The most illustrious fraternity in the world, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated was founded on January 5th, 1911 on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, an environment filled with racism. The Gamma Eta Chapter of the fraternity was chartered on May 22nd, 1948 at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA.
The Fraternity is predominantly African-American whose fundamental purpose is ACHIEVEMENT. Kappa Alpha Psi seeks to train its membership, particularly undergraduates, for leadership roles in their respective communities and the attainment of a high degree of excellence in their academic pursuits.
Early in this century, African-American students were actively dissuaded from attending college. Formidable obstacles were erected to prevent the few who were enrolled from assimilating into co-curricular campus life. This ostracism characterized Indiana University in 1911, thus causing Elder W. Diggs, Byron K. Armstrong, and eight other black students to form Kappa Alpha Psi which remains the only Greek letter organization with its Alpha Chapter (first Chapter) on the University’s campus. The founders sought a formula that would immediately raise the sights of black collegians stimulating them to reach accomplishments higher than they had imagined. With achievement as its purpose, Kappa Alpha Psi began uniting college men of culture, patriotism and honor in a bond of fraternity. Subsequently, chapters spread in succession to the University of Illinois, the University of Iowa, and Wilberforce University campuses. By 1919, the Kappa Alpha Psi experience had generated serious interest among black college degree holders to form Alumni Chapters.
The Objectives of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc:
- To unite college men of culture, patriotism and honor in a bond of Fraternity;
- To encourage honorable achievement in every field of human endeavor;
- To promote the spiritual, social, intellectual and moral welfare of its members;
- To assist the aims and purposes of colleges and universities;
- To inspire service in the public’s interest.
University of Washington NPHC 