History

On April 14, 1979, the Nu Beta chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® was chartered on the campus of Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia.

The 27 Charter Members are:

*7 Charter Members were initiated prior to 4/14/1979. The remaining 20 Charter Members were initiated on 4/14/1979.

The Nu Beta Chapter’s origin began in the fall of 1976 when three Georgia Tech students began the quest to establish a chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. After many attempts at soliciting the attention of Kappa Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, the graduate chapter, the students gained traction in February 1978. Soror Verna Henderson of Kappa Omega informed Reve’ Pete, Francine McCarley, and Gail Reid that they would be initiated into the illustrious sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®. Their initiation was the first step toward the students’ efforts “to capture a vision fair” at Georgia Tech.

Under the guidance of Kappa Omega Sorors, including Mary Shy Scott and Dr. Dorothy Cowser Yancy, a Georgia Tech Professor, these three Georgia Tech Sorors along with five previously initiated Georgia Tech Dual Degree Sorors - Barbara Burgess, Sheilah Clayton, Cassandra Cunningham, Vernita Holmes, and Vanessa Weatherspoon – completed the preparatory work to satisfy Alpha Kappa Alpha requirements to charter a new chapter in addition to the requirements of Georgia Tech’s Panhellenic Council. A critical requirement from Alpha Kappa Alpha to finally make the chapter chartering a reality was the need for twenty-five Georgia Tech students. Thus, Avant Garde 20 was born with members: Frann Bell, Jimmie Carter, Sherry Colden, Barbara Davis, Valerie Dial, H. Lisa Gibbs, Cheryl Hart, Elizabeth Herndon, Carolyn Johnson, Patricia Langford, Shelia Lewis, Natalie Lucas, Wanda Pompey, Victoria Powell, Janet Ross, Sonya Rush, Vanessa Smith, Sharon Thrash, Priscilla Watson, and Arlene Woods.

On the morning of April 14, 1979, the members of Avant Garde 20, the Charter Line, were initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. The initiation ceremony was conducted by South Atlantic Regional Director DeLoris Oliver and members of Kappa Omega, including Sorors Gwendolyn Fluellen (Presiding), Ida Ross, and Mary Ellis, with the assistance of seven Georgia Tech Sorors who had been initiated prior to this date. On the same day, the seven (7) previously initiated Sorors and the twenty (20) newly initiated Sorors, 27 Georgia Tech Sorors in total, participated in the chartering ceremony that established the Nu Beta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® at Georgia Tech. All 27 Sorors signed the charter, became Charter Members, and began the journey of a “fellowship sincere and rare.” Under the guidance of the Dean of Women, Judith Priddy, the Nu Beta Chapter became the first Black sorority in the Georgia Tech Panhellenic Council (the governing body of all sororities on campus).