South Central Province History

The South Central Province was originally encompassed within the Southern Province.

Between 1926 and 1950, Provinces were not fixed entities. At the 40th Grand Chapter meeting [1950], the Provinces underwent a major transformation that included the merging of Provinces, establishing unique boundaries, and renaming of Provinces. The delegates, at subsequent Grand Chapter meetings, continued to fine-tune the management responsibilities of the Province Polemarchs.  One of the most significant changes was the adoption of legislation requiring a Province Polemarch to affiliate with an alumni chapter within the geographic area that he supervises.  The first documented mention of the South Central Province is in the March 1935 Kappa Alpha Psi Journal. H. C. Russell of the Louisville Alumni Chapter is listed as Province Polemarch.

Based on this information, it can be intimated, the South Central Province was established December 30th, 1934 at the 24th Grand Chapter Meeting. The 24th Grand Chapter was held in New York from December 26 through the 30th.  Dr. Jesse Jerome Peters, the eighth Grand Polemarch, would have made the appointment of Brother Harvey C. Russell, Sr as Province Polemarch.

In 1951 Kentucky, Tennessee and Northern Mississippi were realigned and titled the South Central Province while most of Arkansas, and Mississippi along with all of Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas became the Southwestern Province of Kappa Alpha Psi.  The first Province Polemarch for the original Southern Province was Nelson Willis who was a member of Louisville (KY) Alumni during his time as a Province Polemarch.

South Central Province History
(provided by past Province Historian, Samuel Bell)

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Greetings Brothers,

I personally want to thank you for allowing me to serve you as your Province Historian.  It is my sincere desire to continue analyzing our past so that we can gain insights into our future.  To my brothers who are charged with maintaining their chapter histories; I ask that you please take the time to review the historical forms prepared by Grand Historian Kevin Scott and help in our collective efforts to research, recover, and retain the priceless history of Kappa Alpha Psi. Brothers also I ask that you continue reinterpreting the past, asking new questions, searching new sources and finding new meanings in old documents in order to bring the perspective of new knowledge and experience to bear on the task of understanding our past. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions and thank you for your commitment to our history.

Samuel Bell, Past South Central Province Historian

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South Central Province Polemarch Lineage

i.      Nelson M. Willis 1925-1929 (Southern Province Polemarch)
ii.     Fred A. Clement 1930-1931 (Southern Province Polemarch)
iii.    Nelson M. Willis 1931-1932 (Southern Province Polemarch)
iv.   Harvey C. Russell 1932-1933 (Southern Province Polemarch)
v.    Henry H. Walker 1933-1934 (Southern Province Polemarch)

1.    Harvey C. Russell Sr.* 1934-1936
2.     Rufus E. Clement* 1936-1937
3.    Rufus S. Stout 1937-1944
4.    Theodore Rowan* 1944-1945
5.    Henry S. Wilson* 1945-1947
6.    William J. Gupton* 1947-1949
7.    William F. Butler* 1949-1952
8.    William Dickerson Donnelly* 1953-1954
9.    Jack O. LeFlore* 1954-1957
10.  A. Maceo Walker* 1957-1959
11.  Hubert B. Crouch* 1959-1962
12.  Louis P. McHenry* 1962-1965
13.  R. L. Wynn* 1965-1968
14.  Melvin N. Conley* 1968-1972
15.  Shannon D. Little* 1972-1978
16.  Louis N. Willis* 1978-1986
17.  Ocie C. Pleasant* 1986-1990
18.  Mark A. Scott 1990-1991
19.  Robert W. Scales 1991-1994
20.  John P. Russell Jr. 1994-2002
21.  Prentice J. Siegel 2002-2007
22.  Willie F. Brooks Jr. 2007-2011
23.  Byron D. White 2011-2016
24. Dr. Leonard E. Clemons 2016-2023
25. Donald L. Woolridge Sr. 2023-Present

(* denotes deceased)