Joanna Mary Berry Shields

Who was Joanna Mary Berry Shields?

Joanna Mary Berry Shields was one of the seven members of the sophomore class of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the first sorority founded by African-American women. She created a legacy that has continued to generate social capital for nearly 100 years.

Joanna Shields served as an educator for more than 20 years, both in the South, where need was especially critical, and in New York City, where African-American migration had created a new community.

In addition, she was a leader in civic activities, where her years of accomplishments caused her to be chosen for the New York Mayor's Committee on Human Rights and the Consumers Protective Committee. In her life, Shields demonstrated 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."