howard University graduating
summa cum laude in 1945. She did post graduate work at the University
of Chicago and American University.
Harris began her career as the first national Executive Director of Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority. When the member organizations of the National
Pan Hellenic Council agreed to support the American Council on Human
Rights, Roberts was an Assistant Director, working closely with Elmer
Henderson [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter], the Executive Director, and Past Grand
Polemarch James E. Scott.
In 1955, Roberts married William B. Harris, a member of the Howard University Law School
faculty, who urged her to pursue a law degree. She finished first in her class of 94 at George
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Washington University in 1960. After passing the DC Bar and admitted to practice before the US
Supreme Court, Harris worked at the Department of Justice in the Criminal Division. In 1961,
she left the Justice Department to become an Associate Dean of Students and lecturer in the
Howard University School of Law. In 1963, she earned a professorship and in 1969 become
Dean of the Howard University School of Law.
Harris became involved in the politics of the Democratic party while working at the Justice
Department headed by Attorney General Robert Kennedy. In 1963, President Kennedy
appointed Harris co-chairman of the National Women’s Committee on Civil Rights. In 1964, she
was elected a DC delegate to the Democratic National Convention, and seconded the
nomination of President Johnson at the 1964 Democratic Convention. President Johnson
appointed Harris, Ambassador to Luxembourg, which prevented her from lecturing at Howard
in 1965-1967. She returned to Howard, on a full time basis, following the 1969 election of
President Nixon. She resigned as Dean of the Law School, in 1972, to enter private practice with
one of the most prestigious law firms in the city.
Harris continued to work within the Democratic Party. In 1972, she was appointed chairperson
of the Credentials Committee for the 1972 Democratic Convention, and, in 1973, became a
member at large of the Democratic National Committee.
During her 1976 confirmation hearing, she was asked about her ability to represent the interests
of the poor. She responded “I am one of them. You do not seem to understand who I am. I am a Black woman, daughter of a
dining-car worker. I am a Black woman who could not buy a house eight years ago in parts of the
District of Columbia. I didn’t start out as a member of a prestigious law firm, but as a woman
who needed a scholarship to go to school. If you think that I have forgotten that, you are wrong.”
Harris served two years at HUD before becoming Secretary of the Department of Health,
Education, and Welfare, in 1979. Following the passage of the Department of Education
Organization Act [1979] that divided her department into two departments, Harris became the
first Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services until the conclusion of the
Carter presidency in 1981. She accepted a position as a Professor of Law at the George
Washington National Law Center.
Harris was a 1982 recipient of the Kappa Alpha Psi Humanitarian Award. She died from
complications associated with cancer on March 23, 1985.
The 36th Solicitor General of the United States - Wade McCree
Presidential candidate Jimmy Carter made few promises during the 1976 campaign season.
However, he gave the distinct impression to many that if he prevailed, Judge Wade Hampton
McCree Jr., US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, was his choice for Solicitor General of the
United States. The Solicitor General represents the government in all cases before the Supreme
Court. President Carter appointed Judge McCree on March 5, 1977. The Honorable Warren
Burger, Chief Justice of the US Supreme court, swore him in on March 28, 1977.
After four years of service, McCree resigned on June 30, 1981, to become the Lewis M. Simes
Professor of Law at the University of Michigan. He taught at the University until his death in
1987. At his death, McCree had served 23 years on the bench, four years as Solicitor General of
the United States, and six years as a Professor of Law. Some describe him as a lawyer's lawyer, a
judge's judge, and an intellectual giant, a role model for all in the legal profession.
The 1977 Province Council
The Roanoke (VA) Alumni Chapter and Theta Psi hosted the 1977 Province Council on April 1-3
at the Hotel Roanoke. Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Cleophus Thomas Jr attended the meeting.
This was the first meeting to have the Province Polemarch report presented in bound fashion as
a State of the Province Report. It was a 25 page comprehensive document. The major discussion
issue by Province Polemarch Abram was hazing. He reported seven incidents of hazing that led
to suspensions or fines. He also announced the appointment of six hazing investigation teams
to investigate any future hazing activities. The Province Polemarch also presented an outline for
the future of the Province.
The delegates elected Past Polemarch Oscar L. Mims to the Province Board of Directors.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The 1977 LaMont Lawson Awardee
The Chapter established the LaMont H. Lawson Award in 1972 to recognize the contributions of
brothers to the Chapter and to the enhancement of the image of the Chapter throughout the
Fraternity. It presented the initial awards the same year but did not select another recipient
until April 1977. There were a number of candidates under consideration, including Keeper of
Records William Robinson, who had performed admirably since succeeding the legendary
LaMont H. Lawson. However, the brothers elected Keeper of Exchequer Robert Theodore Nash
the sole recipient.
Nash, a native Washingtonian, was a 1953 Beta Kappa initiate Huge in stature, he headed the
Marriage Bureau for the District of Columbia government. Within the Chapter, he was a close
confidant of Past Polemarch Mims, and Brothers Alexander Jones and Albert Burgess. During
his affiliation with the Chapter, he was a member of most of its committees and seemed always
around to lend a helping hand. Within the Province, Nash prepared the annual Province
budgets during the tenure of Eastern Province Polemarchs Abram and Nelson.
The 61st Grand Chapter Meeting
Denver (CO) Alumni Chapter and the Beta Theta laid out the crimson carpet at the Denver
Hilton for the 61st Grand Chapter meeting on December 26-30, 1977. The meeting attracted the
usual Kappa dignitaries, including Founder Irvin and Past Grand Polemarchs Allen, Carter,
Davenport, Millspaugh, Wilson and Greene. The United Airlines, a major transportation carrier
in Denver, hosted a dinner reception attended by over 150 persons, including local dignitaries.
US Solicitor General Wade McCree Jr [Detroit (MI) Alumni Chapter] was the speaker at the
Public Meeting and Dr. G. James Fleming [Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter] was the Awards
Program Speaker. Grand Board member Wayne Turner was the speaker at an Undergraduate/
Alumni Luncheon that attracted over 300 brothers.
Grand Polemarch Holloway included on the business agenda reports from the several standing
committees on their activities since the last Grand Chapter meeting. This was the first time
committee chairmen presented reports at a Grand Chapter meeting.
The 1978 Easter Dance
The Chapter held its signature event – the Easter Dawn Dance at the Shoreham Hotel. Brothers
and guests, elegantly dressed in formal attire, enjoyed an evening of entertainment with music
by Robert “Bobby” Felder, a 1947 Alpha Delta initiate, and his band. Among the guests were
Mayor Walter Washington and his wife along with several members of his cabinet and their
spouses. Mayor Washington was the most powerful mayor in the nation and held in high
esteem throughout the nation.
Polemarch Taylor continued the tradition of inviting the area Polemarchs and their sweethearts
to our Cadillac event. At intermission, Brother Albert Burgess led the brothers in the singing of
traditional Kappa songs. When the event concluded, several brothers entertained their guests in
their hotel suites until the early morning hours.
The Tribute to Past Grand Polemarch William Henry Greene
61st
At the
Grand Chapter meeting, several brothers affiliated with the Washington (DC)
Alumni Chapter noticed a change in the demeanor of Past Grand Polemarch Greene. Although
he was well into his 70s, he was always an enthusiastic participant in activities at the Closed Ball.
At this Closed Ball, he did not take his traditional position at the head of the snake line that
formed following the singing of the Kappa Sweetheart Song. He also began to discuss his
funeral plans to some brothers.
In January 1978, Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter Polemarch Ronald Taylor established an ad
hoc committee chaired by Dr. Walter Tutt, a 1975 Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter initiate. Tutt
was a close friend of Past Grand Polemarch Greene, who served as his dean of pledges and
schooled him about the Fraternity. The Chapter approved a surprise affair to honor this living
legend. However, Greene learned of the plan and joined the committee planning his own tribute.
He furnished the committee with a list of people he wanted at the affair from Oklahoma, and
agreed to pay their transportation and lodging costs. He also agreed to sponsor a reception,
including an open bar preceding the program.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The affair, held on May 15, 1978, at the Shoreham Hotel, was a black tie dinner attended by over
1,500 and included some of the most influential blacks in the country. The list of Kappa
dignitaries included
Founder Edward Giles Irvin
Past Grand Polemarch William Thomas Carter
Past Grand Polemarch Ernest H. Davenport
Past Grand Polemarch Thomas Bradley
Grand Polemarch Hiliary H. Holloway
Grand Historian William L. Crump
Laurel Wreath Wearer Samuel P. Massie
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Charles O. Stout
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee I. W. E. Taylor
Congressman John Conyers Jr [D-MI]
Congressman Mervyn Dymally [D-CA]
Congressman Louis Stokes [D-OH]
DC Delegate Walter Fauntroy
Howard University President James Cheek called Dr. Greene “a legend in his own time with
two loves – Howard and Kappa.” The Mayor issued a proclamation designating the day as
“William Henry Greene Day” citing his long service in the city where he touched the lives of many
with his humanitarian spirit. Congressman Stokes presented Greene with a booklet containing a
“litany of his life” read into the Congressional Record on the preceding day. The highlight of the
evening was a presentation by Founder Irvin of the only Founders Achievement Award in the
history of the Fraternity. At the conclusion of the affair, Past Grand Polemarch Greene was
speechless and close to tears. His only remark was a humble – Thank You.
The Lost Founder
The Fraternity lost contact with Founder George Wesley Edmonds after he left Indiana
University in 1911. The location of the Founder remained a mystery for 67 years.
How could the Fraternity loose a Founder? First, the records had an incorrect spelling of his
name. Consequently, the focus of the search was on the wrong man. Second, Founder Edmonds
never returned to Indiana University because the death of his father required him to assume
responsibility for the family. Although the records indicated he was a respected and honorable
member of his community, he had little contact with college-educated people. Third, the
Fraternity changed its name to Kappa Alpha Psi after he left school, a fact that would have
been unknown to him. The great tragedy was the Fraternity celebrated its 50th anniversary
while he was alive and well, and living in Stevenson [IN], approximately 120 miles southwest
of Bloomington [IN]. We did not know his whereabouts and he did not know who we were.
Several brothers were interested in locating the lost Founder. In 1972, Dr. Henry S. Wilson
[Louisville (KY) Alumni Chapter] wrote Indiana University requesting information about the
lost Founder. The University Assistant Registrar informed Wilson the last known address for
Founder Edmonds was Chandler, a small town in Warrick County, Indiana, between Evansville
and Boonville.
At the 1975 North Central Province Council, Founder Irvin encouraged the brothers to intensify
their efforts to locate the lost Founder. In July 1975, William E. Miller [Evansville (IN) Alumni
Chapter Polemarch] met a woman who married into the Edmonds family. She told him there was
an elderly uncle who might have some helpful information. Unfortunately, the uncle – Bennie
Edmunds – was hospitalized and unable to receive visitors.
In February 1976, Polemarch Miller met another member of the Edmonds family who claimed
Bennie Edmonds had an older brother whom she thought attended Indiana University. Miller
shared his new hope with Founder Irvin.
In November 1977, Polemarch Miller learned Bennie Edmonds had recovered and was able to
receive visitors. During a visit in December 1977, he confirmed with Edmonds that he did have
a brother - George - who attended Indiana University in the fall of 1910. Bennie Edmonds told
Polemarch Miller he knew nothing of any involvement of his brother in a fraternity.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
In January 1978, Bennie Edmonds found a picture of his brother taken around 1911 that he gave
to Miller. Miller shared the picture with Founder Irvin who upon looking at the picture said –
“We’ve found George!”
In July 1978, Founder Irvin and Brothers Joel O’Neal and Cush Philips traveled to Evansville to
meet with Bennie Edmonds, visit the place where George lived, investigate the records of the
funeral home that handled the burial, and to locate the grave in Oak Hill Cemetery. Grand
Polemarch Holloway authorized the design of a monument and set June 2, 1979, as the date for
dedicating and consecrating the grave.
Thanks to the early interest of Brother Wilson, the detective work of Brother Miller, and the
persistence of Founder Irvin, the Fraternity found George Wesley Edmonds. The dedication
ceremony attracted a large delegation of brothers, including – Grand Polemarch Holloway,
Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Arthur Carter, Grand Board member William Mays,
Grand Historian Crump, and North Central Province Polemarch Wesley S. Chapman. It also
included brothers representing - the Alpha, Epsilon, Zeta, Iota, Pi, Alpha Zeta, Chicago (IL)
Alumni, Evansville (IN) Alumni, Hopkinsville (KY) Alumni, Indianapolis (IN) Alumni and
Waukegan (IL) Alumni.
Bankers Convention Speaker - Grand Polemarch Holloway
The National Association of Urban Bankers Inc, a trade association of black professionals
employed at majority financial institutions, held its third annual conference at the Hyatt
Regency Hotel in Washington [DC] in June 1978.
Terrance G. Blount [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter Keeper of Records], president of the host
chapter, organized the chapter into a series of committees whose goal was to sponsor a
knowledgeable and entertaining convention. Over 300 professionals from New York [NY],
Philadelphia [PA], Wilmington [DE], Little Rock [AR], and New Orleans [LA] were not
disappointed. Upon their arrival on Friday evening, they entered a lobby where people were
dancing to the music of a string quartet.
Grand Polemarch Holloway, the keynote speaker at the luncheon, remarked how proud he was
to see so many black faces among the middle management ranks of the largest banks in the
country. He challenged the group to eliminate the Vice and Assistant Vice from their titles and to
aspire to the highest echelon within the industry.
Dr. Andrew F. Brimmer, a charter member of the Gamma Eta at the University of Washington, in
1948, a former governor of the Federal Reserve, was the keynote speaker for the dinner. He
shared with the audience the challenges he faced throughout his career and the unwarranted
notoriety associated with being the first black. He told the audience there were numerous
opportunities for blacks in the financial world where the measure of their success was a
function of their abilities rather than their pedigrees.
At the conclusion of the convention, the several chapters, which had been operating as a loose
coalition, agreed to come together as a national body. They elected A. Bruce Crawley
[Philadelphia (PA) Alumni Chapter] as the first president and Blount as the first treasurer.
Working together, these two brothers would shape the future direction of the organization.
Frederick B. Senior – The 26th Chapter Polemarch [1978-80]
B. Senior, a native Washingtonian, was a product of the District of
Columbia Public School System. After graduating from Cardozo High
School, he served several years in the military before enrolling at
Howard University. Following his matriculation at Howard, Senior
worked for the city government and retired in the middle 1990s.
Senior, a 1956 Xi initiate, was another member of the young Turks who
helped transform the membership composition of the Chapter during the
late 1960s. He was a member of most committees and after his tenure as
Polemarch, chaired or was a member of the Easter Dance Committee for
over 15 years. In 1974, the brothers elected him Vice-Polemarch. In 1976,
the brothers elected him Polemarch in a spirited campaign. In 1989, he
received the LaMont H. Lawson Award..
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Surprise Tribute to Keeper of Records Blount
At the December 1978 Chapter meeting, Polemarch Senior presented Keeper of Records Blount
with an award citing his contributions to the Chapter. It was a surprise orchestrated by Past
Polemarch Taylor and Keeper of Exchequer Nash.
Blount had informed the Chapter board of directors at its December meeting that he was
leaving the area to accept a position in New York and could not complete his term as Keeper of
Records. Polemarch Senior felt a surprise presentation was a fitting tribute to a brother who had
contributed much to the Chapter during his brief affiliation. Blount had come to Washington in
April 1976 to head the loan department at Industrial Bank, and joined the Chapter in October
1976. He was a financial counselor to Past Polemarch Taylor and helped revise the Chapter dues
structure and payment arrangement.
The Chapter board of directors elected Alexander W. Jones to fill his unexpired term.
New President of Equico Capital - Terrance G. Blount
On January 2, 1979, Terrance G. Blount [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter] became President
and Chief Executive Officer of Equico Capital Corporation. Equico, a wholly owned subsidiary
of the Equitable Life Assurance Society [NY], was the largest small business investment
company in the nation targeting minority owned businesses. Its portfolio included – Essence
magazine, FEDCO Foods Corporation, and a host of FM radio properties. Equico with a
capitalization exceeding $2 million was a major player in expanding the ownership
opportunities of minorities.
Blount was a Vice President and Senior Loan Officer at the Industrial Bank of Washington when
Brother Andrew Brimmer informed him that he was under consideration for the position. The
Equitable conducted a nationwide search and interviews over 100 candidates before selecting
Blount for this high profile position.
Blount has been involved in several civic and professional organizations. He was a member of
the core group responsible for transforming the Nation Association of Urban Bankers – the
predecessor of the Urban Bankers Coalition – from a loose confederation into a structured
organization. He was a member of the Washington (DC) Urban League board of directors and a
Life Member. Blount was a three time participant in the National Urban League Black Exchange
Program and organized a group of bankers to team teach on one their assignments.
The 1979 Province Council
The Silver Spring (MD) Alumni Chapter and Theta Theta hosted the 1979 Province Council on
March 30-31 at the Sheraton Inn in Lanham, MD. Grand Board member Gumbs, Past Grand
Polemarchs Davenport and Greene, Elder Watson Diggs Awardees Crump and Taylor, and Past
Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Dedmon, attended the meeting. Past Grand Polemarch Davenport
was the Closed Banquet Speaker.
Province Polemarch Abram announced there was a Kappa Alpha Psi Student Revolving Loan Fund
at each eligible institution in the Province. He also presented a special Province award to
Mortimer Harris [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter] for his service as a Province Polemarch.
The Province delegates agreed to support the petition of G. James Fleming [Baltimore (MD)
Alumni Chapter], Chairman of the Morgan State University Board of Regents, for the Laurel
Wreath at the 62nd Grand Chapter meeting.
The Death of a Legend – Charles Rodger Wilson
On June 24, 1979, Charles Rodger Wilson – the 16th Grand Polemarch and the 19th Laurel
Wreath Wearer – was found dead in his apartment. As the news of his death spread throughout
the Fraternity, a deep sadness seemed to accompany the news.
For two year, Past Grand Polemarch Wilson had dedicated his time and energy to planning and
organizing the 62nd Grand Chapter meeting. He vowed the 62nd “must and will be the best and
the largest Conclave ever held in the history of the Fraternity.” Unfortunately, he was unable to
enjoy the fruits of his labors.
On June 27th Kappamen, friends and well-wishers gathered at the Griffin Funeral Home for a
final visitation and prayers. The Kappa delegation included – Founder Irvin, Past Grand
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Polemarchs Allen, Carter, Millspaugh and Dickerson, Grand Polemarch Holloway, Senior
Grand Vice Polemarch Randall Bacon, Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Carter, Grand
Historian Crump, and Executive Secretary Morris. Grand Polemarch Holloway remarked –
“Kappa Alpha Psi was blessed for almost 60 years with the genius of C. Rodger Wilson. Rodger set his own
standards of excellence and functioned consistently with those standards. We always knew Rodger stood
for what was best for Kappa Alpha Psi. He worked hard, making similar demands on others, but he knew
that if you expect excellence from others, you must demand it of yourself first.
Let us be thankful for the years we shared together. Let us continue to build the kind of Fraternity and the
kind of society Rodger felt was worth the struggle. Let us commit ourselves to the unfinished task to
which Rodger gave his all and accept his passing as a challenge to perfect our Fraternity so that it may
serve the needs of a demanding society in the 1980s, 1990s and into the 21st century.”
The Kappa Journal published following the 62nd Grand Chapter meeting included –
“Indeed Rodger was a prince among men. He did not live to see the results of his last effort. His dream of
hosting the largest Grand Chapter in our history was a reality, but his inhumation had taken place at Burr
Oak Cemetery six weeks earlier. Yet, somehow, there was an overpowering presence at the 62nd Grand
Chapter. Without doubt, it was the spirit of Charles Rodger Wilson.”
The 62nd Grand Chapter Meeting
The Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter, the Beta and Iota hosted the 62nd Grand Chapter meeting on
August 3-9, 1979 at the Conrad Hilton hotel. Journal Editor Clanton characterized it as –
“Hog-butchering Chicago drew Kappas to the city like flies to a pot of collard greens. Upwards of 6,000
wives, sweethearts, children and friends followed in the wake of 2,000 delegates attending the 62nd Grand
Chapter meeting, tabbed ‘The Fine 79’ with its guiding spirit, the late C. Rodger Wilson. The memory of
Past Grand Polemarch Wilson hovered over the six days of activities like a helicopter over a freeway. From
the opening successful Mayor Tom Bradley Roast through the jam packed Closed Ball, it seemed the
delegates expected Rodger to materialize any moment.”
The meeting attracted Founders Armstrong and Irvin. It was the last meeting both Founders
would attend together.
The prelude to this meeting was a Celebrity Roast honoring Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley
jointly sponsored by the Fraternity and the Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter. The Grand Ballroom
of the Hilton, filled to capacity, enjoyed the roasting of the 18th Grand Polemarch and the 22nd
Laurel Wreath Wearer. Honorable Cecil A. Partee [Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter] chaired the
affair. Nancy Wilson, the featured entertainment at the Grand Chapter concert was a guest at
the affair.
The delegates adopted a dues modification allocating $.50 of Grand Chapter dues to the
NAACP and $.50 to the United Negro College Fund. They also adopted a resolution
encouraging all brothers to participate in the 1980 census.
The delegates reviewed a proposal to renovate the Headquarters presented by Andrew Bryant
[Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter]. They approved the design but failed to authorize funds for
the project.
The Awards Program speaker – DC Delegate Walter Fauntroy – gave the standing room only
crowd a dramatic education in voter participation and capped his mind-bending presentation
with a powerful rendering of “The Impossible Dream.”
The Student of the Year Pageant was a thing of beauty with Jay Crosby [Dayton (OH) Alumni
Chapter] as the Master of Ceremonies. It included five high school and three college
contestants. Marcus Charles, the high school division talent winner, delivered an inspiring
speech that demonstrated his oratory skills. Kevin Burnett, the college division winner,
verbalized a philosophical approach to leadership. Kappa Leaguers from the Toledo [OH] and
St Louis [MO] Alumni Chapters provided additional entertainment during the program. Kappa
Leaguers from the Detroit [MI] and Benton Harbor [MI] Alumni Chapters were present.
The Featured Entertainment - Nancy Wilson
Nancy Wilson, the oldest of six children, was born February 20, 1937, in Chillicothe [OH]. Her
father began buying records for Wilson at an early age, which enabled her to become familiar
with many of the black jazz artists of the 1940s. When she was a teen ager, her family moved to
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Columbus [OH], Wilson began developing her skills singing in
church choirs. Her career began to take shape when Wilson won a
local talent contest at age 15. Wilson also started singing at local
clubs in the Columbus area.
Although her goal was to become an entertainer, Wilson attended
Central State College [1955-56] where she majored in Education.
After one year, she dropped out and began following her dream.
For the next three years, she was the featured vocal artists for a
band that toured throughout the United States and Canada.
In 1959, Wilson moved to New York hoping to establish herself as a
solo entertainer. She supported herself by working as a secretary at
the New York Institute of Technology while performing at clubs
throughout the city at night. Wilson desperately wanted to record
for one of the most respected labels of the day, Capitol Records, although she realized it could
take months, or even years, for the opportunity.
Her first break came a month after her arrival when she was asked to fill in for singer Irene Reid
at an established nightclub. That evening, Wilson gave such a stellar performance that the club
owner wanted to book the singer on a permanent basis. Still holding on to her secretarial job to
supplement her income, Wilson sang four nights a week at the nightclub, and the public, as well
as record producers and agents, quickly took notice. One night, John Levy, a well-known figure
in the music business and manager to Herb Adderly, came to the club to hear her sing. Wilson
had met Adderly in Columbus and formed a friendship with him. Because of her friendship
with Adderly, not to mention her undeniable talent, Levy offered his help and set about
arranging a session to record a demonstration tape. He would continue to manage her affairs
throughout her entertainment career.
Within a week after Levy sent the tapes to Capitol Records, Wilson signed a contract with the
label. Capitol, known for its outstanding roster of singers who performed the standard ballad
repertoire, proved a fortunate first home for Wilson. Suddenly, she found herself in the
company of world-renowned stars like Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Peggy Lee, and some of the
most cherished lyricists and composers in the industry. Her first album for Capitol arrived in
April 1960, and she scored her first hit with a rhythm and blues song recorded with Adderly
entitled "Save Your Love for Me" in 1962.
Between April 1960 and July 1962, Capitol released five of her albums. These early
accomplishments set a frenetic pace for Wilson and her first husband, drummer Kenny Dennis,
whom she married in 1960. Before long, Wilson found herself performing more than 40 weeks a
year, at times giving two shows a night at top clubs such as the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles
[CA] and the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas [NV]. By the mid-1960s, Wilson was one of the best
selling artists for Capitol, second only to the Beatles. An uninhibited performer who included
jazz styled pop in her repertoire and proudly displayed her glamorous good looks, she
surpassed established entertainers in record sales. In 1964, she won a Grammy Award for best
rhythm and blues recording for the album How Glad I Am. Four other Grammy nominations
have followed, including a nomination for Gentle Is My Love in 1965. As 1966 approached,
Wilson was a seven figure performer and her rise in popularity showed no sign of slowing
down. She had also established a significant fan base overseas, especially in Japan.
Despite her efforts to juggle a family, constant touring and recording, and a television career,
her busy schedule took a toll on her personal life. In 1970, Wilson divorced her first husband;
she married Reverend Wiley Burton in 1974. Learning from past experiences, Wilson curtailed
her professional engagements somewhat after marrying Burton. Her decision to focus on her
family did not affect her stardom. Wilson believed performing less improved her shows, noting
that not playing in the same venue for two to four weeks straight gave a freshness and
excitement to her singing.
She chose Chicago to celebrate her 25th anniversary in the entertainment business, and the 62nd
Grand Chapter meeting to make one of her rare appearances. The audience enjoyed a
traditional Wilson concert that left many reminiscing and begging for more at its conclusion.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The Chapter Grand Chapter Meeting Campaign
At the 62nd Grand Chapter meeting, a delegation of brothers led by Past Polemarchs Mims and
Clark campaigned aggressively among the delegates for the selection of Washington (DC) as the
host city for the 66th Grand Chapter meeting. The brothers engaged the assistance of
representatives from the city hospitality industry as well as the convention bureau. When a
brother previously affiliated with the Chapter was called home two days before the Conclave
ended to address an emergency, he left the keys to his suite with Brothers Alexander Jones and
Hank Young and paid the remaining two days lodging cost. Brothers Jones and Young collected
contributions from the Chapter brothers at the Conclave to stock the suite with refreshments
and used the suite to entertain the delegates, families and friends.
The delegates at the 62nd Grand Chapter meeting voted overwhelmingly to include
Washington (DC) as one of the cities to consider for the 66th Grand Chapter meeting.
The National Election
The election was a hot contest that pitted Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Randall Bacon against
Grand Board member Oliver S. Gumbs. Bacon had served as Senior Grand Vice Polemarch
under Grand Polemarchs Allen and Holloway, and many assumed he would easily win
election. Gumbs had been a fixture on the Grand Board for decades and was a close confidant of
Past Grand Polemarchs Allen and Millspaugh. While serving as Southern Province Polemarch,
he helped Western Province Polemarch Thomas Bradley launch his successful Kappa career.
The old man from the South appointed one of his key confidants – Southern Province
Polemarch – Dr. Ulysses McBride – as his campaign manager. He put together a coalition,
including several chapters in the Eastern Province, which enabled Gumbs to prevail. An
indication of the involvement of the Eastern Province was the election of Eastern Province
Junior Province Vice Polemarch Craig Dean to the Grand Board of Directors. The delegates also
reelected Grand Historian Crump for another term.
Following the melee, the Grand Board elected Eastern Province Polemarch Abram to fill the
unexpired term of the new Grand Polemarch. This action had a snowball effect within the
Eastern Province and led to the appointment of Eastern Province Senior Vice Polemarch
Clarence F. Nelson Jr [Richmond (VA) Alumni Chapter] to replace the new Grand Board
member Abram, and the election of Dr. Oscar L. Mims [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter] the
Eastern Province Senior Vice Polemarch by the Province Board of Directors.
The 23 rd Grand Polemarch – Oliver S. Gumbs
Oliver S. Gumbs, reared in Ithaca, NY, was the son of British and Dutch parents, who once
remarked he was “born in the middle of an ocean.” He earned a BS degree from Virginia Union
University [1936] and MD from Meharry Medical College [1941].
After graduating from medical school, Gumbs established a
medical practice in Huntsville [AL] but moved to Mobile [AL] to
be closer to a black hospital. Initially, Gumbs was a general
surgeon but he gradually became a specialist with a focus on
mental health. He was one of the first physicians to explore the
consequences of drugs on the human body and was a member of
the Department of Health for the southern region of Alabama.
Within his community, Gumbs helped start the Gulf Federal
Savings and Loan Association, the first black savings institution
for blacks in the city, and served as Vice President [1962-72]. He
was a man of means who used his wealth to benefit the
downtrodden, and was an avid sailor who spent much of his
summer holiday sailing his yacht.
Gumbs, a 1936 Alpha Gamma initiate, affiliated with the Kappa while attending medical school
[1937-41]. He was a charter member of the Mobile [AL] Alumni Chapter and the Southern
Province Polemarch under Grand Polemarchs Wilson, Millspaugh, and Bradley. The delegates
at the 53rd Grand Chapter meting [[1965] elected him to the Grand Board of Directors and
delegates at the 55th [1968], 57th [1971], 59th [1974], and 61st [1977] continued his tenure.
Gumbs withstood a serious challenge at the 57th Grand Chapter meeting from a brother
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
affiliated with the host chapter. Many felt that after being a part of the elected leadership for
nearly 15 years, his time had come to lead the Fraternity.
Grand Polemarch Gumbs was in the twilight years of his life when he became the chief
executive officer of the Fraternity. Some mistook his quiet reserve as a sign that he was not as
focused as his younger colleagues. Nothing was further from the truth as evidenced by his
agenda for the Fraternity –
Develop a plan to finance the renovation of the National Headquarters building
Increase the support for the NAACP and United Negro Fund
Continue the social action agenda of the Fraternity
Increase the Publications Endowment Fund
Expand the C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference
The 15th Eastern Province Polemarch - Clarence F. Nelson Jr
Clarence F. Nelson Jr, born in Memphis [TN] reared in Virginia Beach [VA], was the second
generation in his family to attend Hampton Institute. He earned a BA
degree from Hampton [1969] and a Masters in City Planning from the
University of Pennsylvania [1971]. As a student at Hampton, Nelson was
involved in campus activities and popular among the students.
Nelson began his career, in 1971, as an urban planner at the US Department
of HUD in its Philadelphia [PA] Regional Office but transferred to the
Richmond [VA] Area Office. After leaving the federal government [1985],
Nelson remained in Richmond and was an Assistant Professor at Virginia
State University and a sales representative with the New York Life
Insurance Company. In 1989, he moved to Washington, DC to accept a
position as a community planner with the District of Columbia
government. He left the DC government to become a project manager in
the construction industry. In 1996, he returned to the area of his youth as
Development Operations Manager with the Norfolk [VA] Redevelopment Housing Authority.
Nelson, a 1969 Beta Chi initiate, was a line brother of Ronald R. Young, the 28th Grand Polemarch.
As a student at Penn, he affiliated with the Philadelphia (PA) Alumni Chapter and was a member
of the Chapter Initiation team along with Howard L. Tutman Jr, the 29th Grand Polemarch. When
he moved to Richmond, he affiliated with the Richmond (VA) Alumni Chapter. Between 1971 and
1978, he served in a number of leadership positions including Polemarch. When he moved to the
Washington, DC metropolitan area, Nelson affiliated with the Alexandria-Fairfax (VA) Alumni
Chapter and served as a member of its board of directors. He was also the first elected secretary of
the Alexandria-Fairfax (VA) Alumni Chapter Scholarship Endowment Fund Inc., its 501(c)(3) affiliate,
and its second president. When he returned to Norfolk, VA, he affiliated with the Norfolk (VA)
Alumni Chapter, whose members elected him Polemarch.
In January 1976, Grand Polemarch Allen appointed him Vice Chairman of the Life Membership
Committee. His other involvement at the national level occurred after his tenure as Province
Polemarch when he focused upon his real calling: social action. Nelson has been involved in
several social action initiatives of the Fraternity, including its Habitat for Humanity program.
Nelson was also one of the first brothers to join the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation Millionaire Club.
The delegates at the 1978 and 1979 Eastern Province Councils elected him the Province Senior Vice
Polemarch. It was no surprise that Grand Polemarch Gumbs turned to Nelson to lead the Province.
His peers elected him Vice Chairman of the Council of Province Polemarchs and came to respect
his wisdom and judgement on matters.
Besides his involvement with Kappa Alpha Psi, Nelson holds life memberships in the NAACP,
Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the National Hampton Alumni Association. He is
active in a number of civic, religious, and professional organizations in the Hampton Roads area.
Province Board Elects Mims Senior Grand Vice Polemarch
The appointment of Province Senior Vice Polemarch Nelson by Grand Polemarch Gumbs
created a vacancy among the Province leadership. The Province Board of Directors filled the
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
voids by electing Past Polemarch Oscar Mims the Province Senior Vice Polemarch and
Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter Howard L. Tutman Jr to the Province Board.
The First Black Female General - Hazel Johnson Brown
In 1979, the black community celebrated another first - the promotion of Hazel Johnson Brown
to Brigadier General. In her new position, Chief of the Army Nurse Corps, Brown was
responsible for 7,000 men and women nurses in the Army, Army
National Guard, and Army Reserves. She was also responsible for
setting policy and monitoring the operations of eight Army medical
centers, 56 community hospitals, and 143 clinics throughout the world.
Born in 1927 in Malvern [PA], Johnson was one of seven children
raised on a family farm in nearby West Chester. Johnson identified
nursing as her career avocation early and began her training, in 1950,
at the New York Harlem Hospital. While working at a Veteran's
hospital in Philadelphia, a former Army nurse urged Johnson to
consider a career in the military. After a meeting with a recruiter in
1955, Johnson enlisted. Five years later, she received a commission, as a
First Lieutenant, in the Army Nurse Corps.
She entered the Army shortly after President Harry Truman banned
segregation and discrimination in the military. In an interview with Ebony magazine, she
commented "I think the nurse corps has been more progressive as far as human rights. When I came in there
were no problems that I encountered so far as being black. I was very fortunate that I was given
assignments that allowed me to demonstrate my ability and potential for greater ability."
While on active duty, Johnson earned a BS degree from Villanova University, a MS degree in
Nursing Education from Columbia University, and a Ph.D in Education Administration from
Catholic University. By the mid-1970s, Colonel Johnson was the highest ranking black woman
in the armed services. Her assignments included •
•
•
•
Surgical Directorate, US Army Medical Research and Development Command
[Washington, DC];
Dean of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Nursing;
Chief Nurse of the US Army Medical Command, Korea; and
Special Assistant to the Chief of the Army Nurse Corps
Johnson served as an Assistant Dean of the undergraduate program of the School of Nursing at
the University of Maryland where she was responsible for the training of students sent to
military health facilities around the world.
After retiring from the military, in 1983, she was Director of Government Affairs for the
American Nursing Association [1984-86] while teaching nursing at the George Washington
University. In 1986, she became a Professor of Nursing at George Mason University in Virginia.
Reflecting upon her career in the Ebony interview, she said “I've really done what I wanted to do; in fact, I've done more than I ever expected to do."
19
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
CHAPTER 2: 1980-1989
Frederick B. Senior - The 26th Chapter Polemarch [1978-80]
The 1980 Province Council
The Norfolk (VA) Alumni Chapter, Epsilon Zeta, and Eta Omega hosted the meeting in April at
the new Omni International Hotel. Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Robert L. Gordon, Grand
Keeper of Records and Exchequer Arthur Carter, Grand Board member James B. Abram Jr, and
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee I. W. E. Taylor attended the meeting.
Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Gordon expressed his amazement at the number of Achievement
awards [41] presented to the brothers. However, he also expressed some concern about the
communication between undergraduates and alumni.
Julian Earls, an Epsilon Zeta charter member, was the Closed Banquet Speaker. While
introducing Brother Earls, Province Keeper of Records and Exchequer Joseph Wiggins, another
Epsilon Zeta charter member, informed the brothers that Brother Earls held advanced degrees
from the University of Michigan and Harvard.
The delegates elected Past Polemarch Mims the Province Senior Vice Polemarch.
Johnson Launches New Cable Channel
Robert L. Johnson, a 1964 Beta initiate, launched the first cable
television channel dedicated exclusively to blacks in 1980. Johnson, who
was working as a lobbyist for the cable industry, saw an opportunity to
provide a niche service for the black community using cable television
technology. He convinced John Malone, then the chief executive officer
of TCI Cable to invest $500,000 in his company.
Johnson established an ambitious goal for his new channel – “to
become the most valuable consumer entertainment brand in the black
marketplace.” From its humble beginning as a cable channel
broadcasting music videos two hours [daily] in select markets it grew
into a diversified entertainment enterprise. Much of the growth was
the result of the expansion of the cable industry and the ability of
Johnson to get his channel on the offerings of cable operators. In 1991,
BET Holdings – the parent company of Black Entertainment Television – became the first
company controlled by blacks with shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Johnson
eventually bought out his public shareholders and took the company private. He sold it to
Viacom Inc, the parent company of CBS, for billions.
Johnson, a native of Freeport [IL] holds a BS degree from the University of Illinois and a
master’s degree in International Affairs from Princeton University. He developed his interest in
the communications industry during the 1970s while serving as press secretary for Brother
Walter Fauntroy, the DC delegate to the House of Representatives. In 1976-1979, Johnson was
Vice President of Government Relations for the National Cable Television Association, a trade
association representing more than 1500 cable television companies.
In an interview with the Black Collegian magazine, he commented –
"As an entrepreneur, sometimes you make it up as you go along. You have to have an unshaken belief in
yourself, work harder than the next guy, and do whatever it takes with determination. You have to have an
ability to engage people to believe in you, while being lucky enough to be in the right place at the right
time.
You must be able to marshal the resources to achieve your vision. That means you have to find good
people, support them and have the steadfastness to stay in there. I don't approach anything as an obstacle.
When you say there're obstacles, the implications are they have power over you that you don't have.
Obstacles are inanimate objects. They have no ability to think, they can't do anything, and they're just
there.
If you see an obstacle that means you're not thinking. If it's standing still, you can go around it, if it's tall,
you can climb over it, if it's wide, you can dig under it; so, there's nothing you can't achieve. I can't relate
to obstacles only challenges. Growing up black and poor in America is clearly a challenge; but it's a
challenge, which can be overcome as many have already done.”
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The Buy a Brick Program
The decision by the delegates at the 62nd Grand Chapter meeting to renovate the national
headquarters building did not include a mechanism for financing the project. At a Council of
Province Polemarchs meeting held in Detroit during May 1980, Grand Polemarch Gumbs
introduced the “Buy a Brick program.” Brothers contributing to the National Headquarters
Endowment Fund were theoretically purchasing bricks in the new structure. At that meeting, he
indicated he expected the Province Polemarchs to lead the initiative by contributing at least
$1,000 to the Fund. This was a very delicate issue with the Province Polemarchs and resulted in
the resignation of at least one Province Polemarch who saw the contribution as a condition for
keeping his position.
Black Female Broadcast Pioneer - Cathy Hughes
In 1980, Cathy Hughes and her husband - Dewey - purchased of the
WOL-AM radio station in Washington [DC]. This station would
become the cornerstone of a media empire for Cathy Hughes.
Born in Omaha [NE] on April 22, 1947, Catherine Elizabeth Woods
was the daughter of Helen Jones Woods, a trombonist with the
International Sweethearts of Rhythm, and William Alfred Woods, the
first Black to earn an accounting degree from Creighton University.
Her maternal grandfather was Laurence “Piney Woods” Jones, a 1914
initiate of the Gamma, who founded the Piney Woods School in
Mississippi.
Cathy has always been outspoken. While she was still in high school
— the only Black girl in her class - she joined the NAACP. She was all
set to go to college in 1965, when she learned that she was pregnant.
Her mother wanted her to consider terminating the pregnancy because of the embarrassment
she felt it was causing the family. However, Cathy wanted to keep the child. She moved into an
apartment and convinced the father of the child to marry her. The marriage lasted 14 months.
Cathy attended Creighton University and the University of Nebraska at Omaha but never
graduated. In 1969, she began working at KOWH, a Black owned station in Omaha. Her
handling of a variety of challenges at the station increased her popularity. Her success
prompted the School of Communications at Howard University to offer her a job as a lecturer.
In 1973, she became the sales director for the WHUR-FM radio station, and was a driving force
behind the increase in sales revenue from $300,000 to $3.5 million. Two years later [1975], she
became general manager of the station, making her the first female executive at a radio station
in Washington [DC]. One of her innovations was the development of a new format she called
the “Quiet Storm.” It became the most listened to night-time radio format in over 50 national
markets. She left the station in 1978 to become a vice president and general manager at the
WYCB radio station.
Owning a radio station in the 1980s was not easy, even for a professional with an exemplary
track record. The bank wanted her to focus on music while she wanted to include a talk format.
They compromised allowing her to air a morning talk show program that was followed by
music for the remainder of the day. The pressure also affected her marriage to her partner that
culminated with a divorce, and her purchasing his interest in the radio station. She endured
several difficult years and was forced to give up her apartment. She and her son moved into the
radio station to make ends meet. Eventually, the station began tuning a profit, due primarily to
her decision to transform the format to a 24-hour talk radio format. The profitability of her
station provided Hughes with the resources to acquire other radio stations, the first of which
was WMMJ-FM in Washington [DC] in 1987. Renaming her company - Radio One - in 1995, it
bought WKYS-FM in Washington [DC] for $40 million - the largest transaction between two
Black owned stations in broadcasting history. In 1999, with her son a part of the management
team, they took their company public. Hughes became the first Black woman to head a
company whose stock was listed on a stock exchange.
The Washington Post describes Hughes as “the voice of the Black community.” Her stations
reach over 18 million Black listeners daily. Her goal of building a broadcast empire with a solid
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
foundation in the Black community has come to fruition, with an increase in revenue and
opportunities for minorities and women.
Her dedication to minority communities, entrepreneurial spirit, and mentoring of women are
manifested in every aspect of her work and life. Hughes was honored with a Lifetime
Achievement Award from the Washington Area Broadcasters Association and The Seventh
Congressional District Humanitarian Award. In 2001, she received the National Association of
Broadcasters’ Distinguished Service Award, and the Advertising Club of Metropolitan Washington
Silver Medal Award. She is also the recipient the coveted Golden Mike Award from the
Broadcasters’ Foundation; the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Black
Owned Broadcasters; and a 2002 Essence Magazine Award. She continues to be involved in the
community at the grass roots level, and is a a member of the Piney Woods School Board of
Directors. Cathy Elizabeth Woods Liggins Hughes is a true pioneer, who like her grandfather,
refused to let obstacles prevent her from realizing her dreams.
Kappa Alpha Psi First Legislative Weekend
In 1976, the Congressional Black Caucus formed a 501(c)(3) charitable affiliate - the Congressional
Black Caucus Foundation. Corporate contributions and fundraising events support the Foundation
programs. Each September, the Foundation sponsors the Annual Legislative Conference in
Washington [DC], which provides a national forum to develop strategies and viable solutions to
public policy issues facing Black America.
During the Conference, Caucus members and their spouses join the Foundation in hosting several
special events including an Awards Dinner, Prayer Breakfast, Benefit Concert, Fashion Show
and a number of other events to generate revenue to support the education and leadership
programs. Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter was one of the first presidential
candidates to address the Foundation Awards Dinner.
In keeping with the expanded social responsibility agenda of the Fraternity, Senior Grand Vice
Polemarch Robert Gordon headed the Kappa delegation participating in the 10th Conference
during September 1980.
The delegation was visible at workshops on youths and criminal justice. East St Louis, IL Mayor
Carl Officer [East St Louis (IL) Alumni Chapter] was a major contributor to the brain trust of DC
Delegate Fauntroy. Past National Bar Association President Robert L. Harris, a past Western
Province Polemarch, presented a paper during the workshop on criminal justice sponsored by
Congressman John Conyers [Detroit (MI) Alumni Chapter]. Harris declared –
“Police use of deadly force against blacks is a tragic and historic fact of life which follows us into the 80s.
Our protest must be voiced whenever we believe injustice has been perpetrated…even though suits for
libel and slander have been filed against critics of police brutality for the purposes of intimidating and
silencing those who cry out for police accountability.”
Past Grand Polemarch Allen, a member of the Kappa delegation, summed up his first
experience at the Conference –
“We should have been doing more of this all along. This was a good first step, but for the future, we will
have to engineer our efforts towards greater visibility for the Fraternity here.”
Richard Clark - The 27th Chapter Polemarch [1980-82]
The Chapter turned to Richard Clark, the 22nd Chapter Polemarch, to manage its affairs. Clark was
the member elected Polemarch following a tenure as Polemarch.
The 40th President - Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in Tamico [IL] in 1911, and reared in Dixon, a small town about
96 miles west of Chicago. Reagan won a scholarship to Eureka College, a religious institution
near Peoria [IL], where he majored in economics. He was president of the student body, a
member of the football team, and captain of the swimming team.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Following his graduation from Eureka [1932], Reagan became a sportscaster for a radio station
in Des Moines [IA]. In 1937, he moved to Hollywood to pursue an acting career that spanned
more than 25 years. He was active in the Screen Actors Guild and served six terms as president.
As the Guild president, Reagan tried to remove suspected
Communists from the movie industry. When the House Committee
on Un American Activities began an investigation in 1947 on the
influence of communists in the film industry, Reagan took a strong
anti communist stand testifying before the Committee.
In 1954, Reagan went to work for the General Electric Company
hosting a television series and toured the country speaking to its
employees. He spoke to large audiences, promoting the freeenterprise system, which he defined as an economic system in which
individuals and private businesses produce and distribute goods
without government regulation. Despite his tendency to vote
Republican, Reagan was a registered Democrat until 1962.
Reagan emerged on the national political scene in 1964 when he
made a television speech supporting the Republican presidential candidate – Arizona Senator
Barry Goldwater. Although Goldwater lost the election, the Reagan speech brought in money
and praise from Republicans around the country. A group of California Republicans persuaded
a receptive Reagan to run for governor in 1966. Reagan appealed to traditional Republican voters
as well as to working-class Democrats and defeated the incumbent Governor by almost a
million votes.
Governor Reagan temporarily stopped government hiring to slow the growth of the state
workforce but he also approved tax increases to balance the state budget. He cut funding for the
University of California, a center for student protest movement in the late 1960s, but after the
protests subsided, he increased funding for higher education. During his second term, he
worked with the Democratic majority in the state legislature to enact a major reform of the
welfare system [1971]. The reform reduced the number of people receiving state aid but
increased the benefits for those who remained eligible. By 1973, budget surpluses enabled the
government to implement a tax rebate plan that returned almost six billion dollars to taxpayers.
Governor Reagan was one of several conservative politicians who wanted to restrict
government involvement in the economy and society. In 1968, he sought the Republican
presidential nomination but lost to Richard Nixon. In 1976, Reagan challenged incumbent
President Ford for the presidential nomination. He won an unexpected victory in the North
Carolina primary and many delegates in the Midwest and the West, but Ford won the
nomination by a narrow margin at the Republican National Convention. The defeat of Ford by
Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter in the 1976 presidential election led some Republicans to
wonder whether Reagan might have won. With their support, Reagan began to plan another
presidential run.
Reagan, who had spent years making political friends, announced his candidacy in November
1979. He became the immediate favorite to capture the nomination and, except for an
unexpected defeat by former Republican Party Chairman George Bush in the Iowa caucuses, he
easily defeated his rivals for the Republican nomination.
At the 1980 Republican Convention, some delegates considered former President Ford as a vicepresidential candidate. However, when the Ford ambassadors proposed that the vice-president
share presidential powers, Reagan rejected Ford and chose George Herbert Walker Bush.
During the fall campaign, the biggest issue was the economy. Reagan blamed President Carter
for the recession and increasing inflation. He also accused the president of weakness in foreign
policy and called for a stronger military. His claim that Carter had a weak foreign policy seemed
to be supported by the Iran crisis. In November 1979 after President Carter had allowed the
deposed Shah of Iran to enter the United States for medical treatment, a group of Iranian
revolutionaries stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehrn and held 53 Americans as hostages. The
media publicized the plight of the hostages and the failure of President Carter to obtain their
release. Reagan won the 1980 election by a landslide, capturing 489 of the 538 electoral votes
23
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The 1980 Reagan landslide victory also affected the legislative branch. Republicans won a
majority in the Senate - the first time in 26 years – and reduced the Democratic majority in the
House. With control of the House, Democrats were able to block many of Reagan initiatives.
However, Reagan often appealed directly to the people through the media, and his abilities as a
speaker did much to influence public opinion in favor of his programs.
Reagan inherited a recession that initially deepened. Almost 11 percent of the workforce was
unemployed by the fall of 1982. The recession reduced inflation but interest rates remained
high. In the 1982 election, Democrats increased their margin in the House. During the next two
years, the economy began to recover as inflation remained low and the unemployment rate
went down.
In the 1984 presidential campaign against Minnesota Senator Mondale, Reagan promised to keep
taxes down, and won 59 percent of the popular vote carrying 49 states. In congressional races,
the Democrats did better. They maintained their large majority in the House and gained seats in
the Senate. In the 1986 election, the Democrats regained control of the Senate. During his last
two years in office, lacking a majority in either house of Congress and unable to run for
reelection himself, Reagan found it harder to get his legislative proposals enacted.
During the Reagan years, almost half of the federal district and appeals judgeships became
vacant. He filled these vacancies with conservatives. By the end of his term, he had appointed
three of the nine Justices of the United States Supreme Court, including Sandra Day O’Connor, the
first female Associate Justice of the Court.
In foreign policy, Reagan sought to achieve "peace through strength." During his two terms, he
increased defense spending 35 percent, and sought to improve relations with the Soviet Union.
In dramatic meetings with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, he negotiated a treaty that would
eliminate intermediate-range nuclear missiles. President Reagan declared war against
international terrorism, sending American bombers against Libya after evidence came out that
Libya was involved in an attack on American soldiers in a West Berlin nightclub.
Reagan presided over the most far-reaching changes in federal government economic and social
policy in half a century. His administration succeeded in eliminating or reducing many social
programs begun under presidents Roosevelt and Johnson, and in lifting many restrictions on
business activities.
At the end of his two terms, Ronald Reagan viewed with satisfaction the achievements of his
innovative program known as the Reagan Revolution, which aimed to reinvigorate the American
people and reduce their reliance upon government. He felt he had fulfilled his campaign pledge
of 1980 to restore "the great, confident roar of American progress and growth and optimism."
