Just twenty-four years after our great Fraternity was founded, the Dallas Alumni Chapter was chartered on March 9th, 1935. The idea for a new alumni chapter started sometime before, when a few Brothers would gather with one another. As the gatherings became more frequent and their numbers increased, plans began to start a new chapter.
Eleven Brothers (many of whom were members of the fraternity during its infancy) felt there was a great need to bring the objectives, virtues and fundamental purpose of our noble clan to the North Texas area. Those eleven visionary men were:
L. C. Anderson, Charles H. Bynum, S. H. Davis, William H. Fort, Carl J. Hines, J. S. Jacques, Samuel L. Lassiter, Richard S. Watson, B. T. Watkins, Floyd Wilkerson and L. Virgil Williams.
Brother Fort who was at one time Dean of Men at Langston University was instrumental in the chartering of the Alpha Pi Chapter at the Oklahoma school on October 28, 1933. Brother L. Virgil Williams, who was a Beta Chapter initiate, became the chapter’s first Polemarch. Shortly after the chapter was chartered it hosted the first of several Province Council Meetings. The first of these occurred on October 17, 1936.
Brother Samuel L. Lassiter was also a charter member of Xi chapter at Howard University. He was appointed as Province Polemarch at the 29th Grand Chapter meeting in San Antonio, Texas in 1939 by then-Grand Polemarch, James E. Scott. Professionally, Brother Lassiter was a First Vice-President and Auditor for the Western Mutual Life Insurance Co. and served as an NCAA Football Official in the Southwestern Conference. He served as Province Polemarch from 1939 to 1942.
The Dallas Alumni Chapter served, for a second time, as host chapter for the 11th Southwestern Province Council Meeting on April 4 – 6, 1947.
As the province grew, so to did the influence of the Dallas Alumni Chapter. The chapter hosted its third Southwestern Province Council on April 15 – 17, 1960. The Polemarch of the chapter during this 24th Province Meeting was Dr. Emmett J. Conrad.
Dr. Emmett J. Conrad was initiated at the Alpha Sigma chapter at Southern University. After serving our country in the military, he received a scholarship to complete his college education. He attended Stanford University for one year and then enrolled in Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee where he earned his M. D. degree in 1948. During a long and distinguished medical career, Brother Conrad made history when he became the first Black Chief of Staff at St. Paul Hospital. Dr. Conrad was also very committed to equal and accessible education for all students. This commitment manifested itself in his being elected as the first Black Board of Trustees member of the Dallas Independent School District. Later, the Texas State Board of Education appointed him to the Select Committee of Public Education (SCOPE). The SCOPE committee proposed a number of reforms to improve the quality of education in Texas including the controversial NO PASS, NO PLAY Rule and the implementation of TECAT examinations. Dr. Conrad was also elected to the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) in 1984 and was serving a third term at the time of his death. Dr Conrad joined the Chapter Invisible on September 9, 1993. He served as Province Polemarch from 1968 to 1971 and was a mentor to several Brothers within the chapter who would later serve at the provincial level. The chapter’s annual college scholarship was named in his honor in 1980 and in 2004 a new DISD high school was named for him as well.
For a fourth time, in 1969, Dallas Alumni hosted the 33rd Southwestern Province Council Meeting. The co-hosts were Delta Sigma Chapter at Bishop College (which relocated to Dallas in 1961) and Fort Worth Alumni Chapter.
Brother Donald E. Grace was initiated into the fraternity through the Dallas Alumni Chapter on April 4, 1960. His dedication and attention to detail enabled him to move up through the ranks. He served as Polemarch of our chapter from 1973 to 1976. He relocated to Austin and eventually became Polemarch of that chapter as well. Brother Grace also served on the Grand Board of Directors and was the long standing Chairman of the C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference, which was named for the Past Grand Polemarch. He also served as one of the chief organizers and long time Chairman of the Texas-New Mexico Kappa Caucus, which began in 1983 in order to create greater equity among the States and Chapters within the Southwestern Province. After laying the groundwork for this change in the provincial landscape, the Dallas Alumni Chapter experienced a tremendous period of prominence and influence. After years of consistent leadership, Brother Grace was given the Elder Watson Diggs Award in 1993. Brother Grace visited Dallas Alumni one last time in May 2004 to stress the importance of documenting the history of the chapter. After a long battle with cancer, he joined the Chapter Invisible on Christmas Eve 2004. The entire Fraternity mourned his loss and the 69th Southwestern Province Council was dedicated to his memory.
