Susie Quander

In our series #oursisterssisters which highlights the achievements of our sisters’ sisters during #sisterhood month we present #zetaphibetasororityincorporated member #SusieQuander sister of A.K.A incorporator #NELLIEQUANDER  Susie R. Quander

Susie R. Quander was an American educator, church worker, and civic leader whose career bridged public education, religious instruction, and Black women’s organizational leadership during the mid-twentieth century.

She was born September 20, 1882, in Washington, D.C., into the historic Quander family, one of the oldest documented African-American families in the United States. Her parents were John Pearson Quander, a Union Army veteran, and Hannah Bruce Ford Quander.

She was also the sister of Nellie Quander, the woman who led the incorporation of Alpha Kappa Alpha in 1913 and became its first international president.

Quander was a graduate of Howard University and pursued further academic work at the University of Pennsylvania. She began her professional career in Washington, D.C., public schools, where she served as a teacher and became known for her civic involvement and leadership within religious and fraternal organizations. She also served as Principal of High English at Morris Brown University in Georgia beginning in 1921.

One biographical entry described her as:

“Teacher — very active and enthusiastic member of Beta Zeta Chapter, Washington, D.C. Teacher, well known social worker; member of many religious and fraternal organizations.”

Quander played a prominent role within Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, particularly in its Washington and Cleveland circles.

Records describe her as:

* President of Epsilon Zeta Chapter��

* A member of Beta Zeta Chapter in Washington, D.C.��

* An Honorary Member and Basileus Emeritus of the sorority ( Only one source says this.)

By the mid-twentieth century, she was widely recognized as a respected elder within the organization. In 1957, the Gamma chapter of Zeta Phi Beta honored her with a farewell event before she left Cleveland to return to Washington. The event was hosted by Mrs. Margaret Bentley and attended by several members of the sorority.

Quander’s civic identity was closely tied to the church. She worked extensively within Methodist missionary organizations and religious education programs.

Her roles included:

* Secretary of Missionary Education��

* Dean of the Cory Methodist Church School of Missions��

* Instructor in missionary and religious education programs��

A 1955 article reports that she helped organize a mission study program on India, coordinating lectures, film presentations, and educational activities for the congregation.

Another report notes that she served as secretary of missionary education during a School of Missions program of the Women’s Society of Christian Service.

Newspaper accounts also describe her earlier work in Washington public schools as a guidance counselor, further highlighting her commitment to education and youth development. She later served as a secretary on the steering committee of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, the organization founded by historian Carter G. Woodson. The committee promoted the study and teaching of Black history, connecting Quander to one of the most influential intellectual movements in twentieth-century African-American life.

Throughout the 1950s, Quander remained active in religious education, church leadership, and sorority life. She died on May 2, 1973, at the age of *91*. (Correction: Thank you, Sonya) . Funeral services were held at Tindley Temple in Philadelphia, and she was interred at Mount Zion Cemetery.