  
Greetings and Welcome! We are proud and honored to present to you the new official website of the renowned RHO Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. As the first extension of Alpha Kappa Alpha to reach the West Coast, RHO was chartered on the campus of University of California, Berkeley on August 21, 1921. Since our conception, RHO chapter has been serving the Berkeley campus and local community for over 85 years through poignant programming, relevant community service, academic excellence, and engaging social events. With our centennial year quickly approaching, we are excited to do all that we can to keep the vision of our 20 illustrious Elegant and oh so Savvy Pearls alive and thriving. By preserving the Alpha Kappa Alpha legacy of sisterhood and service to all mankind, we continue to fulfill the dream of our beloved charter member, Ida Louise Jackson. For it has been said by those who knew her that RHO was her heart. We encourage you to learn more about our great sorority. Feel free to explore our newly updated website, and be inspired by our great legacy! Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Rho Chapter |
AKA LEGACY
In the beginning…at Howard University in 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. was founded to be the first and the finest sorority from which all others originate. The noble idea of Alpha Kappa Alpha was conceived by Ethel Hedgemen Lyle, who believed the sorority would serve "as an instrument for enriching the social and intellectual aspects of college life by providing mental stimulation through interaction with friends and associates." There were nine original founders who took advantage of their privileged position as college-trained women of color in order to make their college experiences as meaningful and productive as possible.
The Original Group:
Anna Easter Brown, Beulah Burke, Lillie Burke, Marjorie Hill, Margaret Flagg Holmes, Ethel Hedgeman Lyle, Lavinia Norman, Lucy Slowe and Marie Woolfolk Taylor
To ensure the continuity of the organization, seven Class of 1910 honor students who had expressed interest were invited to join without initiation.
The Sophomores:
Norma Boyd, Ethel Jones Mowbray, Alice Murray, Sarah Meriweather Nutter, Joanna Berry Shields, Carrie Snowden and Harriet Terry
To preserve the integrity of the organization, Alpha Kappa Alpha was incorporated in 1913 with Nellie Quander taking the lead along with the other Incorporators: Norma Boyd, Julia Brooks, Ethel Jones Mowbray, Nellie Pratt Russell and Minnie Smith.
Today the influence and concerns of Alpha Kappa Alpha extend beyond the college campus. Throughout the years, the sorority has grown and remained socially relevant and dedicated to uplifting the communities it serves as well as itself. As the Centennial Celebration is upon us, the singular determination to be “of service to all mankind” reverberates throughout the United States, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean, with a membership of nearly 200,000.
Rho legacy
The landmark expansion of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. to the west coast can be attributed to the chartering of Rho Chapter at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1920 Ida Louise Jackson conceived the ingenious idea of organizing a sorority on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley, for young Black college women. In a time where there were only a handful of black students facing a daunting and hostile environment on campus, Ida Louise Jackson was an intrepid pioneer and steadfast in her determination. A group of interested students was formed, and the National Office sent Soror Inez Wood Fairfax to organize a Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1921 - Rho Chapter. Six women were initiated into Rho: Coral Johnson, Virginia Stephens, Ruby Jefferson, Aretha Richardson, Myrtle Price and Ida Louise Jackson, President. Thus, Ida L. Jackson became the first Far Western Regional Director.
Despite being told constantly by the school administration that Rho was not representative of the student body and thus excluded from the Blue and Gold yearbook, Rho continued to push for inclusion. They became the only African American fraternal group to be a member of the College Pan Hellenic Council and charter member Virginia Stephens became the first African American female to graduate from the U.C. Berkeley School of Law, Boalt Hall.
After the close of Alpha Omicron Chapter at San Francisco State College, Rho Chapter took in qualified young ladies from San Francisco State and the surrounding campuses. This continued until 1971 when Eta Sigma was chartered as a San Francisco Citywide chapter. From that date Rho chapter became a campus only chapter and candidates for membership in Rho had to show enrollment at U.C. Berkeley.
In its 86 years of existence, Rho women have been striving to fulfill Ida’s dream of nothing short of excellence for the chapter. The women of Rho exemplify the Alpha Kappa Alpha woman through their commitment to academic excellence at Cal and beyond, professional and personal development, community service, and their sisterhood. Rho has involved itself in crucial service projects such as the Mississippi Health Project, campus and regional programming, local and regional positions and committees, and has had countless Leadership Fellows. Through the years, the women of Rho have worked to make Rho an award winning chapter and a shining example of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
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