History

History of the National Fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha is an international brotherhood composed of 201 student chapters, 7 colonies, and 119 alumni associations. The Fraternity has more than 220,000 initiated members and has maintained the largest average chapter and pledge class size of any international fraternity for most of the past 20 years. Pi Kappa Alpha, through its members, has donated millions of dollars to philanthropic causes and community organizations across North America. Pi Kappa Alpha's vision is to "set the standard of integrity, intellect, and achievement for our members, host institutions, and the communities in which we live." The Fraternity is a chapter based fraternal association. Undergraduate chapter and alumni association delegates gather every two years in Convention to elect a board of directors (known as the Supreme Council) and adopt policies for the benefit of the organization. (International Officers, staff and past national presidents also have a vote at the Convention.) The Fraternity's translated name and ritual are secret - a tradition of most fraternities that goes back to the days when fraternities were outlawed on many campuses and members could be discriminated against for their affiliation. Six men are generally recognized as the Fraternity's founders in 1868 - Frederick Southgate Taylor, Robertson Howard, Julian Edward Wood, James Benjamin Sclater Jr., Littleton Waller Tazewell (Bradford) and William Alexander. (Only four were present at the first meeting and Alexander's membership was subject to a vote.) The reason for their desire to start a fraternity is eloquently described in Pi Kappa Alpha's preamble: "For the establishment of friendship on a firmer and more lasting basis; for the promotion of brotherly love and kind feeling; for the mutual benefit and advancement of the interests of those with whom we sympathize and deem worthy of our regard; We have resolved to form a Fraternity; believing that, thus we can most successfully accomplish our object."

The Preamble