Delta Founders

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Selected the Delta mottoes; championed for social justice & equality. Charter member, Lambda Chap. Univ of Chicago & its 1st president. Treasurer of Grand Chapter, Broadway actress, actively involved in Repertory Theatre. Special DST award established in honor. Entered OO 1983.

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Osceola McCarthy Adams

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Co-chartered Lambda Chapter, later became a French and Spanish Correspondence Secretary for a Chicago Business Firm. Helped the Alpha Nu chapter in the purchasing of a sorority house on the campus of the University of Illinois. Entered OO 1954.

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Marguerite Young Alexander:

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First Custodian of Alpha Chapter; first Black social worker with the New York City & County Charities; spent years in Jacksonville, FL; elder, Sunday School teacher & pianist. Entered OO October 1984.

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Winona Cargile Alexander

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Grandparents were 2nd gen free blacks & property owners. First Vice President of Alpha Chapter; first black teacher in Rochester, NY. Charter Member of the Queens (NY) Alumnae Chapter; entered OO in 1984.

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Ethel Cuff Black

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Bertha Pitts Campbell

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Founder of Christian Friends for Racial Equality in Seattle. WA civil rights worker, active in YWCA. Led the march to commemorate the 1913 Women's Suffage Movement suffrage at the age of 92. bequeathed funds to grand chapter for scholarship fund, entered OO in 1990.

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First Reporter for Alpha Chapter; began teaching in San Antonio, TX, later moving to California. Entered OO in 1976.

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Zephyr Chisom Carter

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Native of Washington, father served as Professor of religion at Howard. Earlier meetings of chapter held in her living room. President and valedictorian of her college graduating class; married one of the co-founders of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, entered OO in 1919.

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Edna Brown Coleman

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First corresponding secretary of the Alpha Chapter. Helped to integrate Galveston, TX Public School System. Took on the Galveston School District in court, and won equal wages for Black teachers. scholarship in her honor, portrait in Tx Cultural Archives; entered OO in 1948.

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Jessie McGuire Dent

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First Sergeant-At-Arms of Alpha Chapter; teacher & social worker, charter member of Dallas Alumnae, leader in YWCA; entered OO in 1972.

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Frederica Chase Dodd

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First President of both Delta & AKA; Director of Southwest Region, teacher in San Antonio Public Schools, active in amateur theater, personal papers archived at Univ of Tx library. Chartered the San Antonio Alumnae Chapter; entered OO Dec. 8, 1978.

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Myra Davis Hemmings

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Accomplished pianist, music teacher in Washington, D.C Public School System, never married, entered OO in 1963.

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Olive C. Jones

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President & National Treasurer, National Association of College Women; chartered Raleigh Alumnae Chapter (1938), special recognition award established by Raliegh Alumnae; entered OO in 1967.

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Jimmie Bugg Middleton

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Alpha Chapter first Treasurer. Published a book of hymns entitled, "Soul Echos,"; was to become a missionary in the Apostolic Church of Phila. Entered OO in January 1963.

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Pauline Oberdorfer Minor

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Educator, charter member of Baltimore Alumnae (1922); member of Baltimore branch, National Association of College Women; entered OO in 1960.

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Vashti Turley Murphy

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Appointed to the East St. Louis public school system (with Wertie Blackwell Weaver). Member, Alpha Beta chapter (NY Alumnae). She was the last surviving founder; entered OO in 1993 at 100.

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Naomi Sewell Richardson

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Did not pursue her career objective further; got married and became a homemaker. Dramatic reader. Entered OO on February 17, 1919, after being married for only four years.

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Maime Reddy Rose

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Graduated Magna Cum Laude; only founder to receive a Ph.D.; one of the only two founders who never married. Charter member of DC Alumnae Chapter, entered OO in 1981.

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Eliza Pearl Shippen

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Assistant principal of a middle school in DC; chosen to present to Lady Eleanor Roosevelt before an audience; collected elephants; one of 10 founders that partcipated in the Golden Anniversary of the sorority in 1963. entered OO in 1972.

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Florence Letcher Toms

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30 year educator; dramatist; selected to hold the banner during march since she was the tallest. Entered OO in 1963.

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Ethel Carr Watson

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Appointed to teach in East St. Louis w/ Naomi Sewell Richardson. She published a novel entitled "The Valley of the Poor." Her book focused on racism and poverty in the South. Entered OO in 1971.

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Wertie Blackwell Weaver

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Conceived idea of DST; 2nd president of Alpha; ned "most popular" of her graduating class. 1st woman editor of campus newspaper; developed the constitution and by-laws; selected the Greek letter symbols and created the initiation ritual; designed the Delta sorority pon; member of Greater Cleveland, OH Alumnae; entered OO in 1967.

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Madree Penn White

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Alpha Chapter's first Recording Secretary; accomplished pianist. Teacher at Claflin College in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Daughters attended Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio.

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Edith Motte Young