Page 2 - NewsletterOctober _3_

Eight Decades of Sisterhood and Success From 1952 – 1954 Soror Janie Clayton was the

By Thelma C. Ivery, Ph.D. eighth chapter president and Soror Dorothy Height was
Grand President of the Sorority. There were 33 sorors on
Chapter Historian the chapter roll. These included past chapter presidents
Mattie Gilchrist, Wilhelmina King, Cleonia Taylor and
Decade Two - 1947 through 1956 Mildred Hardy and future chapter presidents Sorors Ber-
The fifth president of Alpha Lambda Sigma tha P. Williams, Annetta Baugh, Etta Alexander, Wilhel-
Chapter was Soror Mildred Motley Hardy, who served mina M. King (for the 2 time), Olivia C. Green, and
nd
from 1946 through 1948. Soror Hardy was a charter Lydia C. Williams. Chapter activities included Founders’
member of Beta Eta Chapter at Alabama State College, Day, a Valentine Social, the Jabberwock, an April Fool’s
and during her senior year at the college served as that Dance and a Graduation Social for Beta Eta Sorors.
chapter’s third president. During her tenure, Alpha
Lambda Sigma’s 25 members continued their service to
the community; The Jabberwock was again our main Soror Bertha P. Williams was the ninth president
fund-raising activity for awarding scholarships and for of our 44 member chapter, holding the office from 1954 –
other projects. In addition the chapter treated the Mont- 1956. These were the years during which there were no-
gomery community to a duo piano recital featuring two table civil rights activities in Montgomery. It was during
talented Beta Eta sorors, Sorors Richardine Blount and this administration that the chapter began payment to-
Arwilda Coleman, followed by a reception in their honor ward a life membership in the NAACP as we continued
at Soror Hardy’s home. The chapter also celebrated a to support national and local projects. Many of our so-
joint Founders’ Day with the Deltas from Tuskegee. rors were involved in seeking to address problems caused
by the unjust legal system of that period. (Soror Wil-
Soror Mattie Gilchrist, the sixth president of the liams was a founding member of the Women’s Political
chapter, served from 1948 through 1950. Soror Almedia Council. This group was intimately associated with pro-
McGee Stickney, a charter member, was vice president. testing racial injustices and with spearheading the bus
Thirty-four sorors were on the chapter roll. According to boycott of 1955 – 1956.)
the chapter yearbook we continued to fund our projects
through the Jabberwock to provide support for the li-
brary project and scholarships for high school seniors.
Additional activities were the Christmas party, May
Week and Founders’ Day, which was celebrated with a
dinner at the Governors’ House Motel, Capitol Room.

Soror Cleonia Taylor, who had been the second
chapter president, again presided over the 39 member
chapter from 1950 – 1952 as the seventh president. In
her greetings in the chapter yearbook, Soror Taylor
said “The entire organization is no stronger than its
weakest link, so let us as a link in this organization
which we have chosen, strive to make our chapter one
which we can all point to with pride.” Soror Rachel
Walters was vice president, Soror Bertha P. Williams
was Corresponding Secretary and Soror Amy E. Hender-
son was Historian. We began a Job Opportunity Project
and a Public Affairs Project while continuing our previ-
ous activities. Beta Eta Sorors were our guests for a
Christmas party, and later, we hosted a Delta Dance for
our guests.

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