Finding aid for the Kappa Kappa Gamma Cleveland Alumnae Association Records

History of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Cleveland Alumnae Association

The Kappa Kappa Gamma Cleveland Alumnae Association (1901-present) was founded in 1901 as the Cleveland Alumnae Association of Kappa Kappa Gamma in Cleveland, Ohio. The Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity (formed before the word 'sorority' was in use) was formed at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois. It was formed by a small group of female students who wondered why female students shouldn't have the same privileges as male students that were part of fraternities. Females could be involved in what were called literary societies but these had no social aspects. Mary Louise Bennett and Hannah Jeanette Boyd first formed the idea of a Greek letter society for women around 1869-1870 and then added their classmates and friends Mary Moore (Minnie) Stewart, Anna Elizabeth Willits, Susan Burley Walker and Martha Louisa (Lou) Stevenson to the group. Their purpose, according to Mary Louise Bennett, was to "draw into the society the choicest spirits among the girls, not only for literary work, but also for social development". They chose a golden key as their symbol for the purpose of "unlocking the hidden mysteries in Science, Literature, and Art" and their main goal was to show women's ability of intellectual advancement equal to that of men. The group made its first public appearance on the Monmouth Campus on October 13, 1870 which is now considered the organization's Founders' Day. Other chapters around the country were formed and the organization grew from there, today considered one of the oldest and largest Greek letter societies for women in America. The mission statement, written in the 1980s, states that "Kappa Kappa Gamma is an organization of women which seeks for every member throughout her life bonds of friendship, mutual support, opportunities for self-growth, respect for intellectual development, and an understanding and an allegiance to positive ethical principles".

Alumnae chapters were formed in order for members to stay active in the organization once graduated from college. The Cleveland Alumnae Association was formed on November 16, 1901 and is part of the Gamma Province. In 1938 a Cleveland West Shore Alumnae Association was chartered, causing the name of the Cleveland Alumnae Association to be changed to the Cleveland East Alumnae Association. Around 2003, the Cleveland chapters merged, changing the name back to the Cleveland Alumnae Association.

The Cleveland Alumnae Association follows a path set by the parent organization of first supporting its sisters, then participating in local service projects and finally, supporting the greater good. With these goals in mind, they act in a support and advisory role for the undergraduate chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma at John Carroll University, Eta Zeta. They also participate in several philanthropic activities. Their main philanthropic partner is the organization Reading Is Fundamental. The Cleveland Alumnae Chapter works with this organization to donate books and volunteer time to read with elementary school students. The local school they work with is Miles Park Elementary in Cleveland. They also participate in Relay for Life, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Habitat for Humanity along with fundraising for the American Cancer Society, and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and other breast cancer initiatives. They also give support to the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation which provides scholarships, aid, education and training, and supports Kappa Kappa Gamma's two museums and the Rose McGill Fund.

Because of the diverse interests of its membership, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Cleveland Alumnae Association holds various kinds of events and activities including book clubs, yoga, holiday parties, business meetings, sporting events, their philanthropic work, and more. They have also won various awards for service and commitment and in 2012 were a regional finalist for the Most Outstanding Association Award.

Scope and Content

The Kappa Kappa Gamma Cleveland Alumnae Association Records, 1901-2011, consist of a series of records and a series of scrapbooks. The records include budgets, charts, correspondence, dues statements, invitations, membership directories and rolls, minutes, newsletters, publicity material, programs, and songs. The scrapbooks include awards, brochures, certificates, correspondence, event announcements, greeting cards, magazine articles, newsletters, newspaper articles and clippings, obituaries, photographs, and programs.

This collection is of value to researchers interested in women's groups and their growth and change from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to the present-both nationwide and more specifically in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. Those especially interested in the birth and growth of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity and its alumnae association in the Cleveland, Ohio area will find this collection useful. There is much information about the membership of the Cleveland Alumnae Association and later the Cleveland East Alumnae Association from the early 1900s through 2011 and its activities and philanthropic work. The records series is more valuable for those looking for administrative information (both Alumnae and Philanthropy reports are included in the records series) while the scrapbook series focuses more on events and social activities. Genealogists would find the membership information useful, found throughout both series of records, but concentrated in the records series.

More generally, those interested in the birth and growth of fraternities, sororities, their alumni affiliates and the National Panhellenic Conference in the United States and more locally in the Cleveland, Ohio area will also find this collection of note. The newsletters, minutes, and historian reports found in the records series along with the conference newsletters found in the scrapbook series will be useful as will the published histories of Kappa Kappa Gamma removed to the WRHS Research Library Collection.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Access

None.

The researcher should also consult MS 5306 Kappa Kappa Gamma Cleveland Alumnae Association Records, Series II.

Published material has been removed to the WRHS Research Library Collection.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 5153 Kappa Kappa Gamma Cleveland Alumnae Association Records, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Gift of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Cleveland Alumnae Association in 2012.

Processing Information

Processed by Kathryn Nelson and Hannah Kemp-Severence in 2013.

Detailed Description of The Collection