InfoCentral

Every week the library publishes an article in the Westland Observer on a new subject. Below is this week's article.

Alpha Kappa Alpha

InfoCentral, July 12 - 18, 2007

January 15, 2008 marks the 100 year anniversary of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African American college-trained women. The sorority was founded in 1908 at Howard University by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle and eight other women, just one generation removed from slavery.

Kappa Alpha has over 200,000 members in over 975 chapters in the United States and several other countries. Members works with communities through service initiatives and progressive programs relating to education, family, health, and business that have a direct impact across the country.

The motto of Alpha Kappa Alpha is "By Culture and By Merit." The purpose of the sorority is to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, to promote unity and friendship among college women, to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women, to maintain a progressive interest in college life, and to provide service to all mankind.

Some famous members of Alpha Kappa Alpha, both regular and honorary include opera singer Marian Anderson, jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, author Maya Angelou, TV personality Star Jones, Nobel prize winning author Toni Morrison, actress Jada Pinkett-Smith, Marietta Tree the first U.S. Woman Ambassador to the United Nations, Georgiana Simpson the first African American woman to get a Ph.D. and many more.

Alpha Kappa Alpha will celebrate in a week of tributes in Washington, D.C. More than 20,000 members are expected to make the pilgrimage to Howard University to honor the Sorority's founders and celebrate their 100-year history. To learn more about Alpha Kappa Alpha you can go to their website at http://www.aka1908.com or their centennial celebration website at http://aka1908.com/centennial. To learn more about the history of Alpha Kappa Alpha and other historically African American sororities you can come to the library and check out The divine nine : the history of African American fraternities and sororities by Lawrence C. Ross, Jr.