Lillie Burke

Lillie Burke
Born	Hertford, North Carolina
Died	December 16, 1949 Washington, D.C.
Alma mater	Howard University University of Pennsylvania
Occupation	Educator
Known for	Founder of Alpha Kappa Alpha

Lillie Burke (died December 16, 1949) was an American woman who was one of the original founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in 1908, the first sorority founded by African-American women. Burke and her sister Beulah Burke were two of the nine cofounders.

In her leadership as an educator and organizer, Burke created important social capital. The chapter Burke helped establish in Washington, D.C., helped support African-American women in the community in their leadership of the next generations in society.

Lillie Burke demonstrated in her work as an educator and active sorority member 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."^[1]