The 63rd Grand Chapter Meeting
The Atlanta (GA) Alumni, Pi, Beta Delta, and Gamma Kappa, hosted the 63rd Grand Chapter
meeting in Atlanta, GA at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on December 26-30, 1980. A record 2,300
delegates registered for the meeting. Founder Irvin along with Past Grand Polemarchs
Holloway, Allen, Carter, Davenport, Millspaugh, and Greene were among the registrants.
The Public Meeting attracted a standing room only crowd and heard Henry Parker [New
Haven (CT) Alumni Chapter] - Treasurer of the State of Connecticut – deliver a sterling address.
Grand Polemarch Gumbs conferred the Laurel Wreath upon Dr. G. James Fleming, the second
Kappa Journal Editor. The audience also witnessed the presentation of Kappa Alpha Psi
Humanitarian Awards to industrialist Henry Ford II and to Honorable Patricia Roberts Harris,
Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, and the Distinguished Citizens Award to baseball
immortal Henry “Hank” Aaron.
East St Louis [IL] Mayor Carl Officer [East St Louis (IL) Alumni Chapter] was the keynote
speaker at the Awards Program. Officer, owner of one of the oldest funeral homes in the
Midwest, delivered his customary speech filled with humor and inspiration, and impressed
upon the audience the impact achievers have upon the lives of young people.
The Undergraduate/Alumni Luncheon attracted over 600 brothers to hear Junior Grand Vice
Polemarch Lawrence King. The Student of the Year Pageant was unique as high school and
college students competed for scholarship awards totaling $6,800, including $1,500 from Eastern
Airlines Inc.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The Closed Banquet, one of the largest in the history of Grand Chapter meetings, heard a soul
searching address by Dr. William “Sonny” Walker [Atlanta (GA) Alumni Chapter].
The focus of the business sessions was upon the national headquarters project. Past Grand
Polemarch Davenport, in his capacity as president of the Kappa Housing and Economic
Development Corporation, and Andrew Bryant [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter] outlined the
project for the delegates and answered related questions. Essentially, the plan was to demolish
the four buildings owned by the Fraternity on North Broad Street, and to erect a new threestory office building on the site.
An issue surfaced during the discussion was the financing. After huddling with the Past Grand
Polemarchs, Grand Polemarch Gumbs announced the renovation would begin when the
Fraternity had accumulated sufficient funds. He encouraged brothers to contribute to the
National Headquarters Endowment Fund, the accumulation vehicle identified for the project. To
demonstrate his commitment, Grand Polemarch Gumbs contributed $1,000.
Washington (DC) Selected Host for 66th Grand Chapter Meeting
The governing laws of the Fraternity required the Grand Board of Directors to select a host city
for a Grand Chapter meeting at least five years before the meeting. This selection deadline
would enable the winning city to develop a comprehensive plan of activities for persons
attending the meeting.
Between the adjournment of the 62nd Grand Chapter meeting and the opening session for the
63rd Grand Chapter meeting, the Grand Board met in each of the cities under consideration.
Operating as a site selection committee, the Grand Board toured the facilities that would be
available for the meeting and reviewed in plans for facilities that would be available.
In Washington (DC), the dominant facility was the Sheraton-Washington Hotel, formerly the
Sheraton-Park Hotel. Along with more than 1,200 sleeping rooms, the hotel had a broad range
of suites, including one with a Baby Grand Piano. It also had two impressive ballrooms, one of
which was the largest between New York [NY] and Atlanta [GA]. Overlooking the historic Rock
Creek Park and easily accessible by all modes of transportation, the hotel was in one of the
classic neighborhoods of the city.
A local committee empaled by Polemarch Clark and chaired by Past Polemarch Mims left little
to chance when the Grand Board visited Washington (DC). Before the visit, the Committee made
certain the Hotel management understood what they believed the Grand Board would consider
critical to the selection. They provided transportation to the Grand Board members between the
Airport and the Hotel on their arrivals and departures. They lobbied the Grand Board members,
particularly Grand Polemarch Gumbs, Senior Grand Vice-Polemarch Gordon, and Grand Board
members Abram, a past Eastern Province Polemarch, and Dean, a past Theta Theta Polemarch.
The Committee kept the Chapter motivated and enthusiastic about hosting a Grand Chapter
meeting. With the exception of some of the old timers, most brothers affiliated with the Chapter
had never been involved with hosting a Grand Chapter meeting.
During the 63rd Grand Chapter meeting, Grand Polemarch Gumbs announced Washington
[DC] would host the 66th Grand Chapter meeting in the summer of 1985. Polemarch Clark, in
the midst of planning a reception for Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Tyrance, expanded the
reception to celebrate this additional victory. For past Polemarch Mims and those who had
worked so diligently for nearly 10 years, the announcement justified their labor. Polemarch
Clark and Past Polemarchs Mims, Bruton, and Fletcher immediately began to conceptualize
how they could make the 66th Grand Chapter meeting the model for future meetings.
The National Headquarters Fund Raising Project
In January 1981, Grand Polemarch Gumbs realized the Buy a Brick Program was not meeting his
expectations. With the concurrence of the Grand Board, he replaced the Program with a general
Fund Raising Campaign and named Terrance Blount [New York (NY) Alumni Chapter], President
of the Equico Capital Corporation, as the Campaign Chairman. Blount established a goal of
$100,000 for each Province. He visited most of the Province Councils during the 1981 spring
season to speak about the need to contribute to the Campaign and reiterated that previous
contributions to the Buy a Brick program counted towards the Province goal.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Presidential Assassination Attempt
On March 30, 1981, John W. Hinckley Jr shot President Reagan while he was exiting from an
event held at the Washington (DC) Hilton hotel. He fired six shots from a Rohm R6-14 revolver
that hit the president in the left chest, Press Secretary James Brady in the left temple, Officer
Thomas Delahanty in the neck, and Secret Service Agent Timothy McCarthy in the stomach.
Secret Service agents and local police officers overpowered Hinckley and arrested him. His
indiscriminate act raised the awareness of the nation about the unregulated sale of handguns,
and helped provoke the debate on this critical subject.
For days, official at the George Washington Hospital kept the condition of President Reagan
from the press and the public. Under the provisions of the 25th Amendment, the powers of the
presidency transferred to Vice President Bush. Bush consulted with the inner Reagan circle but
did not make any major decisions. As the condition of the president improved, the Reagan
inner circle authorized the release of photographs of the president to demonstrate to the world
that the president was in control, notwithstanding his weakened condition. Public sympathy
after the assassination attempt increased public support for President Reagan and enabled him
to push his program through the Congress.
The Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation
One of the many dreams of Grand Polemarch Gumbs was the establishment of a charitable
foundation for the Fraternity. He seized upon that opportunity at a May 1981 meeting with the
Past Grand Polemarchs and the national officers in Washington, DC. He proposed forming a
501[c][3] charitable foundation to accept contributions to assist with the financing of the
headquarters renovation project and to fund grants and scholarships for the Fraternity. Brothers
contributing to the new foundation could deduct their donations as charitable contributions for
income tax purposes. The foundation would also accept contributions from individuals,
organizations, and businesses.
The programs of the new foundation would provide academic services to youth and seed
money for the development of undergraduate housing. They would also –
Strengthen initiatives undertaken by the Fraternity across the nation;
Become custodian of some Fraternity endowments;
Develop partnerships with corporate America;
House a $1.5 million Talent Search program;
Encourage volunteerism among brothers; and
Provide the resources to make the Fraternity more relevant to the community
The incorporators of the new foundation were Dr. Oliver S. Gumbs [Chairman]
Henry Parker [President]
Ernest H. Davenport, CPA [Vice President]
Attorney Hilary H. Holloway [Secretary]
Arthur L. Carter, CPA [Treasurer]
Dr. Elbert E. Allen [Director]
Terrance G. Blount [Director]
The American University Chapter
In a 1792 letter to Virginia Governor Robert Brooke, George Washington explained his idea for a
great "national university" to be established in the nation's capital city. Washington did not see
this university in his lifetime, but approximately one hundred years later, in 1893, the
Washington dream was realized when American University was chartered by the United States
Congress. Through the vision of Methodist Bishop John Fletcher Hurst, the idea of a national
university, an idea born with the nation itself, came into being.
The university trustees finally broke ground in 1896. Money was hard to come by so it took a
long time to hire teachers and start holding classes. After more than two decades devoted to
financial support, the first graduate students were admitted in 1914, and President Woodrow
Wilson officially dedicated the university on May 27, 1914.
In 1979, Robert L. Bailey, a 1977 initiate of the Delta Zeta at Central State [OH] University,
transferred to the American University. With the assistance of the Beta Kappa, he formed an
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
interest group of 14 men. They inducted 11 men into the Scrollers Club of the Beta Kappa. Under
the supervision of James Carter Jr, the National C. Roger Wilson Leadership Conference
Chairman, they initiated these 11 men into the Fraternity through the Beta Kappa on December
6, 1980. They operated as the American University Colony until September 12, 1981, when the
Fraternity established the American University Chapter, the Kappa Chi of Kappa Alpha Psi.
Province Polemarch Nelson presided over the chartering ceremony at the American University
Student Center. The organizers were Bennett Baker
Thornton Ellerbe
David Jones
A. Donald McEachin
A. Andre Price
Steve Tillett
Reginald Childs
Eric Holmes
Andre Lynch
Derick McGinty
Daryl Stone
This was no ordinary group of young men matriculating at a predominately white university.
With Eric Holmes serving as its first Polemarch, the chapter embarked upon an agenda that
would make a lasting impression upon the American University community. They wanted the
community to recognize Kappa Alpha Psi as not simply another social organization but also an
organization of Achievers. They spearheaded a campaign for Donald McEachin that led to his
election as the Student Council president – a first for a Pan Hellenic Council organization
member attending American University. They sponsored seminars at the University on
contemporary issues, and were constantly at the forefront of significant campus events.
The first initiates of the Chapter were - Albert Patterson, Virgil Perry, Timothy B. Warner, Kevin
M. Warren, Reginald White, David T. Williams, and Reginald A. Williamson - on December 5,
1981. Although the charter is at American University, Kappa Chi also draws its membership from
Georgetown and George Washington Universities.
The First Female United States Supreme Court Justice – Sandra Day O’Connor
On July 7, 1981, President Ronald Reagan, who had pledged during the 1980 presidential
campaign to appoint the first woman to the U. S. Supreme Court, nominated Sandra Day
O’Connor to replace retiring Justice Potter Stewart.
Born March 26, 1930, in El Paso [TX], Day grew up on an Arizona ranch
owned by her parents. Life on the ranch was difficult; it did not receive
electricity or have running water until 1937. Since their nearest
neighbors lived 25 miles away, the family spent their days mostly in
isolation. To compensate for the loneliness, she befriended many of the
cowboys and kept many pets, including a bobcat. Day read profusely in
her early years and engaged in many ranch activities. She learned to
drive at age seven and could fire rifles and ride horses proficiently by
the time she turned eight.
The isolated ranch made formal education difficult so her parents sent
her to live with her maternal grandmother in El Paso. Day attended a
private academy for girls, from kindergarten through high school.
Suffering from extreme homesickness, she withdrew and returned to
Arizona for a year. Still, she graduated with good marks at age 16. O’Connor credits her
grandmother with instilling in her confidence in her ability to succeed in any endeavor.
Day matriculated at Stanford University where she majored in economics. She chose economics
with the intention of applying that knowledge towards the operation of a ranch of her own.
However, a legal dispute over the family ranch stirred her interest in law and Day decided to
enroll at Stanford Law School after receiving her baccalaureate degree magna cum laude in 1950.
She only took two years, instead of the customary three, to complete law school. Along the way,
she served on the Stanford Law Review and earned membership in the Order of the Coif, a
legal honor society. She also met her future husband, John Jay O'Connor, a fellow student. Day
graduated third in a class of 102; future Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist was
first in the class.
Day faced a difficult job market after leaving Stanford. No law firm in California wanted to hire
her and only one offered her a position as a legal secretary. A senior partner of that firm was
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
future Attorney General of the United States William French Smith. Failing to find suitable
work in private practice, Day turned to public service. She accepted a job as the deputy county
attorney for San Mateo [CA]. When her husband graduated from Stanford a year later, the
Army immediately drafted him into the Judge Advocate General Corps. Mrs. O’Connor
accompanied her husband to Frankfurt, Germany for is three year tour. While in Germany,
Mrs. O’Connor served as a civilian lawyer to the Quartermaster Corps.
When the O'Connors returned to the U.S. in 1957, they decided to settle in Phoenix [AZ]. Mrs.
O'Connor again found it difficult to obtain a position with any law firm so she formed her own
firm. She accepted small cases in her early years since she lacked specialization and an
established reputation. After she gave birth to her second son, O'Connor withdrew from work
temporarily to care for her children and became involved in many volunteer activities. She
devoted much of her time to the Arizona State Hospital, the Arizona State Bar, the Salvation
Army, and various local schools. She also became involved in the Arizona Republican Party.
After five years as a full-time mother, O'Connor returned to work as an Arizona Assistant State
Attorney General. When a state senator resigned to take an appointment in Washington [DC],
Arizona Governor Williams appointed O'Connor to the vacant seat. O'Connor successfully
defended her senate position for two terms and eventually became the majority leader, a first for
women in the nation.
In 1974, O'Connor decided to shift gears and run for a judgeship on the Maricopa County
Superior Court. State Republican leaders urged her to consider a campaign for governor in
1978, but O'Connor declined. In 1979, the newly elected Democratic governor nominated her to
the Arizona Court of Appeals. Less than two years later, President Reagan selected her to make
history. The Senate unanimously confirmed her appointment on September 21, 1981, and she
assumed her position on the Court on September 25, 1981.
Perhaps no other jurist could have come to the Court under greater expectations and scorn.
When President Ronald Reagan nominated O’Connor to be the first woman justice to sit on the
Court, he did so out of an obligation to keep a campaign promise. Her nomination drew criticism
from both the political left and right. Conservatives derided her lack of federal judicial
experience and claimed she was lacking in constitutional knowledge. They considered her a
wasted nomination and suspected her position on abortion. Liberals, on the other hand, could
not deny their satisfaction at seeing a woman on the high court, but they were dismayed at her
apparent lack of strong support for feminist issues.
Over time O’Connor silenced her critics. She emerged from the shadow of Chief Justice
Rehnquist and the conservative bloc on the Court with her own brand of pragmatic and centrist
oriented conservatism. Even liberals, who branded her a traitor in her early years for
compromising on abortion rights, began to appreciate her pro choice positions.
During her tenure on the Court, Justice O'Connor was regarded as a consummate compromiser.
She made it clear that the role of the high court in American society was to interpret the law, not
to legislate. Her votes were generally conservative, but she frequently surprised observers with
her political independence. A quietly determined woman who blazed new trails for her sex,
Justice O'Connor has become a role model for American women of all ages. On July 1, 2005,
Associate Justice O'Connor announced her retirement from the Court. In April 2006, she became
the 23rd Chancellor of the College of William and Mary, succeeding Dr. Henry Kissinger, former
Secretary of State, who was appointed in 2000.
The Presidental Task Force on Private Sector Initiatives
In October 1981, President Reagan set into motion a Presidential Task Force on Private Sector
Initiatives to - promote private sector leadership, encourage public/private partnerships that
meet public needs, and decrease the reliance on government support. At a November 1981
briefing, President Reagan publicly recognized Grand Polemarch Gumbs and Kappa
Foundation President Parker before 150 representatives of national organizations for putting
together a foundation as an appropriate vehicle for making volunteerism an integral part of the
mobilization of Americans for service. President Reagan was a firm believer that neighbors can
[and should] help each other in their time of need.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Carter Announces Candidacy for Senior Grand Vice Polemarch
In March 1982, James Carter Jr, the 20th Chapter Polemarch, announced his intent to become a
candidate for Senior Grand Vice Polemarch at the 64th Grand Chapter meeting. His
announcement surprised several brothers since Grand Board member Abram had previously
announced his candidacy for the same office. To have two members from the same region
compete for the same office could result in the defeat of both candidates.
The Chapter endorsed the candidacy of Carter, who was the National C. Rodger Wilson
Leadership Conference, and believed he could garner the support of the delegates representing
Greek letter chapters at the 64th Grand Chapter meeting. He also felt he had the support of
several old timers who may not have been voting delegates but could influence votes in their
among the delegates at the Conclave.
The 1982 Province Council
The Lawrenceville (VA) Alumni Chapter and the Delta Lambda hosted the 1982 Province Council
on April 2-4 at the Petersburg [VA] Ramada Inn. Grand Board members James Abram Jr and
Bobby Henry attended the meeting. Virginia Union University President Dallas Simmons, a
1961 Alpha Kappa initiate, was the Closed Banquet Speaker.
Province Polemarch Nelson continued the standard established by Past Province Polemarch
Abram by presenting a bound State of the Province Report. He advised the delegates the Province
budget now exceeded the $10,000 threshold. He reminded the delegates, chapters should
forward dues for their members to the Province Keeper of Records and Exchequer when they
are collected. He expressed some displeasure with the practice of submitting dues immediately
before the Province Council. The Province Polemarch expressed some dissatisfaction with the
Reclamation drive since the results were not close to the goal. However, he was elated over the
contribution of $12,000 to the National Headquarters Building Fund by the members.
Thomas Briscoe [Columbia (MD) Alumni Chapter] delivered the Kappa Etiquette presentation.
Terrance G. Blount [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter] moderated a Marketing Your Way to a
Successful Future panel discussion.
Traditionally, the Eastern Province Council delegates endorse candidates for a national office
who are affiliated with chapters assigned to the Eastern Province. This had been a perfunctory
exercise but at this Council, the delegates decided to determine which candidate to endorse for
Senior Grand Vice Polemarch by secret ballot. Although Grand Board member Abram
prevailed, Past Polemarch Carter did not withdraw his candidacy.
Grand Board member Henry, a 1977 Alpha Nu initiate now affiliated with the Theta Tau at
Howard University, was also a candidate for the Grand Board, but did not seek the
endorsement of the Province delegates.
The Province delegates reelected Past Polemarch Mims the Province Senior Vice Polemarch, and
elected Chapter Keeper of Exchequer Nash to a one year term on the Province Board of
Directors. He succeeded Richmond (VA) Alumni member W. W. Walston who retired from the
Province Board of Directors and was a nominee for the Elder Watson Diggs Award.
The Death of Past Grand Polemarch William Thomas Carter
On April 14, 1982, Dr. William Thomas Carter, the 20th Grand Polemarch and 26th Laurel
Wreath Wearer, passed into the Chapter Invisible. Carter lived a life that truly embraced the
principles of the Fraternity. He was a quiet man who allowed his actions to speak. Yet, when he
spoke, people around him listened. Most chapters within the Province sent at least one
representative to the funeral services in Petersburg, VA. Fraternity dignitaries attending the
funeral included Grand Board member James B. Abram Jr;
Past Grand Polemarch Hiliary H. Holloway;
Past Grand Polemarch Ernest H. Davenport;
Past Grand Polemarch William Henry Greene;
Grand Historian William L. Crump;
Eastern Province Polemarch Clarence F. Nelson Jr;
C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference Chairman James Carter Jr; and
Past General Counsel Winfred Mundle
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The 64th Grand Chapter Meeting
The Detroit (MI) Alumni Chapter, Alpha Beta and Kappa Upsilon hosted the 64th Grand Chapter
meeting at the Renaissance Hotel on August 1-5, 1982. On the evening preceding the official
opening, the Detroit (MI) Alumni sponsored its annual boat ride. Many of the delegates and
their families thought the boat ride was part of the Conclave activities and rushed to the pier for
the affair. However, the boat ride was a separate activity requiring a ticket not included in the
Conclave registration fee.
Grand Polemarch Gumbs, in his final message to the delegates commented –
“When I took office in August 1979, I made several promises…The promises were more like dreams that I
tried to bring to fruition…The Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation has unlimited possibilities in providing
services for our youth, assisting projects of the Fraternity, and serving as an investment fund for your
generous contributions.”
In reflecting upon the tenure of Grand Polemarch Gumbs, most agreed he had set new
priorities, installed new procedures, and initiated new programs. Yet, his most significant
legacy was the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation.
Grand Polemarch Gumbs recognized 40 brothers with at least 50 years of service affiliated with
25 alumni chapters. The top chapters were – Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter with five
brothers, Norfolk (VA) Alumni Chapter with four brothers, and the Detroit (MI), Evanston (IL)
and Pittsburgh (PA) Alumni Chapters, each with three brothers. He recognized 711 brothers
who had completed the Life Membership program since the 63rd Grand Chapter meeting. He
also presented Elder Watson Diggs Awards to five brothers, including Past Eastern Province
Board member Walston, and Lenzi G. Barnes [Durham (NC) Alumni Chapter], a past Chapter
Vice Polemarch.
A highlight of the Awards Program was the presentation of a Local Citizens Award to Rosa
Parks by Tuskegee [AL] Mayor Johnny Ford [Tuskegee (AL) Alumni Chapter]. Ford in his
presentation to the legendary “Mother of the Movement” said –“Although you were sitting
down, you were really standing up for Black America.” The standing room audience gave Mrs.
Parks a thunderous and loud reception.
The delegates heard an exciting presentation about the Kappa Foundation from its president –
Henry Parker [New Haven (CT) Alumni Chapter], a 1954 Beta Chi initiate. Parker not only
spoke about the strategic position of the Foundation relative to the building of the headquarters
but also about its role in addressing some of the guide right initiatives of the Fraternity. He
made his remarks in an open session that included brothers, their families and other guests.
Hundreds of brothers in the audience accepted his invitation to become Founding Contributors
by pledging [or making] at least a $100 contribution to the Foundation. Brothers also received
credit for their contributions to the Buy a Brick program and the National Fund Raising Campaign.
Maceo Walker [Memphis (TN) Alumni Chapter] pledged the largest amount - $10,000 - to the
Foundation. Each Foundation board member and the alumni members of the Grand Board of
Directors pledged at least $1,000. Brothers responding to the theme – A New Level of
Involvement - stood in line for close to 1 hours to pledge and contribute close to $300,000. In
many respects, this portion of the meeting felt much like a church fundraising event with
members of the audience inspired by the message of the speaker.
Following the overwhelming response to the presentation, Parker commented –
“The response to our presentation has exceeded all our expectations because our formal fund raising
program does not even begin until 1983. It was our intent to collect funds to match corporate grants
totaling $40,000; but Kappa responded in such magnificent style that collections and pledges exceeded that
goal by almost eight times. The level of giving was significant because it says even during these critical
times of economic hardship, our black college men are willing to contribute their time, talent and most of
all their money to help other who have not been as fortunate. Indeed, they are making a major effort to
improve the plight of black Americans living out unproductive lives in abject poverty.”
Parker reminded the contributors that their contributions would serve as the beginning of a
new level of giving. He made clear that this was not a one-time event and that annual giving
from the contributors was an expectation of the Foundation.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The delegates attending the Closed Banquet heard a message from Founder Irvin who was
unable to attend because of illness. The message, recorded by Brothers Duke Davis, Franklin
Washington, and Norvel West – Chicago Heights (IL) Alumni Chapter – was the last time the
delegates at a Grand Chapter meeting would hear the voice of a living Founder.
The National Election
The election was rather spirited. Past Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Randall Bacon challenged
Robert Gordon, the incumbent Senior Grand Vice Polemarch, for the office of Grand Polemarch.
James Carter Jr and James B. Abram Jr, both affiliated with chapters assigned to the Eastern
Province were candidates for Senior Grand Vice Polemarch. On the day of the Nominating
Committee report to the delegates, Carter withdrew his name from consideration and left the
session. Walking alongside the disappointed Carter was Joseph Bruton, his 1948 line brother at
the Xi. Joe later commented - “We have been together since 1948 through thick and thin; I felt
like he needed me just as we needed each other in 48.”
The delegates elected Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Gordon the 24th Grand Polemarch and
Grand Board member Abram the 25th Senior Grand Vice Polemarch. Following the election, the
Grand Board elected Southern Province Polemarch Ulysses McBride to fill the unexpired term
of Grand Board member Abram. This was not surprising to the delegates since McBride had
been a major supporter of the Gordon/Abram ticket.
A casualty of the election process was Grand Board member Bobby Henry. Elected at the 63rd
Grand Chapter meeting while a student at North Carolina A & T State University, Henry was a
student at the Howard University School of Law. At the 1982 Eastern Province Council, he did
not seek the endorsement of the delegates, in part, because he was uncertain whether he would
seek reelection. This proved to be a mistake since potential support from outside the Eastern
Province went to other candidates. The delegates did elect Timothy Brown, a 1982 Xi initiate,
the Grand Strategus.
The 24 th Grand Polemarch – Robert L. Gordon
Robert L. Gordon, a native of Lexington, KY, earned his BS degree
from Edward Waters College, where he was an outstanding
basketball player.
Following a brief career as a professional basketball player, he
taught psychology and social science at a Waycross [GA] High
School and was the head basketball coach. He moved to Michigan
to accept a position at Ford Motor Company, where he rose
through the ranks to become a division manager.
Gordon, a 1963 Delta Psi initiate, was a Northern Province
Polemarch under Grand Polemarchs Allen and Holloway. The
delegates at the 62nd and 63rd Grand Chapter meetings elected
him the Senior Grand Vice Polemarch.
As Senior Grand Vice Polemarch, he was a working partner and
chief confidant to Grand Polemarch Gumbs. When Grand Polemarch Gumbs left the country on
sailing expeditions, he placed the Fraternity in the capable hands of his working partner. As
Chairman of the Council of Province Polemarchs, Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Gordon was the
chief architect of the Buy a Brick program as a mechanism to raise funds to renovate the national
headquarters buildings. He represented the Grand Board of Directors at several Province
Councils and commented –
“The emphasis for the 80s will be chapters working with their local communities through Guide Right and
social involvement programs to make their presence effective. There is a renewed concern for working
with black youngsters that has surfaced which makes this a different ball game.”
His first article in the Kappa Journal set forth his philosophy –
“This is the time to call upon the black family unit to return to the fundamental teachings of hard
work, love, and respect for each other. This is the time to call upon black fathers and mothers to
return to being the leaders of the family. This is the time to challenge our youth to strive for
excellence, to become doctors, lawyers, engineers, astronauts, computer technicians, senators,
corporate vice presidents and presidents. This is the time to challenge the black masses to make
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
all black leaders, including elected officials accountable to the black community for their deeds
and actions. This is the time to tell black dope pushers in our communities to stop destroying the
minds of our children in the elementary and junior and senior high schools. This is the time to
improve the quality of our schools and to support public school systems and black colleges across
the land. This is the time to counter the negative image of black Americans projected daily by the
electronic and print media. This is the time to begin eliminating injustices, bigotry, crime, drugs,
and poverty, which debilitate our communities like cancers.”
In pursuit of his philosophy, the new Grand Polemarch proposed to move the Fraternity
forward in such areas as membership retention and growth, undergraduate and graduate
leadership training, financial accountability, program planning and community involvement.
To execute his agenda, he organized a host of Kappamen throughout the nation into
commissions, committees, and task forces. No Grand Polemarch since C. Rodger Wilson
involved so many brothers in so many activities.
Terrance G. Blount – The 28th Chapter Polemarch [1982-84]
Terrance G. Blount was one of the youngest members elected Polemarch. Unlike several of his
immediate predecessors who worked on several Chapter committees, Blount did not. Instead, he
was more involved at the national level. He had served the Chapter as Keeper of Records [1978]
before returning to New York, and was a 1981 Advisory Council appointee of Polemarch Clark.
In 1981, Blount changed his career focus from the commercial to the
individual marketplace. He returned to the Washington (DC) metropolitan
area and accepted a sales position with VALIC, a wholly owned subsidiary
of the American General Corporation. He was responsible for marketing
retirement products to the largest public school district in the Washington
[DC] metropolitan area. He spent seven years with VALIC and increased the
client base in the system threefold. He left VALIC in 1989 to become a
Financial Planner at Met Life Securities, a wholly owned subsidiary of
Metropolitan Life. In 1997, he returned to the Equitable as an Investment
Advisory Representative. He is one of the few blacks licensed as a registered
investment advisor in the nation. He is also among a select group of
financial professionals holding the coveted Certified Life Underwriter
[CLU] and Chartered Financial Consultant [ChFC] designations from the
American College
Blount has received numerous professional awards including the MetLife Financial Planner of the
Year Award presented to the premiere financial planner in the nation, and has been listed in Who’s
Who in Finance and Industry, and Who’s Who in Black America. He has also received awards from the
AXA Equitable for his meeting and exceeding company standards.
Blount was a member of the Fraternity Finance Committee under Grand Polemarch Holloway and
the National Fund-Raising Committee Chairman under Grand Polemarch Gumbs. He was also an
incorporator of the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation. Grand Polemarch Gordon appointed him to the
National Conclave Planning Committee in 1982 and the Committee Vice Chairman in 1984. As Vice
Chairman, he was the principal liaison between the Chapter and the Grand Board of Directors.
Blount did not confine his involvement to the national level. Within the Eastern Province, he
helped develop a revision of the Eastern Province Bylaws [1986] For his contributions to the
Province, Eastern Province Polemarch Tutman presented him a 1991 Pillar of the Province Award.
Eastern Province Polemarch Hill also recognized his contributions with a 2000 Pillar of the
Province Award. He was the first member to receive the Award more than once.
The Conclave Planning Committee
Shortly after taking the oath of office, Grand Polemarch Gordon established the Conclave
Planning Committee to plan and manage Grand Chapter meetings. He saw it as a permanent
committee that would insure continuity among Grand Chapter meetings. He named Grand
Board member Henry Flowers the first Committee chairman and Eastern Province Senior Vice
Polemarch Howard L. Tutman Jr the first Committee vice chairman. The other Committee
members were 32
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Ulysses McBride – representing the Grand Board of Directors
Manuel Pierson [Detroit (MI) Alumni Chapter] – representing the host chapters for
the 64th Grand Chapter meeting
Melvin Pleasant [Louisville (KY) Alumni Chapter – representing the host chapters for
the 65th Grand Chapter meeting; and
Terrance Blount [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter] – representing the host chapters
for the 66th Grand Chapter meeting
Executive Secretary Morris was an ex officio of the Committee.
The Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program
In September 1982, Grand Polemarch Gordon announced the participation of the Fraternity in a
nationwide recruitment program to increase the minority involvement in the Big Brothers/Big
Sisters Program. Big Brothers/Big Sisters is a congressionally chartered national nonprofit
organization that matches adult volunteers with children from single parent families.
Announcing the involvement of the Fraternity, Grand Polemarch Gordon said –
“With 80,000 unmatched minority children on the Big Brothers/Big Sisters waiting list, it is imperative for
someone to take a leadership role and help solve this problem.”
The Passing of Founder Edward Giles Irvin
Founder Edward Giles Irvin died at his home in Chicago on November 4, 1982. According to Ms.
Evelyn Jefferson, president of the St James AME Church Lay Organization – “Mr. Irvin died as
he had lived; peaceful and loved.”
Founder Irvin received a host of awards and decorations. According to his close friends and
relatives, his most cherished award was the Laurel Wreath of Kappa Alpha Psi conferred upon him
at the 61st Grand Chapter meeting [1976].
On November 12, 1982, Grand Polemarch Gordon led a delegation of brothers to Chicago to
observe the final rites for the last Founder, that included –
Senior Grand Vice Polemarch James B. Abram Jr;
Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Gary D. Gold;
Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer: Arthur L. Carter;
Grand Board member Henry W. Flowers;
Grand Historian William L. Crump;
Past Grand Polemarch Hiliary H. Holloway;
Past Grand Polemarch Ernest H. Davenport;
Past Grand Polemarch Thomas Bradley;
Past Grand Polemarch Earl B. Dickerson;
North Eastern Province Polemarch Richard Scott;
Eastern Province Polemarch Clarence F Nelson Jr;
Middle Eastern Province Polemarch Randall Rogers;
Executive Secretary Earl A. Morris; and
Polemarch Terrance G. Blount
More than 400 Kappamen filled the church as Grand Polemarch Gordon led the burial
ceremony. At the proper moment, the brothers broke into a rendition of the Kappa Alpha Psi
Hymn. Grand Historian Crump read the Grand Chapter Resolution and presented it to the family.
The 45-car funeral procession to the Burr Oak Cemetery stretched for over a mile. As the
funeral procession assembled for the drive, an onlooker passing by queried with amazement –
“Who died?” When told it was a founder of Kappa Alpha Psi, he replied – “I knew it was
somebody important.”
A brother remarking after the service said – “It must be some reunion up there.” The death of
Founder Irvin, 72 years after the founding of the Fraternity, left the Fraternity with no living
founder for guidance and inspiration.
New National Awards
At its February 1983 Grand Board of Directors meeting, upon the recommendation of Grand
Polemarch Gordon, the Grand Board approved three new awards
The Paul Waymond Caine Award
The Edward Giles Irvin Award
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The Byron Kenneth Armstrong Award
The First Council of Junior Province Vice Polemarchs Meeting
The Fraternity held its first Council of Junior Province Vice Polemarchs meeting in Dallas, TX
during the spring of 1983. Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Gary D. Gold chaired the session. The
purpose of the meeting was to discuss the past, present and future of Kappa Alpha Psi. Gold, a
distinguished student at Indiana University, said to the participants –
“We must constantly continue to better ourselves for the challenges that wait ahead. We must not be
content with the status quo. Instead, we must be exceptional men of high intellect and stature. Our
destinies will be determined by many elements but the most crucial of these are communication,
education, and process of continuation.”
Republican Civil Rights Pioneer Samuel C. Jackson to Chapter Invisible
Following a long and painful struggle with cancer, Samuel C. Jackson joined the Chapter
Invisible in 1982 at the young age of 53. Jackson, a 1948 Rho initiate, was a partner in a
prestigious Wall Street law firm for several years. In 1981, he returned to public service as a
Ronald Reagan appointee to the Presidential Housing Commission. A civil rights activists with a
record of accomplishment dating to the 1950s, he was also an active member of the Republican
Party. Some saw this as a conflict but Jackson saw it as quite normal. In his home state of
Kansas, the Republican Party offered opportunities to blacks.
His health condition was a surprise to most brothers. However, when he began loosing weight
and taking frequent trips to the Mayo Clinic, they knew something was wrong and that the
condition was serious. Jackson confided in a few brothers but for the most part conducted his
life in a business as usual manner. To some, Jackson was a powerful man held in awe. To others,
he was, as he often said – “a poor country lawyer from Kansas.”
The Council of Province Polemarchs Meeting
Eastern Province Polemarch Nelson hosted the 1983 Council of Province Polemarchs meeting in
Norfolk [VA] at the Radisson Hotel. The weekend session, chaired by Senior Grand Vice
Polemarch Abram, was the first meeting of the Council within the borders of the Eastern
Province. During the session, the Province Polemarchs heard a presentation by Grand
Polemarch Gordon. The thrust of his remarks were upon upgrading the fund-raising effort to
support the Kappa Foundation and continued involvement in social action projects. The members
of the Council were –
Chairman: Senior Grand Vice Polemarch James B. Abram Jr
Vice Chairman: Eastern Province Polemarch Clarence F. Nelson Jr
Secretary: Middle Western Province Polemarch Ivory Johnson
Northern Province Polemarch Ronald R Young
Northeastern Province Polemarch Richard A. Scott
Middle Eastern Province Polemarch Randall Rogers
Southeastern Province Polemarch Melvin T. Solomon
Southern Province Polemarch Robert T Hughes
North Central Province Polemarch William Roach
East Central Province Polemarch George N Charlton
South Central Province Polemarch Louis N Willis
Southwestern Province Polemarch Carlyle Chapman; and
Western Province Polemarch Edward Shleton Jr
Province Polemarch Nelson treated the brothers to a barbecue dinner at the home of his parents
in Virginia Beach [VA]. The Norfolk (VA) Alumni Chapter sponsored a closed affair on Saturday
evening. At the affair, Grand Polemarch Gordon acknowledged the contributions of three
Hampton Institute alumni for their service as Province Polemarchs – South Central Province
Polemarch Willis [Beta Chi 1950], Northern Province Polemarch Young [Beta Chi 1969], and
Eastern Province Polemarch Nelson [Beta Chi 1969]. This was the first time three alumni of the
same institution served the Fraternity as chief regional officers at the same time.
Other brothers from outside the area attending the affair included –
Eastern Province Senior Vice Polemarch Oscar L. Mims;
Eastern Province Board member Howard L. Tutman Jr;
Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter Polemarch Terrance G. Blount;
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter Polemarch Robert Draine;
Operating Assistant to Executive Secretary Albert Burgess; and
Past Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter Polemarch Donald Rigby
The 1983 Province Council
The Aberdeen (MD) Alumni Chapter was to host the 1983 Province Council. However, the
chapter informed the Province Board it would be unable to meet this commitment. The
Province Board of Directors accepted an invitation of the Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter to
host the meeting.
The Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter, Alpha Iota, Zeta Gamma, and Lambda Zeta hosted the 1983
Province Council on March 17-20 at the Hunt Valley [MD] Marriott. Grand Polemarch Gordon,
Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Abram, Grand Board member Ulysses McBride, Past Grand
Polemarch Hiliary H. Holloway, Elder Watson Diggs Awardee I. W. E. Taylor, and Past Grand
Board member Charles Tildon Jr, attended the meeting. National Life Membership Chairman
Calvin Swinson, a 1955 Alpha Phi initiate, reported on the continued expansion of the Life
Membership Program. Grand Polemarch Gordon was the Closed Banquet Speaker.
There were no substantive issues debated at this Province Council. However, there was a brief
conflict between some members affiliated with the two largest chapters assigned to the
Province. The Polemarchs from the two chapters met in private and resolved the matter to their
satisfaction, and advised the members involved of the outcome.
Washington Silhouettes 25th Anniversary Celebration
The Kappa Silhouettes Inc of Washington, DC celebrated its 25th anniversary with a dance at the
Howard University Blackburn Center on May 24, 1983.
The Silhouettes membership roster included several women involved at the regional and
national levels. Louise Young, wife of Brother Sie Young Jr, was a member of several national
committees and the unofficial matriarch of the organization. Gerry Fowlkes, wife of Brother
Walter Fowlkes, and Gwen Brown, wife of Brother Walter Brown, were both regional officers.
For year, it jointly sponsored a program [Kap-Sil] that recognized high school graduating
seniors who were the children of Chapter members. This activity played a role in the formation
of the Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund.
The dance was an elegant affair attended by most of the members of the Chapter. To
commemorate the occasion, the Silhouettes presented each couple with an engraved replica
keepsake of the invitation that read –
“The Kappa Silhouettes, Inc. of Washington, DC requests the pleasure of your company at their Silver
Anniversary Celebration, Saturday May 24, 1983, Blackburn Center, Howard University, Ten to Two.”
The 1983 Kappa House Issue
In July 1983, Polemarch Blount called a special Chapter meeting to discuss selling the Kappa
Kastle. The Chapter had owned the property since 1949 and subjected it to major remodeling
during the tenure of Polemarch J. Neal King. Originally, the property had dormitory space for
students but it evicted the final tenant during the tenure of Polemarch Ronald J. Taylor.
The surrounding area was undergoing a renaissance that saw an escalation in property values.
Developers were purchasing properties at inflated values and converting them to condominium
apartments. When the Chapter purchased the property, its neighbors were the Alpha Kappa
Alpha Sorority and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. However, by 1983 both organizations had
sold their properties and moved to new locales.
Approximately 33 brothers attended the afternoon meeting. There were heated and emotional
comments for and against the sale of the property. Polemarch Blount opined that selling the
property for at least $400,000 – the approximate market value – would provide the Chapter with
the resources to acquire another property. Past Polemarch Bruton, one of the first residents of
the property, characterized it as “an albatross around our necks that we cannot afford.” After
much debate, a majority of the 33 attendees voted to sell the property.
Although the meeting was legal – members did receive a special notice in a timely manner –
some members felt the purpose of the meeting was simply to discuss the matter. At a November
1983 meeting, they the members, the members voted to rescind the sale action.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The 20th Anniversary March on Washington Rally
On August 27, 1983, over 750,000 demonstrators gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to celebrate
the 20th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington and to call upon the Senate to pass a
Martin Luther King Holiday bill.
Organized by the King Center in Atlanta [GA] under the direction of Coretta Scott King, the
local organizer was DC Delegate Walter Fauntroy. Past Polemarch Carter and Brother Samuel
McCoy coordinated the involvement of Kappa Alpha Psi in the March. Brothers from the
Washington [DC] metropolitan area, including members from Xi, Beta Kappa, and Kappa Chi,
marched behind a Chapter banner. Grand Strategus Timothy Brown led the brothers in songs.
The impetus for a national holiday to honor Dr. King began in November 1978 when the
National Council of Churches called upon the Congress to pass a King Holiday bill. During 1979,
Mrs. King testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee and joint hearings of Congress on
behalf of a King Holiday. She directed the King Center staff to begin an intensive organization
of nationwide citizens to lobby for a national holiday. The King Center launched a nationwide
King Holiday petition campaign and gathered more than 300,000 signatures before the end of
1979. President Carter called upon Congress to pass a national King Holiday. Energized by a
grassroots prairie fire, the King Holiday bill began to move through congressional committees.
In November 1979, the bill failed on a floor vote in the House of Representatives.
In early 1980, Stevie Wonder released his Happy Birthday Dr. King song celebrating the birthday
of Dr. King and urging a holiday in his honor. It became a hit and the rallying cry for a holiday.
In November 1980, a second attempt to pass a King Holiday bill in the House failed by five
votes. The King Center formed a coalition with other organizations and opened an office in
Washington with funding provided primarily by Stevie Wonder.
On February 23, 1983, Mrs. King testified in support of the Holiday before the Subcommittee on
Census and Population of the House Committee on Post Office and Civil Service. Later during
the year, Mrs. King and Stevie Wonder presented the King Center petitions bearing more than
six million signatures in support of a holiday to Massachusetts Congressman Thomas O'Neill,
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
In early August 1983, Brother John Conyers and Congresswoman Katie Hall [D-IN] introduced
a third King Holiday bill in the House of Representatives, which passed 338 to 90. The August 27,
1983, rally was a response to this accomplishment. Senator Ted Kennedy [D-MA] sponsored the
House bill in the Senate, which passed by a vote of 78-22 on October 19, 1983. President Regan
signed the legislation on November 3, 1983, establishing the third Monday of January as the
Martin Luther King Jr National Holiday. The first observance was January 20, 1986.
It took nearly eight years for the federal process honoring an international hero to run its
course. Without the demonstrative support of the nation, particularly on August 27, 1983, it is
highly unlikely the Congress would have responded favorably.
At the urging of President Clinton, Congress passed the Martin Luther King Jr Federal Holiday and
Service Act of 1994. This Act expanded the mission of the holiday as a day of community service,
interracial cooperation, and youth anti-violence initiatives. In October 1999, the U.S. Senate
unanimously passes legislation requiring federal institutions to fly the U.S. flag on the Martin
Luther King Jr. Holiday.
The First Celebrity Auction
In September 1983, the Chapter sponsored a fund-raising charitable event at the Blackburn
Center on the campus of Howard University. It was a soul food celerity auction conceived by
Brother James Hinkle, a member of the group that was in the process of forming a 501[c][3]
public charitable affiliate to the Chapter.
Brother Carl Anderson, Vice President of Student Affairs at Howard University, headed the
inaugural committee, arranged for the Chapter to use the facility, and persuaded Gourmet
Foods to provide a special meal for the event.
The event attracted brothers and individuals from throughout the Washington (DC)
metropolitan area and was the first of its kind in the area. Held on a Sunday afternoon when the
Redskins were not playing a home game, the event was a financial success. An unfortunate
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
byproduct of its success was the elimination of the annual Harvest Ball that so many brothers
felt was the principal fund raising event of the Chapter.
The Death of Past Grand Polemarch William Henry Greene
Dr. William Henry Greene was a man whose lived by two precepts - Achievement and
Entertainment. Greene truly loved his fraternity and once remarked to an audience - “Next to
my family and my God, Kappa comes next.”
Past Grand Polemarch Greene scripted the activities for his funeral and appointed Brothers Carl
Anderson and Frederick Davison the administrators of his funeral plans. He insisted his funeral
should be a time of joy rather than a time of sadness.
Following his death on September 19, 1983, his body lay in state at Rankin Chapel on the
Howard University campus. His wake attracted more than 2,000 individuals for the main
program, including Mayor Marion Barry; every member of the DC City Council; Brother Walter
Fauntroy, DC delegate to the House of Representatives, and Brothers Louis Stokes, John
Conyers and Mervyn Dymally, all members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The Kappa delegation that gathered to conduct the Memorial Service exceeded 1,000 and could
not fit into the Chapel. Instead, they dispersed in single file from the Chapel to the Blackburn
Center, a distance of approximately 300 yards. Other brothers who were unable to join the line
stood outside on both sides of the Chapel. The Kappa dignitaries at the service included –
Past Grand Polemarch Ernest H. Davenport;
Past Grand Polemarch Hiliary H. Holloway;
Grand Polemarch Robert L. Gordon;
Senior Grand Vice Polemarch James Abram Jr;
Grand Strategus Timothy Brown;;
Grand Historian William L. Crump; and
Eastern Province Polemarch Clarence F. Nelson Jr
A highlight of the wake was the decision to broadcast the singing of the Kappa Alpha Psi Hymn
over the entire campus through a loudspeaker system that had been set up in the Chapel.
Following the burial on September 24th, Brothers Anderson and Davison sponsored a reception
in the Howard University Blackburn Center. Past Grand Polemarch Greene planned the
reception before his death and provided $25,000 in a special fund to underwrite it. The
reception attracted several thousand people and continued well into the evening. Top shelf food
and beverages, and entertainment were available to the guests. While the death of Past Grand
Polemarch Greene saddened the guests, they left the affair with an appreciation for his lifestyle.
The Charter Bus to the Conclave
Past Polemarch Clark, one of the more enterprising members of the Chapter, arranged for a
luxury bus to take members to the 65th Grand Chapter meeting. The bus departed on December
26, 1983, and arrived in Louisville in time for the Public Meeting despite encountering terrible
weather. Everyone who rode the bus commented about its comfort and the fun. It was another
opportunity for brothers and their wives to interact together.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The 65th Grand Chapter Meeting
The Louisville (KY) Alumni Chapter and the Alpha Omicron hosted the 65th Grand Chapter
meeting on December 26-30, 1983. The original site for the meeting was the Galt Hotel. However,
the hotel owner was unable to complete the renovations to the hotel before the meeting dates.
This forced the Fraternity leaders to move the sessions and other activities to the Louisville
Convention Center and to use three hotels to house the delegates, their families and guests.
Traditionally weather in Louisville during December is cold. However, on Christmas Eve, a
major snow and ice storm hit the city. It paralyzed its transportation system and disrupted service
at businesses throughout the city. There was even a curtailment in room service at two of the
three convention hotels. The storm left an indelible picture in the minds of the delegates and
started the process to eliminate winter Grand Chapter meetings.
National Urban League President John E. Jacob [New Rochelle-White Plains (NY) Alumni
Chapter] was the keynote speaker at the Public Meeting. Jacob challenged the audience to
remember their past as they planned for their future. Judge Alcee Hastings [Fort Lauderdale
(FL) Alumni Chapter] was the Awards Program Speaker. In his sterling remarks, he reminded
the audience – “Winners make things happen; losers wait for things to happen.” Grand
Polemarch Gordon presented the traditional awards and a special award to Ed Gardner
[Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter] for his black on black love program. Grand Board member
Addrow-Pierson was the keynote speaker at the Undergraduate Luncheon.
Dr. Harrison B. Wilson [Norfolk (VA) Alumni Chapter] was the Closed Banquet Speaker. In
introducing the Norfolk State University president, Grand Polemarch Gordon commented that
he was personally responsible for selecting Wilson. He remarked that his relationship with
Wilson dated to his high school days when Wilson attempted to recruit him to play basketball at
Jackson State College. Wilson gave an inspiring and uplifting speech that veteran Closed
Banquet attendees characterized as “one of the greatest speeches ever at a Closed Banquet.”
In his State of the Fraternity Report, Grand Polemarch Gordon spoke about his 16 months of
leadership. He was proud that Kappa Alpha Psi was “challenging the economic policies of the
Reagan administration which are eroding the very foundation of black America.” He reported –
Kappa was raising a loud voice against injustices inflicted on blacks in this country
and elsewhere;
The work of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America was helping to eliminate the long list
of youngsters awaiting assignments;
1,000 new members of the NAACP was the direct result of Kappa efforts; and
Kappa appeared before the US Supreme Court twice, filing two separate amicus
curiae briefs in different cases to protect the civil rights gains that blacks made
through affirmative action programs
He went on to say –
“While enjoying the social intercourse connected with fraternity life, we still endeavor to be relevant to the
times in which we live as shown by our role in the Greek Leadership Conference, our part in Operation
Big Vote, our support of the Congressional Black Caucus and our projection into areas that relate to our
existence as black Americans.”
The highlight of a Grand Ball is the promenade. Because of the weather in Louisville, many
thought this Grand Ball would be a disappointment. They were wrong! Conclave Planning
Committee member Manual Pierson designed an elegant prelude to the Grand Ball that
captivated the audience. Pierson and fellow Committee member Blount introduced the brothers
included in the promenade entourage [and their sweethearts] to the guests, culminating with
the introduction of Grand Polemarch Gordon whose escort for the evening was his mother.
Each brother wore a specially designed carnation in his tuxedo lapel while his sweetheart wore
a matching carnation on her wrist.
The 1984 Off Site Chapter Meetings
The winter of 1983-84 was one of the coldest in the Washington (DC) area. Shortly after
returning from the 65th Grand Chapter meeting, Keeper of Exchequer Nash informed
Polemarch Blount, the oil bill for December exceeded $500. Polemarch Blount decided to
conserve the Chapter resources by turning down the thermostat at the Kappa Kastle to the
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
lowest permissible level, and to hold meetings at Howard University. The Chapter held its
January meeting at the Blackburn Center on the main campus and its February-April meetings
at the School of Law on the west campus. Some brothers objected to this arrangement but
Polemarch Blount reasoned this was an effective way to conserve resources.
Chapter Forms Charitable Affiliate
In February 1983, several brothers of the chapter expressed a desire to develop a strong
scholarship program to enable it to recognize the accomplishments of outstanding graduating
seniors of the DC Public School system. These members felt a separate charitable organization
would facilitate the solicitation for support from its members and outside sources. Homer
Kemp, a 1933 Alpha Mu initiate, spearheaded the effort. After several meetings at his home, the
brothers formed the Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund Inc. as a 501[c][3] corporation on
February 16, 1984. Its fundamental purpose is to provide scholarships to graduates of the DC Public
School System seeking to further their education at accredited four-year colleges and universities.
