Old South Day

After trying to write about the history of Kappa Alpha Order’s Old South Week, I decided to let history speak for itself by drawing from the archives of the Red and Black. From the founding of their charter at UGA in 1868, KA’s flew Confederate flags, donned Confederate uniforms, brandished cigars, and mounted horses to parade around both Athens and Atlanta in celebration of their connection to the Confederacy and their founder, Robert E Lee. 

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In 1957, the Red and Black reported that “Confederate soldiers and their ladies have once again paraded down Atlanta’s historic Peachtree street” (“Kappa Alpha Hold Old South Parade”). The following year, reporters cheerfully declared that “Saved Confederate money will be useful this weekend--’The South is gonna rise again’” (Lanier). The article described how the “KA’s extended invitations to their dates Monday afternoon via a Southern gentleman and his carriage. Each woman received a red rose, and all invitations were read aloud in front of the women’s dormitories and sorority houses by a negro boy” (Lanier). In 1959, the Red and Black stuck with the KA’s theme, declaring that “‘South’s Gonna Rise Again’ For KA’s” (“'South's Gonna Rise Again'”). In the midst of the civil rights movement, editors at the Red and Black saw no issue with Kappa Alpha’s celebration of the Confederacy and implicit references to slavery. 

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The trend continued, and the KA’s continued to wear confederate uniforms until the UGA chapter banned them in 2005. Kappa Alpha Order has since changed the name of Old South Week to Founders Week, but a name change does not erase the fact that the commander of the Confederate Army is still credited as a spiritual founder of the fraternity. I chose to highlight newspaper quotes from the midst of the civil rights movement to showcase an alternative side of history embedded in the continued culture of Greek life. 

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Although Old South Week is unique to Kappa Alpha, Greek life as a whole has played a major role in promoting white supremacy. Kappa Alpha’s Old South Week is a case study that exemplifies blatant racism and sexism as it explicitly celebrates the Confederacy (Holland and Sicurella; Emanuel). The university administration and Athens local government are complicit in condoning the actions of Kappa Alpha. Old South Week’s Confederate parade through downtown Athens mirrored the same systemic hatred of the KKK.