Madeline Franklin: Remembering Alice Windom
"She was a superlative, without a doubt." - Madeline Franklin about Alice Windom, April 2025
Madeline Franklin, a dedicated activist and former president of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and one of the founding members for the Omicron Theta Omega chapter in St. Louis, stood alongside Alice Windom as a powerful force for change in the city’s civil rights landscape. As sorority sisters, Franklin and Windom worked closely on a range of community-driven efforts—organizing outreach programs, supporting political campaigns, and advocating for social justice across St. Louis.
Their partnership was especially vital during pivotal moments, such as championing the campaigns of trailblazing Black leaders like State Senator Gwen B. Giles and Comptroller John Bass. Together, they also pushed for increased Black representation on the St. Louis Board of Education, recognizing the importance of educational equity and leadership.
Franklin’s story is one of deep commitment to community, sisterhood, and justice—values she shared with Alice Windom in their lifelong pursuit of progress for Black St. Louisans.
Sisterhood in Service
Photograph and AKA Button, ca. 1990s
This photograph features members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., including Alice Windom (third row, second from left), gathering in the 1990s as part of the sorority’s ongoing civic and community work. The accompanying button symbolizes their shared commitment to education, political engagement, and public service.
A Dedication to Justice
Book on the Jefferson Bank Confrontation, signed by William Lacy "Bill" Clay Sr.
This book, found in Alice Windom’s personal collection, documents the pivotal Jefferson Bank protests—a 1963 civil rights action in St. Louis sparked by the bank’s refusal to hire Black employees. It is signed and dedicated to Windom by Bill Clay, former U.S. House of Representatives member and Missouri politician. Clay signed the book, 'To Alice, you were there to make it happen,' a tribute to her lifelong dedication to justice.
As a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Windom, along with Pearlie Evans and Betty Lee, helped lead efforts to raise funds for those wrongfully incarcerated during the protests. This book stands as both a historical record and a personal tribute to her role in one of St. Louis’s most important civil rights battles.
Madeline Franklin specifically outlined these efforts in her oral history interview about Alice Windom, and the work the AKA accomplished early on before Franklin joined.
"Black Dollar Days"
Newspaper Article, ca. December 1993
This newspaper article highlights an initiative led by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. members—including Alice Windom—to raise funds and visibility for Black-owned businesses by intentionally shopping local. The campaign reflected AKA’s long-standing commitment to economic empowerment and community uplift, using collective action to support Black entrepreneurship and build generational wealth from within. While Madeline did not specifically highlight this effort, it is an important example of the community outreach the AKA coordinated regularly.
“Sisters for the Vote: Advocating Education and Equity”
Photographs and Campaign Pin, ca. 1990's
These photographs document members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., marching in support of Propositions 1 and 2, ballot measures aimed at reforming the governance of St. Louis Public Schools. At the heart of the campaign was a shared mission: to increase Black representation on the Board of Education and ensure accountability to the communities most affected by educational inequality.
In a private interview, Madeline Franklin recalled how sorority members organized marches, informed voters, and worked behind the scenes to push for change. For her, the campaign was both a political effort and a personal extension of their commitment to service and justice.
The accompanying campaign pin symbolizes their determination to create lasting impact, one vote—and one voice—at a time.
"She was not a materialistic person. So, you know she did not spend money on clothes or anything like that. She spent her money on books, and she had a tremendous library. She was always introducing us to books that we should read and encouraging us to gain more knowledge." - Madeline Franklin about Alice Windom, April 2025
Alice Windom’s Intellectual Legacy
Book Collection Selections
These books—1001 Things Everyone Should Know About African American History, Aboriginal Art, and Afrocentrism—are part of Alice Windom’s personal collection and reflect the themes that shaped her life’s work. Each title speaks to her deep commitment to cultural heritage, global Black identity, and education.
In an interview, Madeline Franklin noted how these subjects were central to Alice’s worldview and conversations—evidence of a mind always engaged in understanding and celebrating the richness of African and African American histories. These books are more than reading material; they are windows into the ideas that fueled Windom’s activism, scholarship, and sense of purpose.
"I think her legacy is to strive to, and to be willing to speak truth to power. That was certainly one of the things that she did, as well as to acquire as much information and knowledge as possible so that when you spoke truth to power you would speak it from a basis of fact and not feeling." - Madeline Franklin about Alice Windom, April 2025