Iota Omega Charter Members

Soror Helen Lawrence Brown graduated from Norfolk Mission College. She then attended Howard University where she was initiated into Alpha Chapter. She served as Grammateus and Anti-Basileus of Alpha Chapter and later graduated in 1920. She also served as class secretary and treasurer.

Upon graduation, Soror Brown returned to Norfolk, VA. Soror Brown was one of the sorors, along with Evelyn Lightner and Wanser Bagnall who were instrumental in the chartering of the Iota Omega Chapter. She served as the chapter’s first Grammateus.

She married Oscar C. Brown, Esq., who completed his law degree at Howard in 1922. He was also president of Beta Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha in 1921.

Soror Brown and her husband moved to Chicago in 1925. Soror Brown worked briefly as a teacher and social worker. She published two books of poetry: My Window (1972) and A Second View: From My Window (1980). She was the mother of musician and composer Oscar Brown, Jr.

Soror Brown was very active in the Chicago community and was a member of Women’s Board of the University of Chicago and the NAACP.

Soror Brown is the sister to Iota Omega’s sixth chapter Basileus Margaret B. Lawrence Lofton.

Soror Evelyn Lightner was initiated into Alpha Chapter at Howard University in 1922. She served as the chapter’s second Anti-Basileus. She later graduated in 1922.

After graduation, she returned to Portsmouth, VA where she was instrumental in the chartering of the Iota Omega Chapter along with Wanser Bagnall Webb and Helen awrence Brown. She served as the chapter’s first Epsitoleus.

Soror Carter served as the First South Atlantic Regional Organizer from 1926-1929. She also served as Associate Editor of the Ivy Leaf in1926 and the Sixth Second Supreme Anti-Basileus.

Soror Carter and her family moved to Philadelphia, PA where she transferred her membership into Omega Omega Chapter.

Soror Carter became a Life Member in 1976.

Soror Carline Davis was a charter member of the Iota Chapter at the University of Pittsburgh. The chapter was chartered May 1918. Soror Davis graduated in 1921 with a Ph.C. or a degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry.

It is believed that Soror Davis was originally from Richmond. It is unclear as to why she helped to charter Iota Omega in 1922, when Delta Omega was chartered in Petersburg, VA in 1921, being that the proximity of Petersburg was much closer than that of Norfolk.

According to the 1921 Ivy Leaf Magazine, she was listed as a Pharmacist in Richmond, VA.

Soror Madeline Foreman was initiated into Alpha Chapter at Howard University. She later graduated in 1918.

Upon graduation she returned to Newport News, VA.

Soror Foreman became a charter Member of Lambda Omega Chapter in Newport News, VA in 1934 and was instrumental in the forming of Gamma Upsilon Omega Chapter in Hampton, VA in 1937.

Soror Pauline K. Johnakins was initiated into Zeta Chapter at Wilberforce College. She graduated in 1922 was a B.S. in History/Economics.

Upon graduation, she returned to Newport News VA, where she was a teacher at Huntington High School from 1923-1930.

Soror Johnakins later became a charter member of Lambda Omega Chapter in Newport News, VA in 1934.

Soror Ruth Pollard was initiated into Alpha Chapter at Howard University in 1914. Soror Pollard considered it to be an honor to be initiated on Howard’s campus before Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority became incorporated.

She served as Treasurer of Freshman class of 1914 and was active in the Girls Club of College of Arts and Sciences in 1916. She also served as corresponding secretary for The English Chatauqua. Soror Pollard graduated in 1917. She returned to Portsmouth, VA where she became a Mathematics Teacher. She retired as a Science Teacher. In 1939 Soror Pollard became a charter Member of Gamma Delta Omega Chapter in Portsmouth, VA. She served in every office, except Basileus. Soror Pollard was a Life Member and Golden Soror.

Soror Edna Prout was initiated into Alpha Chapter at Howard University. She graduated in 1918.

She moved to Norfolk shortly after graduation. She served as the chapter’s first Ivy Leaf Reporter.

Soror Carrie Russell was initiated into Alpha Chapter at Howard University. She was a member of the Girls Club of College of Arts and Sciences in 1916.

She graduated from Howard University in 1917. Upon graduation she returned to Portsmouth, VA where she became a Latin Teacher at I.C. Norcom High School.

Soror Russell was the chapter’s first Hodegos and assisted in completing the chapter’s first chapter constitution in 1923.

Soror Russell later became a charter member of Gamma Delta Omega Chapter in Portsmouth, VA in 1939.

Soror Virginia Sears was initiated into Alpha Chapter at Howard University. She graduated in 1917.

She returned to Norfolk, VA after graduation. Soror Sears was the chapter’s first Anti-Basileus and assisted in completing the chapter’s first chapter constitution in 1923.

Soror Wanser Bagnall Webb was initiated into Alpha Chapter at Howard University. She served as Basileus of Alpha Chapter from 1918-1919 and later graduated in 1919.

Upon graduation she returned to Norfolk, VA. Soror Webb was instrumental in the chartering of the Iota Omega Chapter and she served as our first chapter Basileus. When the Mid-Atlantic Region was created which consisted of Virginia and North Carolina, the chapter continued its Founder’s Day celebrations. One year Soror Webb was the keynote speaker. She was also a State Women’s Club and Community Leader. While in Norfolk, Soror Webb served as the Executive Secretary of the Colored United Charities and worked in the Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs. She was president of the Norfolk-NAACP, and President of the Dorcas Sunday School Class for 27 years at the Historic First Baptist Church; as well as, Collaborator of Girls Week. She was a member of Mamie E. Gordon Women’s Missionary Society, Eastern Stars, Women’s Auxiliary to Norfolk Medical Society.

Soror Wanser Webb was Life Member and Golden Soror. The chapter sponsors a Mid-Atlantic Regional Award in her honor.