Kappa Beta Pi

Kappa Beta Pi
Kappa Beta Pi
ΚΒΠ
Founded	December 15, 1908; 116 years ago; Chicago-Kent College of Law
Type	Professional
Former affiliation	PFA; PPA;
Status	Defunct
Defunct date	c. 2015
Emphasis	Law
Scope	International
Member badge
Colors	Turquoise blue and; Old gold
Flower	Yellow Tea Rose
Publication	Kappa Beta Pi Quarterly
Chapters	58
Headquarters	Silver Spring, Maryland; United States

Kappa Beta Pi (ΚΒΠ) was an International Legal Association. It was established as the first professional law sorority at Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1908.

History

Kappa Beta Pi was founded at Chicago-Kent College of Law in Chicago, Illinois on December 15, 1908.^[1] It was the first legal sorority and sought to encourage professional standards for women law students and lawyers.^[1]^[2] Its Founders were:^[3]^[1]^[4]

Sue M. Brown
Anna Marie Knabjohann Buck
Katharine S. Clark
Alice Craig Edgerton
Claire L. Gleason
Phyllis M. Kelley
Alice A. Prince
Nettie Rothblum
Mary A. Sellers
Charlotte Doolittle White

Edgerton was the first Grand Dean or president. The sorority was incorporated in Illinois on December 15, 1908.^[5] This date is celebrated by chapters as Founders' Day.

Starting in 1925, admission of new chapters was limited to American schools that met the requirements for membership in the Association of American Law Schools, or to schools on the approved list of the American Bar Association, along with those foreign law schools meeting equivalent requirements. In 1927, its first international chapter was formed, Omicron chapter, in Paris, France.^[3] This was later followed by chapters in London, England; West Germany; Shanghai, China; Puerto Rico; and several locations in Canada.^[3]

During the first half of the 20th century, the sorority published lists of law firms that would hire women and those that resisted. It also published catalogs of female judges and lawyers serving in the field.

At the 1973 convention, its name was changed to Kappa Beta Pi Legal Association International, and from this juncture, it was referred to as a legal association, not a sorority. At the May 1976 convention in Columbus, Ohio, all references restricting its membership to women were removed from its official documents.

Kappa Beta Pi was a chartering member of the Professional Panhellenic Association (PPA) and thus became a member of the Professional Fraternity Association (PFA) when the PPA merged with the Professional Interfraternity Association. Later, Kappa Beta Pi resigned from the PFA.^[3] The last known address for the association was either in Silver Spring, Maryland (per Baird's Manual) or in Omaha, Nebraska (Guidestar).^[3]^[6] As of November 2021, Guidestar reports "no activity for some time" and that the organization may be defunct.^[6]

Symbols and traditions

The sorority's badge was a monogram with the Κ jeweled and superimposed over the letters Β and Π, which are embellished with scroll work. The pledge pin was an irregularly shaped shield enameled in Turquoise and old gold.^[3]

Its coat of arms places a field of turquoise blue in the upper left, while the lower right field is white. Devices, an open book, and scales were rendered in gold. A knight's helmet was shown proper, that is, in the natural color, shown full face with the visor open and is of steel with silver ornaments. The helmet symbolizes the protection of the law and inspires chivalrous conduct.^[7]

Kappa Beta Pi's colors were turquoise blue and old gold.^[8] Its flower was the Yellow Tea Rose. Its official song, "To Kappa Beta Pi" was written in 1941 by Alice Craig Edgerton.

Starting in 1916, the organization published a quarterly, called The Kappa Beta Pi Quarterly.^[1] It also published an annual called The Secret Bulletin. The sorority also published its fifty-year history which was written by Alice Craig Edgerton.

Chapters

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Whipple, Jona (2013-08-01). "Guide to AC005 - Records of the Kappa Beta Pi Legal Sorority". Finding Aids – via Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Tech.
^ "Guide to the Kappa Beta Pi Legal Sorority Records, 1924-1969". Tarlton Law Library, University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. Baird's Manual Foundation, Incorporated. 1991. pp. V–79–81.
^ "Kappa Beta Pi Articles of Incorporation Letter, 1928" (1928). Law School Memorabilia. 3. IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, accessed May 23, 2024.
^ An image of the handwritten cover letter with which the Articles of Incorporation were given back to the sorority by its founders, many of whom signed the gift, is in the Kent Law archives. Accessed 7 Sept 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Kappa Beta Pi Legal Association International - GuideStar Profile". www.guidestar.org. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
^ William Raimond Baird (1968). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. G. Banta Company. pp. 545–546.
^ William Raimond Baird (1977). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. G. Banta Company. pp. 535–537.

[:0-1] Whipple, Jona (2013-08-01). "Guide to AC005 - Records of the Kappa Beta Pi Legal Sorority". Finding Aids – via Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Tech.

