List of Delta Sigma Theta members

Delta Sigma Theta is an international historically Black sorority. It was founded on January 13, 1913, at Howard University and was incorporated in Washington, D.C., on February 9, 1913.^[1][2] Below is a list of some of Delta Sigma Theta's notable members

Founders

Name Original chapter Notability References Osceola Macarthy Adams Alpha Founder; born in Albany, Georgia. Within the ranks of Delta, Adams called upon her prior leadership experience to aid in the founding of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. In Chicago, Illinois, she was installed as the first president of Lambda, and she served as the grand treasurer of the national organization. She directed the debut of actors Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier. [3] Pauline Oberdorfer Minor Alpha Founder; born in Charlottesville, Virginia; an excellent musician. She was the Alpha Chapter's first Treasurer. In 1914, she graduated as valedictorian of the Teacher's College. She was also the President of the Teachers' Club. Minor taught school in Alabama, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania. She wrote the book Soul Echos, which featured 40 of her compositions. She also became a renowned mezzo-soprano recitalist. [1] Zephyr Chisom Carter Alpha Founder; born in El Paso, Texas. During her years at Howard University, she played an active role in the collegiate chapter of the NAACP. In Delta, she became the Alpha Chapter's first reporter. She was a singer and actress, and for several years she sang for television shows. [1] Edith Motte Young Alpha Founder; North Carolina native. She was the Alpha Chapter's first Recording Secretary. Upon graduation from Howard University, she moved to Youngstown, Ohio. Later, she taught at Claflin College in Orangeburg, South Carolina. She received her M.A. degree in Biblical Literature from Oberlin College in Ohio. She was also an accomplished pianist. [1] Edna Brown Coleman Alpha Founder; Washington, D.C. native. Her father had a prestigious career at Howard University for 31 years as a professor of religion. Many of the first meetings of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. were held in her living room. She was dedicated and studious, and graduated from Howard in 1913 as valedictorian and class president. Upon graduating from Howard, Brown wed Frank Coleman, the co-founder of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. She played a crucial role in the development of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. [1] Bertha Pitts Campbell Alpha Founder; born in Winfield, Kansas, but grew up in Colorado. She entered the Teaching College at Howard. On March 13, 1913, she participated in the March on Washington, Delta's first public act as a sorority. 68 years later, she repeated this walk on August 2, 1981. Even though a limo was provided for her, at the grand age of 92, she refused to ride and chose to walk. Campbell became an educator, and she spent the vast majority of her adulthood working in Seattle, Washington, toward better race relations. [1] Frederica Chase Dodd Alpha Founder; born in Dallas, Texas. Her family had a substantial amount of financial and social authority. She was enrolled in the Teacher's College. After graduating from Howard University, she took on a brief career as a teacher. She became the first Sergeant at Arms of the Alpha Chapter. In 1926, she helped to create the graduate chapter of Delta in Dallas, which became the first Greek letter organization in the city [1] Myra Davis Hemmings Alpha Founder; Gonzales, Texas native. Of all the founders of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., she had the most assertive leadership skills. She went from being President of Alpha Kappa Alpha to being president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. In her daily life, she continued to be a role model through her involvement in the Alpha Phi Literary Society. She acted in Go Down Death: The Story of Jesus and the Devil. [1] Ethel Cuff Black Alpha Founder; born in Wilmington, Delaware into a prosperous family. She enjoyed fine arts and expressed this through her involvement in the Howard University Choir. She was continuously involved with community organizations, such as the YWCA, where she became chairperson of the collegiate committee from 1911 to 1912. After graduating, she became a teacher in the New York City public school system. In 1953, she assisted in the creation of the Queens Alumnae Chapter. [1] Winona Cargile