History
Our Origin Story
The Kappa Sigma Fraternity has origins that can be traced back to Bologna, Italy in the year 1400. The University of Bologna was one of Europe's preeminent universities attracting students from all over the continent. The corrupt governor of Bologna, and one-time pirate and later papal usurper Baldassare Cossa took advantage of the students by sending his men to assault and rob them; this motivated one of the university's scholars Manuel Chrysoloras to found a secret society of students beginning with most of his devoted disciples, for mutual protection against Cossa.
In order to protect their ranks from betrayal and to communicate covertly, the students used secret words and signs. These forms and rituals became the basis for our organization. It embodies our ideals and allowed for both the safety of our original members and the strong unity of the society. The society slowly grew to large numbers, taking in those students who desired the protection it could offer. With a strong foundation in the loyalty and quality of its members, the order grew into a strong organization and spread to other continental universities throughout much of the Renaissance.
However, as time wore on, the uses of such fraternal orders began to wane through the centuries. The order's membership was eventually limited to a number of noble families in France after centuries. It was one of these families that entreated an American traveler to begin the order in America in the mid-nineteeth century.
Modern day Kappa Sigma was founded one chilly evening in the fall of 1869, as five students attending the University of Virginia in Charlottesville gathered in the room of William Grigsby McCormick, at 46 East Lawn, and planted the seed of brotherhood. For many weeks the bonds of friendship had drawn these five together; now the need became clear for a formal structure to contain their feelings. Thus, not only did the Founders formalize their friendship, but they also created a fraternity steeped in the traditions of the past and dedicated to the pursuit of learning. The new brothers recorded their bond in a Constitution and in an Oath that set forth the ideals and principles to all Kappa Sigmas today.
The Five Friends & Brothers
William Grigsby McCormick occupied the room at 46 East Lawn in the fall of 1869. It was there that he, with four friends, Frank Courtney Nicodemus, Edmund Law Rogers, John Covert Boyd and George Miles Arnold, founded the Kappa Sigma Fraternity on that cold December evening. Founder McCormick was in his second year at the University.
Both in their first year at the University, Founder Arnold lived at East Range and Founder Nicodemus at 9 West Range. Founders Boyd and Rogers lived off the Grounds. Early records of the founding of the first American chapter of Kappa Sigma at the University of Virginia, called Zeta Chapter, leave much of the detailed description of the early meetings untold. However, we know that a constitution was composed by the Founders and was recorded in the handwriting of Founder Arnold.
The original Constitution names the Fraternity “Kappa Sigma,” describes the Badge, and gives significance to the emblems appearing on it. The original Badge was designed by Edmund Law Rogers and during the Christmas holidays of 1869, an order of badges was placed with Sadtler & Sons of Baltimore, Maryland. Upon their return to campus in spring 1870, the Five Friends and Brothers proudly displayed the Star and Crescent of Kappa Sigma for the first time.
