90th Anniversary Celebration Weekend

Greeley, CO _ Alpha Kappa Chapter recently commemorated its 90th Anniversary with a weekend celebration in Denver and Greeley in November 2018. The Alpha Kappa Around the World event concluded with a bench plaque dedication outside the University Center at the University of Northern Colorado – the first Greek-lettered organization to be so honored on the campus.

 

Alpha Kappa was the first chapter of the sorority in Colorado and now encompasses five universities in the metro Denver area. Former members flew in from other states and drove miles to come together to celebrate., including  MidWestern Regional Director Soror Twlya Woods-Buford. The weekend began with a Friday evening reception at the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library in Denver where historical artifacts of the sorority were on display along with exhibits of the history of blacks in Colorado. At the Saturday luncheon at the University Center in Greeley, Soror Jane Pigford, the daughter of charter member, the late Soror Florida Pitt, enthralled attendees with stories of the chapter’s challenging early years, when the university refused to recognize their high scholastic achievements. The Silver Cup scholastic award was eventually presented to the chapter in 2003.

 

The chapter was chartered November 9, 1928 at the University of Denver and UNC in Greeley, which was then known as Colorado State Teachers College. The Greeley institution did not allow blacks to join any student organizations. Undaunted, eight courageous young women who were students at the teachers’ college and the University of Denver chartered the chapter - Soror Gladys Butler, Soror Doris Jenkins, Soror Frances L. Ross, Soror Annie Laura Jackson, Soror Alice Kinchelow, Soror Fannie Pitt, Soror Florida Pitt, and Soror Roselle Parsons.