Margaret Flagg Holmes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Flagg Holmes
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| Born | September 6, 1886 |
| Died | January 29, 1976 (aged 89) |
| Occupation | founder of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated; English and Latin teacher |
| Spouse(s) |
John Clay Holmes
(m. 1917–1946) |
| Parent(s) | Rev. Lewis Flagg and Callie McAdoo |
Margaret Flagg-Holmes (born September 6, 1886 – died January 29, 1976) was an important American educator. She was one of the sixteen women who founded the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. This sorority was started at Howard University in Washington, D.C. It was the first sorority created by African-American women.
Margaret Holmes spent over 30 years teaching high school. She taught subjects like Latin, history, and English. She was even named "Best Latin Teacher" in Chicago, Illinois. She also led the history department at Du Sable High School. This was a big achievement for a woman at that time.
Holmes was very active in her sorority's Chicago chapter. She also worked with groups like the NAACP and the YWCA. She showed how African-American sororities helped women gain influence and power.
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Early Life and Education
Margaret Flagg was born in Durham, North Carolina. Her parents were Reverend Lewis and Callie McAdoo Flagg. She went to elementary school in Durham.
Later, her family moved to Washington, D.C.. Margaret attended M Street High School, which was later called Dunbar High School. She graduated in 1904. Howard University recognized her talent and gave her a scholarship.
Margaret's ambition was clear. Very few African Americans attended college back then. Howard University was a top historically black college.
Founding Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
In September 1904, Margaret started her studies at Howard University. She focused on Latin, history, and English.
Margaret worked with Ethel Hedgeman and Lavinia Norman. They helped plan the sorority and improve its first constitution. Lucy Diggs Slowe had drafted the first version.
On January 15, 1908, Margaret was one of nine African-American women who founded the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. This was a historic moment for African-American women.
Teaching Career and Achievements
Margaret Holmes earned advanced degrees. She taught in academic high schools, which was unusual for many women teachers of her time. She also led an academic department for many years.
For nine years, Margaret taught history, Latin, and English. She taught at the same Baltimore high school as fellow sorority founder Lucy Diggs Slowe.
Margaret continued her education during summer breaks. In 1917, she earned a Master of Arts degree in philosophy from Columbia University in New York.
On August 1, 1917, Margaret Flagg married John Clay Holmes. They moved to Chicago, Illinois. Margaret started teaching again in 1922. She taught Latin at Wendell Phillips High School. This was the first high school for African Americans in Chicago. It was known for its talented teachers and students. Margaret was even named "Best Latin Teacher of the City."
The school later grew and was renamed Du Sable High School. Margaret Holmes became the head of the history department. She held this leadership position for several years, until 1931. Leading a high school department was a rare achievement for women educators at that time. Margaret Holmes taught for over 30 years, shaping many students' lives until 1953.
Community Involvement and Sorority Work
In Chicago, Margaret Holmes was active in the NAACP and the YWCA. The NAACP works for civil rights for African Americans. The YWCA helps empower women and girls.
Through her work for civil rights, Holmes worked with important NAACP leaders. These included Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois, Mary White Ovington, and Dr. Joel Elias Spingarn.
Margaret Holmes was very involved with the Theta Omega alumnae chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha in Chicago. She was active there for over thirty years, from 1922 to 1953. She served as both vice-president and president of the chapter.
The sorority chapter and national organization raised money for scholarships. They also supported the NAACP and the Urban League. They worked to improve education for African Americans and gain civil rights. Holmes helped the African-American community during tough times. This included the Great Depression and the Great Migration. During the Great Migration, many African Americans moved from the South to cities like Chicago.
Later in her life, Margaret Holmes moved to New York. She became a member of the Tau Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Kappa there. She worked with the sorority for nearly seventy years.
Margaret and her husband John traveled across the United States and Canada. In Paris, France, Margaret met the famous African-American dancer Josephine Baker. In 1931, the Holmes couple even met Pope Pius XI.
After her husband John died in 1946, Margaret Holmes moved to New York City. She lived with her sister. Margaret Holmes passed away on January 29, 1976.
