Black Chicago-based sorority found in contempt of court (AKA)

[Blue_Tires]

One of the nation’s most influential black women’s organizations was found in contempt of court Tuesday by a judge in Chicago for failing to bring the group’s records to court, as he had ordered on Monday.

The Chicago-based Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. sent a human resources manager to court. She told the judge she didn’t have the records.

“It has become apparent to this court that the leadership of the organization has intentionally taken steps to frustrate this court’s order,” Cook County Judge Daniel Riley said, ordering that the organization’s records custodian be in court Wednesday.


The leadership, members and high-level staffers of Alpha Kappa Alpha — the nation’s oldest Greek-lettered sorority for African-American women — are in St. Louis this week for its national meeting.

It’s the group’s first gathering since it was sued by members in June 2009 who accused AKA and its president, Barbara A. McKinzie, a former Chicago Housing Authority financial executive, of mishandling the organization’s money — for one thing, by paying McKinzie more than $1 million in salary and retirement for a post that traditionally had been unpaid.

They also said in the lawsuit that McKinzie, whose four-year term as president ends this week, spent thousands of dollars at a time on meals, limousine rides and jewelry for personal use, as well as funding a project that included a wax statue of herself in a Baltimore museum and starting a campaign to raise $100 million for an endowment fund to be run by her management firm, BMC Associates.

In February, a judge dismissed that lawsuit.

Then, in March, Julia Purnell, who at 94 is the sorority’s oldest past president, filed another lawsuit after the organization refused her request for access to review its books.

On July 1, Riley ruled that Purnell could inspect the records. Purnell said she planned to present findings during this week’s meeting in St. Louis, at which members are to vote on leadership and how the group is run.

Purnell’s lawyers said they were rebuffed on several occasions when they went to the sorority’s headquarters on Stoney Island Avenue on Chicago’s South Side with the court order.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/2493680,alpha-kappa-alpha-sorority-contempt-071310.article

[Number23]

1. *GULP*

:blush:

Say Blue_Tires, why don't you post this in the dungeon or somewhere a little less OPEN?? :)

"for one thing, by paying McKinzie more than $1 million in salary and retirement for a post that traditionally had been unpaid."

Say WHAT???!!!!??!! :wow: :wow: :wow:

[Karenina]

2. OOOOOH, Alpha Kappa Alphaaaa

Deeear Alpha Kappa Alphaaa...

Loved the ivy, the green and pink paddles and the cotillions... NOT! :rofl::rofl::rofl:

I appreciate the Sorors, they and their obsessions taught me a lot while affording me the opportunity to travel across the country! Aber, psssst! Unter vier augen... sie sind TOTAL (ich meine das ernst) bescheuert. I love playing cards. I DO NOT PLAY BRIDGE.

[Number23]

3. Girl,

you are bringing back some MEEEEMMMRIIIIES!

Paddles were gone by the time I came around but I remember our basileus telling us not to sway when we sang the hymn. "I betta not see ANYBODY swaying!!" I have no idea why she was so anal about that. :rofl: To this day I can't sing that song without remembering that or getting a little misty. :)

I'd heard from sorors about all of this stuff going on with Barbara McKenzie but this is some crazy isht. How the hell do you take a job that you know has been unpaid for literally a hundred years and say "I want a salary. I'll take a million dollars, thanks." :wow: