Kappa Alpha Order

Kappa Alpha Order
Κappa Alpha, KA
Founded	December 21, 1865 (1865-12-21) Washington College, Lexington, Virginia
Type	social, secret
Motto	Dieu et les Dames[1] (God and the Ladies) Fratres usque ad aram fidelis (Brothers faithful unto death)
Colors	Crimson and old Gold
Flower	Crimson Rose and Magnolia Blossom
Publication	The Kappa Alpha Journal
Philanthropy	Muscular Dystrophy Association
Chapters	122 active[2] 103 alumni
Members	approx. 7,600 collegiate approx. 150,000 lifetime
Headquarters	Mulberry Hill Lexington, Virginia United States
Homepage	www.kappaalphaorder.org

Kappa Alpha Order (commonly known as Kappa Alpha, KA, or affectionately known as the The Order by members) is a social fraternity and a fraternal order founded in 1865 at Washington College in Lexington, Virginia. As of December 2015, the Kappa Alpha Order lists 133 active chapters, 5 provisional chapters, and 52 suspended chapters.^[2] Along with Alpha Tau Omega and Sigma Nu, the order represents a third of the Lexington Triad. Since its establishment in 1865, The Order has initiated more than 150,000 members.^[3]

History

Kappa Alpha Order was originally founded as Phi Kappa Chi on December 21, 1865, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. James Ward Wood, William Archibald Walsh, and brothers William Nelson Scott and Stanhope McClelland Scott are the founders of the fraternity.^[4] Soon after the founding, the local Virginia Beta chapter of Phi Kappa Psi protested the name "Phi Kappa Chi", due to the similarity of the names, leading Wood to change the name of the fraternity to K.A. by April 1866. Within one year, the order's ritual would be expanded upon by Samuel Zenas Ammen, who was dubbed the "practical founder". In the years that followed, the fraternity spread throughout the Southern United States, as well as other states such as California, Arizona and New Mexico.

KA is one-third of the Lexington Triad, along with Alpha Tau Omega and Sigma Nu.^[5] The founders listed Robert E. Lee's chivalry and gentlemanly conduct as an inspiration. At the 1923 Convention, Lee was designated as the "Spiritual Founder" of the Order by John Temple Graves.^[6]

Administrative office

The Kappa Alpha Order National Administrative Office is located at Mulberry Hill, in Lexington, Virginia. It is documented that Mulberry Hill is where Robert E. Lee spent his first night in Lexington, after arriving to take over as president of Washington College.^[7] Mulberry Hill is a Virginia Historic Landmark, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.^[8] The offices for the Kappa Alpha Order Educational Foundation are also housed there.

Member programs

Number I's Leadership Institute

The Number I's Leadership Institute (Number 1 is the title of the chapter president^[9]) is an intensive informational and educational retreat for chapter presidents. The retreat is held at Christian conference center.^[10]

Kappa Alpha Order Educational Foundation (KAOEF)

Established in 1982, the Kappa Alpha Order Educational Foundation (KAOEF) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The Foundation provides grants for educational programs of the fraternity, such as the National Leadership Institute and Province Councils, and provides scholarships to graduate and undergraduate students. KAOEF funds these programs with donations contributed by KA alumni.^[11]

Journal

The Kappa Alpha Journal (or KA Journal) is the fraternity's magazine. It has been published since 1879.^[12] Members of the Kappa Alpha Order are entitled to a free subscription to The KA Journal if initiated within the last ten years, or are a member of The Loyal Order. Members initiated between 1936 and 1951 are given a lifetime subscription to the publication.^[13]

Loyal Order

The Loyal Order is an alumni program for the Kappa Alpha Order. The national office uses the money from Loyal Order memberships to help defray the cost of distributing the KA Journal, as well as other alumni resources.^[14]

Symbolism

The colors of The Order are traditionally Crimson and Old Gold. The colors represent the blood sacrificed (crimson red) and the money spent (old gold) in defense of the country.^[15] The flowers of the Order are the crimson rose and the magnolia blossom. The crimson rose represents masculine might and the white magnolia blossom represents purity.^[9]

