Summers commemorates Alpha Kappa Alpha with House Resolution

INDIANAPOLIS - State Representative Vanessa Summers (D-Indianapolis) led the Indiana House of Representatives in recognizing her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha. The resolution passed the House with bipartisan support to commemorate the organization and its achievements.

“Alpha Kappa Alpha is something truly remarkable,” Summers said. “The founders of this organization were college-educated women just one generation removed from slavery, and today its members are flourishing with ties to politics, art, music and business.”

Alpha Kappa Alpha was founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington D.C. by 16 students led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle. Forged in a time with little opportunity for Black or female students, Alpha Kappa Alpha broke barriers for African-American women. As of today, the sorority is comprised of nearly 300,000 women in 1,024 chapters around the world.

“Today, as we recognize the trailblazing sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha, we should also take a moment to reflect on the many contributions Black Greek letter organizations have made to Indiana and our nation as a whole,” Summers said. “The fraternities and sororities within the Divine Nine over the last century have brought achievements and long-lasting prosperity to their members, their communities and the causes they passionately serve,” she continued. “The impact felt by the Divine Nine spans far beyond the organization’s borders.”

Along with State Representative Vanessa Summers, State Representative Carolyn B. Jackson (D-Hammond) also is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sisterhood. Other notable members include Senator and former-Presidential Contender Kamala Harris, Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winner Toni Morrison, and honorary members like Eleanor Roosevelt, Coretta Scott-King and Rosa Parks.

The Divine Nine, which is the name bestowed upon the nine historically Black Greek letter organizations that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council, had a member advocacy day at the Statehouse today, February 17, 2020. Members of the Divine Nine include Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Delta Sigma Theta, Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho, and Iota Phi Theta.