Alpha Kappa Alpha

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Alpha Kappa Alpha
ΑΚΑ
Founded	January 15, 1908; 116 years ago (1908-01-15)[1] Howard University
Type	Social
Affiliation	NPHC
Emphasis	African American
Scope	International
Motto	"By Culture and By Merit"
Colors	Salmon Pink   Apple Green
Symbol	Ivy leaf[1]
Flower	Pink Tea Rose
Publication	Ivy Leaf
Chapters	1,061[2]
Nicknames	AKAs, Alpha Women, Pretty Girls, Ivies
Headquarters	5656 S. Stony Island Ave. Chicago, Illinois 60637 United States
Website	www.aka1908.com

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (ΑΚΑ) is the first intercollegiate historically African American sorority.^[3] The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at the historically black Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of sixteen students led by Ethel Hedgemon Lyle. Forming a sorority broke barriers for African American women in areas where they had little power or authority due to a lack of opportunities for minorities and women in the early 20th century.^[4] Alpha Kappa Alpha was incorporated on January 29, 1913.

The sorority is one of the nation's largest Greek-letter organizations, having had more than 350,000 members in 1,024 chapters in the United States and several other countries.^[2][5] Women may join through undergraduate chapters at a college or university, or they may be invited to join by a graduate chapter after acquiring an undergraduate or advanced college degree.^[6]

Alpha Kappa Alpha is part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). The current International President is Danette Anthony Reed, and the sorority's document and pictorial archives are located at Moorland-Spingarn Research Center.