Alexander Alpha Founder; born in Columbus, Georgia. Her unique personality allowed her to flourish in any environment and appeal to many people. Alexander valued education, and upon graduating, became a teacher. Always giving back to the community and her sorority, she became the first social worker for the New York City and County Charities, and she was the Alpha chapter's first Custodian. [1] Marguerite Young Alexander Alpha Founder; charter member of Lambda chapter; born in Chicago, Illinois. While at Howard University, she concentrated her studies on two foreign languages. After graduation, she returned to Chicago, where she became a French and Spanish Correspondence Secretary. In 1950, as a member of the housing group, Alexander helped the Alpha Nu chapter purchase a sorority house on the campus of the University of Illinois [1][4] Ethel Carr Watson Alpha Founder; Parkersburg, West Virginia native. During the March for Women's Suffrage, Watson's family told her not to march, but she was forced to defy the order as she was selected to hold the banner since she was the tallest. She pursued her teaching career for over 30 years. She then retired and began a second career as a dramatic performer. [1] Florence Letcher Toms Alpha Founder; Washington, D.C. native. At graduation from Howard, her diploma and scholarship were given to her by William Howard Taft. She was chosen to present to Lady Eleanor Roosevelt before an audience. Toms collected elephants, which has become a hobby of Deltas all over the world. [1] Jimmie Bugg Middleton Alpha Founder; active supporter of Delta from Lynchburg, Virginia. She helped lobby Delta Sigma Theta to participate in the March for Women's Suffrage. In 1936, she received her master's degree from Howard University. By 1938, after years of effort, she witnessed her Raleigh Alumnae chapter, Alpha Zeta Sigma, established in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1944, she was appointed to the Scholarship Board of New York's 22nd Congressional District. [1] Jessie McGuire Dent Alpha Founder; Galveston, Texas native. She was the first corresponding secretary of the Alpha Chapter. She enrolled in the Teacher's College at Howard University. She became a teacher in the Galveston School District. Dent took on the Galveston School District in court and won equal wages for Black teachers. [1] Madree Penn White Alpha Founder; the driving force and inspiration behind Delta Sigma Theta. She is originally from Atchison, Kansas, but moved to Omaha, Nebraska. White drafted the constitution and set of bylaws. She selected the Greek letter symbols and created the initiation ritual. She was the first woman on the Howard University Journal's staff as an editor. She was the founder and President of the Triangle Press Company in St. Louis, Missouri. [1] Wertie Blackwell Weaver Alpha Founder; Kansas City, Missouri native. After graduation, she was appointed to teach in East St. Louis. She published the novel The Valley of the Poor, which focused on racism and poverty in the South. [1] Olive Jones Alpha Founder; Washington, D.C. native. She became a music teacher in the Washington public school system. [1] Naomi Sewell Richardson Alpha Founder; Washingtonville, New York native. She was involved in extreme activism and civic service. She was appointed to the East St. Louis public school system after graduation by Dean Lewis B. Moore. She also taught in Illinois, Princeton, New Jersey, and New York City. Richardson was the last surviving founder when she died in 1993. [1] Vashti Turley Murphy Alpha Founder; a Washington, D.C. native. She graduated from M Street High School, later known as Dunbar High School. This was the first public high school for Blacks in the United States. She then attended Miner Normal School, which had a historic association with Howard University and became part of the DC Public School System in 1879. In 1908, she was appointed to teach in Washington public schools. Murphy was an ardent supporter of the major political issues of the day, including voting rights for women. [1] Eliza Pearl Shippen Alpha Founder; Washington, D.C. native. She graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. from the Howard College of Arts and Sciences. She received her M.A. from the Teachers College of Columbia University and her Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Shippen was the only founder to receive a Ph.D. and one of the only two founders who never married. She strongly believed in the public service of Delta. [1]

