Our History

Scholarship. Service. Sisterhood. Social Action.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated was founded on January 13, 1913, by twenty-two illustrious undergraduate women on the campus of Howard University. These young visionaries wanted to use their collective strength to promote academic excellence and to provide assistance to those in need.

A Legacy of Social Action

Our history is rooted in advocacy. In March of 1913, just weeks after our founding, the Founders performed their first public act of service. They marched in the historic Woman Suffrage Procession in Washington, D.C., distinguishing themselves as the only African American women’s organization to participate. This pivotal moment set the tone for a century of social activism and public service.

Today, Delta Sigma Theta has blossomed into a global sisterhood of more than 350,000 predominantly Black, college-educated women. With over 1,000 chapters located in the United States, England, Japan (Tokyo and Okinawa), Germany, the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Jamaica, and the Republic of Korea, the vision of our Founders continues to impact nations.

The Five-Point Programmatic Thrust

Our service is not random; it is strategic. To ensure our efforts remain focused and impactful, the Sorority established the Five-Point Programmatic Thrust in 1955. This framework guides the public service initiatives of the Prairie View Alumnae Chapter and chapters worldwide:

• Economic Development: Financial planning, money management, and consumer education.

• Educational Development: Programs designed to foster academic excellence and provide opportunities for youth (e.g., Delta Academy, Delta GEMS, EMBODI).

• International Awareness and Involvement: Projects focused on cultural enrichment and global health.

• Physical and Mental Health: Initiatives that promote wellness, healthy lifestyle changes, and disease prevention.

• Political Awareness and Involvement: Voter education, registration, and social action advocacy.

Our 22 Founders

We stand on the shoulders of giants. We honor the twenty-two dynamic women who established our great sisterhood:

• Osceola Macarthy Adams

• Marguerite Young Alexander

• Winona Cargile Alexander

• Ethel Cuff Black

• Bertha Pitts Campbell

• Zephyr Chisom Carter

• Edna Brown Coleman

• Jessie McGuire Dent

• Frederica Chase Dodd

• Myra Davis Hemmings

• Olive C. Jones

• Jimmie Bugg Middleton

• Pauline Oberdorfer Minor

• Vashti Turley Murphy

• Naomi Sewell Richardson

• Mamie Reddy Rose

• Eliza Pearl Shippen

• Florence Letcher Toms

• Ethel Carr Watson

• Wertie Blackwell Weaver

• Madree Penn White

• Edith Motte Young