First African-American to win Winter Olympic gold is AKA

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Vonetta Flowers, the first African-American to win a gold medal at a Winter Olympic games is also an honorary member of the historically black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.

The olympian, who won the gold in bobsledding at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, is one of a number of honorary Alpha Kappa Alpha members, from author Maya Angelou to civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks.

Honorary membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha is considered the sorority’s highest honor, given to those making extraordinary strides in their field, according to the sorority’s website.

Alpha Kappa Alpha was founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. and is the oldest of the 4 historically black sororities.