Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emphasis on programs that assist the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta was founded on by twenty-two women at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Membership is open to any woman, regardless of religion, race, or nationality. Women may apply to join through undergraduate chapters at a college or university or through an alumnae chapter after earning a college degree.
The sorority currently has over 350,000 members and over 1,000 chapters located in the Bahamas, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bermuda, Canada, England, Germany, Jamaica, Japan, West Africa and South Africa, South Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States. Delta Sigma Theta is also a member of the umbrella organization National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) – an organization of nine international Black Greek-letter sororities and fraternities. The current (29th) International President and CEO is Cheryl W. Turner.
The first public act of Delta Sigma Theta was some of its members marched as students of Howard University, in the collegiate section in the Women's Suffrage March in Washington, D.C., on March 3, 1913. Delta Sigma Theta has created programming to improve political, education, and social and economic conditions, particularly within black communities. The sorority is most known for its collaboration with community organizations and corporations to further its programming goals. The sorority reached a centennial year, and became the first Black Greek-lettered organization to participate in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, on January 1, 2013, with a float entitled "Transforming Communities through Sisterhood and Service".
History
Creation On January 13, 1913, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated was founded by twenty-two women at Howard University. Some of the founders were former members of Alpha Kappa Alpha who wanted to change the sorority's name, color, symbols and direction. In 1912, they proposed a vote to change the organization's name. This new name was to reflect the group's desire to change the visual image of the name of the group to look less like Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.Giddings 1998, op. cit., p. 48.
The 22 founders of Delta Sigma Theta were:
According to Delta Sigma Theta's historian, Paula Giddings, the 22 founders believed that Alpha Kappa Alpha did not have a charter, they believed they had no "legal entity". The young women believed that no charter meant there was no authority to form other chapters, thus limiting their ability to expand the scope of their activities. During the meeting where the changes were discussed, the past president from a few months prior, Nellie Quander, disagreed with the proposed changes and got the women to table the discussion until the entire membership had been polled.Giddings, 1998, op. cit., p. 50-51.
On January 13, 1913, the women named the sorority Delta Sigma Theta and decided to reorganize and incorporate at that meeting. Retrieved January 5, 2008. The new sorority's Alpha chapter was incorporated on February 18, 1913.Giddings 1998, op. cit., p. 52 On January 20, 1930, the organization's Grand Chapter was nationally incorporated. This incorporation allowed them to have authority over all of their chapters.
Immediately following the founding, Delta Sigma Theta members quickly mobilized to build and develop infrastructure and implement programming. One of the first orders of business was to have an oath, which was written by Mary Church Terrell in 1914. In the early years, individual chapters would implement various programs to meet the needs of their local communities.
The sorority initially expanded with Beta chapter, established at Wilberforce University on February 5, 1914.Giddings 1988, op. cit., p. 69-70. Gamma chapter was established in 1918 at the University of Pennsylvania. Soon after, the Delta chapter was established on April 4, 1919, at the University of Iowa and Epsilon chapter at The Ohio State University on November 19, 1919.Giddings 1988, op. cit., p. 73-74.
The women also quickly realized that membership continued beyond undergraduate years and responded to the need for alumnae chapters. The first graduate chapters were authorized in 1920 at the Second National Convention for graduate members in New York City and Washington, D.C.Giddings 1988, op. cit., p. 86.
The 1920s began a decade of significant development within Delta Sigma Theta. The organization began to develop uniformity in programming and communication between the chapters of the sorority. In 1920, May Week was developed to encourage Black women to attend college, and the Official Publication of the sorority was established as "The Delta". Also in 1920, the Omega chapter was established to recognize deceased Sorors, and Sadie T.M. Alexander was voted the first Honorary Grand President of Delta Sigma Theta.
Delta Sigma Theta expanded west of the Rocky Mountains with the chartering of the Kappa chapter at the University of California in February 1921; however, its members weren't initiated until September 1922.Giddings 1988, op. cit., p. 89. Regions were established in 1925, and the Jabberwock was established as the scholarship fundraiser. Under the threat of losing its name, the sorority sought national incorporation. On January 20, 1930, the Grand Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta was incorporated as a perpetual body, which eliminated the need for each chapter to seek its charter.Giddings 1988, op. cit., p. 125.