Sometime in the late 1970’s the chapter created what would become its signature event and primary fundraiser. The Kappa Karnival started as a Midway / amusement park type event complete with belly dancers, stuffed animal prizes and magicians. Brother Sylvester “Syl” Alford, a Fall 1961 Delta Upsilon initiate at Wichita State succeeded Donald Grace as Polemarch and was instrumental in creating this event. It would later evolve into a full-fledged Las Vegas style “Kasino Night”, with live music, professional dealers and slot machines. At its height this event has been held in Dallas’ largest and finest hotels welcoming as many as 3000+ guests and inspiring other groups to organize similar events.
In 1978, Dallas Alumni hosted, for a fifth time, the 42nd Southwestern Province Council Meeting.
It was also during this time that the chapter’s annual awards dance evolved into the ultra-klassy affair it is today, the Dallas Alumni Black and White Ball. Brother Robert Brown, one of two Spring 1977 Dallas Alumni initiates, had attended the ball hosted by his brother’s chapter in Denver, Colorado. He noticed that everyone in attendance wore strictly black and or white formal wear. He urged Dallas Alumni to adopt the same format. After meeting with some reluctance the chapter made the change with strict enforcement of the new dress code at the entrance and over time the event became even more popular among Brothers and guests alike. The chapter has continued with this format ever since. The chapter showed enormous confidence in Brother Brown by electing him Polemarch in 1979, only two years after his initiation.
Two years later, on September 12 – 13, 1980, Dallas Alumni, along with the Delta Sigma Chapter, hosted the 2nd C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference at Bishop College.
In 1984, the Guide Right Foundation of Dallas, Inc. was created as a 501-c3 non-profit organization, with an emphasis on education, in order to more effectively reach out to corporate entities that might be reluctant to donate funds to a fraternity. Chartered as the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation, Inc. of Dallas, the name of the foundation was changed in 1991 to the Guide Right Foundation of Dallas, Inc, in order to avoid confusion with the Fraternity’s national foundation of the same name. Since its inception the foundation has awarded over $80,000 in scholarships to deserving youth. In October 2005, the foundation received the A. Maceo Smith Community Service Award from the African American Museum for its work in the area of Youth Service.
The other Spring 1977 Dallas Alumni initiate would quickly ascend to the 2nd highest office in all of Kappa Alpha Psi. James C. Mitchell earned his B. S. degree from Prairie View A&M University and also attended Southern Methodist University. Brother Mitchell was an executive with Texas Instruments and also sat on the Board of Directors of the Texas Instruments Foundation. He also served on the Board of Directors for the NAACP, OIC, Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, YMCA, PBS, NSBE and Dallas Urban League. Brother Mitchell served as chapter Polemarch from 1981 to 1983, on the Southwestern Province Board of Directors and as Senior Province Vice Polemarch before being appointed as Province Polemarch from 1986 to 1990 by then-Grand Polemarch, Randall C. Bacon. His four prime objectives would be to 1) Sustain Province Unification; 2) Increase Undergraduate Participation; 3) Achieve Parity among the states on the Board of Directors and 4) Develop Leadership through Emphasis on Chapter Management. Brother Mitchell awarded a charter to Southern Methodist University on April 17, 1987 as the Nu Beta Chapter, joining Delta Sigma at Bishop College and Zeta Upsilon at North Texas State University as the 3rd undergraduate chapter under the advisement of Dallas Alumni.
