The Selma Times-Journal

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. is celebrating 100 years.

To commemorate this milestone, the local chapter, Zeta Eta Omega, is hosting a centennial luncheon at noon, Saturday, at the Carl C. Morgan Convention Center. Carolyn House Stewart, a shareholder at Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen law firm, Tampa, Fla., and first vice president of AKA Inc., will be the guest speaker.

Tickets for the luncheon are $15 and can be purchased from any sorority member.

The local chapter will also be celebrating its 54th year of service at a &8220;Denim and Diamonds&8221; reception for the local members at 7 p.m., Friday, at the St. James Hotel.

The theme for the centennial celebration, which is yearlong, is &8220;Celebrating our past, serving our community, and honoring our sisterhood.&8221;

Founded Jan. 15, 1908, AKA is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African-American college-trained women.

A pilgrimage to the sorority&8217;s founding place, Howard University, in Washington, D.C. is slated for July 11-18, where a centennial boul/ is scheduled. Members of the local chapter plan to attend.

The international sorority recently donated $1 million to its founding college, which is to be used to preserve the sorority’s heritage through a founder&8217;s endowed scholarship in the name of its first national president, Nellie Quander.

The local chapter consistently invests in the Black Belt by awarding more than $100,000 in scholarships annually for the last 10 years.

The sorority also sponsors five youth groups and this year sponsored its first little league team, Roses.

The chapter also distributes thousands of books to the area through Reading is Fundamental.

For more information, contact 875-3912 or 875-2481.