In 1992, the Dartmouth chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, a historically black Greek organization was inactivated due to a violation of national policy. However, in the spring of 1997, it was reactivated, and over the past year and a half, the sorority has been quietly regrouping and reorganizing.
Located at 101 Maxwell in the River apartments, AKA is composed of eight women, five of whom are currently on campus.
The group has been planning several events under the direction of its Vice President and Programming Chair Chere Lucas '99.
"I think it's important that the Dartmouth community knows about not only the mainstream Greeks, but the other smaller ones, like us," she said.
The national chapter of AKA was founded in 1908 as the first black Greek-affiliated sorority. It, like the majority of other historically black Greeks, is based on a commitment to community service, AKA President Michi Gardner '99 said.
AKA is "not a largely social Greek [organization]. We aren't allowed to have alcohol if we have a party as many other houses are," Gardner said. "We mainly focus on the community. In the past we've done canned food drives, clothing drives and other benefits."
AKA is not permitted to be the sole sponsor of a function without an advisor from its graduate chapter in Boston present at the event, a rule which applies to all AKA chapters nationwide.
The sorority is allowed to co-sponsor activities, however, and runs passive programs. One such program is the upcoming distribution through Hinman mail of information cards about the first ever published Afro-American poet, Jupiter Hammond.
"Although we focus on issues concerning the black community, we still branch out into other things, such as women's issues. We don't limit ourselves. We are concerned about the overall community as well," Gardner said.
More events are currently in the works for Fall term, the most major being Skee-Week.
From the October 19 to 24, AKA will be co-sponsoring events nightly as part of this special series.
They will include a discussion about relationships at Dartmouth -- especially pertaining to Afro-American students -- co-sponsored by the Afro-American Society, a poetry night at Lone Pine Tavern co-sponsored by the Alumni Relations Office and a spaghetti feed on Saturday in conjunction with Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and Alpha Xi Delta sorority to benefit the Breast Cancer Foundation.
The week will begin with a forum titled "Making Moves in the Next Millennium: A Tea with the First Lady." Susan Wright, President James Wright's wife, will discuss women's roles in the next millennium and the current and future state of minority women at the College.
In late September, AKA sent out pamphlets of helpful hints and phone numbers to all freshmen who showed interest in the AAm. The mailing also included a letter from the chapter welcoming the new students and introducing them to AKA.
