– ♪ SHOW ME WHERE MY LADIES AT ♪ ♪ GOVEMBER ♪ ♪ TELL ‘EM WHERE MY LADIES AT ♪ ♪ GOVEMBER ♪ ♪ SHOW ‘EM HOW THE LADIES WIN IT ♪ ♪ GOVEMBER ♪ ♪ SHOW ‘EM WHO THE BOSS, SHOW ‘EM WHO THE BOSS ♪ ♪ STRONG AND FIERCE, WONDERFUL ♪
♪ TALKIN’ LIKE A BOSS, TALKIN’ LIKE A BOSS ♪ ♪ WALKIN’ THIS PLACE WITH MY HIGH HEELS ON ♪ ♪ STRUTTIN’ LIKE A BOSS, STRUTTIN’ LIKE A BOSS ♪ ♪ [UNINTELLIGIBLE] ♪ ♪ TALKIN’ TO THE BOSS, TALKIN’ TO THE BOSS ♪ ♪ RUNNIN’ THIS PLACE, RUNNIN’ THIS TOWN ♪
♪ WORKIN’ LIKE A BOSS, WORKIN’ LIKE A BOSS ♪ ♪ INDEPENDENT NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD ♪ ♪ CONFIDENT NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD ♪ ♪ FROM THE BOARDROOM DOWN TO THE HOOD ♪ ♪ ALL MY LADIES NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD ♪ ♪ SHOW ME WHERE MY LADIES AT ♪ ♪ GOVEMBER ♪
♪ TELL ‘EM WHERE MY LADIES AT ♪ ♪ GOVEMBER ♪ ♪ SHOW ‘EM HOW THE LADIES WIN IT ♪ ♪ GOVEMBER ♪ ♪ SHOW ‘EM WHO THE BOSS, SHOW ‘EM WHO THE BOSS ♪ ♪ ♪ GO GET ‘EM, GIRL ♪♪♪
– I HAD BEEN INFLUENCED TO A GREAT DEAL BY ONE OF MY AUNTS, CHRISTINE SIMMONS, WHO ATTENDED HOWARD UNIVERSITY IN THE ’50S AND JOINED ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY. WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, SHE WAS BASILEUS OF A CHAPTER IN OAKLAND. THERE WAS NO QUESTION THAT I WAS GOING TO HOWARD UNIVERSITY
AND I WOULD JOIN ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INCORPORATED. – ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA TOOK A STAND FOR WHAT WAS RIGHT: TO ELEVATE THE STATUS OF BLACK WOMEN. SO IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME AT THE RIGHT MOMENT TO DO THE RIGHT THING. – RASHAN: THESE WERE YOUNG WOMEN, 19, 18 YEARS OLD,
WHO THOUGHT OF THIS IN 1908. CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT? – ♪ – PHYLICIA: HISTORY RARELY ADDRESSES THE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN’S PRESENCE OR CONTRIBUTIONS. SHE SHAPED AND BUILT AMERICA, DESPITE FACING FORMIDABLE AND LEGAL OBSTACLES TO FREEDOM AND OWNERSHIP OF HER OWN BODY, LIFE, AND IDENTITY. AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN JOINED TOGETHER
AND STRATEGIZED HOW TO RESIST OPPRESSION. IN THE SPAN OF SIX GENERATIONS, AMERICA’S FIRST GREEK LETTER ORGANIZATION FOR BLACK WOMEN, ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INCORPORATED, CAME INTO EXISTENCE AND CREATED A SISTERHOOD THAT CONTINUES TO IMPACT AMERICA. – ♪ – ♪ – I AM THE GREAT-GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INCORPORATED’S FOUNDER,
ETHEL HEDGEMAN LYLE. THESE ARE MY GREAT-GREAT GRANDMOTHER’S PEARLS. I WEAR THEM WITH PRIDE AND GRATITUDE. TO BE ABLE TO SIT HERE WITH PEARLS THAT ARE OVER A CENTURY YEARS OLD, THE SIGNIFICANCE IS HEAVY, BUT HEAVY IN A GOOD WAY. – PHYLICIA: ETHEL HEDGEMAN LYLE IS BORN IN 1887.
DURING THIS ERA, THE UNITED STATES GRAPPLES WITH THE LEGAL STATUS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS. – YOU HAVE THE JIM CROW LAWS. YOU HAVE THE DE FACTO SEGREGATION. YOU HAVE WHITES WHO WERE REALLY FIGHTING AGAINST THE EMANCIPATION OF FORMERLY ENSLAVED PEOPLE. – THERE WERE CAMPAIGNS OF VIOLENCE THAT WOULD BE CARRIED OUT.
– PHYLICIA: MOBS IN ALL PARTS OF THE SOUTH BURNED SCHOOLS, FLOGGED TEACHERS, OR DRIVE MANY OF THEM AWAY. OTHERS, THEY MURDER. – [GUNSHOT] – DR. THOMPSON: AND YET, AFRICAN AMERICANS DID A LOT WITH THE VERY LITTLE THEY WERE GIVEN. – ♪ – SECRETARY BUNCH: FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM DIDN’T END
WHEN THE WAR ENDED IN 1865. THERE WAS A GREAT DESIRE FROM SOME OF THE EX-SOLDIERS TO GIVE OUR COMMUNITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY BE EDUCATED. – JUNIPER HUBBARD IS ETHEL’S GRANDFATHER. HE WAS AN ENSLAVED MAN THAT FOUGHT IN THE CIVIL WAR. JUNIPER HUBBARD TOOK HIS VETERAN PAY
AND HE USED THAT MONEY WITH HIS FELLOW SOLDIERS TO START LINCOLN UNIVERSITY IN MISSOURI. – I COULD IMAGINE HOW SHE WAS SHAPED BY STORIES BY HER GRANDFATHER ABOUT THE COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION. – ♪ MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, LOUIS ♪ ♪ MEET ME AT THE FAIR ♪
– PHYLICIA: DURING ETHEL’S SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL, WORLD’S FAIR MANIA SWEEPED ST. LOUIS. – KRISTI: IN 1904, THE OLYMPICS WAS HELD IN ST. LOUIS. IT’S REALLY CRAZY THAT AT THAT OLYMPICS, THEY ACTUALLY HAD HUMAN ZOOS. – [INDISTINCT CHATTER] – ♪ – DR. HARRIS: CAN YOU IMAGINE THE MESSAGES
THAT SHE HAD TO HAVE INTERNALIZED? THERE’S THAT DICHOTOMY WHERE YOU MAY HAVE HAD A STRONG SENSE OF WHO YOU WERE. YOU EXISTED IN A COMMUNITY THAT DID NOT VALUE WHO YOU WERE AT YOUR VERY CORE. – WITH ETHEL HEDGEMAN LYLE BEING CLOSE TO THAT ATMOSPHERE, IT WAS MOTIVATION TO CHANGE THINGS.
– [TRAIN CHUGGING] – PHYLICIA: AT 17, WITH A SCHOLARSHIP IN HAND, ETHEL TRAVELED SOLO TO WASHINGTON, DC, TO ENROLL AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY. – VP HARRIS: AT THAT TIME, THE BLACK POPULATION IN AMERICA WAS JUST IN EXCESS OF 8 MILLION PEOPLE. THERE WERE ABOUT 1,000 BLACK AMERICANS WHO WERE IN COLLEGE.
OF THAT NUMBER, A FAR FEWER WERE YOUNG BLACK WOMEN. – PHYLICIA: ETHEL IMMERSES HERSELF IN ALL THAT HOWARD UNIVERSITY HAS TO OFFER HER. BUT SHE NOTES MANY CLUBS EXCLUDE WOMEN. – SO SHE’S DISENFRANCHISED ‘CAUSE SHE’S A WOMAN. SHE’S DISENFRANCHISED BECAUSE SHE’S AFRICAN AMERICAN.
BLACK WOMEN NEED SPACES THAT ARE NOT INFRINGED UPON BY MEN. – PHYLICIA: ETHEL HEDGEMAN FINDS A MENTOR IN ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR ETHEL TREMAINE ROBINSON. – ANGELA: ETHEL HEDGEMAN LYLE WAS ABLE TO GO TO SOMEONE THAT LOOKED LIKE HER, THOUGHT LIKE HER, AND WENT TO BROWN. MIND BLOWN!
– ETHEL ROBINSON WAS THE FIRST FEMALE NEGRO GRADUATE OF BROWN UNIVERSITY. AT BROWN, SHE HAD OBSERVED THE SORORITIES. SHE WASN’T ABLE TO BE A MEMBER BECAUSE OF HER RACE. BUT SHE WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY THEM. ETHEL HEDGEMAN APPROACHED SOME OF HER FRIENDS ON CAMPUS
AND BEGAN HAVING MEETINGS TO TALK ABOUT FORMING A SORORITY. – AT THAT AGE, I MEAN, WHAT WAS I DOING? I’M THINKING ABOUT HOW CAN I LIVE IN THE DORM, GO OUT TO THE PARTIES, AND NOT GO TO CLASS? AND THEN I WAS LIKE, OKAY, I CAN’T DO THAT.
BUT ETHEL HEDGEMAN LYLE IS THINKING, HOW CAN I ENRICH COLLEGE EXPERIENCE FOR WOMEN? – PHYLICIA: ETHEL ASSEMBLES A GROUP OF LIKE-MINDED WOMEN. THE GROUP INCLUDES SIX SENIORS– THE BURKE SISTERS, BEULAH AND LILLIE, BOTH GREEK AND LATIN SCHOLARS, MARGARET FLAGG, A WELL-HEELED SOCIALITE, MARJORIE HILL, A LOGISTICS GURU, LUCY DIGGS SLOWE, A STAR ATHLETE
AND HIGHEST-RANKING SENIOR CLASSMAN, MARIE WOOLFOLK TAYLOR, A REFINED LADY– AND TWO JUNIORS– ANNA EASTER BROWN, AN ACCOMPLISHED WRITER AND LAVINIA NORMAN, THE DIPLOMAT. ETHEL EXPLAINS TO HER CLASSMATES, “WE HAVE A TORCH. AND WE SHOULD USE IT TO LIGHTEN EVERYONE ELSE’S DARKNESS.” – THE FOUNDER I AM MOST LIKE IS ETHEL HEDGEMAN LYLE.
IMAGINE THE LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE TO EVEN THINK OF SOMETHING SO GRAND. – I REALLY ALIGN WITH MARGARET FLAGG HOLMES. I LIKE THE WAY SHE COMBINED HER SPIRITUAL SIDE WITH HER BUSINESS SIDE. HER FATHER WAS A PREACHER. SHE WENT TO CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY. THAT’S THE WAY IT WAS AT MY HOUSE.
– I AM MOST LIKE, UM, ANNA EASTER BROWN. WE’RE BOTH FROM NEW JERSEY. SHE WORKED IN THE LIBRARY AT HOWARD. I WORKED IN THE LIBRARY AT HOWARD, YES. I THINK WE PROBABLY WOULD’VE GOT ALONG GREAT. – MARIE WOOLFOLK TAYLOR. SHE WAS THE ONE THAT ETHEL HEDGEMAN LYLE TOOK WITH HER
TO CONVINCE ADMINISTRATORS TO ALLOW THEM TO FORM THE SORORITY. SO I MAY NOT BE THE ONE THAT COMES UP WITH THE GREAT IDEA, BUT IF YOU SELL ME ON THE IDEA, I’M RIGHT THERE. – PHYLICIA: ETHEL AND HER CLASSMATES WORK IN SECRET IN HER DORM ROOM AFTER LIGHTS OUT
TO HASH OUT THEIR IDEAS. – FOR THEM TO BE ACADEMICALLY INCLINED AND STILL HAVE THIS DESIRE TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT WASN’T PART OF THEIR CURRICULUM, ALL THE ODDS WERE AGAINST THEM. BUT THEY STILL TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO DO THAT. – DR. BURTON: ETHEL HEDGEMAN LYLE,
SHE HAS TO GO TO BATTLE AGAINST THE PRESIDENT, WHO HAD A VERY SPECIFIC IDEA OF WHAT BLACK PEOPLE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE. SHE HAS TO PROVE TO HIM THAT OUR LIVES ARE IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO ORGANIZE. – PHYLICIA: ETHEL AND MARIE WOOLFOLK TAYLOR PRESENT THEIR PLANS TO PRESIDENT THIRKIELD AND HIS ALL-MALE COMMITTEE.
