Chapter History
The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Eta Psi Omega Chapter (the “Chapter”) was chartered under the leadership of the 16th International President of the Sorority, Julia B. Purnell. Our Chapter’s Charter Members Muriel Frazier Eneas (Ivy Beyond the Wall - May 2016), Donna Donaldson Towns, Shirley Vanderpool(Ivy Beyond the Wall - June 2021), and Dolores Smith were all American citizens, transplanted in The Bahamas by virtue of their marriages to Bahamian men or the career pursuits of their husbands and were initiated into the Sorority as undergraduates in the United States of America.
Chartered on 21st September, 1963, in Nassau, The Bahamas, the Chapter is the second oldest chapter (and the longest continuous serving chapter) in the International Region of the Sorority. Today, there is a historical marker at the Eneas homestead, located in the heart of Nassau, to honour the history made there. Moreover, the chartering of the Chapter was not only historical for the Sorority, but for Black Greekdom in The Bahamas as we are the first Black Greek Letter Organisation to be chartered in The Bahamas.
Through our signature programs, and numerous community service initiatives, our Chapter has been a leader not only in our local community, but also within our Sorority. Unsurprisingly, recognising the need for greater inclusion and access for international chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® and members based in countries other than the United States of America, the leadership of the Chapter advocated for the International Region to be established. As a result of that advocacy, members of the Chapter were appointed to national committees and became intimately involved with the chartering of other international chapters. Throughout the 1980s, members of the Chapter continued to express their concerns to the national office of the Sorority for international chapters to have a closer and better relationship. Nearly two decades after the leadership of the Chapter began its efforts, on behalf of the international chapters of the Sorority, to establish the International Region, its goal was achieved. Today, the International Region has several chapters in The Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Dubai, Germany, Japan, Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa, South Korea and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We are beyond proud that it was the Eta Psi Omega Chapter that led this charge.
Our Chapter has been a staple in the Bahamian community for more than sixty years and our membership continues to uphold the ideals of our Sorority’s Founders and the vision of our Charter Members. By Culture and By Merit we have worked to ensure that we provide Service to All Mankind. We are proud of our history in The Bahamas and our positively impactful contribution to the legacy of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®.
Our Charter Members
Muriel Frazier Eneas
Born in 1920 in Savannah, Georgia to Dr. and Mrs. Simon Frazier, Muriel Frazier Eneas matriculated at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. It was at this historically Black university where Soror Muriel was initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® through Pi Chapter in 1938. In 1947, Muriel moved to The Bahamas with her husband, the late Dr. Cleveland Eneas. Upon her relocation to The Bahamas, Muriel worked as an educator where she taught French, Music, Latin and Health Science. Besides her commitment to the education of future generations of Bahamians, Muriel was an active member of the Suffrage Movement in The Bahamas. Recognising the need for an organisation like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® in The Bahamas, Muriel was dedicated to ensuring that she brought this positive and dynamic change to the community and worked alongside three other women to charter the Eta Psi Omega Chapter. In fact, it was at the home of Sister Muriel on the evening of 21st September 1963, when the then International President of the Sorority, Julia B. Purnell, chartered the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Eta Psi Omega Chapter – the first Black Greek Letter Organization in The Bahamas. Today, there is a historical marker at the Eneas Family homestead to mark the significance of that home, the birthplace of Greekdom in The Bahamas. She shared her Greek legacy with her late husband, Dr. Cleveland Eneas, her two sons, the late Dr. Cleveland Eneas Jr. and the late Dr. Judson Eneas who were members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated and her daughter, Dr. Agreta Eneas-Carey, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Sister Muriel became an Ivy Beyond The Wall on 17th May 2016.