During the tenure of Brother Mitchell as Southwestern Province Polemarch, Dallas Alumni hosted perhaps the most outstanding Konclave ever held. The 68th Grand Chapter Meeting held from August 14 - 19 1988 was noted as the first international fraternity meeting with a theme. The chapter led the entire fraternity in giving "A Salute to the Black Military Experience”, at the largest hotel in Dallas, The Loews Anatole under the leadership of Past Polemarch Brother Sylvester Alford. The chapter’s Polemarch during this historic meeting was Brother Col. Wendell Parker. The popular R&B group the S.O.S. Band provided entertainment that week. Famed Attorney, Brother Percy Sutton gave an outstanding speech at the public meeting, County Commissioner John Wiley Price was given the Distinguished Citizens Award and Rev. Jesse Jackson received the Humanitarian Award. Basketball legend, Brother Oscar Robertson presented special awards to the three living Black recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Laurel Wreath was awarded posthumously to the 14th Grand Polemarch, Attorney Frank M. Summers. Finally, then-Grand Polemarch, Randall C. Bacon passed the torch to his successor Dr. Ulysses McBride.
Following his leadership of the Province, Brother Mitchell was elected to the Grand Board of Directors from 1990 to 1991 and was later elected as Senior Grand Vice Polemarch from 1991 to 1993. After retiring from Texas Instruments, Brother Mitchell would later own and operate a mansion turned upscale reception hall located on Martin Luther King Blvd known as St. Martin’s Place. In recognition of his outstanding service to the Fraternity, Brother Mitchell was honored with the Southwestern Province Lifetime Achievement Award at the 69th Southwestern Province Council held in Natchez, Mississippi on April 2, 2005.
Years before Brother Mitchell would create St. Martin’s Place, the chapter’s popularity and financial success would be symbolized by another ACHIEVEMENT when the chapter purchased a fraternity house in 1990. After many years of meeting at the homes of various Brothers, the Martin Luther King Community Center, the American Woodmen’s Center and other locations, and discussing the idea of our own “frat house” then-Polemarch Brother Carlton Barber “kommissioned” Brother Emerson Lattimore to conduct a feasibility study in the form of a survey regarding the purchase of a house. Other chapters like Baltimore Alumni, Houston Alumni and Los Angeles Alumni boasted having their own “Kappa Kastles.” Dallas Alumni would soon join their ranks. Following the presentation of his findings, the chapter agreed that the time was right to buy a house. Several Brothers agreed to help raise funds for the new facility by becoming life members of the Dallas Alumni Chapter by contributing $2500.00 to the Guide Right Foundation of Dallas. Brothers Alford and Lattimore scouted potential locations and although a plot of land had been purchased earlier as a potential site, an existing structure was purchased at 2515 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The mortgage was assumed by Past Polemarch Carl Williams and would be completely paid off in 6 years. This was commemorated by a mortgage burning ceremony at the house following a Founders Day observance. The refurbished home, located in the heart of South Dallas, was now the new home of the Dallas Alumni Chapter, and enabled the chapter to conduct meetings twice a month, host social gatherings and initiation ceremonies, preserve important documents and store equipment, display awards, photos and safeguard esoteric materials. It would also serve as the headquarters for our Guide Right Foundation of Dallas, Inc and quickly become a landmark on what would become a modern day “Black Greek Row.”
