Chapter History
The Eta Delta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. was chartered by the eighth South Central Regional Director Soror Odalie S. McDonald, in Lubbock, Texas on December 13, 1958. Soror Willie B. Taylor, Basileus of Zeta Phi Omega, Soror McDonald’s chapter, accompanied her on the trip for the chartering. Soror Marjorie Thomas, charter member and still active, remembers it as being a “very cold day” in West Texas when the chartering took place at the popular Palm Room. Hotels were segregated and did not welcome African Americans as guests. Therefore, Soror Lucy Etta Colvin, first Eta Delta Omega elected Basileus, very graciously invited Soror McDonald and Soror Taylor to lodge in her home.
All Eta Delta Omega charter members had previously been initiated in college chapters before coming to Lubbock. Each of these ladies had a deep desire to form a chapter in Lubbock, so they came together as a group to form the graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority:
Soror Lucy Etta Colvin
Soro Lucy was the first Basileus elected by the newly formed chapter. She is credited by her sorors for leading the way to form the Eta Delta Omega Chapter. She came to Lubbock from Austin, TX where she graduated in 1939 from Tillotson College. She was a special education teacher and talented seamstress. She was affectionately called “Miss Ann” by her husband, first principal at Phyllis Wheatley Elementary. She used her influence to help bring artists like Leontyne Price, well-known Metropolitan Opera singer, to Lubbock.
Soror Harvey Esther Roberts
Soror Harvey graduated and was initiated at Tillotson College (now Huston-Tillotson University) in Austin, TX. She was a teacher at Ella Iles and Wheatley Elementary Schools. She retired after teaching at Bayless Elementary School.
Soror Vivian Tamplin Cooke
Soror Vivian was a teacher, sculptress and artist. She graduated from Wiley College, Marshall, TX. She taught at Dunbar High School and Hutchinson Junior High for more than thirty years. Her legacy continues in the bronze “Sandlot Play” in Lubbock’s Mae Simmons Park and a “Golden Day” in the “Babyland” section of the Lubbock Cemetery.
Soror Emma Johnson Loud
Soror Emma was a teacher and counselor. She graduated in 1950 from Clark College, Atlanta, GA. She is a surviving charter member and came to Lubbock as the wife of a Methodist minister serving Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church. Before coming to Lubbock, she played the piano at her home church in Georgia. Audio tapes reveal her stating that she became interested in Alpha Kappa Alpha women in part because of the character of the women and because they went to chapel every day!
Soror Dominion Johnson
Soror Dominion was a teacher who taught at Dunbar High School. She came to Lubbock from the Houston area and moved back after a short time.
Soror Bailey Mitchell
Soror Bailey is a graduate from Texas College, Tyler, TX. She was a native of Lubbock, also graduating from Sweats Beauty School. She was a teacher at Dunbar High School, a beautician and owned her own beauty shop. After she married and had a family, she worked in her beauty shop. She eventually moved to San Diego, CA.
Soror Katherine Shorter Richardson
Soror Katherine graduated from Huston-Tillotson College, Austin, TX. She was a teacher, counselor and dance instructor. She is a Golden Soror and surviving charter member who continues to work with special needs students in the Lubbock ISD. She has the distinction of being the daughter of the first Basileus, Soror Lucy Etta Colvin.
Soror Clarabel Smith
Soror Clarabel graduated from Paul Quinn College, Waco, TX. She was an elementary teacher and retired from George R. Bean Elementary, Lubbock ISD. She returned to Waco, TX after her retirement. She served as Basileus of Eta Delta Omega and is remembered as living in the “green house” on Elm Avenue.
Soror Marjorie Thomas
Soror Marjorie attended Texas College, Tyler, TX where she graduated with a degree in Home Economics and minor in English. Later, she received counseling certification and an M.S. degree in Guidance and Counseling from Texas Tech University. She did graduate work at Prairie View A&M College. She was a teacher, and after 36 years, retired in 1988 as counselor from Lubbock ISD. She taught all subjects, kindergarten through seventh grades in the segregated Frenship ISD before moving to Alderson Junior High in Lubbock ISD. She retired from Alderson Junior High and has fond memories of seeing her students as successful adults now serving the Lubbock community. She is a surviving charter member and former Basileus, active and a Golden Soror.
Soror Edna R. Walker
Soror Edna graduated from Texas College, Tyler, TX. She was Eta Delta Omega’s musician and lovingly referred to as “Piano Red.” She was also a member and musician at Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church. She was a visiting teacher for Lubbock ISD.
Soror Willie Myrtle Washington
Soror Willie was a social worker. She earned statewide recognition as the Director of Lubbock City-County Welfare Department and served as Basileus of Eta Delta Omega. The “Willie Myrtle Washington Award” is presented to an outstanding soror in her honor.
Four of the original charter members; Soror Emma Loud, Soror Katherine Richardson, Soror Harvey Roberts and Soror Marjorie Thomas are currently Golden Sorors. The remaining charter members are now blessed Ivies Beyond the Wall.
