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Kappa Alpha Psi became the first campus organization to provide a fraternity experience for black students when eight men were initiated as the charter members of Omega chapter on November 28, 1925. Five of the eight - Donald Curry ('29), Ernest L. Dimetry ('28), Merle Eppse ('28), William Oney ('28) and J. Nelson Thompson ('29) were Drake students, while the remaining three were attending Des Moines University. The three Des Moines University initiates were Laverne Ewing, Joseph Moppin and James N. Williams. (Des Moines University, which was located at 2nd Street and Euclid Ave., was originally organized in 1865. On May 7, 1927, the Board of Trustees of Des Moines University agreed to merge into Drake University; however for a number of peculiar reasons, the merger never took place.) Earl B. Dickinson (Beta, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), Grand Polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi, presided over the ceremony and was assisted by undergraduate members from the Gamma chapter (University of Iowa). Three alumni, A.A. Alexander, Herbert White and prominent Des Moines attorney S. Joe Brown were also initiated, so as to create an advisory board for the undergraduate chapter. Ernest L. Dimetry was elected to serve as the chapter's first Polemarch. The chapter was formally recognized by Drake University on December 16, 1925.
Although nearky every black male student at Drake was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi during its early years, the number of minority students attending the university was small, thus limiting the chapter's growth and activities. When the effects of the Depression resulted in even lower minority enrollment, Kappa Alpha Psi appears to have entered a state of dormancy; during the 1930's the number of men that were initiated were minimal.
Following th econclusion of World War II, Kappa Aplh aPsi enjoyed a rebirth on the Drake campus. Although it initially appeared that the chapter would prove unable to compete with another traditionally black fraternity which itself entered a period of inactivity after it failed to obtain membership in the Drake University Interfraternity Council (IFC) in 1949. According to a somewhat inaccurate memo, dated April 29, 1954, from Dean of Men Robert Kamm to the assistant to the President Melvin Hyde,
In the spring of 1958, Kappa Alpha Psi participated in the Sweetheart sing competition for the first time in its history. A semester later the fraternity achieved the highest academic average of any Drake fraternity and was presented with the IFC scholarship cup. This accomplishment was repeated during the spring semester of 1959. In the fall of 1959, Kappa Alpha Psi was the first recipient of the pledge class scholarship trophy. In 1961, Kappa Alpha Psi undertook participation in Greek Week activities.
In the spring of 1960, Omega chapter, with a membership of 18 men, embarked on a decade of widespread campus involvement. Particularly distinguishing themselves on every varsity athletic team, members of Kappa Alpha Psi were also heavily involved in student government. In 1963, the chapter could claim a total membership of 24 men, which included several non-black members. Kappa Alpha Psi attempted to acquire a chapter house, but its efforts were thwarted by a fluctuating membership and the fact that many of the initiates, as varsity athletes, were required to liv ein university dormitories. In the spring of 1968, the chapter again received IFC scholarship honors.
The period of student activism beginning in the late 1960's had profound effects upon Drake's fraternities, and those with predominantly black memberships were no exception. By 1969, Kappa Alpha Psi's membership had fallen to eight men. Two years later th efraternity withdrew its membership in the IFC, although it didn't disappear from campus. On January 15, 1975, Kappa Alpha Psi was reinstated to voting membership on the council; it remains a member to this date.
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