Members of Theta Chapter in 1928. Credit: Courtesy of Theta Chapter Member
On Feb. 2, 1921, five Black women, Grace Boyd, Bertha Harrington, Mildred Henson, Thelma Moorman and Eva Jane Smith, chartered the Theta chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®️ at Ohio State. It was the eighth chapter in the country — there are now 1,026.
With Tuesday marking the 100-year anniversary of Ohio State’s Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®️ chapter, Lovette Azap, vice president of Theta chapter and fourth-year in biochemistry and African American and African studies, said the organization still fights many of the same issues such as racism, sexism and discrimination against marginalized communities that the charter members worked to resolve when they chartered the chapter.
“Still today, we’re still saying things like Black Lives Matter and we’re still saying things like, Me Too, and so we’re still fighting a lot of the same issues that our founders and our charter members we’re working to resolve when they founded and chartered our organization,” Azap said. “I truly believe that, what I want out this, out of our organization, our Theta chapter, is just to continue to be dedicated to these programs like we had a program that was dedicated to just breaking the silence with sexual assault.”
With a mission of service, scholarship and creating pioneers and history-makers, the chapter hosts programs on campus to bring awareness to the importance of historically Black colleges and universities, women’s health care and wellness, building economic legacies, importance of the arts and ways to have a global impact, Chinyerem Nwaneri, treasurer of Theta chapter and fourth-year in finance, said.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®️, Theta chapter is dedicated to giving a voice to people who are essentially voiceless, Azap said.
“We just had a program called ‘Where we are now,’ which was essentially a reflection of Black Lives Matter and Breonna Taylor and all those really important social dynamics that are going on in our society,” Azap said.
Nwaneri said the focus of the centennial celebration is to acknowledge the past and bring it into the present.
“I would say it’s heavy on the acknowledging the past and bringing it into full fruition, full effect into the present,” Nwaneri said.
The chapter is celebrating the centennial with an event open to members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®️, members of the Divine Nine and Ohio State faculty and staff Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. according to the centennial website. The event will take place virtually on Zoom with events including a worship service, introductions, video presentations, speeches, a candle lighting ceremony and keynote speaker Elaena Harris, an alumna and former president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®️, Theta chapter.
Afterward, there will be a members-only event from 1-4:30 p.m. featuring keynote speaker Olympia Della Flora, a public education advocate who was a member of the organization at Ohio State in the ’90s.
Two scholarships — the Millicent Gaither Sims Scholarship Fund and the Fatima Kinshasa Carter Memorial Scholarship Fund — are being given out at the centennial ceremony, Azap said. These scholarships were created in memory of Theta chapter members who have passed away and are awarded to two high school seniors
“We’re still always dedicated and still always passionate about giving opportunities to people and empowering women,” Azap said.
Leading up to the centennial, the organization is using its Instagram to encourage random acts of kindness, such as leaving snacks or water for delivery people or leaving gas gift cards on a stranger’s car, Azap said. During this phase, past and present members have the opportunity to participate in service initiatives.
“Service to all mankind is something that all of us always say,” Azap said.
Correction: A previous version of this article equated founding members of the chapter to charter members. The story has been edited to reflect the difference.