After serving as Province Keeper of Records during the Mitchell tenure, Emerson A. Lattimore continued on to become Senior Province Vice Polemarch and in October, 1991 was appointed by then-Grand Polemarch Attorney Robert Harris, as the 4th Province Polemarch from the chapter. The appointment of Brother Lattimore as Province Polemarch was concurrent with five other brand new Province Polemarchs. This close-knit group of regional leaders would come to be known far and wide as “The 6.” Brother Lattimore was initiated on December 10, 1960 at the Delta Sigma Chapter at Bishop College where he earned a B. S. Degree in Chemistry. He served as Keeper of Records and Polemarch of Delta Sigma Chapter as he would later with the Dallas Alumni Chapter. He served as chapter Polemarch from 1983-1985 and was succeeded by Ernest Gilbert. Lattimore also earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from North Texas State University. Brother Lattimore worked for the Social Security Administration in various capacities before becoming the agency’s Regional Manager of its Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity Office. As Province Polemarch, his general philosophy was, “How we relate to others (Kappa’s and non-Kappa’s alike) will make all the difference in the results we ACHIEVE.” He established the motto “Bringing Out the Best in Kappa Alpha Psi” as the operative methodology for use throughout the province. He urged Brothers and Chapters to “Design and execute each program, procedure and action so that there is a high probability that you will bring out the best in all that is Kappa Alpha Psi.” He believed that “This would cause us to examine and re-examine our programs, purposes and motives in order to achieve optimum effects in all that we do.” The goals and objectives during his tenure were: 1) to improve relationship between undergraduate and alumni chapters; 2) to expand chapter Guide Right Programs to include a planned program of mentoring young African American males; 3) to establish a “Kappa Day at the Legislature” in each state in the province; 4) to encourage chapters to contribute to the Kappa Foundation and 5) to provide suggestions to enhance the membership intake process. Following a successful turn as Province Polemarch, Brother Lattimore was elected to the Grand Board of Directors from 1995 to 1999. After stepping down from that position, Brother Lattimore became the Secretary and later President of the province’s newly formed Southwestern Education Leadership and Training Foundation. This was the 501-c3 non-profit arm of the Southwestern Province. He also served for a long time as President and later Secretary on the Board of Directors of the Guide Right Foundation of Dallas, Inc. that he helped to create. In a strange twist of fate, Lattimore received the Southwestern Province Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 during the 66th Southwestern Province Council at the D/FW Hilton, where his son, Byron became a Dallas Alumni initiate. Three years later after a successful petition from the chapter (led by his son and Past Polemarch, Anthony Andrews), Emerson Lattimore became the chapter’s first recipient of the coveted Elder Watson Diggs Award (the Fraternity’s 2nd highest award) at the 77th Grand Chapter Meeting in St. Louis, MO on July 20, 2005.
Through the years, in some form or another, Dallas Alumni was instrumental in the growth and expansion of Phi Nu Pi throughout North Texas. Brother L. C. Anderson was not only a charter member of our chapter he was also a charter member of the Fort Worth Alumni Chapter in 1947. Dallas Alumni advised the Zeta Upsilon Chapter at North Texas State University for several years after its chartering in 1972. Dallas Alumni also advised the Delta Sigma Chapter at Bishop College until the school closed in 1988 and the Greek letters were retired. With several Brothers now living in the mid-cities and suburbs Dallas Alumni helped to charter the Arlington/Grand Prairie Chapter in 1986. Brother Joseph Newton, who was a 1986 initiate of Dallas Alumni, would eventually serve as Polemarch for both alumni chapters. The Nu Beta Chapter at SMU was chartered in 1987, and when Paul Quinn College relocated from Waco to Dallas in 1990 at the old Bishop College campus, the Lambda Lambda Chapter, which was chartered at Paul Quinn College, was also under the jurisdiction of the Dallas Alumni Chapter. In 1994, Brother Lattimore awarded the Richardson/Plano Alumni Chapter its charter as an outgrowth of the Dallas Alumni Chapter and in 1996 another charter was awarded to the Denton/Lewisville Alumni Chapter. As the other chapters matured they would eventually come together on several occasions “for the good of Kappa”, most notably for the annual Joint Founders Day Celebration. These collaborations would give birth to Kappa M.A.N. (Metroplex Alliance of Nupes or Metroplex Alumni Network)
The decade of the 90’s brought new ideas and new energy to the chapter. A closed Black Tie Dinner honoring then Grand Polemarch Robert Harris was held in 1992. After many attempts to create a successful and lucrative fall fundraiser, The Guide Right Foundation began hosting an annual golf tournament. It has remained a popular event. During this period the chapter also began another tradition, the Prairie View / Grambling Tailgate Party. This would become an unofficial Kappa reunion, attracting Brothers from all over the province. It would also be another occasion for community service either through voter registration drives and health screenings. The chapter also capitalized on the popularity and success of “America’s Team”, the Dallas Cowboys by successfully operating a concession booth at Texas Stadium and raising several thousand dollars in the process.
