The Jacksonville Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. was chartered by the 14th Grand Chapter and established on February 27, 1925 becoming the first Black Greek letter organization both in the city of Jacksonville and the state of Florida. Its initial roster of officers and charter members were:

Lemuel Bolton – Polemarch

Dr. I. A. White – Vice-Polemarch

Deaver P. Young – Keeper of Records

Oliver Dukes –Strategus

Dr. S. Spearaing Campbell – Lt. Strategus

J. R. E. Lee, Jr. – Charter Member

Jacob Wycliffe Keller – Charter Member

Lewis H. Meyers – Charter Member

Thomas R. Reid, Jr. – Charter Member

John C. Wright – Charter Member

The Jacksonville Alumni Chapter history is joined closely with the founding of Xi, Omicron, Atlanta and Baltimore Alumni chapters. Its creation was guided through the invaluable assistance of Dr. Hamilton M. Holmes, Charter Member of Pi Chapter (April 23, 1921) and Dr. Albert B. Cooper, Charter Member of Kappa Chapter (February 19, 1919), both charter members of the Atlanta Alumni Chapter (February 22, 1924) serving as the chapter’s first Polemarch & Vice Polemarch respectively.

Charter members Bolton, Keller and Young also brought achievement in Kappa with them to Florida. Keller and Bolton were also charter members of the Xi Chapter (December 27, 1920) at Howard University as Polemarch and Keeper of Records, respectively. Brother Keller under the influence of Kappa Alpha Psi FOUNDER Byron K. Armstrong petitioned the administration at Howard University for the establishment of a Kappa Alpha Psi chapter on their campus. He was also an adjutant with the rank of Captain in the Reserve Officers Training Corps while at Howard. Brothers Bolton and Keller also served on the first Pan-Hellenic Council at Howard University, which was spearheaded by Xi Chapter. Brother Bolton served as its chairmen. Brother Young also served as a charter member and Keeper of Records of the Omicron Chapter (February 27, 1921) at Columbia University as well as a charter member of the Baltimore Alumni Chapter (September 9, 1921). He went on to serve as Province Polemarch of the Southeastern Province in 1926. Charter member Dr. S. Spearaing Campbell also received an Achievement Award by the 24th Grand Chapter Achievement Commission.

In our recent history we have had the honor of having 91st Elder Watson Diggs Awardee & 7th Southern Province Polemarch Dr. Frank S. Emanuel (1999-2005), 14th Grand Historian (2011-2013) & current Journal Editor Cleveland Ferguson III, Esq., and current Executive Director & 109th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee John F. Burrell among our chapter achievers. Since that time Jacksonville Alumni, under the dynamic leadership of our forty Past Polemarchs, has moved from the 20th century right into the new millennium leading the way in every field of human endeavor as the Flagship Chapter of the Southern Province. Our brothers have turned the dreams of our ten founders into reality.