Kappa Alpha Society

Kappa Alpha Society
ΚΑ
FoundedNovember 26, 1825; 199 years ago (1825-11-26)
Union College
TypeSocial
AffiliationNIC
StatusActive
ScopeInternational
Colors  Scarlet
SymbolKappa Alpha Key
FlowerCarnation
Chapters15 (5 active)
HeadquartersPO Box 876
Ithaca, New York
United States
Websiteka.org

The Kappa Alpha Society (ΚΑ), founded in 1825, was the progenitor of the modern fraternity system in North America. It is considered to be the oldest national, secret, Greek-letter social fraternity and was the first of the fraternities which would eventually become known as the Union Triad that pioneered the North American system of social fraternities.[1]

While several fraternities claim to be the oldest, Baird's Manual states that ΚΑ has maintained a continuous existence since its foundation, making it the oldest undergraduate fraternity that exists today.[2] As of 2022, there are five active chapters in the United States and Canada.[3]

  1. ^ Baird, William (1963) [1879]. Robson, John (ed.). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (Hardcover) (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: George Banta Company, Inc. p. 8.
  2. ^ Baird, William (1963) [1879]. Robson, John (ed.). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (Hardcover) (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: George Banta Company, Inc. p. 267.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Baird's Manual Online was invoked but never defined (see the help page).