ETHEL PROFESSES, “THIS IS A RESPONSE TO THE GREAT NEED OF “THE NEGRO PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND GIRLS, AND IS A GRAND LEVER WITH WHICH TO RAISE THE STAR OF WOMEN.” THE COMMITTEE GRANTS UNANIMOUS APPROVAL. – OUR FOUNDERS WERE ACUTELY AWARE THERE NEEDED TO BE A FORMAL SISTERHOOD TO SUPPORT THOSE
WHO HAD ENDURED INCREDIBLE OBSTACLES TO BE YOUNG BLACK WOMEN IN COLLEGE IN AMERICA. – PICTURE THE BACKDROP OF THAT. FORTY YEARS PAST SLAVERY. NOT ONLY THAT, 12 YEARS EARLIER, THEY HAD JUST DECLARED SEPARATE BUT EQUAL TO BE THE LAW OF THE LAND. – THEY HAD THE GUMPTION– [LAUGHS]
–TO SAY, I HAVE A PURPOSE WITH THIS EDUCATION. THEY HAD ALREADY STAKED THE CLAIM THAT THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. – ♪ – PHYLICIA: ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1908… IN THE PARLOR OF MINER HALL, ETHEL HEDGEMAN AND HER EIGHT CO-FOUNDERS HOLD THE INAUGURAL MEETING
OF THE FIRST BLACK GREEK LETTER SORORITY. BY THE THIRD MEETING, BEULAH BURKE CRAFTED THE SORORITY MOTTO “BY CULTURE AND BY MERIT” BASED ON AKA’S MEANING IN GREEK. THE METICULOUS LUCY DIGGS SLOWE DRAFTS THE SORORITY’S CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. THE GIRLS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVE LUCY AS PRESIDENT AND THE SORORITY’S DISTINCTIVE COLORS,
SALMON PINK AND APPLE GREEN. WITH THAT, ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA IS ESTABLISHED AND HISTORY IS MADE. – NAMING THE ORGANIZATION AND SELECTING COLORS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS SAY WE HAVE AN IDENTITY. – ♪ WE LOVE AKA ♪ – A’LELIA: WE WANT TO BE SEEN. AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHO WE ARE.
– ♪ AND WE WILL BE TRUE TO YOU ♪ – “FORMING AN ORGANIZATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF STUDYING “AND SOLVING SUCH PROBLEMS, “THEREFORE ORGANIZE THIS SORORITY “IN ORDER TO CULTIVATE AND TO ENCOURAGE “HIGH SCHOLASTIC AND ETHICAL STANDARDS TO IMPROVE THE SOCIAL STATURE OF THE RACE.” WOW. THAT OUR LIVES MATTER. MM.
– PHYLICIA: THE NEWLY MINTED SORORITY FOCUSES ON FINDING WOMEN IN THEIR LIKENESS TO CARRY ON THE SISTERHOOD. HONOR STUDENTS IN THE CLASS OF 1910 RECEIVE INVITATIONS TO JOIN. JOANNA BARRY, HARRIET TERRY, ETHEL JONES, SARAH MERIWETHER, ALICE MURRAY, CARRIE SNOWDEN, AND NORMA BOYD. – NORMA: I WAS IN SOPHOMORE CLASS.
THEY INVITED SOME OF US TO COME IN THE SORORITY TO KEEP IT GOING. I DON’T KNOW HOW THEY PICKED US OUT. BUT THEY PICKED US OUT. AND WE WERE IN THERE. MY MOTHER HAD VERY HIGH STANDARDS. SHE ALWAYS TOLD US THAT NOBODY IN ALL THE WORLD WAS ANY BETTER THAN WE WERE.
PRESIDENT GEORGE COOK SAID TO MY FATHER, “SHE KNOWS EVERYBODY ON THE CAMPUS.” I WAS OUTGOING. I ALWAYS HAVE BEEN. – PHYLICIA: THE 1908 GRADUATING CLASS OF HOWARD UNIVERSITY INCLUDES, FOR THE FIRST TIME, MEMBERS OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA. BEULAH BURKE HEADED TO KANSAS CITY TO TEACH.
HER SISTER, LILLIE, ACCEPTS A TEACHING POSITION IN PENNSYLVANIA. MARIE WOOLFOLK TAYLOR BEGINS GRADUATE STUDY IN SOCIAL WORK. MARJORIE HILL TEACHES POLITICAL SCIENCE AT MORGAN COLLEGE. LUCY DIGGS SLOWE, THE CLASS VALEDICTORIAN, RETURNS TO BALTIMORE TO TEACH, AND SUBSEQUENTLY WINS THE AMERICAN TENNIS ASSOCIATION’S FIRST TOURNAMENT, BECOMING THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN
TO WIN A MAJOR SPORTS TITLE. – THESE BLACK COLLEGE WOMEN WERE REALLY BRAVE TO MAKE INDEPENDENT LIVES FOR THEMSELVES. – ♪ – SECRETARY BUNCH: ALL THESE WOMEN ARE PIONEERING IN RECOGNIZING THAT WOMEN HAVE TO REALLY USE THEIR TALENT, USE THEIR EDUCATION, TO MAKE A COUNTRY BETTER. – PHYLICIA: THE REMAINING ORIGINAL FOUNDERS GRADUATE
AND ARE IN THE VANGUARD OF A BURGEONING GENERATION OF CAREER WOMEN. ETHEL HEADS TO OKLAHOMA TO TRAIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS. NOW A SENIOR, NORMA BOYD ASSUMES THE PRESIDENCY OF THE SORORITY, WHICH GROWS IN POPULARITY AND PROMINENCE. – FORTUNATELY FOR US, THERE WAS A GIRL ON THE CAMPUS WHO HAD JOINED THE SORORITY
WHO WAS TAKING THESE CLASSES IN THE EVENING AND WAS ALREADY TEACHING SCHOOL. A VERY BRILLIANT PERSON, NELLIE QUANDER. – NELLIE QUANDER HAS A VERY INTERESTING ANCESTRY. SHE IS DESCENDED FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON’S FAMILY ON BOTH OF SIDES OF THE FAMILY. SO NELLIE QUANDER HAS GEORGE WASHINGTON’S BLOOD RUNNING IN HER VEINS.
– PHYLICIA: WHILE WORKING FULL TIME AND MAINTAINING AN A AVERAGE, NELLIE JUGGLES TWO TERMS AS THE SORORITY’S PRESIDENT AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY. SHE EMERGES AS A REVERED SORORITY AND CAMPUS LEADER. – WE AS QUANDERS, WE HAVE A CERTAIN STANDARD. AND NELLIE QUANDER WAS A STALWART ON THAT. SHE DIDN’T PLAY AROUND.
SHE WAS SO FOCUSED. – BEING ASSOCIATED WITH NELLIE QUANDER WAS, FOR ME, JUST LIKE TAKING A POST-GRADUATE COURSE IN POLITICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCE. NELLIE QUANDER WAS A GENIUS. – PHYLICIA: NELLIE QUANDER GRADUATES MAGNA CUM LAUDE AND REMAINS DEEPLY DEVOTED TO THE SORORITY. – ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA’S FACING A WORLD IN WHICH THERE WAS
SEGREGATION AND INTIMIDATION LAWS. – ♪ – THE 1910S PROVED TO BE A VERY DIFFICULT TIME RACIALLY FOR OUR PEOPLE. – DR. THOMPSON: AFRICAN AMERICANS WANTED TO FORCE THE CONSTITUTION TO LIVE UP TO ITS PROMISE. – JUDGE QUANDER: THERE WERE THOSE IN THE SORORITY WHO FELT IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING MORE ACTIVIST.
AND THE SALMON PINK AND APPLE BLOSSOM GREEN JUST DIDN’T FIT THE MM OF THE BLOOD THAT MIGHT HAVE TO BE SHED IN THE EFFORT. – PHYLICIA: THE NEWLY ELECTED AKA OFFICERS HAVE NO RELATIONSHIPS WITH ETHEL HEDGEMAN LYLE OR ANY OF THE OTHER FOUNDERS. – THERE WERE QUESTIONS WITH SOME OF THE NEW MEMBERS
ON WHAT THE ORGANIZATION WAS GONNA STAND FOR AND WHAT DIRECTION THE ORGANIZATION WAS GOING. – PHYLICIA: ON A BRISK FALL DAY, NELLIE QUANDER HEADS TO HER ALMA MATER EXCITED TO GREET THE NEW SORORITY OFFICERS. – NELLIE MAE QUANDER CAME TO VISIT AND SAY, “HEY, LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING?”
AND SAY, “OH, WELL, WE WANNA CHANGE THE SORORITY’S NAMES, “MOTTO, AND COLORS. WE WANNA CHANGE EVERYTHING. WHAT DO YOU THINK?” AND I’M SURE SHE WAS LIKE, “YOU WANT–YOU WANT TO DO WHAT?” – SOME OF THE GIRLS WHO WERE IN IT THEN DIDN’T LIKE THE COLORS AND THEY DIDN’T LIKE THE NAME.
IT WASN’T GREEK ENOUGH. IT WASN’T GREEK ENOUGH. – “ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA” WHEN SPOKEN IS GREEK. BUT LOOKED AT, IT’S AKA. IT DOESN’T CONVEY THE GREEKNESS. NELLIE QUANDER WAS TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR POINTS OF VIEW TO BE MORE OPEN. LET’S SEE HOW WE CAN COMPROMISE.
BUT THE IDEA OF CHANGING THE NAMES AND CHANGING THE COLORS WAS NOT ON THE TABLE. – SO NELLIE SAYS, “OH NO, YOU COULDN’T CHANGE THE NAME WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING THE PEOPLE WHO STARTED IT.” – PHYLICIA: TWENTY-TWO WOMEN, INCLUDING THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT, THREATEN TO LEAVE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA IF THEIR DEMANDS ARE NOT MET.
– NELLIE QUANDER LISTENED. SAID, “OOH, WE HAVE A PROBLEM HERE.” AND THEN SHE TOOK ACTION. – PHYLICIA: NELLIE QUANDER STANDS HER GROUND AND REFUSES TO ALLOW THE WOMEN TO DESTROY THE VISION OF THE FOUNDERS. – DR. JOHNSON: SHE SAID, “I MADE A VOW, AND I’M GOING TO KEEP IT.
“I BELIEVE IN WHAT THIS ENTITY STANDS FOR. AND I’M NOT GOING TO LET IT GET STRIPPED AWAY.” – JUDGE QUANDER: THEY LEFT AND FORMED THE OTHER ORGANIZATION. SO AKA WAS MOSTLY EMPTIED OUT. – PHYLICIA: REALIZING THAT THE SORORITY’S EXISTENCE IS IN GRAVE DANGER, NELLIE QUANDER QUICKLY JOINS FORCES WITH NORMA BOYD
TO PRESERVE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA PERMANENTLY. – DR. GLOVER: NELLIE QUANDER WASN’T AN ATTORNEY. SHE WAS A SCHOOLTEACHER. SO NELLIE QUANDER SAID, “WE’RE GONNA DO WHATEVER IT TAKE “TO ENSURE THE PERPETUITY OF THIS ORGANIZATION, TO PROTECT THE MEMBERS OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA.” – I DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO DO THAT NOW.
I MEAN, OF COURSE WE CAN GOOGLE IT. BUT TO LITERALLY SAY, “HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE SOLIDIFY “THE PERPETUITY OF OUR ORGANIZATION “SO THAT NO ONE CAN EVER CHANGE OUR COLORS, OUR MOTTO, ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE CREATED?” THEN SHE HAD TO SAY, “HOW DO I DO THAT?
“ARE THEY EVEN GONNA LET ME IN TO ASK THE QUESTION? “ARE THEY EVEN GONNA LET ME FILE THE PAPERS? AND WILL THEY SAY YES?” – PHYLICIA: NELLIE REVISES THE SORORITY’S CONSTITUTION, ADDING LANGUAGE TO SUPPORT A NATIONAL EXPANSION. LATE IN THE NIGHT, NELLIE RUSHES TO NORMA BOYD’S HOUSE TO REVIEW THE CHANGES.
– JUDGE QUANDER: THERE WAS A KNOCK AT THE DOOR. AND MR. BOYD OPENED THE DOOR. AND THERE WAS NELLIE QUANDER WITH A STASH OF PAPERS TO BE SIGNED. – PHYLICIA: THE NEXT MORNING, NELLIE QUANDER, MINNIE SMITH, NELLIE PRATT, AND JULIA BROOKS NERVOUSLY WAIT FOR THE COURTHOUSE DOORS TO OPEN.
