Founding and Early History

Kappa Sigma Fraternity’s roots extend back nearly 600 years to the University of Bologna in Italy, where scholar Manuel Chrysoloras established a secret society around 1400 to protect students from local unrest. Inspired by these ancient traditions, five close friends—William Grigsby McCormick, George Miles Arnold, John Covert Boyd, Edmund Law Rogers, and Frank Courtney Nicodemus—officially founded Kappa Sigma in America on December 10, 1869, at the University of Virginia. Meeting in McCormick’s dorm room, they created a lasting brotherhood grounded in fellowship and mutual support.

National Expansion

Under the visionary leadership of Stephen Alonzo Jackson, known affectionately as the “Golden-Hearted Virginian,” the fraternity expanded rapidly during the late 19th century. Jackson was instrumental in establishing new chapters and formalizing many enduring rituals and traditions. By the early 1870s, Kappa Sigma had expanded beyond Virginia, establishing chapters at prestigious institutions like Trinity College (now Duke University), Washington and Lee University, and the University of Maryland.

Legacy and Modern Growth

Today, Kappa Sigma is one of North America’s largest collegiate fraternities, with hundreds of active chapters and thousands of undergraduate members dedicated to its core values—Fellowship, Leadership, Scholarship, and Service. Through philanthropic initiatives, community engagement, and steadfast brotherhood, the fraternity continues to build upon the foundation laid by its founders, striving to shape men of integrity and excellence.