On January 15, 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority became the first Greek-lettered organization established by and for black women. Its creation began with Ethel Hedgemon Lyle, a junior at Howard University located in Washington, D.C. During the academic year 1907-1908, Ethel Hedgemon, returned from her summer vacation with the inspiration and desire to organize a sorority, an association of women students through which the talents and strengths of these students could be organized for the mutual benefit of all. She discussed this idea with a number of her classmates and associates during the fall and early winter. 

 

After a period of exchanging ideas and pooling suggestions, the group of nine started to work to crystallize the preliminary organization. In this group were the Burke sisters (Beulah and Lillie), Margaret Flagg Holmes, Marjorie Hill, Lucy Slowe, Marie Woolfolk Taylor, Anna Easter Brown, and Lavinia Norman. Late in February 1908, seven students of the class of 1910 were admitted. These members were Joanna Berry, Norma Boyd, Ethel Jones, Sarah Meriweather, Alice Murray, Carrie Snowden, and Harriet Terry. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority was incorporated in 1913 by Norma Boyd, Julia Brooks, Ethel Jones Mowbray, Nellie Quander, Nellie Pratt Russell and Minnie Smith to ensure its perpetuity for all time. In the later years it became the Alpha Kappa Alpha tradition to honor all these women as "founders".