During this period Brother Joseph Newton also emerged as a leader within the province by serving as the Chairman of the C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference from 1995 to 1998. Brother Dewey J. Minor, a 1990 Dallas Alumni initiate became the youngest Polemarch in the chapter’s history when he was elected to serve from 1995 – 1997 at the age of 28.
However, on a sad note, in May 1997, the last charter member of our chapter, Brother Floyd Wilkerson joined the Chapter Invisible.
For a second time, Dallas Alumni hosted the 20th C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference at the Sheraton Brookhollow hotel from October 2 - 3, 1998.
Following Brother Minor as Polemarch of the chapter, Brother Will Sennette III served as Chairman of the Texas New-Mexico Kappa Caucus and his successor Brother Anthony Andrews provided leadership within the state as Area II Cluster Coordinator from 2001 to 2003 and would later be appointed as North Texas Administrative Assistant to the Province Polemarch in 2005.
Dallas Alumni was again involved in another Kappa first when the chapter welcomed the 30th Grand Polemarch, Brother Samuel Hamilton to Dallas for what would be the first in a series of Town Hall Meetings. This allowed the Grand Polemarch to promote his ideas and answer questions from any and all Brothers in attendance in order to create more dialogue within the fraternity. This event was also held at the Sheraton Brookhollow on October 25, 2003.
Since 1935 many Brothers have achieved in several fields of human endeavor. Past Polemarch, Brother J. Standfield was a leader in the area of Insurance. Brothers Holland and Wilkerson excelled in Education. Brothers Wilbert Bluitt, Willard Stimpson and Wilfred “Doc Deano” Anthony continue to lead in the area of Pharmacy. Our chapter also boasts other successful entrepreneurs in the food service and Catering industry, such as: Brothers James Freeman, Richard Watkins, Cecil Coleman and Roland Parrish, who is the owner of over 15 McDonald’s franchises. Following in the footsteps of Founder Henry T. Asher, Brother Kevin Brooks is a leading Dallas Attorney along with Brothers Reedy Spigner, Past Polemarch, Henry Campbell III and Craig Watkins (the son of Brother Richard Watkins). Brother Watkins is also pursuing a career in politics. Brother Hugh Harrison has achieved in the area of Finance and Banking by becoming a leading executive with Chase. He has also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for The Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce and Dallas Area Rapid Transit. Brother Floyd Ferguson (50+ year member) is a celebrated Photojournalist and is most notable for chronicling the history of “Black Dallas”. He is responsible for most of the items stored in the chapter archives. Brothers Earl Richardson (50+ year member) and Earl Melebeck have achieved in Government Service. Brother Adrian Drake, who also served our Fraternity as Grand Chaplain, during the administration of Grand Polemarch Robert Harris is a leading personality in the area of Religion and has co-hosted a popular Sunday morning talk show.
Dallas Alumni initiate (1992) and Past Polemarch Dr. Irby B. Hunter Jr. is a leader in the field of Medicine and his successor, Brother Eric L. Walker (a 1997 Dallas Alumni initiate) is a leader in the field of Healthcare Administration. This is but a sample of the MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT whose names appear on the rolls of “The Mighty D. A.”
Our aim continues to be, as it has since our fraternity's inception, "Honorable ACHIEVEMENT in every field of human endeavor." After more than seventy years, The Dallas Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. has become a fixture in Dallas and a leader among volunteer organizations. Our flagship service program, the Kappa League has produced several outstanding young men. Some of these participants would go on to become Kappa men themselves. Our other Community Involvement undertakings such as: Weed and Seed senior citizen home improvement projects, Margaret Cone Headstart Center Read-A-Thons, Youth Leadership and Career Development Seminars, Prostate Health Screenings, Voter Registration Campaigns, Holiday Basket Giveaways as well as our academic scholarships and the various endeavors of the Guide Right Foundation of Dallas, Inc. have helped our chapter integrate the fabric of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and position ourselves as catalysts for positive change.