History

1865

• Oct. 2: James Ward Wood departs Woodlawn in Lost River,WV, for Lexington, Virginia, to attend Washington College
• Dec. 21: Kappa Alpha Order is born when three of four founders meet and pledge their friendship by a “mutual pledge of faith and loyalty”

1866

• Stanhope McClelland Scott arrives on campus
• Early in the year, James Ward Wood fashions the first badge
• April: Phi Kappa Chi changed to KA
• KA becomes Kappa Alpha Order as the first draft of the ritual is adopted
• Oct. 17: Samuel Zenas Ammen is initiated
• Nov.: James Ward Wood presents an essay inspired by the ancient Knights Templar

1867

May: Ammen and recent initiate Joe Lane Stern decide to not let the “lodge” die and thus Kappa Alpha continues

1868

• Spring: John Hollingsworth becomes the Order’s first initiate outside of Washington College. A VMI cadet, his initiation marks the beginning of Beta and KA’s expansion into a national fraternity
• March 8: Beta Chapter at VMI is officially formed John Francis Rogers is elected as the Order’s first Knight Commander

1869

• Feb. 8: Samuel Zenas Ammen assumes duties as Knight Commander when Rogers withdraws from school
• Dec. 18: KA’s first alumni chapter is established in Macon, Georgia

1870

• Ammen produces Kappa Alpha’s first publication containing the constitution, bylaws, and ritual, known as the Green Book
• July 11-13: First Convention held in Richmond, Virginia Joe Lane Stern

1873

Alpha Chapter is closed and sovereignty is relinquished to the Convention

1878

July 5-6: Convention decides to make the event biennial

1879

Feb. : Volume 1, Issue 1 of The Kappa Alpha Journal is published

1883

Convention divides the Order’s territory into four “Commanderies”, the first attempt at a regional or province system

1885

Crimson and old gold adopted as KA’s official colors by the 13th Convention in Nashville, Tennessee

1893

Official flag and official flowers (red rose and magnolia blossom) adopted by the 17th Convention in Richmond, Virginia Knight Commander’s seal is authorized

1897

The coat of arms currently in use is adopted from the basis of Charles Kirby King’s (Beta–VMI 1892) earlier versions

1903

Prohibition of hazing included in Constitution

1907

Standard design of the KA badge adopted by Convention Kappa Alpha Order incorporated as a Virginia corporation

1911

The 26th Convention adopts province system in New Orleans, Louisiana

1912

Province Councils first convened in the fall

1921

Official ring and hat band are adopted by the 31st Convention in Dallas, Texas Charles Kirby King’s coat of arms Official hat band and essay medals

1927

Convention authorizes the making and wearing of suitable jewels of office by national, province, and chapter officers

1929

Samuel Zenas Ammen dies in Daytona Beach, Florida

1930

The James Ward Wood Province institutes the first Court of Honor in October

1934

The first National Administrative Office opens in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the Maison Blanche Building

1936

Jan. 1: The Order’s government is restructured and the Executive Council is put into place

1940

New administrative office opens in April in downtown Atlanta, Georgia

1941

National Administrative Office moves to Louisville, Kentucky

1942-1945

Twenty-one chapters become inactive and Conventions are suspended during World War II

1946

The first Officer’s Training School (later named National Leadership Institute, now Number I’s Leadership Institute) was held in Louisville, Kentucky

1948

First Award for Distinguished Achievement presented to General George C. Marshall

1954

Aug. : National Administrative Office moves back to Atlanta General George C. Marshall received the first Award for Distinguished Achievement

1967

Aug. 21: KA’s supplemental flag is adopted by the 52^nd Convention in Atlanta, Georgia

1971

Council of Honor program is developed by Former Knight Commander Dr. Idris R. Traylor, Jr.

1972

The National Training School for Chapter Officers renamed the National Leadership Institute

1975

Muscular Dystrophy Association is adopted as national philanthropy

1976

The Varlet authorized as designation of the official new member education manual by the Executive Council

1981

Kappa Alpha Order Educational Foundation founded

1986

Jan. : The National Administrative Office move to Lexington, Virginia

1990

The Kappa Alpha Order Educational Foundation acquires the historic Rockbridge County Jail at a public auction, which later becomes the first permanent National Administrative Office in 1992 and serves as such till  2004.

1993

Project Outreach established to include all Kappa Alpha service and philanthropic efforts

1999

Kappa Alpha Order launches The Crusade, the Order’s total membership development program

2000

June 14: The first RoundTable for The Crusade is held in Lexington, Virginia

2001

Leadership KA, an alumni-training program, is developed

2002

Operation Crimson Gift, a nationwide blood drive begins

2003

Jan. 3: Number I’s Leadership Institute begins The Loyal Order is launched

2004

Oct.: National Administrative Office moves to its current location at Mulberry Hill

2006

• July 13: The first Emerging Leaders Academy is held in Lexington, Virginia
• Oct. 14: Stewards of the Order first held in Dallas, Texas

2007

The Knight Commander’s Medal is established by the Executive Council

2008

The Theta Commission at The Citadel is established

2009

• The Military Division of Kappa Alpha Order is established
• The Order initiates 150,000th member
• The Order completes the largest capital campaign in its history, raising more than $11 million for the KAOEF

2010

• New guesthouse building completed on the grounds of Mulberry Hill to house field staff and national archives
• Sigma Alpha Commission established for graduates of the United States Military Academy

2011

Forever KA is established

2014

Sigma Beta Commission established for graduates of the United State Naval Academy

2015

• The Order celebrates its Sesquicentennial, 150 years in existence
• Excelsior: The Story of Kappa Alpha Order is published

2016

KAOEF’s Crimson & Gold Campaign launched

2022

The KAOEF Crimson & Gold Campaign achieves more than 1000 alumni and friends donating $1,000 annually, unrestricted, the first fraternity or sorority to achieve this feat