A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NORTHERN PROVINCE OF KAPPA ALPHA PSI FRATERNITY
Ten years after the founding of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Grand Polemarch George F. David, II (Delta Chapter-1915), third Grand Polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi (who had been Grand Lieutenant Strategus, Editor of the Journal, Grand Vice Polemarch) and the first Grand Polemarch who had not been nurtured by the Alpha Chapter under the influence of the Founders, proposed dividing the Fraternity into supervisory districts.
The idea originated with his father who was a Presiding Elder of the A.M.E. Church and also member of Kappa Alpha Psi. Grand Polemarch David, II implemented the division of the Fraternity into three districts. Past Grand Polemarch Irven Armstrong was assigned the first; Harrison R. Duke, the second; and Harold M. Tyler, the third district. The three districts grew into four "regions".
Of interesting note, Brother Duke was the father of Harrison R. Duke, Jr., a former member of the Detroit Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi and the grandfather of Harrison R. Duke, III, a Detroit educator and currently a member of the Fraternity.
Grand Polemarch Earl B. Dickerson changed the designation of "Region" to "Province" and "Regional Director" to "Province Polemarch" at the 15th Grand Chapter Meeting in 1925. Dr. Edward A. Carter was appointed Province Polemarch of the Great Lakes .
The Northern Province has produced three Grand Polemarchs: Ernest H. Davenport (1967-1970), Robert L. Gordon (1982-1985), and Ronald R. Young (1995-1999), four Laurel Wreath awardees, five Elder Watson Diggs awardees, one Guy L. Grant awardee and 23 Province Polemarchs.
Past Province Polemarchs
Harrison R. Duke* - 1st Province Polemarch, Detroit Alumni
Dr. Edward A. Carter* - 2nd Province Polemarch, Detroit Alumni
Atty. Herbert V. White* - 3rd Province Polemarch, Detroit Alumni
Dr. L. L. Spann*- 4th Province Polemarch, Detroit Alumni
Fred H. Williams* - 5th Province Polemarch, Detroit Alumni
Victor LaNier Hicks* - 6th Province Polemarch, Detroit Alumni
Theodore R. Owens* - 7th Province Polemarch, Detroit Alumni
Floyd Pennick* - 8th Province Polemarch, Detroit Alumni
John W. Johnson* - 9th Province Polemarch, Detroit Alumni
A. Roscoe Tyler* - 10th Province Polemarch, Detroit Alumni
George H. Edwards* - 11th Province Polemarch, Detroit Alumni
Dr. Williams A. Sims* - 12th Province Polemarch, Flint/Lansing Alumni
Clarence Walker* - 14th Province Polemarch, Toledo Alumni
John D. Russell* - 15th Province Polemarch, Flint/Lansing Alumni
Robert L. Gordon* - 16th Province Polemarch, Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti/Inkster Alumni
Ronald R. Young* - 17th Province Polemarch, Syracuse Alumni
Charles C. Smith* - 18th Province Polemarch, Detroit Alumni
E. Kenneth Glass, Jr. - 19th Province Polemarch, Saginaw Alumni
Thomas E. Howard, Jr.* - 20th Province Polemarch, Detroit Alumni
Chester Hughes, Jr.* - 21st Province Polemarch, Flint Alumni
Harry G. Franklin* - 22nd Province Polemarch, Southfield Alumni
Desmon R. Daniel - 23rd Province Polemarch, Saginaw Alumni
Kevin D. Kyles - 24th Province Polemarch, Detroit Alumni
*Chapter Invisible