Collection is open for research.
Gift of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, December 1988 (Lib. Acc. 19123, Photo Acc. 988D208).
The Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, a national Greek-letter college fraternity, was originally founded as Kappa Alpha Nu by 10 Black students at the University of Indiana in 1911. A few years later, the fraternity changed its its name to Kappa Alpha Psi. The Portland alumni chapter was founded in the early 1950s by Alvin Batiste, Charles Maxey, Richard Neal, Herman C. Plummer, and Ulysses G. Plummer.
Sources: Collection materials; website of the Portland Alumni Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity,
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity photographic collection, Org. Lot 592, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Small collection consisting of photographs and captions relating to the Portland Alumni Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. The photographs were used on a display board about the fraternity that was part of a 1988 exhibit at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon. The collection also includes a photograph of the original display board.
The photographs include: a group portrait from the 1950-1951 Founder Day Dinner; a 1955 group portrait of the Mothers Club of Kappa Men of Portland; a group portrait of the members of the 1955 Provincial Planning Committee; a group portrait of the 1948-1949 YMCA basketball team, coached by Kappa member Oscar Haynes; a group portrait of chapter members at the 1985 Black & White Ball in Portland; a group portrait taken at the 8th Annual Western Provincial Council of the fraternity, held in Portland in 1955; a portrait of a group of women, identified as the 1955 Kappa Silhouettes of Portland; a scene of people on stage, identified as the Java Walk at the Elks Hall in the early 1950s, in which Kappa Alpha Psi members participated; a portrait of Ulysses G. Plummer, one of the Portland chapter's founding members; and a group portrait from the 31st Western Provincial Council in 1978. Most individuals in the photographs are identified.
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.