Alpha Kappa Alpha
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Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. () is an historically African-American sorority. The sorority was founded in 1908 at
Howard University Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and accredited by the Mid ...
in
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
. Alpha Kappa Alpha was incorporated in 1913. It is a member of the
National Pan-Hellenic Council The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is a coalition, collaborative umbrella council composed of historically African American fraternities and sororities, commonly called the Divine Nine, and also referred to as Black Greek Letter Organi ...
(NPHC), a group of historically Black fraternities and sororities often called the Divine Nine. In 2025, Alpha Kappa Alpha had more than 365,000 members in 1,085 chapters in the United States and eleven other countries. Women may join through undergraduate chapters at a college or university, or graduate chapters after acquiring an undergraduate or advanced college degree.


History


Beginnings: 1907–1912

In the spring of 1907, student Ethel Hedgemon Lyle led efforts to create a sorority at
Howard University Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and accredited by the Mid ...
in
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
Forming a sorority broke barriers for African-American women in areas where they had little power or authority due to a lack of opportunities for Black Americans in the early 20th century. Faculty member Ethel T. Robinson encouraged Hedgemon by relating her observations of sorority life at the Women's College at
Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...
. Hedgemon began recruiting interested classmates; the group used the summer of 1907 to research and explore options for their new organization.McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 19. In November 1907, Hedgemon and Marie Woolfolk Taylor gave a presentation to the university's administration to secure approval for a sorority, which was granted immediately. Thus, Alpha Kappa Alpha became the first sorority member of the Divine Nine to be created at a historically black college or university. Nellie Quander was selected as the sorority's first president. On January 15, 1908, the nine founders held the first official meeting of Alpha Kappa Alpha in Miner Hall. On February 21, 1908, the seven sophomores were admitted to the sorority without initiation and were also given a status as founders. In its first few months, Alpha Kappa Alpha created its rituals, held social events, and made presentations for the general public. On May 1, 1908, members planted ivy and a tree on the Howard campus; this practice was later adopted by the university and continued for decades. The sorority's first initiation was held in a wing of Miner Hall at Howard University on February 11, 1909. On May 25, 1909, Alpha Kappa Alpha held its first Ivy Day, a celebration that included planting ivy at Miner Hall. The sorority established many service efforts, including helping to create the
NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...
and the YWCA D.C. chapter, feeding the hungry, tutoring, and clothing people experiencing poverty.


Incorporation: 1912–1913

By the end of the 1911–12 school year, Alpha Kappa Alpha had more than forty members at Howard. In October, former president Nellie Quander was invited to attend a sorority meeting. In this meeting, the active members proposed changing the sorority's name, colors, and symbols.Quander, Nellie M. "Soror Nellie Quander reviews period of storm & stress." Ivy Leaf, vol. 26, no. 4, December 1948,32. Quander opposed the changes, advising the students that they had no right, legally or ethically, to make such changes. Quander advised them to hold a poll of the entirety of the sorority. That poll found that the vast majority did not favor the change.McNealey, Earnestine Green. Priceless Pearls: Dimensions of Sisterhood and Service in Alpha Kappa Alpha. United States, Alpha Kappa Alpha, 2017. Some of the undergraduate members who favored the changes held a meeting the next month with other collegiate women and voted to established a new group that incorporated the changes, forming what became
Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emp ...
. Quander set up a committee that worked to incorporate Alpha Kappa Alpha to ensure its continuation. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority became the first African-American sorority to incorporate nationally on January 29, 1913.