WITH THE SORORITY’S FATE IN HER HANDS, NELLIE RUSHES TO FILE THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS. ON JANUARY 29, 1913, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ISSUES THE OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE, AND ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INCORPORATED IS FOREVERMORE. – DR. RHODES: INCORPORATING WAS CREATING SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE SORORITY THAT NOBODY ELSE COULD EVER THINK OF.
IT WAS COURAGE UNDER FIRE, BUT IT’S ALSO THIS INCREDIBLE INNATE SENSE OF LEADERSHIP AND A CORPORATE STRUCTURE, BECAUSE THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT SHE DID. – RASHAN: A YOUNG WOMAN THOUGHT THAT ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND SAVED US. SHE SAVED US FROM BEING ERASED AND CHANGED FOREVER. I’LL ALWAYS WEAR NELLIE QUANDER ON MY BACK.
ALWAYS. – PHYLICIA: NELLIE QUANDER BECOMES THE FIRST PRESIDENT, ALSO KNOWN AS THE SUPREME BASILEUS, OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INCORPORATED. THERE IS JUST ONE PROBLEM. NO UNDERGRADUATE MEMBERS ARE ENROLLED AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY. NELLIE EMBARKS ON A CAMPAIGN TO REBUILD THE SORORITY AND INTRODUCE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA’S NEW LEADERSHIP. NELLIE PERSONALLY FUNDS A SCHOLARSHIP,
THE FIRST EVER GIVEN BY A BLACK GREEK LETTER ORGANIZATION ON AN HBCU CAMPUS. – IF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA HAD REMAINED THE ONLY SORORITY, YOU WOULDN’T HAVE THE LARGE GREEK MOVEMENT AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS THAT YOU HAVE NOW. THE FACT THAT ONE GROUP LEFT AND THEN OTHERS DECIDE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO FORM
THEIR OWN SORORITIES AND THEIR OWN FRATERNITIES, IT’S A GOOD THING. NOW YOU HAVE A MUCH LARGER NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL BLACK PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT THERE DOING THE WORK. – PHYLICIA: 1913 MARKS A WATERSHED MOMENT NOT JUST FOR ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA, BUT FOR THE WOMAN’S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT.
THOUSANDS ANSWER THE CALL TO MARCH IN WASHINGTON, DC, AND DEMAND THE RIGHT TO VOTE. – [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] – PHYLICIA: ALICE PAUL, TOGETHER WITH THE NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION, ORGANIZES THE MARCH. – THE 1913 PARADE COMES AT A MOMENT THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT.
THE MOVEMENT HAS BEEN PLAGUED BY THIS QUESTION OF, “DO WE ALLOW “BLACK WOMEN TO WORK ALONGSIDE US IN OUR ORGANIZATIONS, IN OUR SPACES?” AND SO THE PARADE KIND OF BRINGS ALL OF THIS TO A HEAD. – PHYLICIA: ALICE PAUL ADVOCATES TO EXCLUDE BLACK SUFFRAGISTS FROM PARTICIPATING BECAUSE SHE FEARS WHITE WOMEN
WOULD NOT MARCH ALONGSIDE THEM. – DR. BURTON: WHEN NELLIE QUANDER FINDS OUT THAT THEY’RE ABOUT TO HAVE THIS MAJOR MARCH AND IT DOES NOT INCLUDE BLACK WOMEN, NELLIE QUANDER IS LIKE, “LISTEN, WE ARE THE ORIGINAL SUFFRAGISTS. WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR OUR FREEDOM FOR A VERY LONG TIME.”
AND SO SHE’S LOBBYING THIS EMPOWERED WHITE WOMAN AND TELLING HER WHAT SHE NEEDS TO DO. – JUDGE QUANDER: NELLIE QUANDER, IN HER BEST ENGLISH AND POLITE SELF, ASKED IF WOMEN OF COLOR COULD BE INCLUDED. SHE DIDN’T GET AN ANSWER FROM ALICE PAUL. – DR. JOHNSON: “DEAR MADAM.
“FEARING THAT A LETTER WHICH I SENT YOU HAS GONE ASTRAY, “I AM SENDING YOU THE SAME MATTER. “THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COLLEGE WOMEN OF HOWARD UNIVERSITY WHO “WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WOMAN’S SUFFRAGE PROCESSION. “WE DO NOT WISH TO ENTER IF WE MUST MEET THE DISCRIMINATION “ON ACCOUNT OF RACE AFFILIATION.
“CAN YOU ASSIGN US A DESIRABLE PLACE IN THE COLLEGE WOMEN’S SECTION?” HER LETTER TO ALICE PAUL DEMONSTRATES WE DIDN’T WANT TO HAVE JUST A SEAT AT THE TABLE, BECAUSE IF WE HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE, THEN THAT MEANS SOMEBODY IS INVITING US. WE DON’T NEED TO BE INVITED, RIGHT?
I DON’T WANT US TO BE A PART OF THIS UNDER YOUR TERMS, BECAUSE UNDER YOUR TERMS, MISS PAUL, YES, WE COULD PARTICIPATE, BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BACK. – THE STAKE IN THE GROUND TO ME IS THAT YOU’RE NOT GOING TO MINIMIZE US.
THAT’S THE STAKE IN THE GROUND. WHAT YOU’RE NOT GOING TO DO IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION IS MAKE ME SMALL, BECAUSE I’M NOT. – PHYLICIA: ULTIMATELY, THE OTHER ORGANIZERS CONVINCE ALICE PAUL TO ALLOW BLACK WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MARCH. – ♪ – PHYLICIA: CARRIE CLIFFORD OF THE NAACP’S “CRISIS” MAGAZINE COVERED THE EVENT.
SHE REPORTED OVER 40 BLACK SUFFRAGISTS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE MARCHED, INCLUDING TWO DOCTORS, TEACHERS, NURSES, ARTISTS, HOMEMAKERS, AND STUDENTS. – OUR FOUNDERS WERE VISIONARY WOMEN. AND IT TRANSLATED INTO THEM WANTING TO EXPAND. THEY WERE JUMPING IN, AND THEY WERE WANTING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. – WE KNEW EVERY MEMBER.
WE KNEW WHERE SHE WAS, AND WE KNEW HER ABILITY. NELLIE QUANDER AND EVERYBODY FELT HAVING CHAPTERS IS WHAT SHOULD BE DONE. – ♪ – PHYLICIA: NELLIE QUANDER REACHES OUT TO COLLEGES TO CHARTER NEW CHAPTERS… BUT DISCOVERS SOME UNIVERSITIES RESIST ESTABLISHING A SORORITY FOR NEGRO GIRLS ON CAMPUS.
AFTER MONTHS OF LETTERS, VISITS, AND NEGOTIATIONS, ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA CHARTERS A SECOND CHAPTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, A PREDOMINATELY WHITE INSTITUTION–A PWI. SEVERAL OTHER MIDWESTERN UNIVERSITIES FOLLOW. – DR. GLOVER: THESE YOUNG LADIES ON A PWI CAMPUS NEEDED A SAFE HAVEN. ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA WILL HELP THEM GET THROUGH
DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THEIR COLLEGE LIFE. – DR. JACKSON: THE RACIAL CLIMATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA CAMPUS WAS THE SAME AS IT WAS ELSEWHERE. THE STUDENTS IGNORED US. THERE’S NO FRIENDLINESS SHOWN. SO WE ORGANIZED THE SORORITY. THEN WE DECIDED WE’D HAVE OUR PICTURES MADE
TO GO IN THE STUDENTS’ MAGAZINE, “THE BLUE AND GOLD.” SO I PAID $45 FOR OUR PAGE. WE WERE QUITE EXCITED WHEN “B&G” WENT ON SALE. WE GOT A COPY. AND MUCH TO OUR SURPRISE, NOWHERE COULD WE FIND OUR PICTURES IN THERE. WE WENT TO SEE PRESIDENT BARROWS.
AND HE TOLD US THEY HAD NOT PUBLISHED IT BECAUSE WE WEREN’T REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STUDENT BODY. – DR. HARRIS: I WENT TO WEST VIRGINIA FOR MY UNDERGRAD, MASTERS. AND THEN I WAS THE ONLY AFRICAN AMERICAN IN ALL FOUR YEARS OF MEDICAL SCHOOL. I DIDN’T DO SO WELL MY FIRST COUPLE OF QUIZZES.
MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, “MAYBE I DON’T BELONG HERE.” YOU HAVE THOSE THOUGHTS AGAIN WHEN PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS TELLING YOU YOU’RE LESS THAN, YOU’RE ONLY HERE NOW BECAUSE YOU’RE BLACK. I KNEW THAT I WAS MISSING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. – TWYLA: WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE AT A PWI, AT DRAKE UNIVERSITY,
ROLE MODELS AND EXAMPLES WERE SO IMPORTANT. THERE WERE ONLY JUST A FEW OF US, BUT BECAUSE WE HAD THAT CONNECTION, IT WAS ABLE TO GET US THROUGH OUR YEARS. – REV. DR. HALE: HAVING THOSE ORGANIZATIONS SPECIFICALLY GEARED TO ADDRESSING OUR NEEDS, GIVING US THE KIND OF MOTIVATION THAT WE NEED,
THAT’S WHY WE NEED AFRICAN-AMERICAN SORORITIES ON PREDOMINATELY WHITE CAMPUSES. – REPRESENTATION MATTERS. SO IF I’M HERE, THEN YOU CAN BE HERE, TOO. – PHYLICIA: WITH SEVERAL CHAPTERS ACROSS THE MIDWEST, NELLIE QUANDER PREPARES TO CONVENE THE FIRST BOULE, THE OFFICIAL MEETING OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA. UNFORTUNATELY, THE US ENTERS WORLD WAR I.
THE MEETING IS POSTPONED. – [GUNFIRE] – [BLASTS] – ♪ – PHYLICIA: 380,000 BLACK SOLDIERS AND VOLUNTEERS RETURN FROM WORLD WAR I ANTICIPATING THE DEMOCRACY THEY HAD FOUGHT FOR ABROAD. MANY WHITES FEAR THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS WILL NOW DEMAND EQUALITY. ANTI-BLACK RACE RIOTS ERUPT IN WASHINGTON DC, CHICAGO, AND 26 OTHER CITIES ACROSS AMERICA.
– [SHOUTING] – ♪ – PHYLICIA: MOBS TURN TO LYNCHING, INCLUDING AT LEAST A DOZEN BLACK VETERANS, SOME STILL IN UNIFORM– AND BLACK WOMEN. – VP HARRIS: LYNCHINGS. LEGALIZED SEGREGATION. OVERT DISCRIMINATION. WHAT IS IMPORTANT ABOUT THE SORORITY IS IT REINFORCES THE POINT THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
IN THOSE MOMENTS WHERE WE NEED TO MUSTER THE COURAGE TO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT CAN BE UNBURDENED BY WHAT HAS BEEN. – SECRETARY BUNCH: THE COUNTRY IS RILED UP OVER ISSUES OF RACE. BUT YOU ALSO HAVE AFRICAN AMERICANS REALLY TRYING TO MARSHAL THEIR RESOURCES TO MAKE THINGS BETTER AT A VERY DIFFICULT TIME.
– PHYLICIA: NELLIE HOSTS THE FIRST OFFICIAL BOULE IN 1918 IN WASHINGTON, DC. FIFTY MEMBERS ATTEND. THE FOLLOWING YEAR, LORRAINE RICHARDSON GREEN TAKES ON THE MANTLE OF SUPREME BASILEUS. AND THE BOULE COMES INTO ITS OWN, WITH EIGHT CHAPTERS REPRESENTED IN CHICAGO. – SECRETARY BUNCH: ONE OF THE POWERS OF THE BOULE IS BRINGING
PEOPLE TOGETHER IN A KIND OF SOCIAL SETTING. BUT THEY USE THAT SOCIAL SETTING TO PUSH POLITICAL AGENDAS. – PHYLICIA: AT THE 1921 BOULE, LORRAINE RICHARDSON GREEN SENDS A TELEGRAM TO PRESIDENT HARDING URGING THE PASSAGE OF THE DIRE ANTI-LYNCHING BILL. THIS BILL WOULD ESTABLISH LYNCHING AS A FEDERAL CRIME. THE PRESIDENT IGNORES THE TELEGRAM.
