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Biography · Education & Scholarship

Joanna Berry Shields

1884–1965

United States

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Biography

Joanna Mary Berry Shields (July 7, 1884 - February 2, 1965) was one of the seven members of the sophomore class of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the first sorority founded by African-American women. She served as an educator for more than 20 years, both in the South, where need was especially critical, and in New York City, where African-American migration had created a new community. In addition, she was a leader in civic activities, where her years of accomplishments caused her to be chosen for the New York Mayor's Committee on Human Rights and the Consumers Protective Committee.

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Black heritage reference ↗

Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

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