Expansion and implementation of programs: 1913–1940

Alpha Kappa Alpha helped to support members by providing scholarship funds for school and foreign studies and by raising money for Howard University's Miner Hall. It was the first of the historically Black fraternities and sororities at Howard University to offer a scholarship program. A second chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha was chartered at the
University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...
in the fall of 1913. This sorority held its first annual Boulé, a meeting of the sorority's governing body, at Howard University in December 1918. The sorority's pledge was written by Grace Edwards and was adopted by the 1920 Boulé. In addition, the sorority's crest was designed by Phyllis Wheatley Waters and accepted in the same Boulé. At the 1921 Boulé, the ''Ivy Leaf'' was designated as the sorority's publication, and Founders' Week, paying honor to ΆKΆ's founders, was established.Ross, Jr., ''The Divine Nine'', p. 167. Pearls were first introduced to the sorority in the same year.McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 329. The sorority membership pin was approved in the following Boulé in
Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
,
Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
. At the 1947, Boulé, pins for honorary members were designed and approved.McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 327. By 1920, the sorority created a national service plan catered to the surrounding communities of each chapter. By May 1924, Alpha Kappa Alpha opened its vocational guidance program. Throughout the Great Migration, members assisted the Travelers Aid Society to help thousands of Southern Blacks adjust to Northern society, find housing, and navigate around the city. Members also volunteered at the Freedman's Hospital. In 1921, the sorority sent telegrams to seven other historically Black fraternities and sororities, suggesting that they form a panhellenic. On May 10, 1930, Alpha Kappa Alpha, along with the fraternities
Kappa Alpha Psi Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911, at Indiana University Bloomington, it has n ...
and
Omega Psi Phi Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African-American Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. It was founded on November 17, 1911 at Howard University. Omega Psi Phi is a founding member of ...
and sororities Delta Sigma Theta and
Zeta Phi Beta Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority. In 1920, five women from Howard University envisioned a sorority that would raise the consciousness of their people, encourage the highest standards of scholastic achi ...
, formed the
National Pan-Hellenic Council The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is a coalition, collaborative umbrella council composed of historically African American fraternities and sororities, commonly called the Divine Nine, and also referred to as Black Greek Letter Organi ...
(NPHC) at Howard University. In April 1933, the sorority's international president Ida Louise Jackson visited All Saints Industrial School in
Lexington, Mississippi Lexington is a city in and the county seat of Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. The county was organized in 1833 and the city in 1836. The population was 1,731 at the 2010 census, down from 2,025 at the 2000 census. The estimated popul ...
, learning of the difficult conditions in the
Mississippi Delta The Mississippi Delta, also known as the Yazoo–Mississippi Delta, or simply the Delta, is the distinctive northwest section of the U.S. state of Mississippi (and portions of Arkansas and Louisiana) that lies between the Mississippi and Yazo ...
during the
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
. Some of the school's teachers did not have an education past the seventh grade. African Americans were trying to make a living sharecropping on plantation land as agricultural prices continued to fall.McNealey E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 150. In the summer of 1934, Jackson initiated the Summer School for Rural Teachers to train future teachers. She worked with a total of 22 student teachers and 243 school children. In addition, she held night classes for 48 adults.McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 151. By obtaining 2,600 books for the school's library, Jackson made it "the largest library owned by white or colored in all Holmes County." The December 1935 Boulé approved $1,000 for Jackson to forma a regional health clinic in Mississippi. The clinic opened in the summer of 1938 and evolved into the Mississippi Health Project, with Alpha Kappa Alpha Dorothy Boulding Ferebee serving as its director.McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 181. The Mississippi Health Project brought primary medical care to the rural Black population across the state for six summers. It was the first mobile health clinic in the United States, assisting approximately 15,000 people in the Mississippi Delta. The project was noted for helping to decrease cases
diphtheria Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacteria, bacterium ''Corynebacterium diphtheriae''. Most infections are asymptomatic or have a mild Course (medicine), clinical course, but in some outbreaks, the mortality rate approaches 10%. Signs a ...
and
smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...
in the region and to improve nutritional and dental practices throughout rural Mississippi. Norma Elizabeth Boyd led the sorority to create the National Non-Partisan Lobby on Civil and Democratic Rights (NPC) in 1938, later renamed the National Non-Partisan Council on Public Affairs. It was the first full-time congressional lobby for minority group civil rights. Throughout the organization's life, the Non-Partisan Council worked with the
NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...
, National Urban League, the United Office and Professional Workers of America, the National Association of Graduate Nurses, the American Federation of Churches, the Colored Women's Club, the
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters Founded in 1925, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and Maids (commonly referred to as the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, BSCP) was the first labor organization led by African Americans to receive a charter in the American Federation o ...
and Auxiliary, and the New York Voter's League.Parker, M., ''Past is Prologue'', p. 195. The NPC was dissolved on July 15, 1948, by twelfth Supreme Basileus Edna Over Gray-Campbell.McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 157. In August 1945, Alpha Kappa Alpha established the American Council on Human Rights (ACHR) to replace the NPC. The council made recommendations to the government concerning
civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...
legislation.McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 158. The ACHR was proposed at the 1946 Boulé. In October 1946, Alpha Kappa Alpha was the first sorority to obtain observer status at the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
. On January 25, 1948, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho sororities, and Alpha Phi Alpha and
Phi Beta Sigma Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. () is a historically African American fraternity. It was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1914. The fraternity's founders, A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I. Brown, wanted to ...
fraternities were charter members of the ACHR.McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 159. Kappa Alpha Psi was later included in March 1949.McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 160.Parker, M., ''In the Eye of the Beholder'', p. 101. On September 1, 1945, Alpha Kappa Alpha established The National Health Office in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
.Parker, M., ''In the Eye of the Beholder'', p. 87. The National Health Office coordinated activities with local chapters and worked with the ACHC to promote health initiatives before the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
, increase the number of student
nurse Nursing is a health care profession that "integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alle ...
s, and improve the state of health programs at
historically black colleges and universities Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of serving African Americans. Most are in the Southern U ...
.Parker, M., ''In the Eye of the Beholder'', p. 88. The National Health Office was dissolved in 1951, as its goals were incorporated into the sorority's international program.Parker, M., ''In the Eye of the Beholder'', p. 89.