DUE TO FILIBUSTER, THE BILL NEVER REACHES A SENATE VOTE IN 1922, 1923, OR 1924. UNDERSTANDING THE CRITICAL NEED FOR SHARING AND COMMUNICATING WITHIN THE SISTERHOOD, LORRAINE RICHARDSON GREEN INTRODUCES “THE IVY LEAF.” – ♪ – LORRAINE GREEN WROTE A NOTE AND SAID, “THIS IS OUR ATTEMPT TO CONNECT WITH YOU.
“WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MEMBERS WERE ENGAGED AND INVOLVED.” “THE IVY LEAF” CAME FROM THOSE WOMEN WHO WANTED TO TELL THEIR STORIES. SOME WERE JOURNALISTS. MOST WERE EDUCATORS SHOWING THEIR CREATIVE SIDE. A SIDE THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS WEREN’T ABLE TO EXPRESS. – ♪ GOT TO GET OUT THAT– ♪
– PHYLICIA: AT THE TIME, THE DOMINANT PORTRAYAL OF BLACK WOMEN CONSISTS OF DEMEANING STEREOTYPES. JEZEBEL, THE LASCIVIOUS TEMPTRESS. – YOU’RE NOT IN A HURRY, IS YOU, MASSA? – PHYLICIA: AND SAPPHIRE, THE ANGRY BLACK WOMAN. – AND I GUESS YOU THINK YOU COULD COOK, CLEAN, AND GET ALONG JUST FINE ALL BY YOURSELF!
– PHYLICIA: “THE IVY LEAF” COUNTERS WITH POSITIVE DEPICTIONS OF BLACK WOMANHOOD WRITTEN BY BLACK WOMEN. – TINA: “THE IVY LEAF” HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY PUBLISHED FOR ALMOST 100 YEARS. IT SHOWS THE FULLNESS OF BLACK LIFE, BECAUSE WE ARE SO MUCH MORE THAN STRUGGLE HISTORY.
– NORMA: EVERY ISSUE OF “THE IVY LEAF” CARRIED WHAT IS EXPECTED OF MEMBERS AND WHAT THE SORORITY HAS DONE AND CAN DO, AND HOW THEY CAN INSPIRE OTHERS THROUGH WHAT WE DO. – REV. DR. HALE: IT’S NOT FILLED WITH SILLY THINGS. IT’S FILLED WITH A SERVICE, OPPORTUNITIES, THE BUSINESS OF THE SORORITY.
– PHYLICIA: READERS CLOSELY FOLLOW “THE IVY LEAF” COVERAGE OF THEIR CHAPTER’S LOCAL ACTIVITIES AND THEIR TRAVELS TO THE BOULES. – [TRAIN CHUGGING] – [BELL RINGS] – [WHISTLE BLOWS] – PHYLICIA: BLACK WOMEN CROSSING STATE LINES ALONE OR IN GROUPS AND LEAVING THEIR HUSBANDS AND FAMILIES AT HOME SIGNAL A CHANGE.
THIS IS A NEWFOUND INDEPENDENCE AND FREEDOM THAT PUSHES THE BOUNDARIES. – MY GRANDFATHER WOULD’VE HAD A FIT. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN? “YOU MEAN YOU’RE NOT COOKING FOR FOUR AND FIVE DAYS? YEAH, NO.” – THEY SET THE DATE. THEY IDENTIFIED A LOCATION. THEY HAD TO FIND A WAY TO GET THERE.
– KAYLEN: I CAN IMAGINE SOME YOUNG BLACK WOMEN IN A VEHICLE THAT MOST WHITE PEOPLE DIDN’T HAVE, DRIVING AROUND, TRYING TO GO TO A BOULE, AND THEN GETTING THERE SAFELY. PERSONALLY, I WOULD BE SCARED. PEOPLE OF COLOR GET PULLED OVER NOW. – MARTHA: EARLY ON, THE BOULE WOULD BE HELD AT YMCAS
OR PLACES THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE THE BLACK COMMUNITY. THEY HAD TO STAY IN THE HOMES OF MEMBERS, BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T ALWAYS HAVE HOTELS. – KAYLEN: YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF, ARE YOU REALLY AS STRONG AS YOUR FOUNDERS WERE? – ♪ – PHYLICIA: FOR THE 1932 BOULE, ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA CHANGES COURSE
TO A FIRST-TIME SUMMERTIME GATHERING ON THE WEST COAST. DR. IDA JACKSON HOSTS THE BOULE IN LOS ANGELES. THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ROLLS OUT THE RED CARPET WITH LUXURY TOURS OF HOLLYWOOD. THE BOULE PROGRAM INCLUDES EMERGING STARLET, AKA MEMBER ETTA MOTEN. – ♪ YOU SENT HIM FAR AWAY ♪
♪ YOU SHOUTED HIP HOORAY ♪ ♪ BUT LOOK AT HIM TODAY ♪ – PHYLICIA: THE SORORITY CALLS THE 1932 BOULE “THE GREATEST TO DATE.” – ♪ – PHYLICIA: THE FOLLOWING YEAR, DR. IDA JACKSON LEADS A GROUP OF SORORITY VOLUNTEERS TO TEACH A SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM IN HER NATIVE MISSISSIPPI.
– ANNA: DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION, AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE SOUTH WERE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED, IN RURAL AREAS, THEY SANK BELOW EVEN THE LOWEST BAR AT THAT POINT. BY THE TIME THAT FDR TOOK OFFICE, THERE WAS THIS INCREDIBLE UNDERCUTTING OF ANY KIND OF STABLE EMPLOYMENT FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS. – THE CONDITIONS WERE SO TERRIBLE.
SOME OF THE CHILDREN DIDN’T EVEN HAVE CLOTHES. THEY DIDN’T EVEN HAVE A NAME. THEY WERE CALLED “NAAGER GAL.” IDA JACKSON WAS DETERMINED TO DO MORE. – PHYLICIA: DR. IDA JACKSON GAINS THE SORORITY’S APPROVAL FOR THE MISSISSIPPI HEALTH PROJECT. – DR. FEREBEE: SO IDA JACKSON APPOINTED ME TO BE THE DIRECTOR
OF THE HEALTH SERVICE. GOING TO MISSISSIPPI WAS QUITE AN ORDEAL. WHEN I WENT TO THE RAILWAY STATION IN WASHINGTON TO BUY TICKETS, THE OFFICER UP AT WINDOW WOULD NOT SELL ME 17 TICKETS. HE SAID, “THAT WILL TAKE UP ALL THE SPACE WE HAVE IN THOSE SPECIAL CARS.” HE WOULDN’T SAY JIM CROW CARS.
“YOU TAKE 17, WE’LL HAVE NO SPACE FOR OUR OTHER — .” HE FORGOT HIMSELF THEN. WE REVAMPED OUR PLANS AND SAID THAT WE’LL GO BY CAR. – ♪ – WE HAD A GROUP OF SORORS WHO CAME FROM WASHINGTON, DC, FROM BOSTON AND NEW YORK.
GOT IN THEIR CARS AND DROVE DOWN TO THE DELTA IN MISSISSIPPI. – ♪ – DR. GLOVER: AND CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT THEY ENCOUNTERED? – ♪ – DR. FEREBEE: THE VERY FIRST PLACE WE WENT TO WAS IN HOLMES COUNTY. WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT A GROUP OF NEGRO WOMEN
WANTED TO COME INTO THEIR COUNTY TO DO A HEALTH JOB, THEY WERE VERY, VERY HOSTILE. – PHYLICIA: THE SORORITY MEMBERS CRISSCROSSED THE HUMID, MOSQUITO-RIDDEN BACK ROADS OF HOLMES COUNTY. – DR. FEREBEE: THE ROADS WERE NOTHING BUT MUD AND SAND, AND WHEN YOU TRAVEL, NOTHING BUT DUST. – PHYLICIA: AT PLANTATION AFTER PLANTATION,
SKEPTICAL MISSISSIPPI DELTA LANDOWNERS SUSPECT THAT THE AKA VOLUNTEERS ARE NORTHERN AGITATORS. – DR. FEREBEE: THEY DIDN’T WANT US AT ALL. SO THEY TURNED US DOWN. WE COULDN’T DO IT. HERE WE WERE, IN MISSISSIPPI, WITH ALL THE MATERIALS THAT WE HAD BOUGHT, THE DRUGS THAT WE HAD BOUGHT, AND COULDN’T USE THEM.
– PHYLICIA: AFTER 13 REJECTIONS, THE SORORITY SISTERS HAD EXHAUSTED ALL OF THEIR OPTIONS. FINALLY, THEY RECEIVED A HELPFUL TIP. A PLANTATION OWNER JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN. – DR. FEREBEE: THERE WAS JUST ONE WHO SAID, “WELL, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. WE OUGHTA LET THEM COME IN AND TRY.”
SO RELUCTANTLY, THEY ALLOWED US TO START A CLINIC. BUT THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW THE BLACKS TO LEAVE THEIR JOB OF PICKING COTTON AND HOEING THE WEEDS TO COME TO ANY OF THE FIVE CLINICS THAT WE HAD PROPOSED. SO WE HAD A LITTLE CONSULTATION. AND WE SAID, “WELL, IF THEY CAN’T COME TO US,
WE’LL GO TO THEM.” AND IT WAS THERE THAT WE STARTED THE FIRST MOBILE HEALTH CLINIC IN THE COUNTRY. WE STARTED AT 5 O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING, AND WE DIDN’T CARE WHETHER WE FOUND A BUILDING TO SET UP OR NOT. WE USED OUTDOOR CLINICS. – ♪ – DR. FEREBEE: LITTLE BY LITTLE,
WE NOT ONLY EDUCATED OUR OWN PEOPLE, BUT WE EDUCATED THE HOSTILE PLANTATION OWNERS. – PHYLICIA: FOR ALMOST A DECADE, ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA MEMBERS FROM ACROSS THE US FORGO THEIR SUMMER VACATIONS TO VOLUNTEER IN THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA. OVER THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT, MORE THAN 20,000 PEOPLE RECEIVE MUCH-NEEDED MEDICAL ATTENTION AND LIFE-SAVING IMMUNIZATIONS.
– ♪ – DR. FEREBEE: IT WAS THE HARDEST YEAR THAT WE HAD PUT INTO ANYTHING. AND THOSE WOMEN WHO WORKED LEARNED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. – ♪ – PHYLICIA: THE MISSISSIPPI HEALTH PROJECT REPORT LANDS ON THE DESK OF FIRST LADY ELEANOR ROOSEVELT.
SHE INVITES DR. FEREBEE AND DR. JACKSON TO THE WHITE HOUSE TO DISCUSS THE FINDINGS. THIS IS THE START OF A DEEP RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FIRST LADY AND THE SORORITY. – SECRETARY BUNCH: YOU SEE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA ASSESSING: WHERE CAN WE PROVIDE THE GREATEST BENEFIT? THERE WAS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
THAT SOMETIMES MALE LEADERSHIP DID NOT SEE. – THE MISSISSIPPI HEALTH PROJECT WAS OUTSTANDING. THAT’S ONE REASON WHY THE SORORITY HAS A HUGE HEALTH COMPONENT TODAY. – [CHEERING] – THE LADIES OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY ARE SETTING UP A MOBILE MAMMOGRAPHY UNIT TO PROVIDE FREE BREAST CANCER SCREENING.
– JENNIFER: TO HAVE A UNIT THAT WOULD GO ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO SERVE UNINSURED AND UNDERINSURED WOMEN TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MAMMOGRAM, THAT IS PROLONGING THE LIVES OF WOMEN. – ORA: BEING UNDER THE BRIDGE IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, WITH HOMELESS WOMEN AND BRINGING THOSE WOMEN TO THE MOBILE MAMMOGRAPHY UNIT,
THAT WAS A VERY PROFOUND MOMENT. – AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE A HIGH RATE OF DEATHS RELATED TO BREAST CANCER. HAVING THE MAMMOGRAM FOR THOSE WHO DON’T HAVE INSURANCE OR HAVE ACCESS TO GO TO A HOSPITAL IS A LIFESAVER. – ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA HAS THE RESOURCES. WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE.
