Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by 22 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. Delta Sigma Theta was incorporated in 1930.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is a private, non-profit organization whose purpose is to provide services and programs to promote human welfare.

Today, Delta is the largest organization of African-American women. The Grand Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. has a membership of over 200,000 predominately African-American, college-educated women. The sorority currently has 900-plus alumnae and collegiate chapters located in the United States, Tokyo, Japan, Okinawa, Japan, Germany, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Seoul, Korea, and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.

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

Delta's Five-Point Program

1. Economic Development
2. Educational Development
3. International Awareness and Involvement
4. Physical and Mental Health
5. 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.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. owns property located at 1703, 1705, 1707, and 1709 New Hampshire Avenue in the prestigious Dupont Circle area in northwest Washington, D.C. This is the site of its national headquarters and the headquarters of the Delta Research and Education Foundation (DREF).

Some notable Delta Women include:

• Sadie T. M. Alexander, Ph.D
• Mary Church Terrell
• Barbara Jordan
• Alexa Canady, MD
• Elizabeth Catlett
• Shirley Caesar
• Shirley Chisholm
• Johnetta Cole
• Natalie Cole
• Camille Cosby
• Ruby Dee Davis
• Joycelyn Elders
• Myrlie Evers-Williams
• Roberta Flack
• Aretha Franklin
• Nikki Giovanni
• Fannie Lou Hamer
• Patricia Roberts Harris
• Dorothy I. Height, Ph.D
• Alexis Herman
• Lena Horne
• Judith Jamison
• Keshia Knight-Pulliam
• Rae Lewis-Thornton
• Osceola Macarthy Adams
• Mary McLeod Bethune
• Carol Moseley-Braun
• Vashti Murphy McKenzie
• Leontyne Price
• Wilma Rudolph
• Betty Shabazz
• Cicely Tyson
• Ida B. Wells-Barnett
• Nancy Wilson (singer)
• Marian Wright Edelman

Delta Sigma Theta is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, an organization composed of the nine historically African-American Greek-letter Sororities and Fraternities: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity , Inc. and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Sources:

• http://www.deltasigmatheta.org -- the official website of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
• http://www.dstchicago.com -- the Chicago Alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
• http://www.nphchq.org -- National Pan-Hellenic Council