On January 15, 1908, nine women on the campus of Howard University came together to form an organization to support Black female students, a time when there were fewer than 1,000 Black students enrolled in higher education institutions nationwide and they were not allowed to join white fraternities and sororities. The result was Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the first Greek letter organization for Black women. Founded on the principles of sisterhood, scholarship and “Service to All Mankind,” these ladies are not just pretty in pink (and green); they are on a mission to make a positive impact on their communities.
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118 years after the organization was founded at Howard, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. has grown to include more than 390,000 members across over 1,ooo undergraduate and graduate chapters around the world, including Germany, Japan and the United Arab Emirates. AKA also boasts a long list of distinguished members who are leaders in business, politics, entertainment and more.
In honor of AKA’s founder’s day, we’re looking at some of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s most famous members.
Vice President Kamala Harris
America’s first Black Vice President is also an AKA, who pledged at Howard University in 1986. Her sisters showed their support for her presidential campaign in a major way. According to CNN, there were more than 1,500 contributions of exactly $19.08 to the campaign – a nod to the year the sorority was founded at Howard.
Toni Morrison
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison pledged AKA at Howard University in 1950. The “Beloved” author, who was the first Black woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, earned her Bachelor’s degree in Literature from HU in 1953.
Phylicia Rashad
Actress Phylicia Rashad is another proud AKA who pledged at Howard University in 1968. “The Cosby Show” star frequently talks about how her experience at Howard and as an AKA shaped who she is today. She even lent her voice to narrate a documentary about the organization’s history, “Alpha Kappa Alpha: A Legacy of Service.”
Sheinelle Jones
“The Today Show’s” Sheinelle Jones comes from a long line of Alpha Kappa Alpha women, so it’s only natural that she would follow in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother. Jones pledged in 1997 at Northwestern University
Sunny Hostin
“The View” co-host Sunny Hostin has been a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. since 1992. She talks frequently about the importance of the Divine Nine organizations for college students of color – and she never misses a chance to represent in her pink and green!
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