Deltas poised to celebrate 100th birthday

The "Year of the Delta" is kicking off this month in Washington, D.C. where Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded 100 years ago by 22 black women at Howard University. Public service are buzzwords for Deltas.

"I hope to see you as we kick off the Centennial year of DELTA in grand fashion," said National President Cynthia M.A. Butler-McIntyre on the sorority's website.

"We not only want to celebrate our founding and our accomplishments, but we also want to acknowledge those communities and leaders who have partnered with and stood by us as we collectively affected change throughout the U.S. and abroad,” said Butler-McIntyre.

Activities are beginning Thursday morning with interviews on  television shows in N.Y. followed by a 20 bus caravan to D.C. This follows a Delta Torch Tour which began in Los Angeles on Jan. 1 and will culminate after passing through 22 cities at the sorority's annual convention in D.C. in July.

Other scheduled Centennial events include:
* NYC Mayor's sendoff - Jan. 10 - Mayor Michael Bloomberg will greet Deltas and present proclamations before bus caravan begins.
* Founder's Walk - Jan. 11 - Deltas return home to the campus of Howard University and walk the path of Founders, fulfilling 100 year commitment of community service.
* Re-Dedication Ceremony - Jan. 12 - re-dedication to the Nine Cardinal virtues of Delta Sigma Theta
* Women’s Suffrage March Reenactment - March 3 - beginning on the steps of the Capitol at 9:00 a.m. (EST)

Women's Suffrage March Reenactment Map

Deltas are members of the second major Greek sorority founded by African American women on a U.S. campus. The thrust of their service is to help communities by managing projects aimed at educational, economic, and political development. They place great emphasis on physical and mental health. 

A list of Deltas includes noteworthy women in the arts and numerous professions.The Sorority currently has approximately 200k members in 900 chapters located in the United States, England, Japan (Tokyo and Okinawa), Germany, the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Republic of Korea.

For more information on this organization's activities and celebration news, go to:  http://www.deltasigmatheta.org/home.htm.

Shield graphic scanned from 1969 college yearbook.