WHY WOULDN’T WE GO OUT THERE AND DO OUR PART TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER? – WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT IMPACT OUR EVERYDAY CITIZEN, EVERYDAY LIVES, EVERYDAY BLACK LIVES, IT’S SO IMPORTANT THAT ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA HAD THEIR FOOT IN THE DOOR WHEN IT CAME TO AFFECTING POLICY. – [SHOUTING, CHANTING]
– PHYLICIA: THE NAACP, SUPPORTED BY ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA, WORKS WITH NEW YORK SENATOR WAGNER TO DRAFT YET ANOTHER ANTI-LYNCHING BILL. FIRST LADY ELEANOR ROOSEVELT’S PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ANTI-LYNCHING LEGISLATION DRAWS CRITICISM AND DEATH THREATS. SHE FINDS HERSELF THE LONE VOICE IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE. – [INDISTINCT CHATTER]
– PHYLICIA: IN FEBRUARY 1938, NORMA BOYD READS A “NEW YORK TIMES” ARTICLE REPORTING THAT THE SENATE SIDELINES THE ANTI-LYNCHING BILL IN EXCHANGE FOR THE NEW DEAL RELIEF BILLS. NORMA BOYD TAKES ACTION. – WE WERE HAVING A MEETING AT DOROTHY FEREBEE’S HOUSE THAT EVENING. I DECIDED WE WERE GOING TO FIND OUT
WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE CONGRESS. THE GIRLS SAID “YES!” THAT WAS THE NON-PARTISAN COUNCIL ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS. – KASEY: THE NATIONAL NON-PARTISAN COUNCIL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS WAS THE FIRST BLACK LOBBYING GROUP IN OUR COUNTRY. – WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHO OUR FOUNDERS WERE, I MEAN, THESE WERE SOME BAD WOMEN.
[LAUGHS] THEY WERE SERIOUS. THEY WERE NOT PLAYING AROUND. THEY WERE ABOUT SAYING, “WE WILL LEAD AND NOT ASK PERMISSION TO DO IT.” – WHEN WE GOT THE OFFICE OPENED AND EMPLOYED THESE TWO PEOPLE, WE HAD 130 DOLLARS– NOT ENOUGH TO PAY THEM ONE MONTH.
BUT YOU CAN BET YOUR LIFE EVERY GIRL WAS GETTING BY THERE, GIVING US HER 10 DOLLARS. – PHYLICIA: NORMA BOYD TAPS THOMASINA WALKER JOHNSON, A FORMER SCHOOLTEACHER WITH A PASSION FOR POLITICS, AS ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA’S FIRST FULL-TIME LOBBYIST FOR THE NON-PARTISAN COUNCIL. SHE IS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN
TO BECOME A REGISTERED LOBBYIST. ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA LAUNCHES EXTENSIVE CAMPAIGNS TO COMBAT SEGREGATION AND DISCRIMINATION. – JUDGE ADAMS: ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE FARMERS RELIEF ACT, ENSURING THAT FARMERS WERE PROTECTED. AND IT WAS ON THE FRONT LINES OF ANTI-POLL TAX LEGISLATION. WE’VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE
AND PROTECTING THAT RIGHT FOR A LONG TIME. – [SIRENS] – [BLASTS] – PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WAS SUDDENLY AND DELIBERATELY ATTACKED BY THE EMPIRE OF JAPAN. – [BLASTS, GUNFIRE] – WOMAN: NOW IT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO FOLLOW THE BOYS TO VICTORY.
– CYNTHIA: WORLD WAR II CREATED OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN. – WOMAN: IT’S STYLISH TO BE A WAAC. – CYNTHIA: IN 1942, THE GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED THE WAC, THE WOMEN’S ARMY CORPS. THE NAVY HAD WHAT WAS CALLED THE WAVES. THERE WEREN’T ANY TYPE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN OFFICERS IN THE NAVY, MAN OR WOMAN.
– JUDGE WHITNER: ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA WAS ON THE FOREFRONT OF SAYING THAT NOT ONLY DO YOU NEED WOMEN, YOU NEED WOMEN OF COLOR. THEY LOBBIED TO INTEGRATE BLACK WOMEN INTO THE MILITARY. WE ARE JUST AS PATRIOTIC. WE ARE JUST AS READY TO LAY OUR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR OUR COUNTRY.
– PHYLICIA: THOMASINA WALKER JOHNSON APPEARS IN OVER 100 CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS. THOMASINA FACES HOSTILE QUESTIONS AND REMARKS FROM SENATORS NOT EXPECTING A WOMAN, ESPECIALLY A BLACK WOMAN. – ♪ – JUDGE ADAMS: THE AUDACITY OF BLACK WOMEN TO GO TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS AND REQUEST TO BE HEARD JUST SHOWS YOU THAT
WHEN YOU HAVE A COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE AND EQUALITY, THERE’S VERY LITTLE THAT CAN STOP US. – PHYLICIA: PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT ISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDERS TO DESEGREGATE THE MILITARY AND THE DEFENSE INDUSTRIES. – IT WAS THE AKA LETTERS AND THE EXCHANGES. THOSE DETAILS LED TO HOW THIS LEGISLATION COULD HAPPEN.
THE UNSUNG WORK OF NON-PARTISAN COUNCIL IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, I THINK, TO ALL OF OUR HISTORY. – DR. HARRIS: FOR THE MOST PART IN THIS COUNTRY, CHANGE IS INCREMENTAL. YOU WIN A BATTLE, AND YOU WIN THE NEXT BATTLE. AND SOMETIMES THAT’S THE JOURNEY.
SO THAT WAS A BATTLE THAT WE LED ON AND THAT WE WON. – IN 1944, THE WAVES INITIATED AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN. THE FIRST WAS AN ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA WOMAN. HER NAME WAS HARRIET PICKENS. – JUDGE WHITNER: WHEN I DECIDED TO JOIN THE MILITARY,
IT WAS A STRONG DESIRE TO USE MY SKILLS AND MY TRAINING TO MAKE MY COUNTRY BETTER. HAVING MY SISTERS PAVE THAT WAY FOR ME, VERY IMPORTANT. AND I’M VERY GLAD I’VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, ONE, TO SERVE MY COUNTRY IN THE MILITARY AS A JAG OFFICER,
AND NOW TO SERVE MY COUNTY AS A JUDGE. – I LOVE THE COUNTRY AND I WANTED TO SERVE LIKE MY FATHER. GOING FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO THE ARMY, FROM COLLEGE TO THE CIA, AND CIA INTO ELECTED OFFICE. SO I APPRECIATE OUR SOROR MAKING A WAY FOR US. – PHYLICIA: FORCED TO INTEGRATE,
THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AERONAUTICS, NACA, WHICH BECOMES NASA, HIRES BLACK WOMEN. MARY JACKSON, WHO LATER BECOMES NASA’S FIRST BLACK FEMALE ENGINEER, JOINS THE ALL-BLACK HUMAN COMPUTING UNIT. HER SOROR, DOROTHY JOHNSON VAUGHAN, BECOMES THE SUPERVISOR. KATHERINE JOHNSON ALSO JOINS THE TEAM. SOON, KATHERINE RECEIVES A PROMOTION TO THE GUIDANCE AND CONTROL DIVISION,
A GROUP OF ALL-WHITE MEN. – KATHERINE: THERE WERE ABOUT TWENTY OF US. I WAS THE ONLY BLACK WOMAN. WE DID ALL THE HAND WORK ON DESK CALCULATORS. I WAS MOST PROUD OF THE TRAJECTORY TO THE MOON. WE HAD TO COMPUTE THE LAUNCH CONDITIONS. THOSE WERE VERY INTRICATE CALCULATIONS.
AND I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THEM. – NEIL AMRSTRONG: 1201. – MAN: ROGER. 1201 ALARM. – [BEEPING] – NEIL: HOUSTON… THE EAGLE HAS LANDED. – [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] – PHYLICIA: THE BOX OFFICE HIT “HIDDEN FIGURES” IMMORTALIZES KATHERINE, DOROTHY, AND MARY. – WE ALL SAW “HIDDEN FIGURES.” AND WE WATCHED IT WITH PRIDE.
THE THREE WOMEN WERE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA WOMEN. ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA HAS A CONNECTION WITH NASA. WE’VE HAD IT SINCE NORMA BOYD MADE IT POSSIBLE IN THE 1930S. – NORMA BOYD HAD THE COURAGE TO PURSUE SOMETHING AND SAY, “I HAVE THE RIGHT TO ACCESS POWER.” MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, ELEANOR ROOSEVELT,
REALLY WANTED TO BOND WITH WOMEN WHO WERE STRONG MINDED, WHO WERE REALLY SMART. – JUDGE ADAMS: IT IS A SIGNIFICANT THAT A FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES, AT THAT TIME IN OUR NATION’S HISTORY, WAS WILLING TO ALIGN HERSELF WITH ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA.
– FOR HER TO EMBRACE THE SISTERHOOD WHEN SHE WAS OFFERED AN HONORARY MEMBERSHIP WAS SUCH A POWERFUL STATEMENT. – IT MEANT A LOT TO HER TO HAVE THAT MEMBERSHIP. – MAN: PRESIDENT TRUMAN ASKS ELEANOR ROOSEVELT TO ACCEPT AN APPOINTMENT TO THE UNITED NATIONS. – WHEN THE UNITED NATIONS WAS OPENED
WE WERE THE ONLY SORORITY, I MEAN BLACK OR WHITE, ACCREDITED AT THE UNITED NATIONS. – THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION– – PHYLICIA: ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA’S ASSOCIATION WITH ELEANOR ROOSEVELT AND THE UNITED NATIONS SETS INTO MOTION THE VISION TO EXPAND GLOBALLY. – CLARICE: THE FIRST COUNTRY THAT CHARTERED AN INTERNATIONAL CHAPTER WAS IN LIBERIA,
LED BY SOROR ANNA E. COOPER IN 1958. ONE OF OUR SIGNATURE PROGRAMS IN LIBERIA IS WORKING WITH A LOCAL ORGANIZATION CALLED OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE. AND THEY SEW REUSABLE SANITARY PADS FOR YOUNG GIRLS. YOUNG LADIES HAVE WHAT THEY NEED IN A REUSABLE, SUSTAINABLE MANNER TO STAY IN SCHOOLS.
– I’M DEFINITELY GLAD TO BE HERE IN JAPAN, WHERE WE CAN LAYER OUR PROGRAMS ON TOP OF CULTURES, ON TOP OF CUSTOMS. – MS. POITIER-TURNQUEST: WHEN ETHEL AND THE FOUNDERS DECIDED THAT IT WILL BE SERVICE TO ALL MANKIND, I REALLY DON’T THINK SHE HAD A CLUE HOW FAR-REACHING THOSE WORDS WOULD BE.
– WE MAKE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA TRULY AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION. – PHYLICIA: IN THE POSTWAR 1950S, THE UNITED STATES IS A GLOBAL POWER. THE DECADE USHERS IN A GOLDEN AGE OF PROSPERITY FOR WHITE AMERICA. – DR. THOMPSON: THERE IS TWO AMERICAS: WHITE SUBURBAN AMERICA, LIKE IN THE OLD TV SHOWS
“LEAVE IT TO BEAVER,” “OZZIE AND HARRIET.” – DOES SHE HAVE INFLUENCE? – DR. THOMPSON: WHERE YOU LIVE WITH YOUR 2.4 KIDS IN THE RANCH HOUSE YOU BOUGHT. THEN YOU HAVE THE OTHER AMERICA. BLACK AMERICANS FACING INCREDIBLE REDLINING. NOT BEING ABLE TO BUY HOUSES IN WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS.
– THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND BANKS IN AMERICA ESSENTIALLY UNDERMINE SOME OF THE PROGRESS IN BUYING REAL ESTATE. ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA HAD THE CORE IDEA THAT PART OF THE WAY YOU BUILD AN INSTITUTION IS TO HAVE A PIECE OF REAL ESTATE THAT NOBODY ELSE CAN TAKE AWAY FROM YOU.
– PHYLICIA: IN 1952, THE AKAS INVEST IN THEIR FIRST NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS IN CHICAGO. – WHEN YOU THINK OF THE VISION OF THESE WOMEN TO BUY REAL ESTATE, THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF INSTITUTION-BUILDING. – PHYLICIA: THIRTY YEARS LATER, THEY COMMISSION A STATE-OF-THE-ART IVY CENTER IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN.
