Kuklos Adelphon

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Kuklos Adelphon
KA
Fraternity badge
Founded1812
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
TypeSocial
ScopeNational (US)
MottoNil ego contulerim sanus jucundo amico {Nothing can I prefer, when sane, to a companionable friend)
Chapters21
NicknameOld Kappa Alpha, K.A., Circle of Brothers, and Alpha Society
Badge, circa 1850s

Kuklos Adelphon (also known as Kappa Alpha or ΚΑ) was an American social fraternity founded at the University of North Carolina in 1812. It was also known as old Kappa Alpha, K.A., Circle of Brothers, and the Alpha Society.[1][2] The organization expanded throughout the Southern United States, not only on college campuses but also in cities where alumni settled. The society began to decline during the 1850s and disappeared after the Civil War.[3]

History[edit]

Kuklos Adelphon was established at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 1812.[1][2] Its founders were four members of Phi Beta Kappa.[4] As a result, its rituals, secrets, and constitution were similar to Phi Beta Kappa.[4]

Kuklos Adelphon expanded throughout the Southern United States, not only on college campuses but also in cities where alumni settled. It did not have a centralized operation and allowed each chapter to amend its constitution and ritual as desired by its members.[5]

In the spring of 1855, when secessionist politics caused a rift at the University of Alabama.[6] The minority unionist faction of the chapter disclosed the secrets of the order which were published by another fraternity, leading to the chapter's dissolution.[6]

The Alpha chapter of Kuklos Adelphon dissolved in 1855 but was revived in 1858 as Kappa Alpha.[6][4]

In 1858, the chapter at the University of South Carolina led a reorganization of the order and it was reconstituted as Phi Mu Omicron (ΦΜΟ) but this order did not outlast the Civil War.[2] The last Kappa Alpha chapter proper, that at the University of North Carolina, dissolved in 1866.[2][6]

Symbols and traditions[edit]

The fraternity's name is derived from Ancient Greek Κύκλος Ἀδελφών, meaning "Circle of Brothers." Its motto was "Nil ego contulerim sanus jucundo amico" or "Nothing can I prefer, when sane, to a companionable friend", which is a quote from the poet Horace.[7][8]

Its badge was a diamond with a circle in its center.[9][10] There was a capital letter A inside the circle and the phrase Κύκλος Ἀδελφών around the outside of the circle.[9][10] The initials of the fraternity's Latin motto, NECSJA, were on the right leg of the letter A, while an image of clasping hands was on the crossbar of the letter A.[10] The badge was supposed to be worn suspended from a blue ribbon from the member's right lapel.[10] The constitution specified that the badge was to be silver; however, examples in other metals are also found.[10] Variations (pictured here) include the circle and letter A in black enamel on a white enamel background, or a diamond frame with a circle frame.[4][10]

The fraternity's seal was an equilateral triangle, with the Greek letters ΚΑ below and an open eye above.[10]

Chapters[edit]

Chapters of the society were called circles.[4] If chapters were named in order of the Greek alphabet, there were 21 collegiate chapters established.[4] However, the order in which the chapters were chartered is unknown.[4] Following is a list of Kuklos Adelphon or Kappa Alpha chapters that were active in 1855.[5][4]

