Membership Requirements
Quality and Integrity of Members
Kappa Alpha Psi® is not interested in the simple accumulation of members and chapters. Its emphasis is in the quality and integrity of its membership. Membership quality manifests itself through an intangible element of brotherhood we call “that Good Old Kappa Spirit.”
Acceptable qualities of Kappa Alpha Psi® members include:
- The disposition to live in close companionship with men of similar values.
- The wisdom to abide by the will of the majority without sacrificing individuality.
- The discretion to refrain from destructive criticism while seeking to remove the causes of such criticism.
- The acceptance of responsibility for any effort that moves the group forward.
- The desire to strive for, and ultimately achieve, excellence in everything you do.
- The commitment to train for leadership.
- The resolution to give lifelong financial support and commitment to the maintenance and development of the Fraternity’s programs and purposes.
Famous Kappa Alpha Psi® Men
Listed below are only some of our achieving members. These members include Author Ashe, John Singleton, Ralph Abernathy, Kenny Lofton, Daniel “Chappie” James, Montell Jordan, Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway, and Johnnie L. Cochran. Their achievements as Kappa Men are even more notable since Kappa Alpha Psi®, does not induct honorary members.
Men of honor seek to be involved with organizations that will foster their development. Kappa Alpha Psi® attracts a wide array of individuals, each with their own identity, under one common theme: Achievement. Listed below are some more of the Great Achievers of Kappa Alpha Psi®….
Business
- Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. - Prominent Los Angeles, CA Attorney
- Robert Johnson - BET Founder
- Reginald F. Lewis* - Former CEO of world's largest African American company, TLC
- Percy Sutton - Entrepreneur and Owner of the Apollo Theater
- Lerone J. Bennett, Jr. - Editor
- Keith Clinkscales - CEO/President of Vibe Magazine
- John E. Jacob - Exec VP of Anheuser-Busch, Inc and former CEO, National Urban League
- C.C. Spaulding - First President of North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Co.
- Bert Collins - Current President of NC Mutual Life Insurance
- Edward G. Gartner - President of Soft Sheen Products, Inc.
Civic
- Dr. Rev. Ralph Abernathy* - Civil Rights Leader and former president of SCLC
- Dr. Samual D. Proctor
- Dr. Rev. Leon Sullivan - Pastor of Zion Baptist Church - Philadelphia, PA
- Rev. Gardner C. Taylor
- Bishop Eddie L. Long
- Rev. Calvin O. Butts - Pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church - Harlem, NY
- Dr. William Gibson - Former Chairman of the Board of Directors of NAACP
- C. Vernon Mason - Prominent civil rights attorney and activist
- Judge Herman Thomas-State Supreme Court of Alabama, Board of Trustees -University of South Alabama
Education
- Dr. Joseph B. Johnson
- Dr. Harold M. McNeil
- Dr. Robert L. Randolph
- Dr. Dallas Simmons
- Dr. William E. Sims
- Dr. Harrison B. Wilson Jr.
- Dr. Samuel Massie
- Dr. Horace M. Bond - Past president of Lincoln University (PA)
- Dr. James Shepherd* - Founder and first president of NCCU
- Dr. Kenneth B. Clark - Prominent social psychologist and researcher
- Dr. C. Eric Lincoln - Author of Black Muslims in America
- Arthur Schomburg - Historian and scholar of African-American culture
Entertainment
- Sterling Robert Macer, Jr. - Director (Mu Epsilon)
- Kenny Burrell - Jazz
- Donald Byrd - Jazz
- John Singleton - Oscar nominated Director/Screenwriter
- Dr. Billy Taylor - Jazz
- Cedric the Entertainer - Comedian, The Steve Harvey Show
- Joe Clair - Rap City Host
- Tavis Smiley - BET Talk Show Host
- Montell Jordan - R&B Singer
- William Grant Still - Composer and Musician
- William Raspberry - Syndicated Columnist for Washington Post
- Ralph Wiley - Sports Writer and Author
- Whitman Mayo - Actor who starred as Grady on 'Sanford and Son'
- Whitman Mayo - Actor who starred as Grady on 'Sanford and Son'
- Jester Hairston - Actor who starred as Rolly Forbes on 'Amen'
- Earnest Thomas - Actor who starred as Roger on 'What's Happening'
- Gus Johnson - CBS Sports Announcer
Military
- Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr. USAF* - First AA 4 Star General, Tuskeegee Airman
- Thomas D. Parham, Jr. USN
Government
- Past Grand Polemarch Thomas Bradley - Former Mayor of LA
- John Conyers - Congressman (D-MI)
- Vernon Jones - Georgia State Representative
- George Crockett Jr. - Congressman (D-MI)
- Walter Fauntroy - Congressman (D-D.C.)
- Mayor Elihu Harris - Oakland, CA
- Judge Carl Stokes - First A-A mayor of a major US city (Cleveland)
- Louis B. Stokes - Congressman (D-OH)
- Mayor Wellington Webb - Denver CO
- Mayor Michael White - Cleveland, OH
- Marvin Arrington - Atlanta City Council President
- Mervyn Dymally - Congressman (D-CA)
- Rep. Alcee Hastings - Florida
- Rep. Albert R Wynn - Maryland
- Rep. Sanford Bishop - Georgia
- Bennie Thompson - Congressman (D-MS)
- Edward Perkins - Ambassador to Australia
- W. Wilson Goode - First AA Mayor of Philadelphia
- Rep. Johnny Ford - Alabama (Former Mayor of Tuskegee, Alabama)
Science
- Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr. - First Black Astronaut
- Dr. Henry Foster - Surgeon General Nominee
Sports
- Rod Smith - Football (Mu Epsilon)
- Arthur Ashe* - Tennis
- Ernest Byner - Football
- Wilt Chamberlain* - Basketball
- Willie D. Davis - Football
- Greg Lloyd - Football
- Kenny Lofton - Baseball
- Bill Russell - Basketball
- Oscar Robertson - Basketball
- Tarras Ross - Football
- Gayle Sayers - Football
- Kerry Kittles - Basketball
- Lorenzen Wright - Basketball
- Jon Drummond - Track and Field
- Anfernee Hardaway - Basketball
- J.J. Birden - Football
- Bernie Bickerstaff - Basketball
- Rolando Blackman - Basketball
- Danny Manning - Basketball
- Johnny Newman - Basketball
- Elliot Perry - Basketball
- Chris Oldham - Football
- Ron Dickerson - Football
- Derek Loville - Football
- Steve Wallace - Football
- Elijah Williams - Football
- Eric Davis - Football
- Larry Finch - Basketball
- Alex English - Basketball
- Alan Henderson - Basketball
- Larry Brown - Football
- Glyn Milburn - Football
- Carl Jackson - Football
- Willie Jackson - Football
- Terry Jackson - Football
- Bob Simmons - Football
- John Chaney - Basketball
- Sam Jones - Basketball
- Allan Houston - Basketball
- Emmett L. Ashford - Baseball Umpire (first black)
- Frederick "Duke" Slater - Football
- Ryan Clark - Football and Sports Television Analyst
Is Kappa Membership Right For You?
When considering Kappa Alpha Psi® membership it is also important to note we are an anti-hazing organization!
If the foregoing resonates with you and you have completed your degree requirements from a college/university from one of the following accrediting agencies, you may be an attractive membership candidate.
If you think Kappa is right for you, initiate the process by completing the Membership Inquiry Form.