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.Boyd, Leroy Stafford. The original Kappa Alpha, p. 1. (Reprinted from Banta's Greek exchange, v. 7, no. 4, September 1919). via HathiTrust. 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.Allen W Trelease White terror; the Ku Klux Klan conspiracy and Southern Reconstruction New York, Harper & Row 1971 p.4
History Kuklos Adelphon was established at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 1812. Its founders were four members of Phi Beta Kappa. As a result, its rituals, secrets, and constitution were similar to Phi Beta Kappa.
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.Boyd, Leroy Stafford. The Original Kappa Alpha, p. 2. (Reprinted from Banta's Greek exchange, v. 7, no. 4, September 1919). via HathiTrust.
In the spring of 1855, secessionist politics caused a rift at the University of Alabama.Boyd, Leroy Stafford. The Original Kappa Alpha, p. 3. (Reprinted from Banta's Greek exchange, v. 7, no. 4, September 1919). via HathiTrust. 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.
The Alpha chapter of Kuklos Adelphon dissolved in 1855 but was revived in 1858 as Kappa Alpha.
In 1858, the chapter at the University of South Carolina led a reorganization of the order and it was reconstituted as Phi Mu Omicron () but this order did not outlast the Civil War. The last Kappa Alpha chapter proper, that at the University of North Carolina, dissolved in 1866.
Symbols and traditions The fraternity's name is derived from Ancient Greek Κύκλος Ἀδελφών, meaning "Circle of Brothers." Its motto was or "Nothing can I prefer, when sane, to a companionable friend", which is a quote from the poet Horace.
Its badge was a diamond with a circle in its center.Boyd, Leroy Stafford. The Original Kappa Alpha, p. 3. (Reprinted from Banta's Greek exchange, v. 7, no. 5, September 1919). via HathiTrust.Boyd, Leroy Stafford. The Original Kappa Alpha, p.11. (Reprinted from Banta's Greek exchange, v. 7, no. 5, September 1919). via HathiTrust. There was a capital letter A inside the circle and the phrase Κύκλος Ἀδελφών around the outside of the circle. 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. The badge was supposed to be worn suspended from a blue ribbon from the member's right lapel. The constitution specified that the badge was to be silver; however, examples in other metals are also found. 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.
The fraternity's seal was an equilateral triangle, with the Greek letters ΚΑ below and an open eye above.
Chapters Chapters of the society were called circles. If chapters were named in order of the Greek alphabet, there were 21 collegiate chapters established. However, the order in which the chapters were chartered is unknown. Following is a list of Kuklos Adelphon or Kappa Alpha chapters that were active in 1855.
ChapterCharter date and rangeInstitutionLocationStatusAlpha1812–1855, 1858–1866University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, North CarolinaInactiveDelta18xx ?–1861Furman UniversityGreenville, South CarolinaInactiveEpsilon18xx ?–1861South Carolina UniversityColumbia, South CarolinaWithdrew (ΦΜΟ)1842–1855LaGrange CollegeColbert County, AlabamaMoved1848–1855University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AlabamaWithdrew (ΦΛΔ)Lambda1855–January 1858Centenary College of LouisianaShreveport, LouisianaWithdrew (ΔΚΕ)1855–1861Florence Wesleyan UniversityFlorence, AlabamaInactive1855–1858University of MississippiUniversity, Mississippi Withdrew (ΧΨ)18xx ?–1861Wofford CollegeSpartanburg, South CarolinaWithdrew (ΦΜΟ)18xx ?–1861Union UniversityJackson, TennesseeInactive18xx ?–1861Howard CollegeHomewood, AlabamaInactive18xx ?–1861Centenary InstituteSummerfield, AlabamaInactiveUniversity of GeorgiaAthens, GeorgiaInactive18xx ?–1861Emory CollegeDeKalb County, GeorgiaWithdrew (ΦΜΟ)Centre CollegeDanville, KentuckyInactiveWestern Military InstituteNashville, TennesseeInactiveCollege of William & MaryWilliamsburg, VirginiaInactiveWashington CollegeLexington, VirginiaInactiveOmicron185x ?–1861Louisiana CollegeConvent, LouisianaInactivePhi185x ?–1861Emory and Henry CollegeEmory, VirginiaWithdrew (ΦΜΟ)
Controversies 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. 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."
Notable members
John C. Bush, mayor of Mobile, Alabama Wiliam Wallace Duncan, Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South Robert Kennon Hargrove, Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South William M. Lowe, U.S. House of Representatives John Mason Martin, U.S. House of Representatives James K. Polk, President of the United States Thomas R. Stockdale, justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi and U.S. House of Representatives William H. Whitsitt, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
References