Lucy Diggs Slowe
Encyclopedia
Lucy Diggs Slowe was one of the original sixteen founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Incorporated, the first sorority founded by African-American women. She was one of the nine original founders of the sorority in 1908 at Howard University
. Her legacy of Alpha Kappa Alpha has continued to generate social capital for over 100 years. Transcending the era's limits, Lucy Slowe was a woman of many "firsts".
In 1922, Slowe was appointed the first Dean of Women at Howard University. She continued as a college administrator at Howard for 15 years, service ended by her death. In addition, Slowe created and led two professional associations to support college administrators. In her leadership as an educator and college administrator, Slowe created important social capital.
Slowe was also a tennis
champion, winning the national title of the American Tennis Association
's first tournament in 1917, the first African-American woman to win a major sports title.
Lucy Diggs Slowe demonstrated in her work as an educator, tennis champion, college administrator and civic organizer how African American sororities supported women "to create spheres of influence, authority and power within institutions that traditionally have allowed African Americans and women little formal authority and real power."
to Henry Slowe and Fannie Porter Slowe. Her father was a hotel operator. After both her parents died when Lucy was young, she was raised by her aunt Martha Price in Lexington, Virginia
. At thirteen, Lucy and her family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where she attended the Baltimore Colored School. She graduated second in her class in 1904.
Slowe was the first person from her school to attend Howard University
, the top historically black college 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.
. She also served as the chapter's first president.
Slowe's generation created many organizations to support African American college and community life. Her cousin Elder Watson Diggs
was a founder of Kappa Alpha Psi
Fraternity, Incorporated.
After graduation, Slowe returned to Baltimore to teach English in high school. During the summers, she started studying at Columbia University
in New York, where she earned her Masters of Arts
degree in 1915.
Slowe continued working as an educator in Baltimore for several years, then she returned to Washington, DC to teach. 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 system attracted outstanding teachers, especially for Dunbar High School, the academic high school for African Americans.
In 1917, Slowe won the American Tennis Association
's first tournament. She was the first African-American woman to win a major sports title. Two years later, in 1919, the District of Columbia asked Lucy Slowe to create the first junior high school in its system and then appointed her principal. She led the school until 1922.
That year, in 1922, Howard University selected Lucy Slowe as the first College Dean of Women. Slowe was the first African-American female to serve in that position. Slowe continued to serve as a college administrator at Howard for the rest of her career, another 15 years.
To pool resources, share knowledge, and build collaboration, Slowe founded both the National Association of College Women, which she led for several years as first president, and the Association of Advisors to Women in Colored Schools. She served as College Dean at Howard University until her death on October 21, 1937.
After Slowe's death, Howard University named a graduate women's residence hall in her honor. Lucy Diggs Slowe Hall opened in 1943. Located at 1919 Third Street, NW, the hall today operates as a co-ed residence. And, the District of Columbia honored her by naming Lucy Diggs Slowe Elementary School. In 1986, the 70th Convention of the National Association of Women Deans, Administrators and Counselors' formally recognized Slowe's contributions. They presented a plaque dedicated to her to hang at their headquarters in Washington, DC.
More recently, Lucy Diggs Slowe was one of the women champions featured in the exhibit Breaking The Barriers: The ATA and Black Tennis Pioneers, sponsored by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and Museum
from August 25 to September 9, 2007.
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. She was one of the nine original founders of the sorority in 1908 at Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
. Her legacy of Alpha Kappa Alpha has continued to generate social capital for over 100 years. Transcending the era's limits, Lucy Slowe was a woman of many "firsts".
In 1922, Slowe was appointed the first Dean of Women at Howard University. She continued as a college administrator at Howard for 15 years, service ended by her death. In addition, Slowe created and led two professional associations to support college administrators. In her leadership as an educator and college administrator, Slowe created important social capital.
Slowe was also a tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
champion, winning the national title of the American Tennis Association
American Tennis Association
----The American Tennis Association is based in Largo, Maryland, and is the oldest African-American sports organization in the United States. The core of the ATA's modern mission continues to be promoting tennis as a sport for black people and developing junior tennis players, but the ATA...
's first tournament in 1917, the first African-American woman to win a major sports title.
Lucy Diggs Slowe demonstrated in her work as an educator, tennis champion, college administrator and civic organizer how African American sororities supported women "to create spheres of influence, authority and power within institutions that traditionally have allowed African Americans and women little formal authority and real power."
Early life
Lucy Diggs Slowe was born in Berryville, VirginiaBerryville, Virginia
Berryville is an incorporated town in and the county seat of Clarke County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,963 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
to Henry Slowe and Fannie Porter Slowe. Her father was a hotel operator. After both her parents died when Lucy was young, she was raised by her aunt Martha Price in Lexington, Virginia
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
. At thirteen, Lucy and her family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where she attended the Baltimore Colored School. She graduated second in her class in 1904.
Slowe was the first person from her school to attend Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
, the top historically black college 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.
Howard and Alpha Kappa Alpha
Lucy Diggs Slowe was one of the nine original founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908. She was instrumental in drafting the sorority's constitutionConstitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
. She also served as the chapter's first president.
Slowe's generation created many organizations to support African American college and community life. Her cousin Elder Watson Diggs
Elder Watson Diggs
Elder Watson Diggs was a principal founder of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. He was the fraternity's first Polemarch , and received the Laurel Wreath, the highest recognition of achievement bestowed by Kappa Alpha Psi.-Early life:Diggs was born in Madisonville, Kentucky, on December 23,...
was a founder of Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
Fraternity, Incorporated.
Teaching, Tennis, and Dean of Women
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, where she earned her Masters 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...
degree in 1915.
Slowe continued working as an educator in Baltimore for several years, then she returned to Washington, DC to teach. 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 system attracted outstanding teachers, especially for Dunbar High School, the academic high school for African Americans.
In 1917, Slowe won the American Tennis Association
American Tennis Association
----The American Tennis Association is based in Largo, Maryland, and is the oldest African-American sports organization in the United States. The core of the ATA's modern mission continues to be promoting tennis as a sport for black people and developing junior tennis players, but the ATA...
's first tournament. She was the first African-American woman to win a major sports title. Two years later, in 1919, the District of Columbia asked Lucy Slowe to create the first junior high school in its system and then appointed her principal. She led the school until 1922.
That year, in 1922, Howard University selected Lucy Slowe as the first College Dean of Women. Slowe was the first African-American female to serve in that position. Slowe continued to serve as a college administrator at Howard for the rest of her career, another 15 years.
To pool resources, share knowledge, and build collaboration, Slowe founded both the National Association of College Women, which she led for several years as first president, and the Association of Advisors to Women in Colored Schools. She served as College Dean at Howard University until her death on October 21, 1937.
Honors
More recently, Lucy Diggs Slowe was one of the women champions featured in the exhibit Breaking The Barriers: The ATA and Black Tennis Pioneers, sponsored by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and Museum
International Tennis Hall of Fame
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. The hall of fame and honors players and contributors to the sport of tennis and includes a museum, grass tennis courts, an indoor tennis facility, and a court tennis facility.-History:The hall of fame and...
from August 25 to September 9, 2007.