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Alpha Kappa Alpha (ΑΚΑ) Sorority, Incorporated, formed in January 15, 1908 at Howard University, became America's first Greek-letter organization established by Black college women.

Alpha Kappa Alpha incorporated as a perpetual body in 1913 and gradually branched out to become the channel through which selected college-trained women improved the socioeconomic conditions in their city, state, nation, and the world. Through the years, however, Alpha Kappa Alpha's function has become more complex. Alpha Kappa Alpha has over 950 chapters located in the United States, the Caribbean, Germany, Korea and Japan; making it the largest black greek organization chapter wise in the world.

Among the group's goals is to have an association that cuts across racial, international, physical, and social barriers to help individuals and communities develop and maintain constructive relationships with others. Though Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, was founded to meet the collective needs of African Americans, its membership includes women of Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic descent. Additionally, Alpha Kappa Alpha women can be found on every continent in the world. The sorority is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), a coordinating organization of nine (historically-Black) international Greek letter sororities and fraternities.

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 over 900 chapters.

Introduction

The Howard University honor students were led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle into creating the sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha in 1908. She viewed the Sorority as an instrument for enriching the social and intellectual aspects of college life by providing mental stimulation through interaction with friends and associates. In 1912, a dichotomy existed within the sorority and twenty-two members disenfranchised from AKA in 1913 and founded the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Nellie Quander led the group which incorporated the sorority as a national body in 1912. The combination of the original group, the sophomores of 1910, and the incorporators in 1912 are well known as "The Twenty Pearls."

The Original Group of 1908

• Anna Easter Brown
• Beulah Burke
• Lillie Burke
• Marjorie Hill
• Margaret Flagg Holmes
• Ethel Hedgeman Lyle
• Lavinia Norman
• Lucy Slowe
• Marie Woolfolk Taylor

Sophomores of 1910

The Sophomores of 1910 were honor students and were invited to join the sorority without participating in the initiation ceremonies.

• Norma Elizabelth Boyd (also an incorporator)
• Ethel Jones Mowbray (also an incorporator)
• Alice Murray
• Sarah Meriweather Nutter
• Joanna Berry Shields
• Carrie Snowden
• Harriett Terry

The Incorporators of 1912

• Nellie M. Quander
• Norma Elizabeth Boyd
• Julia Evangeline Brooks
• Ethel Jones Mowbray
• Nellie Pratt Russell
• Minnie Beatrice Smith

Executive Directors

The position of Executive Director of Alpha Kappa Alpha was set up in 1948. For almost sixty years, nine executive directors have served, which are shown below.

• Carey B. Maddox-Preston 1948 - 1974
• Anne Mitchem-Davis 1974 - 1980
• Earnestine G. McNealey 1980 - 1985
• Barbara A. McKinzie 1985 - 1987 (current National President)
• Nan D. Johnson 1987 - 1988
• Alison Harris Alexander 1989 - 1996
• Emma Lilly Henderson 1997 - 1998
• Carey B. Maddox-Preston 1998 - 1999
• Betty N. James 1999 - Present

Community service

Alpha Kappa Alpha has been instrumental in establishing programs beneficial to the African-American community. From their participation in the 1913 Women Suffragette March to their tireless work in eradicating lynching, they are deeply concerned about the plight of the Black community in relation to society itself. During the Great Migration, members assisted the Travelers Aid Society, helping Southern Blacks adjust to life in North and volunteered at the Freedman's Hospital. Setting high standards of excellence, the sorority then created a fund for students in need, along with those who chose to study abroad. Those same high standards stand today as evident in their current programs.

Throughout the Great Depression, Alpha Kappa Alpha worked with the Mississippi Health Project providing education and books to rural areas, and began a Summer School for Rural Teachers offering courses for self-improvement. The National Non-Partisan Council on Public Affairs was created as a means to lobby politicians. With the onset of World War II, these members instituted the Direct War Services/Complete Victory/Post War Reconstruction, a three- part program. Continuing the move of public service into the 1950's, they joined the American Council of Human Rights and National Health Office, and implemented programs on Health, Social Action, Scholarship, and Undergraduate Housing.

The turbulent eras of the 1960's and 1970's paved the path for the AKAs to sponsor job training, reading enrichment, and heritage and youth programs. Staying true to the pledge to enrich the lives of others, they continue the legacy of community service and promote academic excellence by encouraging youth to improve math, science, and reading skills.

National programs

Program Targets

The National Program theme for 2006-2010 administration, led under Alpha Kappa Alpha's International President Barbara A. McKinzie, is "The Heart of ESP: An Extraordinary Service Program." ESP is an acronym for Economics, Sisterhood, and Partnerships. The purpose of ESP is to energize and strengthen service to the community and sisterhood within Alpha Kappa Alpha. The five platforms included in the International Program and implemented in the Ivy AKAdemy are:

• Platform I - Non-Traditional Entrepreneur
• Platform II - Economic Keys to Success
• Platform III - The Economic Growth of the Black Family
• Platform IV - Undergraduate Signature Program: Economic Educational Advancement Through Technology
• Platform V - Health Resource Management and Economics

Ivy Reading AKAdemy

The Ivy Reading AKAdemy provides programs that encourage the entire community to become involved. It serves as an educational and human resource center for programs provided by Alpha Kappa Alpha.

Working with No Child Left Behind in mind, "The Ivy Reading AKAdemy," a reading initiative, focuses on early learning and mastery of basic reading skills by the end of third grade. All chapters are requested to implement a kindergarten through third grade after-school reading initiative. A $2.7 million dollar proposal is currently pending with the United States Department of Education to fund a three-year nationwide after-school demonstration project in low-performing, economically deprived inner city schools in 16 sites within the continental United States.

Educational Advancement Foundation

Alpha Kappa Alpha's Educational Advancement Foundation (EAF) has the mission to promote life-long learning. Staying true to its founding values, they continue to provide scholarships, fellowships, and mini-grants to those who apply and meet the criteria regardless of race, creed, or gender.

National Pan-Hellenic Council

The sorority is a founder and member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). The NPHC is composed of nine international predominantly black Greek-letter sororities and fraternities. The NPHC promotes interaction through forums, meetings, and other mediums for the exchange of information, and engages in cooperative programming and initiatives through various activities and functions.

Famous AKA's

• List of famous Alpha Kappa Alpha Women

Trivia

Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt was a honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

Hillary Clinton initially accepted but later rejected honorary membership into Alpha Kappa Alpha due to its exclusive requirements which would prevent her from accepting honorary membership in other NPHC organizations.

External links

• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation, Inc.
• Famous Alpha Kappa Alpha Women

Footnotes

1. Mason, Herman "Skip" (199-04-20). "The ΑΦΑ /ΔΣΘ Connection". skipmason.com. Retrieved 2006-05-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
2. "National Pan-Hellenic Council Aboutpage". NPHC. Retrieved 2006-08-15.
3. "Senator Hillary Clinton". aka1908.com. Retrieved 2006-05-09. (archive)

• 1908 establishments
• International student societies
• United States student societies
• National Pan-Hellenic Council