Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated (ΔΣΘ) is a historically African American sorority founded on January 13, 1913, by twenty-two women at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emphasis on programs that assist the African American community. The sorority currently has over 350,000 members and over 1,000 chapters located internationally.
Lady Fortitude, a symbol of strength and resilience for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Founding and Early Years
On January 13, 1913, the women named the sorority Delta Sigma Theta and decided to reorganize and incorporate at that meeting. 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. 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 new sorority's Alpha chapter was incorporated on February 18, 1913. On January 20, 1930, the organization's Grand Chapter was nationally incorporated.
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. The sorority initially expanded with Beta chapter, established at Wilberforce University on February 5, 1914. Gamma chapter was established in 1918 at the University of Pennsylvania.
Expansion and Development
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. 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.
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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. 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. 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.
Five-Point Programmatic Thrust
We Rise - Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the Path to Leadership
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. 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
- International Awareness and Involvement
Social Action and Community Involvement
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.
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.
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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.
Later Initiatives
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. by members of Delta Sigma Theta, to honor the founders of the service sorority.
In the early 1980s, the sorority began holding "Summits" which focused on various issues within the African American Community. Delta felt the need to bring attention to issues that affect minorities and women that remained largely ignored in the United States. In 1981, Delta held Summit I which focused on issues affecting American women. Summit II, a call to action in support of single parenting, was held in 1984. The Delta Research and Education Foundation sponsored an international conference in Nassau, Bahamas entitled, "Woman to Woman: Single Parenting from a Global Perspective" in 1987.
With significant scope and depth in the existing programming, Delta members felt the need to establish programming that enlarged the scope and reach of sorority activity. The First Delta Days in the nation's Capital was held in 1990 in Washington, D.C. At the event, Delta members met with congressional members to discuss policies that affected minorities and women. In 1992, Delta Sigma Theta became the first African American organization to collaborate with Habitat for Humanity and has built hundreds of houses for those in need. Delta held its Summit III, preparing young men for manhood, in 1993, in response to alarming dropout and incarceration rates among young men.
In 1996, in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity, Delta traveled to Ghana and built 40 homes. Delta adopted the Adelaide Tambo School for the Physically Disabled in South Africa. In that same year, Delta received $1.6 million from NSF for project SEE [Science and Everyday Experiences], and traveled to Swaziland in southern Africa, to break ground for the Delta house that would be housing for children who became orphans due to their parents dying from HIV/AIDS, and dedicated the computer training center in Lesotho.
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Centennial Celebration
Delta Sigma Theta began a year-long centennial celebration on January 1, 2013. It kicked off its centennial year by being the first Black Greek letter organization to participate in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, with a float entitled "Transforming Communities through Sisterhood and Service." Officials in Pasadena presented a proclamation to national president Cynthia M. A.
On Thursday, January 10, 2013, hundreds of members of Delta Sigma Theta gathered in New York City in Times Square for appearances on the Today Show and Good Morning America, followed by a caravan to Washington, D.C., which included buses bearing the Centennial logo. From March 1 to 5, 2013, thousands of members of Delta Sigma Theta participated in the Delta Days at the Nation's Capital. This is an annual event in which members of Delta Sigma Theta travel to Washington, D.C. to discuss pertinent issues that affect women and the Black community with members of Congress. Elementary School, The Cynthia M. A. Butler-McIntyre Campus. The rebuilt school included six larger classrooms, new technologies, an administrative office building and access to clean water. Designated areas of the school were named in honor of the seven former national presidents: Frankie Muse Freeman, Thelma T. Dailey, Mona Humphries Bailey, Bertha M. Roddey, Marcia L. Fudge, Gwendolyn E. Boyd, and Louise A.
The sorority celebrated its Centennial Convention in Washington, D.C. the week of July 11 to July 17, 2013. More than 40,000 members participated in service activities and recognition events. As part of the yearlong celebration, a 22-city tour of the Delta Torch, which symbolized the "passion and commitment to the organization's global reach", kicked off in Los Angeles - with Delta's historic participation in the 2013 Tournament of Roses Parade - and continued through Seattle, Dallas, Little Rock, Detroit, Atlanta, Charlotte, New York City and Baltimore and International chapters in Japan and Bermuda. The tour culminated in Washington, D.C., at the 51st National Convention on July 11, 2013, when it was passed to the national president, signifying the start of the convention.
During the Centennial Convention, the mayor of Washington D.C., honored the work of the sorority by renaming the 1700 block of New Hampshire Ave NW in Washington, D.C. Throughout 2013, Delta Sigma Theta was honored in many ways, including being highlighted in a Wal-Mart commercial, being honored by an NBA team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, being featured by CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. A Delta Sigma Theta-themed window was dedicated Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel at Howard University.
Symbols and Traditions
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said "Delta means change and Deltas are called to serve... Delta Sigma Theta's motto is "Intelligence is the Torch of Wisdom". Its badge consists of the Greek letters "ΔΣΘ" in a row, with nine jewels on the middle letter. The official Delta Sigma Theta Hymn, written by Florence Cole Talbert and Alice Dunbar Nelson, was adopted in 1924.
Delta Sigma Theta's colors are crimson and cream, representing courage and purity. The sorority's symbol is Lady Fortitude. Its other symbols are the pyramid and the Delta torch.
Membership and Chapters
Delta Sigma Theta has more than 1,000 chapters, located in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, England, Germany, Korea, Japan, Bermuda, Jamaica, Virgin Islands, West Africa, South Africa and Bahamas. Delta Sigma Theta is the largest African American women's organization in the world and has a membership of over 350,000 around the world.
During the membership intake period, initiates are members of the Pyramid Club. In 1953, Delta Sigma Theta purchased a national headquarters site located at 1814 M St. NW in Washington, D.C. In 1972, the sorority moved its headquarters to New Hampshire Ave. NW in Dupont Circle. The sorority headquarters is currently located at the property located at 1701, 1703, 1705, 1707, and 1709 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W.
Regional Structure
In 1925, the sorority began to organize its chapters into geographical regions.
Five-Point Programmatic Thrust
Delta Sigma Theta provides public service initiatives through the Five-Point Program Thrust. Delta Sigma Theta uses the Five-Point Programmatic Thrust as an organizing structure as it creates programs to benefit the African-American community. Each program's development and implementation operates cooperatively, coordinated by committees, the national executive board, and national headquarters staff. Jabberwock, an annual variety show consisting of cultural expression and talent - such as music, skits, and dance - was initiated by Marion C.
