Lavinia Waring Moore

Elizabeth Lavinia Waring Moore was an educator, civic leader, and proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®.

 Born to William and Amanda Waring and granddaughter of Lavenia Crutchfield, she grew up in one of Washington’s respected African American families, known for scholarship and community leadership.

A graduate of M Street High School and Miner Normal School, she became principal of Ivy City School in 1898, one of the few African American women to hold such a position at the time.

In 1903, she married Dr. Lewis Baxter Moore, dean at Howard University, becoming stepmother to his children, Sarah Moore Pride and Lewis Moore Jr. She made sorority history as the House Mother of the Alpha Chapter House in Washington, D.C.—the first home in the United States created and owned by an African American sorority. In this role, she mentored young women, exemplifying the ideals of academic excellence, refinement, and service.

Her life’s work bridged education, community service, and the advancement of African American women in higher education and leadership. She is remembered as a figure of grace, dedication, and historical significance in both the Waring and Moore family legacies.