Delta Sigma Theta is a non-profit organization that started by college passed out women devoted in the interest of public service again the programs that target African-American community. It was founded on 13 January, 1913 by 22-college woman’s colleagues at Howard University. This undergraduate colleague’s desired to utilize group power to support academic excellence as well as help a person in trouble. On 3 March 1913, their first act was to avoid women suffering in Washington DC. This organization is the biggest African-American organization. Membership of this organization is open to any women provided they meet the requirement of membership regardless of which race, religion or nationality they belong. Joining this organization can be done through undergraduate at a university or college. Also, it can be joined after getting a college degree.
Since the Delta Sigma Theta organization is founded, they have been in the front position in organizing programs in order to improve education, social, political and economic condition. This organization has an important part of helping African-American and other international communities in various ways. The service of this organization has over 1,000 centers in various countries like the United Stated, Japan, England, the Virgin Islands, the Republic of Korea, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Jamaica and Germany. More than 300,000 members that include many of the African-American college graduated women are operating through this organization.
History
The 22 founders were earlier initiated with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and seven of them were as the elected officers. They wanted to expand the progress of Alpha Kappa Alpha from campus society to the interest of public service and women’s advancement. They wanted to initiate national organization to expand the sorority activities. They wanted to change the name from Alpha Kappa to Alpha to Delta Sigma Theta, along with the symbol and color of the sorority. The 22 undergraduate even voted for a change so the activities of the sorority can be expanded at national level. When the other members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority heard about this, they refused to make the changes and asked those 22 undergraduates to end the efforts to rearrange the sorority.
Then those 22 undergraduate students from Howard university founded Delta Sigma Theta Inc. on 13, January 1913 which then approved by Howard Administration. The name of 22 founders of this organization Osceola McCarthy Adams, Marguerite Young Alexander, Winona Cargile Alexander, Bertha Pitts Campbell, Ethel Cuff Black, 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.
Political Awareness and Involvement
- On 27 March 2003, Delta Sigma Theta developed into a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).
- The United States Army’s first African-American woman general was Hazel Johnson-Brown.
- The first and only black woman elected in the United States Senate was Carol Moseley Braun.
- Alexis Herman has served in the Cabinet Member and the Secretary of labor in the administration of President Bill Clinton.
- The first African-American women who has served chief of a State Department bureau was Barbara Watson.
- The first African-American women associate of the U.S. Congress was Shirley Chisholm and she was the first black woman to run major party.
International Awareness and Involvement
- World AIDS Day: On 1 December 2008, Delta Sigma Theta supported World AIDS day operation with the saying “Stop AIDS! Keep the Promise.”
- Mary Help of the Sick Mission Hospital: This organization has invested in health care of women in Kenya. It was established in 1955 in Thika town, in 1985 the members of the organization donated $20,000 to the hospital.