The flowers of the order and a ribbon featuring the order's motto adorn the bottom of the crest. The crest itself is representative of several things; the hand holding the axe represents the continuing power of the Knight Commander and of the order. The Helmet was, at one time, a symbol used by the Knight Commander of the Order. The badge is featured at the center of the crest, and the lions on either side represent different things each. The lion on the left, looking away, symbolizes "rampant", meaning magnanimous. The lion on the right, looking towards you, symbolizes "regardent", which means cautious or circumspect.^[1]

Motto

The Kappa Alpha Order motto is "Dieu et les Dames" (God and the Ladies)^[1] and is written on the ceiling of the Mississippi State Capitol.^[16]

Accusations of racial insensitivity

The fraternity has been criticized for racial insensitivity, identification with the Confederacy, and racism. In November 2002, the Zeta Psi and Kappa Alpha Order chapters at the University of Virginia were suspended and subsequently cleared after the fraternities held a Halloween party where a few guests were photographed wearing blackface and dressed up as Uncle Sam and Venus and Serena Williams.^[17][18]

In 2009, Kappa Alpha Order at the University of Alabama was criticized for wearing Confederate uniforms for an "Old South" parade that passed by an African-American sorority house celebrating its 35th anniversary. The organization apologized for any offense that might have been caused. Kappa Alpha Order on other campuses, including Auburn, Centenary College, Mississippi State University, and the University of Georgia had already ceased to wear Confederate uniforms in public following complaints from students.^[19] The national organization has since banned the wearing of Confederate uniforms to its "Old South" parades.^[20]

In April 2016, the fraternity's Tulane chapter in New Orleans, Louisiana, faced accusations of insensitivity for a constructing a sand-bag wall around its house that contained spray-painted messages in support of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The chapter conveyed that the wall had been built for an annual "capture the flag" game and that the pro-Trump slogans were works of satire and not in support of the candidate or his message. Later, on 14 April, the wall was forcefully dismantled, allegedly in part by members of the Tulane football team. ^[21][22]

Notable hazing incidents

In 1997, a former pledge at Texas A&M University had to have a testicle surgically removed due to a fraternity member giving him a "super wedgie". The fraternity member was indicted for the incident.^[23]

In 2008, the fraternity chapter at Midwestern State University was suspended for three years after a pledge almost died due to alcohol poisoning under the fraternity's supervision.^[24]

In 2011, an investigation was started after a frat member fired a shotgun inside the University of Texas at Austin's chapterhouse. Following claims by the fraternity that the chapter had hazed pledges, hired adult performers for multiple live sex shows, and broken other fraternity rules, the fraternity suspended the chapter for one year. The chapter refuted the hazing allegation as minor and unsupported by evidence, and broke-ties with the national organization, forming a new fraternity, Texas Omicron. Kappa Alpha Order then sued Texas Omicron, unsuccessfully, for dues and other finances, as well as furnishings from the chapter house.^[25][26][27]

In 2013, the fraternity at the University of Virginia was temporarily suspended due to several allegations of hazing and misconduct.^[28][29]

In 2015, Jonathan Ford, the son of Alabama State Representative Craig Ford and a former football recruit at Birmingham-Southern College, sued the fraternity for hazing and injuries he says he sustained while pledging which resulted in his football career ending prematurely.^[30][31]

In 2015 the fraternity chapter at Virginia Wesleyan College was suspended by the national organization.^[32] An investigation by the school determined that hazing had occurred in violation of school policy, but that it was not criminal.^[33]

In 2016, the chapter at the University of Richmond was suspended after a sexist and offensive email sent by members of the fraternity was reported to the university.^[34]

In 2016, the chapter at the University of Missouri was placed on suspension and investigation after a freshman pledging was hospitalized due to a hazing incident that involved drinking excessive alcohol.^[35]

Notable members

Chapter list

See also

• List of social fraternities and sororities
• Kuklos Adelphon (no relation to Kappa Alpha Order)

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kappa Alpha Order.

• Official website