Initially, the Fund relied upon a single event – an annual fund raising event known as the
Celebrity Auction. Held in the autumn of the year, it attracts support from corporations and
individuals who donate items of value that the Fund auctions to raise money to increase its
endowment. The Fund expanded its scope of operation to accept payroll deductible
contributions of employees whose employers participate in the Combined Federal Campaign and
Named Endowment Scholarships funded with individual contributions. From an endowment of
less than $50,000, the Fund endowment exceeded $1 million by December 31, 1989. Its success
led to the formation of similar organizations by other chapters.
Mims Announces Retirement as Eastern Province Senior Vice Polemarch
Past Polemarch Mims, the Province Senior Vice Polemarch, announced at the March 1984
Chapter meeting he would not be a candidate for reelection at the 1984 Eastern Province
Council. Mims had been a part of the Province elected leadership since 1977 when the delegates
elected him to the Province Board of Directors. At the 1980 Eastern Province Council, the
delegates elected him the Province Senior Vice Polemarch, the highest elected Province office.
Although Mims did not specify the reasons for his decision, at the time of his announcement,
Mims was the National C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference Chairman and a co-chairman
of the Steering Committee responsible for planning the 66th Grand Chapter meeting.
The 1984 Province Council
The Province returned to Tidewater for its 1984 Province Council. The Portsmouth (VA) Alumni
Chapter, Epsilon Zeta, and Eta Omega hosted the meeting on April 19-22 at the Radisson Hotel in
Virginia Beach, VA. Grand Polemarch Gordon, Northern Province Polemarch Ronald Young,
and Northeastern Province Polemarch Richard Scott attended the meeting. Reverend W. Eugene
Houston, [New York (NY) Alumni Chapter] was the Closed Banquet Speaker.
The major discussion items were - a revised Ritual of Kappa Alpha Psi, Kappa Etiquette, and
strategies for an effective pledge program. There was also extensive debate on the process used
by the Achievement and Awards Committee to select the recipients. This debate led to a
decision by the Province Board of Directors to codify the criteria for the benefit of all chapters.
The delegates also modified the Province Bylaws setting the terms of alumni Province Board
members to three years. To achieve the desired result, electing an alumni Province Board
member every three years, the three alumni Province Board members stood for election. The
basis for their tenure was the number of votes they received in the election - the highest vote
getter received the three year term and the lowest vote getter a one year term. Province Board
member Nash was elected to the three year term.
The 1984 Easter Dance – Surprise Guests
The 1984 Eastern Province Council coincided with the Easter holiday. Generally, when a
Province Council conflicts with a chapter meeting night, the chapter changes its meeting date.
However, in 1984, the Chapter chose not to change; one reasons was the 1984 Easter Dance.
While Polemarch Blount and others attended the Eastern Province Council at the Radisson
Hotel in Virginia Beach [VA], Vice Polemarch Brown conducted the Chapter meeting and
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
continued supervising the planning for the Easter Dance – the premier affair sponsored
annually by the Chapter.
Upon returning from the Province Council, most of the delegates barely had enough time to
change from their travel gear into their formal wear. The brothers who made the quick change
and attended the 1984 Easter Dance at the Sheraton Washington Hotel, as guests of Polemarch
Blount, included –
Eastern Province Senior Vice-Polemarch Howard L. Tutman Jr;
Eastern Province Undergraduate Board Member Emmett Roberts; and
Eastern Province Undergraduate Board Member James A Diggs Jr
This was the first time brothers affiliated with the Greek letter chapters located in Washington
[DC] were on the Eastern Province board of directors at the same time. Roberts, the Beta Kappa
Polemarch, would become the Province Junior-Vice Polemarch at the 1985 Province Council.
A highlight of the evening was the introduction by Polemarch Blount of another one of his
guest - Grand Polemarch Robert L. Gordon, who had attended the 1984 Eastern Province
Council and rode with Polemarch Blount and his family back to Washington. Grand Polemarch
Gordon selected a dance partner and led the traditional waltz of brothers and their sweethearts.
It was the first time a Grand Polemarch affiliated with the chapter other than Washington [DC]
Alumni Chapter had attended an Easter Dance in over 25 years.
The 1984 Awards Program
The Chapter held its 1984 Awards Program at the Blackburn Center on the campus of Howard
University in June 1984. Past Polemarch J. Neal King escorted Mrs. LaMont H. Lawson to the
affair. This was one of the last public appearances of Mrs. Lawson.
During the program, Polemarch Blount recognized the presence of several dignitaries,
including the past Chapter Polemarchs, and Mrs. Lawson. He presented certificates of
Achievements to brothers. Mrs. Lawson joined Polemarch Blount in presenting the sixth
LaMont H. Lawson Award to Carl Anderson, Vice President of Student Affairs at Howard
University, for his exemplary contributions to the Chapter. Vice Polemarch Brown presented
Polemarch Blount with a ceremonial gavel but reminded him it was strictly an ornament.
Leroy Brown Jr - The 29th Chapter Polemarch [1984-86]
Leroy Brown Jr, a native of the Peach state, was an outstanding athlete both in high school and at
Savannah State College. He was also a brilliant student who saw earning a
college degree as a way to a better life. Arriving in Washington [DC] near the
beginning of the 1960s, he accepted a position within the federal government.
During the next 30 years, Brown rose to the highest level available to a career
civil servant.
Brown, a 1957 initiate of the Savannah State College Chapter, the Gamma Chi
of Kappa Alpha Psi, affiliated with the Chapter shortly after coming to the
area. He worked diligently on the several committees of the Chapter carefully
learning from the seasoned brothers. The brothers elected Brown VicePolemarch in 1982 and Polemarch without opposition. After leaving office,
Brown remained involved with chapter affairs with a specific focus upon its
finances. Some brothers referred to him as the budget chairman emeritus.
The Fourth Executive Secretary of Kappa Alpha Psi – Algernon F. Moultrie
Earl A, Morris, the third Executive Secretary, left the National Headquarters to pursue other
career opportunities shortly after the adjournment of the 65th Grand Chapter meeting. The new
Grand Board of Directors designated Assistant Executive Director Moultrie as the Acting
Executive Secretary effective January 1984.
Moultrie came to the National Headquarter in 1969 as an Assistant Executive Secretary.
Designating him the Acting Executive Secretary maintained continuity at the Headquarters.
Grand Polemarch Gordon impaneled a search committee to identify a member with the
requisite skills and talents. The Grand Board appointed Moultrie Executive Secretary effective
January 1, 1985.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Washington Alumni Prepares for the 66th Grand Chapter Meeting
The Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter had submitted several proposals to host a summer Grand
Chapter meeting. The last time the Fraternity met in Washington was in 1954 when the city was
beginning to emerge from the shackles of segregation.
When Grand Polemarch Gumbs announced at the 63rd Grand Chapter meeting [1980] that
Washington, DC was the site of the 66th Grand Chapter meeting [1985], the delegation at that
meeting found it difficult to restrain their glee. During a reception hosted by Polemarch Richard
R. Clark to honor the 25th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee – Dr. Herman J. Tyrance – the planning
wheels were set in motion. The Washington delegation unanimously agreed the 66th Grand
Chapter meeting would become the standard for future Grand Chapter meetings.
Polemarch Clark appointed a Steering Committee composed of three past chapter Polemarchs –
Joseph Bruton, Donald Fletcher and Oscar Mims. Bruton, a 1948 Xi initiate, was a longstanding
member of the Laurel Wreath Commission and the author of legislation that changed the process
for admitting men into the Fraternity through alumni chapters. Fletcher, a 1947 Pi initiate and
the first Polemarch of the Gamma Kappa of Kappa Alpha Psi at Clark College, was a past Eastern
Province Senior Vice-Polemarch. Mims, a 1955 Beta Kappa initiate, was a past Eastern Province
Senior-Vice Polemarch and the National C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference chairman.
Each had played a role in developing the several proposals submitted to the Grand Board, and
each played a role in involving officials of the city to demonstrate the city commitment to
hosting a meeting of the Fraternity in the nation’s capital. Collectively, these men would serve
as the mortar that would cement the focus of the chapter on the 66th Grand Chapter meeting
To familiarize themselves with the intricacies of hosting a Grand Chapter meeting, the Steering
Committee surveyed brothers, and guests attending the 64th and 65th Grand Chapter meetings.
Their focus was upon what people expected and enjoyed, particularly local activities. The Steering
Committee impaneled sub committees to address these matters. These subcommittees included
brothers from the co host chapters – Xi, Beta Kappa, Theta Tau and Kappa Chi. Hence the planning
was not simply an alumni activity. The Steering Committee also sought suggestions from the
surrounding area chapters and throughout the Eastern Province to expand the participation and
support base for the 1985 meeting.
The election of Robert L. Gordon as Grand Polemarch changed the management of Grand
Chapter meetings. The Conclave Planning Committee chairman for the 1985 meeting was Eastern
Province Senior Vice Polemarch Howard L. Tutman Jr [Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter] and
the Committee Vice Chairman was past Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter Polemarch Terrance
G. Blount. The presence of two members from the Baltimore/Washington area on the Committee
gave the hosts insight into how to develop a local agenda that would not conflict with the
desires of the Grand Board.
The Grand Board approved a host chapter program that included several events highlighting
the splendor of the city, a free family picnic in Rock Creek Park – a national landmark – and a
local publication, which included historical information about the city, the involvement of the
host chapters in the growth of the Fraternity, and funded exclusively at the local area. To many,
this publication, edited by past Chapter Polemarch Clark, envied the official Journal publication.
Scholarship Endowment Fund Receives Tax Exemption
On January 15, 1985, the Internal Revenue Service notified the Kappa Scholarship Endowment
Fund Inc that its application for a 501[c][3] tax exemption had been approved. Formed in 1984 to
assume responsibility for the scholarship program of the Chapter, the notice from the IRS
moved KSEF to a new plateau. Not only would its income be exempt from income taxes but the
contributions of donors would also be tax deductible. This would broaden the KSEF donor
contribution base. KSEF was the first charitable affiliate of a chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi.
The Fifth Kappa Alpha Psi Journal Editor – Jonathan P. Hicks
Grand Polemarch Gordon, pursuant to a recommendation of the Publicity and Publications
Commission, appointed Jonathan P. Hicks the fifth permanent Kappa Alpha Psi Journal Editor
effective April 1985 to succeed the retiring Earl S. Clanton III.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Hicks, a native of Washington [DC], earned a BS degree from the University of Missouri. He
continued his academic pursuits on a journalism fellowship to University of California. He
began his professional career as a staff writer at the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson (AZ), where he
had once been an announcer at a National Public Radio station. He moved to the Cleveland Plain
Dealer as a business writer, specializing in black owned businesses, and in 1985 accepted a
position at the prestigious New York Times as a business and finance reporter.
Hicks was a 1977 Delta Omega initiate. As a student he was Middle Western Province Junior Vice
Polemarch and editor of the Middle Westerner – the official Province newsletter. Hicks earned a
reputation as a Kappaman willing to make his talents and skills available to the Fraternity.
While a student at the University of California, he was the editor of the Pacific Reporter – the
official newsletter of the Western Province. When he moved to Cleveland, he affiliated with the
Cleveland (OH) Alumni Chapter and served as advisor to the Baldwin Wallace College Chapter,
the Iota Nu of Kappa Alpha Psi. Upon arriving in New York, he affiliated with the New York (NY)
Alumni Chapter and began providing input to help the chapter expand its membership roster.
Hicks was involved with the Journal and the Publicity and Publications Commission for several
years. He produced an exhaustive review of the Journal and recommended numerous changes
for the Journal to the Commission. He served as a volunteer Associate Journal Editor responsible
for campus activities and was a member of the History Review Committee responsible for the
third edition of the Story of Kappa Alpha Psi.
The Local Conclave Publication
Grand Chapter meetings afford local chapters an opportunity to display the amenities of their
city. In anticipation of the 66th Grand Chapter meeting, the Chapter decided to publish a
separate local journal to supplement the local advertisements in the Conclave Journal.
Under the direction of Past Polemarch Clark, the local publication was an impressive display of
articles and information about the city. Financed by advertisements and contributions from
individuals and businesses in the Washington metropolitan area, it was a part of the materials
contained in the kits distributed to each registered delegate. This publication would set the
standard for future publications developed by chapters hosting Grand Chapter meetings.
This was by not a minor undertaking. Past Polemarch Clark was extremely careful not to
interfere with the thrust to obtain advertisements for the national publication. At the end of the
day, the local publication generated in excess of $10,000 for the Chapter.
The 66th Grand Chapter Meeting
The Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter, Xi, Beta Kappa, Theta Tau, and Kappa Chi hosted the 66th
Grand Chapter meeting on August 4-9, 1985 at the Sheraton Washington Hotel. Approximately
3,200 brothers registered for the meeting surpassing the record attendance at the 62nd Grand
Chapter meeting in Chicago, IL. Included among the registered delegates were seven of the
nine living past Grand Polemarchs – Gumbs, Holloway, Allen, Davenport, Bradley, Dickerson,
and Armstrong.
This was the first trip to the nation’s capital since 1954 when the atmosphere was consistent
with a segregated southern town. This time, the delegates came to a city that had a black mayor,
a city council dominated by blacks, a black non voting delegate in the Congress, four black owned
financial institutions, and a black middle class that was the envy of the nation. Black
professionals were now retreating to homes in sections of the city that were off limits during the
1950s, and in the emerging suburbs of Maryland and Northern Virginia.
The host chapters went all out to make the delegates and their families welcomed in the capital
of the free world. Signs at bus and train stations, and airports let delegates know immediately
they were approaching a city hosting a Kappa meeting.
The Public Meeting, held in the largest hotel ballroom between Atlanta [GA] and New York
[NY], attracted a packed audience to hear keynote speaker Los Angeles Mayor Thomas Bradley
and comments by US Congressmen - George Crockett [Detroit (MI) Alumni Chapter], Louis
Stokes [Cleveland (OH) Alumni Chapter], and Walter Fauntroy. Mayor Bradley told the
overflow audience –
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
“We need not constructive engagement with South Africa. We need destructive disengagement with South
Africa. Economic sanctions will hit them in the pocketbook where it hurts; but while we cannot move to
Johannesburg, we can help thousands of blacks in our home communities. Let us put on a concentrated
organized drive to help the homeless. Now is the time and this is the place.”
The audience witnessed the conferral of the Laurel Wreath to Elbert E. Allen – the 21st Grand
Polemarch – and Ernest H. Davenport [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter] – the 19th Grand
Polemarch - by Grand Polemarch Gordon.
In his State of the Fraternity message, Grand Polemarch Gordon reflected upon the progress of
the Fraternity during his tenure, including –
Conducting the first Political Action Conference with five Kappa Congressmen to
increase the input into the political decisions of the Congress;
Developing a management by objective plan for the National Headquarters to deliver
and evaluate services to the members;
Conducting an effective campaign to get chapters and brothers involved in the Big
Brothers/Big Sisters of America organization;
Participating in the filing of an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of the
affirmative action in the Boston [MA] and Memphis [TN] cases;
Authorizing the first Junior Province Vice Polemarchs Council;
Placing members affiliated with Greek letter chapters on each national committee;
Increasing the dissemination of national policy statements on issues affecting the
interests of the disadvantaged throughout the world approved by the Grand Board;
Adopting a new public relations policy;
Conducting an effective NAACP membership drive;
Conducting a national voter registration project;
Approving revisions to official publications of the Fraternity, including the third
edition of the Story of Kappa Alpha Psi;
Establishing four regional job banks;
Becoming the first black member of the National Inter-Fraternity Council;
Establishing new national awards for members and chapters; and
Organizing the first 100 voice Kappa choir
Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Gary Gold, the Undergraduate Luncheon speaker, reminded the
brothers “As Christians, we have a responsibility and moral obligation to do all that is in our power to improve the
quality of life for those less fortunate than we are.”
Grand Polemarch Gordon led a delegation of nearly 4,000 brothers and their families, dressed in
red and white, on a march from the Sheraton Washington Hotel to the South African Embassy
to protest the injustices practiced in that country. As the marchers walked to the Embassy,
onlookers joined in their chants of “freedom yes, apartheid no!” Following a series of speeches
across from the Embassy, Grand Polemarch Gordon approached the Embassy grounds and was
among the group arrested by the DC Police Department, and later released on their own
recognizance.
To many the March was the most dramatic part of the Conclave. It was a positive statement and
a good example for black people. The Washington Post, USA Today, and other newspapers carried
stories about the Conclave with an emphasis upon the social action agenda of the Fraternity.
The work of the host chapters manifested itself in the numerous social activities. Cane stepping
became an official part of the Grand Chapter activities. A dazzling competition took place in
front of hundreds of onlookers during a picnic at Rock Creek Park. Several groups participated,
performing frenzied and entertaining steps. The winner was a group from the Southwestern
Province, which included brothers appearing in the introduction to the television show - Another
World, a spin-off of the popular Bill Cosby Show that focused on the life of students at a
mythical black university. The DC Department of Recreation, whose upper management team
included Brothers Samuel LaBeach, James Hinkle, and Fred Saunders, all affiliated with the
Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter - was responsible for the free picnic.
The hosts put together an African Art exhibit, near the official Grand Chapter Display that the
delegates found educational, enjoyable and entertaining. They sponsored a series of boat rides
on the Potomac, evenings at select night clubs, and dances and receptions for award winners
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
open to the public. The hosts did all they could do to make certain the free time available to the
delegates was filled with meaningful and rewarding options. Members of the host chapters
were always available to provide delegates and their families with directions to specific
locations, and in many instances took them to their destinations.
The famed Kappa Castle was open throughout the Conclave, and was the site of several late
night social events. Several alumni of the Xi gathered at the Castle to reflect upon their
experiences at Howard University and the memories they had while pursuing membership in
the Fraternity. For some, this was the first time they had been together in over 25 years.
Past Grand Polemarch Earl B. Dickerson was the Closed Banquet speaker. The massive
ballroom could not accommodate the brothers attending the banquet. Many sat in the balcony
area overlooking the main floor. Still others stood outside and heard a speech by a brother who
had a personal relationship with each Founder and whose involvement with the Fraternity dated
to 1914. In many respects, he was a living history of Kappa Alpha Psi. Although advanced in
years, he delivered a comprehensive speech that included tape recordings of the actor and
activist – Paul Robeson, the second recipient of the Kappa Alpha Psi Humanitarian Award. He
commented –
“We must become and remain competent in our chosen fields of work, of course; but we are not just
lawyers, doctors or businessmen, or whatever. We are first of all human beings and citizens. We must be
sharp, not narrow specialists, but broad men sharpened to a point.”
The Closed Ball was an eloquent affair that used two ballrooms. The layout of the Sheraton main
ballroom accommodated an impressive promenade. Entertainment at this site was primarily
traditional music. Entertainment in the second ballroom was more contemporary and catered to
the taste of undergraduates and younger brothers.
The delegates, their families, and friends came to Washington, DC expecting much for a variety
of reasons. Many had friends and relatives in the Washington metropolitan area. Others came to
see the impressive monuments, museums and historical sites scattered throughout the area. Still
others came to partake of the legendary nightlife of the city. Regardless of the reason, when they
departed, there was no doubt in their minds that the 66th Grand Chapter meeting exceeded their
expectations. Indeed, the 66th Grand Chapter meeting set a new standard for future Conclaves.
The National Election
The election pitted past Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Bacon against Grand Board member
Henry Flowers. Flowers, a 1965 initiate of the Delta Delta at Jackson State University, was a past
Southwestern Province Polemarch whom the delegates elected to the Grand Board at the 60th
Grand Chapter meeting [1976]. He made the decision to run for office upon learning that Senior
Grand Vice Polemarch Abram did not intend to run. Bacon, running for the third time, won in a
landslide due primarily to the support from several non traditional sources.
The candidates for Senior Grand Vice Polemarch were Grand Board members McBride and
Timothy Brown, both elected at the 65th Grand Chapter meeting. During the presentation of the
Nominating Committee report, Brown nominated himself after no other delegate stepped
forward. The delegates elected Grand Board member McBride the Senior Grand Vice
Polemarch. The Grand Board of Directors elected South Eastern Province Polemarch Melvin
Solomon [Atlanta (GA) Alumni Chapter] to fill the unexpired term of McBride.
The 25 th Grand Polemarch – Randall C. Bacon
Randall C. Bacon, a native of Youngstown [OH], earned his BS degree from California State
University at Los Angeles. Following his graduation, he embarked on a career in public
administration that would lead to senior manager positions in local governments for the cities
of San Diego and Los Angeles. Bacon also was the principal manager of the Mayoral campaign
of Past Grand Polemarch Bradley.
Bacon, a 1958 Upsilon initiate, was Keeper of Records as a neophyte. He also served two
consecutive terms as Polemarch of the Upsilon. The delegates at the 49th Grand Chapter meeting
[1959] elected him the Grand Strategus.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Following his graduation, he affiliated with the Los Angles (CA) Alumni Chapter where he
served as Keeper of Records and Polemarch. In 1969, Grand Polemarch
Davenport appointed Bacon the Western Province Polemarch. The
delegates at the 58th Grand Chapter meeting [1973] elected him the Senior
Grand Vice Polemarch. Delegates at the 59th, 60th, and 61st Grand Chapter
meetings [1974, 1976, and 1977] reelected him the Senior Grand Vice
Polemarch without any opposition.
To many, the new Grand Polemarch was the epitome of the Training for
Leadership principle. He gathered experience as a college chapter
Polemarch, an alumni chapter Polemarch, a Province Polemarch, and a
Senior Grand Vice Polemarch. He would now have an opportunity to
implement that experience as the chief executive officer of the Fraternity.
The Fourth General Counsel – Cleophus Thomas Jr
The Grand Board of Directors approved the appointment of Cleophus Thomas Jr as general
counsel effective September 1985.
Thomas, a 1974 initiate of the Epsilon Epsilon at Stillman College,
was - one of the organizers of the Eta Chi at the University of
Alabama; a past Junior Grand Vice Polemarch; and the third
recipient of the Guy Levis Grant Award.
While a student at the University of Alabama, the students elected
Thomas the first black president of the Student Government
Association. After graduation, he attended the Harvard University
School of Law but interrupted his studies to accept a Rhodes
scholarship to study at Oxford University in England. He returned
to Harvard and earned his JD degree in 1982. After meeting the
requirements to become a member of the Alabama Bar, Thomas
returned to his hometown – Anniston – and became a partner in
the law firm of Reed & Thomas.
The Bacon Task Forces
Grand Polemarch Bacon impaneled six task forces to address several key issues –
Voter Registration – Past North Central Province Polemarch Eldridge Freeman
Pledging – Past Middle Western Province Polemarch Ed Bivens
Guide Right – Lawrence Winkfield [Columbus (OH) Alumni Chapter]
Undergraduate Leadership – Oscar L. Mims [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter]
Voting Equity – Robert Gill [Memphis (TN) Alumni Chapter]
Protocol Manuel – Past Grand Polemarch Holloway and Elder Watson Diggs
Awardee I. W. E. Taylor
The task forces met at the Sheraton Washington hotel shortly after the adjournment of the 66th
Grand Chapter meeting to hear from the Grand Polemarch, his expectations for each task force,
and to determine a reporting timetable. Grand Polemarch Bacon, a public administrator by
profession, had seen first hand the effectiveness of task forces in his professional responsibilities
and believed they could achieve similar results in the Fraternity environment.
National Headquarters Additions
The Grand Board authorized an increase in the size of the National Headquarters staff. Past
Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Gary Gold joined the staff as Assistant Executive Secretary and
Brother W. Theodore Smith came on board as Program Coordinator.
Gold came to the Headquarters from the Chicago office of the international accounting firm
where he was completing the requirements for his CPA designation.
Smith, a 1967 initiate at the Philadelphia (PA) Alumni Chapter, was an outstanding athlete at
Morgan State College. He earned a MS degree from Antioch University and a PhD from
California Coast University. Before joining the staff, Smith had been a public administrator for a
number of community action programs, head of the criminal justice program at Nova
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
University in Fort Lauderdale [FL], and Director of curriculum development at Florida State
Fire College.
The Diamond Jubilee Committee
Grand Polemarch Bacon came to office with a number of issues to address, of which the most
pressing was preparing for the 75th anniversary celebration of the Fraternity. He impaneled a
Diamond Jubilee Committee chaired by Grand Board member Melvin Solomon with the
following deputies –
Senior Grand Vice Polemarch McBride – Meetings
Grand Board member Charlton – Silhouette Activities
Grand Historian Crump – Programs
Journal Editor Hicks – Publicity
Eastern Province Senior Vice Polemarch Tutman – Facilities
James Mosby – Host chapter activities
Executive Secretary Moultrie – Housing
With a committee now in place, Grand Polemarch Bacon announced the theme for 1986 would
be – 75 years of Achievement. He also proclaimed 1986 as the Diamond Jubilee Year, and ordered
every chapter and Province to plan and execute commemorative activities throughout the year.
Senior Grand Vice Polemarch McBride was responsible for implementing the proclamation.
National Committee and Commission Chairmen
The election of Grand Polemarch Bacon at the 66th Grand Chapter meeting resulted in the
appointment of several new national committee and commission chairmen. Past Polemarch
Clark became the Laurel Wreath Commission chairman and Past Polemarch Carter became the
Kappa Voter Network National Coordinator. Past Polemarch Clark was the first member of the
Chapter to chair the premier awards commission of the Fraternity.
The Kappa Foundation Club
Grand Polemarch Bacon, like his predecessors, was a firm supporter of the Kappa Alpha Psi
Foundation. He viewed the Foundation as “the vehicle by which the Fraternity can facilitate
raising funds, provide tax deductions, and contribute to the socio-economic progress of black
youth in this country.”
Grand Polemarch Bacon understood the need for money to enable the Foundation to meet its
mission. All persons contributing at least $100 annually to the Foundation would become
members of the Foundation Club. He set a goal of 1,000 members by the Diamond Jubilee
Celebration in August 1986.
Samuel McCoy - The 30th Chapter Polemarch [1986-88]
Samuel E. McCoy, a native Washingtonian, was a product of the DC Public School system. He
entered the US Navy in 1953 and retired in 1995. McCoy matriculated at
DC Teachers College earning a BS degree in 1962. He also earned a MS
degree from Frostburg (MD) State University [1974] and professional
certifications from MIT [1976] and Manhattan College [1989].
McCoy began his professional career as a Marine Scientist at the National
Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration in 1963. During the next
27 years, he navigated the system and retired in 1990 as a manager at the
National Ocean Service facility. During his government service career, he
became a Marine Technology Society Fellow [1989], and received several
citations and achievement awards.
McCoy has been a perennial supporter of organizations focusing upon
obtaining representation for DC residents in the US Congress. He has
been a member of the First Baptist Church for over 50 years and been
involved in nearly every facet of the growth at the Church. In addition to serving as a Church
trustee, he chaired a committee that raised more than $300,000 that helped liquidate a mortgage on
Church property. McCoy, a 33rd degree Mason, has been a member of the board of directors of the
charitable affiliates of the Masonic Order.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
McCoy, a 1956 Beta Kappa initiate, has been involved with the Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund
since its formation, and was one of the first members of the WKAY 100 Life Management and
Leadership for Court Appointed Youth program. His unselfish contributions to the Washington
(DC) Alumni Chapter earned him a LaMont H Lawson Award.
The 1986 Province Council
The Charlottesville (VA) Alumni Chapter, Eta Sigma, and the James Madison University Colony
hosted the 1986 Province Council on March 20-23 at the Omni Hotel in Charlottesville, VA. Past
Grand Polemarch Hiliary H. Holloway was the Public Meeting and Closed Banquet Speaker.
The delegates adopted several critical amendments to the Province Bylaws that would set the
tone for future modifications to the governing laws of the Province. Although a Province is not
a separate entity of the Fraternity, for years, the brothers within the Eastern Province felt its
Bylaws provided structure for it to operate efficiently.
Province Polemarch Nelson announced he was retiring after seven years of dedicated service.
His service to the Province began in 1978 when the delegates elected him the Senior Province
Vice Polemarch. Nelson managed the Province during an impressive period of growth and
implemented practices that solidified its position as the premiere Province of the Fraternity. He
also expanded the involvement of the Province in the national arena.
The delegates recommended Senior Province Vice Polemarch Tutman to succeed Province
Polemarch Nelson and elected Province Board member Croom the Senior Province Vice
Polemarch. Tutman became Province Polemarch in April 1986.
The 16th Eastern Province Polemarch - Howard L. Tutman Jr
Howard L. Tutman Jr, a native of Baltimore, grew up in one of the toughest neighborhoods of
the city. He enrolled at Morgan State College in February 1960, and
completed two years before enlisting in the US Air Force. After
completing his four-year tour, he returned to Morgan State in
January 1966. Despite working full time to support his family, he
carried a full load and earned a BA degree [1968]. Following
graduation, he earned a Maters of City Planning degree from the
University of Pennsylvania [1970].
Tutman began his career in 1970 at the US Department of HUD in
Washington [DC]. His assignments at HUD enabled him to interact
with a number of presidential appointees and senior level career
employees. He also was responsible for managing a program,
conceived by former HUD senior executive Samuel Jackson to assist
historically black colleges.
Tutman, a 1966 Alpha Iota initiate, affiliated with the Philadelphia (PA) Alumni Chapter while
attending graduate school. Upon returning home, he affiliated with the Baltimore (MD) Alumni
Chapter. The brothers of Baltimore Alumni elected him to every major office of the Chapter. His
exemplary contributions to the Chapter earned him its two highest awards. He also received the
coveted “Pillar of the Province Award” at the 1982 Eastern Province Council.
The 67th Grand Chapter Meeting – the Diamond Jubilee Celebration
The 67th Grand Chapter meeting was part of a milestone anniversary of the Fraternity. The
Diamond Jubilee celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Fraternity had a special meaning to the
25th Grand Polemarch. At the Silver Anniversary, he was one of several students publicly
recognized for achievement. Now, 25 years later, he was returning to the site of his first official
recognition as the chief executive officer of an organization whose membership was thrice as
large as in 1961 and whose influence stretched throughout the free world.
The 67th Grand Chapter meeting was like the 50th Grand Chapter meeting, simply a part of a
much larger extravaganza under the control of the Grand Board of Directors and the Diamond
Jubilee Planning Committee. The Committee was extremely fortunate to have as a part of its team –
Grand Historian and Elder Watson Diggs Awardee William L. Crump, who was the general
chairman of the Silver Anniversary. The knowledge and input he provided was invaluable.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
When the brothers arrived in Indianapolis on August 10, 1986 for the 75th anniversary
celebration, they knew they would not be disappointed. The Hyatt hotel was the Headquarters
hotel with the Hilton, Embassy Suites and the Canterbury serving as ancillary hotels. All were
close to the Indianapolis Convention Center – the official meeting site.
The Religious Service
Laurel Wreath Wearer Leon Sullivan, Pastor of Zion Baptist Church [Philadelphia (PA)]was the
first of a series of outstanding speakers at the Celebration “This is a difficult situation we face in South Africa. It is a problem, which will require a lot of prayer
and a lot of hard work to resolve; but we know no matter what President Reagan may say,
constructive engagement is not the answer. It is not the way to bring freedom and justice to the
millions of black South Africans.”
The Public Meeting
The Public meeting attracted thousands to the Indianapolis Convention Center, where they saw
Grand Polemarch Bacon confer the highest award of the Fraternity upon three distinguished
members – Irven Armstrong, George W. Crockett Jr, and Arthur R. Ashe Jr – and the
presentation of the Humanitarian Award to Dr. Ronald McNair. Brother Walter Fauntroy - DC
delegate to the House of Representatives - was the keynote speaker. His comments included a
list of rules for black unity and survival –
“Support the black church. Protect the elderly and support the young. Excel in education. Oppose crime.
Contribute to the black development fund. Buy and bank black. Register and vote”
The Business Sessions
The business sessions for the
Grand Chapter meeting were relatively short. In the State of
the Fraternity Report, Grand Polemarch Bacon commented –
67th
“The matter of establishing a new headquarters facility is a must. No one I have talked to has any other
opinion. The one we have is totally inadequate and safety considerations dictate that we abandon it soon.”
The National Headquarters
Grand Polemarch Bacon reported the Grand Board, the Finance Committee, and a group of
brothers in Philadelphia were working on a proposal for a new headquarters and would furnish
a report to the delegates for action.
Although the delegates at the 44th Grand Chapter meeting [1954] accepted Philadelphia as the
site of the national headquarters, some delegates believed the Fraternity should consider
alternative sites. Some felt it was difficult to travel to Philadelphia, notwithstanding the
presence of an international airport and an Amtrak train station in the middle of the city. Others
felt a national headquarters should be close to the seat of national power. Still others felt it
should be centrally located.
Grand Polemarch Bacon deflected most of these comments and remarked there was no other
suitable city capable of handling the needs of the Fraternity. Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter
Polemarch Lewis Richardson raised an exception and announced the Baltimore (MD) Alumni
Chapter would welcome the opportunity to bid for the national headquarters. He cited the
recent relocation of the NAACP national headquarters to Baltimore, and the possibilities of
attractive relocation assistance from the city. The delegates adopted a motion directing the Grand
Board to consider Baltimore [MD] as a site for the national headquarters before moving forward
with any renovation plans in Philadelphia.
The Awards Program
Laurel Wreath Commission chairman Richard Clark [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter] was the
Master of Ceremonies. Once again, the attendance was large and included a number of local
citizens. The audience witnessed the presentation of Elder Watson Diggs Awards to Grand
Keeper of Records and Exchequer Arthur Carter, Grand Board member George Charlton, and
Thomas E. Howard [Shreveport (LA) Alumni Chapter]. Grand Board member Richard Naylor
II and Murrell Blackburn received Guy Levis Grant Awards. The local Citizen Awards went to Dr.
Andrew Brown, Ms. Mattie Coney and Mayor William Hudnut III.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The Undergraduate Luncheon
Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Karl E. White was the keynote speaker for a luncheon that
attracted an abundance of alumni members. White, a scholar from Florida A & M University,
displayed demeanor far beyond his years, and his remarks validated the decision of the
delegates at the 66th Grand Chapter meeting to elect him to the highest office restricted to
members affiliated with Greek letter chapters –
“Let us readjust for the future. We must ask ourselves – what will Kappa Alpha Psi be like in the year
2011? Perhaps more important, what do you want Kappa Alpha Psi to be like in the year 2011?”
The Champagne Breakfast
Arthur Thomas [Wilberforce (OH) Alumni Chapter], president of Central State University [OH],
was the speaker at the champagne breakfast. He warned the audience “A lot of black people have developed negative feelings about black colleges and they don’t want to send
their children to them. They would rather have their kids go to Yale or some Ivy League school; but that’s
okay. We’ll see them the second semester when they transfer to our schools, the way they always have.”
The Pilgrimage to Bloomington
The delegates traveled to Indiana University on Wednesday for a program commemorating the
75th anniversary. Approximately 2,000 brothers, their wives, families, and guests boarded buses
for the 50-mile trip. Many would see the Elder Watson Diggs Memorial for the first time. Past
Grand Polemarch Bradley was the Master of Ceremonies for a program held close to the
Memorial. The platform guests included the Past Grand Polemarchs, Laurel Wreath Wearers, and
Elder Watson Diggs Awardees. Brother Val Washington, the moving force behind the building of
the Memorial was the principal speaker. During his remarks, Brother Washington commented –
“We put a lot of work into building the Diggs Memorial House all those years ago. I wanted it to be strong
and sturdy, and to be able to withstand the test of time; and now, 25 years later, it is still up there on that
hill, still standing and still housing brothers.”
Grand Polemarch Bacon presented Brother Washington with a beautiful recognition plaque
acknowledging his contributions to the building of the Memorial. He also presented a $10,000
check to the University to use for its black cultural center.
Following the formal program, most of the attendees visited the Memorial and signed its 75th
anniversary guest book. Others visited the house where one or more of the Founders lived
when they were developing the Fraternity.
The Graveside Ceremony
Following the trip to Bloomington, there was a somber but moving ceremony at the grave of
Founder Diggs. Before the beginning of the ceremony, some members placed flowers at the
graves of Founders Alexander and Grant, and Laurel Wreath Wearer Artis The ceremony at the
grave of Founder Diggs concluded with the playing of Taps.
Special Gifts
During the Diamond Jubilee Celebration, the Fraternity and the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation
were the recipients of several gifts. Past Grand Polemarch Dickerson established the Earl Burris
Dickerson Endowment Fund with a $15,000 gift to support a scholarship for a member of a Greek
letter chapter. Dickerson commented – “I wanted to do something for the organization that had
done the most for me socially.”
Anheuser-Busch contributed $5,000 to the Fraternity for scholarships and donated a set of
paintings of the 10 Founders done by Ernest C. McNealey [Orangeburg (SC) Alumni Chapter].
The National Silhouettes presented a $3,000 check to Grand Polemarch Bacon for the Foundation.
The Diamond Jubilee Closed Banquet
Brother Samuel D. Proctor speaking to an array of brothers from all over the world commented
– “If we are not careful, there is going to be a black underclass in this society characterized by
ignorance and poverty, illiteracy and disease, and exclusion and isolation.”
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The Commemorative Scroll
The Diamond Jubilee Celebration attracted over 2,000 brothers. Many signed a commemorative
scroll, which the Grand Board placed in the Elder Watson Diggs Memorial as a special treasure
The Commemorative Plaque
Following the Diamond Jubilee Celebration, the Grand Board authorized a plaque
commemorating the founding of the Fraternity at the site of the home of Mollie Spaulding on
Kirkwood Avenue. Since the owner of the property converted the first floor into commercial
space, the plaque sits on an iron fence surrounding a tree outside the facility and reads “At this site on January 11, 1911, ten Indiana University students formed what is now known as
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.”
The National Election
Elections following the first term of a Grand Polemarch are generally routine. Such was not the
case at the 67th Grand Chapter meeting.
The incumbent Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer – Arthur L. Carter – had long
commented he wanted to retire from office in his hometown of Indianapolis, which would give
him 20 years of service. However, he changed his mind and decided to seek reelection. Terrance
G. Blount [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter] had promised Carter he would not challenge him
at the 66th Grand Chapter meeting but would wait for his retirement at the 67th Grand Chapter
meeting to seek the office. The Carter decision placed Blount in a difficult position - continue
with his campaign or step back and wait. He chose to continue.
Grand Board member Melvin Solomon, at the urging of Grand Polemarch Bacon, decided to
seek a full term. He had been spotlighted in the Kappa Journal because he was Chairman of the
Diamond Jubilee Committee. His principal opponent was Donald Grace [Austin (TX) Alumni].
The Grand Chapter Nominating Committee presented a slate listing Blount as the candidate for
Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer, and Grace as a candidate for the Grand Board of
Directors. Both incumbents were nominated from the floor. Blount had made an impressive
presentation before the Committee and received 21 of the 25 Committee votes. In the general
election, Blount prevailed with a 400 vote margin on the first ballot. Grace won a second ballot
victory over Solomon.
The delegates elected Eastern Province Junior Vice Polemarch D. Jason DeSousa to the Grand
Board of Directors.
Following the election, Past Polemarch Brown, Polemarch McCoy, and Brother Henry Young
arranged a reception for Blount at the Hyatt hotel. Some of the guests attending the impromptu
affair were Past Grand Polemarch Richard Millspaugh;
Past Grand Polemarch Elbert E. Allen, who seconded the Blount nomination;
Senior Grand Vice Polemarch McBride, who traveled with Blount to the Southern and
South Western Province Councils and introduced him to key supporters;
Grand Historian Crump;
Past Grand Strategus Ransom Jones, who pledged the support of two chapters for
Blount at the Southwestern Province Council in Amarillo (TX) and cast votes for these
two chapters at the Grand Chapter meeting;
Eastern Province Polemarch Tutman, the unofficial campaign manager;
North Central Province Polemarch William Roach;
Middle Eastern Province Polemarch William Hooker;
Southern Province Polemarch Robert Hughes;
Northeastern Province Polemarch Richard Scott, who campaigned for Blount in the
Northeastern Province
Northeastern Province Keeper of Records Herman Thomas, who campaigned for
Blount in the Northeastern Province;
Past General Counsel Mundle, a member of the Elections Committee;
Past Northeastern Province Polemarch Richard Scott, who campaigned for Blount in
the Northeastern Province; and
Past Northern Province Polemarch Ronald Young, who campaigned for Blount in the
Northern Province
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
During the festivities, Brother Young pulled Blount aside and reminded him of his obligation to
represent the Chapter well. He also commented that his most valuable asset was Mrs. Blount.
The 17 th Guy Levis Grant Awardee – Richard A. Naylor II
Richard A. Naylor II was a charter member of the Stanford University Chapter, the Lambda Nu of
Kappa Alpha Psi in 1983. He transferred to American University and affiliated with the Kappa
Chi. The delegates at the 66th Grand Chapter meeting elected him to the Grand Board of
Directors. After completing his degree requirements, Naylor embarked on a career as a financial
analyst at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve.
The Ninth Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer – Terrance G Blount
Terrance G. Blount was elected the first Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer from a chapter
assigned to the Province at the 67th Grand Chapter meeting.
Blount was the Chapter Keeper of Records [1978-79] and Polemarch [1982-84]. He was also a
member of the group that incorporated the Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund in 1984, the
charitable affiliate of the Chapter, and was its Treasurer [1985-86].
Within the Fraternity, Blount was a member of the National Finance Committee [1976-79],
National Fund Raising Committee Chairman [1980-82]; Conclave Planning Committee [1982-85]
and the Committee Vice Chairman [1984-85]. Within the Eastern Province, he was a member of
the Bylaws Committee and a confidant of Past Eastern Province Polemarch Abram and Tutman.
Blount was also a contributor to the local magazine published by the Chapter for the 66th
Grand Chapter meeting.
During his five year tenure, Blount represented the Grand Board at Province Councils in the
Middle Eastern Province, Middle Western Province, South Central Province, and South Western
Province. He was the Closed Banquet Speaker at the 1989 Middle Eastern Province Council
where his remarks included a public thank you to his father – Alvin V. Blount Jr, a 1940 Alpha
Nu initiate – who was attending his first Province Council in several years. Blount wrote most of
the Grand Board Policy Statements that serve as Fraternity administrative regulations.
He has received numerous awards at Grand Chapter meetings for his service to the Fraternity,
including a William L. Crump History Award [1995] for his work on the History of the Eastern
Province. At the 1991 Eastern Province Council, Province Polemarch Tutman presented him a
coveted Pillar of the Province Award. At the 2000 Eastern Province Council, he was a recipient of a
second Pillar of the Province Award.
The Death of Past Grand Polemarch Earl B. Dickerson
The death of Earl B. Dickerson in Chicago saddened the entire Fraternity. At age 95, he was the
second oldest living member of the Fraternity. The Kappa Journal carried a story on his passing –
“It was difficult, even when he reached his 90s, to think of Earl B. Dickerson as an old man. Though his
hair whitened and a cane became a fixture of his gait, anyone who exchanged more than the briefest
pleasantries with him rightly inferred that he was very much a man of contemporary times. Perhaps, that
is why his recent death at age 95 came to so many as a great shock.”
To call him a great man of our times is less than accurate. He was also an extraordinary presence
in areas most of us are too young either to know or remember. He was always substantially
more than the volumes of titles would indicate. Dickerson was not just a lawyer, he was a
masterful attorney who argued and won historic cases before the United States Supreme Court. He
was not just a speaker but a powerful orator who, in 1924 when urging the delegates at the 14th
Grand Chapter meeting to award the Laurel Wreath to Robert S. Abbott, was so mesmerizing
that they later elected him the fifth Grand Polemarch in absentia. The 14th Laurel Wreath Wearer
was not just a prominent politician and civil rights advocate in Chicago, he was foremost, to use
his favorite expression, a citizen of the world.
The Death of Past Grand Polemarch Frank M. Summers
Attorney Frank M. Summers, the 14th Grand Polemarch of the Fraternity, died in East St Louis
[IL] at age 94. Besides his involvement in the Fraternity, he was Sovereign Grand Commander
of the Northern Jurisdiction of the Prince Hall Masons.
The 17th Eastern Province Polemarch - Charles A. Brockett
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
In September 1986, Grand Polemarch Bacon appointed Charles A. Brockett [Norfolk (VA)
Alumni Chapter] the 17th Eastern Province Polemarch. This decision shocked the entire
Province. Brother Tutman had been Province Polemarch for less than six months and was in the
process of preparing for a challenging year in the Province. Some opined Province Polemarch
Tutman was a political casualty of the election of Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer
Blount. Others opined the response by the Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter to the comments by
Grand Polemarch Bacon on the availability of a city to accommodate the International
Headquarters, may have been a factor.
A group of brothers affiliated with chapters, primarily in the Baltimore-Washington area, met
with Grand Polemarch Bacon in September to discuss the matter. They were not opposed to the
appointment of Brockett but wanted some clarity for the change. According to a brother who
was present at the meeting, Grand Polemarch Bacon was cordial but gave no reasons for his
actions.
Province Polemarch Brockett made it clear to the brothers he had not sought the position.
Rather, he accepted the appointment for the good of the Province and was committed to
continuing the tradition established by his predecessors.
Brockett was a 1960 Alpha Phi initiate whose line included A. F. Moultrie, the fourth Executive
Secretary of Kappa Alpha Psi. He had been active in Province affairs for a number of years,
including time as the Province Guide Right Director and Nominating Committee Chairman.
Locally, Brockett was affiliated with the Norfolk (VA) Alumni Chapter, in which he had served
in a number of capacities, including Polemarch.
The Fifth Executive Secretary of Kappa Alpha Psi – Dr. Oscar L. Mims
Upon the recommendation of Grand Polemarch Bacon, the Grand Board of Directors appointed
Dr. Oscar L. Mims the fifth Executive Secretary effective November 1, 1986.
His selection as the Executive Secretary was a coup for the Fraternity.
He brought a wealth of practical experience to the position as evidenced
by a record of accomplishments within the federal government that
earned him the respect of career professionals and political appointees.
Mims, a 1955 Beta Kappa initiate, had been active in the Fraternity since
his initiation. He served as Polemarch of both the Beta Kappa and the
Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter, a member of the Eastern Province
Board of Directors, and the Eastern Province Senior Vice Polemarch.
Before accepting the position of Executive Secretary, he was the National
C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference chairman.
The Martin Luther King Prayer Breakfast
One of the joys of the Fraternity is the opportunity for brothers and their
spouses to interact. In most instances, these are social affairs. Polemarch
McCoy revitalized an activity with the Kappa Silhouettes whose local president was his wife –
Shelvie McCoy. He appointed Vice Polemarch Walter E Fowlkes and his wife – Gerri – to cochair an event honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The first gathering, held on January 15, 1987,
was at the [now defunct] Harambee Hotel on Georgia Avenue. It has evolved into an annual
self-sustaining event that brothers, their spouses and friends look forward to each year.
The Sale of the Kappa House
For decades, the Kappa House had been the subject of much debate among the members.
During the tenure of Polemarch Blount, the members attending a special meeting, voted to sell
the House. At a regular meeting held subsequent to the special meeting, the members debated
the action and voted to keep the House. During the tenure of Polemarch Leroy Brown, there
were intermittent discussions about selling the House with no conclusive action.
The House matter again became an issue during the tenure of Polemarch McCoy. The chapter
received a $425,000 contract to purchase the House with a nonrefundable deposit. The members
authorized Polemarch McCoy to sign the contract on behalf of the Chapter and to move
forward with the sale. However, the buyer was unable to meet the contract deadline and lost
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
the earnest money deposit. The House remained on the market until June 1998 when the
members voted to keep it.
New Leadership at the Kappa Foundation
Henry Parker, the motivational spirit and first president of the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation,
resigned as president effective February 1, 1987. In his letter to the Foundation board of directors,
Parker said he was stepping down to accommodate the demands of his new position with a
money management firm in New York.
The board elected Past Grand Polemarch Ernest H. Davenport to replace Parker. It also moved
the Foundation headquarters from New Haven [CT] to Philadelphia, and began a search for a
new Foundation executive director to replace Cynthia Newell who declined to relocate.
New Basketball Coach at South Carolina State University - Cy Alexander
Cyrus W. Alexander III, a 1984 initiate of the Washington [DC] Alumni
Chapter, resigned his position as Assistant Basketball Coach at Howard
University to become the Head Basketball Coach at South Carolina
State University effective April 1987.
South Carolina State, which traces its roots to 1896, is the alma mater of
Willie Jeffries, a 1959 Alpha Lambda initiate. Jeffries was the first black to
coach at Division I-A football team [Wichita State] and built a football
powerhouse at his alma mater. His achievements earned him several
national awards. South Carolina was one of the seven historically black
colleges that formed the Middle Eastern Athletic Conference in 1969.
Alexander was taking over a basketball program that had suffered
through nine straight loosing seasons. Most alumni and supporters
considered basketball games “space fillers” until the start of spring
football practice. The team had won one MEAC regular season title and reached only one
MEAC basketball tournament final – loosing to Howard University whose staff included its
new coach.
A native of Winston Salem [NC], Alexander matriculated at Catawba College in Salisbury [NC]
earning a BS [1975]. He also earned a Masters in Education [1983] from Howard University.
The Debt Liquidation Party
As far back as the latter years of the tenure of Polemarch Senior [1980-82], the Chapter had
incurred debt to maintain its operation. The influx of cash associated with several successful
activities at the 66th Grand Chapter meeting coupled with the retention of the deposit it
received from a potential buyer of the Kappa House, increased the Exchequer substantially. On
a recommendation of Polemarch McCoy, the Chapter liquidated its debts and held a mortgage
burning ceremony in 1987. This was the first time the Chapter was debt free since purchasing
the Kappa House in 1949.
The 1987 Halloween Gala
The Chapter held its first Halloween Gala in October 1987 with Past Polemarchs Ronald Taylor
and Fred Senior serving as co chairmen. The event sought to replace the Harvest Ball, which
originated during the tenure of Polemarch Bill Gary [1959-61], and was discontinued to avoid
conflicting with the Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund annual fund raising event. Brothers
and their guests came dressed in costumes akin to the Halloween season. Some of the notable
masquerades were –
Past Polemarch Richard Clark as a priest;
Dorville Hazel as the devil; and
Barrington Scott as the blood thirsty Count Kappala
Brother Raymond Jones and Silhouette McCoy were the contest judges. To this day, it remains
unclear who actually won. However, everyone who attended thoroughly enjoyed the evening.
