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Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (ΑΚΑ) is a historically African-American sorority. The sorority was founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Alpha Kappa Alpha was incorporated in 1913. It is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (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.
In the spring of 1907, student Ethel Hedgemon Lyle led efforts to create a sorority at Howard University in Washington, D.C. 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. Hedgemon began recruiting interested classmates; the group used the summer of 1907 to research and explore options for their new organization.
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 International president after Incorporation.
On January 15, 1908, the nine founders held the first official business 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 and the YWCA D.C. chapter, feeding the hungry, tutoring, and clothing people experiencing poverty.
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 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.
Some of the undergraduate members who favored the changes held a meeting the next month with other collegiate women and voted to reorganize the group and incorporated the changes, forming what became Delta Sigma Theta. 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.
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Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (ΑΚΑ) is a historically African-American sorority. The sorority was founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Alpha Kappa Alpha was incorporated in 1913. It is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (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.
In the spring of 1907, student Ethel Hedgemon Lyle led efforts to create a sorority at Howard University in Washington, D.C. 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. Hedgemon began recruiting interested classmates; the group used the summer of 1907 to research and explore options for their new organization.
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 International president after Incorporation.
On January 15, 1908, the nine founders held the first official business 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 and the YWCA D.C. chapter, feeding the hungry, tutoring, and clothing people experiencing poverty.
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 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.
Some of the undergraduate members who favored the changes held a meeting the next month with other collegiate women and voted to reorganize the group and incorporated the changes, forming what became Delta Sigma Theta. 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.