Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Gamma Chi Chapter

On January 15, 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority became the first Greek-lettered organization established by and for black women. Its creation began with Ethyl Hedgeman Lyle, a junior at Howard University located in Washington, D.C. During the academic year 1907-1908, Ethel Hedgeman, returned from her summer vacation with the inspiration and desire to organize a sorority, an association of women students through which the talents and strengths of these students could be organized for the mutual benefit of all. She discussed this idea with a number of her classmates and associates during the fall and early winter. After a period of exchanging ideas and pooling suggestions, the group of nine started to work to crystallize the preliminary organization. In this group were the Burke sisters (Beulah and Lillie), Margret Flagg Holmes, Marjorie Hill, Lucy Slowe, Marie Woolfolk Taylor, Anna Easter Brown, and Lavinia Norman. Late in February 1908, seven students of the class of 1910 were admitted. These members were Joanna Berry, Norma Boyd, Ethel Jones, Sarah Meriweather, Alice Murray, Carrie Snowden, and Harriet Terry. In the later years it became the Alpha Kappa Alpha tradition to honor all these women as "founders."

The movement for incorporation was led by Nellie Quander to ensure the sorority's perpetuity; therefore, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority was incorporated in 1913. The sorority is committed to serve in every community wherever she is located: with 725 plus undergraduate and graduate chapters and over 170,000 members in the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa.

Through the years, however, Alpha Kappa Alpha's function has become more complex. After her incorporation as a perpetual body in 1913, Alpha Kappa Alpha gradually branched out and became the channel through which selected college-trained women improved the socioeconomic conditions in their city, state, nation, and the world.

The purposes of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated are:

·        To cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards

·        To promote unity and friendship among college women

·        To study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women

·        To maintain a progressive interest in college life

·        TO BE SUPREME IN SERVICE TO ALL OF MANKIND

Alpha Kappa Alpha is a sisterhood composed of women who have consciously chosen this affiliation as a means of self-fulfillment through volunteer service. Alpha Kappa Alpha cultivates and encourages high scholastic and ethical standards; promotes unity and friendship among college women; alleviates problems concerning girls and women; maintains a progressive interest in college life; and serves all mankind through a nucleus of more than 170,000 women in the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa.

Motto: "By Culture and By Merit"
Symbols: Enameled Green Ivy Leaf & Twenty Pearls
Colors: Salmon Pink & Apple Green
Flower: Pink Tea Rose
National Web Address: www.aka1908.com

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is not responsible for the design nor content of this social media site. They are the sole property and responsibility of the Central Region or the Gamma Chi Chapter who hosts and maintains this site.