Nil ego contulerim sanus jucundo amico "Nothing can I prefer, when sane, to a companionable friend"
Member badge
Badge, circa 1850s
Chapters
21
Nickname
Old Kappa Alpha, K.A., Circle of Brothers, and Alpha Society
Headquarters
United States
Kuklos Adelphon (also known asKappa Alpha orΚΑ) was an American social fraternity founded at theUniversity of North Carolina in 1812. It was also known as old Kappa Alpha, K.A., Circle of Brothers, and the Alpha Society.[1][2] The organization expanded throughout theSouthern United States, not only on college campuses but also in cities where alumni settled. The society began to decline during the 1850s and disappeared after theCivil War.[3]
Kuklos Adelphon was established at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 1812.[1][2] Its founders were four members ofPhi Beta Kappa.[4] As a result, its rituals, secrets, and constitution were similar to Phi Beta Kappa.[4]
Kuklos Adelphon expanded throughout theSouthern United States, not only on college campuses but also in cities where alumni settled. It did not have a centralized operation and allowed each chapter to amend its constitution and ritual as desired by its members.[5]
In the spring of 1855, when secessionist politics caused a rift at theUniversity of Alabama.[6] The minority unionist faction of the chapter disclosed the secrets of the order which were published by another fraternity, leading to the chapter's dissolution.[6]
TheAlpha chapter of Kuklos Adelphon dissolved in 1855 but was revived in 1858 as Kappa Alpha.[6][4]
In 1858, the chapter at theUniversity of South Carolina led a reorganization of the order and it was reconstituted asPhi Mu Omicron (ΦΜΟ) but this order did not outlast the Civil War.[2] The last Kappa Alpha chapter proper, that at the University of North Carolina, dissolved in 1866.[2][6]
The fraternity's name is derived fromAncient Greek Κύκλος Ἀδελφών, meaning "Circle of Brothers." Its motto was "Nil ego contulerim sanus jucundo amico" or "Nothing can I prefer, when sane, to a companionable friend", which is a quote from the poetHorace.[7][8]
Its badge was a diamond with a circle in its center.[9][10] There was a capital letter A inside the circle and the phrase Κύκλος Ἀδελφών around the outside of the circle.[9][10] The initials of the fraternity's Latin motto, NECSJA, were on the right leg of the letter A, while an image of clasping hands was on the crossbar of the letter A.[10] The badge was supposed to be worn suspended from a blue ribbon from the member's right lapel.[10] The constitution specified that the badge was to be silver; however, examples in other metals are also found.[10] Variations (pictured here) include the circle and letter A in black enamel on a white enamel background, or a diamond frame with a circle frame.[4][10]
The fraternity's seal was an equilateral triangle, with the Greek lettersΚΑ below and an open eye above.[10]
Chapters of the society were called circles.[4] If chapters were named in order of the Greek alphabet, there were 21 collegiate chapters established.[4] However, the order in which the chapters were chartered is unknown.[4] Following is a list of Kuklos Adelphon or Kappa Alpha chapters that were active in 1855.[5][4]
John Lester, a founder of theKu Klux Klan, claimed that the Klan'sinitiation ritual was based on a popular collegiate fraternal order, and it has been speculated by Allen Trelease that "Kuklos Adelphon almost certainly provided the model" for the early Klan.[11] In disagreement, Albert Stevens in hisCyclopaedia of Fraternities (1907), a more contemporary reference document to the date for the founding, declares the Klan took portions from the initiation ceremony of theSons of Malta and leaves absent the name "Kuklos Adelphon."[12]
