Local History

Phi Kappa Psi was chartered at the University of Mississippi on November 1, 1857 and was the third fraternity to be established at Ole Miss. Shortly after the outbreak of the Civil War, the University closed its doors and was not reopened until 1866. 

In the meantime, Mississippi Alpha, most of whose members made the supreme sacrifice upon the field of battle, ceased to exist.  In 1881 the chapter was re-established and enjoyed a glorious history until 1912 when anti-fraternity legislation closed all fraternities on campus. The chapter was re-established in 1930. 

Phi Kappa Psi Founders

 Mr. William Henry Letterman & Mr. Charles Page Thomas Moore.

First Chapter house at Jefferson College - Canonsburg, Pennsylvania

Over 150 years ago, two college students, William H. Letterman and Charles P.T. Moore, in the college town of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, were nursing and watching their stricken friends during an epidemic of typhoid fever at the college. Through the long night vigils, an appreciation of the great joy of serving others came into their lives. Calling a number of others to join them, a Brotherhood was founded on February 19, 1852. It flourished, and gradually extended to other colleges and universities throughout the country. Idealists all, these founders of Phi Kappa Psi taught a new fraternity - a fraternity which should complement the work of the university by cultivating certain humanities, without which, the educated man fails of his greatest usefulness.

At the time of our founding, Jefferson College was considered one of the "Big Three" in what was known as the "Jeffersonian Cradle." The other two institutions comprising this group, Harvard and Princeton, were of very nearly equal size and equal high esteem. These institutions all graduated predominantly ministers, lawyers and physicians from an academic curricula based in classical literature, religious doctrine and basic sciences.

Phi Kappa Psi recognizes the need and value of the best and broadest education possible and encourages that goal within our membership. But unless actuated by a proper love for and service to mankind, the educated man may often waste his talents. It is to counteract this tendency that Phi Kappa Psi was founded to encourage the best in men, to inspire and assist them to reach their potential as students, brothers, men and citizens.