Iota Phi Lambda Sorority Inc. () is the first

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

Greek-lettered business

sorority Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities in North America. Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student, but continues thereafter for life. Some accept gradua ...

established by African American business women. There are now more than 100 chapters with membership numbering more than 1300 in 85 cities and the US Virgin Islands. Iota Phi Lambda is not an National Pan Hellenic Council (NPHC) sorority and dual membership within Iota Phi Lambda Sorority and NPHC sororities is allowed.

History

The sorority was founded on June 1, 1929 in

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

by Lola Mercedes Parker. The founding of the sorority was important for African American women as after

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

there was the " Great Migration" of blacks from the South to the Northern cities, seeking greater opportunities and a more tolerant society. These changes underscored the need for blacks to learn new skills. These skills, in turn, would hopefully ensure a better way of life for tens of thousands of blacks that had migrated northward.

National programs

American Education Week – Members work in support of the

National Education Association The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest labor union in the United States. It represents public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college stud ...

via its national theme to celebrate and embrace America's

public school Public school may refer to: * State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government * Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England an ...

Black History Month Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada, and more recently ...

– Programs are designed to encourage youth and adults to understand the issues facing and faced by African Americans, to share ideas, reactions, and to recognize those African Americans who have historically impacted America. Business Month – Iota's capstone programs occur throughout the month of April. Activities focus on efforts to stimulate interest in business education and to give recognition to those who have made outstanding achievements in the field of business.

National projects

Lola M. Parker Award (Outstanding Woman of the Year) Mahala S. Evans Award (Outstanding Soror of the Year) Career exploration – Programs are designed to help broaden youths' awareness of and to assist in preparing them for the "world of work." Tutorial services – Members assist the educational system by providing remedial help for those with academic weaknesses, and work to eradicate il

literacy Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, hum ...

. Toys U Can't Return – A teen pregnancy prevention project designed to help educate communities about

teenage pregnancy Teenage pregnancy, also known as adolescent pregnancy, is pregnancy in a female adolescent or young adult under the age of 20. This includes those who are legally considered adults in their country. The WHO defines adolescence as the period be ...

and develop effective action agendas for preventing children from having children. Iota Mothers Assistance Program – Program designed to provide outreach services to meet the needs of teen and disadvantaged mothers (ages 20–40) Future Iota Leaders are preteen and teenage girls and boys who are mentored by members of the Iota family. Programs provide socialization and development opportunities for youth leadership training, and encourage them to realize their potentials to the fullest.

Scholarships A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need. Scholarsh ...

are awarded annually on the chapter, regional, and national levels.

National presidents

The national presidents for Iota Phi Lambda: #Lola M. Parker (1929 – 1946) #Alice P. Allen (1946 – 1950) #Jeanne S. Scott (1950 – 1954) #Marion H. Jackson (1954 – 1958) #Florence M. Hill (1958 – 1962) #Ossie W. Mitchell (1962 – 1966) #Mahala Evans (1966 – 1969) #Bessie Coston (1969 – 1973) #A. Lucille Reynolds (1973 – 1977) #Fredda Witherspoon (1977 – 1981) #Clarice E. Brown (1981 – 1983) #Evelyn S. Peevy (1983 – 1985) #Billie O. Glover Morris (1985 – 1987) #Pricilla D. Thomas (1987 – 1989) #E. Grace Payne (1989 – 1991) #Dorethea N. Hornbuckle (1991 – 1995) #Marcella Morrison (1995 – 1999) #Lillian F. Parker (1999 – 2003) #Charlotte M. Maull (2003 – 2007) #Doris Browning Austin (2007 – 2011) #Phyllis Shumate (2011 – 2015) #Stephanie N. Dilworth (2015 – 2019) #Dorothy M. White (2019 – current)

Notable members

Mary McLeod Bethune Mary Jane McLeod Bethune ( McLeod; July 10, 1875 – May 18, 1955) was an American educator, philanthropist, humanitarian, womanist, and civil rights activist. Bethune founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935, established the organi ...

(honorary).Iota Phi Lambda National Honorary Soros
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Carrie Meek Carrie Mae Pittman Meek (April 29, 1926November 28, 2021) was the United States Representative for Florida's 17th congressional district, from 1993 to 2003. Having been elected in the September 1992 primary with no general election opponent, she ...

(honorary) *

Donna Christian-Christensen Donna Marie Christian-Christensen, formerly Donna Christian-Green (born September 19, 1945), is an American physician and politician. She served as the 4th elected non-voting Delegate from the United States Virgin Islands's at-large district to t ...

(honorary) * Ada Crogman Franklin (honorary) * Edith Mai Padmore (honorary) *

Irene McCoy Gaines Irene McCoy Gaines (October 25, 1892 – April 7, 1964) was an American social worker and civil rights activist who fought against segregation throughout her adult life. Early life Irene McCoy Gaines was born on October 25, 1892, in Ocala, F ...

(honorary) *

Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892 – March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. She is best known for ''The Good Earth'' a bestselling novel in the United States in 1931 and 1932 and won the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel, Pulitze ...

(honorary) *

Marian Wright Edelman Marian Wright Edelman (born June 6, 1939) is an American activist for civil rights and children's rights. She is the founder and president emerita of the Children's Defense Fund. She influenced leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Hillary ...

hHonorary) * Hazel Garland (honorary) * Rachel B. Noel (honorary) *

Betty Smith Williams Betty Smith Williams is an American nurse. Williams was the first African-American nurse to graduate from the nursing school at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). She later became the first black person to teach at college or university leve ...

(honorary) * Nana Amuah Afenyi VI honorary) * Lydia P. Jackson (honorary) *

Mary Dee Mary Dudley (born Mary Elizabeth Goode; April 8, 1912March 17, 1964), known as Mary Dee, was an American disc jockey who is widely considered the first African-American woman disc jockey in the United States. She grew up in Homestead, Penns ...

References

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Additional references

*Green, E. K. (1959). A history of Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, 1929-1958. Washington, DC: Iota Phi Lambda Sorority. *Howard University, Social Work Library: Sims, S. B. (1978). A history of Iota Phi Lambda Sorority 1959-1969. .p. Iota Phi Lambda Sorority. African-American fraternities and sororities Student organizations established in 1929 1929 establishments in Illinois

History

National programs

National projects

National presidents

Notable members

See also

References

Additional references