Alpha Kappa Alpha
Throughout the fall of 1907, Hedgeman was instrumental in founding Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, America's first Greek-letter organization established by Black college women. Hedgeman was inspired by the accounts of Ethel Robinson, a faculty member at Howard who shared her sorority experiences at Brown University. Hedgeman was also inspired in her efforts by her friend George Lyle, whom she had dated since high school. He was a charter member the Beta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at Howard in 1907. To establish a sorority, Hedgeman began recruiting interested classmates during the summer of 1907. Together, the nine classmates founded Alpha Kappa Alpha on January 15, 1908. Hedgeman served as vice-president of the sorority, since she was a junior, and designed the insignia for the sorority. Starting in the 1920s, as national treasurer of Alpha Kappa Alpha for more than 20 years, Lyle (by then married) continued to guide the sorority and its growth.
Read more about this topic: Ethel Hedgeman Lyle
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