Civil rights and educational training: 1950–1970

Throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, Alpha Kappa Alpha members helped to sponsor job training, reading enrichment, heritage, and youth programs. By encouraging youth to improve math, science, and reading skills, the sorority continued its commitment to community service and enriching the lives of others. Financially, Alpha Kappa Alpha expanded funding for projects in 1953 through the creation and trademark of a fashion show called Fashionetta. Politically, ACHR continued lobbying for equality concerning civil rights during the 1950s and 1960s. According to Collier-Thomas, the ACHR drew attention to legislation concerning education, transportation, employment, and improving equality in the
armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...
and public places. The ACHR participated in filing civil rights cases in
amicus curiae An amicus curiae (; ) is an individual or organization that is not a Party (law), party to a legal case, but that is permitted to assist a court by offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case. Wheth ...
with '' Bolling v. Sharpe'' and 1954's ''
Brown v. Board of Education ''Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka'', 347 U.S. 483 (1954), was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that ruled that U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the ...
''.''Ivy Leaf'': 1921–1998 Microfiche Guide
p. 15 (xv). Published by the United Publications of America, 2000.
However, ACHR voted to dissolve operations in 1963. Alpha Kappa Alpha contributed programs for inner-city youth by capitalizing on political gains in the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
. On August 20, 1964, President
Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served a ...
signed the Economic Opportunity Act, which allowed the creation of the Job Corps.McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 132. The sorority wanted to operate a student job training center. Led by president Julia Purnell, the sorority negotiated with the Office of Economic Opportunity to operate a women's center from October 1964 to January 1965. Alpha Kappa Alpha was awarded a $4 million grant (equivalent to $ million in ) to operate the Cleveland Job Corps in
Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...
on February 12, 1965, becoming the first sorority to operate a federal job training center. Beginning in 1965, the Cleveland Job Corps trained female high school dropouts aged 16 to 21 with job and educational skills. In 1976, the Cleveland Job Corps began accepting males. The sorority operated the Cleveland Job Corps until 1995. The sorority published ''The Heritage Series'' between 1968 and 1972. These
pamphlets A pamphlet is an unbound book (that is, without a Hardcover, hard cover or Bookbinding, binding). Pamphlets may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths, called a ''leaflet'' ...
were a series of biographies of top African-American women, including "Women in the Judiciary", "Women in Politics", "Women in Medicine", "Women in Business", and "Women in Dentistry". Alpha Kappa Alpha also donated $20,000 for preserving Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthplace in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
, in the early 1970s. In 1978, during the sorority's seventieth anniversary, the Memorial Window at Howard University was dedicated to the founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha. Surviving founders Lavinia Norman and Norma Elizabeth Boyd attended the celebration of unveiling the Memorial Window, designed by Lois Mailou Jones.McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 330.


