The Baton Rouge (LA) Alumni Chapter
of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated
Established March 15, 1942
Our Chapter:
Baton Rouge Alumni
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Baton Rouge Alumni Chapter became reality as the outgrowth of the New Orleans Alumni Chapter.
In 1935, Brothers Leo Butler, A.C. Terrance, W.J.F. Meridith, and W.W. Stewart requested an alumni chapter in Baton Rouge in order that Alpha Sigma Chapter of Southern University could be given the guidance necessary for an undergraduate chapter. This request was denied. However, in order to show the determination of Kappamen, a request was made for an alumni chapter in New Orleans, 89 miles away. As a result, at the Grand Chapter meeting in St. Louis with Brothers Butler and Terrance being present as supporters the request was granted.
The chapter was normally established at the home of Brother Horace Mann Bond on the campus of Dillard University May 12, 1936. Brother O.W. Crump Provincial Polemarch of the Southwest Province officiated.
In The Beginning...
During the first few years, the majority of the Brothers in the New Orleans Alumni chapter were from Baton Rouge. In 1939, a second petition for a chapter in Baton Rouge was filed by Brothers Meridith and Terrance and the petition was granted at the Grand Chapter meeting in San Antonio, Texas. The charter members were made up of ten Baton Rouge and Southern University Brothers along with Brother Terrance of Opelousas. Brother Leo S. Butler was elected as first Polemarch and Brother A.A. Hamm was Keeper of Records. Some of the charter members were Brothers W.W. Stewart, Leonard Israel, A.C. Terrance and W.J.F Meridith.
The chapter met monthly in the homes of the Brothers because of the limited number of members. What the group lacked in numbers was over compensated for by the zeal and true Kappa spirit, the like which has never been witnessed before nor since by Brother Butler.
Later the charter members were joined by Reverend Gardner Taylor a former pastor of the Mount Zion First Baptist Church and now pastor of the Greater Concord Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York; Dr. Frank Johnson of Crowley, Louisiana (Deceased); and Mr. Julius L. Kraft, former teacher in the Mckinley High School and one of its renowned football coaches; Mr. Horatio Thompson and Mr. Carlyle Chapman.
The Baton Rouge Alumni Chapter acclaims Brother Williams James Flournoy Meridith as its founder. He was and still is a dedicated member of the Baton Rouge Alumni Chapter. To date he is still interested in promoting the Kappa bond. Recently he was influential in starting Gamma Eta Chapter at the University of Washington. He is Alumni Advisor for this Chapter. Since the organization of the chapter in 1938, the Baton Rouge alumni chapter has continued to perpetuate the noble doctrines of
KAPPA ALPHA PSI.
Chapter
History
Baton Rouge Alumni
