Bernice I. Sumlin

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Bernice I. Sumlin
A young African-American woman, from a 1961 newspaper photo
Bernice I. Sumlin, from a 1961 newspaper
Born
Bernice Irene Sumlin

November 29, 1926
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJanuary 11, 2018(2018-01-11) (aged 91)
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
OccupationEducator
Known forInternational president, Alpha Kappa Alpha (1974)

Bernice Irene Sumlin (November 29, 1926 – January 11, 2018) was an American educator. She became the nineteenth international president of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority in 1974. She was a national vice president of the National Council of Negro Women. She was born and died in Dayton, Ohio.

Early life[edit]

Bernice Irene Sumlin was born in Dayton, Ohio, the daughter of Wright R. Sumlin and Gussie Bingham Sumlin. She graduated from Dunbar High School, and from Wilberforce College in 1948, and earned a master's degree in education administration at Miami University in 1951.[1] She became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha in 1946, and continued working with the sorority for the rest of her life.[2]

Career[edit]

Sumlin was a teacher, guidance counselor, special education coordinator, and high school principal in the Dayton Public Schools.[1][3] In 1961, she helped organize the Westwood neighborhood of Dayton against a zoning variance for a storage yard.[4]

From 1970 until she retired in 1980, she was principal of an alternative high school for pregnant students.[5] She was active in the African Methodist Episcopal Church,[6][7] and served on the board of directors at Unity Bank.[3]

After several regional and national leadership roles,[8][9] Sumlin was elected the nineteenth international president of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority in 1974,[10] and completed her term in 1978. She used her leadership position to focus the organization on literacy and education causes.[11][12] In 1975, Sumlin represented the sorority at International Women's Year events in Washington, D.C., and Mexico City. In 1977, she was named one of Dayton's Top Ten Women.[1] She later received the sorority's Woman of the Decade Award.[3]

In 1997, Sumlin gave a presentation at the Fourth African American Summit in Harare, Zimbabwe.[2] She was a national vice president of the National Council of Negro Women,[13] and a fundraiser and organizer for the NAACP.[2][7][14]

Personal life[edit]

Sumlin died in 2018, aged 91 years, in a nursing home in Dayton.[11]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Nichols, Jim (1977-10-24). "Local Teacher to be Honored for her Work". Dayton Daily News. p. 19. Retrieved 2021-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c "Bernice Irene Sumlin's Biography". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  3. ^ a b c Ullmer, Katherine (1986-11-02). "Touching Lives Teacher's Principle Profession". Dayton Daily News. pp. 1F, 6F. Retrieved 2021-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Allbaugh, Dave (1961-07-16). "Westwood Volunteers Mobilize, Win Battles Against Blight". Dayton Daily News. p. 40. Retrieved 2021-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Knout, Jo Ann (1975-01-30). "Serving People is what Makes Her Tick". Dayton Daily News. p. 31. Retrieved 2021-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Quinn Chapel Plans Sunday Youth Rally". Wilmington News-Journal. 1952-02-29. p. 5. Retrieved 2021-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b "Trinity Has 121st Anniversary". Lansing State Journal. 1987-10-17. p. 28. Retrieved 2021-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Garcia, Mrs Henry (1965-03-12). "AKA Sorority Active in Federal Job Corps Program". Xenia Daily Gazette. p. 18. Retrieved 2021-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Johnson, Toki S. (1965-05-22). "Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorors Regional Confab Magnificent". Pittsburgh Courier. p. 6. Retrieved 2021-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Dayton Educator Elected AKA President". Pittsburgh Courier. 1974-08-17. p. 13. Retrieved 2021-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b Carter, Jarrett Sr (January 15, 2018). "Central State's Bernice Sumlin, Former AKA International President and HBCU Advocate, Dies". HBCU Digest. Archived from the original on 2021-01-19. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  12. ^ "Drive Launched to Help Negro College Fund". Lansing State Journal. 1977-10-02. p. 33. Retrieved 2021-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Combs, Julia T. (1988-06-07). "National Group Honors 10 Women from Dayton". Dayton Daily News. p. 49. Retrieved 2021-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Snell, Roger (1981-10-12). "Speaker Pictures Reagan as Reversing Black Gains". Chillicothe Gazette. p. 1. Retrieved 2021-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
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