Bridging toward the twenty-first century: 1980–2007

Soon after the sorority's 75th anniversary, Alpha Kappa Alpha contributed funds to decrease Africa's poverty with the establishment of the African Village Development Program (AVDP).McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 185. As a conjoint program with Africare, it sought to decrease poverty in African villages. In collaboration with the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH), the sorority built ten schools in
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
after
apartheid Apartheid ( , especially South African English:  , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...
ended, and it donated computer technology to the region.McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 186. The sorority continued to provide after-school mentoring programs, such as ON TRACK. ON TRACK, an acronym for "Organizing, Nurturing, Team building, Respecting, Achieving, Counseling and Knowing", was designed to help 20,000 at-risk third graders who were failing their education.McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 153. In addition, programs such as the Ivy Reading AKAdemy and Young Authors Program improved elementary reading comprehension skills, while PIMS highlighted programs in math and science. After
Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...
in 2005, the sorority raised money for a disaster relief fund. In July 2007, through
Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or Habitat, is a U.S. non-governmental, and tax-exempt 501(C)(3) Christian nonprofit organization which seeks to build affordable housing. The international ...
, the sorority helped build a house in
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
for a family that survived Hurricane Katrina. Other Alpha Kappa Alpha initiatives increased awareness of health-related issues, such as
AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
,
sickle cell anemia Sickle cell disease (SCD), also simply called sickle cell, is a group of inherited haemoglobin-related blood disorders. The most common type is known as sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell anemia results in an abnormality in the oxygen-carrying ...
,
breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...
, and the importance of staying in shape. The sorority supported the efforts of justice for the Jena Six. It also partnered with African Ancestry, allowing members to use
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...
testing to find
genealogical Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...
data for themselves and their families.


Centennial celebration: 2008

Alpha Kappa Alpha celebrated its centenary with a year-long commemoration in 2008. The celebration coincided with the sorority's biennial Boulé. Internationally, some Alpha Kappa Alpha members began marking the festivities by making a
pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a travel, journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life. A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) w ...
to Howard University from January 12 to January 15, 2008. The activities included sorority members donating $1 million in scholarship funds to Howard University, contributing libraries for Middle School for Mathematics and Science and Asbury Dwelling for Senior Citizens, and unveiling a digital version of the entire ''Ivy Leaf'' publication. From July 11 to July 18, 2008, Alpha Kappa Alpha held their 63rd Boulé which included a town hall meeting with the public, a unity march in conjunction with other NPHC members, and a concert featuring honorary member
Patti LaBelle Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American Rhythm and blues, R&B singer and actress. She has been referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godmother of Soul". LaBelle began ...
. On July 17, 2008, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority set a
Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...
when 16,206 members participated in the largest-ever silver service sit-down dinner in a convention. Alpha Kappa Alpha's accomplishments were heralded by the United States Congress, with U.S. Senator
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
and sorority member U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee introducing legislation in both houses of the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
to commemorate the sorority's founding. In addition, the toy company
Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company headquartered in El Segundo, California. Founded in Los Angeles by Harold Matson and the husband-and-wife duo of Ruth Handler, ...
designed a
Barbie Barbie is a fashion doll created by American businesswoman Ruth Handler, manufactured by American toy and entertainment company Mattel and introduced on March 9, 1959. The toy was based on the German Bild Lilli doll, Bild Lilli doll which Hand ...
collectible doll fashioned with a pink and green evening gown.


Symbols

The sorority's motto is "By Culture and By Merit". Its colors are salmon pink and apple green. Its symbol is the Ivy leaf and its flower is the pink tea rose. Its publication is the ''Ivy Leaf'' magazine. The term ''soror'', derived from the
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
for "sister", is used between members of the sorority. Deceased members are referred to as "Ivies Beyond the Wall".


Membership

Women may join Alpha Kappa Alpha through undergraduate chapters at a college or university, or they may be invited to join by a graduate chapter after acquiring an undergraduate or advanced college degree. Honorary membership is Alpha Kappa Alpha's highest honor. Membership interest is processed by an interest meeting called a "rush". After the candidate receives an official letter from the sorority, she can participate in the membership intake process. Prospective members must have a C+ or a 2.5 GPA average or better before their membership submission and a record of community service. If a prospective member has graduated, she could be invited to join the sorority at the discretion of the graduate chapter.


