Дельта Сигма Тета: История и вклад афроамериканской женской организации.

International historically African American sorority
the historically African American service sorority established in 1913

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (ΔΣΘ) 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 1913 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 (28th) International President and CEO is Elsie Cooke Holmes. The first public act of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority 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".

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 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. The official Delta Sigma Theta Hymn, written by Florence Cole Talbert and Alice Dunbar Nelson, was adopted in 1924. Regions were established in 1925, and the Jabberwock was established as the scholarship fundraiser. The scholarship and standards committee was established in 1929. Under the threat of losing its name, the sorority sought national incorporation. On January 20, 1930, the Grand Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was incorporated as a perpetual body, which eliminated the need for each chapter to seek its charter.

The incorporation of the Sorority in 1930 allowed Delta Sigma Theta Sorority 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, who originated the idea 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.

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.

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.

The poem "Delta Girl" was written by honorary member Mary McLeod Bethune. The poem is said to embody the ideals of a Delta Sigma Theta woman.