Alpha Kappa Alpha

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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, and remains a predominately African-American sorority. The sorority's membership, however, includes women of Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic descent. The sorority serves all mankind through a nucleus of more than 185,000 women in over 950 chapters located in the United States, the Caribbean, Germany, Korea and Japan. Alpha Kappa Alpha women can be found on every continent in the world.^{[citation needed]}

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. The sorority is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). Among the group's current 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.

[edit] History

The Howard University students were led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle into creating the sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha in 1908. Lyle was inspired by her then high school and college sweetheart George Lyle, a charter member the Beta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at Howard in 1907.<ref name=skip2>Mason, Herman "Skip" (1999-04-16). The ties that bind. skipmason.com. Retrieved on 2006-05-09.</ref> 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 schism in the sorority led to twenty-two members leaving AKA in 1913 and founding the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.<ref name=skip4>Mason, Herman "Skip" (199-04-20). The ΑΚΑ/ΔΣΘ Connection. skipmason.com. Retrieved on 2006-05-11.</ref> Nellie Quander led the group which incorporated the sorority as a national body in 1912 and as a perpetual body in 1913.

[edit] Community service

Alpha Kappa Alpha has established programs which have had a direct impact for the African-American community.

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. 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. The onset of World War II inspired the council to institute the Direct War Services/Complete Victory/Post War Reconstruction program.

In the 1950s, Alpha Kappa Alpha joined the American Council of Human Rights and National Health Office, implemented programs on health, social action, scholarship, and undergraduate housing as it continued its directon into public service.

The 1960s and 1970s eras paved the path for the AKAs to sponsor job training, reading enrichment, heritage, and youth programs. By encouraging youth to improve math, science, and reading skills, the sorority continued its legacy of community service and its pledge to enrich the lives of others . Alpha Kappa Alpha's high standards of excellence allows students in need and those who chose to study abroad to benefit from a fund created by AKA. Those same high standards stand today as evident in their current programs.

[edit] National programs

[edit] 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

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] National Pan-Hellenic Council

Main article: 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.<ref name=NPHC>National Pan-Hellenic Council Aboutpage. NPHC. Retrieved on 2006-08-15.</ref>

[edit] Membership

Further information: Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha

AKA has 950 chapters located in the United States, the Caribbean, Germany, Korea and Japan.

Alpha Kappa Alpha national office says the organization is "comprised of over 185,000 college-trained women from around the world. It has an active membership of over 49,000 members who represent a diverse constituency of women, from educators to heads of state, politicians, lawyers, medical professionals, media personalities and decision-makers of major corporations. Graduate members constitute the largest percentage of membership."<ref name=AKAmember>AKA Membership Profile. aka1908.org. Retrieved on 2006-10-02.</ref>

[edit] Important members

The leadership of the sorority in its early year was derived from three separate groups—the original group, the sophomores and the incorporators, whose combination is well known as "The Twenty Pearls."<ref name=AKA-Leaders>AKA Leadership. aka1908.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-07.</ref> The Executive Director position has been held by nine members since its creation in 1948.

[edit] Trivia

• Senator Hillary Clinton, a fomer First Lady and wife of President Bill Clinton, initially accepted honorary membership into Alpha Kappa Alpha, but later declined due to its exclusive requirements which would prevent her from accepting honorary membership in other NPHC organizations.<ref name=hillary>Senator Hillary Clinton. aka1908.com. Retrieved on 2006-05-09. (archive)</ref>

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

• Alpha Kappa Alpha founder Lucy Diggs Slowe is related to Kappa Alpha Psi founder Elder Watson Diggs.

[edit] Contact Information

Corporate Office - Ivy Center

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated

5656 S. Stony Island Avenue

Chicago, Illinois 60637

Phone Number: (773) 684-1282

[edit] External links

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

[edit] Footnotes