– CYNTHIA: THE PROPERTY, IT’S OWNED BY AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN. IT’S PAID FOR LOCK, STOCK, AND BARREL. WE NEVER HAD ANY DEBT AGAINST THAT BUILDING. – ♪ – PHYLICIA: ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA, KEENLY AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE, UNABASHEDLY CHOOSES TO SUPPORT PROJECTS THAT CELEBRATE BLACK WOMANHOOD.
– I WAS A DEBUTANTE. MY SISTER WAS A DEBUTANTE. AND MY THREE NIECES WERE ALL DEBUTANTES. A LOT OF YOUNG LADIES WANT THAT EXPERIENCE OF HAVING THEIR MOMENT. – CANDACE: WE RAISED A LOT OF MONEY, WHICH WENT TO MY COLLEGE EDUCATION.
I HAD TO GO OUT AND TAKE A PUBLIC SPEAKING CLASS, DO THE ETIQUETTE CLASS, GO TO A GREAT BALL AND DO THIS GREAT DANCE. – ♪ – CANDACE: I WAS CROWNED QUEEN. MY DAD ACTUALLY, I THINK, CRIED, WHICH IS CRAZY. THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A LITTLE BLACK GIRL TO FEEL BEAUTIFUL,
LIKE, IN A BIG WHITE WEDDING DRESS. – ♪ – IT IS OLD-FASHIONED AND IMPORTANT. NOT EVERYTHING THAT’S OLD IS BAD. THERE’S WISDOM THAT COMES FROM THAT. – IT IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT BLACK GIRLS SEE THE IMAGES OF WHAT A BLACK WOMAN CAN BE.
THE SORORITY WAS FOUNDED TO BREAK BARRIERS. – PHYLICIA: AKA LUCINDA WILSON TODD DREAMS OF A HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION FOR HER ONLY DAUGHTER, NANCY. LUCINDA ATTEMPTS TO ENROLL HER AT THE ALL-WHITE SCHOOL LOCATED WITHIN A FEW BLOCKS OF THEIR HOME, BUT IS DENIED ADMISSION. OUTRAGED, LUCINDA WRITES A LETTER
TO THE NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE FUND REQUESTING SUPPORT. SHE RECRUITS 12 ADDITIONAL PARENTS TO JOIN HER AS PETITIONERS IN A CLASS ACTION SUIT. AT LUCINDA’S KITCHEN TABLE, NAACP CHIEF COUNSEL THURGOOD MARSHALL OUTLINES THE STRATEGY OF WHAT WILL BECOME BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION. – CONSTANCE: NAACP STARTED THEIR STRATEGY FOR ATTACKING
SEGREGATION THROUGH ONE AREA WHICH THEY FELT WAS VITAL TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY. AND EDUCATION SEEMED TO BE THAT AREA. – PHYLICIA: ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA MEMBER CONSTANCE BAKER MOTLEY BECOMES THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN EVER TO ARGUE A CASE BEFORE THE US SUPREME COURT. SHE WILL WIN NINE CASES. CONSTANCE IS THE CHIEF STRATEGIST
ON THE BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION CASE. – CONSTANCE: WHEN THE SUPREME COURT GOT THAT CASE, IT HAD BEFORE IT A DIRECT ASSAULT ON THE CONCEPT OF SEPARATE, BUT EQUAL AS APPLIED TO EDUCATION. – VP HARRIS: MY HEROES WERE CONSTANCE BAKER MOTLEY AND THURGOOD MARSHALL.
THOSE LAWYERS UNDERSTOOD THE ABILITY TO TRANSLATE THE PASSION FROM THE STREETS TO THE COURTROOMS OF OUR COUNTRY AND DO THE IMPORTANT WORK OF REMINDING PEOPLE THAT WE ARE ALL AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS EQUALS. – PHYLICIA: THE SUPREME COURT’S UNANIMOUS DECISION IN BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION
IS A WATERSHED MOMENT AND A VISIBLE CATALYST PUSHING BACK AGAINST SEGREGATION. – THEY WANT TO THROW WHITE CHILDREN AND COLORED CHILDREN INTO THE MELTING POT OF INTEGRATION. – PHYLICIA: THE LANDMARK WIN IN 1954 UNLEASHES A NEW ERA OF TERROR. – MAN: –MONGREL CLASS OF PEOPLE! [UNINTELLIGIBLE] WILL BE DESTROYED IN SUCH A MOVEMENT.
– PHYLICIA: FOURTEEN MONTHS LATER, 14-YEAR-OLD EMMETT TILL IS LYNCHED WHILE VISITING HIS FAMILY IN MISSISSIPPI. – CONSTANCE: WHEN BLACKS DEMONSTRATED THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN THE INDIGNITIES THAT THEY HAD TO FACE, AND SO WE HAD A MOVEMENT THAT SPRUNG UP AMONG THE PEOPLE.
– DR. KING: TODAY I WANT TO SAY TO THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA, WE’RE ON THE MOVE NOW. YES, WE’RE ON THE MOVE, AND NO WAVE OF RACISM CAN STOP US. – DANETTE: ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA CHAPTERS MADE SURE THEY WERE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE HEALTH AND SERVICES,
ESPECIALLY TO THE WOMEN AND THE YOUNG GIRLS WHO HAD TRAVELED TO SUPPORT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THE FREEDOM MARCHES. AND A LOT OF TIMES, THOSE GIRLS WERE HURT, AND THEY NEEDED MEDICAL TREATMENT. – ♪ – DANETTE: THEY COULD NOT GO TO A HOSPITAL. SO WHERE COULD YOU GO?
WE DID HAVE A LOT OF SORORITY MEMBERS WHO WERE DOCTORS, NURSES, SO THEY COULD HELP OTHERS. – DR. WATKINS: TO HAVE AN INTACT GROUP OF WOMEN THAT COULD BE SOUGHT OUT FOR ANY NUMBER OF RESOURCES WAS VERY HELPFUL TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. – CAROLYN: THEY FED THE FREEDOM RIDERS.
THEY DROVE DURING THE BOYCOTT. THEY LOANED THEIR NAMES TO A LAWSUIT. SO MANY WOMEN OF AFRICAN AMERICAN DESCENT ARE THE UNSUNG HEROES OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. – ♪ – PHYLICIA: AKA ROSA PARKS IS RECOGNIZED FOR HER ROLE IN TRIGGERING THE MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT.
– THE TIME HAS COME TO NOT TAKE IT ANYMORE. I’D HAD ENOUGH, AND THIS WAS TRULY THE END OF BEING PUSHED AROUND. – PHYLICIA: HOWEVER, PRIOR TO THIS, SHE WORKED AS AN INVESTIGATOR FOR THE NAACP SEEKING JUSTICE FOR BLACK VICTIMS OF LYNCHING AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE. GLORIA RICHARDSON IS THE FIRST WOMAN IN AMERICA
TO LEAD A GRASSROOTS CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION OUTSIDE THE DEEP SOUTH. SHE FACES DOWN THE NATIONAL GUARD DURING HER NONVIOLENT CAMPAIGNS IN MARYLAND. CORETTA SCOTT KING EMERGED ON THE WORLD STAGE AS THE WIFE OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING. BUT SHE WAS AN EARLY ACTIVIST AND NAACP MEMBER AT ANTIOCH COLLEGE
LONG BEFORE SHE MET HER FUTURE HUSBAND. – MY FATHER DIDN’T MAKE MY MOTHER. WHEN THEY MET, SHE WAS ALREADY WELL ESTABLISHED. SHE UNDERSTOOD THE POWER OF BEING A WOMAN WHO STOOD IN YOUR OWN RIGHT AND YOUR OWN STRENGTH. – VP HARRIS: IN 1964, 300 MEMBERS OF THE SORORITY
CAME TO WASHINGTON, DC, TO SHOW WITH FORCE A FACE OF THE FIGHT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS IN AMERICA. THEY WERE NOT OUTSIDERS. THEY WERE AMERICAN LEADERS DEMANDING THAT AMERICA BE TRUE TO HER PROMISE. – MAN: THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 IS SIGNED AT THE WHITE HOUSE BY PRESIDENT JOHNSON
BEFORE AN AUDIENCE OF LEGISLATORS– – DR. GLOVER: WE TALK ABOUT THE INFLUENCE OF FOUNDER NORMA BOYD AND WHAT SHE DID FOR THE MILITARY. SHE ALSO DID THAT IN LEGISLATIVE BODIES. SHE MADE IT POSSIBLE THAT OTHERS COULD SEEK PUBLIC OFFICE. WE HAVE VICKI MILES-LAGRANGE, A FEDERAL JUDGE IN OKLAHOMA.
PEGGY QUINCE, WHO WAS THE CHIEF JUSTICE IN FLORIDA. – THIS IS A GREAT HISTORIC MOMENT– – MARTHA: SHEILA JACKSON LEE, FREDERICA WILSON, ALL THESE FAMOUS WOMEN IN CONGRESS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THIS SORORITY. – BREYHANA: I WAS ABLE TO INTERN FOR CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS. KNOWING THE CONGRESSMAN’S LEGACY
MADE ME WANT TO WORK IN POLITICS. AND SEEING MEMBERS OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA IN CONGRESS SHOWED ME THAT I COULD. – PHYLICIA: GREAT PROGRESS WAS MADE IN THE 1960S. BUT THE PASSAGE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT DID NOT SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS FACING AFRICAN AMERICANS.
– AT 7:10 THIS EVENING, MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS SHOT. MARTIN LUTHER KING, 20 MINUTES AGO, DIED. – [GASPING, SHOUTING] – ♪ HE WAS DREAMIN’ OF THE DAY ♪ ♪ PEACE WOULD COME TO EARTH TO STAY ♪ ♪ AND HE SPREAD HIS MESSAGE– ♪
– DR. BEATRICE KING: WHEN DADDY WAS ASSASSINATED, I WAS FIVE. – ♪ – DR. KING: AND WE HAVE SUCH A STRONG TRADITION IN OUR FAMILY OF BEING A PART OF SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT AND MEANINGFUL. WE DON’T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY. – I HAD PROPOSED THAT WE BUY THE BIRTHPLACE OF MARTIN LUTHER KING
SO THAT THIS NEXT GENERATION COMING ALONG, MANY OF WHOM MAY NOT REMEMBER, COULD SEE HIS LIFE AND HIS CONTRIBUTION. – DR. KING: ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPORTANT, TO TIE THAT HISTORY TO PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. SOME WORK IS NOT LOUD AND ADVERTISED IN A ENORMOUS WAY,
BUT IT DOES NOT MEAN THE WORK IS NOT HAPPENING. – PHYLICIA: BY THE LATE 1960S, DROPOUT RATES AND UNEMPLOYMENT ARE SKYROCKETING, ESPECIALLY AMONG GIRLS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERS WITH ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA TO IMPLEMENT THE CLEVELAND JOB CORPS. – THE LARGEST FEDERAL CONTRACT EVER AWARDED TO A WOMEN’S-BASED
ORGANIZATION TO OPERATE A FEDERAL JOB CORPS CENTER. AND WE DID THAT FOR OVER 30 YEARS. – INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY WANT TO SEE SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE THEM PROVIDING A SERVICE. THEY WANT TO KNOW A TRUSTED VOICE. – PHYLICIA: THOUSANDS GRADUATE FROM THE PROGRAM AND LAND JOBS IN VIRTUALLY ALL INDUSTRIES.
THE MOST AMBITIOUS STUDENTS RECEIVE AKA SCHOLARSHIPS. – SECRETARY BUNCH: YOU SEE EXAMPLES LIKE THE JOB CORPS CENTER IN CLEVELAND OF PEOPLE RECOGNIZING IT’S NOT ENOUGH THAT THOSE OF US WHO GOT THROUGH THE WINDOW OF EDUCATION ARE PROSPERING. THE GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE LOT OF BLACK AMERICA. – ♪
– PHYLICIA: AMERICAN CULTURE IS EXPANDED BY THE RICH TRADITIONS ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA CREATES AND SHARES. FROM A TAPESTRY OF EXPERIENCES CHERISHED BY ITS MEMBERS AND ALL WHO WITNESS IT. – MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING AROUND. AND I SAID, “LET’S GO UP ON CAMPUS.” HE HAS HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THE YARD FOREVER.
