Chapter History
Mu Omega was chartered under a lucky star, and we are justly proud that one of the founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Beulah E. Burke was also a charter member of the chapter. At her call, on April 23, 1924, came Carolyn and Frances Kealing, Gladys Holmes, and Mae Miller. They gathered at the home of Dr. and Mrs. H.T. Kealing, whose doors were always open for any activity of A.K.A. The Kealing home became the scene of many initiations and festivities of Mu Omega Chapter.
On May 5, 1924, initiation services were conducted for Byrd D. Jackson, Vera G. Jackson, Ina Thomas (Primm), and Ida J. Wood. They were initiated on May 31, 1924. On May 10, 1924, Mu Omega was officially established as the eleventh graduate chapter by the Western Organizer, Blanche Patterson. By the end of 1924, the membership totaled seventeen members: Mabel Andrews, Beulah Burke, Gladys Claggett, Louise Clark, Carrie Daniels, Scottie P. Davis, Myra Glenn, Byrd Jackson, Vera Jackson, Carolyn Kealing, Frances Kealing, Florence Kiser, Mae Miller, Eula Oscar, Ina Thomas, Emily Vernon and Ida Wood.
In 1940, Mu Omega and Beta Omega chapters hosted the Alpha Kappa Alpha Boule in conjunction with the National Conventions of Alpha Phi Alpha and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternities, touting the event as the “Tri-Fraternal” Convention held December 27-30 in Kansas City, Missouri. Business sessions, luncheons, banquets, and dances were given by each of the three organizations. One of the activities held for sorority members attending the Boule was on Sunday, December 29 when religious services were held at the First A.M.E. Church, one of the leading churches of the Midwest which today is still located at Eighth and Nebraska in Kansas City, Kansas.
One of the delights of the chapter was to welcome members of Delta Chapter established at the University of Kansas in Lawrence into the fold of Mu Omega after graduation. Delta Chapter was the fourth undergraduate chapter to be chartered in A.K.A. by Lorraine Richardson Green who served as the Second National President of the sorority. Mu Omega became the proud sponsor of Delta Chapter, mentoring the members as they matriculated at KU. In 1951, two members of Mu Omega and Beta Omega chapters suggested sponsoring a Debutante Ball as a fundraiser to help support the sorority’s Delta House in Lawrence, Delta House was purchased and financed by the sorority to provide and ensure that black students attending KU had adequate and desirable housing. The Delta House was maintained by the sorority until open housing laws were passed.
With each new administration of Alpha Kappa Alpha, comes new programs focusing on Education, Economics, Health, The Black Family, and The Arts. Mu Omega has always embraced these programs and it has been the Kansas City, Kansas community that has been the beneficiary of the service provided by the members of our chapter. Mu Omega has enjoyed many notables and the notoriety of some of her members such as Alpha Kappa Alpha’s founding members, Beulah Burke and Ethel Jones Mowbray.
Mu Omega always strives for new and uplifting ways to help the community. We pride ourselves on being able to give back to the people of Kansas City in many different ways. A new and exciting avenue was the creation of our foundation, The Metropolitan Leadership Institute. The Metropolitan Leadership Institute is an IRS 501 (c) 3 foundation that will be used to assist Mu Omega and other local organizations to promote programs that help others.
