Celebrating the Life & Legacy of Dr. Lemuel Berry, Jr.
by Ken Corbett
From the Fall 2024 Issue
Dr. Lemuel Berry, Jr. who served as the 29th National President of Kappa Kappa Psi, from 1983-1985 passed away on June 2, 2024.
Born October 11, 1946, in Oneonta, NY, Dr. Berry grew up in Burlington, NJ before attending college. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from Livingstone College and Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Music Education from the University of Iowa.
His expansive academic career as a professor and administrator included positions as Dean, College of Humanities & Social Sciences, at Virginia State University; Dean of Humanities & Fine Arts, Mercy College; Dean, Caudill College of Humanities, Morehead State University; and finally, Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of New England.
Dr. Berry was initiated into the Delta Alpha Chapter at Langston University in 1977 while serving on faculty there. He served four years on the National Council, being elected Vice President in 1981, and advancing to the Presidency at the 32nd Biennial Convention at Texas Tech University, the first African-American to serve on the National Council. During his term on the National Council of Kappa Kappa Psi, he oversaw the installation of seven new chapters of the Fraternity. 1981-1985 saw significant strides for the Fraternity including the establishment of the A. Frank Martin Award, modernization of the National Headquarters with the purchase of its first IBM XT personal computer, and the development of a model Membership Education Program. Dr. Berry presided over the 33rd Biennial Convention at the University of Kansas which featured the premiere of “Chorale Prelude: ‘Mein junges Leben hat ein End’, Op 61” by James Barnes and a performance of the National Intercollegiate Band under the baton of Dr. William P. Foster.
In 1992, with a group of faculty members at Virginia State, he founded, and served as Executive Director of, the National Association of African American Studies, an organization that supports continuous growth, respect for global community, professional development and an overarching goal of providing faculty and students an opportunity to engage in scholarly endeavors.
He wrote more than 200 articles on music, education, and many topics in between and published books on Black musical artists, including Great African American Musicians from Marian Anderson to Stevie Wonder in 2010. The Phoenix Settlement – A National Heritage Site is scheduled for publication in 2024 followed by the 2025 publication of the Encyclopedia of Who’s Who in Black Gospel Music.
On a personal level I remember the many Stillwater meetings and trips to Oklahoma City for dinner with KKPs Psi Board of Trustees members Hugh McMillen, David Oakley and Don Stanley. A very learning moment for me at my young fraternity age.
