Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Alpha Alpha Lambda Chapter, Inc.
Founded October 13, 1926
Do your best to present
yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be
ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15
Historical Moments
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IT
AND BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF THE FRATERNITY
#2
VOL. 1, NO. 2 - APRIL 16, 1999
"FIND THE GOOD AND PRAISE IT!"
Alex Haley
The Ties that Bind:
George Lyle and Ethel Hedgeman Lyle
Frat and Soror, Husband and Wife
by Skip Mason
What is the true relationship between Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority other than the fact that they were the first?
Is it mere coincidence or divine intervention. Journey back to the campus
of Howard University in the fall of 1907, when Cornell University student
and Alpha initiate Eugene Kinckle Jones arrived on the campus of Howard
University to establish the second chapter of the very young fraternity
known as Alpha Phi Alpha at the request of the mother chapter Alpha. Contacts
had been made and preliminary work had already been done through the assistance
of the school's dean, Kelly Miller, who assisted Jones in selecting the
nineteen young men who subsequently became charter members of the chapter
known as Beta. Included in that sixteen was George A. Lyle, a native
of St. Louis, Missouri and a junior. Lyle's girlfriend Ethel Hedgeman
was also a native of St. Louis. They both had graduated from Sumner High
School in 1904, where they were sweethearts even then. Upon arrival
at Howard in the fall of 1905, both Lyle and Hedgeman were very active
on the campus and was one of the more popular couples.
George and these eighteen other men were initiated into the fraternity
in Dec. 20, 1907 certainly much to the delight of Ethel. This solidified
her move to forge ahead with the sorority idea. The obvious fact is that
Hedgeman was keenly aware of George's participation in the new fraternity.
AKA Founder Margaret Flagg said" Because of Lyle and his connection
with Alpha Phi Alpha, Ethel conceived the idea of the sorority."
Not only was she aware of this new movement in brotherhood and sisterhood,
she was inspired. According to the Marjorie Parker in the book "In the Eye
of the Beholder," Hedgeman had returned to Howard inspired to organize a
sorority. With her insight and vision Hedgeman approached her friend Lucy
Slowe with the idea of establishing a similar group for women. Hedgeman
and her nine friends engaged in research of the sorority idea, ascertained
interest from other female students in the Liberal Arts College and submitted
a proposal and constitution the Howard University Board of Trustees
for the privilege to establish a sorority, the first in the school's history.
They met on January 15, 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority was born. The
establishment had also come with tremendous support from two teachers at
Howard, namely Ethel Robinson and Elizabeth Cook. In the meantime,
George and his new brothers experienced the growing pains of laying the
foundation for the chapter and fostering the fraternity's idea. Ironically,
the fall of the 1908 found both Ethel and George as presidents of
the chapters during their Senior year. George hosted Alpha's first
convention on the campus of Howard in December of 1908 and a social was
held with the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Both Lyle and Hedgeman graduated in the Class of 1909. George went to
New York and then Philadelphia for additional studies after his graduation.
Ethel traveled to Eufala, Oklahoma where she taught music. She also taught
in Centralia, Illinois in 1911. On June 21, 1911, they were married and
later gave birth to one son, George, Jr. The Lyle's were very active in
Philadelphia society and were members of the Mount Pisgah A. M. E.Church.
Ethel chartered the Mu Chapter in 1911 and Omega Omega Chapter in 1926 in
Philadelphia and George Lyle was very active Rho Chapter, also in Philadelphia.
Their son George, Jr., the father of two daughters. Ethel Hedgeman Lyle died in
1950 and George's exact date death is not known but his wife preceded him.
The undergraduate should be allowed a still greater participation in
the management of the fraternity as its relates to them... All programs
as to fraternity activities in local communities should be as far as possible
through the direction of undergraduate brothers." Jewel George Biddle Kelley, 1948
