Alpha Chi Alpha (recognition)

Alpha Chi Alpha International Collegiate Honorary Journalistic Fraternity was founded at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee on December 17, 1919.^[1][2][3] It was created as an honorary women's fraternity to recognize women who were active in collegiate publications and to advance the study of journalism.^[4][3] It was considered a sister fraternity to Pi Delta Epsilon, a journalism honor fraternity for men.^[2][5]

Alpha Chi Alpha became a national organization in 1921 when chapters were established at Franklin College, Florida State College for Women, and Ripon College.^[1][4] These were followed by chapters at Northwestern University and University of Southern California in 1924, and at Colorado Agricultural College in 1925.^[1][4] In 1926, chapters were chartered at Carnegie Institute of Technology, Cornell University, and Georgetown College.^[1][4]

Alpha Chi Alpha was reorganized in 1928.^[1][4] In 1929, following the establishment of a chapter at Salem College, the honor sorority had seven active and four inactive chapters.^[4] The organization held biennial annual meetings, with the fourth meeting being held in Los Angeles, California, in July 1936.^[6] In December 1938, the society held its first national Alpha Chi Alpha Week, featuring discussions about the press at campuses with chapters.^[7]

In 1940, Alpha Chi Alpha had grown to include nine active and five inactive chapters.^[1] On June 31 and July 1–2, 1944, the fraternity's national convention was held in Vermillion, South Dakota.^[8] On July 1, 1944, Alpha Chi Alpha voted to merge into Pi Delta Epsilon.^{[9][10][11][a]}

Alpha Chi Alpha's badge was shield-shaped, with the Greek letters "ΑΧΑ" over a crossed sword and quill superimposed on a scroll, with a star on the upper part of the scroll on the background of black enamel.^[1] Its colors were gold and white, replacing its original colors of orange and white.^[1][4] Its flower was a yellow rose, replacing the daisy that was its original flower.^[1][4] Its publication was The Al-Cri, published three times an academic year.^[1][4]

Membership was open to women who had worked for at least one and a half years for a collegiate publication.^[3][12]

Following are the chapters of Alpha Chi Alpha, with inactive chapters in italics.^[1][4]

• Zona Gale, novelist, short story writer, playwright, and the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama^[6]
• Mary Holland Kinkaid (honorary), novelist and journalist^[6]

• Honor society
• Professional fraternities and sororities