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Delta Sigma Theta

Delta Sigma Theta (ΔΣΘ) Sorority is a non-profit Greek letter organization of college educated women who perform public service, placing emphasis on the African-American community. Membership in Delta Sigma Theta is open to any woman who meets the membership requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or religion.

Delta Sigma Theta was founded on January 13, 1913, on the campus of Howard University by twenty-two women. Today, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is the largest African-American Greek-lettered sorority in the world.

The Grand Chapter has a membership of over 250,000 predominantly African-American, college-educated women. The sorority currently has 950-plus alumnae and collegiate chapters located in the United States, England, Japan (Tokyo and Okinawa), Germany, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Seoul, Saint Thomas and Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands; Haiti and Jamaica. Delta Sigma Theta is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) — an organization of nine international Greek-letter sororities and fraternities — the NAACP and National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). The organization's president is Cynthia M. A. Butler McIntyre.

History

In 1912 at Howard University, twenty-two undergraduate members of the first African- American sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA), voted to change the organization's name to Delta Sigma Theta. This new name was to reflect the change in the philosophical underpinnings of the group — a move towards social activism and greater public service rather than social activities According to Paula Giddings, the Deltas shared their ideas with the men of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. To date, there is a kinship between Omega Psi Phi and Delta Sigma Theta, although no formal link exists between the two organizations.

Conflict arose between one alumnae member who wished for the name to remain Alpha Kappa Alpha and the remaining members who voted to change the name to Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Those who wished to change to Delta Sigma Theta formed a separate sorority. The Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta was founded on January 13, 1913, by the twenty-two former members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

The first public service act of the newly established sorority took place during the Women's Suffrage March in March 1913 on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.. In addition, Jabberwock^TM, a variety show consisting of "music, skits, and dance" was initiated by Marion Conover-Hope in 1925 and has served as a fund raiser for many chapters of the sorority. In 1930, the organization's Grand Chapter was incorporated. During World War II, sorority members in Detroit, Michigan, set up the Delta House which accepted juvenile girls who were from detention centers and on welfare. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy and Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson talked about civil rights at the sorority's convention. The organization also established Delta Towers in Washington, D.C., an apartment building for elderly and handicapped individuals. The sorority published a cookbook entitled Occasions to Savor in 2004.

Delta Founders

The twenty-two founders of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority are listed below:

Osceola Macarthy Adams	Marguerite Young Alexander	Winona Cargile Alexander	Ethel Cuff Black
Florence Letcher Toms	Ethel Carr Watson	Wertie Blackwell Weaver	Madree Penn White
Vashti Turley Murphy	Naomi Sewell Richardson	Mamie Reddy Rose	Eliza Pearl Shippen
Myra Davis Hemmings	Olive C. Jones	Jimmie Bugg Middleton	Pauline Oberdorfer Minor
Edna Brown Coleman	Jessie McGuire Dent	Frederica Chase Dodd	Edith Motte Young
	Bertha Pitts Campbell	Zephyr Chisom Carter

Membership

Many notable Delta members are recognized as leaders in activism, athletics, business, education and scholarship, entertainment and media, government, and literary sectors. Members engage in these roles at the local, national and international level. Many Delta members continue to be active in alumnae chapters after graduating from college and ending their sorority undergraduate experience. Often alumnae and undergraduate chapters will work in collaboration on large projects that affect their community.

National Headquarters

Delta Sigma Theta created their national headquarters in 1954 in Washington, D.C. The property is located at 1703, 1705, 1707, and 1709 New Hampshire Avenue in the Dupont Circle area and serves as the headquarters of the organization and the Delta Research and Education Foundation (DREF).

In March 2003, Delta Sigma Theta became a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) at the United Nations (UN). In a presentation by Hanifa Mezoui, Chief NGO Section, Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the UN (ECOSOC), Past National President Gwendolyn Boyd (current president at the time), accepted the credentials on behalf of the sorority, before 150 members of the organization from across the country. Delta Sigma Theta was welcomed to the United Nations by Assistant Secretary General for External Affairs, Gillian Sorensen, who asked the sorority in her keynote address, [to] “use your NGO status to monitor the status of women and children in the world and bind together with other NGOs to insure that the UN honors its commitments.” Delta Sigma Theta was granted Special Consultative Status as an NGO to the Economic and Social Council of the UN as a result of its volunteer services and humanitarian efforts performed to address issues throughout the world.

Programs

Since the organization's founding, Delta Sigma Theta has provided assistance to the challenges of people in the United States. Over the years, many programs addressing education, health, international development, and strengthening of the African American family were established. As a part of the organization's mission, Delta Sigma Theta provides public service initiatives through the Five-Point Program Thrust.

Five-Point Thrust

Delta Sigma Theta established itself as a public service organization and in its stated mission, provides programs that benefit African Americans. These are provided through Delta Sigma Theta's Five-Point Program Thrust:

Economic Development
Educational Development
International Awareness and Involvement
Physical and Mental Health
Political Awareness and Involvement

Program development and implementation is a cooperative function with committees, the national executive board, and headquarters staff involved. Those with direct leadership responsibilities for implementation include members of the Program Planning and Development Committee, Social Action Commission, Commission on Arts and Letters, Information and Communications Committee, Membership Services Committee and Regional Officers.

Delta Towers

The Delta Towers is a retirement center located in the northeast neighborhood of Washington, D.C.. The Washington DC Alumnae Chapter through the Delta Housing Corporation planned and constructed this multi-million dollar, ten-story building to provide housing for the elderly and physically-challenged individuals. Constructed in 1979, Delta Towers opened for occupancy in 1980. Delta Towers was the first retirement center founded by any of the African-American sororities or fraternities in the United States. Delta Towers currently has 150 independent living residential apartments. The purpose of the towers was to address concerns of physical and mental health, along with economic development. Due to the successful project, Delta Towers 2 is under planning and construction at the same location.

References

A Life of Quiet Dignity: Naomi Sewell Richardson by Alice Jefferson Marshall, Estella Henderson Boyd, Leola Murrary Mason, and Karen J. Wilson.

Delta Memories: A Historical Summary by Robert Ewell Greene.

Delta Sigma Theta: Its History and Development by Edna B. Johnson Morris, Grand Historian Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

In Search of Sisterhood: Delta Sigma Theta and the Challenge of the Black Sorority Movement by Paula Giddings.

Shaped to Its Purpose: Delta Sigma Theta - The First Fifty Years by Mary Elizabeth Vroman.

Too Young To Be Old: Bertha Pitts Campbell by Pauline Anderson Simmons Hill and Sherrilyn Johnson Jordan.
Ross, Jr., Lawrence (2000). The Divine Nine: The History of African-American Fraternities and Sororities in America. New York: Kensington.