The designation of the province first came about in 1921 during the regime of then Grand Polemarch George W. David, the Third Grand Polemarch. At the tenth Annual Session of the Grand Chapter held in Philadelphia, the Grand body divided the organization into four parts known as regions. Initially, they were numerically named. Each region consisted of the chapters in the states in which they were situated. As the fraternity grew, the name of the regions was changed to provinces.

The growth of the fraternity also promoted the need for additional provinces to govern the chapters. In 1930, two new provinces were established, the North Eastern and South Western Provinces. The first Polemarch of the Northeastern Province was James E. Allen who was appointed by Grand Polemarch Archie A. Alexander.

Today the Northeastern Province is comprised of over 40 Undergraduate and over 30 Alumni Chapters. It covers a geographical area spanning from the tip of New England in the north through Delaware in the south, and Pennsylvania in the west over to Germany and the United Kingdom. It is also the home of the International Headquarters of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., which is located in Philadelphia, PA.