Grand Polemarch Position on Fraternity Organizational Structure
Grand Polemarch Bacon in a December 1987 Kappa Journal shared his thoughts about revising
the organizational structure of the Fraternity –
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
“As the New Year approaches, it is also time we started to think about what we can do to strengthen our
fraternity. I would like you to consider seriously two areas - expanding the size of our Grand Board of
Directors and electing our Province Polemarchs. I am convinced that if we made these two fundamental
changes, we would have a stronger organization.
First, a Grand Board of Directors of 10 men is much too small to represent our nationwide organization. It
is much smaller than any organization similar to ours. We have talked a lot about equitable representation,
regional representation and the need for less politicking in the fraternity. Well, it's going to take an
expansion of our Grand Board to even come close to accomplishing these goals.
A Grand Board two or three times the size of ours would not be inconsistent with those other
organizations of our size. We should not let arguments of size and costs deter us. If other organizations
can do it, why can't we?
The second matter of electing our Province Polemarchs is something we should attend to as soon as
possible at our next Grand Chapter meeting. As Grand Polemarch, I have had the occasion to both appoint
and remove Province Polemarchs; it has convinced me that the function can be better administered at the
Province level. The Province Polemarch is the only administrative position in the fraternity that is not
elected, yet, it represents a whole region of brothers who elect all their other officials.
There are already provisions in our constitution and statues to prevent against a Province Polemarch who
might not cooperate with the administration or properly carry out his administrative duties. Therefore, we
would not be taking a great risk in electing our Province Polemarchs. The greatest advantage is that the
brothers of each Province would have the opportunity of electing the Province Polemarch of their
choosing. This is certainly consistent with a democratic and representative process.”
The article by Grand Polemarch Bacon was a bold step for it touched upon two areas that had
been “bones of contention” in the Fraternity for decades. He presented a cogent argument for
the members to consider and debate among themselves.
The 1988 Easter Dance
The Easter Dance is the Signature Event of the Chapter. The original dance started at midnight
and continued until the wee hours of the morning. The Chapter held it at various locations
throughout the city including the DC Armory. It was an opportunity for Kappamen to entertain
the elite of the city. During the tenure of Polemarch Gary, the Chapter voted to change the time
– originally to a 10:00 PM – 2:00 AM cycle. According to Polemarch Gary, the change
acknowledged “economic circumstances”.
The 1988 affair, chaired by Past Polemarch Clark and Brother Thomas Kelly, took the Dance to a
higher plateau. Held in the International Ballroom of the Washington Hilton Hotel, the guests
experienced a show by the legendary Jerry Butler. There were also two bands, including one
under the direction of Brother Bobby Felder. Tables contained the traditional compliment of
spirits and there were open bars strategically placed throughout the Ballroom. To say it was a
first class affair was an understatement. It was a crème de la crème affair, which left a lasting
impression on the guests, and set the standard for future Easter Dances.
Walter H. Brown Jr - The 31st Chapter Polemarch [1988-90]
Walter H. Brown Jr matriculated at Kentucky State College, where one of his schoolmates was
Harrison B. Wilson, former president of Norfolk State University. After
earning his degree, Brown served as an officer in the military before
embarking on a career in government service. While working as a
computer analyst at the Department of HUD, Brown earned a MBPA
degree from Southeastern University and a PhD degree from the
University of Southern California.
Brown, a 1948 Alpha Upsilon initiate, was Vice Polemarch [1982-84], and a
member of several committees. Brown has been a perennial attendee at
Province Councils and Grand Chapter meetings. He is also a member of
the Bachelors Benedict Club and was secretary of the Pigskin Club for
several years.
A NewKappa House Proposition
One of the challenges faced by the Chapter Polemarchs for most of the 1980s was the Kappa
House. Years of benign neglect had tarnished its glamour and elegance. Three Polemarchs –
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Blount, Leroy Brown, and McCoy – supported selling the property. However, there was a cadre
of brothers consistently opposed to a sale, and offered arguments, sometimes emotional, that
caused the majority to support their position.
A constant theme underpinning the opposition to sale was where would the Chapter meet?
During the tenure of Polemarch Blount, the Chapter held some winter meetings at the Howard
University Blackburn Center and the Howard University West campus. Both locations offered
an amenity not available at 1708 S Street – adequate parking. However, neither location offered
the same ambiance and privacy.
Polemarch Brown had observed for years the constant bickering over the Kappa House. He
established a committee to locate a building that would meet the needs of the Chapter. The
committee identified a spacious property surrounded by generous parking. The interior could
be reconfigured to include separate offices and a large meeting space. The building included a
tenant who was willing to continue renting space in the building. Polemarch Brown viewed the
purchase of this facility as a way to - provide the Chapter with a new home and reduce the cost
of ownership with the rental income.
Polemarch Brown signed a contract to sell the Kappa House with the intent of using the
proceeds to purchase and upgrade the building identified by the committee. However, several
members opined he acted beyond the scope of his authority and had not provided the members
with sufficient information about the plan. Consequently, the chapter did not approve the
contract, and the voyage to relocate to a new facility came to an abrupt end.
Defeat is always a bitter pill to swallow. In this instance, Polemarch Brown believed he had
pursued a course that would enable the Chapter to reduce the amount of dollars spent on
maintaining a property erected in the 1920s. He also believed the new facility would rekindle
interest in the chapter among brothers in the Washington area. It was a bitter pill to swallow but
he did it with grace and dignity.
The 68th Grand Chapter Meeting
The Dallas (TX) Alumni Chapter hosted the 68th Grand Chapter meeting on August 14-19, 1988
at the Anatole Hotel – the largest convention hotel in the Southwest. This meeting attracted
brothers from throughout the free world, including Alaska, West Germany, the Bahamas,
Hawaii, and Japan.
Percy Sutton [New York (NY) Alumni Chapter], former Manhattan [NY] Borough President and
principal owner of Inner City Broadcasting Corporation, was the keynote speaker at the Public
Meeting. Sutton recalled his pioneering days in New York and reminded the audience that
while New York is in the North, racial discrimination is just as hostile as in the remote counties
of Mississippi. He commented - “within the borders of New York City,” he carries the prestige
of a former Borough President. However, if he were stopped on the New York Thruway
heading north, he would be “just another …” Grand Polemarch Bacon conferred the Laurel
Wreath [posthumously] to Past Grand Polemarch Frank Summers and presented the Kappa
Alpha Psi Humanitarian Award to Reverend Jesse Jackson, which Brother Sutton accepted.
The State of the Fraternity Report summarized some of the accomplishments of the Bacon
management team including Revision of the Chapter Advisors Manual;
Inclusion of a Chapter Advisors training component in the C Rodger Wilson
Leadership Conference program;
Development, printing and distribution of a new Protocol Manual;
Development of an official Silhouette policy to eliminate confusion and which clearly
defined the role of this organization and its relationship to the Fraternity;
Development of a prototype life insurance program exclusively for members;
Development of an Encyclopedia of Guide Right publication;
Development of an advertisement solicitation program to offset the cost of printing
the Kappa Alpha Psi Journal;
Adoption of a public policy statement opposing the impeachment of Judge Alcee
Hastings [Fort Lauderdale (FL) Alumni Chapter], and
Installation of the Kappa Credit Card program
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He also cited his efforts to broaden the involvement of members by appointing brothers to
positions of responsibility from different regions of the country, different age groups, and
different Fraternity political philosophies.
An area of which he was particularly proud was the National Headquarters. The Executive
Committee adopted his plan to reorganize the hub of all Fraternity activities, including the
installation of a new computer system to replace a system that dated back to the middle 70s.
Grand Polemarch Bacon publicly complimented Journal Editor Hicks and his staff for the
quality of the content of the Journal and its timely distribution to members, and Executive
Secretary Mims and the Headquarters staff for a similar role with the Confidential Bulletin.
Grand Polemarch Bacon announced the elimination of the Fraternity loan program that traced
its origin to the early 1950s. In recent years, the failure of brothers to repay their loans had cost
the Fraternity loan interest income. Rather than to keep these assets with zero value among the
assets of the Scholarship Endowment Fund, the Grand Board of Directors, upon the
recommendation of Grand Keeper and Exchequer Blount, had authorized writing off the
obligations. The Grand Board could have engaged a collection agency or attorney to pursue the
obligations but chose not to do so, particularly since there was no contemporaneous
information on the whereabouts of the offenders.
Grand Polemarch Bacon, an avid supporter of the Kappa Foundation, announced the action by
the Grand Board effectively eliminated the historical purpose of the Scholarship Endowment
Fund. He also indicated the Kappa Foundation would become the source of scholarships, and
that the Fraternity was “out of the loan business.”
Commenting on the quality of men entering the Fraternity, Grand Polemarch Bacon said – “We
have raised the qualifications for entry into our organization and have established standard
requirements for every chapter.” In appointing members to serve as Province Polemarch, he
made it clear the Fraternity would no longer tolerate unscrupulous behavior by any member
during the pledge period. He expected these regional administrators to identify the violators and
to punish them accordingly.
Grand Polemarch Bacon led the Fraternity into new arenas. One that was critically important
was the health area. He impaneled a Health Awareness Committee composed of Kappa physicians
and chaired by William Hines. The Fraternity became a participating organization of the Health
Watch Information and Promotion Service organization and was the first national organization
to join the Student National Medical Association. The Fraternity was a participant in the first
National Health Promotion Conference for Black Americans
The major business issue at this meeting was the Headquarters project. Past Grand Polemarch
Holloway delivered a report outlining the project and estimating the cost at $800,000. Following
much discussion, the delegates overwhelmingly adopted the following resolution –
“RESOLVED, that the Grand Board of Directors be authorized and directed to proceed with construction
of our International Headquarters facility substantially as designed by Architect Andrew Bryant with an
approximate cost of $800,000;
That the appropriate officers be authorized and empowered to borrow funds, give a mortgage or
mortgages and execute appropriate documentation to secure adequate funding, if necessary;
That, the incoming Grand Polemarch appoint appropriate committees to raise funds, and assist with
overseeing the erection of the facility; and
That, the Grand Board of Directors, in their sound discretion, be otherwise authorized and empowered to
make an assessment upon the membership for an amount not to exceed $100 per alumni member, if it is
deemed to be necessary, and directed to take necessary and appropriate action to fulfill the intent of this
resolution to erect a new headquarters facility.”
The resolution made it clear the Fraternity was now ready to move forward with the building of
a permanent facility to replace the temporary facility purchased in 1953 and renovated in 1957.
The Undergraduate Luncheon attracted a large contingent of alumni members. The interaction
of seasoned brothers with the future leaders of the Fraternity is always a time of joy and
inspiration. Grand Board member Christopher Salley, the keynote speaker “The Bible says in Luke 12:48 that ‘for unto whomsoever much is given of him much be required.’ It has
been the good fortune of Kappa Alpha Psi that, we have been given much. We have a legacy of great black
men, proud men, achieving men, who have left us the obligation to better the condition of our people. I
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sometimes feel the Founders look down on us with mixed emotions. Elated at all we have become,
saddened at all we could have become and should be.”
The Fellowship Breakfast, a relatively new addition to the official functions at a Grand Chapter
meeting, attracted an intimate group of early morning risers to a country style buffet. North
Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Henry Frye [Greensboro (NC) Alumni Chapter], the
keynote speaker, commented –
“Remember that it is the people, the everyday people, who make the difference on the leaders of this
country; and that you can accomplish more than you can imagine if you think positively. Stand up, my
brothers for what is possible. Stand up for the spirit of achievement.”
The Closed Banquet, the climax of all Grand Chapter meetings, was a tribute to the Founders.
General Counsel Cleophus Thomas Jr was the keynote speaker. During his remarks, he
complimented Grand Polemarch Bacon on his accomplishments. He also remarked –
“There is a term in law called an attractive nuisance. A swimming pool in a private home is a possible
example. An attractive nuisance is a thing, which is not inherently dangerous or annoying. When used in
the proper manner for the purpose for which it is built, it is not a nuisance at all. Yet, misused it is a
nuisance. For example, unsupervised children who are attracted to it by the gleam of the apparently
shallow water can misuse a swimming pool and have to be pulled fully clothed, dripping wet and lifeless
from it. In such cases, the pool becomes an attractive nuisance. Our fraternity and similar organizations
must avoid becoming an attractive nuisance. If we adhere to our lofty principles and high ideals, we will
not annoy. When we stray from them, we do damage to all we touch.”
The Salute to Blacks in the Military
A highlight of the 68th Grand Chapter meeting was an official salute to the black members of the
armed forces. The Fraternity in conjunction with the Texas Instrument Corporation, IBM
Corporation, and the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, sponsored a banquet in one of the
elegant ballrooms at the headquarters hotel.
The list of dignitaries included representatives from each branch of the military and prominent
political, civic and business leaders from the Dallas [TX] community. Congressman Mervyn
Dymally [Los Angeles (CA) Alumni Chapter] traveled from Washington, DC to participate in
the program. Lieutenant General Andrew P. Chambers, a 1950 Xi initiate, Commander of the
Third US Army Group, was the Master of Ceremonies.
General Roscoe Robinson Jr, the first black four star US Army four star general, was the keynote
speaker. Robinson was born in St Louis [MO] on October 11, 1928. He attended St Louis
University for a year and entered West Point in 1947. Upon his
graduation in 1951, Robinson was commissioned a Second
Lieutenant in the Infantry Branch. In the next 34 years, he
navigated a career in what many consider the most dangerous
combat arm of the military during which he earned many of the
highest citations and decorations of the US Army. In 1975,
Robinson earned his fourth star, and in 1976, he became the first
black commander of the 82nd Airborne Division. his final
assignment in 1982 was as the United States Representative to the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] Military Committee.
Robinson retired in 1985, and in 1987 was named to oversee a
panel that reexamined the performance of some black Army units
in the Korean War. Robinson was the firs black to receive a US
Military Academy Distinguished Graduate Award. The citation read "Throughout a military career that took him to the pinnacle of his profession, he overcame
diversity with courage and an enduring dedication to duty." The same West Point Committee
that chose Robinson as the exemplar of a black combat arms officer named an auditorium at
West Point in his honor.
General Robinson, who died from leukemia in 1993, traced the history of the black soldier in the
armed forces, detailing the barriers that blacks in the service overcame - “Progress was slow.
Integration was slow; but in spite of the hardships, our soldiers endured. They all served our
country proudly.”
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Oscar Robertson presented awards to Major General Charles C. Rogers, Sergeant First Class
Webster Anderson, and Specialist 5th Class Clarence E. Sasser - the only living black recipients
of the Congressional Medal of Honor. All were retirees who earned this highest award available
to a member of the military while serving in the United States Army and assigned to Vietnam.
The dinner program also included a tribute to black women in the armed forces and music by
the Second Armored Division Band from Fort Hood [TX]
From the posting of the colors at the start of the affair to the melancholy rendition of “Taps” at
the end, it was clear to the audience that they were a part of a special occasion. At the
conclusion of the program, several commented on how the program touched them. CPT Bobby
G. Henry, a past Grand Board member, assigned to Tripler Army Medical Center [HI] as an
attorney commented – “It was the best program that I ever participated in. It was very touching
and made you feel extremely proud. It was a timely affair that was historic for me and the
Fraternity.” Grand Polemarch Bacon commented – “It was a historic event in this country.”
The 26 th Grand Polemarch – Dr. Ulysses McBride
Ulysses McBride, a true son of the South and often referred to as that
gentleman from Atmore, earned his BA degree from Knoxville College,
a specialized Masters degree from Indiana University, and a PhD from
Auburn University.
Following his graduation from Knoxville College [1956], McBride
returned to Alabama and embarked upon a career in education that
culminated with his appointment as President of Reid State College.
McBride was another product of the “Training for Leadership”
philosophy of the Fraternity. Initiated at the Beta Phi in 1952, McBride
was one of the youngest initiates of the Chapter. As Fraternity jeweler
Jack LeFlore commented during his installation - “We were not sure he
was legal.” Despite his youth, the brothers of Beta Phi elected him
Keeper of Records and Polemarch.
When McBride returned home to south Alabama, the closest alumni chapters were in Mobile
[AL] and Pensacola [FL]. In 1969, he joined with nine other brothers to form the Atmore [AL]
Alumni Chapter. As its first Polemarch, McBride established a Herculean goal – to become the
first chapter of the Fraternity composed exclusively of life members. Within three years, the
chapter accomplished that goal and received a recognition plaque from Past Grand Polemarch
Greene – the Life Membership Committee Chairman – at the 1972 Southern Province Council.
The men of the Southern Province quickly recognized the dedication McBride had to the ideals
of the Fraternity. At the 1972 Province Council, they elected him the Senior Province Vice
Polemarch, and reelected him at the 1973, 1974 and 1975 Province Councils. Following the 1975
Province Council, Cauley O. Lott – the third Southern Province Polemarch – decided to retire.
During the summer, Grand Polemarch Allen appointed McBride the fourth Southern Province
Polemarch. Pursuant to his recommendations, the Grand Board established Greek letter
chapters at six universities and in 13 communities within the Southern Province borders.
Following the 64th Grand Chapter meeting [1982], the Grand Board elected Southern Province
Polemarch McBride to fill the unexpired term of former Grand Board member Abram, the
newly elected Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Abram. The delegates at the 65th Grand Chapter
meeting [1983] elected McBride to the Grand Board of Directors, and the delegates at the 66th
and 67th Grand Chapter meetings elected him the Senior Grand Vice Polemarch.
Commenting on his election to the highest office of the Fraternity, he said –
“Selfishly speaking, my victory may have been sweeter had I won after a hard fought campaign with a lot
of hoopla and anticipation, but I hope my election to office represents some sign that the Fraternity, as a
body, is ready to move forward.”
Grand Polemarch McBride quickly made clear his focus –
“I plan to devote a great deal of energy towards cleaning up some of the nonsense associated 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 the pledge period
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and the information the 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.”
Grand Polemarch McBride committed himself to an Operation 2000 Agenda –
A Fine Tuned Fraternity which involved a review of the programmatic thrust of the
Fraternity, refinement of standards for membership and quality pledge programs,
closing the window of vulnerability with mandatory risk avoidance training and
networking with other organizations;
Building an International Headquarters after identifying the kind of facility to serve the
needs of the growing membership;
Revisions to the Constitution to provide the Fraternity with a basis for smooth and
efficient operation in the 21st century;
A national Political Action Arm through the establishment of a Political Action
Committee as a tax-exempt affiliate of the Fraternity;
Reclamation by exploring the feasibility of a one-time forgiveness provision to attract
delinquent brothers back into the fold;
Development of other techniques designed to keep members affiliated with Greek
letter chapters in good standing with the Fraternity for a longer period; and
Adoption of an International Agenda to renew the active bond with Kappamen who are
international students and those serving in the armed forces worldwide
This was an ambitious agenda. However, it was consistent with the philosophy of a man who
never lived for the present but who believed in planning for the future as a way to make the
realities of the present easier to handle.
One of the first official acts of Grand Polemarch McBride was the issuance of Executive Order
Number One which set forth the position of the Fraternity on hazing. A provision in the Order
required its reading at all chapter meetings and the posting of the Order in a prominent place
easily accessible to all brothers and visitors.
The 18th Eastern Province Polemarch - Howard L. Tutman Jr
The appointment of Past Province Polemarch Tutman as the Chief Administrative Officer of the
Province was not surprising to most brothers in the Eastern Province. After making the
appointment, Grand Polemarch McBride commented –
“I simply felt Brother Tutman deserved the chance to finish what he was starting and it has nothing to do
with the performance of Brother Brockett.”
The New Pledge Program
Following the 68th Grand Chapter meeting, Grand Polemarch McBride charged the Council of
Province Polemarchs with revising the Fraternity initiation process.
The Council impaneled a sub committee composed of Dr. Daniel Dixon III [North Central
Province Polemarch], Calvin Heard [East Central Province Polemarch], and Samuel C.
Hamilton [North Eastern Province Polemarch] to develop an alternative to the current pledge
and initiation program. The sub committee alternative was a two-week orientation and
initiation component followed by a two-week post initiation component. This was the first
substantive change in the process of adding new members to the Fraternity roster since the
delegates at the 28th Grand Chapter meeting [1938] accepted a report on the role of Scroller Clubs
in the Fraternity. The new approach recognized a need for the Fraternity to change rather than to
hold onto customs that threatened its future viability.
Two Civil Rights Organizations Eliminate Turf Battles
John E. Jacob, President of the National Urban League, and Dr. Willie F. Gibson, Chairman of
the Board of Directors of the NAACP, expressed agreement on the future agendas of their
respective organizations during an interview with Jerry Thomas.
During the interview, Jacob, a 1954 Xi initiate, and Gibson, a 1951 Beta Rho initiate, discussed
what they foresaw as major civil rights battles facing their organizations over the next decade.
Both stressed that parity between black and white Americans in education, housing,
employment and health was a priority.
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This was the first time the chief executive officers of both civil rights organizations were
members of Kappa Alpha Psi. The Fraternity relationship with the NAACP dates back to the
origin of the Fraternity while its relationship with the National Urban League was in its
formative stages. With the agreement in principle of the two leaders on a future agenda and the
common bond of the two leaders, the relationship between the two organizations moved to a
new level, and eliminated what some in the black community perceived as turf wars between
the two organizations.
Smith Named Acting Executive Secretary
The employment contract of Dr. Oscar Mims, the fourth Executive Secretary, expired several
months before the 68th Grand Chapter meeting. However, he agreed to continue in office until
the adjournment of the 68th Grand Chapter meeting. Upon the recommendation of Grand
Polemarch McBride, the Grand Board appointed Assistant Executive Secretary Smith as the
Acting Executive Secretary.
The 41st President - George Herbert Walker Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush, born in Milton [MA] in 1924, grew up in Greenwich [CT]. His
father – Prescott Bush – was a former Republican Senator and a
partner in a Wall Street law firm. After graduating from Phillips
Academy at Andover [MA], he joined the United States Navy, became
a fighter pilot and flew 58 combat missions. During one of his
missions, the Japanese downed his plane over the Pacific Ocean
killing two of his crewmen. A passing submarine rescued Bush. He
earned the Navy Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in action.
Bush matriculated at Yale University. He was captain of the varsity
baseball team and Phi Beta Kappa. After graduating [1948] Bush
moved to west Texas where, with the help of some business contacts
of his father, he went into the oil business. In 1953, he helped form
Zapata Petroleum Company, which drilled for oil primarily in the
Permian basin. In 1954, he became president of the Zapata Offshore
Company, which specialized in offshore drilling equipment. The success of the company
enabled Bush to become a millionaire before age 40.
In 1962, Bush entered the political arena and became chairman of the Harris County [TX]
Republican Party. In 1964, he was the Senatorial candidate against Ralph Yarborough, the
Democratic incumbent. Yarborough argued the Bush views were too extreme and prevailed in
the general election. The strong showing by Bush in a highly Democratic state impressed former
Republican Vice President Nixon. In 1966, with assistance from Nixon, an affluent Houston
district elected Bush to the House.
The new congressman identified with Republican moderates who were practical and business
oriented. He won a seat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, supported the
extension of voting rights to 18-year-olds, and voted to abolish the draft. After two terms, he
made a second attempt for the Senate expecting his opponent to be Yarborough. However, the
Democrats nominated a more moderate candidate - former Congressman Lloyd Bentsen – who
defeated Bush in the fall.
Despite his defeat, Bush was the kind of business oriented Republican from the Sun Belt
Republican national leaders wanted to promote. During the next six years, Presidents Nixon
and Ford appointed Bush to a series of posts that kept him before the public. He was
Ambassador to the United Nations [1971-73], Chairman of the Republican National Committee
[1973-74], Envoy to China [1974-75], and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency [1976-77].
After 1977, Bush began organizing support for the 1980 Republican presidential nomination.
In 1979, Bush announced his candidacy for the 1980 Republican presidential nomination. It was
a bold move for a politician who had not faced the voters for more than a decade. He tried to
establish himself as the moderate voice of responsible Republicans. Bush condemned as voodoo
economics the campaign promise of California Governor Reagan to increase military spending
and cut taxes while balancing the budget. Reagan won the nomination with the support of
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conservatives. To mollify moderate Republicans, Reagan selected Bush as his running mate. The
Reagan-Bush ticket was victorious in November and won a landslide reelection victory in 1984.
Vice President Bush spent much of his time traveling. His overseas travels enabled him to
strengthen his relationships with foreign diplomats. He used his domestic travels to expand his
relationships with several key political operatives on whom he would call to help with his
future presidential campaign. Although he was loyal to President Reagan, the Reagan policies
often tested his loyalty. Moreover, as he had predicted during the 1980 primary season, voodoo
economics did not eliminate the deficit.
When Bush launched his 1988 bid for the Republican presidential nomination, he promised to
improve the prosperity of all Americans and to engineer what he called a kinder and gentler
America in the process. In the early primaries, Bush quickly eliminated his two chief rivals –
Kansas Republican Senator Robert Dole and Christian Television Evangelist Pat Robertson. He
promised to veto any attempt to increase income taxes with a stirring pledge made to voters in
New Hampshire - “Read my lips: No new taxes.” Bush selected Indiana Senator Quayle, a
favorite of conservatives, as his running mate.
In the general election, the Republican ticket faced Massachusetts Governor Dukakis, whose
running mate was Texas Senator Bentsen. Bush skillfully reached out to conservatives,
suburban independents, and environmentalists. He criticized Dukakis for his refusal to support
the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance in schools, accused him of supporting temporary releases
of violent criminals in overcrowded prisons, and pointed to his poor record in cleaning up
polluted Boston harbor.
During the campaign, Bush made a series of promises, including – cutting the capital gains tax
rate, continuing the Reagan defense program, and opposing gun control legislation. He also
expressed his displeasure with the 1973 Roe versus Wade ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Bush carried 40 sates and captured 426 electoral votes. Although the victory was solid, Bush
had a major obstacle - the Democrats retained solid control of both houses of the Congress.
Bush lost no time in putting his stamp on the presidency. He toned down the imperial image
that had surrounded the Reagan presidency by jogging around Washington in the mornings,
ordering his motorcade to stop at traffic lights, and appearing before reporters at frequent press
conferences. All these actions increased his popularity.
Bush tried to put in place the kinder and gentler politics on which he had campaigned. The
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 lowered legal and physical obstacles to citizens with
disabilities and was one of the most sweeping pieces of civil rights legislation in a decade. He
spoke often about the need for integrity in government. Behind the scenes, he quietly worked to
increase federal spending for education, child-care, and advanced technology research and
development. He signed into law a measure to improve the interstate highway system and
battled Congress on a crime bill to help police bring criminals to justice. After eight years of
environmental disregard under Reagan, Bush moved swiftly to reauthorize the Clean Air Act.
In February 1989, Bush introduced a comprehensive plan to strengthen the savings and loan
industry. During the 1980s, Congress has passed legislation allowing these institutions to make
riskier investments. The combination of the new laws coupled with unscrupulous management
activities nearly wiped out the industry. Congress reacted rapidly. It rewrote oversight
regulations and created the Resolution Trust Corporation to take over bankrupt institutions and to
dispose of its assets. Ultimately, the bailout cost taxpayers billions of dollars.
The Reagan economic legacy was perhaps the biggest challenge to Bush. He believed the
incomes and standard of living of most Americans would not increase and the United States
would not be a leader in world affairs if debt became the foundation for its economy. In 1990,
Bush launched an effort to persuade Congress to bring the deficit under control. However, he
found it difficult to build a consensus acceptable to both Democrats and conservative
Republicans. Many Democrats believed tax increases on the wealthy were the best solution.
Conservative Republicans believed deep and sustained cuts in federal domestic spending was
the cure. Finding an acceptable compromise would have been difficult for any president For
Bush, who never enjoyed the trust of the powerful conservative wing of his Party, it proved
nearly impossible.
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In the debate over the budget, his Democrats rivals outmaneuvered him and the conservative
Republicans deserted him. Initially, Bush worked out an agreement with the Democrats that
would reduce the deficit by $500 billion over five years through spending cuts and modest tax
increases. When the House Republicans rejected this plan, the Democrats forced him to accept a
plan that included higher taxes and more spending. Bush would later admit the budget deal
was a mistake and he wished he had never agreed to it. A mild recession followed the passage
of the budget deal. During the recession, federal spending on welfare and other government
programs increased, wiping out much of the savings the budget deal had anticipated.
By 1991, Bush reached the end of his domestic legislative agenda. His advisers told him he had
done everything necessary to guarantee his reelection. The recession would pass in a short
period and the public would reward him for his prudent guidance. Bush admitted he found
domestic policy unpleasant and troublesome, and preferred to wrestle with foreign policy.
Conservative political columnist Pat Buchanan challenged Bush for the 1992 Republican Party
nomination claiming the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement Bush proposed to Congress would
eliminate jobs in the nation. He scared the president with a surprising 37-percent second-place
showing in the New Hampshire primary. Bush responded by adopting more conservative
positions on issues in an attempt to capture the votes of conservatives. Although the strategy
helped Bush win the nomination, conservative Republicans remained skeptical.
Texas industrialist H. Ross Perot added more complexity to the 1992 presidential campaign by
launching a third-party campaign. Perot, a self-made billionaire, argued neither party could be
trusted to eliminate the deficit and make government more efficient. His campaign appealed to
economic conservatives on whom Bush counted for support. Perot was at the top of the polls by
early summer, but in July, he pulled out of the race after the Democrats nominated Arkansas
Governor Bill Clinton. Clinton ran as the champion of Americans and attacked Bush as a
president who would do nothing to solve the problems of the average citizen. In October, Perot
reentered the race and split the Republican vote in the general election. Clinton won with 43
percent of the vote to 37 percent for Bush and 19 percent for Perot.
The International Headquarters Task Force
The resolution adopted by the delegates at the 68th Grand Chapter meeting contained specific
instructions for the 26th Grand Polemarch –
“That the incoming Grand Polemarch appoint appropriate committees to raise funds, and assist with
overseeing the erection of the facility.”
Pursuant to this directive, Grand Polemarch McBride appointed a task force –
Past Grand Polemarch Hiliary H. Holloway [Chairman];
Past Grand Polemarch Randall C. Bacon;
Past Grand Polemarch Ernest H. Davenport;
Grand Board member Richard A. Scott;
North Central Province Polemarch Myron Hardiman;
Northern Province Polemarch Charles C. Smith;
Social Action Committee Chairman Michael Moore;
Acting Executive Secretary W. Theodore Smith;
Past Executive Secretary Oscar L. Mims;
Fraternity Jeweler Jack O. LeFlore;
Jacob H. Poole [El Paso (TX) – Los Cruces (NM) Alumni Chapter];
William A. Ross [Columbia (MD) Alumni Chapter]; and
Stanley A. Simpkins [Philadelphia (PA) Alumni Chapter]
The task force was responsible for managing the construction and decoration of the new facility,
and furnishing periodic reports to the Grand Board of Directors. The task force recommended
continuation of Andrew Bryant [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter] as the architect, Artis T. Ore
as the general contractor, and Noel Mayo Associates as the interior designer. It designated
Marcus Canty Jr. [Philadelphia (PA) Alumni Chapter], an engineer and building consultant, to
oversee the construction of the building. The Grand Board approved all the recommendations.
The resolution adopted at the 68th Grand Chapter meeting provided broad latitude to the Grand
Board of Directors –
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“That the Grand Board of Directors, in their sound discretion, be otherwise authorized and empowered to
make an assessment upon the membership for an amount not to exceed $100 per alumni member, if it is
deemed to be necessary.…”
Pursuant to this provision, the Grand Board of Directors adopted the following
recommendations of Grand Polemarch McBride –
A housing fee of $100 payable by all men initiated into the Fraternity on and after
August 1, 1989;
A housing contribution of at least $500 payable by all Greek letter chapters effective
October 1, 1989 and payable by March 31, 1990;
A housing contribution of at least $1,000 payable by all alumni chapter effective
October 1, 1989 and payable by May 31, 1990;
A housing fee of $100 payable by all alumni members by May 31, 1990; and
A Province Council contribution of at least $1,000 payable by the adjournment of the
respective Province Councils in 1990
Some members protested the $100 housing fee imposed upon alumni members as an
unauthorized assessment. However, the resolution adopted at the 68th Grand Chapter meeting
was clear on this matter.
New Role for C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference
The C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference, originally known as the Undergraduate Leadership
Conference, dates back to 1961. Following the death of Past Grand Polemarch Wilson, the
Grand Board renamed it. The original focus of the Conference was exclusively upon training
members affiliated with Greek letter chapters. However, during the 1980s, the Conference took
on an expanded role. Held in the fall of the year in each of the several Provinces, the agenda
includes broad subjects ranging from state set-aside programs for minority businesses to the
various governing laws and regulations of the Fraternity.
General Counsel Cleophus Thomas commenting on the Conference wrote –
“Student leaders have to deal with real world problems. As students, they are in the midst of the problems
of the world, from crime to drugs. The Conference has to not only train for leadership but to also help
young men become equipped to deal with a changing and complex society.”
The Province Polemarch Directives
In 1987, the Grand Board of Directors adopted a series of administrative policy initiatives to
manage the affairs of the Fraternity. These initiatives – Grand Board Policy Statements – were
essentially regulations mentioned in governing laws of the Fraternity that did not require
action at Grand Chapter meetings. Subsequent elected leadership teams continued the practice.
At a Province Board of Directors meeting held June 12, 1989, Province Polemarch Tutman
presented a series of policy statements to aid in the management of the Province. Province
Board member Charles F. Parker [Alexandria - Fairfax (VA) Alumni Chapter] prepared the
statements, known as Province Polemarch Directives, for adoption. The Province Board of
Directors unanimously adopted the Directives.
Black Enterprise Magazine Adds Washington Alumni Member
The June 1989 issue of Black Enterprise magazine listed the top 100 black businesses in the
nation. Heading the list was TLC Beatrice International Holdings Inc., whose principal owner
was Brother Reginald F. Lewis. Ranked 19th was the Inner City Broadcasting Corporation,
whose chief executive officer was Brother Percy E. Sutton. A new addition to the listing was the
Scientex Corporation, a consulting firm owned by Edward Neal [Washington (DC) Alumni
Chapter] ranked number 81.
The 75th Anniversary of the Kappa Journal
The April 1989 Kappa Journal included a story of the continuous publishing of one of the oldest
black publications in the country. When the Fraternity established the publication in 1914, there
were few magazines of any sort published by blacks.
The story recounted the Journal “was lovingly put together in its early years by students who
suffered from relentless racial discrimination as well as intensely meager resources.” Yet, these
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students and others who followed persevered. Indeed, through the efforts of several dedicated
members, the Journal actually flourished and received some awards for its content and design.
Grand Polemarch McBride commented –
“It has been more than a medium. It has set the standard for what a publication should be for an
organization of our type. It speaks to the membership of the Fraternity but it also does more than that: it
has always been a quality publication that has been on the cutting edge and, at the same time, it has
defined achievement.”
The Death of Past Journal Editor Earl S. Clanton III
On August 4, 1989, a memorial service in Norfolk [VA] eulogized Earl Spencer Clanton III – the
fourth Kappa Journal Editor.
Clanton had also been an Assistant Executive Secretary and was the official photographer of
Kappa Alpha Psi for over three decades. Leading the array of Kappamen, family, colleagues,
and friends were – Past Grand Polemarch Oliver S. Gumbs, Grand Historian William L. Crump,
Eastern Province Polemarch Howard L. Tutman Jr, Norfolk [VA] Alumni Chapter Polemarch
George F. Reed, Acting Executive Secretary W. Theodore Smith and former Kappa Foundation
President Henry Parker.
Parker described Clanton as – “a warrior in the human struggle for dignity, personal worth, and
achievement. He was a rare human being. Indeed, a man for all seasons, a compassionate
teacher, a meticulous organizer, and a man of unusual courage.” Grand Historian Crump, a
close friend of Clanton, recounted the many contributions Clanton made towards the
advancement of the ideals of the Fraternity. Along with paying a personal tribute to Clanton,
Grand Historian Crump also read a resolution issued by Grand Polemarch McBride.
The International Headquarters Ground Breaking Ceremony
On Saturday – August 26, 1989 – over 400 Kappamen, Silhouettes, municipal dignitaries and
friends, attended a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the future International
Headquarters of Kappa Alpha Psi.
Past Grand Polemarch Holloway, the International Headquarters Task Force Chairman, was the
Master of Ceremonies. Holloway was the Executive Secretary when the Fraternity purchased
2320 North Broad Street to serve as its temporary headquarters [1953]. While Executive Secretary,
Holloway managed the renovation of the temporary headquarters [1957] and recommended to
the Grand Board the purchase of additional property to accommodate future expansion.
Past Grand Polemarch Davenport - President of the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation - expressed his
great pleasure that the Foundation would share space in the new facility. The Foundation, a 501[c]
[3] charity, was the repository of thousands of dollars of contributions, which it gave to the
Fraternity in exchange for a long term space commitment. Davenport expressed his pleasure by
commenting – “The Foundation has a home at last. Our wanderings days are over. The
Foundation can become, as a result of this, a much more effective organization.”
Past Grand Polemarch Bacon traced the history of the effort to erect a permanent headquarters –
“Over the years, there have been three different building committees, four Executive Secretaries and six
Grand Polemarchs involved in the decision to erect the new building. Today, August 26, 1989, we are
taking one of the most important steps in the history of our Fraternity.”
Philadelphia Mayor W. Wilson Goode opened his remarks with –
“I am accused of almost every bad thing that happens in Philadelphia. So let me tell you that I am
also responsible for this beautiful weather we are having today.”
He pledged his administration to work closely with the Task Force in overcoming any problems
that might arise. He closed by saying – “I am committed to this.”
Grand Polemarch McBride commented –
“Kappa Alpha Psi had a humble beginning. Ten young men on the campus of Indiana University
visualized in 1911 a future great company of college bred black males who would become well-trained,
honor themselves, and contribute significantly to the welfare of this nation.”
The program concluded with a recorded rendition of the Kappa Alpha Psi Hymn supplemented
by the voices of the brothers followed by a reception at the Temple University Center.
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The International Headquarters Contribution Recognitions
An issue that remained unclear within the Fraternity was the treatment of voluntary
contributions made by members before the passage of the resolution at the 68th Grand Chapter
meeting. Hundreds of brothers contributed to the “Buy a Brick” program while others
responded to the Fraternity Fund Raising Campaign. To avoid any confusion, Grand Polemarch
McBride and International Headquarters Task Force Chairman Holloway made clear that all
donors would receive credit for their contributions, regardless of the date of the contribution.
They also announced a series of recognition awards Builder - contribution of at least $100 but less than $500;
Master Builder – contribution of at least $500 but less than $1,000; and
Super Builder – contribution of at least $1,000
A “wall of honor” at the International Headquarters would contain the names [and applicable
category] of all contributors.
The Sixth Kappa Alpha Psi Journal Editor – A. Van Jordan
Journal Editor Hicks advised Grand Polemarch McBride that his responsibilities at the New York
Times coupled with his desire to explore other professional opportunities would no longer
permit him to serve as the Journal Editor. For four years, Hicks continued the tradition of
excellence established by four previous Journal editors – three of whom earned the Laurel
Wreath for their extra meritorious contributions to the Fraternity.
Upon the recommendation of the Publicity and Publications Commission, the Grand Polemarch
appointed A. Van Jordan, a 1984 Iota Mu initiate and graduate student at the Howard University
School of Communication, the sixth Journal Editor effective October 1, 1989. However, the
position conflicted with his educational and career pursuits and caused him to resign in 1990
after publishing two issues.
The First Black Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff – Colin Powell
On October 1, 1989, General Colin L. Powell became the first Black Chairman of the Joint Chief
of Staff. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is, by law, the senior ranking military officer of
the United States and the principal military adviser to the president. At age 52, Powell was the
youngest officer to serve in this position.
Born April 5, 1937, in Harlem [NY], Powell was the son of Jamaican
immigrants. He grew up in the South Bronx and graduated from Morris
High School [1954]. Powell matriculated at City College of New York
where he earned a BS degree in Geology [1958]. He also earned a MBA
degree from George Washington University [1971].
At City College, Powell enrolled in the Army Reserve Officers Training
Corp and was a member of the Pershing Rifle Society. In his senior year,
he was Commander of the Army Reserve Officers Training Corp
Regiment. Upon graduation, he received a commission as a Second
Lieutenant in the Infantry.
Powell, an Airborne Ranger, began his 35-year military career as platoon
leader in Germany. He served two tours in Vietnam – as a First
Lieutenant [1962-63] and as a Major [1968-69]. Upon his return from
Vietnam, in 1969, Powell attended the Command and General Staff College, and graduated
second in his class. His stellar performance earned him a position as a Research Analyst within
the Office of the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Army at the Pentagon.
In 1972, Lieutenant Colonel Powell earned a White House Fellowship to the Nixon White House.
He worked in the Office of Management and Budget, initially for Casper Weinberger and later for
Frank Carlucci. He made a lasting impression upon these high-ranking officials who brought
him to the attention of Donald Rumsfeld, the White House Chief of Staff in the Ford
Administration, and Dick Cheney, who replaced Rumsfeld when he became Secretary of
Defense under President Ford. Powell often refers to Carlucci as his “godfather of godfathers.”
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In 1973, Powell left the White House to become a Battalion Commander in Korea. A year later,
he returned to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon. In 1975, his boss
recommended Powell for the highly selective National War College in Washington [DC].
To reach the rank of brigadier general, an officer must command a brigade. Fresh out of the
National War College [1976], Colonel Powell assumed command of the 2nd Brigade of the 101st
Airborne Division at Fort Campbell [KY]. According to Colonel David Hackworth, the most
decorated soldier of the Vietnam War, the Fort Campbell assignment was a plum. Colonel
Hackworth once commented – “If you don’t have a brigade, your career is finished as a Colonel.
Then to get this, which is one of the elite units of the Army, he is being well looked after.”
Powell was promoted to Brigadier General on June 1, 1979.
The career of Powell was not without controversy. In June 1981, Brigadier General Powell was
assigned to Fort Carson [CO] as an assistant commander of the Fourth Infantry Division. He
had a clash with his boss, who said in an efficiency evaluation that Powell was a poor leader who
should not be promoted. Many of Powell supporters have said this was pettiness and spite by
the commander. Brigadier General Powell left Fort Carson [CO] to become deputy director of
Fort Leavenworth [KS]. He returned to the Pentagon as a senior military advisor to Secretary of
Defense Weinberger. Brigadier General Powell was promoted to Major General on August 1,
1983, and to Lieutenant General on March 26, 1986.
In 1986, Lieutenant General Powell was assigned Commander of V Corp in Germany. A year
later [1987], he returned to Washington to become Assistant to President Reagan for National
Security Affairs. On April 4, 1989, he received his fourth star. He became the third general since
World War II to reach four-star rank without serving as a division commander. Before his
October 1989 appointment, he was Commander in Chief, Forces Command headquartered at
Fort McPherson [GA].
During his tenure [1989-1993], General Powell oversaw 28 crises, including the invasion of
Panama [1989] to remove General Manuel Noriega from power and Operation Desert Storm of
the Persian Gulf War [1991]. During these events, Powell earned the nickname – “the reluctant
warrior” – because he rarely advocated military intervention as the first solution to an
international dispute. Instead, he usually suggested diplomacy and containment.
The Panamanian Affair
In December 1989, President Bush sent 24,000 troops to Panama to assist military forces in a
coup against Panamanian President Noriega. Noriega was under indictment in the United
States for drug trafficking, and in May 1989, he nullified a presidential vote after US observers
argued he had lost.
The invasion underscored the Bush opposition to the illegal narcotics trade. However, Bush
critics pointed out Noriega had been an agent of the Central Intelligence Agency for years,
including the tenure of Bush as the CIA Director. The invasion lasted less than a week and left
23 U.S. soldiers and nearly 600 Panamanian soldiers and civilians dead. The soldiers captured
Noriega in January 1990 and returned him to the United States. A Florida court convicted him
of drug and racketeering charges in April 1992. The United States promised Panama $1 billion
to repair the damage caused by the invasion and economic sanctions that had preceded it.
The 69th Grand Chapter Meeting
The Los Angeles (CA) Alumni Chapter, Upsilon, and Beta Omega hosted the 69th Grand Chapter
meeting at the Airport Hilton Hotel on December 26-30, 1989.
Following the severe cold weather experience at the 65th Grand Chapter meeting [1983], the
delegates at the 66th Grand Chapter meeting eliminated the winter Grand Chapter meeting
effective after the 1989 meeting. It was only befitting that the cold blistery weather along the
East Coast and the Midwest caused hundreds of brothers, their families, and friends, to travel
by air, train, bus, and car to the warm climate to be a part of the last winter conclave. They
looked forward to the beautiful weather of southern California, touring the various studios
hoping to glimpse their favorite stars, and renewing friendships.
Although the responsibility for the meeting was under the immediate guidance of a Conclave
Planning Committee chaired by Eastern Province Polemarch Tutman, there was significant input
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from the local group. Under the leadership of Western Province Polemarch Edgar Bishop, Los
Angeles (CA) Alumni Chapter Polemarch Henry J. Brandon Jr, and local chairman Burnell F.
Hayes, they made certain this last winter conclave left an indelible imprint upon the delegates.
The local group had the support of two past Grand Polemarchs – Randall C. Bacon and Thomas
Bradley. Past Grand Polemarch Bacon was the incumbent chief executive officer when the
Grand Board selected the Airport Hilton as the headquarters facility. While some Grand Board
members felt holding a national convention at an airport hotel was inappropriate, Grand
Polemarch Bacon opined the location was easily accessible to the arriving delegates and would
isolate the visitors from any potential gang activities. Gangs in Los Angeles had been in the
midst of a war for several years, and the colors of the Fraternity were the same as one of the
warring factions. These were ruthless groups who appeared to employ a shoot to kill first
practice. Los Angeles was a city without a mature public transportation system, and traveling by
cab would be expensive. After much debate, the recommendation of Grand Polemarch Bacon
prevailed. The Grand Board contracted with two additional airport hotels – Marriott and
Sheraton – to serve as backup facilities. As it developed, many of the officers and dignitaries
lodged at the alternative properties.
Past Grand Polemarch Bradley, the Mayor of Los Angeles, hosted a reception for the official
family and their guests at his home – the official residence of the Mayor of the City before the
Public Meeting. This was the third national meeting of the Fraternity he attended in his home
state, and the second in which he had significant involvement.
At the Public Meeting, Mayor Bradley proclaimed December 26-30 as “Kappa Alpha Psi Week”
in Los Angeles. He reminded the audience that Kappa Alpha Psi has a rich heritage of men who
have changed the course of the past and who will revolutionize the future.
Grand Polemarch McBride presented Distinguished Citizen Awards to –
• Ruth Washington, Publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper, a black owned
publication started in 1933 by Colonel Leon Washington;
• California state senator Diane Watson;
• Dr. Herbert Carter, Executive Vice Chancellor at California State University; and
• Dr. Claude H. Hudson [posthumously], a California civil rights pioneer
A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Kappa Alpha Psi Humanitarian Awards to
Dr. William H. Cosby and Dr. Camille H. Cosby. Although previous commitments prevented
their presence, Dr. Cosby surprised the audience with a telephone hookup that lasted
approximately 30 minutes during which he candidly remarked about several Kappamen on the
podium, particularly Walter Hazzard, a 1964 Upsilon initiate and the 1964 College Basketball
Player of the Year. Hazzard and Cosby grew up in the same neighborhood in Philadelphia [PA].
In high school, Hazzard led Overbrook High School to two city championships during his three
years on the varsity. Hazzard attended UCLA where he was a member of the first UCLA team
to win a national championship [1964]. Cosby, a member of Omega Psi Phi, thanked the
Fraternity for the awards and called them “the greatest awards we have ever received.”
Congressman Mervyn Dymally [Los Angeles (CA) Alumni Chapter] presented a special award
to Past Grand Polemarch Bradley acknowledging his meritorious service to public life.
Grand Polemarch McBride delivered a comprehensive State of the Fraternity report that focused
on two areas – the International Headquarters Building project and the difficulties with
pledging. The cost of the International Headquarters was exceeding the projection included in
the resolution adopted by the delegates at the 68th Grand Chapter meeting. Most of the
additional cost was the result of difficulties with the underlying soil, which required placing the
building on caisson to make certain it did not sink into the ground.
In his speech to the delegates, Grand Polemarch McBride reminded them of his comments in
Dallas – “If you tell me to build a headquarters, I will build a headquarters.” He also reminded
the delegates he intentionally was not involved in the debate on this issue to make certain it
was a decision of the delegates without any comments from the incoming Grand Polemarch. He
assumed responsibility for the action taken by the Grand Board of Directors to implement an
assessment by making clear the Grand Board took the action pursuant to his recommendation.
Grand Polemarch McBride vigorously attacked the assessment issue. He identified hundreds of
Life Members who chose not to stand behind the misinterpretation of a provision in the
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governing laws of the Fraternity. Rather, these members stepped forward and supported the
endeavor. He concluded his comments on this matter by paraphrasing a hymn sung in his
Baptist Church – “If You Don’t Want To Go To Heaven, Don’t Hinder Me” – by saying – “If you
do not want to help us to build the International Headquarters, do not hinder the rest of us.”
Turning to pledging, Grand Polemarch McBride recited a long list of injuries from hazing and
court actions against fraternities and sororities. He declared –
“Pledging is dead. The only issue before Kappa Alpha Psi is how expensive are we going to make the
funeral. Will Kappa bury pledging or will pledging bury Kappa? It has already bankrupted one of our four
fraternities. Pledging has sent another to a bank in Atlanta to borrow $5 million to cover a civil suit
regarding a death.
If there is anyone in this room who is serious about saving our Fraternity for our future generations, please
lend me your ear. You must demand that pledging is no longer a prerequisite for membership in Kappa
Alpha Psi. You must demand that the Grand Board draft the necessary plans and procedures to implement
your position.”
A social highlight of the 69th Grand Chapter meeting was the “Legends Concert.” The audience
heard Jimmy Smith twinkle the keys of his organs with music from Muddy Waters to Honky
Tonk during the first set. In the second set, Joe Williams picked up the audience and wooed
them with his renderings of “C.C. Rider” and “In the Evening When the Sun Comes Down.”
The next evening, Duncan Jackson [Tallahassee (FL) Alumni Chapter], a concert pianist,
captivated the audience with his renditions of selections from Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms.
The second half of his program was renditions from Cole Porter, Gershwin, and Duke Ellington.
