Here's To Kappa Alpha Psi, The Nation's Most Celebrated Black Fraternity

Kappa Alpha Psi (KAΨ) is a collegiate African American Greek-letter fraternity. Founded on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, today the distingished organization with a focus on achievement celebrates its 99th anniversary!

Kappa has has over 150,000 members with 700 undergraduate and alumni chapters in every state of the US, and international chapters in the UK, Germany, Korea, Japan, the Caribbean, Saint Thomas, Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Nigeria, and South Africa.

The fraternity has many notable members recognized as leaders in the arts, athletics, business, civil rights, education, government, and science sectors at the local, national and international level.

Kappa sponsors programs providing community service, social welfare and academic scholarship through the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation and is a supporter of the United Negro College Fund and Habitat for Humanity. Kappa Alpha Psi is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC).

The fraternity is the first predominantly African American Greek-letter society founded west of the Appalachian Mountains still in existence, and is known for its "cane stepping" in organized step shows.

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U of M's Taylor Bradford, A Black Defensive Lineman And Kappa From Nashville, Is Murdered On Campus

Classes Canceled And Campus On Lockdown With Killer Reportedly Still At Large

Taylor Bradford, a 21-year-old defensive lineman from Nashville who had just transferred to the University of Memphis in 2006, was pronounced dead late Sunday evening after being shot in what authorities are saying was no random attack. Bradford is believed to have driven his Lincoln after being hit before colliding with a tree near Zach Curlin. According to police, no witnesses have come forward so far.

Right after the incident, students stood in sweatshirts, hugging and some crying outside Carpenter Complex and in Central parking lot, confused about what was going on. "I'm just concerned that I don't know anything," said biology major Krista King.

Several football players were among the many who assembled in the parking lot. As Bradford's car was being towed away, they stood in a line across from the stoplight with somber faces. Gionni Carr, Student Government Association president, urged the administration to cancel classes Monday. "School will be shut down, if I have my way, in his memory. I would like to have some sort of mass assembly so we can all talk about this…we are in a situation where no one feels safe. I don't feel safe."

Nicknamed "Booger" among friends and family, Bradford had stopped by all the sorority houses with the president of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Will Terrell, and another Nupe to encourage all the sororities to participate in an up-coming fraternity event in order to promote diversity. Being so close to the murder, the African American sorority women living in the Carpenter Townhouses expressed uneasiness about the safety on campus.

"As a young woman who lives in the new sorority houses, I'm concerned about the safety not only of residents, but for all students here on campus because of the amount of crime that has recently occurred," said communications major, Molly Phinney.

"Taylor was my brother," Terrell said speaking by phone from the hospital. "We will miss him dearly. He will be remembered. He loved to play football. He loved his family, he loved his friends and he loved Kappa. He was always full of innovation and ideas. If you were around him, you were going to have a good time."

FOLKS WHO GET IT: DR. JULIAN M. EARLS - THE 'OTHER' HOWARD U COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

Phd Brother With 6 Degrees Rock's The Black DC Campus

Oprah wasn't the only one workin' the crowd at Saturday's Howard University Commencement. Also receiving an honorary doctorate was Dr. Julian M. Earls, director of the NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

This man of distinguished accomplishment including six university degrees, including a Ph.D in radiation physics from the University of Michigan (the sistah's alma mater), Dr. Earls - interestingly enough - was the commencement's funny man with the site's official quote of the day:

Education without common sense is like a load of books on the back of a jackass.

We salute you today, Dr. Earls. Your accomplishments make us ever so proud, once again demonstrating to the world the greatness of Black folks. The fact that the good doc is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity doesn't hurt either.

Get more Howard University commencement coverage here.