Expansion: 1931–1955
The incorporation of the sorority in 1930 allowed Delta Sigma Theta to legally continue its expansion of chapters. Before the establishment of perpetual bodies, new chapters had to apply for separate charters within their respective localities. However, with the national organization incorporated, chartering chapters became easier for regional leadership. The National Library Project was established in 1937 to provide access to books for Blacks in rural areas of the South where either no libraries were located, or they were not accessible to Blacks. They were able to loan books to some of the communities in at least 2 counties in the states of North Carolina and Georgia. The National Victory Book Drive occurred in 1943 to provide books to servicemen. In 1945, Delta Sigma Theta donated its first $1,000 to the United Negro College Fund. Also in 1945, Delta Sigma Theta, along with Alpha Kappa Alpha, Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Zeta Phi Beta, and Sigma Gamma Rho establish the American Council on Human Rights which had the goal to "mobilize the influence and resources of its members in the struggle for justice and equal opportunity for all U.S. Citizens." While there were many struggles for minorities and women within the United States, Delta leadership also realized the great struggle others of African descent faced around the world, which led to the establishment of the first foreign chapter in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in 1950. Given the great expansion of programming, and the increasing number of chapters and members, Delta Sigma Theta leadership realized there needed to be one central location in which all properties and records could be housed, and in 1953, Delta had the dedication of its first National Headquarters. In continuing to assist persons in need abroad, Delta established the Maternity Ward at Thika Memorial Hospital in 1955.
Women's and civil rights: 1956–1970
Delta had previously moved toward having some uniformity of programming among chapters, with two international programs abroad. As it began its fifth decade of existence, the organization wanted to ensure that all chapters would focus their programming around one national centralized theme. Thus, the Five Point Thrust was implemented in 1956 by the 10th National President Dorothy Height. The five-point thrust is the five areas under which all Delta programming falls; the thrust is Educational Development, Economic Development, Physical and Mental Health, Political Awareness and Involvement, and International Awareness and Involvement. In 1960, Delta co-sponsored the National Organization of Women for Equality in Education conference. In 1963, while celebrating its 50th anniversary, Delta participated in the March on Washington and established the Social Action Commission at the 27th National Convention. In 1966, Delta Teen Lift was established and the Delta Sigma Theta Executive Board was received in the White House by President Lyndon B. Johnson to discuss community issues and concerns in 1967. In 1968, the Unwed Mothers program was established, and in 1970 Delta sponsored the East African International Women's Seminar in Nairobi, Kenya.
Golden Anniversary In 1963, the sorority celebrated its Golden 50th Anniversary was celebrated; this was the same year as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Delta Sigma Theta's national president Dorothy Height was an organizer of the march and was the sole woman to have been seated on the speakers' platform.Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Celebrates 50 years by participating in the March on Washington. Jet Magazine. Retrieved September 7, 2013. Delta members were also present at the march in large numbers.
The Golden Anniversary Luncheon was held on January 12, 1963. President John F. Kennedy addressed the membership, congratulated the sorority on their anniversary, and explained the necessity for all Americans to have equal education opportunities.Remarks at the Delta Sigma Theta Anniversary Parage 12 January 1963. JFK Library. Retrieved September 7, 2013. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson and Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas also addressed the membership during the Golden Anniversary Celebration in 1963 at a reception held January 13.Shaped to Its Purpose: Delta Sigma Theta--the First Fifty Years by Mary Elizabeth Vroman pp 187-189 Founders Osceola McCarthy Adams, Winona Cargile Alexander, Ethel Cuff Black, Bertha Pitts Campbell, Myra Davis Hemmings, Jimmie Bugg Middleton, Eliza Pearl Shippen, Florence Letcher Toms, Wertie Blackwell Weaver, and Madree Penn White were in attendance. Soror Mary Elizabeth Vrooman wrote Shaped to its Purpose, a 50-year history of Delta Sigma Theta, which was published in 1965.
Education: 1971–1975
While many strides had been made in the fifties and sixties to outlaw de jure segregation and discriminatory practices in schooling and public accommodations, many de facto discriminatory practices persisted. Delta understood the importance of education, and how educating communities would be essential in eradicating discrimination. In 1971, Delta and the Congressional Black Caucus co-sponsored National Policy Conferences on Education for Blacks, which focused on disparities and deficiencies in schools with high Black populations. The right-to-read program was established in 1973 to help the functionally illiterate. In 1975, Delta established life development centers to focus on issues placed by individuals from early childhood to senior citizens.
Support of women and mothers: 1976–1999
In 1979, the Fortitude sculpture was unveiled on the campus of Howard University. "Fortitude" was originally surveyed as part of the Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture survey in 1993. The sculpture depicts a figure of a woman cut from a thin piece of metal. She "wears" a sleeveless dress, and high heels and has short, straight hair. She is walking; with her proper left arm swinging above her head and her proper right arm back behind her. The sculpture was unveiled on April 28, 1979, at 3:15 p.m. by members of Delta Sigma Theta, to honor the founders of the service sorority. The sculpture is described as symbolizing "the attributes of strength, courage, hope, wisdom, beauty and femininity as depicted by the 22 founders of Delta Sigma Theta".