Kappa Alpha Psi was founded on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana on January 5, 1911.

KAPPA ALPHA PSI, a college Fraternity, now comprised of functioning Undergraduate and Alumni Chapters on major campuses and in cities throughout the world, is the crystallization of a dream. It is the beautiful realization of a vision shared commonly by the late Revered Founders ELDER WATSON DIGGS, "THE DREAMER"; EZRA D. ALEXANDER; BYRON K. ARMSTRONG; HENRY T. ASHER; MARCUS P. BLAKEMORE; PAUL CAINE; GEORGE W. EDMONDS; GUY LEVIS GRANT; EDWARD G. IRVIN and JOHN MILTON LEE.

Early in this century, African-American students were actively dissuaded from attending college. Formidable obstacles were erected to prevent the few who were enrolled from assimilating into co-curricular campus life. The founders sought a formula that would immediately raise the sights of black collegians and stimulate them to accomplishments higher than they might have imagined. Fashioning achievement as it's purpose, Kappa Alpha Psi began uniting college men of culture patriotism and honor in a bond of fraternity.

Chartered and incorporated originally under the laws of the State of Indiana as Kappa Alpha Nu on May 15, 1911, the name was changed to KAPPA ALPHA PSI on a resolution offered and adopted at the Grand Chapter in December 1914. This change became effective April 15, 1915, on a proclamation by the then Grand Polemarch, Elder Watson Diggs. Thus, the name acquired a distinctive Greek letter symbol and KAPPA ALPHA PSI thereby became a Greek letter Fraternity in every sense of the designation. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc remains the only Greek Letter organization with its Alpha Chapter on the University's campus.

The Fraternity's fundamental purpose is achievement.