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The First Southern Regional Director was Soror Odessa P. Williams who hailed from Delta Chapter, Atlanta, Georgia.  She was instrumental in furnishing material and reviewing Iota’s first The History of Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc., 1929-1939:  First Decade and Handbook.

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At the Sixth National Convention in Washington, DC, Soror Williams presented “Workable Programs for the Next Years” which resulted in the election of a National Director of Education.  Soror Williams also served as the Chairman of the Projects Committee at the 18th National Convention held in Denver, Colorado in August, 1955.

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The First National President to serve after our founder, Soror Lola Mercedes Parker, was Soror Alice P. Allen from the Southern Region.  The body unanimously voted her to become National President at the Eighth National Convention held in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, August 1946.

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Another First was the 21st National Convention held in Miami, Florida in August, 1968.  Sorors were invited to cruise to Nassau, Grand Bahamas Islands as a Post-Convention Excursion.

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Regional Directors from the Southern Region were described as “veins carrying the life blood of the sorority.”  Regional Conferences sprang from this recognition and the first Southern Regional Conference was held in the Jacksonville, Florida in January, 1937.  History records one soror’s reaction to her experience:  “You not only learn what to say, but also how to say it.”

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Under the tutelage of Soror O. P. Willaims, Southern Regional Director, in August, 1935, the First Undergraduate Chapters were established  -- one at FAMU in Tallahassee, Florida and the other at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia.  They were named Mu and Nu, respectively; however, “Delta” was later placed before all undergraduate chapters to distinguish them from graduate chapters.

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The Southern Region is blessed to have two White Rose Queens who are still contributing and active in Iota business in the persons of Sorors Billy Glover-Morris (Tuskegee, AL)  and (Dr.) Priscilla Thomas (Savannah,GA).  Soror (Dr.) Ossie Ware-Mitchell (Birmingham,AL) was recently committed to Omega Chapter on March 11, 2004.