The undergraduate chapter of Epsilon Upsilon at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama was the first chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated to be chartered on a predominately white campus in the state of Alabama. The Epsilon Upsilon Chapter is located in the South Eastern Region and was chartered under the leadership and guidance of Delta Theta Omega Chapter on June 10, 1970.
The birth of the chapter started in 1968, when Ruth Collins, Juanita Robinson, and Carolyn Wilson from Delta Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., spoke to Dean Blanche Cox, the Assistant Dean of Women, about forming an undergraduate chapter on the University of South Alabama’s campus. She was receptive and told them she would be glad to work with them.
Delta Theta Omega received a list of twenty names from Gwendolyn Jones, an undergraduate student on the campus. Carolyn Wilson, Alice Crenshaw, Loretta Evans, Margaret Munnerlyn and Ethel Wright worked with the young ladies. In early 1970, they began to finalize the group. A list of eight students who were interested in and had the required GPA average was generated. Dean Cox advised Delta Theta Omega to find someone on campus to work with the students. Dr. Lynette Gaines accepted the challenge and four more young ladies were added to the list of eight.
On June 10, 1970, the Epsilon Upsilon Chapter was chartered. The Regional Director, Velma Lois Jones, performed the chartering ceremony. The charter members are Lola Brown, Lois Bruno*, Jean Crawford, Sherpian Harper*, Barbara Irvin, Deborah Isom, Gwendolyn Jones, Lena Payne, Edna Seltzer, Arthurine Thomas, Gloria Walker, and Beverly Wilson.
*Ivy Beyond the Wall