Initiated at Pi Chapter, 1938
Fisk University
Nashville, Tennessee
Donna Donaldson Towns
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Sister Donna commenced her tertiary education at the historically Black Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she was initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® through Pi Chapter in 1954. In later years, Sister Donna earned a Master of Arts from Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois) obtained legal qualifications as a Clerk in the law offices of Isaacs, Johnson and Thompson (Nassau, The Bahamas) and earned a PhD in Anthropology from the esteemed American University (Washington, D.C.). Donna relocated to The Bahamas in 1961 to accompany her Bahamian husband, the late Timothy Baswell Donaldson, CBE who had been appointed as the Principal of the Jordan Prince William High School. She joined her then husband at the school and taught Spanish and English Literature. Donna was later employed as an Education Officer at the Ministry of Education and was instrumental in establishing the Guidance and Counselling Programme in the Bahamian public school system. Not one to rest on her laurels, Sister Donna transitioned to another challenging field and began her career in the legal profession. During her time in The Bahamas, Donna was an active member of the International Women’s Club but felt the need to do more. Recalling the value of the work of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® during her time as an undergraduate and recognising the need for the same in the Bahamian community, Donna joined forces with three other women to charter the Eta Psi Omega Chapter. She was instrumental in ensuring that the Chapter engaged in community service and maintained its camaraderie as an organisation based on sisterhood, scholarship and service. Donna currently resides in the United States of America.
Initiated at Pi Chapter, 1954
Fisk University
Nashville, Tennessee
Shirley Vanderpool
Born in 1938 in Chicago, Illinois but raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Shirley matriculated at the historically Black Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee where she was initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® through Pi Chapter in 1956. After she completed her studies at Fisk University, Shirley went on to pursue her Master of Arts at Iowa State University. Shirley later married Dr. Cyril Vanderpool, a Bahamian Dentist, and relocated to the homeland of her husband where she was employed with The Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism for a number of years. She lived in The Bahamas for fifteen years (1960 – 1975) and the idea to charter a local Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® was her own. The rationale was to have ‘family’ in The Bahamas (as our Charter Members were all transplanted American citizens) and sisters who would stay together. There was already a sense of sisterhood and camaraderie among Shirley and two of our other Charter Members as they were all living in The Bahamas as alumnae of Fisk University and initiated through Pi Chapter as members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®. However, Muriel, Donna and Shirley thought it necessary to extend this sisterhood to other members of the Bahamian community. The three of them soon connected with Dolores and worked together to charter the Eta Psi Omega Chapter. Shirley later returned to the United States of America, ultimately settling in Ohio. Sadly, Shirley became an Ivy Beyond The Wall on 10th June 2021.
Initiated at Pi Chapter, 1956
Fisk University
Nashville, Tennessee
Dolores Smith
Dolores Smith matriculated at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan where she was initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® through Beta Mu Chapter in 1953. She relocated to The Bahamas in 1959, to join her husband, the late Holland Garfield Smith who had relocated to The Bahamas for employment purposes a year earlier. Dolores is a retired educator who taught at various schools in The Bahamas. In chartering the Eta Psi Omega Chapter, it was the belief of Dolores that the Chapter would grow and be developed by Bahamian women, returning to The Bahamas from university abroad. It was with immense pride that Dolores stood with Muriel, Donna and Shirley on 21st September 1963 as Charter Members of only the second international chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®. Shortly after the chartering of the new Chapter, Dolores departed for England to pursue postgraduate studies in child development. Upon her return, she continued her studies at the then The Bahamas Teachers College for an additional three years. Dolores subsequently retired as an educator to assist her husband in his business as a structural engineer. As a Charter Member of the Eta Psi Omega Chapter, one of Dolores’ primary goals was to ensure that the membership of the Chapter grew. In 1965 membership increased to include the newly initiated members – (i) Dr. Gloria Sands, (ii) Lillian Walker, and (iii) Thelma McMillan while in 1966 the Chapter initiated Gwen Godet. As a small, but mighty, group, the Eta Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® committed to community development and lent its initial assistance to the Stapledon School and The Bahamas Red Cross. Dolores, as a proud Pearl Member, who remains a member of the Chapter she helped to charter, shares her Greek legacy with her late husband Holland Garfield Smith (Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated), her two daughters – Judith Smith and Renee Smith (Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and her son, Holland Kent Smith (Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated).
Initiated at Beta Mu Chapter, 1953
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan