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 Born in Madisonville, Kentucky, Most Honorable
Elder Watson Diggs graduated from the Indiana State Normal School (now
the Indiana State Teachers College) at Terra Haute, Indiana, in the spring of
1908, and entered Howard University in 1909. In June 1916 he was granted a
degree by Indiana University. His leadership ability, sincerity of purpose,
enthusiasm and dedication earned for him the respect of his fellows, and the
office of Grand Polemarch of the newly established Fraternity. He held that
office for six consecutive years (to December 1917) and was awarded the first
Laurel Wreath, the fraternity's highest recognition of achievement, in 1924.
Writing for the May 1916 issue of the Kappa Alpha Psi Journal, E. W. Proctor
reflected the esteem in which Diggs was held with this statement: "(He)
will be graduated this June. Our Grand Polemarch has been the alpha of every
attempt directed toward some good end. It is with great regret that we are
about to lose him." Diggs died November 8, 1947, and a public school in
Indianapolis was named in his memory.
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 Paul W. Cane
entered the University from Greencastle, Indiana. His pleasant disposition
soon won many friends in the Greek letter houses where he worked as a cook or
housekeeper. These friendships enabled him to gain information that
contributed to the organization of Kappa Alpha Nu. In later years, Caine
operated his own catering service in Evanston, Illinois. He died in 1922.
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 Ezra D. Alexander is a native of Bloomington. Having been born and reared in that southern
Indiana town, Ezra had first hand acquaintance with the bias that led to the
establishment of Kappa Alpha Nu. Being a student at the University, from
which he received his bachelor's and M.D. degrees in 1917 and 1919, he knew
and learned to live with the existing social conditions. He was the nonvoting
member of the Grand Board of Directors until his death on September 29, 1971.
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 George
Edmunds. Little more is known about
the fraternity's tenth founder. He was from Vanderburg County near
Evansville, Indiana, and entered Indiana University in the fall of 1910.
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 Byron K. Armstrong of Westfield, Indiana, entered Howard University in 1909, met Elder
Watson Diggs, and with Diggs transferred to Indiana University in the fall of
1910. By 1914, he had earned his master's degree from Columbia University.
His early and continuing efforts in the Fraternity interest earned him the
Laurel Wreath in 1935. In 1940, he was granted the Doctor of Philosophy
degree by the University of Michigan
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 Guy L. Grant
was born in New Albany, Indiana, the third of Robert and Lucy Grant's
thirteen children, five of whom became members of Kappa Alpha Psi. After the
death of his father, Guy became head of the household and assumed
responsibility for the education of himself and his younger brothers. After
finishing high school, Guy entered Indiana University and graduated with the
bachelor's degree in Chemistry in 1915. In 1920, he received the D.D.S.
degree from the School of Dentistry. Grant is admired for his determination,
tenacity and achievement against all odds.
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 Henry T. Asher was born in Woodburn, Kentucky, June 29, 1890, and moved to
Bloomington, where he graduated from high school in the spring of 1910. In
June of 1914, he was granted the Bachelor of Arts degree by Indianan
University. After one year of teaching at Lincoln Institute, Jefferson City,
Missouri, Asher entered the graduate school of at the University of Illinois
for the 1915-1916 school year, but received the Master of Arts degree from
the University of Minnesota in 1917. In 1928, he was awarded the LL.B. degree
by the Detroit College of Law. Asher died March 5, 1963.
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 Edward G.
Irvin was born in Spencer, Indiana
and graduated from Kokomo High School in 1910. In the fall of that year, he
entered the University, became a founder of Kappa Alpha Nu, and served on the
Fraternity's Incorporation Committee. After leaving Indiana, Irvin pursued a
journalistic career. After World War I, he served on the staff of the
Indianapolis Freeman. In March 1922, he established The Shining Star, a
weekly newspaper in Anderson, Indiana. Within less than five years, he
enlarged the paper without capital from a leaflet to an eight page, six-column
newspaper. The success of this venture brought a bid from the Gary Sun for
Irvin's services as its editor. He accepted, but later resigned to become
sports editor with the Chicago Daily Bulletin.
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 Marcus
Peter Blakemore was born in
Franklin, Indiana, and attended the public schools of Anderson. He was
graduated in 1909 and entered the University in the fall of 1910. A rugged
individual, Blakemore was determined to make a place in life for himself. As
a roommate of Byron Armstrong, he became enthusiastic about the new Fraternity
and contributed significantly to Kappa Alpha Nu. After leaving the University
in 1911, Blakemore organized the Electric Engineering Company which he
operated until he enlisted in World War I. He received his D.D.S. degree from
the University of Pittsburgh in 1923 and practiced until his death on October
9, 1959.
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 John Milton Lee, a personable, confident graduate from the Danville, Indiana high
school entered the University in 1910 where he completed three years of
pre-medical study. As told elsewhere in this story, Lee was from the
beginning an active and interested participant in the founding of Kappa Alpha
Nu. In 1915, he attended Temple University. In 1918, he enlisted in the 349th
Field Artillery and served overseas as a sergeant first class and gunner. He
was the first all-Negro battery to open fire on an enemy. John Milton Lee was
associate editor of Modern Artillerymen, the official record of Battery F,
349th Artillery. He died January 8, 1958.
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