Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Eta Omega Omega Chapter Records, 1964–
Information, Description, and Finding Aid
Collection Information
Reference: MS-AKAHOO
Dates: 1964–
Extent: 3.75 linear ft. across 4 archival boxes
Finding Aid Information
Creator(s): Steven Payne, Ph.D., Director and Pastor Crespo, Jr. Research Librarian & Archivist
Date created/updated: September 27 2021; additional material added September 21, 2021
Organizational History
Eta Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated® was chartered on May 23, 1964, by twelve members. The chapter celebrates a rich history of service, philanthropy, and scholarship for the Bronx community. From its inception, programs of service were launched to enhance the quality of life for residents of The Bronx. Specific emphasis was placed on engaging youth, working with developmentally disabled children, and providing services to the elderly.
Eta Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated® provides volunteer services to vulnerable and underserved communities. One of the first programs started by the chapter was a garden project at the Southeast Neighborhood Center for developmentally disabled adults. Since then, the chapter has initiated several other service projects, including Impact Days, Earth Day and Akarosa Adopt A Highway beautification initiatives, financial literacy workshops, Alzheimer's awareness projects, mental health support projects, and healthy heart initiatives. The chapter also spearheads the MLK Day of Service project, various toy drives, collaborative Global Impact Day with South Africa and St, Croix members as well as a host of other programs that demonstrate a strong commitment to serving the Bronx community. In addition to serving the community, members also participate in weekly prayer calls, leadership enrichment opportunities, membership and sisterly relations activities that are intergenerational, like book, movie, exercise, and travel clubs. Eta Omega Omega chartered Xi Xi chapter, an undergraduate chapter at Lehman College on June 25, 1983, and members of that chapter have participated in many of the projects.
Eta Omega Omega chapter's signature program is the Rites of Passage Mentoring Program. This program provides high school girls with year-long intensive workshops on personal development, ancestral history, interpersonal relations, etiquette, and goal setting. Since 1991 this program has guided young girls towards their transition into womanhood by fostering a sense of responsibility, sisterhood, and self-pride. The chapter will continue the Rites of Passage Program in collaboration with ((#CAP℠), the current administration’s College Admissions Process program ((#CAP℠), designed to assist students in their efforts to enter college.
As a result of the work that Eta Omega Omega has done, the chapter has earned many national and international accolades and awards. Some awards earned were Small and Medium Chapter of the Year, the Spirit Award, Membership, Connection, and Star Award for Outstanding Programs. On a regional level, several chapter members have been recognized for their outstanding service in leadership. Members were honored as Basileus of the year, Silver Star of the year, Graduate Advisor of the year, and the Idell Pugh Angel Award.
In 1994, the Chapter established a not-for-profit corporation and later changed the name of this corporation to Wheeler, Wilson and Johnson Community Projects, Inc. The corporation was organized exclusively for educational and charitable purposes within Bronx County. Through the foundation the chapter hosts an annual holiday toy drive, leads peace walks, and donates dorm baskets to students leaving for college. In addition, the Chapter annually gives over $10,000 in scholarships to support youth attending two-year, four year, and HBCU colleges.
As a large-sized chapter, with 129 members, Eta Omega Omega is one of seventeen exceptional graduate chapters in Cluster III of the Notable North Atlantic Region. Many members have moved up in leadership. Eta Omega Omega members have served as Cluster and Regional Committee Chairman and Cluster Co-Coordinators. Chapter member Joy Elaine Daley has served previously as the North Atlantic Regional Director and currently serves as the International Regional Director.
Eta Omega Omega Members continue to exemplify the ideals that Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated® was founded on well over 110 years ago. Through the direction of our 30th International President, Dr. Glenda Glover, the Chapter has implemented the 2018–2022 International Program under the theme, "Exemplifying Excellence Through Sustainable Service." The International Program includes five program targets designed to advance the mission of Alpha Kappa Alpha with excellence and underscore a commitment to sustainable service.
The five program targets for 2018–2022 are:
- HBCU for Life: A Call to Action
- Women's Healthcare and Wellness
- Building Your Economic Legacy
- The Arts!
