Julia Evangeline Brooks
Encyclopedia
Julia Evangeline Brooks was an incorporator of Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Incorporated, the first sorority founded by African American women. The sorority has continued to generate social capital for nearly 100 years.
Having earned a B.A. degree at Howard and M.A. at Columbia University, Brooks was a devoted educator for the rest of her life. She worked most of her life at the academic, prestigious Dunbar High School in Washington, DC. Brooks was an assistant principal there for 26 years, and also served as dean of girls. These were unusual positions of authority for any woman of that time. Brooks inspired generations of students.
in Oxford, Pennsylvania
in 1873. He became a minister in Washington, DC.
During her youth, Julia attended public schools in Washington, D.C.
. Julia was enrolled at Sumner Magruder Elementary School and M Street High School. This was the academic high school for African Americans in Washington, named in 1916 for the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. It had an illustrious faculty and high standards, and attracted the best students from Washington and other cities in the South.
After graduating high school, Julia Brooks enrolled in Miner Normal School, a training school for teachers. She taught primary school for a few years, then Brooks went on to Howard University for more education. It was one of the top two historically black colleges in the nation, at a time when only 1/3 of 1% of African Americans and 5% of whites of eligible age attended any college.
, Minnie B. Smith
and Ethel Jones Mowbray
incorporated Alpha Kappa Alpha on January 29, 1913.
Brooks and the other incorporators, were listed by name in Article Four of the sorority's Certificate of Incorporation. After incorporation, Julia served as treasurer of the directorate until 1923.
and English
for six years at Washington D.C.'s prestigious Dunbar High School. Brooks went on to graduate study during summers at Columbia University
in New York City and received her Master of Arts
in 1928.
Brooks devoted her life to education. Beginning in 1922, Julia Brooks was promoted to assistant principal at Dunbar High School, the academic high school for African Americans. This was an unusual position of authority for any woman and made her prominent in the Washington educational community. Brooks served in this position for 26 years, through the rest of her life. She was also appointed Dean of Girls. Because the District was run as part of the Federal government, African American teachers in the public schools were paid on the same scale as whites. The city attracted outstanding teachers.
Brooks directly assisted six nieces and nephews with obtaining a college education by support, taking them to special events, tutoring when necessary, and contributing financially.
She was a charter member of Xi Omega chapter in Washington, D.C.
, established in 1923. Julia Brooks wrote an early history of the sorority, which she gave at the 1923 Boulé in Baltimore, Maryland. At Founders' Day at Xi Omega on January 30, 1924, the history was presented as a lecture. Julia Brooks died on November 24, 1948.
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle...
Sorority, Incorporated, the first sorority founded by African American women. The sorority has continued to generate social capital for nearly 100 years.
Having earned a B.A. degree at Howard and M.A. at Columbia University, Brooks was a devoted educator for the rest of her life. She worked most of her life at the academic, prestigious Dunbar High School in Washington, DC. Brooks was an assistant principal there for 26 years, and also served as dean of girls. These were unusual positions of authority for any woman of that time. Brooks inspired generations of students.
Early life
Julia was one of ten children born to Walt Henderson Brooks and Eva Holmes Brooks in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her father, a slave as a child, grabbed at the chance for education, earning B.A. and theology degrees from Lincoln UniversityLincoln University (Pennsylvania)
Lincoln University is the United States' first degree-granting historically black university. It is located near the town of Oxford in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. The university also hosts a Center for Graduate Studies in the City of Philadelphia. Lincoln University provides...
in Oxford, Pennsylvania
Oxford, Pennsylvania
Oxford is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Oxford is the closest town to Lincoln University. The population was 4,315 at the 2000 census.-History:The borough was once called Oxford Crossing and Oxford Village....
in 1873. He became a minister in Washington, DC.
During her youth, Julia attended public schools in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. Julia was enrolled at Sumner Magruder Elementary School and M Street High School. This was the academic high school for African Americans in Washington, named in 1916 for the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. It had an illustrious faculty and high standards, and attracted the best students from Washington and other cities in the South.
After graduating high school, Julia Brooks enrolled in Miner Normal School, a training school for teachers. She taught primary school for a few years, then Brooks went on to Howard University for more education. It was one of the top two historically black colleges in the nation, at a time when only 1/3 of 1% of African Americans and 5% of whites of eligible age attended any college.
College life and incorporation of Alpha Kappa Alpha
Brooks was one of several members who were early supporters of the idea of incorporating Alpha Kappa Alpha to provide for its future expansion. As a result, Brooks, Nellie Quander, Norma Boyd, Nellie Pratt RussellNellie Pratt Russell
Nellie Pratt Russell was an incorporator of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the first sorority founded by African-American college women...
, Minnie B. Smith
Minnie B. Smith
Minnie B. Smith was an incorporator of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the first sorority founded by African American women. Although Smith died young in the influenza epidemic in 1919, the legacy she created with Alpha Kappa Alpha has continued to generate social capital for nearly 100 years.Minnie...
and Ethel Jones Mowbray
Ethel Jones Mowbray
Ethel Jones-Mowbray was one of the twenty founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the first sorority founded by African American women. Her legacy was an organization that has helped African American women succeed in college, prepare for leadership and organize in communities, and...
incorporated Alpha Kappa Alpha on January 29, 1913.
Brooks and the other incorporators, were listed by name in Article Four of the sorority's Certificate of Incorporation. After incorporation, Julia served as treasurer of the directorate until 1923.
Career and Later life
After graduation from Howard University with a B.A. degree in 1916, Brooks was qualified to teach at the high school level. She taught SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
for six years at Washington D.C.'s prestigious Dunbar High School. Brooks went on to graduate study during summers at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York City and received her Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1928.
Brooks devoted her life to education. Beginning in 1922, Julia Brooks was promoted to assistant principal at Dunbar High School, the academic high school for African Americans. This was an unusual position of authority for any woman and made her prominent in the Washington educational community. Brooks served in this position for 26 years, through the rest of her life. She was also appointed Dean of Girls. Because the District was run as part of the Federal government, African American teachers in the public schools were paid on the same scale as whites. The city attracted outstanding teachers.
Brooks directly assisted six nieces and nephews with obtaining a college education by support, taking them to special events, tutoring when necessary, and contributing financially.
She was a charter member of Xi Omega chapter in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, established in 1923. Julia Brooks wrote an early history of the sorority, which she gave at the 1923 Boulé in Baltimore, Maryland. At Founders' Day at Xi Omega on January 30, 1924, the history was presented as a lecture. Julia Brooks died on November 24, 1948.