The Eta Delta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. was chartered by the eighth South Central Regional Director Soror Odalie S. McDonald, in Lubbock, Texas on December 13, 1958. Soror Willie B. Taylor, Basileus of Zeta Phi Omega, Soror McDonald’s chapter, accompanied her on the trip for the chartering. Soror Marjorie Thomas, charter member and still active, remembers it as being a “very cold day” in West Texas when the chartering took place at the popular Palm Room. Hotels were segregated and did not welcome African Americans as guests. Therefore, Soror Lucy Etta Colvin, first Eta Delta Omega elected Basileus, very graciously invited Soror McDonald and Soror Taylor to lodge in her home.
All Eta Delta Omega charter members had previously been initiated in college chapters before coming to Lubbock. Each of these ladies had a deep desire to form a chapter in Lubbock, so they came together as a group to form the graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority:
Soror Lucy Etta Colvin
Soro Lucy was the first Basileus elected by the newly formed chapter. She is credited by her sorors for leading the way to form the Eta Delta Omega Chapter. She came to Lubbock from Austin, TX where she graduated in 1939 from Tillotson College. She was a special education teacher and talented seamstress. She was affectionately called “Miss Ann” by her husband, first principal at Phyllis Wheatley Elementary. She used her influence to help bring artists like Leontyne Price, well-known Metropolitan Opera singer, to Lubbock.
Soror Harvey Esther Roberts
Soror Harvey graduated and was initiated at Tillotson College (now Huston-Tillotson University) in Austin, TX. She was a teacher at Ella Iles and Wheatley Elementary Schools. She retired after teaching at Bayless Elementary School.
Soror Vivian Tamplin Cooke
Soror Vivian was a teacher, sculptress and artist. She graduated from Wiley College, Marshall, TX. She taught at Dunbar High School and Hutchinson Junior High for more than thirty years. Her legacy continues in the bronze “Sandlot Play” in Lubbock’s Mae Simmons Park and a “Golden Day” in the “Babyland” section of the Lubbock Cemetery.
Soror Emma Johnson Loud
Soror Emma was a teacher and counselor. She graduated in 1950 from Clark College, Atlanta, GA. She is a surviving charter member and came to Lubbock as the wife of a Methodist minister serving Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church. Before coming to Lubbock, she played the piano at her home church in Georgia. Audio tapes reveal her stating that she became interested in Alpha Kappa Alpha women in part because of the character of the women and because they went to chapel every day!
Soror Dominion Johnson
Soror Dominion was a teacher who taught at Dunbar High School. She came to Lubbock from the Houston area and moved back after a short time.
Soror Bailey Mitchell
Soror Bailey is a graduate from Texas College, Tyler, TX. She was a native of Lubbock, also graduating from Sweats Beauty School. She was a teacher at Dunbar High School, a beautician and owned her own beauty shop. After she married and had a family, she worked in her beauty shop. She eventually moved to San Diego, CA.
Soror Katherine Shorter Richardson
Soror Katherine graduated from Huston-Tillotson College, Austin, TX. She was a teacher, counselor and dance instructor. She is a Golden Soror and surviving charter member who continues to work with special needs students in the Lubbock ISD. She has the distinction of being the daughter of the first Basileus, Soror Lucy Etta Colvin.
Soror Clarabel Smith
Soror Clarabel graduated from Paul Quinn College, Waco, TX. She was an elementary teacher and retired from George R. Bean Elementary, Lubbock ISD. She returned to Waco, TX after her retirement. She served as Basileus of Eta Delta Omega and is remembered as living in the “green house” on Elm Avenue.
Soror Marjorie Thomas
Soror Marjorie attended Texas College, Tyler, TX where she graduated with a degree in Home Economics and minor in English. Later, she received counseling certification and an M.S. degree in Guidance and Counseling from Texas Tech University. She did graduate work at Prairie View A&M College. She was a teacher, and after 36 years, retired in 1988 as counselor from Lubbock ISD. She taught all subjects, kindergarten through seventh grades in the segregated Frenship ISD before moving to Alderson Junior High in Lubbock ISD. She retired from Alderson Junior High and has fond memories of seeing her students as successful adults now serving the Lubbock community. She is a surviving charter member and former Basileus, active and a Golden Soror.
- Soror Thomas, still active, recalls early regional and national meetings she attended. She remembers that initiatives set forth at these meetings in the 1960's focused on health and welfare issues of particular importance to African Americans. She said that many of their later chapter meetings were held in the home of Soror Teresa Wheatley which was referred to by sorors as “The Sorority House.” Soror Wheatley, a native of New Orleans, LA was an outstanding cook and enjoyed providing meals for everyone, including delicious cakes and pies from “scratch!”
Soror Edna R. Walker
Soror Edna graduated from Texas College, Tyler, TX. She was Eta Delta Omega’s musician and lovingly referred to as “Piano Red.” She was also a member and musician at Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church. She was a visiting teacher for Lubbock ISD.
Soror Willie Myrtle Washington
Soror Willie was a social worker. She earned statewide recognition as the Director of Lubbock City-County Welfare Department and served as Basileus of Eta Delta Omega. The “Willie Myrtle Washington Award” is presented to an outstanding soror in her honor.
Four of the original charter members; Soror Emma Loud, Soror Katherine Richardson, Soror Harvey Roberts and Soror Marjorie Thomas are currently Golden Sorors. The remaining charter members are now blessed Ivies Beyond the Wall.
