Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University. These students wanted to use their collective strength to promote academic excellence and to provide assistance to persons in need. The first public act performed by the Delta Founders involved their participation in the Women's Suffrage March in Washington D.C., March 1913.
From the humble beginnings of this great organization, its Founders envisioned
it being committed to public service as well as academic excellence.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is a private, non-profit organization whose
purpose is to provide services and programs to promote human welfare.
The major programs
of the Sorority are based upon the organization's Five Point Programmatic
Thrust:
Economic Development
Educational Development
International Awareness and Involvement
Physical and Mental Health
Political Awareness and Involvement
Program development and implementation in Delta is a cooperative function
with committees, the national executive board, and headquarters staff involved.
Those with direct leadership responsibilities for implementation include members
of the Program Planning and Development Committee, Social Action Commission,
Commission on Arts and Letters, Information and Communications Committee,
Membership Services Committee and Regional Officers.
In 1930, Delta Sigma Theta was incorporated. The records of which can be
found in the Congressional Library in Washington, D.C. Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority, Inc., owns property located at 1703-1709 New Hampshire Avenue, NW,
Washington, D.C., which is its National Headquarters office and the headquarters
of Delta Research and Education Foundation (DREF).
Today, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated is the largest organization
for African American women with well over 250,000 members and 900+ chapters
located in the United States, Japan, Germany, Bermuda, Haiti, Liberia, the
Bahamas, the Republic of Korea and the Virgin Islands.