Scholarly Survey: Alice M. Sims - A Trailblazer at the University of Kansas and Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated

Alice M. Sims: A Trailblazer at the University of Kansas and Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

Alice Marie Sims graduated in 1927 as a pioneering student at the University of Kansas, at a time when higher education for African American women was still facing profound challenges in society. Originally from the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Alice was a survivor of the Tulsa race massacre along with one surviving sister, three brothers and her father, Doctor and Surgeon W. H. Sims. The whereabouts of her mother after the riot, Alice P. Sims, are still in question.

Ms. Sims completed her high school diploma in Abilene, Kansas after fleeing Tulsa with her siblings. She went on to pursue a degree in Physical Education from the University of Kansas during an era where people of color were not allowed dormitory or any type of lodging on campus and were likely relegated to the rear of the classroom.  As a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA), Alice M. Sims was part of a rich legacy of empowered women who were dedicated to service, scholarship, and sisterhood. Founded in 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated was the first Greek-letter sorority established by African American Collegiate women at Howard University by "20 pearls", and the Sorority quickly became a symbol of excellence, leadership, and community involvement on every campus with a chapter. Alice M. Sims, with her membership, joined a distinguished group of women who excelled both academically and socially, advocating for equality and progress in every sphere of life.

During her time at the University of Kansas, Sims not only navigated the challenges of being an African American woman in a predominantly white institution before Brown vs. Board of Education, desegregation or any part of the civil rights movement, but she also benefitted from the growing influence of sororities and sisterly relations in collegiate life. Her role in this sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated was an integral part of her academic and professional growth, fostering a sense of unity and activism within the university's African American community as well as a support system for herself and her sorority sisters. Alice M. Sims' legacy serves as an inspiration, reflecting the transformative power of education and the lasting impact of sorority sisterhood on individuals and communities of color. Through her dedication and resilience, she contributed to the groundwork for future generations of women pursuing academic and professional success.