Lambda Chi Alpha
History of Kappa-Omega Zeta

Coats of Arms

Used by our brotherhood, local and national

Gamma Tau Alpha

This Coat-of-Arms was designed in 1926 or early 1927 and is found in the 1927 Belle of the Blue yearbook. The meanings of the symbols are unknown, but based on information collected, the following are "educated guesses":
  • Book & Torch - excellence in academics and athletics
  • Three Rings - NO CLUE! Possibly just decoration...there seem to be alot of linked chains on the Arms drawn by (designed by?) Redding at this time.
  • Chevrons - Inspired by QKN's Coat-of-Arms (GTA was in the process of chartering with QKN when this was designed). The interlacing might symbolize the unity of brotherhood.
The copy which appears in the yearbook (the only original known to exist) was drawn by Charlie Redding, '27, who drew the Arms in the 1927 yearbook for all of the local fraternities and sororities. Charlie was an artistic Pike on the yearbook staff.

This Coat-of-Arms may have also been used in 1928 during the QKN chapter installation ritual, which required the president of the local fraternity to "surrender" the local's badge, Coat-of-Arms, constitution and ritual in preparation for "pledging allegiance" to QKN.

Theta Kappa Nu

Theta Kappa Nu's coat-of-arms was designed shortly after the founding of the national fraternity in 1924. The shield is divided into eleven areas by the chevrons, upon which is placed the inescutcheon (inner shield), symbolizing QKN's founding as a union of eleven local fraternities.

In QKN tradition, each chapter placed an emblem of its original local fraternity upon the inescutcheon symbolizing their local brotherhood's union with QKN. The plain/blank inescutcheon was used by the national fraternity. However our chapter does not seem to have adopted this tradition, as all copies of the QKN coat-of-arms by Kentucky-Alpha display the plain red inner-shield. Had we chosen to follow the tradition, most likely the GTA badge would have been used.

At the time of union with LCA, the lion-and- rose along with the Latin motto "Vir Quisque Vir Est" (Every Man Is A Man) were incorporated into LCA's coat-of-arms with slight modifications.

Lambda Chi Alpha - before the union

This is the "final approved version (1917)" of the original LCA coat-of-arms. In theory, this coat-of-arms was never used by Kappa-Omega chapter since it represents the fraternity before the Union. However this is the image which appears on Kappa-Omega's charter.

Modifications for the new coat-of-arms had been settled before the Union, but it would take time for engravers to make a "plate" for printing the new design. Apparently there was such a rush to issue new LCA charters to the former QKN chapters that they didn't wait for the new plate to be made and just used the only (pre-union) one available for printing the new charters. [unproven theory!]

Lambda Chi Alpha - since the union

This is the symbol of the brotherhood most familiar to brothers today. It is based on the original LCA coat-of-arms with modifications made to represent the united fraternity. The inescutcheon with lion and rose was added as a symbol of union with QKN, and QKN's open motto "Vir Quisque Vir Est", with the "Est" chopped off (it wouldn't fit) replaces the words "Lambda Ci Alfa" on the lower banner.

The lion on QKN's Arms is red. However LCA's ritual and heraldry guru "Jack" Mason thought a red lion looked like a "ketchup spill" in the middle, so the lion's color was officially changed to black (another of QKN's colors). However, it often appears in white, silver or gold, depending on the artist or printing company.