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Alpha Kappa Alpha (ΑΚΑ) sorority, formed in January 15, 1908 at Howard University, became America's first Greek-letter organization established by Black college women. AKA founder Ethel Hedgeman Lyle was inspired by her then high school and college sweetheart George Lyle, who founded the Beta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at Howard in 1907. 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 in 1913, twenty-two members disenfranchised from AKA and founded the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. 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.
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.
AKA Founders
The Howard University students were led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle into creating the sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha in 1908. Nellie Quander and her gallant group contributed to incorporating the sorority.
The Founders
The Incorporators
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 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 2002-2006 is "THE SPIRIT OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA". The focus is on Education. The five areas included in the International Program and implemented in the Ivy AKAdemy are:- Target I - Education
- Target II - The Black Family
- Target III - Health
- Target IV - Economics
- Target V - The Arts
Ivy AKAdemy
The Ivy 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.Famous AKA's
Some of Alpha Kapa Alpha's famous members include: Maya Angelou, Marian Anderson, Star Jones, Dr. Mae Jemison, Toni Morrison, Rosa Parks, Angie Brooks, Gladys Knight, Jewell Jackson McCabe, Leah Tutu, Coretta Scott King, Alicia Keys, Phylicia Rashad, Ella Fitzgerald, Jada Pinkett Smith, BeBe Moore Campbell, Lynn Whitfield, Vanessa Bell Calloway.Trivia
Eleanor Roosevelt wife of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt was a 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
Footnotes
1908 establishments | International student societies | United States student societies | National Pan-Hellenic Council
"Alpha Kappa Alpha"