Alpha Kappa Mu was founded in 1937 at Tennessee A&I State College and was admitted to the Association of College Honor Societies in 1952. Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society grew out of an idea conceived by Dr. George W. Representatives from five Colleges which already had local scholastic honor societies on their campuses met in November 1937, to study Honorary Scholastic Societies at the invitation of Dr. Gore. The formation of "The Federation of Honor Societies" was the outgrowth of this meeting. The Executive Committee chosen for this Federation was:
Dean James C. Evans, West Virginia State College, Chairman Miss Georgia L. Jenkins, Tennessee A & I State College, Secretary-Treasurer Dean W. Gibbs, North Carolina A & T College Dr. W. Farrison, Bennett College Dr. George W. Gore, Jr., Tennessee A & I State College
Currently, there are approximately 92,000 members affiliated with 79 different chapters. Most chapters are found in the South and Midwest, and the majority are at public colleges and universities. The original goal of the honor society was to promote and reward academic excellence among African-American students. Due to their roots, most Alpha Kappa Mu chapters are still located at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, though some can be found at predominantly white colleges, and today acceptance is race-blind.
