Page 9 - Gamma Zeta Chapter New Member Reception Souvenir Journal
P. 9

 Sorority History Early in 1929, Mrs. Lola Mercedes Parker of Chicago, Illinois, was stimulated by the need for and a great vision of an organization that would offset the results of the Great Depression. She saw the many African-Americans who were left without employment. In particular, African-American women who were working at comparatively new skills in white-collar jobs in the business field were doubly penalized by race and sex. Mrs. Parker called together the following women for the purpose of organizing a business sorority: Ethel T . Edwards, Mildred G. Hardin, Harriett M. Robinson, OpheliaHarrison, Burdetta Trigg, and Marjorie Tyndall. Together these women founded Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. on June 1, 1929. Mrs. Parker believed that through such a sorority the status of business women could be elevated; they could be encouraged to seek higher formal training which would result in greater prestige to women in business and to women who chose business as a career. Thus, Iota Phi Lambda was born. As the sorority’s National President in 1935, Lola M. Parker was instrumental in Iota Phi Lambda Sorority being present when Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune held the first meeting of the National Council of Negro Women on December 5,1935 in Harlem, New York. Iota Phi Lambda Sorority was one of three sororities present, along with representation from other national organizations. Iota Phi Lambda has been accredited as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) at the United Nations since 1935. In keeping her ambitions to others, Lola M. Parker served as national vice-president to the Women’s Army for National Defense, an active member of the NAACP, YMCA, and was founder and the first secretary of the Chicago chapter of the National Council of Negro Women and many national and local organizations engaged in civic endeavors for racial, educational and economic progress. In 1972, the Alpha (Α) along with the Alpha Beta (ΑΒ) Chapter of Chicago sponsored a Play Tot Lot at the South Shore YMCA in honor of Founder Lola Mercedes Parker. Lola M. Parker died on March 19, 1987 and is buried at Lincoln Cemetery. Today, Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. is a national business and professional organization, which seeks to (1) unite in sisterhood qualified business and professional women in order to enhance and improve the status of women in our highly complex, competitive business and professional world; (2) promote increased interest in the broad field of business education among high school and college young women through planned programs and scholarships; (3) encourage the development of personal goals and leadership potential through the provision of educational opportunities; and (4) establish and promote civic and social service activities for youth and adults. The Sorority’s aims are to (1) make worthwhile contributions to the challenging socio- economic patterns of our time; (2) project the philosophy of the pursuit of excellence in all worthy endeavors among youth and adults; and (3) develop leadership expertise among business and professional women. 


































































































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