History

Brother Homer D. Coke came to Birmingham in 1936, fresh from having participated in the founding of the Memphis Alumni Chapter. He called together five known Kappamen in the Birmingham area and from this early 1936 meeting the roots of the Birmingham Alumni Chapter sprouted. By 1939, the group had grown to thirteen and regular meetings were held. For several years prior to the issuance of the charter, these Kappamen were fully active as a Greek-letter organization in the city and were highly regarded among the other Greeks of the city.

In February, 1939, Brother Coke wrote to J. Ernest Wilkins, Grand Keeper of Records and Exchequer, to inquire as to what was the procedure and requirements for the establishment of an alumni chapter in Birmingham. Brother Wilkins responded in a letter dated February 10, 1939.

The Birmingham group of Kappamen finally made a decision to petition for a charter at a meeting held on December 15, 1940 at Leslie Shortridge's Owl's Club, a night club located on the corner of 7th Avenue and 14th Street North. However, it was not until March, 1943, that the formal petition was submitted. Brother Coke and Brother T. L. Hale were at the forefront of this effort. The charter (November 7, 1943) was formally presented to the group by Dr. Alan Smith, Polemarch, Southeastern Province. Grand Polemarch C. Roman Johnson came to visit with the new chapter a few months later.