Recognize notable members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and designate March 17, 2026, as "Kappa Day at the State Kapitol."

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To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Simmons (12th)

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 541

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND SALUTING THE 75TH 1
ANNIVERSARY OF DELTA DELTA CHAPTER OF KAPPA ALPHA PSI FRATERNITY, 2
INC., AND DESIGNATING MARCH 17, 2026, AS "KAPPA DAY AT THE STATE 3
KAPITOL," HONORING THE LEGACY OF NOTABLE MEMBERS. 4
WHEREAS, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., was founded on 5
January 5, 1911, on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, 6
Indiana, by 10 undergraduate college students revered as the 7
Founders. This was the first and only fraternity to this date that 8
was founded on that campus and the third African American 9
college-based fraternity founded in the country; and 10
WHEREAS, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., has grown to include 11
over 700 chapters and has initiated over 30,000 men and still 12
maintains and lives by the motto from inception, "Achievement in 13
Every Field of Human Endeavor." The national programs which define 14
the fraternity to date are the Guide Right Program, commonly known 15
as the Kappa Leadership Development League, the Sunday of Hope 16
Project, which directly benefits St. Jude Children's Research 17
Hospital and has raised over a million dollars, such that the 18
fraternity will now have a wing at the hospital named in its honor, 19
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and the well-known Kappa Kamp held each year at Piney Woods Boarding 20
School in Mississippi; and 21
WHEREAS, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., chartered its first 22
chapter in Mississippi on February 27, 1941, with the naming of the 23
Jackson, Mississippi, Alumni Chapter, which is celebrating its 85th 24
Anniversary. Mississippi now has 22 chapters with 12 designated as 25
Alumni Chapters. They are Canton-Madison, Cleveland, Columbus, 26
Greenville, Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Holly Springs, Jackson, Meridian, 27
Natchez, Oxford and Vicksburg. The remaining 10 chapters designated 28
as Undergraduate Chapters are located at Alcorn State University, 29
Tougaloo College, Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State 30
University, Rust College, Mississippi State University, University 31
of Southern Mississippi, University of Mississippi, Delta State 32
University and Millsaps College; and 33
WHEREAS, on May 6, 1951, Delta Delta Chapter at Jackson State 34
University was founded by Tellis B. Ellis. Delta Delta membership 35
includes many prestigious professions in the state, including 36
architects, attorneys, businessmen, dentists, doctors, educators, 37
engineers and pharmacists. Noted Mississippians who are members of 38
Delta Delta Chapter include the Honorable Carlton Reeves, U.S. 39
Federal District Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi and 40
key legal figure in the state; Henry W. Flowers, a fifty-year 41
member; Representative Greg Elliot; Representative Senator Derrick 42
T. Simmons, Mississippi State Legislature, who represents District 43
12 and has served as the Senate Minority Leader since 2017, and was 44
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recognized as "Legislator of the Year" by the National Black Caucus 45
of State Legislators (NBCSL) in 2022; Errick D. Simmons, Derrick's 46
identical twin brother, who are both highly distinguished alumni, 47
and who have achieved national recognition in law and public 48
service, Mayor of Greenville, Mississippi, first elected in 2015 as 49
the city's second African American mayor and first African American 50
male mayor; Michael McQuerry; Christopher Darryl Neely; Warren A. 51
Reed Sr., who was honored with the Southwestern Province Lifetime 52
Achievement Award for his contributions to the fraternity; Lemuel 53
"Lem" Barney, legendary NFL Hall of Fame cornerback for the Detroit 54
Lions, 7-time Pro Bowler, and 1967 Defensive Rookie of the Year; and 55
WHEREAS, notable national figures and Mississippians who are 56
members of Kappa Alpha Psi include the Honorable Bennie G. Thompson, 57
U.S. Congressman; former Senator, Kenneth Wayne Jones, Mississippi 58
State Legislature; former Representative, Charles Young, Mississippi 59
State Legislature; former Representative, Credell Calhoun, 60
Mississippi State Legislature; Jerome Brown, Executive Vice 61
President of The First Bank (current Southwestern Providence 62
Polemarch and First Province Polemarch from Mississippi); and three 63
past Presidents of the Metro Jackson Chamber of Commerce: Howard 64
Catchings, Socrates Garrett and LeRoy G. Walker, Jr.; all of the 65
Presidents of Piney Woods Country Life School from its Founder, Dr. 66
Lawrence Jones, to the current President, Dr. Reginald T.W. Nichols; 67
Dr. Charles Beady, Jr., first African American Chief Executive 68
Officer of Mississippi Food Network; DeMarco Morgan as a notable 69
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national figure in Kappa Alpha Psi and an American broadcast 70
journalist previously anchored at ABC News. He previously 71
co-anchored GMA3: What You Need to Know with Eva Pilgrim; and the 72
late Tellis B. Ellis, Jr., Head Football Coach of Jackson State 73
University, a respected member who was instrumental in forming many 74
of the fraternity's chapters in Mississippi; and 75
WHEREAS, Kappa Alpha Psi announced that the 2026 "Kappa Day 76
at the State Kapitol" will honor the legacy of Brother David 77
"Wavee Dave" Chambers, a 1988 graduate of Delta Delta Chapter at 78
Jackson State University who embodied Tiger Pride for over two 79
decades as the University's celebrated mascot, whose spirited 80
performances energized generations of fans. Mr. Chambers' 81
creative and dynamic presence on the field helped build a culture 82
of spirit and excellence at Jackson State University, inspiring 83
the formation of the Baby Tigers and motivating young performers 84
to pursue both academic success and passionate representation of 85
Thee Tiger legacy, which is a significant contribution to the 86
heritage and spirit of Jackson State University and the State of 87
Mississippi; and 88
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we acknowledge the 89
history of a nationally and internationally respected service 90
organization in the State of Mississippi: 91
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 92
MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That 93
we do hereby recognize and salute the 75th Anniversary of Delta 94
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ST: Recognize notable members of Kappa Alpha
Psi Fraternity and designate March 17, 2026, as
"Kappa Day at the State Kapitol."
Delta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and the 95
legislative and notable members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, 96
Inc. Further, we designate March 17, 2026, as "Kappa Day at the 97
State Kapitol," honoring the legacy of Delta Delta Chapter and 98
notable national members, and extending our best wishes on this 99
auspicious occasion. 100
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to 101
Delta Delta Chapter and the other Mississippi Chapters of Kappa 102
Alpha Psi, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps. 103