Julia E. Brooks

        Julia Evangeline Brooks was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, one of 
ten children of Walter Henderson Brooks and Eva Holmes Brooks.  Despite 14 
years of slavery, her father rose above obstacles to become an ordained 
minister, He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1872 and completed the 
course in theology at Lincoln University, Oxford, Pennsylvania in 1873.
        Ms. Brooks attended Sumner Magruder Elementary School and the M. 
Street High School, both in Washington, D.C. As a young woman, she attended 
Miner Normal School in Washington to prepare for a teaching career.  After 
teaching for a while at the elementary level, she enrolled in Howard 
University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1908 and qualified for 
teaching at the high school level.  From 1916 to 1922, she taught English and 
Spanish at Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C. In 1928, Ms. Brooks 
received the Master of Arts degree from Columbia University in New York City.
During the years from 1922 through 1948, she was assistant principal of 
Danbury High School and later was also appointed dean of girls.
        A dedicated educator in the true sense of the word, Ms. Brooks was 
instrumental in assisting six of her relatives, mostly nieces and nephews, to
obtain a college education.  Not only did Ms. Brooks provide her young 
relatives with cultural and educational opportunities, she also gave 
generously of her finances to pay for their expenses while in college.  
Walter Brooks, a nephew who lives in Washington, D.C., remembers that his 
Aunt Julia helped him with his homework in her office while he attended 
Danbury High School.  He speaks warmly of his aunt, describing her as a 
person who gave freely of herself and inspired members of her family and 
others to better themselves.
        Julia Brooks was one of the pioneers of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. 
Norma Boyd remembers that Ms. Brooks attended most of the early functions of 
the sorority at Howard University.  When plans were being made to preserve 
the original names, ideas, symbols and form of the sorority, Ms. Brooks was 
one of those early members who was in favor of the incorporation.  She was 
listed in Article IV of the Certificate of Incorporation of Alpha Kappa Alpha 
(officially registered January 29, 19 13) as one of the six members of its 
directorate, the tamiouchos.  She served as tamiouchos from 1913 to 1923 
and was succeeded by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle, sorority founder, who remained 
in that office until 1946.
        Julia Brooks was a member of Epsilon Omega Chapter in Baltimore, 
Maryland.  In 1923, she became a charter member of Xi Omega Chapter in 
Washington, D.C. Ms. Brooks wrote The History of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority 
which was presented at the Public Meeting of the 1923 Boule in Baltimore, and
the history was read by Barbee Scott at the Founders' Day celebration of Xi 
Omega Chapter on January 30, 1924.
        She was still an active member of Xi Omega Chapter in Washington, 
D.C. when she died suddenly November 24, 1948.
        In addition to her sorority activities, Ms. Brooks was associated 
with numerous civic associations.  On several occasions, during the 1930s and
1940s, she attended national conferences on citizenship, racial 
discrimination and the needs of women.
        Ms. Brooks left her educational imprint on thousands of youths whose 
lives she touched during her illustrious career as a educator and an 
administrator.  She will be long remembered for her foresight in preserving 
the ideals of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and for the shining example of her 
life in service to others.