About Us
Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc.
Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. is a national business and professional women’s organization with a rich legacy of leadership and community service spanning nearly a century. Founded in 1929 by Lola Mercedes Parker in Chicago, Illinois, Iota Phi Lambda was established as one of the first African American business sororities, founded during the height of the Great Depression to empower women economically and professionally.
Our national mission is: “To unite in a sisterhood qualified business and professional women who will encourage, inspire, nurture, and assist persons engaged in business vocations.”
Today, Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. has grown to 70 chapters with nearly 1,500 members across 60 cities, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Our members represent a wide range of industries and professions, united by shared values of sisterhood, scholarship, service, and leadership.
Gamma Tau Chapter
The Gamma Tau Chapter was founded on April 8, 1967, in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul by nine pioneering women who shared the vision of Lola M. Parker: Bernyce Welling, Dalphine Robinson, Marlene Daniels, Dorothy Ellison, Lillian Warren, Bertha Smith, Dr. Norma Jean Anderson, Lillian Anthony, and Gwendolyn Jefferson.
For more than five decades, Gamma Tau has remained an active and vital presence in the Twin Cities community. Our members promote national Iota programs, honor African American heritage, celebrate educators and entrepreneurs, and partner with leading national organizations including the National Urban League, the NAACP, the Children’s Defense Fund, and the United Negro College Fund.
We observe National Education Week, Correspondence Month, Black History Month, and Business Month, all in service of our commitment to academic excellence, community uplift, and the continued advancement of women in business.
We invite you to explore our programs, connect with our members, and join us in our mission. Together, we are individually distinctive, and together, unstoppable.
Iota Phi Lambda Sorority Facts
Founded in 1929 by Lola Mercedes Parker, Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. is one of the nation’s premier business and professional women’s organizations, uniting women in sisterhood, service, and economic empowerment for nearly a century.
Founded: June 1, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois
Colors: Emerald Green and White
National Motto: “Upward and Onward in Efficient Service”
Active Members
Active Chapter
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