Did you know that Elizabeth Duncan Koontz was a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.? 💙🤍 An honorary member since 1965, Koontz left an indelible mark on American education, civil rights, and the women’s movement. Koontz began her career as a teacher for special-needs children before ascending to national leadership in education. She made history in 1968 as the first African-American president of the National Education Association (NEA), where she established the Human and Civil Rights Division to champion equity in education. Her influence reached the federal level when President Nixon appointed her in 1969 as the first African-American director of the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau. In this role, she advanced gender equity, fought employment discrimination, promoted the Equal Rights Amendment, and represented the U.S. on international stages like the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Throughout her life, Koontz received numerous accolades, inclu...