In the early days of Alpha Kappa Alpha, along with adopting salmon pink and apple green as their colors, they picked the ivy leaf as their symbol to signify strength and endurance. At their first Ivy Day ceremony at Howard University in 1909, members planted sprigs of the plant around campus. It has been said that some of the ivy that grows on the grounds of Howard to this day were planted there by founder Sarah Meriwether (front center), who had a penchant for planting cuttings in prevalent spots throughout the campus. But the ivy has grown beyond the grounds of Howard University. Today, nearly 300,000 women, many of whom joined the sorority through Ivy Leaf Clubs – are still spreading the AKA motto of  “By Culture and By Merit.”