Ethel Jones Mowbray
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Ethel Jones Mowbray (died November 25, 1948) was one of the twenty founders of
Alpha Kappa Alpha Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. () is an List of African American fraternities, historically African-American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The sorority was founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. Alpha Kappa Alpha ...
, the first sorority founded by African-American women. Her legacy was an organization that has helped African-American women succeed in college, prepare for leadership and organize in communities, and serve their communities in later life.


Early life

Born to Mr. and Mrs. George Jones, in Baltimore, Maryland, Ethel lost her mother at birth. Her father raised her alone until she was ten. Later, Ethel Jones was raised by a foster family, the Myers. Ethel Jones was educated in Baltimore public schools, and graduated with honors. Ethel enrolled in
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 1906 in the College of Arts and Sciences. In those years, only 1/3 of 1% of African Americans and 5% of whites attended any college, and Howard University was considered the top historically black college.James D. Anderson,''
The Education of Blacks in the South, 1860–1935 ''The Education of Blacks in the South, 1860–1935'' is a history of African-American education in the American South from the Reconstruction era to the Great Depression. It was written by James D. Anderson and published by the University of N ...
''. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, 1988, p.245


Founding of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

At Howard, Ethel was one of seven sophomore honor initiates into
Alpha Kappa Alpha Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. () is an List of African American fraternities, historically African-American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The sorority was founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. Alpha Kappa Alpha ...
sorority. She participated in the first Ivy Day ceremonies on May 25, 1909, when members started a tradition of planting ivy at Miner Hall. In 1909 Ethel Jones was the first vice-president of Alpha Kappa Alpha. The following year she served as president of the chapter. Ethel Jones graduated in 1910 with a
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...
in
math Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many ar ...
and a minor in
education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...
.


Incorporation of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

Ethel Mowbray, Nellie Quander, Julia Evangeline Brooks, Norma Boyd,
Nellie Pratt Russell Nellie Pratt Russell (May 4, 1890 - December 13, 1979) was an incorporator of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the first sorority founded by African-American college women. Earning undergraduate and graduate degrees at Howard University and Columbia ...
and Minnie B. Smith decided to incorporate Alpha Kappa Alpha and completed the process on January 29, 1913. In 1913, Mowbray was the vice-president of Alpha Kappa Alpha's first directorate. In January 1913, a group of women who wanted a different direction, split from Alpha Kappa Alpha and formed
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 ...
.


Career and civic activities

After college, Jones first taught in Baltimore public schools for a few years. In 1913, she married George Mowbray, whom she had dated since college. Ethel and George Mowbray moved to
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, where George did graduate work 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 1914, Ethel and her husband moved to
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 ...
,
Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
.McNealey 2006, op. cit. p. 52. She worked as a culinary artist, while her husband was a teacher in the Kansas City public schools. Ethel later owned and operated a catering business. In 1924, Mowbray chartered Mu Omega chapter in Kansas City. She encouraged expansion of Alpha Kappa Alpha in other cities as well. Mowbray worked with the
Parent Teacher Association A parent is either the progenitor of a child or, in humans, it can refer to a caregiver or legal guardian, generally called an adoptive parent or step-parent. Parents who are progenitors are first-degree relatives and have 50% genetic meet. A fe ...
as a junior high school "room mother", where she assisted the teacher. Ethel and George Mowbray had two children, Geraldine and Helen. Geraldine went to medical school, practiced as a physician, and married. She also became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. To keep her mind sharp, Mowbray enjoyed playing with three bridge clubs. Mowbray died on November 25, 1948, in Kansas City, Kansas. Alpha Kappa Alpha's Educational Advancement Foundation has an endowment in Mowbray's honor.


References


External links


Biography from Virginia Commonwealth UniversityHonoring the Past: Alpha Kappa Alpha FoundersCentennial Celebration: Founders
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mowbray, Ethel Jones Year of birth missing 1948 deaths People from Baltimore Alpha Kappa Alpha founders 20th-century African-American educators 20th-century American educators