Chapter Charter date

and range

Institution Location Status References
Alpha 1812–1855,

1858–1866

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, North Carolina Inactive [6][a]
Delta 18xx ?–1861 Furman University Greenville, South Carolina Inactive
Epsilon 18xx ?–1861 South Carolina University Columbia, South Carolina Withdrew (ΦΜΟ) [2][b]
1842–1855 LaGrange College Colbert County, Alabama Moved [6][c]
1848–1855 University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama Withdrew (ΦΛΔ) [6][d]
Lambda 1855–January 1858 Centenary College of Louisiana Shreveport, Louisiana Withdrew (ΔΚΕ) [6][e]
1855–1861 Florence Wesleyan University Florence, Alabama Inactive [6][c]
1855–1858 University of Mississippi University, Mississippi Withdrew (ΧΨ) [6][f]
18xx ?–1861 Wofford College Spartanburg, outh Carolina Withdrew (ΦΜΟ)
18xx ?–1861 Union University Jackson, Tennessee Inactive
18xx ?–1861 Howard College Homewood, Alabama Inactive
18xx ?–1861 Centenary Institute Summerfield, Alabama Inactive
University of Georgia Athens, Georgia Inactive [4]
18xx ?–1861 Emory College DeKalb County, Georgia Withdrew (ΦΜΟ) [4]
Centre College Danville, Kentucky Inactive [4]
Western Military Institute Nashville, Tennessee Inactive [4]
College of William & Mary Williamsburg, Virginia Inactive [4]
Washington College Lexington, Virginia Inactive [4]
Omicron 185x ?–1861 Louisiana College Convent, Louisiana Inactive
Phi 185x ?–1861 Emory and Henry College Emory, Virginia Withdrew (ΦΜΟ) [9][g]
  1. ^ When the chapter dissolved in 1855, most of its members joined Chi Psi. It was revived as Kappa Alpha.
  2. ^ Chapter withdrew and reorganized as Phi Mu Omicron fraternity. However, the new organization did not survive the Civil War.
  3. ^ a b The LaGrange chapter moved in the spring of 1855 when LaGrange became a military academy and its literary department moved to Florence Wesleyan.
  4. ^ Chapter withdrew and became a chapter of Phi Gamma Delta in the fall of 1855.
  5. ^ Chapter withdrew and joined Delta Kappa Epsilon.
  6. ^ Chapter withdrew and joined Chi Psi in the fall of 1858.
  7. ^ The chapter withdrew and joined Phi Mu Omicron. It went dormant during the Civil War.

Controversies[edit]

John Lester, a founder of the Ku Klux Klan, claimed that the Klan's initiation ritual was based on a popular collegiate fraternal order, and it has been speculated by Allen Trelease that "Kuklos Adelphon almost certainly provided the model" for the early Klan.[11] In disagreement, Albert Stevens in his Cyclopaedia of Fraternities (1907), a more contemporary reference document to the date for the founding, declares the Klan took portions from the initiation ceremony of the Sons of Malta and leaves absent the name "Kuklos Adelphon."[12]

Notable members[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive), "Inactive Fraternities" section, see listing for Kappa Alpha". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  2. ^ a b c d e Boyd, Leroy Stafford. The original Kappa Alpha, p. 1. (Reprinted from Banta's Greek exchange, v. 7, no. 4, September 1919). via Hathi Trust.
  3. ^ Allen W Trelease White terror; the Ku Klux Klan conspiracy and Southern Reconstruction New York, Harper & Row 1971 p.4
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Shepard, Francis W., ed. (1927). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (11th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: George Banta Publishing Company. p. 535-536. via Google Books.
  5. ^ a b Boyd, Leroy Stafford. The Original Kappa Alpha, p. 2. (Reprinted from Banta's Greek exchange, v. 7, no. 4, September 1919). via Hathi Trust.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Boyd, Leroy Stafford. The Original Kappa Alpha, p. 3. (Reprinted from Banta's Greek exchange, v. 7, no. 4, September 1919). via Hathi Trust.
  7. ^ Sterling, Robin (January 8, 2017). Newspaper Clippings from the Colbert County, Alabama Leighton News 1908 - 1914. Lulu.com. ISBN 9781387224609 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Sterling, Robin (June 6, 2017). Newspaper Clippings from the Colbert County, Alabama Leighton News 1904 - 1907. Lulu.com. ISBN 9781387020225 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ a b c Boyd, Leroy Stafford. The Original Kappa Alpha, p. 3. (Reprinted from Banta's Greek exchange, v. 7, no. 5, September 1919). via Hathi Trust.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Boyd, Leroy Stafford. The Original Kappa Alpha, p.11. (Reprinted from Banta's Greek exchange, v. 7, no. 5, September 1919). via Hathi Trust.
  11. ^ "Ask Adam". The Amarillo Globe-Times. February 26, 1975. p. 1. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  12. ^ Stevens, Albert C. (1907). "The Cyclopaedia of Fraternities" (2nd ed.). New York: New York: E.B. Treat and Company. p. 417.
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