2019 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 88
BY SENATOR CARTER
A RESOLUTION
To recognize April 30, 2019, as "Kappa Day at the Kapitol".
WHEREAS, regarding Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity men, "Achievement" is what they
do, "Commitment" is who they are, and "Fidelity" is how they live; and
WHEREAS, Kappa Alpha Psi, a college fraternity, now comprised of functioning
undergraduate and alumni chapters on major campuses in cities throughout the country, is
the crystallization of a dream; and
WHEREAS, the establishment of the fraternity is the beautiful realization of a vision
shared commonly by the late revered founders that enabled them in the school year
1910-1911, more specifically the night of January 5, 1911, on the campus of Indiana
University at Bloomington, Indiana, to sow the seed of a fraternal tree whose fruit is
available to, and now enjoyed by college men everywhere, regardless of their color, religion,
or national origin; and
WHEREAS, the constitution of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated is
predicated upon and dedicated to the principles of achievement through a truly democratic
fraternity; and
WHEREAS, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity was originally chartered and incorporated
under the laws of the state of Indiana as Kappa Alpha Nu on May 15, 1911; and
WHEREAS, the name was changed to Kappa Alpha Psi by a resolution offered and
adopted at the Grand Chapter in December 1914, which became effective April 15, 1915;
and
WHEREAS, the name acquired a distinctive Greek letter symbol and Kappa Alpha
Psi thereby became a Greek letter fraternity in every sense of the designation; and
WHEREAS, from its inception, every endeavor was directed toward establishing the
fraternity upon a strong foundation before embarking on plans of expansion; and
WHEREAS, by the end of the first year, the then Grand Polemarch, Elder Watson
Diggs, working together with original Grand Board of Director member, B. K. Armstrong,
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had completed the ritual and commenced work on the coat of arms, which was completed
the following summer; and
WHEREAS, in having adopted a mutually suitable motto, Grand Polemarch Diggs
and Grand Board of Director members B. K. Armstrong and John M. Lee carried a sketch
of the coat of arms to a commercial engraver, from which he made the first metal plate
"Kappa Alpha Psi"; and
WHEREAS, for years, in order to safeguard the ritualistic secrets of the fraternity,
Grand Polemarch Diggs laboriously typed and bound the rituals; and
WHEREAS, it was not until he moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he met an old
German printer in whom he had confidence that he entrusted the esoteric materials of the
fraternity to a commercial printer; and
WHEREAS, in the spring of 1912, Grand Polemarch Diggs wrote in a little blue
examination book the first Kappa Alpha Psi constitution, which was adopted in 1920; and
WHEREAS, this edition of the first constitution remained in use until 1926 when it
was supplanted by the codified edition jointly written by Elder Watson Diggs, J. Ernest
Wilkins, and W. Ellis Stewart; and
WHEREAS, in 1957 the constitution again underwent a major revision; and
WHEREAS, now substantially established and provided with a constitution, ritual,
coat of arms, motto, and guiding hand in a dynamic Grand Chapter, the fraternity was ready
for expansion; and
WHEREAS, in the summer of 1912, Grand Polemarch Diggs visited the University
of Illinois at Urbana, Illinois, where he met Earl B. Dickerson, president of the old "Illini
Club"; and
WHEREAS, this club constituted the nucleus of the University of Illinois chapter,
the Beta, which was chartered on February 8, 1913; and
WHEREAS, Gamma Chapter was established on December 29, 1913, followed by
the establishment of Delta Chapter at the University of Iowa on March 7, 1914; and
WHEREAS, the latter was subsequently changed to the Gamma Chapter, and the
designation of Delta was assigned to the Wilberforce University Chapter at Wilberforce,
Ohio; and
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WHEREAS, Epsilon Chapter, Lincoln University, Pennsylvania was established on
December 4, 1915, as the first chapter in the East; and
WHEREAS, except for the years of World War I and World War II when several
Grand Chapter meetings were suspended, Kappa Alpha Psi embarked upon an era of
expansion and growth and prevailed with unabating impetus; and
WHEREAS, to date, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity is organizationally and
administratively mature; and
WHEREAS, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity steadily moves toward a tomorrow of
promise, productivity, and influence.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby recognize April 30, 2019, as "Kappa Day at the Kapitol".
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
Southwestern Providence Council of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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