Anna Easter Brown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anna Easter Brown
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | April 13, 1879 West Orange, New Jersey, United States
|
| Died | March 5, 1957 (aged 78) |
| Occupation | original founder of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated; History teacher |
| Parent(s) | Beverly Brown and Lawrie Brown |
Anna Easter Brown (born April 13, 1879 – died March 5, 1957) was one of the important founders of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. This was the first sorority started by African-American women students. It has helped people and communities for over 100 years.
Anna Easter Brown also studied at Columbia University. She worked as a high school teacher in North Carolina for almost 40 years. She was very important in teaching new generations of students. Anna Brown was a great teacher and kept high standards for her students. She also created special displays to teach people about African-American history. She helped start the YWCA in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. She also helped Alpha Kappa Alpha grow by starting a new local chapter.
Early Life and Education
Anna Brown was born on Easter in New Jersey. Her parents were Beverly and Lawrie Brown. She graduated with honors from West Orange High School in 1897. This prepared her well for Howard University. Howard was a top historically Black college in the United States. At that time, very few African Americans went to college. Only a small number of white people did either.
Founding Alpha Kappa Alpha
While at Howard University, Anna Brown worked as the main evening librarian. She also took classes in the Teachers College Department. On January 15, 1908, Anna Brown and eight other women helped create the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Anna Brown was the sorority's first treasurer. She also wrote a song for the sorority.
She helped write the final rules for the sorority. During their planning meetings, she wrote down the sorority's history. This helped future members learn about its beginnings. Anna Brown earned her teaching degree in 1909.
Teaching and Community Work
After graduating, Anna Brown continued her studies at Columbia University. From 1909 to 1926, she taught at Bricks School in Bricks, North Carolina. During these years, she also traveled around the country. She wrote articles for Opportunity, a magazine from the National Urban League.
In 1925, Anna Brown moved to Rocky Mount, North Carolina. She kept working in education there. She taught history at Booker T. Washington High School in Rocky Mount. She worked there for almost 30 years, from 1926 until 1952.
Anna Brown was a founding member of the Chi Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha in Rocky Mount in 1925. She was also the president of this chapter. She also helped start the YWCA in Rocky Mount.
Anna Brown loved teaching the community about African-American history. She created special local exhibits every year. Her twenty-fifth exhibit was so good that it was talked about all over the country. Anna Brown passed away on March 5, 1957.
