Alpha Kappa Nu

File:Alpha Kappa Nu - Founders.jpg

The Alpha Kappa Nu Greek Society was formed at Indiana University and Earlham College to strengthen the blacks' voice. Seated are James Knight, Howard Thompson, E.B. Keemer and Fred Williamson. Standing are John Hodge, Thomas Reynolds, Mr. Hill, R.A. Roberts and Gordon Merrill

File:The Janesville Daily Gazette – Janesville, WI, October 12, 1903.jpg

Newspaper Article about formation of Alpha Kappa Nu

File:Indiana News – Richmond, IN – October 13, 1903.jpg

Newspaper Article about formation of Alpha Kappa Nu

File:Logansport Daily Report – Tuesday Afternoon, October 13, 1903.tif

Newspaper Article about formation of Alpha Kappa Nu

File:The Daily Student – January 1905.jpg

Newspaper Article about formation of Alpha Kappa Nu

Alpha Kappa Nu (ΑΚΝ) is the first documented African-American collegiate fraternal organization in the United States in 1903. It's membership was 10, which was all the colored students at the school. A second chapter was set to be established at Wilberforce University. Wilberforce University was where the fraternity Gamma Phi was established in 1905.

History

Social club

In The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi: A History of the Beginning and Development of A College Greek Letter Organization 1911-1999, Historian Ralph J. Bryson recounted that his own fraternity "may have begun in 1903 on the campuses of Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, but there were too few registrants to assure continuing organization. That year, a club was formed called "Alpha Kappa Nu Greek Society"; though newspaper accounts from 1903 and 1905 identified the organization as a Greek fraternity with elected officers and a constitution with "plans of establishing branches at leading negro institutions," the club was never incorporated, and disappeared after a short time. The group lasted for 14 months. Although the group was also stated to have lasted until 1911. The purpose of the group was to "strengthen the negro voice." The group was listed as the first black college chapter to own its own house.

Kappa Alpha Psi

Bryson states that the original moniker (Kappa Alpha Nu) of Kappa Alpha Psi, which did become an African-American fraternity, may have been chosen in tribute to the short lived club. However, there is no concrete evidence as to why the Greek letters Kappa Alpha Nu were chosen, and the name was later changed. Kappa Alpha Psi's historian credits the name change in 1915 with allowing their organization to "thereby became a Greek letter Fraternity in every sense of the designation."

See also

• History of North American fraternities and sororities
• List of African-American Greek and fraternal organizations