The Ties that Bind "06-08"

[Professor]

The Ties that Bind:
George Lyle and Ethel Hedgeman Lyle, Frat and Soror, Husband and Wife
by Skip Mason

What is the true relationship between Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority other than the fact that they were the first? Is it mere coincidence or divine intervention.
Journey back to the campus of Howard University in the fall of 1907, when Cornell University
student and Alpha initiate Eugene Kinckle Jones arrived on the campus of Howard University to
establish the second chapter of the very young fraternity known as Alpha Phi Alpha at the request
of the mother chapter Alpha. Contacts had been made and preliminary work had already been
done through the assistance of the school's dean, Kelly Miller, who assisted Jones in selecting the
nineteen young men who subsequently became charter members of the chapter known as Beta.
Included in that sixteen was George A. Lyle, a native of St. Louis, Missouri and a junior. Lyle's
girlfriend Ethel Hedgeman was also a native of St. Louis. They both had graduated from Sumner
High School in 1904, where they were sweethearts even then. Upon arrival at Howard in the fall
of 1905, both Lyle and Hedgeman were very active on the campus and was one of the more
popular couples.

George and these eighteen other men were initiated into the fraternity in Dec. 20 1907 certainly
much to the delight of Ethel. This solidified her move to forge ahead with the sorority idea. The
obvious fact is that Hedgeman was keenly aware of George's participation in the new fraternity.
AKA Founder Margaret Flagg said" Because of Lyle and his connection with Alpha Phi Alpha,
Ethel conceived the idea of the sorority." Not only was she aware of this new movement in
brotherhood and sisterhood, she was inspired. According to the Marjorie Parker in the book "In
the Eye of the Beholder," Hedgeman had returned to Howard inspired to organize a sorority. With
her insight and vision Hedgeman approached her friend Lucy Slowe with the idea of establishing a
similar group for women. Hedgeman and her nine friends engaged in research of the sorority idea,
ascertained interest from other female students in the Liberal Arts College and submitted a
proposal and constitution the Howard University Board of Trustees for the privilege to establish a
sorority, the first in the school's history. They met on January 15, 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority was born. The establishment had also come with tremendous support from two teachers
at Howard, namely Ethel Robinson and Elizabeth Cook. In the meantime, George and his new
brothers experienced the growing pains of laying the foundation for the chapter and fostering the
fraternity's idea. Ironically, the fall of the 1908 found both Ethel and George as presidents of the
chapters during their Senior year. George hosted Alpha's first convention on the campus of
Howard in December of 1908 and a social was held with the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority.

Both Lyle and Hedgeman graduated in the Class of 1909. George went to New York and then
Philadelphia for additional studies after his graduation. Ethel traveled to Eufala, Oklahoma where
she taught music. She also taught in Centralia, Illinois in 1911. On June 21, 1911, they were
married and later gave birth to one son, George, Jr. The Lyle's were very active in Philadelphia
society and were members of the Mount Pisgah A. M. E.Church. Ethel chartered the Mu Chapter
in 1911 and Omega Omega Chapter in 1926 in Philadelphia and George Lyle was very active
Rho Chapter, also in Philadelphia. Their son GeorgeJr., the father of two daughters. Ethel
Hedgeman Lyle died in 1950 and George's exact date death is not known but his wife preceded
him.