Ivy Leaf Pledge Club

Historically, . Potential candidates for Alpha Kappa Alpha membership would join the Ivy Leaf Pledge Club before being inducted into the sorority. In ''Our Kind of People: Inside America's Upper Class,'' Lawrence Otis Graham tells of his aunt's experience in joining the Ivy Leaf Pledge Club: According to Graham, the sorority would have "Pledge Week", a period where chapter members reviewed a candidate's grades and behavior. Candidates who withstood this period were initiated into the sorority.


Governance

The leadership of the sorority in the early years was derived from three separate groups—the original group, the sophomores, and the incorporators, who together are known as "The Twenty Pearls". Twelve members have held the executive director position since the office's creation on October 9, 1949.


Twenty Pearls

Original group of 1908: * Anna Easter Brown * Beulah Elizabeth Burke * Lillie Burke * Marjorie Hill * Margaret Flagg Holmes * Ethel Hedgemon Lyle * Lavinia Norman * Lucy Diggs Slowe * Marie Woolfolk Taylor Sophomores of 1910:Parker, M., ''Past is Prologue'', p. 12. * Norma Elizabeth Boyd * Ethel Jones Mowbray * Alice P. Murray * Sarah Meriweather Nutter * Joanna Berry Shields * Carrie Snowden * Harriet Josephine Terry Incorporators of 1913: * Nellie Quander * Julia Evangeline Brooks * Nellie Pratt Russell * Minnie B. Smith


International Presidents

Listed below are the thirty International Presidents since the 1913 institution of the office. "Supreme" is added to the title of an international officeholder, such as ''Supreme Basileus''.


Boulé

The Boulé is the regulating institution of the sorority and meets every two years. The first Boulé was held at Howard University in December 1918. Meetings were held annually in December. No Boulé occurred in 1942 due to
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The 41st Boulé in 1964 was the last annual meeting scheduled around the
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
holiday. After the 41st Boulé, Boulé meetings were held every two years. The 69th Annual Boule scheduled for July 15–19, 2020, in
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, was canceled because of concerns about COVID-19. Notable speakers at Boulé conventions include civil rights activists
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister, civil and political rights, civil rights activist and political philosopher who was a leader of the civil rights move ...
and
Roy Wilkins Roy Ottoway Wilkins (August 30, 1901 – September 8, 1981) was an American civil rights leader from the 1930s to the 1970s. Wilkins' most notable role was his leadership of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), ...
.


Chapters

After establishing 32 graduate and undergraduate chapters in 1924, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority organized chapters according to their regions in the United States and abroad. The Boulé determines the boundaries of the regions. The ten regions are each led by a regional director, who serves a member of the sorority's board of directors. As of 2025, Alpha Kappa Alpha has 1,085 chapters in the United States and eleven other countries. For graduate chapters, "Omega" is added to distinguish those that consist of college graduates from undergraduate chapters.


Philanthropy


Ivy Acres

Senior Residences, Incorporated, a subsidiary of Alpha Kappa Alpha, is currently developing Ivy Acres, a retirement center in
Winston-Salem, North Carolina Winston-Salem is a city in Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the List of municipalities in North Carolina, fifth-most populous ...
. Ivy Acres will be one of the first retirement centers founded by African Americans and
minorities The term "minority group" has different meanings, depending on the context. According to common usage, it can be defined simply as a group in society with the least number of individuals, or less than half of a population. Usually a minority g ...
in the United States. According to ''
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'', Ivy Acres will include 188 independent, 40 assisted-living apartments, 20 units for skilled nursing care." Residents are expected to pay $1,890 to $2,890 monthly for services. The planning for Ivy Acres cost approximately US$32 million.


Ivy Reading AKAdemy

The sorority's Ivy Reading AKAdemy is a reading initiative that focuses on early learning and mastery of basic reading skills by the end of third grade.


Leadership Fellows Program

The Leadership Fellows Program trains thirty Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority sophomore and junior undergraduate members for professional leadership roles. In addition, the fellows contribute to community service for one week. In the past, Alpha Kappa Alpha has sponsored the event through the Educational Advancement Foundation. Also, the program has been financed by Pillsbury,
Tyson Foods Tyson Foods, Inc. is an American multinational corporation based in Springdale, Arkansas that operates in the food industry. The company is the world's second-largest processor and marketer of broiler industry, chicken, beef, and pork after JBS ...
,
Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is an American multinational pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technologies corporation headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Its common stock is a c ...
, and most recently
General Electric General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston. Over the year ...
.