22 founders of Delta Sigma Theta Osceola Macarthy Adams Pauline Oberdorfer Minor

Arts

Name Original chapter Notability References Gwendolyn Bennett Rho Artist, poet, prose writer, teacher; played an active role in the African American arts community in Harlem; former director of the Harlem Community Art Center of the N.Y.C. WPA Art Project; one of the most revered poets of the New Negro Era (Harlem Renaissance); poetry reflected themes of the New Negro Era – racial pride, rediscovery of Africa, a celebration of blackness [5] Selma Burke Honorary Artist who designed the profile of President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the United States dime; sculptor of President Franklin D. Roosevelt portrait [5] Elizabeth Catlett Alpha Sculptor and printmaker; Mother and Child [5] Geneva Handy Southall Beta Gamma Musicologist and pianist Varnette Honeywood Honorary Painter known for her unique portrayals of Black culture in paintings exhibited in home settings of several popular television shows, including The Cosby Show [5]

Selma Burke

Business

Name Original chapter Notability References Juanita Baranco Unknown Executive vice president and chief operating officer of Baranco Automotive Group (one of the first African American-owned car dealerships in the Atlanta area); former Assistant Attorney General of Georgia; first African American woman to chair the Georgia Board of Regents [6] Ingrid Saunders Jones Epsilon Epsilon Director of the Coca-Cola Foundation [7] Cora Masters Barry Unknown Founder of the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center; founder and CEO of the Recreation Wish List Committee (RWLC) of Washington, D.C.; former First Lady of Washington, D.C. [8] Maya Rockeymoore Cummings Eta Beta President and CEO at Global Policy Solutions; former Chief of Staff/Administrative Assistant at Office of Congressman Charles Rangel; former professional staff at House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Eunice W. Johnson Alpha Zeta Executive of Johnson Publishing Company; creator of the Ebony Fashion Show [9][10] Paula Madison Honorary Business executive with Williams Group Holdings; former Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of NBC Universal; former Chairman and CEO of the Los Angeles Sparks; member of the WNBA Board of Governors; named among Black Enterprise magazine's "75 Most Powerful African Americans in Corporate America" Renetta McCann Theta Alpha CEO of the Americas Starcom MediaVest [11] Elsie L. Scott Unknown President and CEO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Jane E. Smith Unknown Former President and CEO of the National Council of Negro Women; founding member of the Women's Chamber of Commerce [12]

Edith Irby Jones Stacey D. Stewart

Civil rights

Name Original chapter Notability References Daisy Bates Honorary Advisor to the Little Rock Nine to integrate Little Rock Central High School; civil rights activist [13] Nannie Burroughs Honorary One of the founders of National Association of Colored Women; founder of the National Training School for Girls in Washington, DC; associate editor of the Christian Banner, a Philadelphia newspaper; civil rights activist [14][15] Melanie L. Campbell Sigma Executive director of the National Coalition of Black Civic Participation; civic leader; civil rights activist who implemented VOTE Election Reform Task Force, Unity Civic Engagement & Voter Empowerment Campaign, and ReBuild Hope NOW; charter member of the Future PAC [16] Coralie Franklin Cook Honorary One of the founders of the National Association of Colored Women; civil rights activist and suffragist [17] Fannie Lou Hamer Honorary Voting rights activist and civil rights leader Myrlie Evers-Williams Unknown Wife of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers; in 1995, the first woman to chair the NAACP; former NAACP chairwoman [18] Sybrina Fulton Miami Alumnae Mother of Trayvon Martin; founding member of Mothers of the Movement; civil rights activist; author of Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin; co-founder of the Trayvon Martin Foundation [19] LaDonna Harris Honorary Native American activist; founder of Americans for Indian Opportunity; first Native American woman to run for vice president of the United States; founding board member of the National Urban League and National Women's Political Caucus; currently serves on the boards of Think New Mexico and Advancement of Maori Opportunity, and advisory boards for the National Museum of the American Indian, American Civil Liberties Union, and the Delphi International Group Elaine Jones Unknown Former NAACP Legal Defense Fund Director and General Counsel [20] Vivian Malone Jones Delta Delta Civil rights activist; first African-American to enroll and graduate from the University of Alabama despite Governor George Wallace's infamous "Stand in the Schoolhouse Door" Vivian Osborne Marsh Kappa She was extremely active in the civil rights movement and lobbied with the NAACP on the anti-lynching bill being considered in Congress. [1] Mary McLeod Bethune Honorary Eighth president of the National Association of Colored Women; founder of the National Council of Negro Women; founder of the Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls; civil rights activist; founder of Bethune-Cookman University [21] Frankie Muse Freeman St. Louis Alumnae Civil rights attorney; first woman appointed to the United States Commission on Civil Rights (1964 to 1979) [22] Betty Shabazz New York Alumnae Civil rights activist; Wife of slain civil rights leader Malcolm X; former director of the Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn's Department of Communications and Public Relations [18][23] Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander Gamma One of the first African Americans to receive a Ph.D. in the United States; first Black woman to receive a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania and in the United States; first Black woman to receive a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School; first Black woman admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar [5] Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Gamma Psi Civil rights activist; Freedom Rider; featured in PBS documentary Freedom Riders Eslanda Goode Robeson New York Alumnae Anthropologist, author, actress, civil rights activist; wife of Paul Robeson [18][23] Amelia Boynton Robinson Unknown Civil rights activist; went to Selma in 1929 with George Washington Carver; inspired and convinced Dr. Martin Luther King to march on Selma in 1965; guest of honor when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law; first African American to run for Congress in Alabama (in 1964) Mary Church Terrell Honorary Writer, civil rights and women's rights activist; first president of the National Association of Colored Women; first Black woman to represent the U.S. Congress of Women; first Black woman to serve on the Washington DC Board of Education [5] Henrietta Bell Wells Alpha Iota Member of the Historic Wiley Debate team as portrayed in The Great Debaters; basis for Jurnee Smollett's character; first Black teacher at Bonner Elementary School [24][25] Ida B. Wells Unknown A journalist, educator, and early leader in the civil rights movement and one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