- Global Impact
In addition, Eta Omega Omega members implement International Community Service Days annually to highlight the organization's collective impact in program target areas:
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (January)
- Pink Goes Red for Heart Health Day (February)
- AKA Global Impact Day (April)
- AKA International Day of Prayer (August)
- AKA HBCU Day (September)
- Breast Cancer Awareness Day (October)
- AKA Caregivers' Day (November)
Description/Scope and Content
The collection is organized into the seven following series:
1.1) Eta Omega Omega Chapter Members, which is comprised of subject files on many of the chapter's sorors, including charter members and first initiates;
1.2) Presidents
2) Events, which contains documents from events specific to Eta Omega Omega (Subseries 2.1) as well as sorority-wide events (Subseries 2.2);
3) Programs, which covers specific programs put on by Eta Omega Omega over the years;
4) Sorority, General, which includes general files on both Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Subseries 4.1) and other chapters, including Xi Xi Chapter at Lehman College (Subseries 4.2).
5) Scrapbooks, which comprises a collection of large scrapbooks documenting the activity of Eta Omega Omega.
6) Miscellaneous items, which contains a handful of non-photographic and non-documentary material associated with Eta Omega Omega specific or the sorority in general.
Provenance
This collection was donated in multiple installments to the Society throughout 2020 by the Donna Joseph, President; Saudah Muhammad, Chapter Historian; and the Archives Committee of Eta Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®.
Preferred Citation
[Item name or description,] Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Eta Omega Omega Chapter records, box _, folder _, The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
Points of Access
- African American Greek letter societies -- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® chapters -- Eta Omega Omega Chapter -- Xi Xi Chapter
- Bronx African American History Project
- Community service organizations -- Wheeler, Wilson & Johnson Community Projects, Inc.
- Education -- college access -- literacy programs -- mentorship programs
Related Collections
- The Bronx African American History Project Digital Collection of Oral Histories. Fordham University Library.
- The Bronx African American History Project. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Dr. Angie Dickerson papers. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Rev. Wendell Foster papers. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Hon. Hansel L. McGee papers. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Maxine Sullivan papers. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Urban League, Bronx Branch Records. The Bronx county Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
Series
Series | Title | Box | Folders/Items |
1.1 | Eta Omega Omega Charter Members | 1 |
1–16 |
1.2 | Presidents | 1 | 17-23 |
1.3 | Eta Omega Omega General Information | 1 | 24- |
2.1 | Eta Omega Omega Chapter Events | 1 | 26–32 |
2.2 | Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Events | 1 | 33–41 |
3 | Eta Omega Omega Chapter Programs | 1 | 42–44 |
4.1 | Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., General | 1 | 45–51 |
4.2 | Xi Xi Chapter, General | 1 | 52–53 |
5 | Scrapbooks | 1 | 54–55 |
Scrapbooks (cont.) | 2 | 1–3 | |
Scrapbooks (cont.) | 3 | 1–3 | |
6 | Miscellaneous Items | 3 | 4–6 |
Container List
Series 1.1: Eta Omega Omega Charter Members
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
1 |
1 |
Eta Omega Omega Charter Member photographs |
n.d. |
1 |
2 |
Bertin, Nearlene |
n.d. |
1 |
3 |
Bland, Gwendolyn |
n.d. |
1 |
4 |
Chellis, Olga |
n.d. |
1 |
5 |
Dudley, Thora Louise |
n.d. |
1 |
6 |
Hope, Mary O. |
n.d. |
1 |
7 |
Johnson, Bessie |
n.d. |
1 |
8 |
Jones, Mae Tate |
n.d. |
