Fraternity honors 90th anniversary

Kappa Alpha Psi, one of America's first African-American fraternities, celebrated its 90th anniversary this weekend. Members of IU's Alpha chapter attended a rededication in Indianapolis Saturday. IU's chapter was the first in a fraternity that now has hundreds of chapters internationally.\nThe IU chapter now has 17 undergraduate members. \nMembers went to Indianapolis to visit the graves of three of the main founders of the fraternity, including Watson Diggs, the first polemarch, or president of the fraternity.\nThey also listened to speeches by people acquainted with the founders and placed carnations on the graves.\nCurrent polemarch, senior Darrell Perry, said although it is challenging to be president of the fraternity, the positive aspects outweigh the negative.\n"First and foremost, I enjoy serving as president of the Alpha chapter," Perry said. "The fact that the fraternity was founded here and Elder Watson Diggs was the first to serve ... to follow in his footsteps is very rewarding."\nThe fraternity was founded at IU in 1911 and was the first fraternity for black students in the Midwest. The other two pre-existing black fraternities were on the East Coast.\nFounder Diggs is often referred to as "the dreamer."\n"He had the vision of the fraternity," said senior Herbert Kimble III, a member of Alpha chapter. "He had the dream of turning the original 10 men into an international fraternity amidst the oppression in 1911."\nKappa Alpha Psi now has more than 400 chapters world-wide. \n"Whenever we go somewhere and other members notice we're from Alpha chapter, it raises eyebrows because this is where it was all started," Perry said.\nThe IU chapter maintains an active role in the Bloomington community. Its members donate time to Adopt-a-Road program, Girls Inc. and the Faculty and Staff for Student Excellence mentoring program. \nAlpha chapter's planned activities for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday included cleaning their Adopt-a-Road section today and bowling at the Indiana Memorial Union from 8-10 p.m. Wednesday. \nKappa Alpha Psi has won many awards, including IU's Diversity Award, the Panhellenic Greek Fest and the Homecoming parade contest. \nPerry said although most members are African American, there are no rules barring non-minority students, and there have been white members in the past.\n"The fraternity was formed because of the discrimination that the founders felt," Perry said. "So when they wrote our constitution, they didn't want to discriminate." \nKimble said he likes belonging to an international network of organization members.\n"Kappa for me provided the brotherhood I needed on campus and activities like community service," Kimble said. "It provides a link across the whole nation. You know that almost anywhere I go there's a brother there that can help you out."\nThe national organization has many famous alumni, including attorney Johnny Cochrane and athlete Anfernee Hardaway.\nIndianapolis alumni member Kevin King said his experience in Kappa Alpha Psi had a great impact in his life.\n"I would say that looking back, Kappa gave me a lot of leadership skills, communication skills and it's helped me work with people from other backgrounds," King said. "It showed me a path to achievement"