Kappa Kaption
In 1915, eighteen members of the Indiana Univeristy Track team were awarded the "I". Kappa initiate Frank Summers was a recipient of this designation.
|
Kappa Undergoes a Name Change...
The fraternity may have begun in 1903 on the Indiana University campus, but there were too few registrants to assure continuing organization. In that year a club was formed called Alpha Kappa Nu greek society, but the club disappeared after a short time. Some speculate that the name Kappa Alpha Nu may have been chosen in tribute to the short lived club. However there is no concrete evidence as to why the greek letters Kappa Alpha Nu were chosen, but the name became an ethnic slur among racist factions.
Founder Elder Diggs, while observing a young initiate "Frank Summers" compete in a track meet, overheard fans referring to the member as a "kappa alpha nigger", and a campaign to rename the fraternity ensued. The resolution to rename the group was adopted in December 1914, and the fraternity states, "the name acquired a distinctive Greek letter symbol and KAPPA ALPHA PSI thereby became a Greek letter Fraternity in every sense of the designation." Kappa Alpha Psi has been the official name since April 1915.
 |
The Sample Gates of Indiana University (IU). IU was the site for the founding of Kappa Alpha Nu in 1911—the name was changed to Kappa Alpha Psi in 1915. |
|