AND THEN WE GOT OUT THE CAR AND I SHOWED HIM OUR TREE. IT TOOK ME BACK TO THAT EXTRAORDINARY PART OF MY LIFE THAT REALLY HAD SO MUCH, ASIDE FROM MY MOTHER AND MY FAMILY, TO DO WITH WHO I AM TODAY. IT TOOK ME BACK TO THOSE DAYS OF
WATCHING THE SORORS STEP AROUND THE TREE. – ♪ – TINA: I ATTENDED VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY. IT WAS A MAJORITY WHITE UNIVERSITY. SOPHOMORE YEAR, WE STARTED BRINGING ON-CAMPUS STEP SHOWS. AND THAT WAS MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO BLACK FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES. – [RHYTHMIC CLAPPING AND STEPPING] – TINA: I WAS AMAZED AT THE WHOLE CULTURE.
– PHYLICIA: THE MANY TRADITIONS OF AFRICAN MOVEMENTS– THE CIRCULAR DANCE, THE CALL AND RESPONSE, THE BODY AS INSTRUMENT– CONTRIBUTE AS PROGENITORS TO STEPPING. – [RHYTHMIC CLAPPING AND STEPPING] – I LOVED BEING STEP MASTER. SHOUT-OUT TO MY CO-STEP MASTER, LUCRETIA. THAT’S MY LINE SISTER. – PHYLICIA: ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA
SINGED AND STROLLED ACROSS THE HOWARD CAMPUS TO PLEDGE IVY AS EARLY AS ITS SECOND YEAR. GRADUALLY, GREEK SINGS BECOME STEP SHOWS. – ♪ ♪ TELL ‘EM WHERE MY LADIES AT ♪ ♪ GOVEMBER ♪ ♪ SHOW ‘EM HOW THE LADIES WIN IT ♪ ♪ GOVEMBER ♪
♪ SHOW ‘EM WHO THE BOSS, SHOW ‘EM WHO THE BOSS ♪ ♪ – DR. GROVER: THE FIRST WEEK THAT I WAS IN SCHOOL, AKAS WERE OUT FRONT, DID A BEAUTIFUL STEP. THEY SERENADED. AND I SAID, WOW. I JUST CAN’T EXPLAIN HOW MUCH FUN IT WAS. – I REMEMBERED THOSE SONGS COMING OUT.
AND THE MOVES, YOU KNOW? WE DID THE, YOU KNOW– ♪ WORK, WORK, FOR ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA ♪ ♪ WORK, WORK ♪ THAT ONE. – [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] – KAYLEN: BEYONCE DIDN’T GO TO COLLEGE, BUT YOU CAN SEE WHAT SHE WAS INTERESTED IN. YOU CAN SEE WHAT SHE ADMIRED ABOUT OUR CULTURE.
I ACTUALLY HAD SOME OF MY LINE SISTERS, WE WERE ALL IN AN APARTMENT, AND WE WATCHED IT. WHEN WE SAW IT, I WAS JUST LIKE, “OH, THAT’S US.” LIKE, THAT LITERALLY COULD HAVE BEEN US TWO WEEKS AGO. – ♪ – JOLENE: OUR LINE NAME WAS TWENTY IMAGES OF INNOVATION. LOVED IT.
I ACTUALLY CAME UP WITH THE NAME OF OUR LINE. – VP HARRIS: I HAD TWO LINE NAMES. ONE WAS C CUBED–COOL, CALM, AND COLLECTED, AND THE OTHER WAS PETER PAN, BECAUSE I HAVE A LITTLE PINCHED EAR. [LAUGHS] AND THERE WERE 38 OF US. THE 38 JEWELS OF IRIDESCENT SPLENDOR WAS OUR LINE NAME.
AND WE ARE ALL STILL VERY CLOSE TO THIS DAY. – MRS. CLARK: MY LINE SISTERS, THE SEVEN US, WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH: MARRIAGES, BABIES, BIRTHS, FOR 33 YEARS. AND WE ARE STILL UNITED AS ONE. – THOSE DAYS– AND I CAN TELL YOU, I’VE HAD THEM VERY RECENTLY–
WHERE I’M SITTING IN MY OFFICE OR DEALING WITH A SITUATION AND FEEL VERY ISOLATED, THE EXPERIENCES THAT I’M HAVING, I CAN PROBABLY CALL ANYBODY UP IN THE SORORITY, AND THEY’VE EITHER HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE OR CAN MATCH OR OUTMATCH THE EXPERIENCES THAT I’VE HAD. THAT’S WHAT I’M ABLE TO DRAW ON.
– PHYLICIA: FROM THE VERY START, AMERICA INSTITUTIONALIZED A SYSTEM OF RACISM AND SEXISM THAT DEVALUED WOMEN OF COLOR AND THEIR LABOR. BLACK WOMEN EARN ONLY 61 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR COMPARED TO THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS. – WE’RE THE MOST EDUCATED, AND THEN WE DON’T GET COMPENSATED FOR IT.
WE HAVE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYTHING. BUT WE’VE ALSO NOT BEEN RESPECTED FOR BEING AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYTHING. – DESPITE ALL OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT BLACK WOMEN HAVE MADE, ALL OF THE WAYS IN WHICH WE HAVE BEEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY, I MEAN, FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS,
AND PEOPLE STILL DENIGRATE US. THAT’S WHY WE HAVE SORORITIES. – MY ROLE MODEL FOR BECOMING A PHYSICIAN WAS MARCUS WELBY. – AHH. – AHH. DO I HAVE TO GO TO A HOSPITAL? – OH, JUST OVERNIGHT. – DR. HARRIS: HE WAS MY “GREY’S ANATOMY.” HE WAS A KINDLY WHITE TV DOCTOR.
– AND I APPRECIATE THAT. – COME ON, DOLL. – IT STILL WAS IMPORTANT, THOUGH, THAT I SAW AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN WHO WAS A PHYSICIAN. IT STILL WAS A LONGING. AND I ACHIEVED THAT THROUGH ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, BECAUSE I WAS CHOSEN AS A LEADERSHIP FELLOW. AND DR. ROSALIND BARNES GRIFFIN
WAS ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE RETREAT. AND I SAW FOR THE FIRST TIME, IN THE FLESH, SOMEONE THAT I COULD TALK TO: AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN PHYSICIAN. IF LITTLE GIRLS AREN’T ABLE TO SEE WHO THEY DARE TO DREAM TO BE IN THE FLESH, HOPEFULLY THEY CAN SEE ME THROUGH THIS,
AND THEY CAN SAY, “ALL RIGHT, IT’S POSSIBLE.” – KAYLEN: I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING SELECTED AS A LEADERSHIP FELLOW. INTERACTING WITH CEOS AND CFOS, BEING AROUND PEOPLE WHO WERE DOING WHAT I WANT TO DO IN LIFE. WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT MYSELF, WHICH IS PROBABLY, UM,
THE HARDEST, IS IT’S OKAY TO BE VULNERABLE, AND IT’S OKAY TO ASK QUESTIONS. SEEING LEADERS TALK ABOUT THEIR FAILURES, THAT SPOKE VOLUMES. – I’M A 2020 GRADUATE. AND COVID-19 KIND OF TOOK AWAY MY SENIOR YEAR. AS PRESIDENT OF THE MU PI CHAPTER, MAKING PROGRAMMING THAT WILL IMPACT PEOPLE’S LIVES VIRTUALLY
WAS THE BIGGEST LEADERSHIP MOMENT FOR ME. – REV. DR. HALE: AS YOUNG WOMEN ARE EXPOSED, YOU FIND YOUR VOICE. YOU LEARN HOW TO SPEAK UP, TO SHARE YOUR OPINION OR TO DISAGREE, AND THEN HEARING FROM OTHER BRILLIANT WOMEN… IRON SHARPENS IRON. – FIONNGHUALA: THE VERY FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN IN SPACE
IS A WOMAN OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA. MAE C. JEMISON IS SOMEONE THAT I DEARLY LOOK UP TO. VERY FEW PEOPLE GET TO BECOME ASTRONAUTS. THAT IS, LIKE, MY ULTIMATE DREAM JOB. – MAE: WHEN I WENT INTO SPACE, I WANTED TO TAKE OTHER PEOPLE WITH ME. I TOOK UP AN ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA FLAG.
– WE ACTUALLY HAVE A FLAG MAE JEMISON TOOK UP IN SPACE. AND IT HANGS PROUDLY IN THE CORPORATE OFFICE. – FIONNGHUALA: THERE IS A LEGACY OF CONTRIBUTION THAT AKAS HAVE WITH NASA. AND I’VE CARRIED THOSE TEACHINGS ON WITH ME AS A NASA DATANAUT. – CISLYN: WE PRODUCE LEADERS.
AND IT’S A BIG DEAL FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY. AND IT’S A BIG DEAL FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THE STRIDES THAT WE’VE MADE WITHIN EVERY MOVEMENT HAS AFFECTED ALL OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. – NORMA: OUR GOAL IS SUPREME IN SERVICE. WHEN YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT SUPREME SERVICE, YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT REACHING DOWN,
MAKING LIFE BETTER THAT WAS THE GOAL FROM THE BEGINNING. – PHYLICIA: FOUNDER NORMA BOYD’S VISIT TO HOWARD UNIVERSITY TO CELEBRATE HER 75 YEARS OF SORORITY MEMBERSHIP WAS HER LAST VISIT TO THE CAMPUS. IT WAS AN AUSPICIOUS PASSING OF THE TORCH FROM ONE CAPITOL HILL FIGHTER AND HISTORY-MAKER TO ANOTHER.
– VP HARRIS: I MET NORMA BOYD. AND SHE ACTUALLY GAVE ME HER BOOK, WHICH SHE SIGNED FOR ME. NORMA BOYD WAS A FIGHTER AND A LEADER. SHE DEDICATED HER LIFE TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF GIRLS, AND WOMEN, AND CHILDREN. SHE WAS CREATING THAT PLACE FOR HERSELF AND OTHERS. – PHYLICIA: ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA
SENT ITS FIRST LETTER TO THE WHITE HOUSE IN 1921 DEMANDING THE PASSAGE OF AN ANTI-LYNCHING BILL. NORMA BOYD FORMALIZED THE FIGHT WITH NON-PARTISAN COUNCIL, CLIMBING THE STEPS OF CONGRESS TO LEAD ON THE EFFORT FOR DECADES. YET THE BILL NEVER PASSED. A CENTURY LATER, THE FIGHT CONTINUES.
– THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS FAILED TO PASS ANTI-LYNCHING LEGISLATION WHEN IT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY 200 TIMES. WE NOW HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PASS THIS BILL AND TO OFFER SOME LONG-OVERDUE JUSTICE AND RECOGNITION TO THE VICTIMS OF LYNCHING AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS OF LYNCHING ACT IS A HISTORIC PIECE OF LEGISLATION
THAT WOULD MAKE LYNCHING A FEDERAL CRIME FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY. – IN A WORLD THAT WAS VERY CRUEL AND TRIED TO STRIP US AND DIMINISH US… ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA IS STILL THERE AS A SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND UPLIFTMENT AND EMPOWERMENT. THAT’S WHY IT’S HERE 100 AND SOME YEARS LATER.
ORGANIZATIONS DON’T LAST THAT LONG, THEY DIE. – ♪ – HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES UNDERSTOOD THAT EDUCATION WAS THE TOOL TO MOVE US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, TO EMPOWER OUR PEOPLE. I LEARNED TO WORK IN THE SPIRIT OF EXCELLENCE AND THINK BIG. – ♪ ♪ IT’S NOT EXAGGERATED ♪
♪ I JUST HAD TO SAY IT ♪ ♪ LOOK HOW WE GRADUATED ♪ – DR. GLOVER: ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA HAS A TREMENDOUS CONNECTION WITH HBCUS. WE WERE FOUNDED ON THE CAMPUS OF AN HBCU, AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY. I GOT MY START AT HBCU TSU. I’VE COME FULL CIRCLE.
I’M A PRESIDENT OF AN HBCU, TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY. – GIVE ME A STATUS OF WHERE HBCUS ARE NOW. – MY MAIN PROBLEM IS THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND THE FIRST PART OF EVERY CONVERSATION JUSTIFYING WHO WE ARE, DEFENDING WHY WE EXIST, AND MAKE OTHERS SEE OF THE VALUE OF HBCUS.
– HBCUS ARE UNDERFUNDED. THEY’VE ALWAYS BEEN UNDERFUNDED. I ATTENDED A HBCU. MY PARENTS, THEY’RE HBCU GRADUATES. EIGHTY PERCENT OF BLACK DOCTORS WENT TO HBCUS. AND SO THERE’S A PLACE FOR THEM. – MY GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDFATHER, HE WENT TO A TWO-YEAR HBCU. HIS SON WENT TO THE SAME HBCU. OUR MOM WENT TO TOUGALOO.
