CHAPTER HISTORY

The Lexington Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi was chartered as the Frankfort-Lexington Alumni Chapter on Saturday, December 17, 1927. It was the only Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Inc. chartered in that year.

Kappa history runs deep in Lexington and in the state of Kentucky. Our principle Founder, Brother Elder Watson Diggs, was born in Hopkinsville, KY, on December 23, 1883 and raised in Madisonville, KY. He married his first wife, Clara Bell Smith in Lexington in 1912. He entered Chapter Invisible on November 8, 1947. Also, our 24th Grand Polemarch, Robert Gordon, was born and raised in Lexington, KY as well.

The 1st Polemarch of the Frankfort-Lexington Alumni Chapter was Brother Robert E. Skelton. Brother Skelton also has Kentucky roots and was born December 28, 1892 in Sharpsburg, KY. He was initiated into Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Inc. at the Alpha Chapter (Indiana University) in the spring of 1912. After leaving Indiana University, Shelton continued to serve Kappa Alpha Psi diligently. In 1921, while working on his doctorate degree, he was an integral part in reorganizing the Theta Chapter, of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. at Northwestern University. His work continued when he move to the Lexington area. From 1926-1928, Brother Skelton was the pastor of M.E Church in Lexington, KY.

To date, we know the following Brothers were members of the Frankfort-Lexington Alumni Chapter in December 1927: John B. Caulder, John E. Hunter, Edward Jackson, Chaplin Stevenson and JH Taylor.

The chapter operated for several years, until it slowed down due to the war.

In August 1950, a petition to re-establish the Frankfort-Lexington Alumni Chapter was submitted by: Dr. Thomas B. Biggerstaff, James B. Brown, Charles C. Buford, Horace W. Hogan, Charles H. Livisay, Charles H. Moody, Charles H. Quillings, Maurice Strider and Ferdinand Talbert.

Building on the re-activation of the chapter, along with the others listed above Zirl Palmer, Harry Sykes, James Hammons, Raymond McReynolds, Charles H. Smith and Henry Crump and several others carried the chapter. The 1960’s was time of significant growth for the Frankfort-Lexington Alumni Chapter. Several prominent brothers entered the greater Lexington area: Harold (Horace) Smith, John E. Hunter, Bush Hunter, Adoulphus Thompson, James Brown, Robert Green and John Mason joined the growing chapter.

The 1970’s and 1980’s saw an enormous increase in brothers coming to Lexington. IBM, Toyota and other companies started to attract African American professionals to the area, and they settled to start their family and careers. In 1974, 10 brothers associated with Kentucky State University instituted a petition to establish a chapter in Frankfort to eliminate the travel to and from Lexington. On September 19, 1975, the Frankfort (KY) Alumni Chapter was chartered.

Brothers who joined the chapter during this time include Eugene Ballentine, Ronald Young, Michael Hubbard, Randall Harris, John Stewart, George Hull, Leon Tucker, Louis Cameron, George Brown Jr., Leon Ticker, Paul Belcher, Don Byars, Michael Blackman, Titus Williams, Benjamin Crockett, Willie E. Edwards, Kevin Gaston, Hosea Johnson, Charles Maupin, Willie Scales, Vincent Taylor, Hurtis Mitchell, Robert Murray, Sammie Brooks, Anthony Gay, Reginald Gay, Leonard Hamilton, Dwight McMillan, Herb Owens, Darryl Scott, Gene Shaw, Walter Simpson, Richard Gentry, Gerald Smith, Reginald Thomas, William Walker, Jr., Don Figgs and Wil James.

The 1990’s and 2000’s brought on another huge growth within the Lexington Alumni Chapter. Notables joining the chapter at that time included Keith Jackson, Wardell Johnson, Earl Wright, Bill Swope, LeRoy Mitchell, Prenell Mitchell, Roger Cleveland, Cleo Price, Buzz Burnham, Orlando Richard, Anthony Tichenor, Dr. Marvin Mills, Lorenzo Croft, Anthony Davis, Myron Thompson, Manny Caulk, Jimmy Meadows, Lenroy Jones, Steve Mason, Clarence Grimes,Michael Bolton and several others.

Not only did the chapter grow through reclamation, but they initiated several lines: Fall 1992 Kappa Ship the Four Krimson Horsemen (Stewart Peoples, Sherman Fields, Kim Clay and Ricky Jones); Fall 1995 Kappa Ship Krimson Tide (Michael Jackson, Tim Hardin, Billy Swanson, AJ Coffey, James Jackson and Charles Watson) and Summer 1997 (Jamie Jackson and Tom Wade).

Spring 2001 (Sam Ashby, Darren Cross, Robert Lewis and Phillip McCann); Fall 2006 Kappa Ship (Omar Rasoul and Emmanuel Smith); Spring 2009 Kappa Ship Two Kaptivating (Jonathan Hamilton and Dr. Adu Boateng); Spring 2011 Kappa Ship Kappafeines (Brian Hodge, Jerry Sims and Alex Marshall); Spring 2013 Kappa Ship Kuttovadiamond (Byron Hensley); Spring 2014 (Phillip Garrard, Glenn Mills and Larry Forester); Summer 2016 Kappa Ship 1 and Only (Christopher Kirby) and Fall 2016 Kappa Ship DynamiK Duo (Mark Ervin and Kevin Woolfolk). Fall 2018 Kappa Ship Kap2vating Knights of Excellence (Joshua Willams and Dom Hudspeth). Spring 2020 Kappa Ship 3 Kings (Rev. David Peoples, Patrick Walker, and Kris Wright). Fall 2021 Kappa Ship New Kontent (Jamie Gray, Taylor Robinson, DeAndre Eubanks, Dwayne Gary, Raymond Ross, and Howard Watkins).

During this 20 year period, the chapter hosted 3 Province Council Meetings, C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Meeting, 3 South Central Province Board Meeting, Kentucky Founders’ Day, MOIP Cluster Initiations and social and scholarship events. Several brothers were elected and/or appointed to serve on the Grand Chapter and South Central Province levels of the fraternity.

Currently, the Lexington Alumni Chapter has been a very active and integral part of the greater Lexington community. We have active roles in government, education, ministry, athletics, business and the arts. We participate in the NAACP, B.U.I.LD, Roots and Heritage, Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration.

Our national initiative is the Guide Right Program. The Guide Right program is Kappa Alpha Psi’s mentoring program, leading young boys and young men into a positive and productive adulthood. We have several program that contribute to our overall Guide Right mission. Kappa League is for the educational, occupational and social guidance of male students in grades 6th-12th. We also support the BMW program. Brother spend time teaching, reading and tutoring kids on a weekly basis.

Last but certainly not least, the chapter host the Kappa Alpha Psi Annual Scholarship Golf Scramble, which raises money for college and high school scholarships. Proceeds have also been used to assist students with clothing and /or school related supplies for young men around the city.