Fannie Lou Hamer Mary McLeod Bethune Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander

Education

Name Original chapter Notability References Dorothy Pelham Beckley Honorary Howard University's Director of Music, 1905–1907 [26] Mary Frances Berry Honorary Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought and Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania; former chairwoman of the United States Commission on Civil Rights Gwendolyn Elizabeth Boyd Beta Eta first female president of Alabama State University, engineer, and the assistant for development programs at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. [1] Hallie Quinn Brown Honorary Wilberforce University Board of Trustees member; former Dean of Allen University in Columbia, SC; President of the Ohio State Federation of Women's Clubs; Vice-President of the Ohio Council of Republican Women [27] Hortense Canady Alpha Beta first Black elected to the Lansing Board of Education [1] Constance Carroll Unknown Chancellor, San Diego Community College District; former President of San Diego Mesa College and Saddleback College [28] Constance Clayton Gamma First Black female superintendent of the Philadelphia Public School system (1982-1993); national social action chairman of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority; Visual Artist [29][30] Johnnetta Cole Unknown First Black female president of Spelman College (1987–199); president of Bennett College (2002–2007); current director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art [18] Althia F. Collins Unknown 13th president of Bennett College [18] Elnora D. Daniel Unknown President of Chicago State University (CSU); W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Consultant on Regulatory health care reform to Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Swaziland [18] Juliette Derricotte New York Alumnae Dean of Women at Fisk University [31] Eva Dykes Alpha First woman to complete the degree requirements for her Ph.D.; one of the first African American woman to earn a PhD. in the U.S. from Radcliffe College (a total of three were earned the same year, including Sadie T.M. Alexander, another Delta Sigma Theta member) [32] Ramona Edelin Unknown Founder and former chair of the Department of African American Studies, Northeastern University; former president and CEO of the National Urban Coalition; created the M. Carl Holman Leadership Development Institute and Executive Leadership Program to bring minorities into leadership development opportunities; former member of Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (appointed by Bill Clinton); former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation [33][34] Mary Futrell Alpha Eta First Black female president of National Education Association [35] Muriel A. Howard Buffalo Alumnae First female president of Buffalo State College and 7th president of the school; first African American female chair of the United Way Campaign for Buffalo and Erie County [36] Marvalene Hughes Unknown President of Dillard University, New Orleans, Louisiana Shirley Ann Jackson Iota Eighteenth president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute [37] Sebetha Lee Jenkins Delta Phi Former President of Jarvis Christian College; former member of the Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities [18] Anna Johnson Julian Gamma First African American woman in the nation to receive a Ph.D. degree in sociology; taught sociology at the University of the District of Columbia; 4th National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. [38] Yvonne Kennedy Beta Eta first Black president of Bishop State Community College; member of the Alabama House of Representatives [1] Joyce Ladner Gamma Psi First female president of Howard University; former senior fellow at the Brookings Institution [39][40] Julianne Malveaux Iota President of Bennett College; economist; columnist; author [41] Marie V. McDemmond Unknown First President of Norfolk State University; first female CEO of a four-year, state-supported university in Virginia; first African-American woman to head any of the National Association of Colleges and University Business Officers regions [42] Jeanne L. Noble Alpha Professor of education and one of the first African-American women to receive tenure at New York University. Presidents Nixon and Ford appointed her to serve on national educational commissions. [43] Trudie K. Reed Epsilon Beta Former president of Bethune-Cookman University; 11th president of Philander Smith College (Little Rock, Arkansas); first female president of Philander Smith in 125 years; youngest elected General Secretary CEO [44] Gloria Randle Scott Gamma Nu First African American President of the Girl Scouts of the USA; former President of Bennett College [45] Henrietta M. Smith Unknown Professor, School of Information, University of South Florida; Coretta Scott King Award editor; Association for Library Service to Children Distinguished Service Award; Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award; Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art award for her championship of diversity in children's literature [46] Dianne Boardley Suber Gamma Iota 10th president of Saint Augustine's College; first female president [18] Niara Sudarkasa Honorary First female president of Lincoln University [18] Josephine Washington Honorary Writer, educator, advocate for women's rights and racial justice; Wilberforce University Dean of Women; a copyist for Frederick Douglass during his tenure as Recorder of Deeds for DC [27] Margaret Murray Washington Honorary Dean of Women at Tuskegee Institute; former President of National Association of Colored Women (1912–1916); third wife of Booker T. Washington; writer, educator, advocate for women's rights and racial justice; Wilberforce University Dean of Women [47]