The Los Angeles (CA) Alumni Chapter sponsored a banquet during the 69th Grand Chapter
meeting to honor five outstanding black pioneers –
• Dick Griffey: owner of the Solar Records Co, the largest black owned record company, who
began his career booking tours for a highly successful night club, and later for Stevie
Wonder and the Jacksons, and joined with Don Cornelius to start the highly successful
Soul Train television show in 1977;
• Ivan Houston: chief executive officer of Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company, a
black owned life insurance company based in Los Angles and organized in 1925;
• Herman J. Russell: chief executive officer of H.J. Russell and Company, a black owned
construction firm based in Atlanta [GA];
• Joshua T. Smith: chief executive officer of the Maxima Corporation, a Lanham [MD] based
black consultant firm which specialized in providing information systems to the federal
government; and
• William E. Shack: a partner in Shack-Woods and Associates, the largest black owned
automobile dealership group in the nation
The ballroom for the Closed Banquet was too small to accommodate the attendance.
Consequently, the hotel waiters setup tables in the foyer outside the ballroom to accommodate
the overflow. Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Cornelius W. Grant delivered a masterful speech
befitting of the occasion.
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CHAPTER 3: 1990-1999
Walter H. Brown Jr - The 31st Chapter Polemarch [1988-90]
The End of the Cold War
President Bush moved aggressively to bring the USSR and its reformist leader, Mikhail
Gorbachev, into what Bush called the family of nations. Gorbachev had come to power in the
USSR in 1985 and launched a campaign to reform the society and economy in the USSR. He and
President Reagan attempted to moderate the ideological competition and tensions of the Cold
War. Bush wanted to forge a partnership with the USSR. Handled correctly, he believed, the
USSR might become an ally. If this happened, the United States could reduce defense spending
and save taxpayers billions of dollars.
Bush launched a top-secret drive to explore ways to help Gorbachev succeed with his plans for
the USSR. He offered a series of rewards and punishments to encourage Gorbachev to move his
nation toward democracy and his economy toward capitalism. In May 1989, Bush surprised his
allies with a bold proposal to reduce the number of U.S. troops stationed in Europe to counter a
Soviet attack. In December 1989, Bush invited Gorbachev to a summit on the Mediterranean
Island of Malta, where he submitted a list of 21 proposals from military cuts to economic aid.
Bush was careful and forbearing. During much of 1989, protestors in the Soviet bloc nations of
Eastern Europe called for democratic reforms and an end to Communism. When the Berlin Wall
fell in November 1989, Bush was careful not to gloat. He announced the world needed a “new
world order” to replace the superpower rivalry that divided the globe, and fueled the Cold War.
As former Soviet satellite nations gained their independence, he proposed foreign aid to hasten
their economic reforms and democratic political transformation. The end came in early 1990.
The Risk Avoidance Workshops
Despite the efforts by Province Polemarch Tutman, the alumni chapter Polemarchs, and the
Greek letter chapter advisors, hazing remained a major issue within the Province. To acquaint
brothers with the perils of hazing, the Province Board of Directors authorized its legal team to
hold workshops throughout the Province. These were mandatory sessions for all chapters and
Greek letter chapter advisors. Any chapter that did not send a representative to a workshop
could not conduct any pledge and initiation activities.
The Membership Intake Program
One of the first initiatives of Grand Polemarch McBride was to charge the Council of Province
Polemarchs with developing a new membership process. The initial effort known as “Two plus
Two” reduced the process to four weeks - a two-week orientation and initiation component
followed by a two-week post initiation component. One of the goals of the new program was
the elimination of hazing. However, the program did not achieve the desired results. Instead,
unofficial underground pledging increased dramatically and there were several incidents of
serious injuries to potential members. These results were consistent with comments made by
Province Polemarch Tutman – “the real issue is underground pledging.”
Because of the importance of the membership process to the future viability of the Fraternity,
the Council impaneled a Membership Intake Program Committee - Chairman Samuel Hamilton
[North Eastern Province], Calvin Heard [East Central Province], and Terry Lee [South Western
Province]. The Committee was to develop a program that would not include pledging. It
solicited input from – the Grand Board, Grand Historian Crump, General Counsel Cleophus
Thomas, the Council of Province Junior Vice Polemarchs, and their fellow Province Polemarchs.
The Committee reviewed the history of identifying and selecting members. It was obvious the
Founders did not pledge and many who came after them did not pledge. Rather, brothers
selected them because of their demonstrated commitment to achieve, and clear evidence of their
character, honor, and patriotism.
The Scrollers Club, originated at Ohio State [1919], offered an environment that facilitated a
relationship among the pledges, and with the members. However, over time, hazing began to
dominate the activities of these Clubs, and according to the Committee –
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“Kappa deviated from its usual method of membership selection, initiation, and orientation.”
The Committee developed a program it felt represented a return to the principles of the
Founders, and used procedures to assist members select applicants with traits consistent with
men of achievement. The Committee opined –
“If we are to return to our position of greatness, we must go back to the basics used in the beginning.”
The program was the first effort to standardize the membership selection process. Chapters
would continue to initiate men according to the Ritual of Kappa Alpha Psi. The Committee
recognized the program was not a panacea and there would be a need for future modifications .
It announced there would be training sessions for members at C. Rodger Wilson Leadership
Conferences and the development of additional materials for use by the members.
The reaction to the program, particularly among students, was lukewarm. As Province
Polemarch Tutman once commented “to some of these brothers, pledging was their way to demonstrate their navigation of the rights of
passage. That may be their perception of becoming a member of Kappa Alpha Psi; but Kappa Alpha Psi
has spoken on this matter and pledging his dead in the Eastern Province.”
The First Black Governor of the Commonwealth - L. Douglas Wilder
On January 13, 1990, Lawrence Douglas Wilder took the oath of
office to become the first black elected Governor of the
Commonwealth of Virginia.
Born in Richmond [VA] on January 17, 1931, Wilder was the seventh
of eight children and the grandson of slaves. His parents named him
for the poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar and Frederick Douglass. A
product of the segregated public school system, he graduated from
Armstrong High School. He matriculated at Virginia Union
University and earned a BS degree [1951].
Wilder was drafted into the Army, served in Korea, and earned a
Bronze Star. After his discharge, he attended Howard University, on
the GI Bill, and earned a LLB degree [1959]. He returned to
Richmond, and after passing the Virginia Bar, formed a law firm Wilder, Gregory and Associates.
Wilder entered the political arena in 1969 winning a special election to the Virginia Senate,
making him the first black elected to the state senate since Reconstruction. In 1985, State Senator
Wilder was narrowly elected Lieutenant Governor, making him the first black elected to a
statewide executive office in the South during the 20th century. Four years later, Lieutenant
Governor Wilder defeated Republican Marshall Coleman by less than 1/2 of one percent in the
gubernatorial election. Under Virginia law, the margin of victory required a recount, at state
expense, which validated his victory.
The margin was surprising since Wilder had a comfortable lead in the final poll before the
election. Some attribute the closeness to a “get out the vote” effort by the Republicans. Others
characterized it as the “Bradley Syndrome” where white voters tell posters they will support a
candidate when, in fact, they may not vote for the candidate. Still others felt white voters,
particularly in southwestern Virginia, simply could not vote for a black man.
During his tenure as governor [1990-1994] Wilder supported dramatic cuts in allocations for
higher education to balance the state budget. He had been a supporter of the death penalty
since 1970 and as governor oversaw 14 executions by the electric chair, some of which were
botched. Wilder granted a controversial pardon to black high school basketball star Allen
Iverson, who had been convicted of assaulting a woman in a bowling alley and sentenced to 15
years in prison. However, the evidence was weak, and, in the judgement of Governor Wilder,
was a racially motivated decision. His view as consistent with most of the nation. Iveson had
served five months in prison when he received the pardon. After his release, he attended
Georgetown University on a basketball scholarship and left after two years to pursue a career in
the National Basketball Association.
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Wilder left office in 1994 because the Virginia constitution does not allow governors to serve
successive terms.
Walter E. Fowlkes - The 32nd Chapter Polemarch [1990-92]
Walter E. Fowlkes, a native of Baltimore [MD], was a product of the local
public school system. He matriculated at Morgan State College and
earned a BS degree in 1957.
Fowlkes pursued a career in the public sector with the local telephone
company. His perseverance enabled him to rise to the managerial level. In
the middle 1970s, he relocated to the Washington metropolitan area. He
retired from the telephone company in 1989.
Fowlkes was a 1955 Alpha Iota initiate. Following his graduation, he
affiliated with the Baltimore [MD] Alumni Chapter. Within that chapter,
he served as Keeper of Records. When he relocated to the Washington
area, Fowlkes affiliated with the Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter. He
was a member of several Chapter committees and served as Vice
Polemarch under Polemarch McCoy.
The Persian Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War was a conflict between Iraq, and a coalition force from 35 nations,
authorized by the United Nations, and led primary by the United States, to liberate Kuwait.
On the morning of August 2, 1990, units of the Iraqi Republican Guard invaded Kuwait and
seized control of that country. The invasion triggered a United States response - Operation
Desert Shield - to deter any invasion of Saudi Arabia, the oil rich neighbor of Kuwait. The
United States began deploying forces to the region on August 7, 1990.
United Nations Security Council Resolutions 660 and 662 condemned the Iraq invasion and
annexation, and called for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Iraqi forces. On
August 20, 1990, President Bush signed National Security Directive 45 - "U.S. Policy in Response
to the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait" - outlining the United States objectives, which included, the
"immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal of all Iraqi forces from Kuwait," and the
"restoration of Kuwait's legitimate government to replace the puppet regime installed by Iraq. ‘
A United Nations ultimatum - Security Council Resolution 678 - followed on November 29,
1990. It stipulated that if Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein did not remove his troops from Kuwait
by January 15, 1991, the coalition was authorized to attack. Early on the morning of January 17,
1991 - Baghdad time, the coalition launched air attacks against Iraqi targets. On February 24,
1991, coalition ground forces begin their attack. On February 27, 1991, Kuwait City was declared
liberated, and with allied forces having driven well into Iraq, President Bush and his advisers
decided to halt the war. A cease-fire took effect at 8:00 on February 28, 1991.
The Death of Laurel Wreath Wearer George James Fleming
Dr. George James Fleming passed into the Chapter Invisible in September 1990. More than 120
Kappamen between Philadelphia [PA] and Richmond [VA], converged on the Quaker
Retirement Community of Broadmeade in Cockeysville [MD] for the memorial service honoring
this Fraternity giant.
Fleming was Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Morgan State University and former
chairman of the Morgan State University Board of Regents. He was a featured speaker at Grand
Chapter meetings and the second editor of the Kappa Journal.
The Kappa dignitaries attending the service included –
Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Terrance G. Blount;
Grand Board member Richard Scott;
Grand Historian William L. Crump;
Laurel Wreath Wearer Samuel Massie;
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Charles G. Tildon Jr;
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee James Carter Jr; and
Acting Executive Secretary W. Theodore Smith
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The brothers entered the auditorium softly humming – Dear Kappa Alpha Psi - the favorite song
of the deceased. After the brothers assembled around the coffin, Baltimore (MD) Alumni
Chapter Polemarch Robert Jacobs led them in singing the favorite songs of the deceased before
conducting the official service.
Eastern Province Polemarch Tutman, representing Grand Polemarch McBride, delivered a
moving tribute to the deceased. Tutman first met Fleming in the 1960s, and maintained a
relationship with him until his death. W. Wilson Goode [Mayor of Philadelphia] paid tribute to
his former teacher, as did Kurt L. Schmoke [Mayor of Baltimore]. Elder Watson Diggs Awardee
Tildon upon concluding his remarks led the brothers in reciting Invictus.
Throughout his life, Laurel Wreath Wearer Fleming was a source of wisdom and counsel to
numerous organizations. In each instance, he would provide the seeker with a pragmatic view
of the issue. Most Baltimoreans identified Fleming as a source for the success of blacks in local
politics, and referred to him as a giant in the Civil Rights Movement, long before it became a
movement because of his successful organization of a protest action in Philadelphia [PA] in the
1940s that expanded employment opportunities for blacks.
At the conclusion of the funeral service, the audience remained silent for a two-minute prayer
honoring the deceased giant. Mrs. Hazel Fleming, the spouse of the deceased, received relatives
and friends at the Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter Kappa House.
The New Chapter Agenda
For years, the need to conserve resources caused the elected leadership teams to operate
essentially with an austerity philosophy. The Chapter Reporter published the Flagship
occasionally. There was sparse attendance at Chapter meetings, unless the disposition of the
Chapter House was an agenda item. Members continued to support the Easter Dance and the
Metropolitan Founders Day Program but there were few activites that afforded them the
opportunity for fellowship.
Polemarch Fowlkes sensed a need for change. He changed the meeting time to the late evening
hour and announced the serving of a formal dinner before each meeting with cocktails and
fellowshipping following the business meeting. By starting at an earlier hour, it reduced a
common complaint – the lack of parking spaces near the Kappa House. He also authorized the
Reporter to publish the Flagship monthly, except during the summer vacation season.
Polemarch Fowlkes viewed the Flagship as a communication vehicle critical to the viability of
the Chapter.
The Seventh Journal Editor – Mel. Davis
Mel Davis [Atlanta (GA) Alumni Chapter], upon the recommendation of the Publicity and
Publications Commission, became the seventh Journal Editor effective September 1990.
with the October 1990 issue.
Davis, a 1949 initiate of the Alpha Upsilon at Kentucky State College, earned a BA degree from
the University of Dayton. While residing in Dayton, he helped expand the Guide Right Program
of the Dayton [OH] Alumni Chapter to include the Kappa League. When he moved to Los
Angeles, he brought the concept to the Los Angeles (CA) Alumni Chapter. Eventually, the
Fraternity incorporated the concept into the National Guide Right Program.
Davis, a former Assistant Executive Secretary for Programs, was a retired business consultant
and owner of Barrington Enterprises.
The Dedication of the International Headquarters
On July 6, 1991, the Fraternity dedicated the International Headquarters at 2322-24 North Broad
Street. Although the building was technically on the site of the old building, the size of the
facility was much larger and extended beyond the former site. Hence, a new address came into
the lexicon of Kappa Alpha Psi.
The International Headquarters Task Force sent invitations to each member, organization, and
friend who contributed to the project. More than a thousand Kappamen, their families and
friends traveled to Philadelphia for the ceremony. They came from as far away as Anchorage
[AK] and as near as North Philadelphia to witness an event that was decades in the making.
72
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Task Force Chairman Holloway
was the Master of Ceremonies for
the program. Past Grand
Polemarch Bacon spoke about the
occasion. In most of his public
appearances, he rarely exhibited
emotions. However, it was quite
difficult for him to conceal his
emotions on this day. Past Grand
Polemarch Bacon was one of the
few members of the Fraternity
who had been intimately
involved with the push for a new
home for the Fraternity – first as a
Senior Grand Vice-Polemarch
[1973-1979] and during his tenure
as Grand Polemarch [1985-1988].
The Honorable W. Wilson Goode,
Mayor of Philadelphia, brought
greetings from the city. At the
1989 Groundbreaking Ceremony,
Mayor Goode had pledged the
support of his administration for
the project. On this day, he
proudly boasted – “the City,
under his direction, honored his commitment.” Others bring greetings included –
North Eastern Province Polemarch Samuel C. Hamilton;
Philadelphia (PA) Alumni Chapter Polemarch Tarleton D. Williams;
Kappa Foundation President Ernest H. Davenport; and
Silhouettes of Kappa Alpha Psi National President Joyce A. Fountaine
Grand Polemarch McBride leading the Litany of Dedication commented –
“Due to your generosity, we have come to this place on this day to dedicate our home. This new building,
which by the favor of God and the labor of man has been completed, symbolizes the duty of each
generation to develop to its highest potential, to leave the age that inherits on a higher plane. For the
fulfillment of this challenge, we need only the best of which man is capable, but above all, the blessings of
Almighty God.”
Following the ribbon cutting by the Grand Polemarch, the guests toured the four levels of the
building and signed the guest book.
The Revitalization of the Chapter Guide Right Program
Guide Right has been the national service program of the Fraternity since its adoption by the
delegates at the 12th Grand Chapter meeting. It evolved from a 1921 program of the St Louis
(MO) Alumni Chapter to obtain mattresses for the Beta at the University of Illinois. During this
endeavor, the brothers also discussed the need for adequate guidance and funds for Greek letter
chapters. Brothers J. Jerome Peters and Leon W. Steward served as an ad hoc committee to
study the needs of Greek letter chapters. Their efforts grew into a much broader concept – to
assist high school seniors identify and select useful careers - which they discussed with Grand
Polemarch George F. David II. Brothers Gilbert Jones [President of Wilberforce University and a
charter member of the Delta] and William H. Perry [Louisville (KY) Alumni Chapter] helped
Brothers Peters and Steward to draft the first Guide Right Program. Brother Steward presented
the Program to the delegates at the 12th Grand Chapter meeting, who overwhelmingly adopted
it. The first Guide Right Commission included –
Dr. Jesse Peters, Chairman;
Leon W Seward, Secretary [St Louis (MO) Alumni Chapter];
Dr. H. C. Russell [Louisville (KY) Alumni Chapter]; and
Robert S. Abbott [Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter]
Over the years, there have been several modifications of the original concept. Some chapters
sponsor Kappa Leagues, others sponsor Beautillions [the male equivalent to Cotillions], and
others sponsor events for the benefit of youths in their areas.
Within the Washington [DC] metropolitan area, Guide Right did not have the same high profile
level as in other areas of the country. The Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter did host an annual
Christmas Party for the benefit of socially and economically disadvantaged kids that attracted
the unselfish support of the members. However, there were few other programs on par with
this initiative. That began to change in 1991 –
Maury Elementary School Project
LeGrande Baldwin, a 1984 initiate of the Chapter, was the principal at Maury Elementary
School. Located at 1250 Constitution Avenue NE, it was a small school with approximately 250
73
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
students and 20 classroom teachers. Approximately 55% of its students qualified for free
lunches and another 10% qualified for reduced lunches. Its equipment was outdated and its
students suffered.
Baldwin proposed the formation of a partnership between the Chapter and his school. He
solicited contributions [cash and equipment] for the benefit of his students. He also pointed out
the need for tutors to assist his students. In a chapter with a high concentration of current and
former education professionals, the members overwhelmingly endorsed his proposal. They left
it to the Chapter board of directors to work out the particulars of the arrangement with the
school. This would be a win/win situation for both parties.
Baldwin remained at Maury Elementary until 1998 when he became an Assistant
Superintendent for Elementary Schools. He retired from the system in 2004 as Assistant
Superintendent for Transformation Schools to pursue a second career as an education
consultant. The foundation he laid at Maury with the assistance of the Chapter led to
recognition of the school throughout the region.
WKAY – 100 Program
Within the District of Columbia, there was a growing concern about the treatment of children
under the jurisdiction of the DC Superior Court. Most of these children were either neglected or
abused and were between the ages of eight and 14. Brother Ulysses Hammond, a 1987 initiate of
the Lansing (MI) Alumni Chapter, the Chief Executive Officer of the DC Superior Court,
informed the Chapter that Eugene Hamilton, Chief Judge of the DC Superior Court, was
interested in forming a program to address this concern.
Polemarch Fowlkes impaneled a committee, chaired by Brother Hammond, which worked with
other organizations to develop the WKAY-100 Mentoring Program. The Program targeted
abused and neglected youth who were at risk for school failure, substance abuse, delinquency,
gang involvement, and vocational under achievement. The Program goals were to –
• Reduce '-"9,("% !/"(+4 +. ' %(!(% .,4 %"'*.'24 ' "'/(%/&'-4
')+-"")-"('"'/"(%'-+"&,5
• Improve &")+(+&''(&&"-&'--(.-"('5
• Increase )+-"")-"('"',+/"'(&&.'"-2-"/"-",5
• Develop '!' ,%9,-&4 )+,('% ' ,("% +,)(',""%"-24 ' +,)- (+
)+,'.-!(+"-2" .+,5
• Provide age ))+()+"-/(-"('%)+)+-"(''-+"'"' ())(+-.'"-",5'
• Serve -%,-JF!"%+')+2+
-!+(+ '"3-"(',"'/(%/"'-!+( +&0+?
•
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Anthony (0'5
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority;
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority;
District of Columbia Public School System; and
Coalition of 100 Black Women
It was a time consuming process and would take nearly three years to bring the idea to reality.
By the time the Program actually launched in 1994, the Chapter had identified 50 members who
volunteered to serve as mentors.
The Kappa Foundation Grant
The leadership of the Kappa Foundation was also concerned about expanding the Guide Right
activities of the chapters of the Fraternity. It set aside $40,000 to fund the Guide Right activities
of eight chapters. One of the recipients was the Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter.
New US Supreme Court Associate Justice - Clarence Thomas
In July 1991, President Bush nominated DC Court of Appeals Judge Clarence Thomas to fill the
vacancy on the U.S, Supreme Court caused by the retirement of Justice Thurgood Marshall.
Thomas, born in Pin Point [GA] in 1948, spent most of his childhood growing up in poverty
without a father who had abandoned his mother and their three children. He moved to
Savannah to live with his maternal grandparents. His grandfather encouraged him to become a
priest. Thomas left his segregated high school after two years to attend an all-white boarding
74
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
school, located near Savannah, dedicated to training priests. He experienced episodes of racism
at his new school. His fellow schoolmates excluded him from social activities and made fun of
his color. Still, he persevered and graduated with a good academic record.
Thomas attended the Immaculate Conception Seminary in Missouri as his next step toward
becoming a priest. After two years, he abandoned his aspiration and left the school because of
racism. He enrolled at the Holy Cross College under a black student
recruitment program. While at Holly Cross, Thomas helped form the
Black Student Union, supported the Black Panthers, and once urged a
student walkout to protest investments in South Africa. In 1971,
Thomas graduated ninth in his class with a degree in English.
The Yale University Law School accepted Thomas through its
affirmative action program. Thomas specialized in tax and antitrust law
while at Yale. Upon his graduation [1974], some firms recruited him
but he chose to return to Missouri to work in the tax division in the
office of State Attorney General John Danforth. When Danforth won
an election to the U.S. Senate [1977], Assistant Attorney General
Thomas accepted a position as a corporate lawyer at the Monsanto
Company. In 1979, he left Monsanto and moved to Washington [DC]
to become the legislative aide to Senator Danforth.
In 1980, an article appearing in the Washington Post about the attendance of Thomas at a
conference of African American conservatives attracted the attention of the Reagan
Administration. President Reagan appointed Thomas Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights in the
Department of Education [1981], and Chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
[1982]. During his tenure at the Commission, Thomas attempted to modify the federal affirmative
action guidelines. In 1990, President Bush appointed him to the US Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia.
The Thomas nomination met strong opposition from minority groups who opposed his
conservative views on civil rights. At his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing,
Thomas weathered several days of questioning, and was unwilling to express his opinions
about policies or approaches to constitutional interpretation. He also maintained he had never
formulated a position on the controversial abortion decision - Roe v. Wade.
His nomination seemed assured until a last-minute witness, Anita Hill, a
law school professor at the University of Oklahoma, came forward and
charged him with sexual misconduct that occurred while she worked for
him 10 years earlier.
Hill, born in Lone Tree [OK] in 1956, earned a BA degree from
Oklahoma State University [1977] and a JD degree from Yale University
[1980]. After graduating from law school, she worked for a Washington
[DC] law firm and met Thomas in 1981. He hired her as his assistant at
the Department of Education and appointed her to a legal staff position at
the Commission. When Thomas left the Commission, Hill returned to
Oklahoma and joined the Oklahoma Law School faculty.
The nation seemed transfixed by the testimonies of Hill, then Thomas,
and a parade of corroborating witnesses. After a marathon hearing to
explore the Hill charges, the Committee failed to unearth convincing proof of the allegations.
The Committee reported the Thomas nomination to the full Senate without a recommendation,
and the Senate confirmed him 52-48 on October 15, 1991.
The 70th Grand Chapter Meeting
The Orlando (FL) Alumni Chapter and the Lambda Omega at the University of Central Florida
hosted the 70th Grand Chapter meeting at the Orlando Marriott World Center on July 28August 2, 1991.
The Marriott World Center, located on 200 acres of lush tropical fanfare, features championship
golf, award-winning cuisine, and an exquisite spa experience. This was the second Grand
Chapter meeting held within the Southern Province and the first at resort. Some delegates and
75
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
their families chose to stay at one of the Marriott Time Share apartments close to the hotel.
Delegates choosing this option had easy access to the hotel by a 24-hour shuttle service.
The meeting attracted well over 2,000 delegates and their families. Many brothers brought their
children because of the vast array of activities planned for them. While the focus of all Grand
Chapter meetings is handling the business of the Fraternity, it was apparent to all in attendance
that the free time at this Grand Chapter meeting was truly for the family, particularly families
with children.
Many who arrived early attended a religious service where Reverend Herbert C. Alexander
[Tallahassee (FL) Alumni Chapter] of the First Institutional Missionary Baptist Church
remarked “Fraternity is like family. We need to get back to the strong family structure and honor thy father and
mother. Look into your hearts for what the Founders felt and to keep in mind that loyalty, commitment,
and good deeds speak for us.”
After a moving rendition of “His Eye is on the Sparrow” by Ms. Patricia Hitchmon, the
worshipers left inspired to continue through the weeklong agenda of activities.
The dignitaries attending the Public Meeting included - the only African American Governor in
the nation, the first African American Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Conference, and the
first African American woman justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Virginia Governor L.
Douglas Wilder, a Kappa Alpha Psi Humanitarian Award recipient, gave an inspirational address
in which he encouraged the audience to take an active role in the democratic process. He
reminded the audience that another Southern Governor announced his candidacy for the office
of President while speaking before an audience in Florida. Grand Polemarch McBride presented
a second Humanitarian Award to the Honorable Juanita Kidd Stout – the first African American
woman appointed to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and the wife of Dr. Otis Stout, an Elder
Watson Diggs Awardee. He also presented a special award to Dr. Joe Reed, the Chairman of the
Alabama Democratic Conference. Grand Polemarch McBride lauded Dr. Reed for “working
untiringly to ensure that blacks gained the right to vote, exercised that right, and used the
power of the ballot box to help shape their own destinies.” He also remarked that Alabama had
more African American elected officials than any other state in the country. The highlight of the
evening was the conferral of the Laurel Wreath upon Dr. William L. Crump, the Grand Historian,
and Dr. Edward R. Ellois, the South Western Province Keeper of Records and Exchequer. Grand
Historian Crump became the third member to earn the two highest awards of the Fraternity,
and the second from the Eastern Province.
The major business issues were similar to those discussed at the 69th Grand Chapter meeting the financing of the International Headquarters and the new membership selection program.
The solutions would change the landscape of Kappa Alpha Psi well into the 21st century.
Grand Polemarch McBride addressed both issues in his State of the Fraternity report. In handling
the International Headquarters matters, he reviewed with the delegates the resolution adopted
at the 68th Grand Chapter meeting. He referenced the final clause – “and directed to take
necessary and appropriate action to fulfill the intent of this resolution to erect a new
Headquarters facility.” He continued “I could understand the phone calls to me asking that I do whatever I could to stop the project. I could
understand the constitutional questions about assessments even though that word is sprinkled all over our
constitution. I could understand the question about life members, and I do understand the political
implications. Yet, I promised Jesus to carry out the mandates of this Fraternity; where McBride stood on the
Headquarters was not important. Kappa had spoken.”
It was clear from this comment that Grand Polemarch McBride, a devout religious man,
believed the oath he took in the presence of Almighty God superseded all else. He went on to
admit to the delegates that as a member of the Grand Board and Senior Grand Vice Polemarch,
he was unwilling to exercise the authority vested in the Grand Board that Past Grand
Polemarchs Bacon, Holloway and Davenport believed gave the Grand Board the authority to
continue with the building of the Headquarters. He also reminded the delegates he was a sitting
at the table as the Southern Province Polemarch when then Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Robert
L. Gordon introduced the Buy a Brick Program as a way to raise money to finance the building
76
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
project. He and his fellow Province Polemarchs expressed a concern about assessing the
members and made certain the promotion of the Program was as a voluntary contribution
initiative. In reviewing the progress of the Program and other voluntary contribution programs,
he revealed there was approximately $100,000 available after 10 years. He said –
“Now we needed $2 million. At that rate, it would take 200 years to raise that amount. I had no way to
judge our future except by our past. I was not prepared to wait two centuries for a new International
Headquarters.”
Grand Polemarch McBride provided the delegates with an analysis of the project. What began
as an $800,000 project became a $2.136 million project after contract additions, professional fees,
design costs, and furnishings. He informed the delegates that notwithstanding the inflows to
support the project, it became obvious in November 1990 the Fraternity needed approximately
$800,000 to complete the project. He shared with the delegates a letter he received from the
investment officer responsible for managing the Life Membership investment portfolio –
“In order to meet the construction, furnishings and equipment expenses you are facing, you
should consider principal from your account as a potential source to be replaced with assessment
funds as they accumulate.”
Grand Polemarch McBride mentioned the Fraternity had a $1 million line of credit available for
the project. However, rather than use the line of credit, he recommended to the Grand Board
that it borrow $862,326 from the Life Membership Endowment Fund rather than withdraw a similar
amount as permitted by the constitution. He said –
“This loan would cost Kappa $64,674 in lost interest. My recommendation was to pay the operating fund
the amount it would have earned had it not been disturbed and agree to replace the total amount in
annual installments. In summary, the Life Membership Endowment Fund will not lose a dime. The Life
Membership Endowment Fund bought an $800,000 certificate of deposit from Kappa Alpha Psi and Kappa
pays itself $64,674 annually. Now the brothers may ask, ‘McBride, where do you get the money to repay
the loan?’ Well every brother from this point on inducted into Kappa Alpha Psi has a $100 Housing fee
added. We induct 2,000 brothers a year. From this $200,000 we can certainly pay $64,674.”
The message was clear he - consulted with an outside professional about an alternative to the
line of credit; modified the recommendation of the professional; and presented the modified
strategy to the Grand Board for adoption. The Grand Board, pursuant to the provision of the
resolution adopted at the 68th Grand Chapter meeting, unanimously approved his
recommendation to borrow from the Life Membership Endowment Fund.
Grand Polemarch McBride turned his comments to the membership issue. He began with the
ban on all forms of hazing set forth in his Executive Order Number One. He made it clear to the
delegates the Order was a unilateral decision, did not involve the Grand Board, the Province
Polemarchs or any other member of the Fraternity. He said –
“If you need to blame somebody, blame me. If you need to criticize somebody, criticize me. Hazing and all
forms of illicit behavior are dead in Kappa Alpha Psi.”
After providing the delegates with a summary of the new program presented to the delegates at
the 69th Grand Chapter meeting, he commented –
“Before two plus two had a chance to prove worthwhile, most of our states made hazing a crime. They also
labored under the impression that if a fraternity continued the pledge process it had not done all it could
do to eliminate hazing.
52 college presidents wrote the Grand Polemarch to inform him that Kappa Alpha Psi would not be
welcomed on their campuses if pledging was still a prerequisite to membership. One of our four
fraternities has gone bankrupt and another is fighting for its life in the Georgia Court system regarding its
pledging process.
Pledging has died so that our fraternity may live…. Pledging was always a questionable activity, not
simply because of the risk, but because it produced so few members who wished to have a lasting
association with the fraternity.
I am a student of history and I am a son of the South. I know that customs die hard; people cling to them,
hoping to return to old times. We cannot and we should not.”
By far, this was his finest hour. He delivered his message with forcefulness and compassion. His
message contained so much information there was little need for questions. Grand Polemarch
McBride had looked adversity in the eye and did not blink.
77
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Grand Polemarch McBride, one of the most skillful politicians in Kappa Alpha Psi, had led the
Fraternity into a new era and was determined not to allow it to retreat. He personally thanked
the brothers for making the International Headquarters a reality by paying their assessment or
making voluntary donations. Although his day was done at the 70th Grand Chapter meeting,
he laid the foundation that would enable future elected leadership teams to complete the
modernization of Kappa Alpha Psi. The remaining business sessions ran rather smoothly
ending earlier than anticipated. This allowed more time for fellowship and enjoying the
offerings of Orlando.
The Awards Program attracted a host of local citizens. The audience witnessed the recognition
of the largest group of 50-year members at a Grand Chapter meeting. Following the Program,
most of the audience attended a Greek Gala in the Sago Ballroom. This Awards Program was
not without its snafus. Typically, the program for this event lists the 50-year members. During
the printing of the program, this listing was omitted. For men who had supported the
Fraternity for at least 50 years, this omission was unforgivable. However, to compensate for this
oversight, Grand Polemarch McBride asked the new 50-year members to stand and receive the
recognition of the audience.
Southern Province Junior Vice Polemarch Chauncy Haynes was the Master of Ceremonies for
the Undergraduate Luncheon. Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Derrick Williams, the keynote
speaker, gave a reflective speech. Following the program, members attended various
professional and health seminars.
Thomas Battles, an Operating Assistant to the Grand Polemarch, was the Master of Ceremonies
for the Fellowship Breakfast. Other program participants were – Elder Watson Diggs Awardee
Arthur L. Carter, Guy Levis Grant Awardee Anthony Hill, Middle Western Province Polemarch
Cordell Stephens, North Central Province Polemarch Myron Hardiman, and C. Rodger Wilson
Leadership Conference Chairman Sheldon McAlpin. Eastern Province Polemarch Howard L.
Tutman Jr was the speaker.
Reverend Calvin O. Butts III [New York (NY) Alumni Chapter], Pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist
Church was the Closed Banquet speaker. Butts, a 1968 Pi initiate, is one of the most eloquent
speakers on the planet. He appealed to the brothers to reach out to our own to help change the
course of direction of African American males in our society. He suggested we use the new
International Headquarters facility for public service and issued a call for action encouraging
brothers to write their Congressmen requesting the release of young African American males
from prisons. Realizing the controversy of such an action, he reminded the brothers –
“Poverty leads to crime. The ones arrested and convicted are not the big dealers, who often have high-rise
office jobs. Our youth have been victimized by the system, and those guilty of nonviolent crimes should be
counseled and given positive role models. Determination can overcome obstacles with the grace of God.”
He provided brothers with additional thoughts to consider - “It does not matter whether we are
Kappas, Alphas, Omegas, or Sigmas. We are all black, and we must all work together to
overcome the deliberate efforts to keep us down.” As evidence that he was not simply a
paranoid minister preaching from a soapbox, he pointed to the historic Jim Crow laws and the
Three-Fifths Compromise, a compromise between Northern and Southern state representatives
agreed to at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787, in which three-fifths of the population of
slaves would be counted to determine the distribution of taxes and the apportionment of the
members of the United States House of Representatives. It is found in Article 1, Section 2 of the
Constitution of the United States. It remained in effect until the passage of the 13th Amendment
to the Constitution made it moot. The 14th Amendment to the Constitution at Article 1, Section
2 essentially repealed the 1787 action. He continued “Our country has historically discriminated against its citizens of color. Times have changed from the overt
evils of slavery to the covert practices of discrimination in employment, housing, and the like. We must
continue to have faith in God, respect the black family, and know that divided we fall. We should not
publicly denounce our black brothers, regardless of how our views differ. We may not totally agree with
Louis Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson, or Clarence Thomas but they are our brothers and the best we’ve got.”
Butts also spoke about initiating men into the Fraternity on college campuses –
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
“The library is more important than pointless beatings, which prove nothing. We need to give the novices
knowledge to ensure strength. Others make it difficult enough for us. Why should we make it harder for
ourselves by perpetuating hate and childish pranks?”
The Arrington Resolution
For many long time Conclave attendees, there was something missing at this Grand Chapter
meeting – Margaret Holloway Arrington. For over 30 years, Mrs. Arrington had been an
integral part of the Headquarters staff registering brothers, validating delegate credentials, and
even accepting membership dues. Many brothers who had never met her personally but had
spoken with her by telephone, welcomed the opportunity to match the face with the voice, and
to thank her for assisting them with their issues.
However, such was not the case at this meeting – Mrs. Arrington died one month before the
official dedication of the International Headquarters building.
Many brothers were shocked to learn of her death because she never complained about any
health ailments. She was always cheerful and never failed to ask about a family member or
friend when chatting with a brother. To acknowledge her service to the Fraternity, the
delegates, by acclimation agreed to name the library at the new International Headquarters in
her honor and adopted the following resolution –
WHEREAS, Mrs. Margaret Holloway Arrington was born in Durham [NC] as the fifth of ten children of
the late Mr. and Mrs. J. Sim Holloway and was married to Edwin L. Arrington and the mother of Jeannie
H. McCain, Michelle Arrington, and Cheryl A. Roebuck, and was the sister of two members of Kappa
Alpha Psi and the aunt of four other members; and
WHEREAS, she joined the staff of the National Headquarters in September 1953, and helped her brother
establish our national headquarters and continued as a loyal and trusted employee for more than 37 years until the time of her passage on June 12, 1991; and
WHEREAS, she worked with fidelity and compassion through the administrations of 12 Grand
Polemarchs and with six Executive Secretaries; and
WHEREAS, she was creative and resourceful in helping establish operating procedures for a smooth and
efficient operation of the Fraternity, and her loyalty to Kappa Alpha Psi was exceeded only by her
disposition in addressing the needs of the membership across the country; and
WHEREAS, her loyalty and commitment to serving Kappa Alpha Psi never faltered, even to the end,
where she labored for more than 37 years as a loyal, resourceful, dedicated, dependable, thoughtful, and
trusted employee as an Administrative Assistant; and
WHEREAS, she was a good wife, mother, sister, and good friend to her family and to the multitudes of
Kappas throughout Kappadom and her service and friendly disposition will be sorely missed by all of us;
THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED, that this 70th Grand Chapter in session thank God for her life and that we rise and bow our
heads in a moment of silence and thanksgiving in appreciation for her many years of service and
friendship;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that an appropriate memorial be established in our International
Headquarters to commemorate the life, service, and dedication of this lady, who did so much for Kappa
Alpha Psi, and that we keep alive her memory; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be given to her family, and a copy filed in the
permanent records of the Fraternity so that generations of Kappas can know and appreciate the service
given to Kappa Alpha Psi by this non-member who knew so much about the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
and served it faithfully with friendship and compassion.
DONE THIS SECOND DAY OF AUGUST IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD NINETEEN HUNDRED AND
NINETY ONE
/s/ Dr. Ulysses McBride
Grand Polemarch
/s/ Terrance G. Blount
Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer
The First William L. Crump National History Awardee - George F. David III
George Franklin David III was born in Wilberforce, OH. He earned a BS degree from
Wilberforce University [1943] and attended St Andrews University of Scotland in 1946.
He began his career in 1950 at the Glidden Company in Chicago, IL. During the next 12 year, he
held various managerial positions with major meat manufacturers in the greater Chicago area.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
In 1963, he moved to Massillon, OH to become Quality Control and
Assistant Operations Manager for Superior Brands Meats Inc. In 1968,
he joined H. G. Parks Inc. [Baltimore, MD] as a Vice President, from
which he retired. Shortly after he joined Parks, the company sold
common stock to the public and became one of three African American
owned companies whose shares traded on a public stock exchange.
David is a member of numerous civic associations and is an avid
supporter of his alma mater. He is a student of history with particular
interest in the Civil War era.
David, a 1940 Delta initiate, is one of the few Kappamen whose chapter
of initiation is identical to their fathers. As a student at Wilberforce, he
was the chapter Polemarch in his senior year. He has been a member in
good standing with the Fraternity since his initiation. While living in
the Chicago metropolitan area, he affiliated with the Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapter and was a
member of the Closed Ball Committee for the 43rd Grand Chapter meeting. Within the Baltimore
(MD) Alumni Chapter, he has served in a number of capacities, including manager of the Kappa
House, and is the editor of its newsletter. The delegates at the 1990 Eastern Province Council
elected him the Province Historian, a position he held until he chose to retire in 1995. During his
tenure as Province Historian, the Province published its first history. Brother David has received
every Achievement Award given by the Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter.
The 27th Grand Polemarch – Robert L. Harris
Robert L. Harris, a native of Arkansas reared in California, is a shining example of a Kappa
Achiever. A product of the Oakland [CA] public school system,
Harris earned an AA degree from Merritt College [1963], a BS degree
from San Francisco State University [1965], and a JD degree from the
University of California at Berkley [1972]. He also earned a certificate
from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Advanced
Management Program.
He began his professional career as a deputy probation officer with
the Alameda County Probation Department [1965]. After graduating
from law school, he accepted a position within the Law Department
at Pacific Gas and Electric Company [1972]. For the next 17 years,
Harris represented his employer in a variety of legal matters. He
argued the Pacific Gas & Electric versus California Public Utilities
Commission before the United States Supreme Court, a corporation
first amendment case. On February 25, 1986, the Court by a 5-3
decision ruled in favor of Pacific Gas. In 1989, Corporate Vice President Harris was appointed
the manager of a $300 million operation with over 500 employees.
Outside his responsibilities at Pacific Gas, Harris has been an active member of – the American
Bar Association, San Francisco Bar Association, and the National Bar Association. Within each
Association Harris has been a member of several critical committees and task forces. He is a
past president of the Charles Houston Bar Association, which represents African American
attorneys in Northern California, and one of the principal organizers and founders of the
California Association of Black Lawyers. He was Vice President of the National Bar Association
[1976-78] and in 1979 became the first lawyer from a western state elected President of the
National Bar Association.
Grand Polemarch Harris is a member of several community action organizations, including –
Hundred Black Men of the Bay Area
Reginald Huber Smith Community Lawyers Fellowship Committee
Marcus A. Foster Educational Institute
Oakland [CA] Chamber of Commerce
Alameda County Heart Association
Center for Urban Black Charities
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His achievements and contributions earned him recognition in a number of publications,
including Who’s Who in Black America, Men of Achievement, Who’s Who in the West, Who’s
Who in California, and Notable Americans of 1976-77.
Harris, a 1964 initiate of the University of California, the Gamma Alpha of Kappa Alpha Psi,was
his chapter as Keeper of Records until his graduation. Within the Berkeley (CA) Alumni
Chapter, he was Polemarch [1973]. The delegates at the Western Province Council elected him
the Senior Province Vice Polemarch at their 1974 and 1975 meetings. Grand Polemarch Allen
appointed Harris the Western Province Polemarch in 1975. Grand Polemarch Holloway
continued his appointment in 1976 and 1978. In 1979, Harris stepped down as the Western
Province Polemarch to devote time to the responsibilities associated with the presidency of the
National Bar Association. The delegates at the 63rd Grand Chapter meeting [1980] elected
Harris to a three-year term on the Grand Board of Directors. The delegates at the 65th Grand
Chapter [1983] and the 67th Grand Chapter [1986] elected him to successive terms. At the 68th
Grand Chapter meeting [1988], the delegates elected him the Senior Grand Vice Polemarch and
the delegates at the 69th Grand Chapter meeting [1989] reelected him.
The 19th Eastern Province Polemarch - William B. Croom
William B. Croom, a product of the Portsmouth, VA public school system, earned his BS degree
from Hampton Institute in 1970.
Croom began his career as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army
following his graduation. After completing his active duty requirement,
he remained in the US Army Reserve and began a career as a federal
government official, primarily within the US Department of Defense.
Croom retired from federal service, reaching the highest level available
to a career employee, and was a key aide in the Office of the Secretary of
the Army. He also retired from the US Army Reserves as a Colonel.
Croom, a 1967 Beta Chi initiate, has been a continuous member in good
standing since his initiation. For years, he was a member of the
Petersburg (VA) Alumni Chapter. In November 1980, he joined 12 other
brothers to charter the Fort Lee (VA) Alumni Chapter. When he moved
to the Northern Virginia area to accept a position at the Pentagon, he
remained a member of the Fort Lee (VA) Alumni Chapter and, in 1998,
he helped organize the Woodbridge (VA) Alumni Chapter.
The delegates at the 1984 Province Council elected Croom to a three-year term on the Province
Board of Directors. At the 1986-91 Province Council, the delegates elected him the Province
Senior Vice Polemarch without opposition. As a member of the elected Province leadership
team, he focused upon revising the Province Bylaws and enhancing its operation.
The Sixth Executive Secretary of Kappa Alpha Psi - Dr. W. Theodore Smith
At its September 1991 meeting, the Grand Board authorized the appointment of Walter Theodore
Smith as the sixth Executive Secretary of Kappa Alpha Psi. Before the appointment, Dr. Smith was the
Acting Executive Secretary [1988-1991] and an Assistant Executive Secretary [1985-1988].
International Headquarters Library Honors Margaret Arrington
On September 7, 1991, 75 members of the Holloway and Arrington families along with Past
Grand Polemarch Davenport, Grand Historian Crump, and members of the International
Headquarters staff gathered in the boardroom at the International Headquarters for a ceremony
naming the library at the International Headquarters in honor of Margaret Holloway Arrington.
Mrs. Arrington was a loyal and trusted employee until her death on June 12, 1991. For over 37
years, Mrs. Arrington saw the Fraternity evolve from a relatively small organization into an
international organization. She worked with the first six executive secretaries of the Fraternity Holloway, Campbell, Morris, Moultrie, Mims, and Smith – and under 12 Grand Polemarchs –
Greene, Wilson, Millspaugh, Bradley, Davenport, Carter, Allen, Holloway, Gumbs, Gordon,
Bacon, and McBride. She was a staple at Grand Chapter meetings and was a constant provider
of information to the members.
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Grand Polemarch Harris presided over the impressive ceremony. Reverend Edward Sparkman
gave the invocation and Executive Secretary Smith explained the occasion. Mrs. Arrington
received tributes from Past Grand Polemarch Holloway and Mrs. Rebecca Major, a former coworker. Reverend James Myles gave the prayer of benediction after reading a resolution
authorizing the dedication adopted by the delegates at the 70th Grand Chapter meeting.
The highlight of the service was the response by Edwin L. Arrington, the husband of the
deceased. In an emotion packed statement, Mr. Arrington said he was sure his wife was aware
of the honor and pleased. He thanked the Fraternity for remembering her contributions.
The End of Apartheid
In 1985, Rev. Leon Sullivan [Philadelphia (PA) Alumni Chapter] demanded South African
blacks receive the right to vote within two years, and the release of Nelson Mandela from
prison. When South Africa failed to meet his demands, he called for a multinational boycott.
Companies from around the world shut down their South African operations. Apartheid ended
in 1992, the government released Mandela, and Sullivan began working with Mandela to
encourage companies to return to South Africa.
After retiring from Zion Baptist, Sullivan became president of the International Foundation for
Education and Self Help, a nonprofit organization set up to train unskilled workers and
farmers, and one million illiterate people. He also continued to expand his book writing
endeavors. Some of his most popular books were - Build Brother Build, Alternatives to Despair
and Moving Mountains. The latter documents his life story.
For his contributions to humanity, Sullivan received hundreds of awards. In 1992, he received
the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award of the United States.
Centennial Celebration for Irven Armstrong
On March 7, 1992, Kappamen form across the country traveled to Indianapolis (IN) to celebrate
the 100th birthday of Laurel Wreath Wearer Irven Armstrong, the second Grand Polemarch of the
Fraternity. The guest list included – Grand Polemarch Harris, Senior Grand Vice-Polemarch
James Mitchell, Laurel Wreath Wearer Crump, Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Arthur L. Carter, and
Executive Secretary Smith. The Council of Province Polemarchs and the Junior Province VicePolemarch Council, which were meeting in Indianapolis at the same time, also attended the
festivities sponsored by the Indianapolis (IN) Alumni Chapter.
Before the official celebration, Grand Polemarch Harris led a delegation of brothers to the home
of the oldest living member of the Fraternity. Mrs. Armstrong prepared a lunch for the occasion.
The brothers toured the Armstrong home and observed memorabilia of the Fraternity displayed
throughout the home. They also set and listened in awe as Past Grand Polemarch Armstrong
spoke about events that some had read about in the Story of Kappa Alpha Psi.
In the evening, over 200 brothers assembled at the Madame Walker Urban Life Center for the
formal celebration. Past Grand Polemarch Armstrong received the traditional tributes from the
Fraternity. However, he also received tributes from Willard Scott of the NBC Today program,
and President and Mrs. George Bush. At the conclusion of the program, Past Grand Polemarch
Armstrong thanked his brothers for their kind comments and generous expressions.
The Chapter Bylaws
Polemarch Fowlkes appointed a committee, headed by Brother George Dines, to examine the
Chapter Bylaws. Although brothers were aware of the existence of bylaws for the Chapter, few
had ever seen a codified copy. The actual date of the official document was 1972.
Dines with the assistance of Past Polemarch Blount led the members through each section
pointing out the changes and the reasons for the changes. There were amendments made on the
floor that did not dilute the strength of a provision but added more clarity. At the conclusion of
the meeting, the Chapter had a new set of Bylaws that were congruent with the governing laws
of the Fraternity and akin to the environment in which the Chapter was operating.
New United Nations Ambassador - Edward Perkins
On May 7, 1992, Secretary of State James Baker swore in Laurel Wreath designate Edwin J.
Perkins [Alexandria-Fairfax (VA) Alumni Chapter] as the Permanent Representative of the
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United States to the United Nations before an enthusiastic group of friends, colleagues, and
family members in the Benjamin Franklin Room at the US Department of State.
Perkins was the third African American appointed the leader of the United States delegation to
the United Nations, following Andrew Young [1977-79] and Donald McHenry [1979-81]. The
leader represents the United States on the Security Council, as well as being the representative
of the United States in all plenary meetings of the General Assembly, except when the Secretary
of State or the president is present.
Included among the attendees were – Grand Board member Howard L. Tutman Jr, several
members of the Alexandria-Fairfax (VA) Alumni Chapter and Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter,
General Colin Powell [Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff], Honorable Vernon E. Jordan, and
Ms. Constance Newman [Director, Office of Personnel Management].
When President Clinton assumed office in January 1993, Ambassador Perkins received an
assignment as the representative to the Commonwealth of Australia. He retired in 1996 with the
rank of Career Minister in the United States Foreign Service.
Anthony B. Hill -The 33rd Chapter Polemarch [1992-95]
Anthony B. Skip Hill, a native Washingtonian, was an above average athlete at H. D Woodson
High School. His athletic abilities and performance in the classroom
earned him a scholarship to Langston [OK] University, from which he
earned a BS degree in June 1980.
Skip is a criminal justice professional who began his career as a probation
officer in Oklahoma City [OK]. In 1987, he returned home to continue his
career aspirations in the District of Columbia government.
While attending Langston, Hill met three brothers who influenced his
decision to join the Fraternity - Booker T. Morgan, a 1953 initiate of the
Langston University Chapter, the Alpha Pi of Kappa Alpha Psi; James B.
