TAMPA - As a young man growing up in the 1960s in Tampa, Les Miller was convinced the path to success and achievement was paved in crimson and cream, the colors of the historically black fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi.
After all, that's the group to whom many of the men Miller, now a Hillsborough County Commissioner, looked up to belonged. Some were his teachers; others - like James Hammond, Perry Harvey Jr., Rev. Abe Brown - were civic leaders, ministers, and business owners.
"In Tampa, that's the only thing I heard," he said. "The leaders of the black community to me were Kappa Alpha Psi. That's what I saw, that's what I wanted to do."
Miller became a brother of Kappa in 1975 as an undergraduate student at the University of South Florida. Three years later he joined the fraternity's Tampa Alumni Chapter, which this year is observing its 90th anniversary.
Celebrations kicked off this month with commendations from the County Commission and Tampa City Council, a prayer breakfast named after the aforementioned Brown, and a luncheon Friday at the Bryan Glazer Family Jewish Community Center.
Additionally, the chapter was named Southern Province Chapter of the Year and was selected as the host for the next year's regional meeting.
A full slate of community service projects also are scheduled to mark the chapter's milestone and include a fundraising initiative with The Children's Board of Hillsborough County to purchase and distribute portable cribs to new parents and a health fair, said president Robert Irvin.
Some years ago, members decided to "make some fundamental changes" to rebuild the chapter's reputation for active members, strong community engagement, and progressive leadership, he said.
The result is a 91-member strong chapter with a plethora of service initiatives and fundraisers - like the popular Black and White Ball - that have helped thousands including dozens of young men who are part of the chapter's youth group, Kappa League, Irvin said.
Service is at the heart of the mission of the organization, which was founded in 1911 by 10 men in Bloomington, Ind., on the campus of Indiana University. It was an extraordinary feat because at that time, blacks were subject to blatant racism and discrimination.
Conditions on the campus with its overwhelmingly white student body mirrored those in general society.
"Blacks were not allowed to reside in on-campus dormitories, were not afforded off-campus accommodations, and they were also denied the use of all other university facilities, and were barred from participating in contact sports," according to the organization's website.
But Kappa's humble beginnings would give way to a thriving fraternity that today boasts more than 150,000 members and 700 collegiate and alumni chapters worldwide.
Locally, the Tampa alumni chapter was established in 1928 by six men who were among the Bay Area's top black doctors, teachers, and political leaders.
Today, members hold to the values and principles set by the chapter's charter members while executing an agenda that is responsive to the needs of the community, Irvin said.
"We look at how we can remain relevant through those service projects which we pour our energy into," he said.
The chapter is positioned to continue building on, Miller said.
"We have to keep going," he said. "We have a lot of great things coming ahead."
Contact Kenya Woodard at hillsnews@tampabay.com.