Kuklos Adelphon (also known as Kappa Alpha or ΚΑ) was an American social fraternity founded at the University of North Carolina in 1812. It was also known as old Kappa Alpha, K.A., Circle of Brothers, and the Alpha Society. The organization expanded throughout the Southern 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 the Civil War.
History
Kuklos Adelphon was established at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 1812. As a result, its rituals, secrets, and constitution were similar to Phi Beta Kappa.
In the spring of 1855, secessionist politics caused a rift at the University of Alabama. 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.
Its badge was a diamond with a circle in its center. There was a capital letter A inside the circle and the phrase Κύκλος Ἀδελφών around the outside of the circle. In disagreement, Albert Stevens in his Cyclopaedia of Fraternities (1907), a more contemporary reference document to the date for the founding, declares the Klan took portions from the initiation ceremony of the Sons of Malta and leaves absent the name "Kuklos Adelphon."
Notable members
- John C. Bush, mayor of Mobile, Alabama