Houston (TX) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. was chartered Saturday, March 31, 1928. The Charter members of Houston Alumni Chapter were Dr. Charles W. Pemberton, Leland Ewing, Cornelius A. Ladner, ”Watty Watkins”, Dr. Leon J. Peacock, W.L.D. Johnson, Sr., J.C. McDade, R.C. Chatman, Dr. Sylvester Birch Sr., Obie Williams, T.B. Allen and Albert Bateman.
Dr. Charles W. Pemberton was the 1st Polemarch of the Houston Alumni Chapter. In 1929, the first two iniates of Houston Alumni Chapter were F.L. Howard and D.P. Young.
The Houston Alumni Chapter has produced seven Southwestern Province Polemarchs: Dr. Charles W. Pemberton (1934-1936), W.L.D. Johnson, Sr., (1944-1946) Cornelius Ladner (1947-1951), T.B. Allen (1971-1973), Attorney Randy Bates 1998-2002, Ron Julun 2007-2011 and Timothy Albert 2011-2016. William Puder currently serves as the Senior Vice Polemarch of the Southwestern Province.
Four Grand Chapter Officers have been elected from Houston Alumni Chapter. C.B. Davis was a member of the Grand Board of Directors from 1973-1976. Attorney W. Randy Bates was a member of the Grand Board of Directors from 2003-2007. Ron V. Julun is currently a member of the Grand Board of Directors. Randy Bates later served as the 32nd Grand Polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Houston Alumni Chapter has two Laurel Wreath Awardees, the highest award in Kappa Alpha Psi. The recipients are Astronaut Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr.(51st) and Dr. Bobby L. Wilson (58th).
Two Houston Alumni members have received the Elder Watson Diggs Award, the second highest award in Kappa Alpha Psi. The recipients are Attorneys Carl Walker, Jr and Willie High Coleman, Jr.
Houston Alumni Chapter hosted the 2nd Southwest Provincial Meeting held April 17-19, 1936. Houston Alumni Chapter was the first chapter in the Southwest Province to have a Chapter house beginning in 1964.
Houston Alumni Chapter was the host chapter for the 57th Grand Chapter Meeting, held December 26-30, 1971 and the 81st Grand Chapter Meeting August 6-11, 2013.
Houston Alumni Chapter hosted the 62nd Southwestern Province Meeting, March 12-15, 1998. This was the largest Province meeting in the history of the Fraternity with over 1000 registered members.
The Chapter has historically held various social entertainment activities for members and the community. Typically, in June the Annual Black & White Gala is held. Scholarship award recipients and their parents are recognized during the Gala. Other Chapter events include the Annual Christmas Party, National and Local Founders Day, and the Chapter Picnic.
Civic activities include, but are not limited to the “Adopt A Family ” Thanksgiving Food Giveaway, “Christmas Day of Caring”, Breakfast with Santa, Annual Health Fair ,”Pink Goes Red ” Blood Pressure Screening, Kappa Kamp and yearly College Tours.
The Chapter’s Guide Right and Kappa League programs continue to grow helping to produce outstanding young men, having recently placed second among the Kappa chapters with Guide Right programs throughout the world. Since 2015, on our college tour during Spring Break we have taken three bus loads of students to 23 colleges and universities – both HBCU’s and TWI’s. Currently, we have just over 80 students in the City Wide Kappa League Program and 40 in the Jr. Kappa League Program. At the recent 81st Southwestern Province Meeting, The Guide Right Program won won the Jay Crosby Award for Guide Right Chapter of the Year (Large Chapter) and the Bert V. Wadkins Award for Alumni Guide Right Director of the Year (Large Chapter).
Clayton Whitaker is the longest serving Polemarch in the history of Houston Alumni Chapter, having served six consecutive terms. At 27 years of age, Willie Earlie Jr. is the youngest person to have served as Houston Alumni Chapter Polemarch. Richard Nichols is the oldest initiate in the history of the Chapter having pledged at the age of 77. The youngest initiate in the Chapter’s history is Darryl Lockett at the age of 22.
Great time, effort and expense have been expended to grow Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and to bring Houston Alumni Chapter to its current status as one of the premier chapters in the fraternity.
The history of the Fraternity, and Houston Alumni Chapter specifically, is forever evolving. Capable men dedicated to service and high achievement will always be remembered in its story.
The Legendary Houston Alumni Chapter
