Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Local community support and worldwide change are the goals of Delta Sigma Theta (DST) sorority, a mission reflected in the group's charitable donations and non-profit goals. The sorority's $1 million donation to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund is just one piece of proof of DST's willingness to give back to the community. Other programs sponsored by Delta Sigma Theta include:

• Establishing a maternity hospital in Kenya
• Creating a non-governmental organization at the United Nations
• Forming the Delta Academy, focused on educating girls from age 11-14

The History of Delta Sigma Theta

Delta Sigma Theta's roots go back to Howard University in 1913 when twenty-two collegiate women wanted to combine their strength to promote academic excellence and provide assistance to persons in need. Their first public act was participation in the Washington D.C. Women's Suffrage March, a milestone both in the history of Delta Sigma Theta and in the suffrage movement.

Historically Black Colleges with DST Chapters

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority boasts over 900 active chapters and 200,000 college-educated members across the nation and around the world. Here are just a few historically black colleges with active Delta Sigma Theta chapters:

• Morgan State University (MD)
• Talladega College (AL)
• Miles College (AL)
• Cheyney University (PA)

The growing ranks of DST include chapters in Japan, Korea, Germany, and England.

Notable Delta Sigma Theta Members

The long list of notable DST members includes women proud to be the first in their field. Here are just a few of the firsts:

• Brigadier General Hazel Johnson Brown, PhD: the first African American woman general in the United States Army
• Alexa Canady, MD: the first black woman neurosurgeon in the United States, she is a specialist in pediatric neurosurgery
• Shirley Chisholm: the first black woman member of the U.S. Congress
• Elaine R. Jones: the first black woman to enroll in the University of Virginia School of Law and the first woman to serve as president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund

Five key areas form the goal structure for Delta Sigma Theta--economic development, educational development, international awareness and involvement, physical and mental health, and political awareness and involvement. With that framework, Delta Sigma Theta seeks to create leaders among the women in its ranks.

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Delta Sigma Theta