On December 6, 1921, a group of public school teachers and college professors gathered in Stillwater, Oklahoma
to share teaching ideas, to socialize and to simply have fun. Among them were Mary Brogden and Mable Caldwell, two educators at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University), who played a significant role in the founding of the sorority. This women's group organized the
Order of the Blue Blue Violet.
They obtained a state charter in Oklahoma on January 10, 1922. At the annual meeting on February 6, 1931,
the name was changed to Kappa Kappa Iota. In April 1949, Kappa Kappa Iota was nationalized.
The violet was chosen as the flower. The blue-violet of the violet and the yellow-gold were selected as the sorority colors.
Kappa Kappa Iota has the distinction of being the oldest organization for educators
in the United States.
More information about the history of Kappa Kappa Iota can be found in The Legend of the Violets available through the
National Headquarters.
