Baltimore to host Kappa Alpha Psi’s 88th Grand Chapter Meeting in 2027
Members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. gathered at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum to celebrate Kappa Week and announce that the organization's 2027 national conference will be held in Baltimore, with the goal of strengthening civic partnerships and showcasing achievement in every field of human endeavor. The post Baltimore to host Kappa Alpha Psi’s 88th Grand Chapter Meeting in 2027 appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.
Black News 
By Andrew Hall
AFRO Intern
ahall@afro.com
More than 250 members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. packed the Reginald F. Lewis Museum July 9 to celebrate Kappa Week, which began on July 8 and runs through July 17.
Among those attending were Maryland Sen. Antonio Hayes (D-District 40); Kireem Swinton, president and CEO of Visit Baltimore; Jimmy McMikle, grand polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., and other notable leaders. There, they announced that the organization’s 2027 national conference (88th Grand Chapter Meeting) will be held in Baltimore.
“Baltimore and Kappas belong together. Both are built on leadership. Both are built on service. Both are built on the belief that when one generation succeeds, it has the responsibility to reach back and give to the next,” said Yolanda Stokes, president and CEO of Downtown Partnership of Baltimore. “ I have the privilege of seeing the city through the lens of possibility every single day. I see people who call Baltimore home because buildings don’t transform cities, people do.”
Kevin Clark, co-chair of the Local Planning Committee for the Baltimore Alumni Chapter, discussed the anticipated impact of the Grand Chapter Meeting.
“That momentum reflects commitment, collaboration, and the belief and the impact that this event will have on Baltimore. This initiative will bring together leadership, sponsors and supporters in a meaningful way,” Clark said. “As we move forward, our focus remains clear—to deliver a successful and memorable 88th Grand Chapter Meeting, to strengthen the engagement across Baltimore, to create opportunity for partnership and community impact.”
The July 9 press conference served as the start of a year-long countdown to the fraternity’s 2027 national conference, which will return to Baltimore for the first time since 1968.
Richard B. Mattox, polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi’s Eastern Province, delivered remarks drawing parallels between 1968 and 2027.
“1968 was a year of crisis and awakening. The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. shook the nation. Voting rights, political activism and community mobilization were urgent . Kappa Alpha Psi stood on the front lines of that fight. Today, nearly six decades later, we return to Baltimore in a moment that carries a million echoes,” said Mattox. “Recent Supreme Court decisions have rolled back protection and progress that communities fought for in the 1960s. That is why the return to Baltimore matters. 1968 commanded activism; 2027 demands vigilance.”
“Recent Supreme Court decisions have rolled back protection and progress that communities fought for in the 1960s. That is why this return to Baltimore Matters. 1968 commanded activism, 2027 demands vigilance.”
– Richard B. Mattox, Polemarch of the Eastern Province of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
He continued, “Our Grand Chapter Meeting will bring thousands of brothers, families and partners to this region. It will drive economic impact, strengthen civic partnership and showcase achievement in every field of human endeavor. But the real headline is simple. We’re not just gathering, we’re mobilizing.”
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., was founded on Jan. 5, 1911, on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind. The fraternity has approximately 250,000 members across more than 700 active undergraduate and graduate chapters in America and internationally. The fraternity’s Baltimore Alumni Chapter, widely known as the Benchmark Kappas, actively serves the community through youth mentorship, philanthropic efforts and more.
During the Kappa Week celebration, members of the fraternity will host public activities, community service projects and networking events across Baltimore.
“As host chapter, we believe our responsibility extends far beyond planning meetings and events. We believe the road to the 88th should leave Baltimore better than we found it,” said Devron Dickens, polemarch of the Baltimore Alumni Chapter. “That is why we partnered with Kaboom to build four new playgrounds across Baltimore City. It is why we continue investing in scholarships, mentoring and youth development. It is why we continue building partnerships with schools, businesses, nonprofits, elected officials and our fellow Divine Nine organizations.”
Thousands of members of Kappa Alpha Psi and their families will visit Baltimore for the 2027 national conference. To Dickens, it will be an opportunity for them to experience Baltimore’s storied culture.
“Baltimore has a story to tell. A story of resilience, a story of innovation, a story of culture, and a story of perseverance. Over the next 12 months, we will tell that story to thousands of Kappa men and their families across the nation and around the world,” said Dickens. “We want every visitor to experience our museums, our restaurants, our businesses, our neighborhoods and, most importantly, our people. We want them to leave Baltimore, not only impressed by our city, but inspired by it.”
The post Baltimore to host Kappa Alpha Psi’s 88th Grand Chapter Meeting in 2027 appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.
