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A Century of Sisterhood
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Those celebrating the centennial week will discuss AKA's initiatives in entrepreneurship and health. They will ponder how to educate voters and increase voter registration in African American communities. And Thursday, they will march with the eight other historically black sororities and fraternities from Congress to the White House in a show of strength for their community service agenda.
That will leave just enough time for more than 50 receptions, high teas and parties. For many, this means securing the perfect pink-and-green outfit to dazzle.
In a cavernous exhibition hall, much of the fellowship of Alpha Kappa Alpha yesterday was retail: 11 aisles of pink-and-green stationary, T-shirts, rhinestone pins, card holders, and diamond and gold jewelry with the AKA shield. There were AKA tunics and an AKA shower cap. Sorority sisters lined up in double rows to score the $110 Centennial sweat suit.
Over the years, AKAs gained -- critics say cultivated -- a reputation for emphasizing materialism, and a more pronounced one for encouraging a light-skinned or long-haired aesthetic. Sherrod, who joined the sorority 10 years ago, wanted to pledge AKA in college, but her parents called it elitist and vetoed the idea.
AKA spokeswoman Melody M. McDowell said "we remain true to our core mission, which is sisterhood and service. We've given away millions in scholarships, we're into voter registration, voter education, we're into leadership."
And if, occasionally, over the years, AKAs have been known to chant at parties:
When we wake up in the morning
And get out of bed
We look into the mirror
And we shake our pretty heads
We are conceited
And that's no lie