Julianne Malveaux

Entertainment

Actresses

Name Original chapter Notability References Angela Bassett Honorary Actress (What's Love Got to Do With It, Waiting to Exhale, American Horror Story: Coven) Kim Coles Alpha Lambda Comedian; TV actress on The Geena Davis Show, One on One, In Living Color, Martin, and Living Single [48] Ruby Dee Davis Honorary Actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and activist; won a Screen Actors Guild Award for her acting in American Gangster [49] Wendy Davis Alpha Actress; Army Wives Suzzanne Douglas Honorary Actress, singer, composer and arts education activist; recipient of an NAACP Image Award for her role in Tap; co-starred in How Stella Got Her Groove Back and The Parent Hood Amber Efé Alpha Broadway actress; co-star in Legally Blonde: The Musical; one of Ebony magazine's "30 Leaders under 30" for 2008 [50] Aunjanue Ellis Gamma Psi Broadway actress in August Wilson's Tony Award-winning stageplay Joe Turner's Come and Gone; film actress in The Taking of Pelham 123, Cover, Undercover Brother, and Ray; and television actress in Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story [51] Gloria Foster Honorary Theater actress and two-time Obie Award winner for In White America and A Raisin in the Sun; played Sadie Delaney in Having Our Say and The Oracle in The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded Renée Elise Goldsberry Theta Beta Broadway actress known for her Tony Award-winning portrayal of Angelica Schuyler in the original Broadway production of Hamilton; originated the role of Nettie in the Broadway production of The Color Purple Ellen Holly Rho Actress; played Clara "Carla" Hall onOne Life to Live from 1968 to 1981, and again from 1983 to 1985 [52][53] Adrienne-Joi Johnson Eta Kappa Actress in A Different World, In the Heat of the Night, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and Amen; fitness trainer [54] T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh Beta Alpha Comedian; actress; In Living Color, That's So Raven [55] Daphne Maxwell Reid Honorary First Black woman to appear on the cover of Glamour magazine; played Vivian Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air; co-owns and operates New Millennium Studios with her husband Tim Reid in Petersburg, Virginia Theresa Merritt Honorary Actress of stage, screen and television; starred in the family sitcom That's My Mama and in The Wiz Novella Nelson Rho Singer and actress; plays Roland's mother on Army Wives; created the role of "Aunt Missy" in the original Broadway production of Purlie; films include Antwone Fisher and Birth [53][56] Keshia Knight Pulliam Eta Kappa Played Rudy Huxtable on The Cosby Show; starred in Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail; currently acting in Madea's House of Payne [57] Sheryl Lee Ralph Honorary Deidra "Dee" Mitchell on Moesha; humanitarian educating communities on HIV/AIDS awareness Cicely Tyson Honorary Emmy Award-winning actress; notable for roles in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and Roots Sharon Warren Epsilon Eta Played Ray Charles' mother Aretha Robinson in Ray [58] Kym Whitley Alpha Beta Comedian; film actress in Fun With Dick and Jane, Along Came Polly, Deliver Us From Eva and Next Friday; TV actress on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Married ... with Children, and Moesha; former creator and co-host of Oh Drama! [59][60] Lisa Nicole Wilkerson Theta Alpha Broadway actress; played Anna Gordy in Motown: The Musical, Nala in The Lion King, and dance captain and fight captain in the Tony Award winner The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, for which she won the 2012 Fred and Adele Astaire Award for "Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show"