Abram Jr., a 1956 Alpha Pi initiate, and Stephen B. Alexander, a 1975 Alpha
Pi initiate. Pi. Morgan, a fixture at Langston University and the Middle
Western Province, was the Alpha Pi advisor for over 20 years. Alexander
was the first recipient of the Guy Levis Grant Award who died shortly
after the 60th Grand Chapter Meeting. The Middle Western Province honored his memory by
naming its highest undergraduate award for him.
Hill, a 1977 Alpha Pi initiate, was the chapter Polemarch [1979-80] and an undergraduate member
of the Middle Western Province Board of Directors [1979-80]. At the 1980 Middle Western Province
Council, he received the coveted Steven B. Alexander Achievement Award. At the 63rd Grand Chapter
meeting, Grand Polemarch Gumbs presented him the eighth Guy Levis Grant Award.
Following his graduation, Hill affiliated with the Oklahoma City (OK) Alumni Chapter. He was the
Vice Polemarch [1982-85] and a member of the board of directors [1982-87]. He was also the chapter
advisor to the Central State [OK] University Chapter, the Epsilon Gamma of Kappa Alpha Psi. In 1983,
the Middle Western Province presented him its Percy H. Lee Achievement Award. This Award,
presented to an alumni member for meritorious service to the Middle Western Province, honors the
memory of the 16th recipient of the Laurel Wreath. Hill was the first member of the Middle Western
Province to receive its two highest awards.
Hill affiliated with the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter in 1987. The members elected Hill to the
board of directors [1989-90] and Vice Polemarch [1991-92]. Hill was Chapter Advisor to the two
chapters at Howard University - Xi and Theta Tau [1987-92].
The delegates at the 1990 Eastern Province Council elected him to a three-year term on the
Province Board of Directors
A New Economic Thrust
In the October 1992 issue of the Kappa Journal, Grand Polemarch Harris set the tone for a new
thrust for the Fraternity –
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“As a people, African Americans spend over $300 billion annually, but own very little of the property or
businesses in this nation. Historically, we have not been taught to value ownership. Rather, we have relied
upon others to own that which we purchase. Black organizations spend $16 billion annually holding
conventions, yet there is not one black-owned hotel in the nation capable of hosting a convention of a
major black organization. While many of our economic woes are indeed, attributable to racism and
economic injustices, some, however, are rooted in our own refusal to invest in ourselves, in our institutions
and in our communities. We must, to be sure, focus more upon our own economic strength and less upon
making excuses for our economic dependence. Complaining and blaming others will not rescue us from
economic dependence.”
Grand Polemarch Harris went on to cite the achievements of several chapters in addressing
economic development issues within their communities, and the success of several brothers in
the business world.
In the same article, Grand Polemarch Harris outlined the strategy the Grand Board would
pursue in handling the property next to the International Headquarters –
“We have now embarked upon the final phase of completing our International Headquarters Complex. To
complete the Complex, we must renovate the vacant property, which is a part of our complex. To do this,
we will spend approximately $450,000. These funds will be borrowed from our bank via a line of credit
and will be repaid via the housing assessment fee. There will be no further financial commitment required
of any member who has already paid his housing assessment. While I am confident some brothers will
object – and I respect their objections – we could not sit, however, and do nothing to prepare the facility for
its intended purpose. Accordingly, we accepted the recommendation of the International Headquarters
Task Force, chaired by Past Grand Polemarch H. H. Holloway, to refurbish the vacant space now rather
than waiting until some uncertain future date. Construction should be completed by early 1993. By our
actions today, we set the stage for tomorrow’s economic success.”
The strategy outlined by Grand Polemarch Harris indicated he, along with the members of the
Grand Board, deliberated this matter, and selected an option they felt was in the best interest of
the Fraternity. The use of the bank credit line seemed reasonable because of the definitive
source of repayment for the new debt - the housing asessment.
The 42nd President - William Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton was born in Hope [AR] on August 19, 1946. His given name at birth
was William Jefferson Blythe IV but he never knew his father, who died several months before his
birth. When he was four years old, his mother married Roger Clinton of Hot Springs [AR]. He
changed his name to Clinton while in high school.
Clinton held several student offices, was a member of the all-state band, and considered
becoming a professional musician. In 1963, while serving as an Arkansas delegate to Boys
Nation, he met President Kennedy at a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden. He often
said that meeting led him to enter public service.
Clinton matriculated at Georgetown University. He was president
of his freshman and sophomore classes. During his junior and
senior years, he worked as an intern for the Senate Committee on
Foreign Affairs, chaired by William Fulbright [D-AR].
The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s deeply moved Clinton. In
April 1968, a few weeks before his graduation, the assassination of
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr set off rioting in several American cities.
Clinton was a Red Cross volunteer and took clothing and food to
people who lost their homes during the rioting.
Clinton won a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford. Following two years
of study in England, he enrolled at the Yale University Law School.
He financed his law school education with a scholarship and
money earned from odd jobs. At Yale, he met Hillary Rodham and
in 1972, they worked together on the presidential campaign of Democratic Senator George
McGovern. After graduating from Yale [1973], Clinton accepted a position at the University of
Arkansas Law School. Ms. Rodham worked for a congressional team investigating the
Watergate scandal. She joined Clinton on the law school faculty in 1974, and they were married
on October 11, 1975.
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Clinton began his political career in 1976 by running for Attorney General of Arkansas. He
defeated two Democrats in the primary and had no Republican opposition in the general
election. Attorney General Clinton fought rate increases requested by the public utility
companies, and opposed the construction of a large coal-burning power plant. He also
promoted tougher laws to protect the environment and consumers.
In 1978, when Arkansas Governor David Pryor ran for the Senate, Clinton ran for Governor. He
promised to improve the schools and highways in the state, and to expand economic
opportunities. At the time, the average income of an Arkansas citizen ranked 49th. He beat four
other candidates in the Democratic primary, capturing 60% of the vote, and won the general
election with 63% of the vote. When Clinton took office [1979], he was one of the youngest
governors in the nation.
Clinton served five terms [10 years] as governor. He lost the 1980 election because of legislative
proposals made during his first term that alienated the major industries and public utilities in
the state. An uprising by Cuban refugees placed in an old Army post near Fort Smith [AR] also
hampered his 1980 reelection effort. His humiliating defeat taught him several lessons. He
learned to - choose his fights carefully, resist the urge to change everything at once, and prepare
people before proposing major changes. In the 1982 election against the incumbent, Clinton
won 55% of the vote, including 95% of the black vote.
Governor Clinton began planning the road to the White House in the mid 1980s. His leadership
role in several key associations gave him national exposure and opened doors to potential
supporters. As chairman of the National Governors Association [1986-87], he was the
spokesperson for the 50 governors. In 1990-91, he headed the Democratic Leadership Council, a
group of moderate Democrats and businesspeople who worked together to influence national
politics. He announced his candidacy for president in October 1991. Although he had promised
the Arkansas voters, he would complete his fifth term, Clinton justified his actions citing the
completion of his state goals.
Despite the popularity of President Bush, Clinton felt he was vulnerable because of the
depressed economy. The Clinton campaign focused on domestic issues. He ran as a New
Democrat, a term coined by the Democratic Leadership Council to describe a new type of moderate
Democrat, who believed the big government, high-spending policies of the liberal wing of the
Democratic Party did not appeal to most voters. Clinton felt his party should find other ways to
solve social and economic problems.
The Clinton campaign met with some trouble when allegations of marital infidelity surfaced.
Clinton also came under attack for not serving in the military during the Vietnam War and for
protesting the War. However, he overcame these obstacles and won a first ballot victory at the
Democratic National Convention. Clinton selected Tennessee Senator Gore as his running mate.
The Clinton/Gore ticket won a close election capturing 370 of the 538 votes in the Electoral
College. The Democrats maintained control of the Congress, despite loosing nine seats in the
House of Representatives. This advantage in the Congress was short lived. In 1994, the
Republicans won control of both houses of Congress.
New Georgia Congressman - Sanford D. Bishop Jr
Sanford D. Bishop Jr is a second generation Kappaman. His father –
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Dr. Sanford D. Bishop was the first
president of Bishop State Community College and his mother was a
librarian at the institution.
earned a BA degree from Morehouse College [1968] and JD degree
from Emory University [1971]. While attending Emory, he also served
in the United States Army. After completing his law studies, Bishop
moved to Columbus [GA] and opened a law firm – Bishop and
Buckner. In 1991, he moved to Albany [GA].
Bishop entered politics in 1977 when he won election to the Georgia
House of Representatives. In 1991, his constituents elected him to the
Georgia Senate. Within the Georgia legislature, Bishop was the
chairman of the Georgia Legislature Congressional Black Caucus. In
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1992, the voters elected him to represent the Second Congressional District of Georgia in the US
House of Representatives. His district covers parts of 27 southwest Georgia counties. His
colleagues consider him a leader among the fiscally moderate to conservative Democrats.
Bishop, a 1966 Pi initiate, is affiliated with the Albany [GA] Alumni Chapter.
New Maryland Congressman - Albert Wynn
In the November 1992 election, Albert Wynn [Hyattsville-Landover (MD) Alumni Chapter
made history becoming the first African American elected to represent
the citizens of a Maryland suburban region. The voters in the Maryland
4th Congressional District, which includes portions of Prince George’s
County, the largest county, and Montgomery County, the most affluent
county, elected Wynn by an overwhelming majority.
Born in Philadelphia [PA] in 1951, Wynn matriculated at the University
of Pittsburgh and earned a BS degree [1973]. After a year of graduate
study in Public Administration at Howard University, Wynn entered
Georgetown University and earned a JD degree [1977]. Following his
graduation, he became Director of the Prince George's County
Consumer Protection Commission.In 1982, he opened a law office. He
was also elected to the Maryland Legislature, where he served 10 years,
first as a member of the House of Delegates, and later in the Maryland
Senate, where he was also Deputy Majority Whip.
Wynn is a 1970 initiate of the Beta Epsilon of Kappa Alpha Psi.
Kappa Billion Dollar Brother - Reginald Lewis
Reginald F. Lewis, a 1963 Alpha Phi initiate, made history with his purchase of Beatrice
International Food Company, in 1987, for $985 million. The acquisition, made through the TLC
Group Inc., an investment firm owned by Lewis, was the largest
leveraged buyout ever of an overseas operation.
Lewis grew up in an East Baltimore [MD] working class
neighborhood. From his youth he was known for his drive and
desire for excellence. A strong work ethic instilled in him by his
mother and grandfather, fueled his success on the playing field,
in the classroom, and in the boardroom. While attending
Dunbar High School, he excelled in baseball, football, and
basketball.
After high school, he attended Virginia State College on a
football scholarship but was forced to end his dream of
becoming a professional athlete because of a shoulder injury.
Initially, he struggled in the classroom but with football aside,
he began applying his trademark tenacity toward his books, made the dean’s list and earned a
degree in economics. He was also president of the Inter Fraternity Council. During a summer
minority program at Harvard Law School, he so impressed professors there and was granted
admission without taking the entrance exam. He earned a JD degree in 1968.
Lewis began his career in 1968 as a staff attorney with a major New York law firm. In 1970, he
left to form his own firm - Lewis & Clarkson. His firm specialized in venture capital
transactions and helped major insurance companies provide financing for minority owned
businesses. He was a close confidant of the chief executive officer of The Equitable Life, and the
principal counsel to a subsidiary it formed to invest in minority owned businesses.
Despite his success as a corporate attorney, Lewis wanted a larger role in the Wall Street deal
making community. In 1983, he formed the TLC Group and began looking for deals. His first
acquisition was the McCall Pattern Company, which he purchased for $29 million. Although the
company was experiencing financial difficulties, Lewis was impressed with the management
team, and the popularity of its brand. Under his direction, McCall enjoyed the two most
successful years in its history. Lewis wanted to sell a portion of McCall to the public but the
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poor market conditions of 1986 negated that plan. Instead, he sold it to a British textile
conglomerate for $95 million. His purchase of Beatrice Food came shortly after the sale closed.
Lewis never forgot his roots and those who helped him. He gave generously to Virginia State
College and other historically black institutions. His $3 million contribution to the Harvard
University School of Law was the largest contribution by an individual to the School. The Lewis
International Law Center is the first major facility named in honor of an African American. It
houses the International Legal Studies Library, consisting of approximately one-third of the
international law collection of the School.
In 1987, he established the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation, which has given more than $510 million
to various world organizations, and the NAACP Reginald F. Lewis Fund. Forbes magazine
estimated his net worth at $400 million and included him on its list of 400 wealthiest Americans.
Lewis detested and defied pigeonholes. He demanded to be judged by his performance rather
than by his skin color. In a 1988 interview with the Los Angeles [CA] Times, he said –
“It’s understandable that my race is something people focus on but what I focus on and what others focus
on are two different things. I focus on doing a first rate job on a consistent basis. I would say my race
hasn’t been a factor one way or the other.”
He was keenly aware of racism and used it for motivation. He believed his success was the
most resounding response to those who would stereotype him.
Lewis succumbed to brain cancer in January 1993 at the relatively young age of 50. In the last
five years of his life, he gave away more money than most people dream of earning in several
lifetimes and he generally did so without fanfare. In eulogizing him, Bill Cosby said –
“Lewis is to me what Joe Louis is to me; what Jackie Robinson is to me. Regardless of race,
color, or creed, we are all dealt a hand to play in the game of life. And believe me, Reg Lewis
played the hell out of his hand.”
For those who knew him, his loss was a true tragedy. To his close friends, he was always Reggie
from Baltimore. Although his hectic schedule often precluded him from attending New York
(NY) Alumni Chapter meetings, Lewis was a Life Member of the Fraternity and a perennial
supporter of its programs. Upon learning the Fraternity was building an International
Headquarters complex, he offered to finance the entire cost as a token of his appreciation for
what Kappa Alpha Psi meant to him.
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As the Chapter continued to develop its relationship with its WKAY-100 partners, it established
a room within the DC Superior Court. The purpose of the room was to provide a comfortable
environment for mentors to meet with the participating students. It was the first such room
made available by the Court for that purpose.
The Death of Judge Thurgood Marshall
On January 24, 1993, the Honorable Thurgood Marshall died of heart
failure at the Bethesda Naval Medical Center.
Marshall, the first African American US Supreme Court Justice, was
an avowed liberal. On the Court, he promoted affirmative action as
the remedy for the damage remaining from slavery and the racial bias
of the nation. His rulings often gave a clear signal that despite the
ending of legal discrimination, there remained a need to correct
educational and economic injustices between the races.
Marshall was not a separatist and believed a separate black nation
was racial craziness. He also did not feel peaceful protests were the
solution. He saw them as rhetorical fluff that accomplished no
permanent change in society. Rather, Marshall believed integration was
critical to the solution. He opined that only integration would allow
equal rights under the law to take hold. Once society accepts
individual rights, then blacks and whites could rise or fall based on their own abilities.
The Marshall funeral, presided over by Brother Calvin Butts – Pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist
Church of New York – attracted dignitaries from around the world. They came to pay their final
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respects to a man whom many describe as the principal architect of race relations in the United
States during the 20th century. Marshall, a man with an interracial heritage whose grandfather
was a slave, lies in rest in Section 5 of the Arlington National Cemetery close to fellow Justices
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr, William O. Douglas, William J. Brennan, and Potter Stewart.
The Maury Elementary School Project
The Chapter continued to expand its partnership arrangement with Maury Elementary School.
The cadre of members serving as tutors. One of the most active tutors was Walter R. Battle.
Brother Battle, a 1950 initiate of the Beta Kappa, was a retired Prince George’s County high
school principal. He spent over 30 years in the public school system and welcomed the
opportunity to interface with the students and the staff.
The 1993 Metropolitan Founders Day Programs
The Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter hosted the Metropolitan Chapters Founders Day
Banquet on January 16, 1993, at the Howard University Blackburn Center. It attracted over 500
brothers mostly from the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. This was the largest
attendance in the history of the Province. Paul P. Cooke was the keynote speaker.
The Death of Laurel Wreath Wearer Arthur Robert Ashe
On February 6, 1993, Laurel Wreath Wearer Arthur Ashe Jr, a 1965 Upsilon initiate, passed into
the Chapter Invisible due to complications from an HIV infected
blood transfusion he received during a 1983 heart surgery.
Born and reared in Richmond [VA], Ashe learned the game of tennis
on the public courts. With that foundation, he became one of the
greatest tennis players in the world. During his professional tennis
career, Ashe won the 1968 US Open, the 1970 Australian Open, and
the 1975 Wimbledon tournament. His achievements led to his
enshrinement in the Tennis Hall of Fame.
Following his retirement [1981], Ashe pursued, with a passion, a
career as an activist that dated to 1970. He was an outspoken critic
of the racist practices of South Africa and led protests. His public
comments played a role in the economic boycotts by several major
American companies that eventually crumbled this system.
Ashe was also an author of three books – A Hard Road to Glory, published in 1988, Daddy and Me,
and Days of Glory, both published in 1993.
Despite horrendous weather in Richmond [VA], the Ashe funeral attracted over 6,000 people,
including over 400 Kappamen, to the Ashe Center, a recreation center not far from his boyhood
neighborhood. The City of Richmond honored him posthumously with a statute on Monument
Avenue, which also includes statues of key figures of the Confederacy. The main stadium at the
National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Park [NY], home of the US Open, bears his name.
The 71st Grand Chapter Meeting
The Nashville (TN) Alumni Chapter along with the Kappa, Alpha Delta, Alpha Theta, and Nu Rho
hosted the 71st Grand Chapter meeting at the Opryland Resort on July 4-8. 1993.
Opryland is a premier resort recognized around the world for its extraordinary service,
luxurious accommodations, and first-class entertainment. The decision of the Grand Board to
follow up the 70th Grand Chapter meeting at another luxurious resort in the South exposed the
delegates and their families to levels of comfort and enjoyment beyond their imagination.
The host chapters exhibited the traditional hospitality typical of Southerners. It was the first
Grand Chapter meeting in Nashville since 1949, and they were determined to make the
experience memorable.
The meeting attracted over 2,000 delegates and including seven of the 10 living Past Grand
Polemarchs. The host chapters sponsored a pre-Conclave Rhythm and Blues Extravaganza at
the Nashville Kappa House for brothers arriving early. The Extravaganza included music, food
and drink, and old fashion roasting of a pig, which they served at a picnic on July 4th.
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The first official event was the Religious Service held at 10:00 AM in the Washington Ballroom.
Brother Stephen Handy, the Master of Ceremonies, reminded the audience the Founders of
Kappa Alpha Psi were Christian men and the need to worship was consistent with the
underlying virtues of these men. Brother Ronald Stewart moved the audience with his
rendering of “This Little Light of Mine” and encouraged the audience to let their own lights
shine as they traveled throughout the world.
Brother Forrest Harris, Pastor of the Pleasant Greene Baptist Church, delivered a sermon that
focused upon the people of God as the chosen ones. He commented –
“We are here today centuries removed from those referred to, yet we too, are the people of God. This very
rich heritage has been passed on to us. What must we do with it? Who are we? When will we use it?”
He appealed to the audience to search themselves for the answers to his questions and affirmed
that without the church, Kappa Alpha Psi, brotherhood, and sisterhood are not possible.
The Public Meeting, held in the Presidential Ballroom, was a splendor with Senior Grand Vice
Polemarch James Mitchell as the Master of Ceremonies. Following the traditional greetings
from the presidents of the Pan Hellenic organizations, the host Province and the host chapters,
Grand Polemarch Harris presented a special award to Past Grand Polemarch Thomas Bradley
recognizing his outstanding service as Mayor of Los Angeles [CA] and to Kappa Alpha Psi.
Dr. Benjamin Hooks, past President of the NAACP, was the keynote speaker. Hooks delivered
an inspiring address that included references to the numerous achievements of African
Americans in the 20th century. He also reminded the audience that despite these
accomplishments, there remained much to accomplish and that - “we must work collectively to
overcome these challenges.”
Grand Polemarch Harris presented Kappa Alpha Psi Humanitarian Awards to Dr. Hooks and
Honorable Thurgood Marshall (posthumously). The highlight of the evening was the conferral
of the Laurel Wreath upon Honorable Edward Perkins.
The Awards Program, held in the Chattanooga Ballroom, attracted a host of local citizens.
Grand Board member Haynes was the Master of Ceremonies. Grand Polemarch Harris
presented the Elder Watson Diggs and Guy Levis Grant Awards and a special Historic
Achievement Award to Brother Bernard Harris – the first African American astronaut. Grand
Polemarch Harris also presented Distinguished Citizens Awards to two physicians at Meharry
Medical College – Henry Foster and David Satcher – Civil Rights activist Dr. Bernard Lafayette,
and Philanthropist Theo B. Boyd.
During the program, 63 brothers received their 50-year membership pins and certificates.
American Airlines, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Ford Motor Company, General Electric,
Minneapolis Convention and Visitor Association, and the Philadelphia Visitors and Convention
Bureau received special recognition as corporate sponsors.
The Undergraduate Luncheon spotlighted the Guy Levis Grant Awardees. Junior Grand Vice
Polemarch Jackson, a 1993 recipient, was the keynote speaker. A highlight of the Program was
the musical selections performed by Henry Scott, Polemarch of the Beta Delta.
Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Hamilton was the Master of Ceremonies for the
Closed Banquet. Held in the Grand Ballroom, it enabled brothers to fellowship and to reflect
upon the achievements of the Fraternity. US Congressman Sanford Bishop Jr [Albany (GA)
Alumni Chapter] delivered a moving speech. He challenged the brothers to “continue the
struggle for personal and professional achievements and to aid the efforts of those less fortunate
than ourselves.”
The business sessions were relatively calm since the delegates at the two previous Conclaves
addressed most of the issues that caused concern among the members.
The Student of the Year Pageant introduced the audience to the future leaders of the nation. The
first place winner in the college division was George Koonce [James Madison University
Chapter, the Nu Lambda of Kappa Alpha Psi]. The Alexandria-Fairfax (VA) Alumni Chapter
received the Jay Crosby Award for its Kappa League program. Spencer Becton [HyattsvilleLandover (MD) Alumni Chapter received the Bert V. Wadkins Award.
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The First Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation Luncheon
The Kappa Foundation sponsored its first luncheon at a Grand Chapter meeting. It was a
fundraising event for the charitable arm of the Fraternity open to delegates and the public.
The 30th Anniversary March on Washington
The magnificent speech of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, delivered at the 1963 March on
Washington, was one of the most notable speeches of the world. Several civil rights
organizations and special interest groups, including the National Organization of Women,
organized a 30th anniversary March to honor the memory of Dr. King. The theme of the March
was – “Jobs, Justice, and Peace.”
Although the March organizers made every effort to involve a broad base, representatives of the
National Urban Peace and Justice Movement announced they instructed their 1,000 members across
the country who had planned to join the March to stay home. They said – “problems of the inner
cities were not being taken seriously by the March organizers and none of their representatives
was being allowed to participate in the program.” Shariff Willis, president of United for Peace, an
organization that worked with youth gangs commented – “I don't want to be a part of a show.
We want to sit at the table because we have worked in the community.” Congressman John
Lewis [D-GA], one of the March organizers, denied the charges. He said –
“groups headed by young men like Willis should not be discouraged from participating. If
anything, we need to open up the process and broaden the participation. We need to give them a
way to vent their frustration and feel they are a part of bringing about a change.”
The March, held on Saturday, August 28, 1993, on the Mall, attracted a more diverse and much
smaller crowd than the 1963 gathering. Included among the personalities speaking from the
steps of the Lincoln Memorial were –
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Reverend Walter Fauntroy – Director for 30th Anniversary March;
Tara M. Baten, Coordinator for 30th Anniversary March;
Sarah Brady – Chair, Handgun Control Inc;
Reverend Benjamin Chavis – Executive Director, NAACP;
David Dinkins – Mayor, City of New York;
Patricia Ireland – President, National Organization for Women;
Reverend Jesse Jackson – Founder, National Rainbow Coalition;
Sharon Pratt Kelly – Mayor, Washington [DC];
Coretta Scott King – Founder & President, Martin Luther King Jr Center for
Nonviolent Social Change;
Martin Luther King III – Civil Rights Activist;
Lane Kirkland – President, AFL-CIO;
Dr. Joseph Lowery – President, Southern Christian Leadership Conference;
Eleanor Holmes Norton – Washington [DC] Non Voting Delegate to US House of
Representatives;
Rosa Parks – Mother of Civil Rights Movement;
Yvonne Scruggs – Analyst, Joint Center for Political & Economic Studies; and
C. Delores Tucker – Chairman, Woman’s National Democratic Club
A highlight of the festivities was the singing of a new world song for peace – “Let Freedom
Ring” - by John Whitehead and Rita of Israel. Whitehead, a native of Philadelphia [PA] was
primarily a songwriter but also a singer par excellence. He and his long term musical partner –
Gene McFadden – performed the vocal on his inspirational song – “Ain’t No Stoppin Us Now.”
The song sold over eight million copies and earned Whitehead Grammy nominations for
Songwriter of the Year and Artist of the Year.
Kappa Alpha Psi was prominent at the March; brothers marched together behind banners
displaying the name of the fraternity. Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter Polemarch Anthony
Hill made certain the Kappa Castle was open to accommodate brothers traveling to the area to
participate in the March.
The First Black United State Surgeon General - Dr. Jocelyn Elders
On September 8, 1993, President Clinton appointed Dr. Jocelyn Elders the United States Surgeon
General, making her the first African American chief health officer of the nation.
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Born Minnie Lee Jones in Schaal [AR] on August 13, 1933, she changed her name to Minnie
Jocelyn Lee while matriculating at Philander Smith College, from which she earned a BS degree
in 1952. Following a brief career as a nursing aide in Milwaukee [WI] and after serving in the
US Army, Lee attended the University of Arkansas Medical School, from which she graduated
in 1960. She interned at the University of Minnesota Hospital and completed her residency [in
Pediatrics] at the University of Arkansas Medical Center. She also earned a MS degree in
Biochemistry in 1967 from the University of Arkansas.
Elders began her professional career at the University of Arkansas
Medical Center in 1967. While teaching, she did research in
endocrinology and received certification as a Pediatric
Endocrinologist in 1978. In 1987, Governor Bill Clinton appointed
Elders the Director of the Arkansas Department of Health. Her
accomplishments included a tenfold increase in the number of early
childhood screenings annually, and a doubling of the immunization
rate for two-year-olds in Arkansas. In 1992, she was elected
President of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officers.
Surgeon General Elders was a strong proponent of the Clinton
Health Care Plan. Like many of her predecessors, Elders was an
advocate for a variety of health related causes. She argued for an
exploration of the possibility of the legalization of certain drugs, and
supported the distribution of contraceptives. President Clinton stood by Elders, saying that she
was misunderstood. In 1994, she was invited to speak at a United Nations Conference on AIDS.
She was asked whether it would be appropriate to promote masturbation as a means of
preventing young people from engaging in riskier forms of sexual activity, and she replied - "I
think that it is part of human sexuality, and perhaps it should be taught." This remark caused
great controversy, especially among Christian groups, conservatives in both parties, and caused
President Clinton to request her resignation in December 1994.
Following her resignation, Elders returned to the University of Arkansas Medical Center as
Professor of Pediatrics. She is also a regular on the lecture circuit, speaking on issues related to
AIDS and teen pregnancy. In 2002, she received a Doctor of Sciences degree from Bates College.
Black on Black Crime
Grand Polemarch Harris strongly criticized the alarming rate of black on black crime. While
acknowledging that poverty, racism, drugs, and joblessness contributed to the situation, he did
not feel these consequences either explained or justified the alarming level of violence. In a
December 1993 Kappa Journal article “…We cannot sit idly by while our communities are destroyed and our people are held hostage…In the
final analysis, Kappa Alpha Psi, other black fraternities, sororities, and organizations must…speak out
against this senseless violence and join together to ensure the safety of our communities.”
The Death of Past Grand Polemarch Oliver S. Gumbs
On December 5, 1993, Dr. Oliver S. Gumbs, the 23rd Grand Polemarch, joined the Chapter
Invisible. The December 9, 1993 Memorial Service, held at the Church of Christ in Washington
[DC], attracted official representatives from the Grand Board of Directors and the International
Headquarters, members from chapters located in the Baltimore-Washington-Richmond corridor,
and members affiliated with chapters within the Eastern, Southeastern and Southern Provinces.
Grand Polemarch Harris remarked - “Past Grand Polemarch Gumbs leaves a legacy of
achievement grounded in his underlying commitment to developing our youth.”
1993 Nobel Peace Prize Recipient - Nelson Mandela
On December 10, 1993, Nelson Mandela, South African activist, accepted the Nobel Peace Prize
on behalf of the people of South Africa. The award is one of five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by
Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel. According to the terms of the Nobel Will, the
Peace Prize should be awarded –
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“to the person who shall have done the most or best work for fraternity between
the nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding
and promotion of peaces congresses.”
It is presented annually in Oslo – the capital of Norway – on December 10th – the anniversary
of the death of Nobel.
Mandela was born July 18, 1918, in a village near Umtata. His father was the principal
counselor to the Acting Paramount Chief of Thembuland. After the
death of his father, Mandela became a ward of the Paramount Chief to
be groomed to assume high office. Influenced by the cases that came
before the court of the Chief, Mandela decided to become a lawyer.
Hearing the stories of the valor of his ancestors during the wars of
resistance in defense of their fatherland, he dreamed also of making his
own contribution to the freedom struggle of his people.
Mandela received his primary education at a local mission school.
After graduating from an exclusive high school, he enrolled at the
University College of Fort Hare but was suspended for participating in
a protest boycott. He moved to Johannesburg where he completed his
BA by correspondence and began studying for his law degree.
In 1942, while studying in Johannesburg, Mandela joined the African
National Congress [ANC]. At the height of World War II, he joined a a small group of young
members determined to transform the ANC into a mass movement, deriving its strength and
motivation from the millions of working people in the towns and countryside, the peasants in
the rural areas, and the professionals. Their chief contention was the political tactics of the old
guard were inadequate to the tasks of national emancipation. In opposition to the old guard, the
group espoused a radical African nationalism grounded in the principle of national self
determination. In September 1944, they came together to found the African National Congress
Youth League [ANCYL].
Spurred on by the victory of the National Party, which won the 1948 all-White elections on the
platform of Apartheid, at the 1949 annual ANC Conference, the ANC accepted as its official
policy the Program of Action, inspired by the ANCYL. The Program advocated boycotts, strikes,
civil disobedience, and non cooperation with the government. It had been developed by an
ANCYL subcommittee that included Mandela. To make certain it was implemented the ANC
replaced older leaders with a number of younger men. In 1950, Mandela was elected to the
ANC National Executive Committee.
The primary goals of the Program were full citizenship and direct parliamentary representation
for all South Africans. In policy documents, of which Mandela was a co-author, the ANCYL
paid special attention to the redistribution of the land, trade union rights, education, and
culture. The ANCYL advocated free and compulsory education for all children, as well as mass
education for adults.
When the ANC launched its Campaign for the Defiance of Unjust Laws in 1952, Mandela was
elected National Volunteer-in-Chief. The Defiance Campaign was conceived as a mass civil
disobedience campaign that would snowball from a core group of selected volunteers to
ordinary people, culminating in mass defiance. Mandela traveled the country organizing
resistance to discriminatory legislation. Charged and brought to trial for his role in the
Campaign, the court found Mandela and his colleagues had consistently advised their followers
to adopt a peaceful course of action and to avoid violence. For his part in the Campaign, Mandela
was convicted of violating the Suppression of Communism Act, and given a suspended prison
sentence. Shortly after the Campaign ended, he was also prohibited from attending gatherings
and confined to Johannesburg for six months.
During this period of restriction, Mandela completed the requirements to become a lawyer. He
opened a law office in Johannesburg, in partnership with Oliver Tambo. In recognition of his
outstanding contribution during the Campaign, Mandela was elected president of the ANYCL
and the Transvaal region of the ANC, making him a deputy president of the ANC.
Their professional status as lawyers did not earn Mandela and Tambo any personal immunity
from the brutal apartheid laws. The authorities demanded they move their practice from the
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city to a region that made it difficult for their clients to reach them during working hours. The
partners defied the order.
The government was not alone in trying to frustrate his legal practice. On the grounds of his
conviction under the Suppression of Communism Act, the Transvaal Law Society petitioned the
Supreme Court to strike Mandela from the roll of attorneys. The petition was refused with
Justice Ramsbottom finding Mandela had been moved by a desire to serve his black fellow
citizens and nothing he had done showed him to be unworthy to remain in the ranks of an
honorable profession.
During the 1950s, Mandela was the victim of various forms of repression. He was banned,
arrested, and imprisoned. For much of the latter half of the decade, he was one of the accused in
the mammoth Treason Trial, at great cost to his legal practice and his political work. After the
Sharpeville Massacre in 1960, the ANC was outlawed, and Mandela, still on trial, was detained.
The Treason Trial collapsed in 1961 as South Africa was in the midst of adopting a new
constitution. With the ANC now illegal, the leadership operated from underground
headquarters. In March 1961, it assembled 1,400 delegates for an All African Conference.
Mandela was the keynote speaker. In an electrifying address he challenged the apartheid
regime to convene a national convention, representative of all South Africans, to thrash out a
new constitution based on democratic principles. Failure to comply, he warned, would compel
the majority to observe the inauguration of the Republic with a general strike. He immediately
went underground to lead the strike. Although fewer than expected answered the call, the
strike did attract considerable support throughout the country. The government responded by
mobilizing the military, and the Republic was born in an atmosphere of fear and apprehension.
Following the formation of the Republic, the ANC established a small army to prepare for an
armed struggle. Commenting on the change in philosophy, Mandela, the first group
commander said –
"At the beginning of June 1961, after long and anxious assessment of the South African situation,
I and some colleagues came to the conclusion that as violence in this country was inevitable it
would be wrong and unrealistic for African leaders to continue preaching peace and non-violence
at a time when the government met our peaceful demands with force. It was only when all else
had failed, when all channels of peaceful protest had been barred to us, that the decision was
made to embark on violent forms of political struggle, and to form Umkhonto we Sizwe...the
Government had left us no other choice."
In 1962 Mandela left the country unlawfully, and traveled abroad for several months. In Ethiopia
he addressed the Conference of the Pan African Freedom Movement of East and Central Africa, and
was warmly received by senior political leaders in several countries. During this trip Mandela,
anticipating an intensification of the armed struggle, arranged guerrilla training for his army.
Not long after returning home, he was arrested and charged with illegal exit from the country
and inciting a strike.
Mandela decided to conduct his own defense. He applied for the recusal of the magistrate, on
the ground that in such a prosecution a judiciary controlled entirely by whites was an interested
party, and therefore could not be impartial, and that he owed no duty to obey the laws of a white
parliament, in which he was not represented. Mandela prefaced this challenge with the
affirmation – “I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a
black man or a white man.” He was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment. While
serving his sentence he was charged, in another trial, with sabotage. His statements in court
during these trials are classics in the history of the resistance to apartheid, and an inspiration to
all who have opposed it –
“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have
cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony
and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs
be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment and started his prison years in a maximum
security prison on a small island off the coast near Cape Town. In April 1984, he was transferred
to a prison in Cape Town and in December 1988, moved to a prison near Paarl. While in prison,
Mandela flatly rejected offers made by his jailers for remission of his sentence in exchange for
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accepting the recognition of the independence of the Transkei, and agreeing to settle there.
Mandela constantly rejected offers of release on the condition that he would renounce violence.
The government released Mandela on February 11, 1990. Following his release, he continued his
lifelong mission - striving to attain the goals he and others had set out almost four decades
earlier. In 1991, at the first national ANC Conference held inside South Africa after being banned
for decades, Mandela was elected the ANC president.
The 1994 Metropolitan Chapters Founders Day Programs
The 19th annual Metropolitan Chapters Founders Day Program was held on January 14, 1994,
at the Hunt Valley [MD] Marriott. Approximately 496 brothers braved 4-degree weather and 20
mph winds to attend the program. Past Grand Board member Jason DeSousa – a Guy Levis
Grant Awardee – was the keynote speaker.
Grand Polemarch on Underground Pledging
In the February 1994 Kappa Journal, Grand Polemarch Harris expressed his serious concerns
about underground pledging and hazing –
“…I feel compelled to pound away at those renegades who defy our laws…if ignored, they will eventually
decimate the foundation of our Fraternity and turn into a nightmare the dreams and hopes of our
Founders.”
He concluded his remarks referencing Executive Order Number Two issued October 12, 1993.
The Southeast Missouri State University Tragedy
The potential for a serious tragedy resulting from activities associated with the initiation of men
was a radar screen item for several years. Ulysses McBride, the 26th Grand Polemarch, issued
Executive Order Number One on September 1, 1988. Grand Polemarch Harris followed up with the
issuance of Executive Order Number Two on October 12, 1993. The Grand Board also approved
changes in the membership initiation process [1989]. The Fraternity also was a participant in a
Pan Hellenic Council Summit on February 17, 1990, that led to the unanimous adoption of a
resolution ending pledging.
Despite these efforts, the Fraternity leadership experienced its worst fears on February 15, 1994,
when Michael Davis, a student at Southeast Missouri State University died while participating
in underground pledging activities. Speaking on behalf of the membership, Grand Polemarch
Harris said – “all of Kappa Alpha Psi is saddened by this tragic and senseless homicide.”
The death received coverage on television shows, including the Oprah Winfrey Show, where
some of the members involved in the transgression expressed their ignorance of the Fraternity
policies against underground pledging and hazing. These young men implied there was always an
official position but everyone knew the Fraternity leadership often looked the other way to permit
the continuation of a series of practices that young men perceive as a right of passage.
A February 20, 1994, New York Times article – “Fatal Beating fuels concern about Hazing on
Campuses” –
“The death of Mr. Davis has exposed the continuing problem of organized violence at fraternities
all over the country, despite efforts to curtail it…Four years ago, eight national black fraternities
and sororities, including Kappa Alpha Psi, met…in St Louis to ban the pledging process and
hazing. But the ban was not universally accepted by the members, who said they feared a threat
to the traditions of pledging.”
In a February 23, 1994, Washington Post article – “Death on a Kappa Line” - commenting on the
tragedy, Pulitzer Prize Winning Columnist William Raspberry, a 1957 Nu initiate, wrote – “What
is there about some people that makes them delight in beating someone else?”
Judge Theodore Newman, a 1953 Chi initiate, wrote Grand Polemarch Harris – “I find myself
wondering what, if anything more, Kappa can do to stop these senseless practices.” The
response from Grand Polemarch Harris indicating his intent to address the matter was
encouraging to Judge Newman.
On March 28, 1994, Grand Polemarch Harris took the first step by issuing Executive Order
Number Three. At the May 1994 Grand Board meeting, it unanimously adopted a
recommendation of Grand Polemarch Harris to discontinue membership activities indefinitely.
He also impaneled a Task Force, chaired by General Counsel Cleophus Thomas Jr, which would
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not only examine the membership selection and induction process, but also the structure of the
Fraternity. He established a February 1995 deadline for the submission of the Task Force report
to the Grand Board. The report would also be an action item at the 72nd Grand Chapter
meeting scheduled for August 1995 in Philadelphia [PA].
Fraternity Suspends New Member Activities
Following the action by the Grand Board of Directors at its May 1994 meeting, Executive
Director Smith issued a press release announcing the Fraternity was suspending all new
member activities effective August 15, 1994. The press release quoted Grand Polemarch Harris –
“We are taking this historic and extraordinary measure voluntarily to remove the possibility
that any person may get injured seeking membership in the Fraternity.” Harris went on to say
in the release –
“This action is necessary because renegades within the Fraternity have refused to obey the Fraternity rules
and the laws of the various states of this nation. These criminal acts leave us no choice but to stop the
intake process altogether.
We are committed to ensuring that our membership intake practices carry out our theme of training young
men for leadership. Kappa Alpha Psi has a long history of community leadership and service, and we are
taking these drastic steps to ensure we continue this role.”
The First Chapter Advisors Workshop
The South Central Province and the Murfreesboro [TN] Alumni Chapter hosted the first annual
Chapter Advisors Workshop on June 9-12, 1994. South Central Province Polemarch Robert
Scales, Workshop Coordinator Rheen Bass, and Assistant Executive Director Dennis Golden
welcomed representatives from each Province to the Workshop.
Grand Polemarch Harris challenged the participants to take a position of ultimate responsibility
in the Fraternity, be a firm chapter advisor, and outstanding role model for students. He said –
“Chapter advisors must uphold the Fraternity’s constitution, statutes, university regulations
and morals.” He also gave a detailed explanation of Executive Order Number Three.
The Workshop consisted of three modules – Effective Training Techniques, The Makeup of an
Advisor, and Fraternity Administration. The curriculum development team, instructors and
facilitators included
South Central Province Polemarch Robert Scales Jr;
Workshop Coordinator Rheen C Bass;
Ralph Bryson {Montgomery (AL) Alumni Chapter];
Joseph C. Newton [Arlington-Grand Prairie (TX) Alumni Chapter]; and
Reverend Henry Willis [Dallas (TX) Alumni Chapter
The presenters included –
Grand Polemarch Harris;
Eastern Province Polemarch William B Croom;
North Central Province Polemarch Myron Hardiman;
Assistant Executive Director Dennis Golden; and
Brian Ford [Columbus (OH) Alumni Chapter
New Anheuser Busch Executive – John Jacob
On July 1, 1994, John Jacob joined Anheuser Busch as Executive Vice President and Chief
Communications Officer. Commenting on the appointment, August A. Busch III, Chairman and
President, said –
“We have long benefited from John's insight and skill as a member of our board of directors. I am
extremely pleased that we will now have ongoing access to his leadership qualities as a member
of our senior management team.”
Jacob, born in Trout [LA] on December 16, 1934, was reared in Houston [TX]. The son of a
Baptist minister, he was an outstanding high school student who received a private fellowship
he intended to use to attend Northwestern University. However, after learning the fellowship
would only cover a semester at Northwestern, he sought the assistance of a former teacher. The
teacher suggested he attend Howard University and called the University. After discussing his
academic credentials with the Registrar, the University agreed to admit him.
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While matriculating at Howard, Jacob was active in a number of student organizations and
popular among his schoolmates. His upbringing in the Baptist church
helped to cultivate his singing voice. Some students thought he would
pursue a career in music but his desire to help the downtrodden led him
to choose social work. He earned BA and MSW degrees from Howard
University in 1957 and 1963 respectively. He has also received over 20
honorary degrees.
Following his graduation, the newly married Jacob almost lost his
calling. He interviewed for a sales position with Brother Jack LeFlore, a
regional sales manager with Josten’s. However, rather than work as a
commissioned salesman, Jacob opted for a salaried position, and
continued his education pursuits.
Jacob began his professional career at the Washington [DC] Urban
League in 1963. He moved to San Diego [CA] to become president of the
San Diego Branch Office in 1968. He returned to Washington [DC] in 1976 as president of the
Washington [DC] Urban League. In 1979, he moved to the National Urban League in New York
as Executive Vice President and in 1982 became its third president.
As a local executive in San Diego and Washington [DC], Jacob nurtured relationships within the
business community and sought their financial support for the programs sponsored by his
branches. In 1977, he called upon IBM senior manager Kent Cushenberry, 1967 initiate of the
University of Wisconsin Chapter, the Beta Omicron of Kappa Alpha Psi, a member of the powerful
Washington [DC] Board of Trade, to chair the annual Whitney M. Young Dinner, the principal
fund raising event for the DC League. The dinner attracted support from several of the major
corporations in the Washington [DC] metropolitan area, and the Washington (DC) Alumni
Chapter. Jacob turned to Industrial Bank of Washington Vice President Terrance G. Blount
[Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter] for a loan to finance the renovation of the new Washington
(DC) Urban League office.
Jacob continued this strategy - nurturing relationships within the business community - when
he moved to New York. During his 14-year tenure as president of the National Urban League,
he was responsible for managing the activities of affiliates in more than 100 cities, and the
government affairs and research operation in Washington [DC]. His experience as a local
affiliate president helped Jacob solidify the internal structure of the League, expand its outreach
agenda, and the relationship between the League and its several affiliates. When he retired in
1993, the League had reached new levels of success and excellence. Many viewed it as the
premier social action organization in the world.
Jacob was not a League president without controversy. In an interview published in the New
York Times, he commented –
“America will become a second rate power unless we undertake policies to insure that our neglected
minority population gets the education, housing, health care and job skills they need to help America
compete successfully in a global economy.”
In one of his first official presidential duties – delivering the National Urban League State of
Black America address – he called for the transfer of billions of dollars from the military budget
to training programs that would help minorities become skilled laborers.
His concern for others caused him to volunteer his time and skills to a host of civic
organizations. His skills as a manager also led to his election to the board of directors of several
publicly held companies, including Coca Cola and Morgan Stanley. He served as chairman of
the board of trustees at his alma mater and following his retirement, the board designated him
chairman emeritus. Jacob is the recipient of several awards and citations including the 2000
Howard University Alumni Achievement Award.
Jacob, a 1954 Xi initiate, was the chapter Dean of Pledgees on two occasions. A devout and
committed Kappaman, whom some call – Jake – he is a life member of the Fraternity and a life
member of the Middle Western Province. Since his initiation, he has never failed to meet his
commitment to the ideals of the Fraternity, and has been affiliated with the San Diego (CA)
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Alumni Chapter, Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter, New Rochelle-White Plains (NY) Alumni
Chapter, and St Louis (MO) Alumni Chapter.
The First Undergraduate Leadership Summit
On July 8-10, 1994, over 150 students gathered at Indiana University for the first Undergraduate
Leadership Summit. The University provided lodging at a large campus dormitory that was
near the site of the business sessions.
Grand Polemarch Harris and Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Robert Duckworth welcomed the
students. Dr. Samuel D. Proctor [New Brunswick (NJ) Alumni Chapter], delivered an aspiring
and motivational keynote address.
The Summit consisted of four sessions. –
•
•
•
•
Business Session I [Risk Management], moderated by General Counsel
Cleophus Thomas, included discussions on hazing and its implications,
personal responsibility issues, and membership intake;
Business Session II [Fraternity Administrative Procedures], moderated by
Assistant Executive Director Dennis Golden, discussed the responsibilities
of the International Headquarters staff and the requirements set forth in
the Constitution imposed upon every chapter;
Business Session III [Reestablishment of Undergraduates in the Fraternity],
moderated by Grand Board member Ricardo Carter, was an open
discussion about methods to increase the involvement of students in
Fraternity activities and policies; and
Business Session IV [Town Meeting] featured Grand Polemarch Harris. He
discussed the tragedy at Southeast Missouri State and its potential impact
upon the Fraternity. He fielded questions and entertained suggestions to
prevent a reoccurrence of this incident.
The Summit concluded on Sunday with a religious ceremony featuring a sermon by Rev Ramon
Batts of the Delta Phi at Indiana Technical College. Following the service Grand Polemarch
Harris led the brothers in the Rededication Ceremony. The participants then heard closing
remarks by Grand Board members.
The Summit brought together some of the brightest minds of the Fraternity to discuss issues
facing it. Perhaps the comments by David Sayyed of the Beta Omega at the University of
Southern California captured the sentiment of the participants –
“I was very happy to hear positive dialogue spoken between the undergraduates and alumni brothers,
and hopefully this will continue at the Province and local chapter levels.”
New Acting Athletic Director at Howard University - A. B. Williamson
In July 1994, Howard University named Altha B. Williamson, a 1986 Washington (DC) Alumni
Chapter, acting Athletic Director. Williamson coached basketball at Howard for 15 years
compiling a won/lost record that placed him at the top of the list of University basketball
coaches. He had been the NCAA Compliance Coordinator at the University. Williamson said –
“my primary objective as acting director is to ensure that the student-athletes are placed in an
environment in which they can excel academically, graduate, win on and off the field or court and enjoy
their collegiate years. The athletic department will continue to be very strict about rules and regulations."
He added - “the athletic department will continue to be very strict about rules and regulations.”
Washington Alumni honors Kappa Congressmen
The Chapter sponsored a “Salute to Kappas in Congress” at the Rayburn Office Building on July
19, 2004. The affair attracted over 100 Kappamen from the Washington [DC] metropolitan area
to honor the nine Kappamen who have served in the Congress since 1965. Polemarch Hill and
Brother Carl Anderson presented achievement plaques to –
Laurel Wreath Wearer Judge George W. Crockett (MI);
John Conyers (MI);
Louis Stokes (OH);
Walter E Fauntroy (DC);
Mervyn M Dymally (CA);
Sanford D. Bishop Jr (GA);
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Albert Wynn (MD);
Alcee Hastings (FL); and
Bennie Thompson (MS)
Kappa Scholarship Named Endowment Program
The board of directors of the Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund established a new program to
attract tax-deductible contributions from individuals and to memorialize the donor. The Named
Endowment Scholarship program requires a minimum contribution of $5,000 from an individual.
The Fund awards a scholarship annually in the name of the donor to graduates of high schools
in the District of Columbia. The first contributors were – Brother & Mrs. Carl Anderson, Brother
& Mrs. Wallace Burke, Brother W. Lawrence Jones. As of September 30, 2000, approximately 50
individuals, two corporations, and the Washington Silhouettes, had established endowments.
The WKAY-100 Life Management and Leadership Development Program
The effort to formalize a program for the benefit of at risks youngsters under the supervision of
the DC Superior Court became a reality in 1994. The WKAY-100 Life Management and Leadership
Development Program was a public/private program that involved the DC Superior Court, DC
Public School system, two sororities, and the Chapter.
The 1994 Winter Province Board of Directors Meeting
Province Polemarch Croom convened a Province Board meeting on December 10, 1994, at the
Hunt Valley [MD] Marriott hotel. After the customary opening and introductions, the Province
Board considered a number of agenda items. The Board unanimously agreed to the proposal of
Province Historian David to sell The History of the Eastern Province to the members for $5.00. The
Board also accepted the report of Province Council Planning Committee Chairman Clayton
Evans and received the Province Bylaws Committee report of Chairman Nathan Fletcher.
After completing the agenda, Province Polemarch Croom announced Grand Polemarch Harris
had appointed Province Senior Vice Polemarch Finley the 20th Eastern Province Polemarch
effective December 10, 1994. In making the announcement, Province Polemarch Croom thanked
the brothers for their loyal support and their commitment to maintaining the status of the
Eastern Province as the premiere province in the Fraternity. Province Polemarch Croom had
been a member of the Province leadership since 1983. Several brothers, including the new
Province Polemarch, complimented him on his stewardship and accomplishments.