AND I’M AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY. SO I’M TRYING TO KEEP THE HBCU HOPE ALIVE. – JOYA: IN OUR CHAPTER, WE CAME FROM ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. HAVING A CAMPUS WITH SUCH A STRONG AFRICAN AMERICAN IDENTITY, THERE WAS SPACE FOR ME TO GROW AS AN INDIVIDUAL. – DR. GLOVER: THERE’S A COMMITMENT ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA HAS
TO RAISE MONEY FOR HBCUS. – MITZI: WHEN SHE TOLD US THAT WE WERE GOING TO RAISE $1 MILLION IN A DAY, MY FIRST REACTION WAS, IS SHE CRAZY? CAN WE REALLY DO THIS? – THAT’S RIGHT: $1 MILLION IN ONE DAY. THIS IS OUR HBCU IMPACT. – ♪ – [DINGING] – ♪
– MAKE THAT DONATION TODAY. – ♪ – [DINGING] – [BELL RINGS] – ♪ – ALL: HBCU! [CHEERING] – ♪ – SONYA: WE DID IT THREE TIMES. AND WHAT WAS SIGNIFICANT THIS YEAR, IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, WE RAISED MORE THIS YEAR THAN WE DID THE FIRST TWO YEARS.
– WHEN WE MET IN CHICAGO, AND THE FIRST DISBURSEMENT OF THOSE ENDOWMENTS, THOSE UNIVERSITIES WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS. – ENDOWMENT REPRESENTS SUSTAINABILITY. EVERY HBCU SHOULD HAVE AN ENDOWMENT THAT HAS ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA IN ITS NAME. – CYNTHIA: OUR MOTTO IS: “PROVIDING SERVICE TO ALL MANKIND.”
AND THAT’S WHAT WE LIVE BY AND THAT’S WHAT WE’LL DIE BY. – BECOMING A MEMBER OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SOLIDIFIED THAT CONNECTION WITH MY COMMUNITY. THROUGH THE SORORITY, I WAS ABLE TO DO MORE SERVICE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES THAN I WOULD’VE DONE INDIVIDUALLY IN MY LIFETIME.
– PHYLICIA: 2008 MARKS THE CENTENNIAL FOUNDING OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA. ALTHOUGH NONE OF THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS LIVED TO SEE THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS, THEIR SPIRITS WERE EVER PRESENT. – CYNTHIA: THE FOUNDERS WOULD BE VERY PROUD. THEY HAD A VISION, BUT I’M NOT SURE THEY THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD HAVE OVER 300,000 MEMBERS
AND 1,026 CHAPTERS. – [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] – PHYLICIA: FOR THE AKA UNITY MARCH, 30,000 BLACK GREEKS MARCHED DOWN PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, CLOSED ONLY ONCE BEFORE FOR THE POPE. – [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] – ♪ – PHYLICIA: THE BLACK GREEK LETTER ORGANIZATIONS’ TOGETHERNESS BEGAN FORMALLY DURING THE GREAT MIGRATION IN 1930, WHEN THE NINE ORGANIZATIONS FORMED
THE NATIONAL PAN-HELLENIC COUNCIL, LOVINGLY REFERRED TO AS THE DIVINE NINE. THOUGH RARELY PORTRAYED, BLACK GREEKS JOINED FORCES TO SUPPORT MANY CAUSES AND EACH OTHER. – VP HARRIS: FAMILY IS MY BELOVED ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA, OUR DIVINE NINE, AND MY HBCU BROTHERS AND SISTERS. – EVEN THOUGH DR. GLOVER IS AN AKA,
SHE WANTED TO BE SURE THAT ALL FOUR SORORITIES WERE REPRESENTED IN WISCONSIN TONIGHT. THERE IS ONE AKA WE WEREN’T SURE COULD JOIN US BECAUSE SHE’S BEEN A LITTLE BUSY. BUT I JUST HEARD SHE’S HERE. WELCOME, SENATOR KAMALA HARRIS. – [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] – OPRAH: SHE’S HERE! – HI, EVERYBODY. [LAUGHS] – [CROWD CHEERING]
– [HORNS HONKING] – HER VICTORY REPRESENTS A HANDFUL OF FIRSTS. THE FIRST WOMAN. THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN. THE FIRST INDIAN-AMERICAN WOMAN. THE FIRST DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANTS. – ♪ – AKA DAY! YEAH! – YOUR REACTION AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE AKAS TO ONE OF YOUR OWN, ONE OF YOUR SORORS,
BECOMING VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. – OH, IT WAS A MOMENT OF TREMENDOUS PRIDE. – JUDGE WHITNER: PEOPLE ARE AMAZED THAT OUR SISTERHOOD IS SO STRONG THAT WE HAVE BEEN CALLED HER SECRET WEAPON. WE’RE NOT A SECRET! – VP HARRIS: I HAVE TRAVELED OUR COUNTRY. AND I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW INVARIABLY,
SOMEBODY WILL BE STANDING OUTSIDE THE ROOM OR GREETING ME IN THAT GLORIOUS PINK AND GREEN. IT’S SUCH A SPECIAL EXPERIENCE THAT I WISH FOR EVERY GIRL AND YOUNG WOMAN TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE PART OF A SISTERHOOD AND TO HAVE THAT REINFORCED. – TRACY: I LOOK AT THESE YOUNG LADIES NOW
AND I’M INSPIRED BY HOW COURAGEOUS THEY ARE. THEY WANT TO CONTINUE THIS WONDERFUL LEGACY. THEY HAVE SHOWN ME HOW TO GROW INTO THIS SISTERHOOD EVEN AFTER 30-SOMETHING YEARS OF BEING IN THE ORGANIZATION. – PHYLICIA: THE WORDS OF THE SORORITY HYMN RING AS TRUE TODAY AS THEY DID IN 1935, WHEN IT WAS INTRODUCED.
– I’M A FOURTH-GENERATION AKA. WHEN I SING THE HYMN, I JUST THINK ABOUT THE HISTORY. IT MIGHT SOUND A LITTLE CRAZY, BUT I HONESTLY FEEL LIKE MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, JOANNA MARY BERRY SHIELDS, ALWAYS AROUND ME, LIKE, GUIDING ME. IT’S JUST AN HONOR. AND YOU REALLY FEEL IT IN YOUR SOUL WHEN YOU SING IT.
– WHEN I SING THE HYMN, IT FEELS LIKE I’M IN CHURCH, ACTUALLY. WHEN WE SING THOSE WORDS, I FEEL THEM. I FELT THOSE WORDS. LIKE, THOSE WORDS, “THERE IS NO OTHER LIKE OUR SISTERHOOD, ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA.” – I FEEL LIKE I KNEW THE HYMN ABSOLUTELY BEFORE I WAS A MEMBER.
MY MOM WAS A MEMBER OF THE ALPHA OMEGA CHAPTER IN DETROIT WHEN I WAS A YOUNG GIRL. THEY WOULD HAVE THEIR MEETINGS. AND OF COURSE IT WAS PRIVATE. THEY HAD THE CLOSED DOORS AND EVERYTHING. BUT WE ALWAYS KNEW WHEN THE MEETING WAS ABOUT TO END, BECAUSE WE’D HEAR THE SONG.
SO YOU WANT ME TO SING IT? ♪ OH, ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA ♪ ♪ DEAR ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA ♪ – ♪ HEARTS THAT ARE LOYAL AND HEARTS THAT ARE TRUE ♪ – ♪ BY MERIT AND CULTURE ♪ ♪ WE STRIVE AND WE DO ♪ – ♪ THINGS THAT ARE WORTHWHILE ♪
– ♪ AND WITH A SMILE ♪ – ♪ WE HELP EACH OTHER, FOR WE KNOW THERE’S NO OTHER ♪ – ♪ LIKE OUR SISTERHOOD ♪ ♪ ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA ♪♪♪ – ♪ – SCIERRA: WHEN I WALK INTO RANKIN HALL AND SEE THE STAINED-GLASS WINDOW, IT’S A REMINDER THAT THE LEGACY LIVES ON.
IT’S A GLASS WINDOW DEDICATED TO WOMEN WHO HAVE, IN ESSENCE, BROKEN THE GLASS CEILING AND NOW HAVE THIS MEMORY THAT LIVES AND LIVES FOR THE GENERATIONS TO FOLLOWS. IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. – [CHEERING] – [HORNS HONKING] – WHILE I MAY BE THE FIRST WOMAN IN THIS OFFICE,
I WILL NOT BE THE LAST. – [CHEERING] – [HORNS HONKING] – VP HARRIS: EVERY LITTLE GIRL WATCHING TONIGHT SEES THAT THIS IS A COUNTRY OF POSSIBILITIES. – DR. GLOVER: IN 1908, NINE YOUNG LADIES, SOME OF THEM WERE STILL TEENAGERS, STARTED ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA.
AND WE CREATED A NETWORK FOR BLACK WOMEN OF LIKE MINDS. – PHYLICIA: THE NATION’S FIRST BLACK GREEK LETTER SORORITY IS A SISTERHOOD OF BLACK WOMEN WHO BROKE BARRIERS AND CREATED A VISION FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR WORLD, CHALLENGING THE SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND EDUCATIONAL STATUS QUO FOR ALL BLACK PEOPLE.
ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INCORPORATED. – ♪ ♪ ♪ Y’ALL WANT THIS PARTY STARTED, RIGHT? ♪ ♪ Y’ALL WANT THIS PARTY STARTED QUICKLY, RIGHT? ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF, I SUGGEST Y’ALL ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF, I SUGGEST Y’ALL ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF, SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪
♪ SET IT OFF ON THE LEFT, Y’ALL ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ON THE RIGHT, Y’ALL ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ COME ON, LET’S SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ Y’ALL WANT THIS PARTY STARTED QUICKLY, RIGHT? ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF, SET IT OFF, SET IT OFF ♪
♪ SET, SET, SET, SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF, I SUGGEST Y’ALL ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF, I SUGGEST Y’ALL ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ COME ON, LET’S SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ ON THE LEFT– START IT ♪ ♪ ON THE RIGHT– START IT ♪
♪ ON THE LEFT, I SUGGEST, WHILE WE’RE LEFT ♪ ♪ ON THE LEFT– START IT ♪ ♪ ON THE RIGHT– START IT ♪ ♪ ON THE LEFT, I SUGGEST, WHILE WE’RE LEFT ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF, I SUGGEST Y’ALL ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF, I SUGGEST Y’ALL ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪
♪ COME ON, LET’S SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ON THE LEFT, Y’ALL ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ON THE RIGHT, Y’ALL ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ ♪ FROM START TO FLAME ♪ ♪ ♪ OH, A LITTLE FLAME CAN ♪ ♪ DESIRE’S BURNING ♪ ♪
♪ GIVE US THIS DAY ♪ ♪ ♪ YOU WANT TO PARTY ♪ ♪ ♪ COME ON, YOU GOT ME ♪ ♪ ♪ OUT ON THE DANCE FLOOR ♪ ♪ ♪ WE’RE ALL OUT TO PLAY ♪ ♪ ♪ WE’LL SHARE OUR SECRETS ♪ ♪ ♪ LOVE TALK IS SPREADING ♪ ♪
♪ A LITTLE LOVE IS FORMED ♪ ♪ ♪ GIVE US THIS DAY ♪ ♪ ♪ TO SHOW OUR GRATITUDE ♪ ♪ ♪ TO CHANGE OUR ATTITUDES ♪ ♪ ♪ COME ON, WE’RE MANY ♪ ♪ WITH ALL THAT WE FEEL, THE TIME IS IDEAL ♪ ♪ TO SET IT OFF, I SUGGEST Y’ALL ♪
♪ SET IT OFF, I SUGGEST Y’ALL ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ COME ON, LET’S SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ON THE LEFT, Y’ALL ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ON THE RIGHT, Y’ALL ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ COME ON, LET’S SET IT OFF ♪
♪ SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ – YEAH, YEAH, IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING’S ABOUT TO JUMP OFF IN HERE. – ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪ – UH-HUH, UH-HUH, GET TO IT NOW, GET TO IT!
– ♪ – YEAH, YEAH, LET’S SMOKE THIS ONE OUT NOW, LET’S SMOKE IT OUT! – ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ ♪ SET IT OFF ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪♪♪
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