Ethel Jones Mowbray

Ethel Jones-Mowbray was one of the twenty founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, specifically belonging to the sophomore group of 1910. She was also an incorporator of the sorority in 1913.

Early life
Born to Mr. and Mrs. George Jones, in Baltimore, Maryland, Ethel's mother died during child birth, and her father raised her until she was ten. Later, Ethel was raised with a foster family, the Myers. Ethel was educated in Baltimore public schools, and graduated from honors. Ethel enrolled in Howard University in 1906 in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Founding of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
At Howard, Ethel was a part of the sophomore seven initiates of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She was also a part of the first Ivy Day ceremonies on May 25, 1909, where some members of the sorority planted ivy at the south part of Miner Hall. She was the first vice-president of Alpha Kappa Alpha in 1909. In March 1910, Mowbray served as president of the chapter. Ethel graduated in 1910 with a bachelor's degree in math with a minor in education. After college, she taught in Baltimore public schools and married her college sweetheart George Mowbray in 1913. Ethel followed her husband to Chicago, where George studied at the University of Chicago.

Incorporation of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
When hearing plans of seven members desiring to cede from Alpha Kappa Alpha in order to form a new sorority in late 1912, Nellie Quander contacted graduate members, including Mowbray, in order to stop the proposals. As a result, Mowbray, Quander, Julia Evangeline Brooks, Norma Boyd, Nellie Pratt Russell and Minnie B. Smith incorporated Alpha Kappa Alpha on January 29, 1913. The dissenters formed another sorority entitled, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. In 1913, Mowbray was the vice-president of Alpha Kappa Alpha's first directorate.

Later years
In 1914, Ethel and her husband moved to Kansas City, Kansas. She was employed as a culinary artist, while her husband was a teacher at the Kansas City Board of Education. She was also an owner of a catering business. In 1924, Mowbray helped to charter Mu Omega in Kansas City. Some of the hobbies that Mowbray enjoyed was belonging to three bridge clubs and working with the PTA club as a junior high school "room mother." Both Ethel and George had two children, Geraldine, who is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, and Helen.

Mowbray died on November 25, 1948, in Kansas City, Kansas. Alpha Kappa Alpha's Educational Advancement Foundation currently has an endowment in Mowbray's honor.