Sorority Facts


NATIONAL PRESIDENTS

 Sadie T. M. Alexander, PhD 1919-1923
G. Dorothy Pelham Beckley 1923-1926
Ethel Lamay Calimese 1926-1929
Anna R. Johnson Julian, PhD 1929-1931
Gladys Byram Sheppard 1931-1933
Jeannette Triplett Jones 1933-1935
Vivian Osbourne Marsh 1935-1939
Elsie Austin, JD 1939-1944
Mae Wright Peck-Williams 1944-1947
Dorothy Irene Height, PhD 1947-1956
Dorothy Penman Harrison 1956-1958
Jeanne L. Noble, PhD 1958-1963
Geraldine Pittman Woods, PhD 1963-1967
Frankie Muse Freeman, Esq. 1967-1971
Lillian Pierce Benbow 1971-1975
Thelma Thomas Daley, EdD 1975-1979
Mona Humphries Bailey 1979-1983
Hortense Golden Canady 1983-1988
Yvonne Kennedy, PhD 1988-1992
Bertha M. Roddy, PhD 1992-1996
Marcia L. Fudge, Esq. 1996-2000
Gwendolyn E. Boyd 2000- Present


NATIONAL PROGRAMS

 The major programs of the Sorority are based upon the organization's Five Point Thrust:

  • Educational Development

  • Economic Development

  • Physical and Mental Health

  • Political Awareness and Involvement

  • International Awareness and Involvment


    • PRIMARY NATIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDE:

  • Delta Habitat for Humanity:

    • A ministry that seeks to eliminate poverty housing from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Together we build houses, lives and communities.

  • Project Cherish:

    • A national preservation and beautification program of African-American landmarks, monuments and historical sites.

  • Project SMART:

    • A medication and health records management program for senior citizens that live independently.

  • Delta Days at the Nation's Capital:

    • An annual two day activity designed to foster expanded involvement of chapters and members in public and social policy issues.

  • The Delta Immunization Campaign:

    • A health awareness project for mothers of young children, that provides information to families about the importance of having children vaccinated.

  • Summit III:

    • Preparing Our Sons for Manhood: A variety of programs which focus on the education, housing, employment and personal development of boys ages 10-16 years old.

  • School America:

    • A national family reading program designed to help children acquire reading skills as a means of ensuring a secure economic future.

  • Jabberwok:

    • An annual event that combines cultural expression talent (music, dance and drama) for the purpose of raising money for scholarships.



    In addition to programs, the Sorority's outreach extends far beyond its chapters and their immediate community focus. The national organization works cooperatively with many other national groups that share common goals and concerns. These organizations include, but are not limited to:

    Affiliates of the Pan Hellenic Council
    Africare, Inc.
    American Association of Retired Persons
    Children's Defense Fund
    Congressional Black Caucus
    Food Research Action Council
    Partnership with the NAACP
    National Coalition on Black Voter Participation
    National Council of Negro Women
    National Urban League
    Smithsonian Institution
    The Center for Political and Economic Studies
    The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
    United Negro College Fund
    United Way
    YWCA

    The success of the Sorority's public service programs, depends upon the continuous interaction of each member locally and nationally. For more than eight decades, this has been a hallmark of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and the foundation of its success.