Who are the founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha? History explored as Angelina Jolie’s daughter Zahara Marley Jolie joins sorority at Spelman College

Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt, the daughter of Academy Award-winning actors, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, joined the Mu Pi Chapter of the prestigious Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority at Spelman College. The video of Zahara being crossed or initiated into the chapter with her dancing while introducing herself to her fellow sorority sisters went viral on the internet.

Alpha Kappa Alpha, the very first historically African-American sorority was founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington DC. The sorority was founded by 9 African-American juniors and seniors: Anna Easter Brown, Beulah Burke, Lillie Burke, Marjorie Hill, Margaret Flagg Holmes, Ethel Hedgemon, Lavinia Norman, Lucy Diggs Slowe, and Marie Woolfolk.

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Alpha Kappa Alpha is the oldest black sorority

Back in 1908, less than a thousand African-Americans were enrolled in higher education institutions. According to their official website, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated was founded in 1908 by 9 among the 25 African-American women, who received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University between 1908 and 1911.

The sorority is the brainchild of the principal founder, Ethel Hedgemon (Lyle). The sorority was founded out of her wish to connect with extraordinary people who share her values and goals for the benefit of both humanity and oneself. She became the first African-American woman to become a teacher in a normal school.

Ethel Hedgemon (Image via Alpha Kappa Alpha)

Along with Ethel was Anna Easter Brown, the first treasurer of the sorority's Alpha Chapter, and Beulah Elizabeth Burke, the woman who created the sorority's colors, name, and motto. Beulah was also joined by her younger sister, Lillie E. Burke, who is also credited with the creation of the sorority's motto.

Sadly, founding member Marjorie Hill, who became the first Ivy Beyond the Wall, died away right after graduating from Howard College in 1909. Margaret Flagg (Holmes) is credited with helping to write the first constitution of the sorority and its bylaws. Lavinia Norman was a member of the sorority's first constitution and bylaws committee.

Norman was also the presiding officer during the sorority's very first Ivy Day ceremony in 1909. Marie Woolfolk (Taylor), and Lucy Diggs Slowe were also members of the sorority's constitution and bylaws committee, with Slowe being the chairman of the committee. Woolfolk became the first secretary of the sorority while Lucy Slowe became the first president of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

Other than the 9 founders, seven sophomore students were also endowed with the founder status after they were invited without initiation to ensure the continuity of the sorority. They were Norma Boyd, Ethel Jones, Alice Murray, Sarah Meriweather, Joanna Berry, Carrie Snowden and Harriet Terry.

The 115-year-old organization is the oldest Greek letter organization, which was established by African-American women with a college education. It was also the first black Greek letter organization to offer scholarship programs. Currently, it is one of the largest Greek letter sororities in the US with over 350,000 members across its 1,024 chapters that extend from the US to many other countries.

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Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt is now an Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority member

Zahara Marley Jolie joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority at Spelman College. She became a member of the sorority's Mu Pi chapter. A video posted by Essence on Wednesday, November 15 showcased the 18-year-old enthusiastically introducing herself to her fellow sorority sisters.

The crowd exploded into cheers as Zahara took center stage, wearing an all-black midi dress complete with black gloves. She shook her hair and performed some dance moves while yelling out to the crowd:

"My name is Zahara Marley Jolie, Coming all the way from the Golden State in the city that is full of angels, Los Angeles, California,"

She added:

"I am this line’s number seven."

The crowd erupted into cheers as Zahara finished her introduction. Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt is the adoptive daughter of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Zahara joined the HBCU in 2022 and a proud Jolie was spotted on campus, the day she moved in and during homecoming.

Pitt had told People Magazine in an interview during the premiere of Bullet Train that he thought Zahara attending Spelman was "really beautiful." Apart from Zahara, the duo has five more children, Maddox, Pax, Shiloh, and twins, Vivienne, and Knox.