HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – On June 7, community members gathered at Founders Square to celebrate Hopkinsville native Elder Watson Diggs, co-founder of the nation’s second oldest historically black intercollegiate fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
A large, new mural now joins the menagerie of paintings along the brick wall at Founders Square, each of which celebrates a piece of the city’s history. Dozens of residents and fraternity members alongside Mayor J.R. Knight witnessed the unveiling of the mural, and shared the impact that Diggs had on the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
“We are honored to celebrate his lasting legacy and recognize his contributions to history, leadership, and education,” said a statement from the city. The ceremony also publicly acknowledged the historical marker that was previously erected on the square in his honor.
According to the marker, Diggs was born in Hopkinsville in 1883 and founded Kappa Alpha Psi alongside nine other students in 1911. He played a key role in shaping the organizations insignia and traditions and was also a WWI veteran before becoming a school principal in Indianapolis.
The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights says that in 1916, Diggs became the first African American graduate of the Indiana University School of Education. He envisioned that the creation of the fraternity would help give black men support and sanctuary.
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