Our Story

                                                Alpha Kappa Alpha’s mission is to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, to promote unity and friendship                                                among university-educated women, to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women in order to improve their                                                    social stature, to maintain a progressive interest in college life, and to be of “Service to All Mankind".

                                             

                                               Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. was the first Greek letter organization established by women of color in the United States.                                                

                                               During the school year 1907-1908, Miss Ethel Hedgeman, after a year of illness returned to Howard University, Washington, DC to                                                begin her junior year. She had the inspiration and desire to organize a sorority of student leaders. During the fall and late winter,                                                    she discussed her idea with her classmates and a few members of the senior class.

 

On January 15, 1908, the group met and agreed to present their written constitution to the college President and Deans. They were granted permission to

organize. In late February, 1908, seven honor students of the Class of 1910 were admitted to the group. These sixteen women are the Founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

 

On January 29, 1913, under the provisions of Subchapter Three of Chapter XVII of the Code of Laws of the District of Columbia, Alpha Kappa Alpha was incorporated as a perpetual body, with powers to organize, institute, and charter subordinate chapters whose particular purposes and objectives would be educational, and would promote the intellectual standard and mutual uplift of its members.

 

Since our founding, nearly 800 chapters have been organized and are located in the United Stated (including Alaska and Hawaii, West African, England, Germany, Korea, Japan, and the Caribbean). For more information please visit our national website at: www.aka1908.org.