Ruby Dee Davis Sheryl Lee Ralph Cicely Tyson

Dancers

Name Original chapter Notability References Judith Jamison Honorary Dancer and choreographer; Artistic Director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; one of 2009 Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World; Kennedy Center Honors (1999) and the National Medal of Arts (2001); Emmy Award winner and American Choreography Award winner for Outstanding Choreography for the PBS Great Performances: Dance In America special, "A Hymn for Alvin Ailey" [61]

Beauty constants

Name Original chapter Notability References Kimberly Clarice Aiken-Cockerham Epsilon Tau Miss America in 1994 [59] Ericka Dunlap Mu Iota Miss America in 2004 [62] Crystle Stewart Unknown Miss USA 2008 [63][64]

Ericka Dunlap Crystle Stewart

Singers and musicians

Name Original chapter Notability References Germaine Bazzle New Orleans Alumnae Jazz vocalist; director of musical education at Xavier Prep in New Orleans Harolyn Blackwell Iota Iota Soprano; opera singer [65] Shirley Caesar Honorary Known as the "First Lady of Gospel"; gospel singer [59] Maurette Brown Clark Kappa Phi Gospel singer Florence Cole Talbert Honorary Opera singer; composer of the official "Delta Hymn"; Dean of Music at Wiley College [66][67] Natalie Cole Upsilon Singer of "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" [59] Roberta Flack Alpha Singer of "Killing Me Softly with His Song" [53][68] Aretha Franklin Honorary R&B and classically trained opera performer; singer of "Respect"; "Queen of Soul" [59] Shirley Graham Du Bois Alpha Gamma Composer of the opera Tom-Tom; second wife of W. E. B. Du Bois [69] Lena Horne Honorary Jazz, pop, and Broadway singer [53][59] Dorothy Maynor Gamma Iota Soprano; opera singer [70] K. Michelle Beta Alpha Recording artist, pianist, songwriter Leontyne Price Beta Soprano; opera singer; awarded the United States Medal of Freedom by President Lyndon B. Johnson [53][9] Philippa Schuyler Honorary Musical child prodigy and pianist; journalist; daughter of Harlem Renaissance writer George Schuyler [71] Beverly Sills Honorary Operatic soprano; called "America's Queen of Opera" by Time [72] Somi Alpha Nu Jazz vocalist, composer, and writer; Grammy-nominee and two-time winner of NAACP Image Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album; first African woman nominated in any of the Grammy jazz categories [73] Crystal Taliefero Gamma Nu Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist [59] Támar Upsilon Actress in several Tyler Perry plays; finalist on The Voice Chelsey Green Columbia(MD) Alumnae Violinist; international recording artist; first Black woman elected as The Recording Academy Chair of the Board of Trustees Leslie Uggams Honorary Emmy and Tony Award-winning singer in Hallelujah, Baby!; played "Kizzy" in Alex Haley's Roots [53][9] Nancy Wilson Honorary Grammy Award-winning blues, jazz, cabaret and pop singer [53]