[:1-2] "Guide to the Kappa Beta Pi Legal Sorority Records, 1924-1969". Tarlton Law Library, University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved May 23, 2024.

[Baird1991-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. Baird's Manual Foundation, Incorporated. 1991. pp. V–79–81.

[4] "Kappa Beta Pi Articles of Incorporation Letter, 1928" (1928). Law School Memorabilia. 3. IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, accessed May 23, 2024.

[5] An image of the handwritten cover letter with which the Articles of Incorporation were given back to the sorority by its founders, many of whom signed the gift, is in the Kent Law archives. Accessed 7 Sept 2020.

[:2-6] "Kappa Beta Pi Legal Association International - GuideStar Profile". www.guidestar.org. Retrieved 2024-05-24.

[Baird1968-7] William Raimond Baird (1968). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. G. Banta Company. pp. 545–546.

[Baird1977-8] William Raimond Baird (1977). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. G. Banta Company. pp. 535–537.

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v t e Greek Letter Organizations in the field of Law
Founded as Professional Fraternities and Sororities	Delta Theta Phi Gamma Eta Gamma Kappa Alpha Pi (pre-law) Kappa Beta Pi Nu Beta Epsilon Phi Alpha Delta Phi Beta Gamma Phi Delta Delta Phi Delta Phi (law and pre-law) Sigma Delta Kappa
Founded as Honor Societies	Order of the Coif (law) The Order of Barristers (law; litigation) Alpha Phi Sigma (criminal justice) Lambda Epsilon Chi (paralegal)

v t e Professional fraternities and sororities organizations and members
Currently active members of the Professional Fraternity Association	Alpha Zeta Alpha Kappa Psi Alpha Rho Chi Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Chi Sigma Alpha Omega Epsilon Delta Chi Xi Delta Epsilon Mu Delta Theta Phi Delta Kappa Alpha Delta Omicron Delta Sigma Pi Delta Sigma Chi Epsilon Nu Tau Theta Tau Kappa Epsilon Kappa Epsilon Psi Kappa Eta Kappa Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Lambda Chi Kappa Psi Lambda Kappa Sigma Mu Beta Phi Mu Phi Epsilon Pi Sigma Epsilon Rho Pi Phi Sigma Alpha Sigma Alpha Iota Tau Beta Sigma Phi Alpha Delta Phi Beta Phi Gamma Nu Phi Delta Epsilon Phi Delta Chi Phi Sigma Pi Phi Chi Theta
Former and formerly active members of the Professional Fraternity Association or its predecessors: Professional Panhellenic Association or Professional Interfraternity Conference	Alpha Delta Theta Alpha Delta Sigma Alpha Kappa Kappa Alpha Sigma Alpha Alpha Tau Delta Alpha Omega Beta Alpha Psi Gamma Eta Gamma Gamma Iota Sigma Delta Epsilon Iota Delta Sigma Delta Delta Psi Kappa Epsilon Eta Phi Zeta Phi Eta Theta Kappa Psi Theta Sigma Upsilon Theta Sigma Phi Iota Sigma Pi Kappa Alpha Pi Kappa Beta Pi Kappa Delta Epsilon Kappa Phi Kappa Nu Sigma Nu Xi Psi Phi Omicron Delta Kappa Omicron Nu Pi Lambda Theta Sigma Delta Chi Sigma Nu Phi Sigma Sigma Sigma Sigma Phi Delta (now social) Phi Beta Gamma Phi Beta Pi Phi Delta Delta Phi Delta Gamma Phi Delta Kappa Phi Delta Pi Phi Delta Phi (now honor society) Phi Epsilon Kappa Phi Lambda Kappa Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (now social) Phi Rho Sigma Phi Upsilon Omicron Phi Chi Chi Beta Phi Psi Omega Omega Tau Sigma Omega Upsilon Phi Pershing Rifles Scabbard and Blade Scarab
North American Interfraternity Conference	Alpha Gamma Rho Alpha Gamma Sigma
Active independent professional fraternities	Alpha Gamma Kappa Alpha Zeta Omega Alpha Eta Rho Alpha Iota Alpha Psi Gamma Epsilon Tau Delta Sigma Theta Delta Theta Sigma Delta Kappa Gamma Delta Kappa Phi Delta Phi Epsilon Kappa Gamma Psi Kappa Pi Nu Beta Epsilon Phi Delta Kappa (sorority) Phi Sigma Gamma Phi Psi Chi Delta Mu Chi Eta Phi Block and Bridle Queens' Guard
Inactive independent professional fraternities	Aleph Yodh He Alpha Epsilon Iota Alpha Tau Sigma Chi Zeta Chi Delta Omicron Alpha Pi Delta Nu

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	United States