Past Province Polemarch Croom indicated the Finley appointment created a vacancy on the
Province Board. He informed the brothers that any brother in good standing with the Fraternity
and affiliated with a chapter of the Province would be eligible to fill the vacancy. Four brothers Harold Bennett [Upper Marlboro-Waldorf (MD) Alumni], Anthony Hill [Washington (DC)
Alumni], Richard Oliver [Chesapeake-Virginia Beach (VA) Alumni, and Charles Parker
[Alexandria-Fairfax (VA) Alumni, expressed an interest in the vacancy. The Province Board
chose not to fill the vacancy at the meeting. Instead, it agreed to make the members of the
Province aware of the vacancy and to revisit the matter at a special meeting on January 15, 1995.
The 20th Eastern Province Polemarch - Joseph E. Finley
Joseph Edward Finley was well known throughout the Fraternity for his periodic reminder –
“You can’t spell brothers without O-T-H-E-R-S.” Finley earned a BS degree from West Virginia
State College, a MA degree from New York University, and an Advanced Administrative
Certificate from the University of Virginia.
Finley began his career as a music teacher in High Point [NC]. In 1951, he moved to Roanoke
[VA]. Between 1951 and 1964, he was a music teacher and band director at public schools in
Roanoke. In 1964, he moved to Martinsville [VA] to become the Principal of the Albert Harris
High School. In 1968, Finley became the Associate Principal of the Martinsville High School. In
1973, he joined the senior administrative team as Director of Instruction for the Martinsville
[VA] City Schools System. Five years later, he was promoted to Assistant Superintendent for
Special Education for the Martinsville City Schools System. He retired in 1988.
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Finley, a 1947 Tau initiate, was Strategus, Parliamentarian, and Vice
Polemarch in 1947, 1948, and 1949, respectively. When he arrived in
Roanoke, Finley affiliated with the Roanoke (VA) Alumni Chapter and
served the chapter in a number of leadership roles, including Guide
Right Committee Chairman, member of the board of directors, and
Vice Polemarch. When he moved to Martinsville, he served in several
leadership roles within the Martinsville (VA) Alumni Chapter,
including Keeper of Records, and Polemarch.
At the Province level, Finley developed definitive criteria for the
Province awards while serving as the Province Achievement and
Awards Committee Chairman [1983-85]. At the 1987 Province
Council, the delegates elected him the Province Keeper of Records
and Exchequer. At the 1991 Province Council, the delegates elected
him the first Province Keeper of Exchequer. In August 1991, the Province Board of Directors
elected him the Province Senior Vice Polemarch to succeed the incumbent who was appointed
the Province Polemarch. The delegates at the 1992, 1993, and 1994 elected him the Province
Senior Vice Polemarch without opposition.
Besides his involvement in the Fraternity, Finley served in a leadership capacity in several
professional organizations, including the Roanoke [VA] Teachers Association, Virginia Teachers
Association, Virginia Secondary School Principals Association, and the Council of
Administrators for Special Education. He also held leadership positions in the Blue Ridge Boy
Scouts of America, Big Brothers of Martinsville, Mental Health Association of Martinsville,
Memorial Hospital of Martinsville, Martinsville United Way, and the St Paul Baptist Church. In
each of these organizations, Finley established a level of excellence that exceeded his
predecessors and set a new standard for those who followed.
When A. Linwood Holton, a Roanoke [VA] attorney, was elected governor in 1970, a
cornerstone of his administration was racial equality. Holton increased the employment and
appointment of African Americans in state government. One of his first appointees was Joseph
E. Finley as Chairman of the Equal Opportunity Commission of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The 1995 Special Province Board of Directors Meeting
Province Polemarch Finley convened a special meeting of the Province Board at the Residence
Inn of Richmond, VA on January 15, 1995 to fill a vacancy in the office of Province Senior Vice
Polemarch. The candidates were Harold Bennett [Upper Marlboro-Waldorf (MD) Alumni
Chapter], Region 1 Board member William O. Dennis (Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter] and
Charles F. Parker [Alexandria-Fairfax (VA) Alumni Chapter]. The Province Board elected
Dennis to fill the vacancy until the 1995 Province Council.
The 1995 Metropolitan Chapters Founders Day Programs
The 20th annual Metropolitan Chapters Founders Day Program was held January 21, 1995 at the
Washington Renaissance hotel with the Hyattsville-Landover [MD] Alumni chapter as the host
chapter. The affair attracted approximately 400 brothers. Laurel Wreath Wearer Samuel Massie,
one of the originators of the affair, spoke about the real meaning of the affair. US Congressman
Alcee Hastings [Ft Lauderdale [FL] Alumni Chapter] was the keynote speaker. A highlight of
the affair was a tribute to Dr. Oscar L. Mims, a past Province Senior Vice Polemarch and past
Executive Secretary. Like Massie, Mims was involved in establishing the Metropolitan Chapters
Founders Day program and was attending his first affair following the start of his medical
rehabilitation.
The 1995 Province Council
The Aberdeen (MD) Alumni and the Alpha Iota hosted the 1995 Province Council at the Hunt
Valley Marriott on March 23-26. Grand Board member Howard L. Tutman Jr represented the
Grand Board of Directors. Laurel Wreath Wearer Massie was the Closed Banquet Speaker.
Approximately 300 brothers registered for the meeting including –
Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Samuel Hamilton;
Grand Board member W. Kenneth Jackson;
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Joseph Bruton;
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Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Charles G. Tildon Jr;
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Lenzi Barnes;
East Central Province Polemarch Eric Morris;
Middle Eastern Province Polemarch Joseph K. Davis;
North Eastern Province Polemarch Herman Thomas;
South Western Province Polemarch Emerson Lattimore;
Past Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Terrance G. Blount;
Past Laurel Wreath Commission Chairman Richard Clark;
Past Achievement Commission Chairman Donald Rigby;
Past Eastern Province Polemarch Charles A. Brockett;
Past Eastern Province Polemarch Clarence F. Nelson Jr; and
Past Executive Secretary Oscar L. Mims
The major discussion item at this Province Council was the moratorium on membership intake
announced at the C. Roger Wilson Leadership Conference. It was quite clear from the delegate
comments they felt the elected leadership should consider other options. The delegates adopted
a recommendation by Undergraduate Board member Charlie Morgan to form a Province Task
Force to make additional recommendations to the Membership Intake Task Force.
The delegates questioned Grand Board member Tutman about the state of the Fraternity. They
were concerned about the financial condition and the legal fees associated with the Southwest
Missouri incident. They raised questions about the commitment by the Grand Board to make an
annual payment to the Life Membership Endowment Fund to replenish an $850,000 withdrawal
made to complete the International Headquarters. Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer
Hamilton addressed the financial questions for Brother Tutman. He also commented the Grand
Board would be recommending a dues increase at the 72nd Grand Chapter meeting. Finally, the
delegates questioned Hamilton and Tutman on the chapter certification program developed by
the Grand Board and its implementation.
The Awards Luncheon attracted a large number of brothers and their families. Dwight Thomas
[Alexandria-Fairfax (VA) Alumni] served as the Master of Ceremonies. Province Achievement
and Awards Committee chairman Larry N. Jenkins [Hyattsville-Landover (MD) Alumni]
presented the customary awards.
The delegates elected Anthony B. Hill [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter] the Senior Province
Vice Polemarch. Brother Hill was the fourth member affiliated with the Chapter elected to the
highest elective office of the Province.
The delegates endorsed the Elder Watson Diggs Award petition of Past Executive Director Oscar
L. Mims submitted by the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter. They also endorsed the candidacy
of Grand Board member Howard L. Tutman Jr for Senior Grand Vice Polemarch, and Past
Eastern Province Polemarch William B. Croom for Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer at
the 72nd Grand Chapter.
Barrington D. Scott – The 34th Chapter Polemarch [1995-96]
Barrington D Scott, a native Washingtonian, attended Calvin Coolidge High School, where he was
a member of its 1977 Inter High championship football team. Scott
matriculated at the University of the District of Columbia earning a degree
in physical education.
Initially, Scott chose not to pursue a career in his academic field. Instead, he
formed an entertainment company that sponsored social events throughout
the city. However, he eventually altered his career goals and added a career
in physical therapy as his day job.
Scott was a 1980 Beta Kappa initiate. One of his first actions was to obtain
autographs in his Story of Kappa Alpha Psi from members of the Washington
[DC] Alumni Chapter mentioned in the publication. “Bo” carried his book
with him everywhere and was always seeking out members to add to his
collection. Scott, like many members affiliated with the Beta Kappa, viewed
the Kappa House as his home and readily volunteered his time towards
performing maintenance to the property.
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It is unclear when Scott first affiliated with the Chapter since he began attending Chapter meetings
while still officially affiliated with the Beta Kappa. He was a member of several Chapter committees,
even while affiliated with the Beta Kappa. He and his close confidants traveled to Greek letter
chapters in the Baltimore/Richmond corridor to assist with the initiation process. One of his
proudest moments was the opportunity to assist Past Polemarch Carter with the formation of the
Kappa Chi at American University. Scott was Vice Polemarch during the last two years of the tenure
of Polemarch Hill. He is also actively in the Prince Hall Masons.
Expansion of WKAY-100 Project
The WKAY-100 Project, originally conceived during the tenure of Polemarch Fowlkes,
continued to gather steam. The partners engaged an independent consultant to write a formal
proposal for the project that led to the receipt of grants from the US Department of Justice,
Philip L. Graham Fund, and the Washington Post. Within the Chapter, at least 50 members
volunteered to serve as mentors to the boys participating in the Program.
The 72nd Grand Chapter Meeting
The Philadelphia (PA) Alumni Chapter along with the Epsilon, Lambda, Gamma Omega and Delta
Eta hosted the 72nd Grand Chapter meeting at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown Hotel on
August 9-13, 1995. The meeting attracted over 3,000 registered delegates and over 5,000 guests.
The August 8th edition of the Philadelphia Tribune included a 12-page insert on the Fraternity.
Cleveland [OH] Mayor Michael R. White, a 1971 Zeta initiate, was the keynote speaker at the
Public Meeting. Grand Polemarch Harris presented special awards to brothers – Atty. Johnnie L.
Cochran Jr., US Congressman John J. Conyers Jr., Dr. Henry W. Foster, and Astronaut Dr.
Bernard L. Harris. He also presented Kappa Alpha Psi Humanitarian Awards to Judge A. Leon
Higgenbotham, US Congressman Kweisi Mfume, and Mrs. Rosa L. Parks. The highlight of the
evening was the conferral of the 44th Laurel Wreath upon Dr. Paul P. Cooke [Washington (DC)
Alumni Chapter]. Following the program, the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter hosted a
reception honoring Brother Cooke.
The State of the Fraternity report was a comprehensive report of the condition of the Fraternity.
It included a video presentation of comments about the Michael Davis case made by brothers
on national television talk shows. The delegates set in awe as they watched and listened to these
comments that entered the homes of millions across the nation. The picture it painted of the
Fraternity was totally inconsistent with its ideals and goals. It also provided a solid foundation
for the need to change the process of bringing men into the Fraternity.
The delegates adopted a number of changes to the Constitution and Statutes of Kappa Alpha Psi.
Most of the amendments replaced sections that referenced specific monetary amounts with a
procedure requiring monetary recommendations by the Grand Board of Directors and adoption by the
delegates at a Grand Chapter meeting. The delegates approved an amendment that changed the
process of the life membership program by requiring the delegates to not only adopt the fee but
also the requirements for entry into the program recommended by the Grand Board. Following
the adoption of the amendments, the Grand Board recommended a seven consecutive year
requirement and increased the life membership fee to $2,000, both of which were adopted.
The Kappa Foundation Luncheon attracted over 400 brothers. National Silhouettes President
Joyce Fountaine [Richmond, VA] presented Foundation President Randall Bacon with a $1,000
check for the Scholarship Fund. Luncheon chairman Elbert Brooks [Seattle (WA) Alumni
Chapter] announced a $10,000 contribution from Nordstrom Inc. for the Scholarship Fund. US
Army Major General [Retired] Edward Greer [El Paso – Las Cruces (TX) Alumni Chapter] was
the featured speaker. A highlight of the luncheon was a medley of songs by Washington, DC
native Jonathan Hicks of the New York (NY) Alumni.
The Awards Program included a video salute to deceased brother Reginald Lewis. He was one
of the first African American entrepreneurs to use high yield public debt to acquire companies.
Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Hamilton presented corporate sponsorship awards to
Coca-Cola, RJ Reynolds, Ford, and US Air. Grand Polemarch Harris presented Distinguished
Citizen Awards to five individuals, including the Honorable W. Wilson Goode, the former
Mayor. He also presented the 58th Elder Watson Diggs Award to Oscar L. Mims [Washington
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(DC) Alumni Chapter]. This was truly a special occasion for Mims. His mentor – Dr. Paul Cooke
– received the Laurel Wreath on the opening day of the Conclave.
Grand Board member Ricardo Carter was the master of ceremonies at the Undergraduate
Luncheon. Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Robert C. Duckworth gave a moving address that
precipitated several standing ovations. Brother Alan Henderson, a recent graduate of Indiana
University and professional basketball player, delivered the invocation and the benediction.
The Closed Banquet attracted over 2,000 delegates. The Speaker - USAF Lieutenant General
[Retired] Albert Edmonds - challenged the men of Kappa Alpha Psi to “unite and act as a
lightning bolt for equality and preparation like the Buffalo Soldiers and the Tuskegee Airmen to
help the plight of African American youth.”
The 28th Grand Polemarch – Ronald R. Young
Ronald R. Young, born and reared in Aiken [SC], matriculated at Hampton University. He was a
member of the unique class of 1971, which did not have a graduation
ceremony. Young also earned a MBA from the Syracuse University
[1975].
After graduating from Hampton, Young joined Agway Energy
Products, a subsidiary of Agway Inc., a multi national agribusiness
corporation. For the next 27 years, he held numerous positions within
the Agway enterprise and culminated his career as Vice President –
Marketing [1988]. He then shifted the focus of his career and joined
Upstate Medical University. He is also a member of the board of
directors of the Upstate Medical University Foundation and the
MedBest Medical Management Inc.
Young, a 1969 Beta Chi initiate, was a Beta Chi Polemarch. When he
returned to Syracuse, he affiliated with the Syracuse Alumni Association
and in 1973 was a member of the chartering group of the Syracuse (NY) Alumni Chapter.
Within his home chapter, he held several key positions, including Polemarch. His business
acumen and devotion to the Fraternity quickly became apparent among the brothers of the
Northern Province. They elected him to the Province Board of Directors and the Province Senior
Vice Polemarch. In 1979, Grand Polemarch Gumbs appointed him the Northern Province
Polemarch. The delegates at the 68th and 70th Grand Chapter meetings elected him to the
Grand Board of Directors, and the delegates at the 71st Grand Chapter meeting elected him the
Senior Grand Vice Polemarch.
The 30th Senior Grand Vice Polemarch – Howard L. Tutman Jr
Howard L. Tutman Jr was the first brother affiliated with the Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter
elected to the second highest office of the Fraternity. Tutman was a true Fraternity politician
who had been involved in political campaigns since the 54th Grand Chapter meeting [1967]. He
understood the voting map of the Fraternity and what it took to prevail in an election.
His opponent was fellow Grand Board member – W. Kenneth Jackson of the Atlanta (GA)
Alumni Chapter. Jackson, a 1964 initiate of the Morris Brown College Chapter, the Beta Delta of
Kappa Alpha Psi, had been a Beta Delta Polemarch, an Atlanta (GA) Alumni Chapter Polemarch,
and a Southeastern Province Polemarch. He was elected to the Grand Board at the 71st Grand
Chapter meeting [1993]. Because of a change in the Constitution of the Kappa Alpha Psi, positions
on the Grand Board were open at each Grand Chapter meeting. Hence, Jackson had a choice –
seek reelection to the Grand Board, retire from the Grand Board, or seek another office. He
chose the latter.
Past Eastern Province Polemarch Tutman ran an efficient campaign and raised the bar for
campaign literature. He was the overwhelming choice of the Grand Chapter Nominating
Committee and won a smashing victory.
The 11th Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer – William B. Croom
A decision by Past Eastern Province Polemarch Croom to pursue a national office required him
to resign to comply with a policy of Grand Polemarch Harris. Grand Polemarch Harris, a past
Western Province Polemarch, wanted to make certain members seeking an elective office would
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not use Fraternity resources to support their endeavors. Since Province Polemarchs receive an
allocation of the annual budget of the Fraternity, a Province Polemarch could use a portion of
that allocation to cover his travel expenses. Requiring Province Polemarchs who were
contemplating campaigning for an elective national office eliminated this potential temptation.
Croom ran without any opposition – the incumbent - Samuel C. Hamilton - was a candidate for
Grand Polemarch. His election gave the new management team a true Eastern Province flavor
since the new Grand Polemarch was a past Polemarch of the Beta Chi whom Croom helped
initiate in 1969.
New Achievement Commission Chairman – Anthony Hill
Grand Polemarch Young reviewed the several committees and commissions of the Fraternity.
He appointed Eastern Province Senior Vice Polemarch Anthony Hill the Achievement
Commission Chairman. This Achievement Commission is responsible for recommending
nominees for Fraternity awards to the Grand Board of Directors. The only awards outside its
purview are the Laurel Wreath and the William L. Crump History Award. The new chairman was
an ideal candidate for this position. As a student, he was the recipient of a Guy Levis Grant
Award and an outstanding Province achievement award for members affiliated with Greek
letter chapters. As an alumni member, he duplicated that performance, making him the first
member [of the Middle Western Province] to receive both awards.
The Kappa Alpha Psi Legal Defense Fund
The tragedy at Southeast Missouri State University had serious repercussions. The decision to
suspend the initiation of men into the Fraternity adversely affected its financial resources.
Moreover, the Grand Board could not readily estimate the cost to the Fraternity to defend itself
in the legal suits arising from the actions of the brothers involved in the tragedy.
At the 72nd Grand Chapter meeting, the delegates adopted a recommendation of Grand
Polemarch Harris to establish a legal defense fund to help defray the legal expenses. One of the
first contributors to the Fund was the Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter. The Chapter was also
the first alumni chapter to contribute at least $500.
The Million Man March
On October 16, 1995, hundreds of Kappamen, most wearing paraphernalia identifying them as
members of the Fraternity, joined with men from throughout the nation to attend a Day of
Atonement on the mall in Washington [DC]. Organized by Nation of Islam leader Louis
Farrakhan, the event included registering African Americans to vote in US elections, and to
increase the involvement of African Americans in volunteerism and community action.
March organizers estimated the crowd size at between 1.5 and 2 million people while the United
States Park Police officially estimated the crowd size at 400,000 – the figure widely reported by
the media. Farrakhan threatened to sue the National Park Service because of the low estimate. A
study by Dr. Farouk El-Baz and a team of research and graduate assistants at the Center for
Remote Sensing at Boston University, released an estimate of 870,000 people with a margin of
error of 25%. They arrived at this figure by enlarging aerial photographs taken by the Park
Service and counting the crowd density. They later revised the figure to 837,000 people with a
margin of error of 20%.
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Speakers at the rally on the National Mall included –
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Congressman Donald Payne [D-NJ];
Congressman Charles Rangel [D-NY];
Washington [DC] Mayor Marion Barry;
Baltimore [MD] Mayor Kurt Schmoke;
Benjamin Chavis [Civil Rights Activist & past president NAACP];
Reverend Jesse Jackson [Civil Rights Activist & Founder Rainbow Coalition];
Rosa Parks [Mother of Civil Rights Movement];
Cornel West [Civil Rights Activist];
Maya Angelou [Author and Poet];
M. C. Hammer [Entertainer];
Isaac Hayes [Entertainer]; and
Stevie Wonder [Entertainer]
These speakers criticized the conservative offensive of the Republican Party following the 1994
congressional elections, most notably its “Contract with America,” and the impact upon several
social programs, including Welfare and Medicaid. They also cited the proposed reductions in
funding for housing, student aid, and education programs, all of which were beneficial to
African Americans.
The keynote speaker was Minister Louis Farrakhan. He began by paying tribute to - the founder
of the Nation of Islam [Honorable Elijah Muhammad], the national organizers, and Dr. Dorothy
Height for her role in involving women in the organizing the March. He commented on the
Kerner Commission report and its observation that:
“this nation was moving towards two Americas – one Black, one White, separate and unequal.
And the Kerner Commission revisited their findings 25 years later and saw that America was
worse today than it was in the time of Martin Luther King, Jr. There's still two Americas, one
Black, one White, separate and unequal.”
Farrakhan went on to deliver what many observers viewed as one of his most significant
messages. He made it clear to the audience he did not promote racial separation and that the
media totally misinterpreted many of his comments. He also referenced the absence of support
of the March by several African American organizations, including the NAACP and the
National Urban League, but spoke no malice towards them for their inaction.
Towards the end of his remarks, he called upon the audience to take a pledge –
“I - say your name- pledge that from this day forward, I will strive to love my brother as
I love myself.
I - say your name - from this day forward will strive to improve myself spiritually,
morally, mentally, socially, politically and economically for the benefit of myself, my
family and my people
I - say your name - pledge that I will strive to build business, build houses, build
hospitals, build factories, and enter into international trade for the good of myself, my
family, and my people.
I - say your name - pledge that from this day forward, I will never raise my hand with a
knife or a gun to beat, cut, or shoot any member of my family or any human being
except in self-defense.
I - say your name - pledge from this day forward, I will never abuse my wife by striking
her, disrespecting her, for she is the mother of my children and the producer of my
future.
I - say your name - pledge that from this day forward, I will never engage in the abuse of
children, little boys, or little girls, for sexual gratification. But, I will let them grow in
peace to be strong men and women for the future of our people.
I - say your name - will never again use the "b" word to describe any female, but
particularly my own Black sister.
I - say your name - pledge that from this day forward that I will not poison my body
with drugs or that, which is destructive to my health and my well-being.
I - say your name - pledge from this day forward that, I will support Black newspapers,
Black radio, and Black television. I will support Black artists who clean up their acts and
show respect for themselves and respect for their people and respect for the heirs of the
human family.
I - say your name - will do all of this, so help me God.”
A measurement of the impact of the March was the increase in the number of African American
registered voters. According to voter registration statistics, one and a half million African
American men registered to vote in the months following the March. David Bositis of the Joint
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Center for Economic Studies remarked – “In reviewing the sharp increase in the black male
vote, I might find it highly implausible that there was another factor that rivaled the Million
Man March in bringing about this change.”
The Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity was the only African American fraternity to co-sponsor the March.
It provided space and resources for March organizers at its Washington [DC] headquarters.
However, there was a large contingent of the Kappa elected leadership at the March, including
Grand Polemarch Young, Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Tutman, Grand Keeper of Records and
Exchequer Croom. Because of its proximity to the March, the Eastern Province had the largest
gathering of brothers, many of whom were from the immediate area.
The Chapter Development Specialists
The tragedy at Southeast Missouri State University caused an immediate suspension of
membership activities. Grand Polemarch Young believed an area in which the Fraternity was
lacking was the management of the several chapters. The time required to make certain an
elected chapter leadership team complied with the regulations of the Fraternity and adhered to
the infant membership process was beyond the resources available to the Province Polemarchs.
Grand Polemarch Young addressed this matter by appointing six Chapter Development specialists
whose primary responsibility was to assist the Province Polemarchs supervise the chapters
assigned to their areas of jurisdiction. The Chapter Development specialists were brothers
affiliated with chapters assigned to the area of jurisdiction in which they operated. Unlike
Province Polemarchs who receive reimbursements of their expenses, they were independent
contractors paid according to a contractual agreement. All were brothers familiar with the
operations of the Fraternity and the nuances of their unique Provinces.
At the end of his first term, Grand Polemarch Young evaluated the effectiveness of the Chapter
Development specialists and determined the costs incurred by the Fraternity did not justify the
results, and he chose not to continue the program beyond 1997. Some opine the Province
Polemarchs viewed the Chapter Development specialists as threats, and any success they realized
could result in a move to abolish the Province Polemarch position. Clearly that was not the
intent of Grand Polemarch Young; he was seeking ways to control threatening actions,
principally at Greek letter chapters.
First African American NIC President – Hiliary H. Holloway
At the December 1995 National Inter-fraternity Conference annual convention, Past Grand
Polemarch Hiliary H. Holloway was elected president – the first African American to hold this
position. As president, he headed an organization that represents over 400,000 and 4.5 million
alumni affiliated with 63 college fraternities on 800 campuses throughout the United States and
Canada. This was another first for Holloway – he was the first Executive Secretary of Kappa Alpha
Psi, and the first African American Vice President at a Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
The United Negro College Fund
In 1943, Dr. Frederick D. Patterson, president of Tuskegee [AL] Institute, urged his fellow Negro
college presidents to raise money collectively through an “appeal to the national conscience.”
The next year, on April 25, 1944, Patterson, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune and others incorporated
the United Negro College Fund with 27 member colleges. Early supporters included President
Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Senator John F. Kennedy donated the
proceeds from his Pulitzer Prize winning book, Profiles in Courage, to the Fund.
The Fund is the largest, oldest, and most successful, comprehensive minority higher education
organization in the nation. It provides - operating funds and technology enhancement services
for 39 member historically black colleges and universities; scholarships and internships for
students at about 900 institutions; and faculty and administrative professional training.
Annually, the Fund sponsors televised fund raising campaigns in strategic cities across the
nation. During the December 1995 campaign, Polemarch Scott presented a $250 contribution
during the festivities. It was the first contribution by a Greek letter organization in Washington
[DC] and set the tone for subsequent contributions.
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The Chapter House Rehabilitation Committee
The decision to keep the Kappa House, reaffirmed by the members during the tenure of
Polemarch Walter Brown, meant there was a need to evaluate the condition of the property and
to address any deficiencies, particularly safety issues. Failure to address these issues could
result in difficulties with the owners of the adjoining properties.
Over the years, several of the owners of condominiums in an adjoining structure had
complained about damages to their residences that they alleged was due to the deferred
maintenance of the Kappa House. Polemarch Scott appointed a committee to address these
matters and the related costs to address them.
The Death of Past Grand Polemarch Irven Armstrong
On May 10, 1996, Irven Armstrong, the second Grand Polemarch, joined the Chapter Invisible
after 104 years on this earth. Grand Polemarch Young declared a 30-day mourning period to
commemorate the death of the oldest known member of the Fraternity, the second Grand
Polemarch, and the 37th Laurel Wreath Wearer.
Charlie Mahone Jr - The 35th Chapter Polemarch [1996-98]
Charlie Mahone Jr, a native Washingtonian, entered the military after completing his high school
education. Following his discharge, Mahone earned a BA in Business
Administration (Finance) from Wayne State University. He also earned
MBA and PhD degrees from the University of Michigan.
Mahone is both an educator and a research professional. Prior to coming
to Howard University in 1989, he was Associate Professor of
International Business and Management at Florida A & M University. At
Howard, he has been a Department Chairman, Associate Dean, and
Director of Graduate Programs within the School of Business. His
primary research areas of interest include International activities of
small and medium sized companies. He has taught - Principles of
International Business, Management of International Business,
International Entrepreneurship, Global Business Environment, and
Global Business Strategy. Mahone has received several awards and
distinctions. He has served as the District of Columbia Task Force for the Small Business Policy
Initiative. He has also been a consultant to various private and public sector organizations in the
areas of strategy, international strategies, competitive strategy, benchmarking, etc.
Mahone, a 1988 initiate of the Tallahassee (FL) Alumni Chapter, affiliated with the Chapter in 1989.
He has been a perennial supporter of the Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund and served on its
principal fund raising committee. He was Vice Polemarch during the tenure of Polemarch Scott.
Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter Celebrates 75th Anniversary
On September 8, 1996, the Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter – the oldest alumni chapter in the
Eastern Province – celebrated its 75th anniversary. Brothers from throughout the nation came to
participate in this memorable occasion, including Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Tutman and
Grand Historian Crump. Brother Edgar J. Powell chaired the committee responsible for the
event. Dr. William “Billy” Taylor – the noted jazz impresario and a 1939 initiate of the Alpha Phi
– was the keynote speaker.
The audience included several brothers with landmark years of service –
William E. Spencer [Xi – 1926]: 70 years
John Patterson [Epsilon – 1928]: 68 years
Ernest Gambril [[Xi - 1929]: 67 years
Talmadge Pinkney [Alpha Iota – 1932]: 64 years
John Wood [Alpha Iota – 1932]: 64 years
Richard Hobson [Alpha Theta – 1936]: 60 years
George Lancaster [Alpha Phi – 1936]: 60 years
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Grand Historian Crump in commenting on the occasion skillfully chronicled the history of the
chapter, the contributions of the members to the Fraternity, and the several members holding
the prestigious awards of the Fraternity. In concluding he said –
“It makes sense to pause after 75 years to review your past and even proclaim yourself the Flagship of the
Fraternity…We salute you and pray that your barns will continue to be filled with plenty and your presses
burst with new wine…”
First African American Secretary of Labor - Alexis Herman
President Clinton nominated Alexis Herman Secretary of Labor in 1997. Her confirmation made
her the first African American to head the Department.
Born July 16, 1947, in Mobile [AL], Herman was the daughter of a local
politician and a public school teacher. Before settling on Xavier
University of New Orleans, Herman attended two other private
institutions in Wisconsin and Alabama. She earned a BA degree in
Sociology from Xavier in 1969.
Herman began her professional career working for Catholic Charities,
and other agencies that advocated minority women employment. In
1977, she met Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter in the midst of his
presidential campaign. Following his election, President Carter
appointed her Director of the Labor Department Women’s Bureau.
In 1981, she formed her own consulting firm while continuing her
involvement in Democratic Party politics. She was Vice Chairperson of
the Democratic National Committee responsible for organizing the 1992
Democratic National Convention. President Bill Clinton appointed her Deputy Director of the
Presidential Transition Office, and later head of the White House Office of Public Liaison.
Congressional Republicans and labor unions initially opposed her nomination. Following her
appointment, she earned praise from her peers for her handling of the 1997 UPS workers strike.
Secretary Herman was one of five Clinton Cabinet officers investigated by an independent
counsel. Her alleged crime was taking cash bribes and illegal campaign donations as an aide to
Clinton in 1994-1996. The investigation ended in 2000 without an indictment.
The Chapter Strategic Planning Session
Polemarch Mahone convened a chapter planning session at the Howard University School of
Business to develop a plan for the Chapter to follow. Polemarch Mahone felt the Chapter could
no longer function effectively without integrating a strategic [long-term] plan with a tactical
[short-term] plan.
The meeting attracted approximately 35 members who discussed a broad range of issues. At the
center of the discussion was the future of the Kappa House. The dialog identified two opposing
factions – one committed to keeping the property and another arguing for the sale of the
property. The arguments advanced by both factions were reasonable and rationale, but neither
side made an argument that persuaded the opposition to yield. There was even a suggestion
that because of the location of the property – inside the historic DuPont Circle area – it should
pursue designation as a historic site. Polemarch Mahone impaneled a Chapter House
Rehabilitation Committee to develop recommendations about the future of the Kappa House for
the members to consider.
The Death of Laurel Wreath Candidate Samuel DeWitt Proctor
On May 22, 1997, Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor [Norfolk (VA) Alumni Chapter] died of a heart
attack at Mercer Medical Center in Cedar Rapids [IA]. Proctor was stricken while talking with
students at Cornell College in Mount Vernon [IA].
Born in Norfolk [VA] during 1921, Proctor was one of the most prolific ministers of the 20th
century. He attended Virginia State College for two years before transferring to Virginia Union
University, from which he earned an AB degree in 1942. To prepare for the ministry, Proctor
earned a BD degree from Crozier Theological Seminary [1945] and a ThD degree from Boston
University [1945].
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Young and dynamic, Proctor was only 39 years old when he became the fifth president of A & T
College [1960]. During his tenure at the College, he reinforced the spirit
of excellence among faculty and students, and nurtured a sense of
security and well being throughout the campus. Recognizing his skills
in handling people and building programs, the government called him
in January 1962 to serve as Peace Corps Associate Director in Nigeria.
Although he returned to the College in 1963 to resume his duties as
president, he resigned in March 1964 effective April 10, 1964.
Commenting on his resignation, Proctor said – “despite my deep
personal loyalties to higher education in general, and A & T in
particular, the urgency of the summons to serve the country especially
after the death of John F. Kennedy seems overriding.”
For the remainder of his life, Proctor would build a resume that
included involvement in activities previously unknown to African
Americans. He wrote several books including - Young Negro in America,
Sermons From The Black Pulpit, Preaching About Crises in the Community and My Moral Odyssey.
He wrote his last book in 1996 - The Substance of Things Hoped For: A Memoir of African American
Faith. Proctor was the first African American to receive an endowed chair at Rutgers University,
the state university of New Jersey.
When Reverend Adam Clayton Powell died, in 1972, the congregation at Abyssinian Baptist
Church turned to him. Pastor Proctor answered the call. He added two young assistant pastors
– Calvin O. Butts, a 1968 Pi initiate, and Marvin McMickle, a 1975 New York (NY) Alumni
Chapter initiate. Butts would succeed Proctor him as pastor, in 1989, and McMickle would
accept a call to pastor a church in Cleveland [OH].
Proctor served on boards of directors of major corporations as well as nonprofit organizations.
He received numerous honorary doctoral degrees from colleges and universities throughout the
world. He was an advisor and counselor to presidents and senior government officials. He
traveled the world lecturing to black and white audiences.
Proctor was a speaker who raised the inner conscious of his audiences. He spoke at both the
50th and 75th anniversary celebrations of the Fraternity as well as Province Councils
throughout the nation. Yet, he never viewed himself as too important for a group. In 1973 while
at the Rutgers University, he was a keynote speaker at an affair sponsored by a group of African
American females who were forming an organization to address concerns in New Brunswick
[NJ]. Word of his planned presence at the event spiked the attendance and produced a
substantial sum for the ladies. That organization eventually evolved into a major regional
organization that provides scholarships to women attending Rutgers University.
The delegates attending the 73rd Grand Chapter Meeting were aware of his death and voted
him the highest award of the Fraternity. It is an honor that he truly derserved
The 73rd Grand Chapter Meeting
The Detroit (MI) Alumni Chapter along with the Alpha Beta hosted the 73rd Grand Chapter
meeting at the Westin Hotel on August 5-10, 1997.
Denver [CO] Mayor Wellington Webb, a 1981 Denver (CO) Alumni Chapter initiate, was the
keynote speaker at the Public Meeting. Grand Polemarch Young presented Kappa Alpha Psi
Humanitarian Awards to Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown [posthumously] and Earl G.
Graves – Publisher of Black Enterprise magazine.
The delegates adopted a recommendation by Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Croom
that eliminated a longstanding financial albatross on the Fraternity. As a nonprofit corporation,
the Fraternity segments its accounts into a general operating account and several endowment
funds. While the general operating fund is available for any purpose, the endowment funds can
only accommodate expenditures associated with their specific purposes. For a number of years,
the demands on the cash flow of the general operating account prevented elected leadership
teams from allocating funds to the endowment funds, and repaying a 1991 debt to the Life
Membership Endowment Fund. The recommendation of Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer
Croom eliminated the cumulative effect of these oversights and the need to repay the debt to the
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Life Membership Endowment Fund. Consequently, there would be no rebuilding of this
endowment fund. Instead, the cumulative payments of members intended for this Fund were
now a part of the value of the International Headquarters complex. Although the net effect on
the financial condition of the Fraternity was zero since these were internal transactions, it would
have been difficult for the independent auditor to issue an unqualified opinion on the financial
statements. The action of the delegates removed this potentially harmful barrier. This was a
major action by the delegates and caused some aggravation among the members who believed
rebuilding the Life Membership Endowment Fund would provide critical income to support the
operation of the Fraternity. However, the outcome was a reasonable business decision that the
Grand Board of Directors believed was in the best interest of the Fraternity.
The Awards Program included the presentation of Distinguished Citizen Awards to three local
citizens, including Grant Hill, a professional basketball player with the Detroit Pistons and a
native of Reston [VA}. Grand Polemarch Young presented the 59th Elder Watson Diggs Award to
K. Bernard Chase [Hyattsville-Landover (MD) Alumni Chapter]. During the business sessions,
the Hyattsville-Landover (MD) Alumni Chapter received the Paul Waymond Caine Chapter of the
Year Award.
Grand Board member Troy Williams was the Master of Ceremonies at the Undergraduate
Luncheon. Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Jwyanza Nuruddun, a 1997 Guy Levis Grant Awardee,
was the keynote speaker. He delivered a highly charged speech about achievement and
reminded the audience “you must set goals high so that you can soar like an eagle rather than
set goals low and be boring.”
The Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation Luncheon attracted over 900 brothers and guests. Attorney
Johnnie L. Cochran Jr [Los Angeles (CA) Alumni Chapter] delivered an electrifying address. He
emphatically reminded the audience that it is “zero hour, and we must assume leadership in
our communities’ upward movement, take responsibility for solving the many problems that
exist, and support the Foundation programs.” The event was a financial success. Included
among the brothers joining the Foundation Million Dollar Club [$1,000 contribution] at the
Conclave were Province Polemarch Finley and William O. Dennis [Baltimore (MD) Alumni
Chapter]. Brothers joining the Foundation Club [$100 contribution] at the Conclave included –
Dr. Joseph Bruton [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter]
James Carter Jr [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter]
Willard Douglas [Richmond (VA) Alumni Chapter]
Vandy Miller {Silver Spring (MD) Alumni Chapter]
Bennie Singleton [Silver Spring (MD) Alumni Chapter] was the Toastmaster at the Closed
Banquet. General Motors Corporation Vice President Roy Roberts, a 1973 initiate of the Grand
Rapids (MI) Alumni Chapter now affiliated with the Detroit (MI) Alumni Chapter, was the
Closed Banquet Speaker. A highlight of the program was the dedication of the Candelabra of
the Founders by Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Tutman.
Following the adjournment of the meeting, Grand Polemarch Young appointed Province
Polemarch Finley the Laurel Wreath Commission chairman and Eastern Province Senior Vice
Polemarch Hill the 21st Eastern Province Polemarch.
The 21st Eastern Province Polemarch - Anthony B. Hill
Senior Province Vice Polemarch Hill had spent his tenure training for leadership. While a student,
he had been a chapter Polemarch and a student member of a Province Board of Directors. As an
alumni member, he had been a Greek letter chapter Advisor, an alumni chapter Polemarch, and an
alumni member of a Province Board of Directors. Essentially, he had seen the operation of the
Fraternity from two [sometimes] divergent perspectives.
Some brothers felt the two-year tenure of Province Polemarch Finley was too brief. Most of the
Eastern Province Polemarchs served at least during the tenure of a Grand Polemarch but such was
not the case with Brother Finley. Instead Brother Finley accepted the responsibility for the most
critical award commission of the Fraternity - the Laurel Wreath Commission. Becoming the 21st
Eastern Province Polemarch required Hill to relinquish his responsibilities as the Achievement
Commission Chairman.
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The Seventh Executive Director of Kappa Alpha Psi – Richard Lee Snow
On January 28, 1998, Richard Lee Snow [Philadelphia (PA) Alumni Chapter] became the
seventh Executive Director – formerly Executive Secretary – of Kappa Alpha Psi.
Snow, a native of Clairton [PA], was one of 10 children. An
outstanding high school student and basketball player, he turned
down several basketball scholarships from small colleges to
participate in a minority program at Pennsylvania State University.
While matriculating at Penn State, Snow made the basketball team
as a walk-on, but only played one season to place a greater
concentration on academics. He was active in numerous campus
activities and initiated into the exclusive Lion’s Paw Senior Honor
Society – an honor reserved for the top student leaders, which
includes lifetime access to all university proceedings and a key to Old
Main, its main administration building.
Snow, a 1981 Penn State University honor graduate, began his
professional career in the insurance industry as a customer service representative. He
eventually became Director of Contracts and Compliance at CIGNA Corporation before
accepting the position with the Fraternity.
Snow is actively involved in the Philadelphia [PA] community and has been perennially
recognized by the Philadelphia Tribune newspaper as one the Most Influential African Americans
in the Philadelphia area. His involvement in the community has earned several awards. Snow is
also involved in the hospitality and meeting planning industry where he has been a member of
several associations and recognized as one its most influential leaders.
Snow has been featured both locally and nationally in various print media as well as radio and
television. Included are guest television appearances on the nationally recognized “Late Night
with Tavis Smiley” show on the Black Entertainment Television (BET) network, and locally on
the “Plain Talk” show with Eleanor Jean Henley, and “Philly Live” with Chris Ridenhour.
Snow, a 1977 Delta Theta initiate, was the Chapter Polemarch his senior year. He also was
Polemarch of the Philadelphia (PA) Alumni Chapter when the Fraternity held its 72nd Grand
Chapter meeting [1995] in Philadelphia.
The 1998 Province Council
The Williamsburg (VA) Alumni Chapter and the Xi Theta hosted the 1998 Province Council at
the Williamsburg [VA] Marriott on March 26-29. The theme for this meeting was – “Seventy
years of Achievement…Keeping the Dream Alive.” Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Tutman
represented the Grand Board. Past Grand Polemarch McBride was the Closed Banquet Speaker.
Approximately 250 brothers registered for the meeting including –
Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer William B. Croom;
Grand Board member Alfred White;
Laurel Wreath Wearer Paul P. Cooke;
Laurel Wreath Wearer Samuel P. Massie;
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee K. Bernard Chase;
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee James B. Abram Jr;
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Joseph Bruton;
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Charles G. Tildon Jr;
Southern Province Polemarch Frank Emanuel;
Laurel Wreath Commission Chairman Joseph Finley;
Past Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Samuel Hamilton;
Past Grand Board member Samuel Boyd;
Past Laurel Wreath Commission Chairman Richard Clark;
Past Eastern Province Polemarch Charles A. Brockett; and
Past Eastern Province Polemarch Clarence F. Nelson Jr
During his remarks, Province Polemarch Hill he outlined an 18-point program –
Include Risk Avoidance Seminars at both the C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference
and the Province Council;
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Establish an Eastern Province Alumni Chapter Mentor Program to improve the
relationship between undergraduate and alumni members;
Implement regular town hall meetings throughout the five regions of the Province;
Investigate obtaining liability insurance for Province officials;
Evaluate a Province Life Membership Program;
Increase Province visibility at major networking events – Congressional Black
Caucus, National Pan Hellenic Council meetings, etc.;
Establish annual chapter Polemarchs conference/Advisors workshops;
Reactivate the annual Eastern Province Retreat;
Increase the participation of brothers from small chapters in Province affairs;
Improve the relationship with the Eastern Province Silhouette Coordinator;
Update the History of the Eastern Province and regularly publish a newsletter;
Increase the Province Social Action agenda;
Provide the Senior and Junior Province Polemarchs with opportunities for growth;
Increase support for the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation;
Include Health Seminars at C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference and the
Province Council;
Promote the National Black Patriots Memorial project;
Ensure that Province initiatives address the five objectives of the Fraternity; and
Support national programs and mandates adopted at Grand Chapter meetings
The agenda outlined by Province Polemarch Hill would provide the brothers with a yardstick to
measure his performance. Although some thought the agenda was ambitious, it was consistent
with the style of the new leader.
The delegates endorsed Richard R. Clark [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter] and Donald E.
Rigby [Baltimore (MD) Alumni Chapter] posthumously for the Elder Watson Diggs Awards.
The Governance Task Force
Following the 73rd Grand Chapter meeting, Grand Polemarch Young impaneled a Governance
Task Force to review and recommend changes to the several governing documents of the
Fraternity, including –
The Constitution of Kappa Alpha Psi;
The Statutes of Kappa Alpha Psi; and
The Pronouncements of Hazing
The Task Force members were - Past Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Terrance G.
Blount [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter], Lionel F. Davis [Buffalo (NY) Alumni Chapter], and
Charles Wesley Morgan III [Oklahoma City (OK) Alumni Chapter]. Brothers Davis and Morgan
had represented their respective Provinces on the ad hoc Constitution and Statutes Committee at
Grand Chapter meetings for over 20 years and were considered experts on these documents.
Past Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Blount was the author of several amendments
submitted by the Eastern Province that were adopted at Grand Chapter meetings.
Each Task Force member reviewed all the required documents and developed proposed
changes. It met at the Philadelphia (PA) Airport Marriott in October 1998 to discuss and revise
its recommendations. Past Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Blount presented the Task
Force report at a February 1999 Grand Board meeting in Atlanta, GA. The recommendations
included significant changes to the Constitution, which the Task Force believed would bring it
into compliance with the Indiana Nonprofit corporation statutes since the Fraternity is an
Indiana nonprofit corporation. The recommendations also proposed replacing the Statutes with
official Fraternity regulations because of the need for procedures that would be
contemporaneous and not require approval at a Grand Chapter meeting before implementation.
The Grand Board received the report and referred it to a committee headed by Grand Board
member Emerson Lattimore. The presentation of the recommendations at the Grand Board
meeting concluded the reason for the Task Force and it disbanded.
Upon hearing the reaction at the Grand Board meeting, each Task Force member reacted in a
similar fashion – they were disappointed but concluded the action by the Grand Board was
consistent with the traditional hesitancy of elected management teams to propose substantive
changes to the governing laws of the Fraternity. They recalled the last substantive change to the
Constitution and Statutes occurred in 1957 under Grand Polemarch C. Rodger Wilson.
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Michael R. Butler - The 36th Chapter Polemarch [1998-00]
Michael R. Butler, a native of Cleveland [OH], matriculated at the University of Akron earning a
BA degree in 1979. He also earned a MA degree from Howard University in 1986.
Butler came to Washington [DC] in 1981 to accept a position as a
Congressional Aide. During the next 14 years, he worked in various
assignments on the Capitol Hill. In addition to his daytime responsibilities,
Butler also sharpened his skills as a Workplace Consultant. In 1995, he left
the Hill to become Director of Workplace Programs at the Corporation
Against Drug Abuse. A year later, he formed The Michael Group. His
professional accomplishments have earned him recognition in – “Who’s
Who in Executive and Business”, “Who’s Who in the East”, and “Who’s Who
Among Rising Young Americans.” He has been a member of the
Congressional Awards Council and a board member of the Vanguard
Services Association.
Butler was a 1977 initiate of the Youngstown State University Chapter, the
Beta Pi of Kappa Alpha Psi. Within that chapter, he was Polemarch and VicePolemarch. Following the completion of his education, Butler affiliated with the Akron (OH)
Alumni Chapter. When he relocated to the Washington [DC] metropolitan area, he affiliated with
the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter. He has been – 1st Vice Polemarch, 2nd Vice Polemarch, and
Assistant Keeper of Records. He was a member of the Chapter official delegate team to the 72nd
and 73rd Grand Chapter meetings. His service to the Chapter earned him a Brother of the Year
Award and several Polemarch Appreciation Certificates. Within the Eastern Province, Butler was the
first chairman of the Province Life Membership Committee. Under his direction, the program
achieved its goal – 300 brothers Province Life Members. His efforts earned him Eastern Province
Meritorious Service Awards in 1998 and 2000.
The Clinton Impeachment
The impeachment of President Clinton arose from a series of events following the filing of a
lawsuit on May 6, 1994, by Paula Corbin Jones in the United States District Court for the Eastern
District of Arkansas. In her complaint, Ms. Jones alleged violations of her federal civil rights, in
1991, by Governor Clinton when she was a state employee. According to the allegations,
Governor Clinton invited Ms. Jones to his hotel room where he made a crude sexual advance
that she rejected.
After Ms. Jones filed the lawsuit, the attorneys for President Clinton
moved to delay any proceedings, contending the Constitution required
any legal action be deferred until his term ended. In Clinton v Jones, the
U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Clinton. Following the Court decision ,
pre trial discovery started in which various potential witnesses were
subpoenaed to elicit information related to the Jones incident and, over
objections of the attorneys for the president, alleged sexual approaches of
Clinton to other women. On April 1, 1998, Judge Susan Webber Wright
granted summary judgement in favor of Clinton, dismissing the Jones suit
in its entirety, finding Ms. Jones had not offered any evidence to support a
viable claim of sexual harassment or intentional infliction of emotion distress. Ms. Jones
appealed the Wright decision to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, but before a decision on the
appeal was rendered, Ms. Jones and Clinton settled the case on November 13, 1998.
The name of Monica Lewinsky, who worked in the White House in 1995 as
an intern, was on a list of potential witnesses, prepared by the attorneys for
Ms. Jones and furnished to the Clinton legal team. Linda Tripp, a former
White House employee, supplied the Jones legal team with her name. Tripp
had become a confidante of Lewinsky, and had secretly recorded various
conversations she had with Lewinsky relating to her contacts with the
President. On January 12, 1998, Tripp provided the tapes of her
conversations with Lewinsky to Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr, who
had been appointed to investigate charges relating to a real estate venture in
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Arkansas of the President and Mrs. Clinton. On the same day, the lawyers for Lewinsky sent her
sworn affidavit to the Jones attorneys in which she asserted in part “I have never had a sexual relationship with the President, he did not propose that we have a sexual
relationship, he did not offer me employment or other benefits in exchange for a sexual relationship,
he did not deny me employment or other benefits for rejecting a sexual relationship.”
On January 15, 1998, Starr obtained approval from Attorney General Janet
Reno, who in turn sought and received an order from the United States
Court of Appeals, to expand the scope of the probe into the new
allegations. On January 16, 1998, a meeting between Lewinsky and Tripp
at a hotel was secretly recorded pursuant to a court order. Federal agents
confronted Lewinsky at the end of the meeting with charges of perjury,
and demanded she cooperate in providing evidence against the
President. Lewinsky initially declined to cooperate, and told the FBI and
other investigators that much of what she had told Tripp was not true.
On January 17, 1998, President Clinton was deposed in the Jones lawsuit.
He denied having “sexual relations" with Lewinsky under a definition
provided to him in writing by her lawyers, and said he could not recall whether he was ever
alone with her. On January 21, 1998, the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times newspapers, and
ABC News reported Starr had expanded his investigation of the President to include the
allegations related to Lewinsky. After repeated media inquiries, on January 26, 1998, President
Clinton asserted in an appearance before the White House press corps: "I did not have sexual
relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky," and denied urging her to lie about an affair.
The attorneys for the President failed in efforts to block the expansion of the Starr investigation,
which now included whether the President had lied under oath in his deposition taken in the
Jones litigation. In July 1998, after being granted sweeping immunity from prosecution by Starr,
Lewinsky admitted she had a sexual relationship with the President that did not include
intercourse, but denied she had been asked to lie about the relationship by the President or by
those close to him.
On August 17, 1998, the President testified for over four hours before the Starr grand jury on
closed-circuit television from the White House. In his testimony, he admitted the Lewinsky
relationship, but denied he perjured himself in the Jones deposition because he did not interpret
the conduct with Lewinsky as constituting sexual relations. On the same evening, he appeared
on national television and admitted he had an "inappropriate relationship" with Lewinsky and
had misled the American people about it.