Natalie Cole Leontyne Price Nancy Wilson Philippa Duke Schuyler

Television and radio

Name Original chapter Notability References Mara Brock Akil Theta Alpha Television writer and producer; creator of Girlfriends and The Game [74] Cheryl Burton Chicago Alumnae Emmy Award-winning news anchor at WLS-TV in Chicago [75] Polly Spiegel Cowan Honorary Radio and television producer; political activist; National Council of Negro Women board member; organizer of Wednesdays in Mississippi [76] Sara V. Finney-Johnson Upsilion TV producer, writer, co-creator of Moesha [77] Melissa Harris-Perry Pi Omicron Professor of political science at Wake Forest University; former associate professor of politics and African-American studies at Tulane University and Princeton University; author of Barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought; guest host and contributor on The Rachel Maddow Show [78] JC Hayward Unknown News anchor at WUSA9 in Washington DC; vice president of Media Outreach; first DC market female news anchor [79] Charlayne Hunter-Gault Tau Africa Bureau Chief for Essence Magazine; journalist for CNN [9][18] Gwen Ifill Honorary Managing Editor and moderator for Washington Week; Senior Correspondent for The NewsHour on PBS [80] Soledad O'Brien Honorary Anchor and special correspondent, CNN [81] Robi Reed-Humes Gamma Iota Emmy Award-winning casting director (The Tuskegee Airmen & Malcolm X); contributor to the success of over 30 films, including eight with director Spike Lee (Malcolm X); TV credits include Bill Cosby's A Different World and LL Cool J's In the House [82] Jacque Reid New York Alumnae News contributor for The Tom Joyner Morning Show; former anchorwoman on BET Nightly News; former co-host of the radio show The Steve Harvey Show [83] Shaila Scott Kappa Rho Radio personality for 98.7 KissFM New York; former Miss Teen New York [84] Mary E. Vroman Honorary First Black woman accepted into membership in the Screen Writers' Guild; wrote Shaped to its Purpose, Delta Sigma Theta, the First Fifty Years [85] April Woodard Kappa Rho Senior Reporter, Inside Edition; celebrity news commentator; former Miss Black USA; former 2nd runner-up for Miss Virginia [84]

Soledad O'Brien

Government

Name Original chapter Notability References Shirley Barnes Rho Former Ambassador to Madagascar [86] Viola O. Baskerville Richmond Alumnae Former Secretary of Administration to Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine; second African American and the only African American female cabinet head in his administration; former vice mayor of the Richmond City Council; former member of the Virginia House of Delegates; first African American woman to run for Lieutenant Governor in VA [87] Jacqueline A. Berrien Brooklyn Alumnae Head of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission [88] Gloria Bryant Banks Beta Gamma Former Secretary of the Department of Social Services, State of Louisiana Alexis Herman Gamma Alpha First African-American Secretary of Labor (1997–2001) [5] Lisa P. Jackson Honorary Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under President Barack Obama, 2009-2013; Environmental Director for Apple, Inc. [5] Anne Forrester Holloway Unknown U.S. Ambassador to Mali [5][89] Suzan Johnson Cook Honorary Policy advisor to President Bill Clinton; Ambassador-at-Large under President Barack Obama; dean and professor of communications at Harvard University; first female senior pastor in the 200-year history of the American Baptist Churches USA [90] Margaret McDonald Honorary Former Ambassador to the U.S. from Nassau, Bahamas [91] Cherelle Parker Unknown First female mayor of Philadelphia; member, Philadelphia City Council, 2016-2022; member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 2005-2015 [92] June Carter Perry Unknown U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Sierra Leone [93] Esther Peterson Honorary Director of the Office of Consumer Affairs and director of the United States Women's Bureau Patricia Roberts Harris Alpha First Black female U.S. Ambassador (1965; Luxembourg), first African-American Secretary of Housing and Urban Development [5] Barbara Mae Watson Honorary First African American woman to serve as a Chief of State Department Bureau; former Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs for the U.S. State Department; first African American woman to serve as a U.S. Ambassador; former Ambassador to Malaysia (August 20, 1980 – February 1981) [5][94]