Partnerships in Mathematics and Science

The sorority started Partnerships in Mathematics and Science (PIMS) in 1994 to encourage Black girls to pursue math, science, and technology careers.McNealey, E., ''Pearls of Service'', p. 152. The
National Science Foundation The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an Independent agencies of the United States government#Examples of independent agencies, independent agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that su ...
and historically black colleges nationwide sponsored campaigns to highlight the program's importance. Several chapters provided two-week math and science summer camps on college and day school campuses.


Young Authors Program

The Young Authors Program aims to encourage and raise reading and writing involvement in kindergarten through third-grade children. Each of the ten regions in the sorority selected a child's story to be published in a two-volume anthology entitled ''The Spirit Within: Voices of Young Authors''.


Foundation

Alpha Kappa Alpha's Educational Advancement Foundation (EAF) is a separate and
tax-exempt Tax exemption is the reduction or removal of a liability to make a compulsory payment that would otherwise be imposed by a ruling power upon persons, property, income, or transactions. Tax-exempt status may provide complete relief from taxes, redu ...
branch of the sorority, which "provide financial support to individuals and organizations engaged in lifelong learning." The foundation awards academic scholarships (for undergraduate members of the sorority, as well as non-members),
fellow A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...
ships, and grants for community service. The foundation was founded in 1978 by Constance Holland, the sister of former Alpha Kappa Alpha International president Barbara Phillips. It officially began in 1980, and the sorority donated US$10,000 for the project. Eight years later, the organization awarded $10,000 to fourteen students. In 1991, EAF awarded mini-grants to community organizations. In 1998, EAF provided the first Youth Partners Accessing Capital (PAC) award to an undergraduate member. At the organization's twentieth anniversary in 2000, EAF published ''Perpetuating Our Posterity: A Blueprint for Excellence''. The book served as a comprehensive history of the organization and a source of advice for other beginning philanthropies. For the sorority's centennial, the foundation created the Alpha Kappa Alpha Exhibit to travel to several U.S. cities from 2006 to 2008. The foundation also celebrated the centennial by donating $2 million to Howard University. Half of the gift supported the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, which houses the historical artifacts, photographs, documents, and recordings of Alpha Kappa Alpha. The other half of the gift went to the Nellie M. Quander Scholarship Fund for partial or full scholarships junior and senior female students at Howard.


Notable members

As of 2025, Alpha Kappa Alpha has initiated more than 365,000 women and has 90,000 active members. Graduate members constitute the largest percentage of membership. Former Vice President
Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is the first female, first African American, and ...
is one of the sorority's most notable members, having joined during her time at Howard University.


Member and chapter misconduct


Embezzlement

On June 20, 2009, eight Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority members filed a complaint in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia demanding that international president Barbara McKinzie be fired for improper use of sorority funds and the money be returned to the sorority. The lawsuit claimed that the sorority's executive board approved the spending of substantial amounts on McKinzie's costs of living, including the commissioning an expensive wax model of McKinzie that cost $900,000. McKinzie denied the allegations, describing them as "without merit". The sorority revoked the memberships of the eight members who filed the complaint in retaliation for the lawsuit, but a judge later required reinstatement. In February 2010, the Superior Court dismissed the lawsuit. On August 18, 2011, the
District of Columbia Court of Appeals The District of Columbia Court of Appeals is the highest court of the District of Columbia, the capital city of the United States. The court was established in 1942 as the Municipal Court of Appeals, and it has been the court of last resort ...
reversed that decision. On March 22, 2012, a forensic audit of Alpha Kappa Alpha's 2010 financial records revealed concerns with past president McKinzie's development and access to a "secret" bank account. The findings of the audit supported the claims in the previous lawsuit. The audit also found that two former officials continued using sorority credit cards after their service ended, failing to document charges appropriately. Another lawsuit against the organization, McKinzie, and other officials contained similar allegations. The audit found that McKinzie and the other officials secretly created a second set of financial books to get around the sorority's accounting policies. According to the audit, "(n)early $1.7 million in payments were made to the former president, Barbara McKinzie, without authorization. Approximately $282,000 in credit card charges on a second set of books appear to be fraudulent, including personal charges the sorority wasn't reimbursed for."Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplemental Information, Year Ended December 31, 2010
The sorority later expelled McKinzie and won an arbitration award of $1.6 million against her. McKinzie challenged the award, but the appeals court affirmed the award in favor of the sorority.