On September 9, 1998, Starr submitted a detailed report to the Congress in which he contended
there was "substantial and credible information that President William Jefferson Clinton
committed acts that may constitute grounds for an impeachment" by lying under oath in the
Jones litigation and obstructing justice by urging Ms. Lewinsky ... to file an affidavit that the
President knew would be false." On September 11, 1998, the House of Representatives
overwhelmingly approved House Resolution 525 authorizing a review by the Committee on the
Judiciary of the report of the Independent Counsel to determine whether sufficient grounds
existed to recommend to the House that an impeachment inquiry be started. It also approved
the public release of the Starr report. On September 21,1998, the Committee released nearly 3,200
pages of material from the grand jury proceedings and the Starr investigation, including
transcripts of the testimony of President Clinton and Lewinsky.
On October 8,1998, Congressman Henry Hyde [R-IL], Chairman of the
Committee on the Judiciary, introduced House Resolution 581, approved
258-163, authorizing and directing his committee to investigate whether
sufficient grounds existed for the impeachment of the President. After its
staff interviewed various witnesses in private, the Committee public
hearings started on November 19, 1998, followed by additional hearings in
which the Committee reviewed the issues and allegations of the Starr report,
and additional testimony provided by witnesses to its staff. The Committee
also heard contrasting views from constitutional experts on the legal basis
for impeachment as applied to the factual allegations pertaining to the
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Lewinsky matter.
The Democrats on the Committee sponsored a censure resolution as an alternative to
impeachment, which was defeated on December 8, 1998. On December 11-12, 1998, the Committee
approved four articles of impeachment for presentation to the full House, and on December 16,
1998, released its full report supporting its recommendation. After debate, the House approved
two of the Articles alleging the President had provided perjurious, false, and misleading
testimony, to the grand jury in the Jones case and his relationship with Lewinsky, and had
obstructed justice through an effort to delay, impede, cover up, and conceal the existence of
evidence related to the Jones case. After the House vote, President Clinton appeared before the
media at the White House “I have accepted responsibility for what I did wrong in my personal life. I have invited members of
Congress to work with us to find a reasonable, bipartisan and proportionate response. That approach
was rejected today by Republicans in the House but I hope it will be embraced by the Senate. I hope
there will be a constitutional and fair means of resolving this matter in a prompt manner.”
The Impeachment Trial in the Senate began on January 7, 1999. After Congressman Hyde read the
Articles of Impeachment approved by the House, the Senate adjourned, reconvening later that
day with U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Rehnquist present, who was sworn in as presiding
officer for the trial. Rehnquist swore in the 100 senators as jurors for the proceedings. The White
House Trial Memorandum submitted on January 13, 1999, outlined the case of the President.
The House Rebuttal countered that submission. In subsequent sessions, the Senate voted to adopt
a series of motions to limit evidence primarily to the video taped depositions, affidavits, and
other documents previously introduced, and voted to close its final deliberations to the public.
The Senate voted on the Articles of Impeachment on February 12, 1999, with a two-thirds
majority, or 67 Senators, required to convict. On Article I, that charged the President "...willfully
provided perjurious, false and misleading testimony to the grand jury" and made "...corrupt
efforts to influence the testimony of witnesses and to impede the discovery of evidence" in the
Jones lawsuit, the President was found not guilty with 45 Senators voting for the removal of the
President from office and 55 against. Ten Republicans split with their colleagues to vote for
acquittal; all 45 Democrats voted to acquit. On Article II, charging that the President "...has
prevented, obstructed, and impeded the administration of justice"..., the vote was 50-50, with all
Democrats and five Republicans voting to acquit.
Following the vote, President Clinton, in televised remarks from the White House “Now that the Senate has fulfilled its constitutional responsibility bringing this process to a
conclusion, I want to say again to the American people how profoundly sorry I am for what I said
and did to trigger these events and the great burden they have imposed on the Congress and on
the American people.
I also am humbled and very grateful for the support and the prayers I have received from millions
of Americans over this past year.
Now I ask all Americans, and I hope all Americans here in Washington and throughout our land,
will rededicate ourselves to the work of serving our nation and building our future together. This
can be and this must be a time of reconciliation and renewal for America.”
Some saw the outcome as a vindication of the President. Still others simply viewed it as another
opportunity for “Slick Willie” to demonstrate his escapability. Still others felt it was a matter
that should have remained behind closed doors rather than splashed across the front pages of
the major newspapers. To be certain there was a considerable amount of time, energy, and
money devoted to the Clinton Impeachment matter dating to 1994. Further, it placed a halo of
scorn and distaste over a presidency that offered so much promise and hope to the nation.
The Death of a Legend – Judge William S. Thompson
On December 8, 1998, William Sylvester Thompson joined the Chapter Invisible.
Born in Mebane (NC), on November 21, 1911, he was an only child whose parents sent him to
an Episcopal boarding school that was the forerunner of the Saint Augustine’s College in
Raleigh (NC). At the school, Thompson was an outstanding football and basketball player. The
combination of academic excellence and athletic success earned him a football scholarship to
Howard University in 1929, from which he earned a BS degree in 1934. His first ambition was to
study medicine but decided upon law since it was cheaper. He enrolled at the Terrell Law School
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and earned a LLB degree in 1939. He also completed graduate studies at the City College of
New York.
After passing the DC Bar, he organized the law form of Thompson, Evans, and Dolphin in 1944,
and remained a partner until his appointment as an Associate Justice of the DC Superior Court
in 1970. Thompson was a member of the first City Council of the District of Columbia and was
an ardent supporter of home rule.
Judge Thompson never forgot his beginnings and often commented about “leaving that plow in
the fields to attend school in Raleigh.” He maintained an air of humility despite the fact that his
roster of friends and associates included world leaders. One of his best friends was Earl Warren,
Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court when the Court decided the Brown v Topeka (KS)
Board of Education et al case. He was also a confidant to five presidents – Kennedy, Johnson,
Nixon, Ford, and Carter.
Perhaps his deepest passion was world peace. The focus of the three publications authored by
Judge Thompson was international Law. In 1963, he collaborated with a fellow [white] North
Carolinian - Charles S. Rhyne, whose background was similar to his – to form the World Peace
through Law Center. The fundamental purpose of the Center was to promote legal solutions to
international problems. Judge Thompson was the secretary-general and Rhyne was president.
Together they traveled throughout the world holding conferences to promote the mission of the
Center. At the 1973 Conference, held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast Judge Thompson as secretarygeneral reported that some 2,600 lawyers and jurists from 123 nations were present. He
commented to the Washington Law Reporter –
“The Abidjan Conference was the largest law meeting every held in Africa and it was the most effective
and productive world conference ever held to bolster laws and legal institution as instruments for
building peace of the world. “
The leadership endeavors and contributions of Judge Thompson earned him numerous awards.
Howard University conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws on him in 1975 and
praised him for his "gifts of leadership" and his "diligent efforts toward bringing peace to the
world through law." The Howard University School of Law renamed its International Law
Society the William S. Thompson International Law Society in 1974. He also received honorary
degrees from Lincoln University (1981) and St Augustine’s College (1983). He was the recipient
of the Charles Hamilton Houston Medallion of Merit form the Washington Bar Association, the
Distinguished Service Award from the National Bar Association, and the Whitney M. Yong
Memorial Award.
Judge Thompson was a member of several civic, professional, and social organizations, and
held a leadership position in most, including - president of the National Bar Association
[1957-59], president of the Washington (DC) Urban League [1966-69], and chairman of the
Judicial Council of the National Bar Association [1989-90]. Thompson was responsible for the
annual Palm Sunday Buffet of the DC Guardsmen, viewed by many as one of the most elegant
parties in the nation. Annually, its guest list reads like a Who’s Who of prominent African
Americans from throughout the nation.
Thompson was a member of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity and included its national foundation
among his charitable bequeaths in his Will. To acknowledge the significance of his contribution
the foundation named one of its legacy medallions, used to recognize contributions by
members, in his honor.
Thompson, a 1950 initiate of the Chapter, was a Life Member and supporter of the Kappa Alpha
Psi Foundation and the Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund. At the 61st Grand Chapter meeting
[1977], he accepted the Kappa Alpha Psi Humanitarian Award presented to Judge John J. Sirica.
The Celebration Ceremonies, held at the Washington National Cathedral, attracted a crowd of
mourners, including approximately 90 black robed Judges, marching in an impressive
procession, honoring one of their own. Officiating at the service were - the Very Rev. Nathan D.
Baxter, Dean of the Cathedral; the Rev. Canon Patricia M. Thomas, Precentor at the Cathedral;
the Rev. Thomas Sheehan, priest in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and the Rev.
Vincent P. Harris, homilist, rector, Saint George's Episcopal Church.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Participants in the service included – former Virginia Governor L. Douglas Wilder, Eugene
Hamilton [Chief Judge, Superior Court of the District of Columbia], Attorney Lloyd Iglehart,
and Bishop J. Clinton Hoggard. Retired Associate Justice Paul Webber III paid tribute to his
close friend with brief and humorous antidotes about their relationship. Brother Carl Anderson,
representing three of his affiliations – Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, and
the Hellians – provided another moving tribute to his close friend. Dr. Prezell Robinson,
president emeritus of Saint Augustine’s College offered a special tribute.
This was by far a most impressive ceremony chronicled in newspapers throughout the world.
The nation had lost a great leader and Kappa Alpha Psi had lost a brother whose life
personified the meaning of Phi Nu Pi. Perhaps, one of the glaring oversights of his life is the
absence of the Laurel Wreath among the awards acknowledging his achievements and
contributions to society.
The 1999 Province Council
The Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter, Xi, and Kappa Chi hosted the 1999 Province Council at
the Renaissance Hotel on April 1-4, 1999. The theme for this meeting was – “Kappa
Achievement…Approaching the Millennium.” Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Tutman
represented the Grand Board. Past Grand Polemarch Holloway was the Banquet Speaker.
Approximately 450 brothers registered for the meeting including –
Past Grand Polemarch Ernest H. Davenport;
Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer William B. Croom;
Laurel Wreath Wearer Paul P. Cooke;
Laurel Wreath Wearer Samuel P. Massie;
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee K. Bernard Chase;
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Joseph Bruton;
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Charles G. Tildon Jr;
Guy Levis Grant Awardee Richard Edwards;
East Central Province Polemarch Eric Morris;
Laurel Wreath Commission Chairman Joseph Finley;
Achievement Commission Chairman Donald Fletcher;
Past Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Samuel Hamilton;
Past Laurel Wreath Commission Chairman Richard Clark;
Past Eastern Province Polemarch Charles A. Brockett; and
Past Eastern Province Polemarch Clarence F. Nelson Jr
Province Polemarch Hill reported on the progress of the Province agenda –
Include Risk Avoidance Seminars at both the C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference
and the Province Council; DONE
Establish an Eastern Province Alumni Chapter Mentor Program to improve the
relationship between undergraduate and alumni members; DEVELOPING
Implement regular town hall meetings throughout the five regions of the Province;
DONE
Investigate obtaining liability insurance for Province officials; OPEN
Evaluate a Province Life Membership Program; DONE
Increase Province visibility at major networking events – Congressional Black
Caucus, National Pan Hellenic Council meetings, etc.; DONE
Establish annual chapter Polemarchs conference/Advisors workshops; DONE
Reactivate the annual Eastern Province Retreat; OPEN
Increase the participation of brothers from small chapters in Province affairs; DONE
Improve the relationship with the Eastern Province Silhouette Coordinator; DONE
Update the History of the Eastern Province and regularly publish a newsletter;
DEVELOPING
Increase the Province Social Action agenda; OPEN
Provide the Senior and Junior Province Polemarchs with opportunities for growth;
DONE
Increase support for the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation; DEVELOPING
Include Health Seminars at C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference and the
Province Council; DEVELOPING
Promote the National Black Patriots Memorial project; DEVELOPING
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Ensure that Province initiatives address the five objectives of the Fraternity;
DEVELOPING
Support national programs and mandates adopted at Grand Chapter meetings
DONE
The delegates accepted his report and commended him for the progress.
The delegates endorsed the candidacies of Senior Grand Vice Polemarch Tutman and Grand
Keeper of Records and Exchequer Croom for the offices of Grand Polemarch and Grand Keeper
of Records and Exchequer, respectively, at the 74th Grand Chapter meeting. They also
acknowledged the candidacy of Past Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Hamilton for the
office of Senior Grand Vice Polemarch and Grand Board member Alfred White for the office of
Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer.
The Eastern Province Life Membership Program
The Eastern Province Life Membership Program enables brothers to support the administrative
overhead of the Province by paying a fee that generates income. The fee also absolves brothers
from the payment of future annual dues adopted at Province Councils. Michael Butler
[Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter], selected by Province Polemarch Hill to coordinate the
Program, established a goal of 300 participants before the 2001 Eastern Province Council.
The 74th Grand Chapter Meeting
The Atlanta (GA) Alumni Chapter along with the Beta Delta, Gamma Kappa, Kappa Zeta, and
Kappa Theta hosted the 74th Grand Chapter meeting at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel on
August 17-22, 1999. The meeting attracted over 3,500 registered delegates and over 5,000 friends
and family members to the Mecca of the South. The August 15-16, 1999 edition of the Atlanta
Daily World carried a front-page picture of the 1912 Alpha of Kappa Alpha Nu and two stories.
Easily identifiable in the photograph are Founders Diggs, Alexander, Armstrong, Asher, Grant,
and Lee, along with two future Grand Polemarchs – Irven Armstrong and Frank Summers.
On August 15th the Grand Board attended a Habitat of Humanity house dedication. Ms.
Tomeka Weaver-Kemp and her son received the keys to their home from Grand Polemarch
Young in a ceremony carried by the local news media. Grand Polemarch Young and Junior
Grand Vice Polemarch Gima appeared on a local talk show to discuss why the Fraternity
participated in the project. On August 16th, the Grand Board paid tribute to Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr in a wreath laying ceremony at the King Center and to Brother Ralph David Abernathy
at the Lincoln Cemetery.
The Public Meeting included a tribute to brothers serving in the US Congress – Sanford Bishop,
John Conyers, Alcee Hastings, Bennie Thompson, and Albert Wynn. Following a videotaped
presentation, each honoree received a crystal bowl denoting his achievements. Grand
Polemarch Young presented a Kappa Alpha Psi Humanitarian Award to the 100 Black Men of
America Inc. This was the first time the Fraternity presented the award to a group rather than
an individual. A highlight of the program was the conferral of the Laurel Wreath [posthumously]
to Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor.
The Awards Program included the presentation of Distinguished Citizen Awards to three local
citizens, including former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young. Grand Polemarch
Young also presented the 63rd Elder Watson Diggs Award to Atty. Richard Clark [Washington
(DC) Alumni Chapter].
Grand Board member Uhriel Wood was the master of ceremonies at the Undergraduate
Luncheon. Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Gima delivered the keynote address.
The Foundation Luncheon attracted an overflow audience. Tavis Smiley, a 1984 Alpha initiate,
host of BET Tonight, electrified the audience with his address. Former Journal Editor Jonathan
Hicks gave musical selections and Foundation President Melvin Hopkins gave an overview of
the Foundation.
The 29th Grand Polemarch – Howard L. Tutman Jr
The election of Howard L. Tutman Jr the 29th Grand Polemarch was another example of the
Training for Leadership principle adopted by the delegates at the 16th Grand Chapter meeting.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
When he arrived in Atlanta for the 74th Grand Chapter meeting, he
was approaching his 33rd consecutive year as a member in good
standing through the Alpha Iota, Philadelphia [PA] Alumni Chapter,
and Baltimore [MD] Alumni Chapter. He had served in leadership
roles at the Province level – Board of Directors, Senior Province Vice
Polemarch, and Province Polemarch on two different occasions. At the
national level, he had missed three Grand Chapter meetings since his
1966 initiation, and was a frequent member of committees and task
forces. His exemplary service earned him numerous awards at the
national, province and chapter levels.
In 1991, the delegates at the 70th Grand Chapter meeting elected him
to the Grand Board. The delegates at the 71st Grand Chapter meeting
overwhelming elected him to a second term. In 1995, the delegates at
the 72nd Grand Chapter meeting elected him the Senior Grand Vice
Polemarch. At the 73rd Grand Chapter meeting, he was unopposed and elected to a second
term. Indeed, he was thoroughly prepared to assume the responsibilities of the chief executive
officer of the Fraternity in August 1999.
Besides his involvement in the Fraternity, Tutman was a member of – Blacks in Government
[HUD Chapter], Baltimore County NAACP, American Association of Planners, National
Association of Planners, and National Association of Black Meeting Planners – and a member of
the Colonial Baptist Church. In 1992, Carver High School, his high school alma mater,
recognized his achievements by inducting him into its Hall of Fame.
The vision of the 29th Grand Polemarch for the Fraternity was an expansion of the vision he
espoused in his message to the brothers attending the 1989 Eastern Province Council –
“Excellence is the only acceptable standard in Kappa Alpha Psi.”
The Death of a Basketball Pioneer - John B. McLendon
Basketball legend John B. McLendon died on October 8, 1999. Born in Hiawatha [KS] on April 5,
1915, he graduated from Sumner High School in Kansas City [KS] in 1932. After a year at junior
college, he he transferred to the University of Kansas where James
Naismith, his advisor and inventor of basketball, fueled his future
avocation - coaching. Although the color line at the University
prevented McLendon from playing basketball, he learned from
Naismith, and sharpened his skills as a coach at Lawrence [KS]
Memorial High School. McLendon, who earned a BS degree [1936],
was the first African American to earn a degree in physical education
from the University. He also earned a MS degree in physical education
from the University of Iowa [1937].
McLendon began his coaching career in 1938 as Assistant Basketball
Coach at North Carolina College in Durham [NC], and became head
coach in 1940. In 1944, the McLendon coached team played the Duke
University Medical School basketball team, a taboo in the 1940s, and
soundly defeated them. This was the first basketball game between a white and historically
black institution in the state of North Carolina. It would remain a secret for over 50 years. One of
his players was Harold Hunter, the first African American to sign a contract with a team in the
National Basketball Association.
In 1946, McLendon along with Talmadge Hill, and Harry Jefferson organized the first Central
Intercollegiate Athletic Association [CIAA] basketball tournament in a small gym in
Washington [DC]. Many southern cities did not want historically black institutions using their
facilities and would not rent to the CIAA. When the organizers found a facility, the players slept
on the floor because they could not stay in hotels in Washington [DC]. McLendon teams won
eight CIAA championships, including four consecutive tournament championships [1948-52].
In 1952, he coached at Hampton Institute where he continued the success he had experienced at
North Carolina College. He left Hampton, in 1954, to join the staff at Tennessee A & I State
University in Nashville [TN]. During his six year tenure [1954-59], his teams broke new ground.
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In 1954, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics [NAIA] agreed to invite a team
from one historically black institution to participate in its tournament in Kansas City [MO].
When his team won the 1954 title, McLendon became the first African American coach to win a
basketball championship that included teams from white and historically black institutions. His
1957, 1958 and 1959 teams also won championships, making him the first coach from any
institution to win three consecutive NAIA championships.
In 1959, McLendon was the first African American coach selected to lead the National All Star
Team, which defeated the championship team of the professional National Industrial Basketball
League (NIBL) in March. He also coached the NAIA All Stars in international play from 1961 to
1964, and in 1967. McLendon left Tennessee State, in 1959, to become head coach of the NIBL
Cleveland Pipers. In 1960, he was the first coach to defeat the U.S. Olympic Team with an
amateur team. In 1961, he was the first African American coach to win the national
championship of the Amateur Athletic Union. When the Pipers joined the American Basketball
League [ABL], McLendon became the first African American head coach of a professional team,
and won the ABL Eastern Division in 1962.
McLendon returned to college basketball in 1963 as head coach at Kentucky State. In 1966, he
went to Cleveland State, becoming the first African American head basketball coach of a
predominately white university, and, in 1969, led the basketball team to their best record.
In 1964, McLendon became the first African American coach appointed to the US Olympic
Committee. Beginning in 1966, he served as a scout for the Olympic and Pan-American Games
and, in 1968, he helped coach the USA Olympic team. In 1972, he was also selected to help
coach the US Olympic team.
The Denver Rockets hired McLendon, in 1969, making him the first African American head
coach in the American Basketball Association. His performance was did not meet the
expectations of the owners and they fired him before the midpoint of the season. Some have
opined the Rockets hired McLendon because of his relationship with Spencer Haywood.
Haywood was a member of the 1968 US Olympic Basketball Team who had completed one year
at the University of Detroit before deciding to forego the remainder of his college eligibility to
pursue a career as a professional basketball player. The rules of the National Basketball
Association precluded a player from entering its league until his college class graduated.
However, the American Basketball Association, a rival professional league, did not have that
restriction. Haywood signed with the Denver Rockets in 1969. He led the League in scoring and
was voted both the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards.
Although the termination by the Rockets ended a coaching career during which McLendon won
over 500 games and achieved a winning percentage of 76 percent, it did not end his
involvement with the sport he dearly loved. The Converse Rubber Company, a major
manufacturer of sports shoes, hired McLendon as an international representative. He also
conducted basketball clinics around the globe, in which, he shared many of his innovations.
Some of these innovations were used by white coaches who received acclaim for their impact
upon the game. As Ben Jobe, a legendary African American coach remarked - “When white
coaches used the McLendon techniques, they were called geniuses; when blacks used them,
their teams were called undisciplined and their game was called jungle ball.” McLendon also
wrote two well read books - “Fast Break Basketball: Fine Points” and “Fundamentals and The
Fast Break Game.” His career as a basketball coach earned him several awards, including •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1946-1955 CIAA Coach of the Decade;
1955 CIAA Coach of the Year;
1959 NAIA Coach of the Year;
1962 Helms Hall of Fame Awardee;
1977 New York Basketball Writers Association Metropolitan Awardee;
1978 CIAA Hall of Fame Inductee;
1979 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee;
1979 National Sports Hall of Fame Inductee; and
1979 Black Hall of Fame Inductee
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Washington Alumni Chapter 75th Anniversary Celebration
On October 16, 1999, the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter celebrated its 75th anniversary with
a Dinner/Dance affair at the J. W. Marriott Hotel. The affair culminated a year long series of
cultural and social events to commemorate its acceptance as an official unit of Kappa Alpha Psi.
Included among the 500 bothers and guests attending the affair were –
Past Grand Polemarch Ernest H. Davenport;
Laurel Wreath Wearer Paul Cooke;
Laurel Wreath Wearer Samuel P. Massie;
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Richard Clark;
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Joseph Bruton;
Elder Watson Diggs Awardee Lenzi G. Barnes;
Laurel Wreath Commissioner Walter E. Fowlkes;
Eastern Province Senior Vice Polemarch Rufus Clanzy;
Eastern Province Reporter Walter Brown;
Past Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer Terrance G. Blount;
Past General Counsel of Kappa Alpha Psi Winfred R. Mundle; and
Executive Assistant to Grand Polemarch Robert Jacobs
The formal program included remarks by Grand Polemarch Howard L. Tutman Jr;
Eastern Province Polemarch Anthony B. Hill;
Executive Director Richard Lee Snow;
National Silhouettes of Kappa Alpha Psi President Linda Meade;
Representative from the District of Columbia City Council; and
Representative from the Office of the Mayor
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
The Chapter published a Souvenir Journal that included photographs of the incumbent chapter
members, a brief history of the Chapter, and remarks by 17 of the 18 living past Chapter
Polemarchs about their tenures in office. The publication also included advertisements and
congratulatory letters from –
•
•
•
•
Grand Polemarch Tutman;
Eastern Province Polemarch Hill;
The Xi of Kappa Alpha Psi Polemarch Dwayne Beverly;
The Theta Tau of Kappa Alpha Psi Polemarch Darren P. Riley;
The Kappa Chi of Kappa Alpha Psi Polemarch Steve Lawrence;
National Silhouettes of Kappa Alpha Psi President Linda Meade;
National Silhouettes of Kappa Alpha Psi Second Vice President Gerry Fowlkes;
National Silhouettes of Kappa Alpha Psi Parliamentarian Gwendolyn Brown;
Washington (DC) Silhouettes of Kappa Alpha Psi President Jennifer D. Mahone;
Brother Sanford D. Bishop, US House of Representatives;
Brother John Conyers, US House of Representatives;
Brother Alcee Hastings, US House of Representatives;
Brother Bennie Thompson, US House of Representatives;
Brother Albert Wynn, US House of Representative;
Brother Kevin P. Chavous, Council of the District of Columbia;
President William Jefferson Clinton
District of Columbia Mayor Anthony Williams
District of Columbia City Council President Linda W. Cropp; and
District of Columbia Delegate to the House of Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton
A part of the festivities was a video presentation reflecting upon the Chapter and its
involvement within the Fraternity and the local community. It included interviews with several
members of the Chapter as well as memorable occasions within its 75 years of existence.
Polemarch Michael Butler presented the Brother of the Year Award to Vice Polemarch Joseph
Yearwood for his dedicated and unselfish service to the Chapter. He also presented the LaMont
H. Lawson Award, the highest award of the chapter, to Past Polemarch Samuel McCoy.
Past Journal Editor Jonathan Hicks offered two impressive musical selections for the audience.
A highlight of the evening was a toast to the Chapter by the oldest and newest members of the
Fraternity affiliated with the Chapter - Clarence C. Walker, a 1925 Pi initiate, and Rayshad
Holmes, a 1999 Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter initiate. The program concluded with Brother
Albert Burgess leading the brothers in the singing of the Kappa Alpha Psi Hymn.
Little Rock Nine Receive Highest Civilian Award
On November 19, 1999, President Clinton presented each of the Little Rock Nine with a
Congressional Gold Medal for their courageous acts of 1957. It is the highest honor presented to
civilians and requires the approval of the US Congress.
.
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
THE APPENDIX
&"'#"45 (!"$'%%"# !%&/6=;:16===
&"'#"45 (!"$'%%"$'%%&/6=;:16===
!
William L. Crump*
Terrance G. Blount
#&'#"
Grand Historian
Grand Keeper of Records & Exchequer
"(%
1967-1997
1986-91
&"'#"45 (!"$'%%"$'%'"&/6=;:16===
(!% 66 th
%
1985
&"'#"45 (!"$'%&'%"%#)"# !%&/6=;:16===
!
Anthony B. Hill
(!%
21st
"(%
1997-2003
&"'#"45 (!"$'%&'%"%#)"#(" &/6=;:16===
% 1999
#1#&'&
Xi
Beta Kappa
Kappa Chi
&"'#"45 (!"$'%# !%&/6=;:16===
!
Oscar L. Mims*
Ronald J. Taylor
Frederick B. Senior
Richard Clark*
Terrance G. Blount
Leroy Brown Jr
Samuel E. McCoy
Walter Brown Jr
Walter E. Fowlkes
Anthony B. Hill
Barrington Scott
Charles Mahone Jr
Michael Butler
*Denotes deceased member
(!%
24th
25th
26th
27th
28th
29th
30th
31st
32nd
33rd
34th
35th
36th
%
1974-76
1976-78
1978-80
1980-82
1982-84
1984-86
1986-88
1988-90
1990-92
1992-95
1995-96
1996-98
1998-00
122
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
&"'#"45 (!"$'%(% %'%%&/6=;:16===
The 27 th Laurel Wreath Wearer [1977]: Dr. William Thomas Carter
William Thomas Carter, a native of Norfolk, VA, earned a BA degree in French [1933], a MA
degree [1934] and a PhD degree [1941], all from the University of Michigan.
After earning his MA degree, he joined the faculty at Virginia State
College. In 1962, Carter took a leave of absence to accept a position with
the Peace Corps. While at the Peace Corps, he served as a Desk Officer
for French West Africa, a Deputy Director in Senegal and a Director in
Morocco. In 1966, Carter returned to Virginia State as Director of the
Division of Basic Education. In 1968, he retired and accepted a position at
the Department of Education, from which he retired in 1972.
Carter, a 1930 initiate of the Epsilon, affiliated with the Sigma while at
the University of Michigan. In 1933, the delegates at the 23rd Grand
Chapter meeting elected him the Grand Strategus. In 1938, Grand
Polemarch Mann appointed him to the Achievement Commission.
Brother Carter was a charter member of the Alpha Phi and the
Petersburg (VA) Alumni Chapter. He was a member of the Eastern
Province Board of Directors [1950-1955]. Grand Polemarch Wilson
appointed him the 10th Eastern Province Polemarch in 1955. The delegates at the 54th and 55th
Grand Chapter meetings elected him the Senior Grand Vice Polemarch. The delegates at the
56th and 57th Grand Chapter meetings elected him the 20th Grand Polemarch.
!IL -! .+%+-!++BGONKC6+',-+(%/')(+-4
Ernest Harold Davenport, the 19th Grand Polemarch, remained
involved with the direction of the Fraternity following his tenure in
office. In 1971, he helped orgainize the Kappa Housing and Economic
Development Corporation, a non-profit corporation established to
pursue the development of multi-family housing projects by the
Fraternity. When the Corporation became inactive, he was responsible
for winding up its affairs. In 1982, he accepted an invitation to become
an organizer of the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) public
charity, and served as its first Vice President. Davenport was among
the first to contribute $1,000 to the Foundation and contributed at least
$1,000 annually to the Foundation during his lifetime. When the
incorporating Foundation president resigned, Davenport served as the
Foundation president. Upon his retirement from the Foundation board
of directors [1988], the board designated him a Director Emeritus.
The 42nd Laurel Wreath Wearer - Dr. William L. Crump
Dr. William L. Crump [Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter], the seventh Elder Watson Diggs
Awardee, was one of the most dedicated Kappamen in the history of the Fraternity. As the Kappa
Journal Editor, he was responsible for over 100 publications. Following his retirement, he handpicked his successor – Earl Clanton, and as a member of the Publicity and Publications
Commission, influenced the selection of Jonathan Hicks, A. Van Jordan, and Mel Davis – the
fourth, fifth and sixth Journal Editors. From that perch, he also continued to influence the
content of the Journal.
Known throughout the Fraternity for his meticulous attention to detail and penchant for
protocol, he was also a walking source of information about the Fraternity
The 44th Laurel Wreath Wearer [1995]: Dr. Paul Philips Cooke
Paul Phillips Cooke was born in New York [NY] on June 29, 1917, but moved to Washington
[DC] in 1921. He was a product of the DC Public School System and graduated with honors
from Dunbar High School [1933]. Cooke matriculated at Miner Teachers College and earned a
BS degree [1937]. He also earned a MA degree from New York University [1941], a MA degree
from Catholic University [1943], and an Ed.D degree from Columbia University [1947].
123
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
Cooke began his professional career as an English professor at his
alma mater in 1941 and became president of the DC Teachers
College – the successor entity to Miner Teachers College – in 1966.
He retired from the College in 1974 to become a consultant to the
World Peace through Law Center. He has also been a consultant to
the National Bar Association, International Council of University
Presidents, National Council of Teacher Education, and American
Association of State Colleges and Universities.
To acknowledge his many years of service to higher education in the
District of Columbia and throughout the world, the University of
the District of Columbia established the Paul Phillips Cooke Lecture
Series [1979] and the Paul Phillips Cooke Scholarship [1984].
Cooke is a renowned scholar as evidenced by his writing over 200
articles and papers during his distinguished career. His reputation
for achievement earned him the respect and admiration of numerous organizations, including
the Catholic Interracial Council of Washington [DC], the American Veterans Committee, the
World Veterans Federation, and The Association for the Study of Afro-American Life.
Cooke, a devout Catholic, received the Papal Medal “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice” for extraordinary
services and leadership to the Catholic Church in 1984 from Pope John Paul II.
Cooke, a 1935 Xi initiate, was a member of the initiation demonstration team at the 26th Grand
Chapter meeting [1936]. During the tenure of Grand Polemarch James Scott [1939-1942], he was
a member of the Achievement Commission. Cooke was the driving force behind the
establishment of the Beta Kappa at Miner Teachers College in 1940, and was both an official and
unofficial advisor to the chapter for decades. His presence at Miner served as an inspiration to
the men of Beta Kappa who saw him as a role model and the personification of achievement.
Cooke affiliated with the Washington [DC] Alumni Chapter in 1941. He was a Keeper of
Records and Polemarch [1952-54]. Cooke was a member of the team that negotiated the
purchase of the Kappa House in 1949. At the 44th Grand Chapter meeting [1954], he was the
Closed Banquet Speaker.
124
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
&"'#"45 (!"$'% %'&#"&*%&/6=;:16===
The 25 th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee [1980]: Dr. Herman J. Tyrance
Herman J. “Bud” Tyrance, a professor at Howard University, was a
native of Attleboro [MA] who attended Tufts College in Boston [MA]
and was a member of its 1932 football team. Tyrance earned a BS degree
[1938] from Virginia State College, M.Ed from Boston University [1947],
and a PhD degree from Penn State University [1954].
Tyrance began his career as a high school teacher [1939]. In 1949, he
came to Howard University as an instructor in the Physical Education
Department. During his career at Howard, he held numerous positions
within the Department and retired as the Department chairman. Like
many college professionals, Tyrance was involved in other outside
activities. He was a visiting professor at Florida A&M University and
Jackson State University, and was director of several summer programs
sponsored by the DC Department of Recreation.
Tyrance, a 1934 Chi initiate, became the Journal Sports editor in 1954. He affiliated with the
Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter in 1949, and was Polemarch [1961-64].
The 34th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee [1983]: Sylvester R. Hall
Sylvester R. Hall, a native of Detroit [MI], migrated east to matriculate at Howard University.
An outstanding athlete, Hall was a member of the 1939 Xi basketball team that won the
championship at the 29th Grand Chapter meeting.
Professionally, he was a successful football coach in Washington [DC]
and at Virginia State College. During the 1940s, Virginia State fielded
some of the most powerful football teams in the nation. Many of its
players were World War II veterans. The architect who blended the
maturity of the veterans with the enthusiasm of recent high school
graduates was “Sal” Hall. When Virginia State University established a
Hall of Fame [1980], the first class of inductees included Hall, and
Thomas Verdell, a charter member of the Alpha Phi and Petersburg (VA)
Alumni chapters.
Hall, a 1931 Xi initiate, was among the group of brothers who affiliated
with the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter to facilitate the establishment
of the Beta Kappa at Miner Teachers College. He was also one of the first
brothers who worked at the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter Easter
Dawn Dance – as a Scroller – and to attend the affair as a host.
The 36th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee [1985] – James Carter Jr
James Carter Jr, a native Washingtonian, grew up in a depressed neighborhood in the Anacostia
section of the city. Most of the boys in his community failed to complete their high school
education but such was not the case for Carter. Determined to escape the albatross of poverty
and failure, Carter enlisted in the Army and spent time in Europe. In the middle of nowhere, he
met Charles Holloway, a 1939 Alpha Mu initiate, who encouraged Carter to continue his
education. Heeding the advice, Carter enrolled at Howard University and earned a BA degree
[1949], and a MA degree from New York University.
Carter was a dedicated public servant whose career included tenure in both the federal
government and the DC Public School system. As an educator, he was a role model for
thousands of boys uncertain about their futures. He encouraged them to continue their
education by attending college. Several were stellar athletes who chose historically black
institutions in the South. Because of the impression he made upon them, many of his high
school protégés became members of Kappa Alpha Psi. His most notable protégé was Tommy
Day, a Phelps Vocational High School graduate, who went on to earn All American honors at
North Carolina A & T College and to star in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills. Day was a 1858
initiate of the Alpha Nu. Robert E. Muldrow, another Phelps graduate, heeded the warning of
Brother Carter not to attend Howard University because he felt an education experience outside
125
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
of Washington, DC would be more beneficial. Muldrow matriculated at North Carolina A & T
College, and enjoyed a successful career in the federal government before starting his own
business in the early 1980s. Muldrow was a 1960 Alpha Nu initiate.
Carter was concerned about the plight of the disadvantaged. Following his retirement from the
DC Public School System and the federal government, he became active in the political process
and was a volunteer assistant to Detroit Congressman John Conyers. His enthusiasm for his
work caused several brothers to view Carter as an unofficial Congressman. Carter was National
Treasurer of the National Coalition on Black Voter Participation Inc., a nonprofit organization
whose principal focus is increasing the registration of Blacks and their participation in the
political process.
Carter was an avid sports fan, particularly football, and was a football official for the Central
Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Often, he found himself officiating games between teams
that included several of his protégés. Upon his retirement as an active official, the Association
inducted him into its Hall of Fame.
Carter, a 1948 Xi initiate, was committed to the ideals of the Fraternity. While a student
pursuing an advanced degree, he served on the Grand Board [1951-52]. Grand Polemarch
Gumbs appointed him the National C Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference chairman
[1979-82]. At the local level, Carter was a Chapter Polemarch [1967-69] and a supporter of the
Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund, the 501 (c )(3) public charitable affiliate of the Chapter.
The 50th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee [1993]: Dr. Joseph Bruton
Joseph Bruton, a native of Orlando [FL], was a successful chemist. A product of the segregated
public school system in Orlando, Bruton declined an opportunity to enter the Morehouse
College early admittance program following his junior year in high school.
After graduating from high school, Bruton served in the United
States Army. Following his discharge he entered Howard
University in January 1947. To help finance his education, Bruton
was a student assistant to Dr. Modie Taylor, Professor of Chemistry.
With the assistance and encouragement of Brother Taylor, Bruton
earned a BS degree in 1950, and MS and PhD degrees from
Georgetown University.
Bruton worked as a chemist at the Walter Reed Army Medical
Center for 35 years. During his career, he held numerous
management positions and received several commendations from
the Department of the Army for his exemplary service. He also
published over 35 articles and was a visiting lecturer in the
biochemistry field. After retiring [1987], he donated his time to
assist high school students interested in the sciences and was an adjunct Professor at the
University of the District of Columbia.
Bruton, a 1948 Xi initiate, was one the first residents of the Kappa House. Within the Chapter, he
was Polemarch [1972-74]. When the Chapter established the LaMont H. Lawson Award as it
highest award [1972], Bruton was in the first class of recipients. He was a perennial attendee at
Eastern Province Councils and Grand Chapter meetings, and known throughout the Fraternity
for his penchant for adherence to the rules at local, Province, and Grand Chapter meetings. For
over 20 years, he was a member of the Laurel Wreath Commission and chaired the Commission
[1988-1991]. At the 53rd Grand Chapter meeting, the delegates approved amendments,
authored by Bruton, which modified the procedure for selecting Laurel Wreath candidates.
The 58th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee [1995]: Dr. Oscar L. Mims
Oscar Lugree Mims, a native Washingtonian, grew up in the Shaw area and was a product of
the DC Public School system. While in high school, Mims was a successful basketball player but
his skinny frame prevented him from playing while matriculating at DC Teachers College.
Mims was a true educator with a thirst for knowledge. Although his degree from DC Teachers
College qualified him to teach in the DC Public School system, he chose to enter the federal
government arena. Drawing upon a burning desire to achieve coupled with a high level of self126
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
confidence Mims advanced through the ranks to the highest level open to career federal
employees. He was a close confidant of several high level political appointees and cabinet
secretaries. Unselfish to the bone, Mims was responsible for advancing the careers of several
African American federal government employees.
Mims, a 1955 Beta Kappa initiate, credits Brother Paul Cooke with teaching him about the
nuances of Kappa Alpha Psi. While matriculating at DC Teachers, Mims was a Beta Kappa
Polemarch. When the chapter membership began to dwindle, the Beta Kappa alumni elected
Mims the unofficial Polemarch, at a time when he was Vice Polemarch of the Chapter. Mims and
Al Burgess, a 1958 Beta Kappa initiate, held the alumni together and identified a group of
students to reactivate the chapter in 1976.
Within the Chapter, Mims was - Vice Polemarch [1961-64; 1971-74], Polemarch [1974-76], and a
LaMont H. Lawson Award recipient. Within the Eastern Province, Mims was a member of the
Board of Directors and the Senior Province Vice Polemarch. At the national level, Mims was the
National C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference Chairman [1982-85], a member of the team
of Task Forces empaneld by Grand Polemarch Bacon, and the Executive Secretary of Kappa
Alpha Psi [1986-88].
The 63rd Elder Watson Diggs Awardee [1999]: Atty. Richard Clark
Richard Clark, a native Washingtonian, grew up in the Shaw community. Clark matriculated at
Howard University and earned a BA degree in 1958. He also earned a JD degree from Howard
University [1965] and a LLM degree from George Washington University [1971].
Clark enlisted in the US Army Reserves during his senior year of high school. He remained in
the Reserves while a student at Howard and rose to the rank of Sergeant. Upon graduating
from Howard, Sergeant Clark resigned to accept a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the
Military Police Branch. After completing his active duty tour, he moved to the US Army
Reserves. During the next nine years [1960-69], Clark served in command positions within the
Military Police Branch. In 1970, Captain Clark transferred to the Judge Advocate General
Branch. For the next 23 years, he was member of the military judicial system. His final
assignment was as a Military Judge in the Criminal Law Division. He retired as a Colonel in
1993 with the 39 years of military service.
Clark began his professional career as an attorney for the United States Customs Service [1965].
In 1968, he became a managing attorney for the Neighborhood Legal Service Program. In 1971,
he accepted a position as Professor of Business Law at the Federal City College. That same year,
he became a partner in a local law firm. He remained a member of the firm until 1981, when he
left to establish his own practice. Following the formation of the University of the District of
Columbia, Clark was named Professor of Business Law at the University. In 1990, he became
Chairman of the Business Law Department, and in 1992, Acting Dean of the College of Business
and Public Management.
Clark was a member of several professional and civic organizations. In 1990, the District of
Columbia City Council passed a resolution acknowledging the achievements and contributions
of Clark and his family. In 1993, WHUR/FM, a local minority owned radio station, selected
Clark as an African American Men Who Have Succeeded Against All Odds Award recipient.
Clark, a 1955 Xi initiate, was one of the hardest working members of the Chapter. Any activity
involving him met or exceeded expecations. He was - Vice Polemarch [1969-71], Polemarch
[1971-72; 1980-82], and a LaMont H. Lawson Award recipient. Within the Eastern Province,
Clark was the Province Historian/Reporter [1970-77] and published at least one edition of the
Kappa Khronicle each year. He funded most of the publications with his personal resources. In
1970, Province Polemarch Overton appointed Clark a Province Legal Advisor. The Eastern
Province acknowledged his dedicated service by presenting him an Achievement Award [1976],
Service Award [1979 and 1985], and a Meritorious Service Award [1998]. At the national level
Clark was a member of several national committees and commissions. Grand Polemarch
Holloway appointed him to the Publications and Publicity Commission [1976-78] where he
helped refine the policies for the official publications of the Fraternity. In 1979-80, he was an
Associate Editor of the Kappa Alpha Psi Journal. In 1985, Grand Polemarch Bacon appointed
him the Laurel Wreath Commission chairman.
127
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
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James Carter Jr*
Carl E. Anderson
Oscar L. Mims*
Jesse W. Morton*
Joel E. McLeod Jr
Richard Clark*
Donald G. Fletcher
Frederick B. Senior
Henry H. Young Jr*
Walter R. Battle
Paul P. Cooke
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Robert E. Muldrow
George B. Dines
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%
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A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
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132
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
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133
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
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The First Black Female Delegate to US House of Representatives- Eleanor Holmes Norton
Eleanor Holmes, a fourth generation Washingtonian, was born on June 13, 1937. Her father –
Coleman – was a DC government civil servant – and her mother – Vela Lynch Holmes – was a
teacher. After graduating from Dunbar High School, Holmes earned a BA degree from Antioch
College [1960]. She also earned two degrees from Yale University – MS degree [1963] and LLB
degree [1964].
Holmes began her professional career as a law clerk for Judge A.
Leon Higginbotham Jr [1964-65]. In 1965 she became Assistant
Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union. During the
turbulent civil rights movement of the 1960s, she also worked for
the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the
Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. In 1968, Holmes, an
advocate for free speech, won her first case before the U.S. Supreme
Court. Her client was a white supremacist group barred from
holding a rally in Maryland. As an ACLU lawyer, she sued New
York City Mayor John Lindsay, on behalf of the segregationist
politician George Wallace, who was initially prevented from
making a speech at Shea Stadium during his 1968 presidential
campaign.
In April 1970, Mayor Lindsay appointed Norton the chairperson of the New York City
Commission on Human Rights – her first political assignment. At that time of her appointment,
McCall magazine carried a story about the assignment and quoted her –
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She then began a remarkable string of achievements, tenaciously battling prejudices and
injustice. Conservatives fretted about her activism, while some members of the black
community criticized her for placing too much emphasis on issues involving women at the
expense of combating racial prejudice. In another McCall magazine article, she commented –
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Norton was an Executive Assistant to Mayor Lindsay [1971-74], taught a class at the New York
Law School, hosted a television program - Open Circuit - and conducted a radio program.
In 1977, President Carter appointed her Chairperson of the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission. When Carter left office [1981], she moved to academia, focused on teaching, and
became a tenured professor at Georgetown University. President Ford appointed her to a panel
to investigate the welfare system of the nation.
During his 1988 bid for the presidency, Jesse Jackson named Norton his representative at the
Democratic National Convention during a debate over the Democratic Party platform. The
Party "outsider" - Jackson – chose Norton partly because of the respect she had among
Democrats. This led to her characterization as a power broker by Ebony magazine.
When DC Delegate Fauntroy announced he would be stepping down in 1990 to run for mayor,
Norton shifted her focus from national politics to the bread and butter concerns of Washington.
Commenting about the Fauntroy decision in Ebony magazine –
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134
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
(' +,, ' -! !"- (., ' (+& "-, -() %- (""%, "'-( ((+"'--&7E
To move forward she had to win the seat, a goal that seemed easily within reach until just
before the Democratic primary in the fall of 1990. In the days preceding the September primary,
Norton was hit with a stunning setback. According to the Washington Post, reporters had
received an anonymous leak that Norton and her husband had failed to pay District income
taxes between 1982 and 1989. At a hastily called news conference, Norton tearfully explained
that her husband, Edward, not she, was responsible for the family finances. They eventually
paid $88,000 in back taxes and penalties. Norton won the primary with 40 percent of the vote. In
November, she gathered 62 percent of the vote against Republican candidate Harry Singleton.
While her political career survived the tax scandal, her marriage did not. The couple legally
separated just days after the 1990 election; the Washington Post quoted her friends as saying the
split resulted directly from the tax controversy. The two were divorced in 1993. The Nortons
have two children including a daughter, Katherine, who has Down's syndrome. Commenting
about her daughter in Ebony - "Katherine is an extraordinary human being and it's a pleasure to
bring out the best in her."
Fortune 300 Chief Executive Officer – A. Barry Rand
Addison Barry Rand was born in Washington [DC] on November 5, 1944. His father, Addison P.
Rand, a 1934 Xi initiate, was a federal government employee, and
his mother was a DC elementary school principal. Rand was one of
the first blacks to attend Archbishop Carroll High School. He
excelled both in the classroom and in athletics. In his senior year,
he was the Senior Class President, and captain of the baseball,
basketaball, and football teams.
Rand attended Rutgers University where he found life different
from his glory days in high school. After two years of average
grades and an unnoticed athletic career, he transferred to American
University and earned a BS degree [1968]. He also earned two
degress from Stanford University - MBA [1972] and MA in
Management Science [1973].
Rand worked in retail sales at various suburban Washington [DC]
department stores. In 1968, things changed. Balir Walker, a reporter for USA Today, wrote about
his start with the Xerox Corporation –
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Rand got the job and was the first black sales representative for Xerox in the Washington area.
Within two years [1970] he was the third ranking salesmen in the country. Despite the
commitment of Xerox to an affirmative action plan, Rand knew that to prove his worth and
value required him to work twice as hard and to be twice as good. He operated under the
principle – to be equal, you must be twice as good.
Rand was a member of a group of black employees at Xerox formed to help blacks climb the
corporate ladder. They studied the mechanics of the copier machine product line, shared
information, and offered words of support and encouragement to each other. They even
borrowed corporate video equipment to tape and critique their sales presentations. During an
interview with Christine Dugas of New York Newsday, Rand commented –
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During the 70s, Xerox was among a select group of major corporations that hired minorities in
large numbers. Although their skills were equal to or better than their peers, they did not
receive promotions as quickly as their white counterparts. In 1971, a group of black employees
135
A History of the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter: 1975-1999
in San Francisco charged the company with discrimination and filed a class-action lawsuit. In
an effort to resolve the problem, Xerox management formed the Minority Advisory Committee,
composed of seven employees, including Rand, to track the progress of black employees and
fight racism in the workplace.
As a member of "The Road Show" – as the Committee would later be known - Rand traveled the
country setting up conferences for black caucuses and serving as a role model for other black
employees. Rand proved the right choice as a role model as he worked his way up through a
variety of sales and marketing positions.
In 1980, he became Corporate Director of Major Account Marketing. Since Xerox had lost 30
percent of the worldwide office products market since 1970, Rand knew he was facing probably
one of his toughest challenges – developing a new marketing program to get Fortune 1,000
companies to buy more of their products. In an interview with Jonathan Hicks of the New York
Times, he recalled –
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The success of the new marketing program led to his appointment as Vice President of Major
Account Marketing Operations in 1981, followed by a string of successive promotions: Vice
President of Field Operations [1983]; Vice President of Eastern Operations [1984]; and a
Corporate Vice Presidency [1985]. In 1986, he became President of the Xerox US Marketing
Group, responsible for a $5 Billion sales force and 33,000 employees.
Rand was determined to make Xerox one of the most successful corporations in America where
a woman or minority would have an equal chance at success. In an interview with Jim
Schachter of the Los Angeles Times, he commented –
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During his tenure as President, the U.S. Marketing Group received national recognition as the
number one sales force and number one training organization in America. He was also the driving
force behind Xerox receiving the 1989 Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award.
When David Kearns, the Xerox CEO since 1932, retired in 1990, the company began a major
management restructuring process. The new Xerox chairman and CEO - Paul Allaire –
transformed the Office of the President into a document processing corporate office. In February
1992, the Xerox board of directors elected Rand an Executive Vice President. According to Black
Enterprise magazine –
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Rand left Xerox after a 30-year career to become Chairman and CEO of the Avis Group. During
his tenure, he transformed that company into the leading service and information provider of
automotive transportation and vehicle management solutions in the world. After retiring from
Avis, the board of directors named him Chairman Emeritus.
Throughout his life, a driving factor has been the expectations of his parents that he become a
professional. His list of accomplishments include - service on major corporation boards of
directors, induction into the National Sales Hall of Fame [1993], and service to the community.
He has been a member of the Howard University board of trustees since 2001. When asked how
he wants to be remembered, Rand said –
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136