South Eastern Region

Established: 1953 (in current configuration)
First Regional Director: Lois H. Daniels
First Regional Conference: April 1954, Normal, AL

Geography at Creation
In 1932, the Southern Region’s name was changed to the South Eastern Region. From its inception, the South Eastern Region was comprised of 8 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee. In 1953, the Region was realigned; Alabama, parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee remained as the new South Eastern Region.

Geography Today
Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee (as a result of 1962 realignment)

First Undergraduate Chapter Chartered
Pi (Meharry Medical College); April 12, 1921 (Moved to Fisk University, April 1927)
Charter members: Pauline Kigh Reed, Druceilla Barnadanoe, Clarise Bartlett, Georgia Blackmore, Wilhelmina Bowles, Mildred Harper, Lelia Lyon, Marie Williams

First Graduate Chapter Chartered
Omicron Omega (Birmingham, AL); October 24, 1924
Charter members: Vivian F. Bell, Mabel Harris, Jessie Coleman, Eunice Hudson, Wilma Davis

Undergraduate & Graduate Chapters Today
Undergraduate Chapters – 49
Graduate Chapters – 54

Region Highlights

• Host to 3 Boules
• Home of Founder Harriet J. Terry, after whom Alabama A&M University’s Terry Hall is named
• Home of 3 International Presidents: Maude Brown Porter, 7th Supreme Basileus; Arnetta G. Wallace, 14th Supreme Basileus; Julia B. Purnell, 16th Supreme Basileus
• Home of: Carey Preston, the Organization’s first administrative secretary;
  Pauline Kigh Reed, charter member of the Region’s first chapter (Pi) and Central’s first Regional Director; Mary Chambers, the first executive director of the Cleveland Job Corps
• Site of the first major health initiative: The Mississippi Health Project; identified by the U.S. Surgeon General as the greatest public health initiative implemented in the country. A national monument was dedicated in Mound Bayou to commemorate the project.
• Organized the first Pan-Hellenic Council in the state of Alabama (Omicron Omega)

Regional Directors

Mae Hatchette Maude E. Brown Carolyn Blanton C. Russell Harris Portia Trenholm Maude E. Brown Arnetta G. Wallace Mayme E. Williams

Lois H. Daniels Julia B. Purnell Reva W. Allman Velma Lois Jones Ernestine Holloway Savannah C. Jones Johnella H. Martin Esther Martin Rigsby

Nancy Gardner Sewell Ida K. Martin Vanessa Rogers Long Jo Celeste Pettway Cynthia J. Finch Juanita Sims Doty