Hazing

In 2018, the
University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The university is composed of seventeen undergraduate and graduate schools and colle ...
suspended the ''Iota chapter'' because of
hazing Hazing (American English), initiation, beasting (British English), bastardisation (Australian English), ragging (South Asian English) or deposition refers to any activity expected of someone in joining or participating in a group that humiliates, ...
—a mother reported bruises on her daughter's arm. The daughter, along with eleven other students, admitted to having been involved in hazing practices at the sorority. In a 2019 lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of Illinois, the family of Jordan Hankins blamed Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc. for her 2017
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
. Hankins, a sophomore basketball player at
Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...
, pledged to the sorority after receiving official membership. While backward pledging to gain respect from chapter members who went through a similar process, Hankins "was subjected to physical abuse including paddling, verbal abuse, mental abuse, financial exploitation, sleep deprivation, items being thrown and dumped on her, and other forms of hazing intended to humiliate and demean her," according to the lawsuit. An official statement from Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc. says the sorority is "deeply saddened" by Hankins' death and declined to comment on the details of the complaint and her suicide due to the "sensitive nature" of the incident and "the ongoing grief her family is experiencing". On September 9, 2002, Kristin High (age 22) and Kenitha Saafir (age 24) from
California State University, Los Angeles California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) is a public research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is part of the California State University system. Cal State LA offers 142 bachelor's degree programs, 122 m ...
died following a hazing activity. Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha instructed the women to perform a series of activities blindfolded on Dockweiler State Beach when a high tide came, and eventually drowned both of them. The next day, when the woman brought Kristin's car and cell phone to her mother, she noticed her pledge journal missing from the car and numbers deleted from her cell phone. Before Kristin's death, Kristin's mother encouraged her to fully disassociate herself from the sorority after Kristin discussed inappropriate behavior by members of the sorority. A year after the incident, the families of the deceased settled with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. after filing a $100 million civil
wrongful death Wrongful death is a type of legal claim or cause of action against a person who can be held liable for a death. The claim is brought in a civil action, usually by close relatives, as authorized by statute. In wrongful death cases, survivors are ...
lawsuit. The sorority denied having an active chapter at CSULA, but the court rejected that assertion and found the sorority accountable for the deaths. No criminal charges were filed. The CSULA chapter had previously been sanctioned for hazing, and the sorority permanently expelled all members involved with the death.


Prostitution

In May 2018, the ''Alpha Beta chapter'' at Fort Valley State University (FVSU) was placed under investigation by the
University System of Georgia The University System of Georgia (USG) is the government agency that includes 26 public institutions of higher learning in the U.S. state of Georgia. The system is governed by the Georgia Board of Regents. It sets goals and dictates gener ...
and the Georgia Bureau of Investigations due to allegations that the executive assistant to FVSU's president and graduate advisor of the chapter, Alecia Johnson, suggested low-income prospective members have sex with affluent men in Georgia to cover approximately $1,500 in required membership intake fees. Johnson resigned from her position at the university and hired legal representation to contest the allegations. In June 2019, Johnson pled guilty to prostituting herself and one FVSU student. Also, as part of her plea deal, she testified against the men charged in the prostitution ring. Her plea deal resulted in her getting five years of probation, 180 days of house arrest, and a $1,000 fine. GBI investigations led to indictments that included no members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter. The sorority completed an internal investigation into the matter, and allowed the chapter to remain in good standing with the sorority's highest leadership.


See also

* List of social sororities and women's fraternities


Notes


References


Inline citations


Sources referenced

* * * * * * * * * * 206 pages; sociological study which combines ethnographic, archival, oral-historical, and other approaches


External links


Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated official website
(archived)
Alpha Kappa Alpha – Educational Advancement Foundation, Incorporated''Ivy Leaf'': 1921–1998 Microfiche Guide
(PDF; archived) {{Authority control 1908 establishments in Washington, D.C. African-American fraternities and sororities Fraternal service organizations based in Chicago International student societies National Pan-Hellenic Council Sororities Student organizations established in 1908 Student societies in the United States Women in Washington, D.C. Women's organizations based in the United States Women's rights organizations based in the United States