1 |
9 |
Silvey, Joan |
n.d. |
1 |
10 | Simms, Gladys |
n.d. |
1 |
11 |
Everette, Jaqueline L. |
n.d. |
1 |
12 |
Wilson, Irma |
n.d. |
1 |
13 |
Tanner, Marietta J., fold. 1 |
n.d. |
1 |
14 | Tanner, Marietta J., fold. 2 |
n.d. |
1 |
15 | Wheeler, Grace |
n.d. |
1 |
16 | Best-King, Laverne |
n.d. |
Series 1.2: Presidents
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
1 |
17 |
Presidents |
n.d. |
1 |
18 |
Bowman, Carolyn S. |
n.d. |
1 |
19 |
Clement, Irma |
n.d. |
1 |
20 |
Scott, Barbara A. |
n.d. |
1 |
21 |
Scott, Candice |
n.d. |
1 |
22 |
Dr. Cole Thomas, Lucille |
n.d. |
1 |
23 |
Isaacs, Estelle B. |
n.d. |
Series 1.3: Eta Omega Omega - General Information
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
1 |
24 |
Eta Omega Omega General Information | n.d. |
1 |
25 |
Ajasin, Toyin (Xi Xi) | n.d. |
1 |
26 |
Peterson, Marie (Xi Xi Charter Member) | n.d. |
1 |
27 |
||
1 |
28 |
||
1 |
29 | ||
1 |
23 |
Isaacs, Estelle B. |
n.d. |
Series 2.1: Eta Omega Omega Chapter Events
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
1 |
26 |
3rd Anniversary Celebration |
1967 |
1 |
27 |
4th Anniversary Celebration |
1968 |
1 |
28 |
13rth Anniversary Celebration |
1977 |
1 |
29 |
50th Anniversary Celebration |
2014 |
1 |
30 |
HBCU Awards Luncheons |
2015–2018 |
1 |
31 |
Installation Ceremony and Christmas Party |
1972 |
1 |
32 |
Rep Your Dec(ade) Party |
2012 |
Series 2.2: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Events
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
1 |
33 |
Centennial Boulé |
2008 |
1 |
34 |
Inaugural Reception, Carolyn House Stewart, 28th International President |
2010 |
1 |
35 |
Leadership Seminar (New Orleans) |
2007 |
1 |
36 |
Leadership Conference (Chicago) |
2015 |
1 |
37 |
North Atlantic Regional Conference |
1965 |
1 |
38 |
North Atlantic Regional Conference |
1987 |
1 |
39 |
North Atlantic Regional Conference |
2008 |
1 |
40 |
North Atlantic Regional Conference |
2011 |
1 |
41 |
North Atlantic Regional Conference |
2014 |
Series 3: Eta Omega Omega Chapter Programs
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
1 |
42 |
Programs, general |
n.d. |
1 |
43 |
Attack Illiteracy |
1985 |
1 |
44 |
Talented Together Teens |
1972 |
Series 4.1: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, General
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
1 |
45 |
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. North Atlantic Region |
n.d. |
1 |
46 |
Educational Advancement Foundation, Inc. |
2009 |
1 |
47 |
Holiday greetings |
2009 |
1 |
48 |
Honorary Members |
2006 |
1 |
49 |
Ivy Leaf vol. 86, no. 3 |
2007 |
1 |
50 |
Ivy Leaf, vol. 87, no. 1 |
2008 |
1 |
51 |
Ivy Leaf supplement |
2010 |
Series 4.2: Xi Xi Chapter, General
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
1 |
52 |
Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation, Inc. award |
2015 |
1 |
53 |
Chapter photographs |
n.d. |
Series 5: Scrapbooks
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
1 |
54 |
Eta Omega Omega Chapter, general scrapbook, pt. 1 |
1990 |
1 |
55 |
Eta Omega Omega Chapter, general scrapbook, pt. 2 |
1990 |
2 |
1 |
Eta Omega Omega Chapter, general scrapbook |
1991 |
2 |
2 |
Eta Omega Omega Chapter, general scrapbook |
1992 |
2 |
3 |
Eta Omega Omega Chapter, general scrapbook |
1998 |
3 |
1 |
Eta Omega Omega Chapter, North Atlantic Regional Conference, Chapter of the Year scrapbook |
2006 |
3 |
2 |
Eta Omega Omega Chapter, North Atlantic Regional Conference, Chapter of the Year scrapbook |
2007 |
3 |
3 |
Eta Omega Omega Chapter, North Atlantic Regional Conference, Officer of the Year (Iris Springer-Elkerson) scrapbook |
2011 |
Series 6: Miscellaneous Items
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
3 |
4 |
Ethel Hedgeman Lyle Leadership Academy Dean’s List Medal and Sash |
n.d. |
3 |
5 |
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. journal |
n.d. |
3 |
6 |
Irma Clement’s “I Am My Sister’s Keeper” cup |
n.d. |