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On January 15, 1908, on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., nine brilliant students established the illustrious sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA). The nine women, led by Ethel Hedgemen Lyle, dreamed of a support system for like-minded women. The nine students worked together  formed the first African American Greek letter organization for college-educated women. The visionaries established a sorority that would be of service to all mankind by giving back to the community.

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Five years after its beginnings, on January 29, 1913, under the guidance of Nellie Quander, AKA became a perpetual membership by gaining its incorporation in the District of Columbia.

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Over a century later, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ®, is proud of its 986 undergraduate and graduate chapters in 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Germany, Africa, South Korea, Japan, Liberia, and Canada.

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Since its humble beginnings, AKA has continued to flourish both domestically and globally. Alpha Kappa Alpha has more than 265,000 college-trained members, bound by the bonds of sisterhood and empowered by a commitment to servant-leadership.

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As Alpha Kappa Alpha continues to grow, it has maintained the focus of the founders in two key areas: lifelong personal development of each of its members and remaining at the forefront of effective advocacy and social change for the world.