Founders | Mission Statement | Symbols

Founders

Until 1870, Greek-letter Fraternities were a privilege afforded only to men, but in that same year two Greek-letter fraternities were founded for women. Kappa Kappa Gamma was one.

Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity was founded at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois on October 13, 1870.

These six young founders of Kappa Kappa Gamma were among the first women to avail themselves of the privilege of Greek-Letter societies.
  1. Hannah Jeannette Boyd
  2. Mary Louise Bennett (Boyd)
  3. Martha Louisa Stevenson (Miller)
  4. Mary Moore Stewart (Nelson, Field)
  5. Susan Burley Walker (Vincent)
  6. Anna Elizabeth Willits (Pattee)
These women were indeed pioneers when they dared to march into the most public part of the Monmouth College campus, its chapel, on October 13, 1870. They wore golden keys, bearing the Greek letters of KKG in their hair. This historic event is remembered every year on Founders Day, October 13. Founders Day is also a time for Kappa members of all generations to come together in sisterhood and friendship.

Mission Statement

Kappa Kappa Gamma is an organization of women, which seeks for every member throughout her life bonds of friendship, mutual support, opportunities for self-growth, respect for intellectual development, and an understanding of and an allegiance to positive ethical principles.

Symbols

The Badge: The badge worn by the women of Kappa Kappa Gamma is the Golden Key. The first keys were larger than the modern day keys, and were worn in the hair, on the bodice, near the waist, or clasped at the collar as a brooch. The modern day key is one inch in length with the letters KKG on the stem and Alpha Omega Omicron on the ward. The badge may be either plain gold or jeweled. On the reverse side of the key are engraved the owners' initials, identifying symbol of her chapter and the date of initiation. The Badge is to be worn strictly as an emblem of membership and only by initiated members.
The New Member Pin: The pledge pin of Kappa Kappa Gamma is a Delta of dark blue enameled on silver, one-half of an inch on each side enclosing a Sigma of light blue enamel. It is worn only by a person pledged to membership in the Fraternity and surrendered at the time of initiation to the current President.
The Colors: The colors of the Fraternity are light blue and dark blue, adopted by the Alpha chapter two year after founding. These colors are sometimes described as "blue of sky and sea" in many Kappa songs.
The Flower: The Fleur-de-lis was declared as the Fraternity flower in 1890 because of its general dignity, stateliness, and grace. It was also chosen because it combines the two blues of the Fraternity in one flower.
The Symbolic Bird: The owl is the bird of wisdom as well as the bird of Minerva the goddess of wisdom, and was used as a Kappa symbol first in 1881.
The Jewel: The sapphire is recognized as a symbol of truth, sincerity and constancy. It is also the gem of autumn, the time of the birth of Kappa Kappa Gamma. In the lore of precious stones, the sapphires's blue hue is believed to embody the spirits of light and wisdom. The sapphire was adopted at the same year as the fleur-de-lis, 1890.
The Coat of Arms: The Fraternity Coat of Arms combines the well known symbols of Kappa Kappa Gamma- the key, the Greek-letters, the pledge pin, the fleur-de-lis, the owl, and the two blues. It also displays the head of Minerva, the Goddess of Wisdom.