[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 118 (Thursday, July 17, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S6928]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       COMMEMORATING THE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INCORPORATED

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I welcome the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha 
Sorority, Inc., to Capitol Hill in celebration of its centennial 
anniversary.
  Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is our Nation's first African-
American sorority, and was founded on January 15, 1908. Since then, the 
sorority has always exemplified its motto of ``being of service to all 
mankind.''
  Over the course of ten decades, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., has 
grown its membership to include over 200,000 members throughout the 
United States, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean. Through the 
years, the sorority has remained committed to improving the lives of 
countless Americans through its involvement in programs including the 
Mississippi Health Project, the Job Corps, and the African Village 
Development Program.
  In my home State of Nevada alone, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.'s 
Theta Theta Omega Chapter has provided over $100,000 in scholarships to 
deserving African-American female Clark County high school students, 
while its Kappa Xi Chapter has a distinguished record of service both 
on the University of Nevada Las Vegas campus and throughout the 
community.
  In the coming century, I am certain that this illustrious 
organization will continue to empower communities and respond to the 
increasingly complex issues facing the world. I commend the women of 
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., for their 100 years of distinguished 
service to our great Nation.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, this year we are celebrating Alpha Kappa 
Alpha, Inc. sorority's 100th birthday. This week, more than 20,000 
members from all over the country have come to Washington, DC, to 
participate in a week-long program of forums and seminars with a focus 
on leadership, sisterhood and service, known as the Centennial Boule. 
The theme of this week's celebration is the ``Centennial Commitment to 
Leadership.''
  The week's events will culminate in today's Unity March where members 
from the nine African-American Greek fraternities and sororities 
marched to the Capitol.
  AKA's International President, Barbara McKinzie, who has lived in 
Shreveport, LA, says the qualities that have sustained AKA for a 
century are ``sisterhood and service.'' Her administration is committed 
to ESP: Economics, Service and Partnership.
  AKA is the first Greek-letter sorority established by African-
American women for African-American, college-educated women. It was 
founded by nine enterprising Howard University women, led by Ethel 
Hedgeman Lyle, on January 15, 1908.
  Now the membership has grown to 975 chapters worldwide and is 
200,000-strong. Among the famous AKAs are Maya Angelou, Gladys Knight 
and Alicia Keys; and Members of the House of Representatives include 
Eddie Bernice Johnson and Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, and Diane Watson 
of California. Powerful women across America both in the private sector 
and government represent the AKA sisterhood. Three members of my staff 
are proud to be a part of this sisterhood: my office manager Alicia 
Williams, acting State director Tari Bradford, and my New Orleans 
constituent services representative Sherae Hunter.
  The AKA sorority, founded before women had the right to vote by women 
one generation away from slavery, has been an instrumental group in 
raising the profile of African-American women and has worked tirelessly 
to knock down barriers to advancement in our society. The sisterhood 
has consistently encouraged academic achievement, leadership and 
service.
  Members remain active for their whole lives and are encouraged to 
contribute to their communities. Each chapter has its own community 
service focus. The Gamma Eta Omega Alumnae Chapter in Baton Rouge, for 
instance, raises money through an annual fashion show for scholarships 
for high school seniors and sorority undergraduates and also sponsors 
the Leadership Fellows Institute each year to promote leadership among 
high school students.
  The Delta Lamda Omega Chapter in Shreveport gathers for ``A Day On 
and Not a Day Off,'' where sisters take off work to volunteer in the 
community. Chapters all over Louisiana are similarly committed to their 
communities. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, 
AKAs from all over the country came to the aid of hurricane survivors 
along the gulf coast and helped with our recovery effort.
  It is with great pride that we welcome all AKAs to the birthplace of 
the sisterhood, Washington, DC, as they embark on another 
groundbreaking century.

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