A Brief History of Alpha Kappa Alpha

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. was founded January 15, 1908, at Miner Hall, on the campus of Howard University in Washingiton D.C. It is the oldest Greek-Letter organization established in America by Black women. Today, its membership has grown to over two hundred thousand women in the United States, the Carribean, Europe and Africa.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. started as a dream of a young lady named Ethel Hedgeman. She dreamed of an organization that would bring oustanding young black women for the mutual benefit of all. Her dream was shared by nineteen other young ladies named:

Marjorie Hill ** Sarah Meriweather Nutter** Lucy Diggs Slowe** Joanna Mary Berry Sheilds** Lillie Burke** Harriet Josephine Terry** Anna Easter Brown** Norma Elizabeth Boyd** Marie Woolfolk Taylor** Beulah Elizabeth Burke** Beulah Elizabeth Burke** Nellie Quanders** Margaret Flagg Holmes** Minnie B. Smith** Lavinia Norman** Julia E. Brooks** Alice P. Murray** Carrie Snowden** Ethel Jones MowBray**

These 20 ladies are together know as Alpha Kappa Alpha's Founders.

It was through the efforts of Eta Chi Omega Chapter that Epsilon Beta Chapter was established on the campus of the University of Southwestern Louisiana. In the spring of 1967, the members of Eta Chi Omega Chapter, held an information meeting for all eligible black college women on USL's campus. All those interested in starting the first line signed up at this meeting. This group of twenty signees formed the first colony.

During the month of October 1967, twelve members of the colony signed their names in the pledge book. The other eight members of the colony decided this type of life was not for them.

Epsilon Beta Chapter was chartered on Saturday, December 16, 1967.