Ethel Jones Mowbray (died November 25, 1948) was one of the twenty founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the first sorority founded by African-American women. Her legacy was an organization that has helped African-American women succeed in college, prepare for leadership and organize in communities, and serve their communities in later life. The sorority has continued to generate social capital for over 112 years.

Early life

Born to Mr. and Mrs. George Jones, in Baltimore, Maryland, Ethel lost her mother at birth. Her father raised her alone until she was ten. Later, Ethel Jones was raised by a foster family, the Myers. Ethel Jones was educated in Baltimore public schools, and graduated with honors. Ethel enrolled in

Howard University Howard University (Howard) is a Private university, private, University charter#Federal, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, classifie ...

in 1906 in the College of Arts and Sciences. In those years, only 1/3 of 1% of African Americans and 5% of whites attended any college, and Howard University was considered the top historically black college.James D. Anderson,''

The Education of Blacks in the South, 1860–1935 ''The Education of Blacks in the South, 1860–1935'' is a history of African-American education in the American South from the Reconstruction era to the Great Depression. It was written by James D. Anderson and published by the University o ...

''. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, 1988, p.245

Founding of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

At Howard, Ethel was one of seven sophomore honor initiates into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She participated in the first Ivy Day ceremonies on May 25, 1909, when members started a tradition of planting ivy at Miner Hall. In 1909 Ethel Jones was the first vice-president of Alpha Kappa Alpha. The following year she served as president of the chapter. Ethel Jones graduated in 1910 with a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

in math and a minor in

education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...

Incorporation of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

Ethel Mowbray, Nellie Quander, Julia Evangeline Brooks, Norma Boyd, Nellie Pratt Russell and Minnie B. Smith decided to incorporate Alpha Kappa Alpha and completed the process on January 29, 1913. In 1913, Mowbray was the vice-president of Alpha Kappa Alpha's first directorate. In January 1913, a group of women who wanted a different direction, split from Alpha Kappa Alpha and formed Delta Sigma Theta.

Career and civic activities

After college, Jones first taught in Baltimore public schools for a few years. In 1913, she married George Mowbray, whom she had dated since college. Ethel and George Mowbray moved to

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, where George did graduate work at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chic ...

. In 1914, Ethel and her husband moved to Kansas City,

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...

.McNealey 2006, op. cit. p. 52. She worked as a culinary artist, while her husband was a teacher in the Kansas City public schools. Ethel later owned and operated a catering business. In 1924, Mowbray chartered Mu Omega chapter in Kansas City. She encouraged expansion of Alpha Kappa Alpha in other cities as well. Mowbray worked with the

Parent Teacher Association A parent is a caregiver of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a parent is the caretaker of a child (where "child" refers to offspring, not necessarily age). A ''biological parent'' is a person whose gamete resulted in a child, a male t ...

as a junior high school "room mother", where she assisted the teacher. Ethel and George Mowbray had two children, Geraldine and Helen. Geraldine went to medical school, practiced as a physician, and married. She also became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. To keep her mind sharp, Mowbray enjoyed playing with three bridge clubs. Mowbray died on November 25, 1948, in Kansas City, Kansas. Alpha Kappa Alpha's Educational Advancement Foundation has an endowment in Mowbray's honor.

References

External links

Biography from Virginia Commonwealth UniversityHonoring the Past: Alpha Kappa Alpha FoundersCentennial Celebration: Founders
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mowbray, Ethel Jones Year of birth missing 1948 deaths People from Baltimore Alpha Kappa Alpha founders 20th-century African-American educators 20th-century American educators