Alexis Herman Patricia Roberts Harris

Law

Judges

Name Original chapter Notability References Vicki Ballou-Watts Alpha Circuit Court Judge (Baltimore County, Maryland) [95] DeAndrea G. Benjamin Unknown Judge of the South Carolina Circuit Court for the 5th Circuit; Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, first African American woman from South Carolina to serve on the Fourth Circuit [96][97] Patricia Ann Blackmon Unknown Judge – Eighth District Court of Appeals; first African American woman elected to any Court of Appeals for the State of Ohio; first Night Prosecutor, City of Cleveland [98] Izetta F. Bright Detroit Alumnae Judge, 36th District Court (Detroit, MI) Jean Murrell Capers Unknown Former Municipal Court Judge (Cleveland); first African American woman in the U.S. to be elected as a city council member; first to serve as an Assistant County Prosecutor in Cuyahoga County [99] J. Michelle Childs Kappa Iota United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina [100] Kim Berkeley Clark Alpha Chi Administrative Judge, Family Court, 5th Judicial District, PA Norma Dotson-Sales Detroit Alumnae Judge, 36th District Court (Detroit, MI) Karen Fort Hood Detroit Alumnae Judge, 1st District Court of Appeals (Detroit, MI) [101] Karen Freeman-Wilson Xi Tau former Indiana Attorney General [102] Patrice A. Hinnant Unknown First woman elected by the Democratic Party to serve as a district court judge, 18th Judicial District (Guilford County, NC); first African American female assistant public defender [103] Charlene Honeywell Unknown Federal District Court Judge, Middle District of Florida; former Circuit Court Judge, 13th Judicial Circuit of Florida [104] M. Yvette Miller Unknown First African American woman on Georgia Court of Appeals [105] Tanya Walton Pratt Eta Kappa Nominee for the Federal District Court Bench for the Southern District of Indiana; Judge, Probate Division of the Marion County Superior Court [106] Gloria C. Reno Unknown Associate Circuit Court Judge – Division 36 for Family Court (St. Louis, Missouri) [107] C. Lorene Royster Detroit Alumnae Judge, District Court (Detroit, MI) [108] Juanita Kidd Stout Alpha Theta Justice, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1988–1989 [109] Ann Claire Williams Tau Appointed by President Ronald Reagan as the first African American woman on the Federal District Court in Illinois [110]

Hon. Ann Claire Williams

Law enforcement

Name Original chapter Notability References Cassi Chandler Iota Theta Assistant Director for Training at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) [111] Val Demings Orlando Alumnae First female Chief of Police of the Orlando Police Department [112] Beverly J. Harvard Gamma Zeta Former Chief of the Atlanta Police Department; first African American woman in the nation to run a major police department [113]

Law – other

Name Original chapter Notability References Sadie T. M. Alexander Gamma first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. in the United States, first Black woman to practice law in Pennsylvania, and the first national president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Chair of the White House Conference on Aging. [1] Helen Elsie Austin Zeta first African-American woman to become assistant attorney general of the state of Ohio. [1] Dorothy Rabb Brown Alpha Tau First African American elected clerk of the Circuit Court (Cook County, Illinois) [114] Jewel Carter Stradford Lafontant-Mankarious Unknown First American woman to be admitted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers; first female Deputy Solicitor General of the U.S., Nixon Administration; Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois under President Dwight D. Eisenhower [114] Nicole Y. Lamb-Hale Nu Assistant Secretary, Manufacturing and Services, United States Department of Commerce; former Deputy General Counsel, United States Department of Commerce [115] Loretta Lynch an attorney from the Eastern District of New York. On April 24, 2015, she was confirmed as Attorney General of the United States of America, making her the first African American woman to hold the position [116] Portia Roberson Detroit Alumnae Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison, United States Department of Justice (under President Barack Obama); former Associate General Counsel, Detroit Medical Center [117] Gertrude Rush Honorary first African American female admitted to the National Bar Association [118] Althea T. L. Simmons civil rights activist and attorney, who was the head of the Washington, D.C. branch of the NAACP from 1979 to 1990. The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Social Action Award is named for her. [119]

Sadie T. M. Alexander

Literature and journalism

Name Original chapter Notability References Harriette Cole Alpha Creative director for Ebony magazine; author of How to Be: A Guide to Living with Grace and Integrity; image consultant [50] Alice Dunbar-Nelson Honorary Poet and author of short stories; wife of Paul Dunbar; first woman to serve on the Delaware State Republican Committee [120] Frankie Muse Freeman St. Louis Alumnae Author of A Song of Faith and Hope: The Life of Frankie Muse Freeman. Appointed by President Lyndon B Johnson, she was the first woman to serve on the United States Civil Rights Commission. As president, she was responsible for increasing sorority activism during the Civil Rights Movement. [1] Paula Giddings Alpha Author of When and Where I Enter: The Impact of Black Women on Race and Sex in America and In Search of Sisterhood [121] Jessie Redmon Fauset Honorary Novelist during the Harlem Renaissance [122] Nikki Giovanni Honorary Poet [123] Gloria Naylor Honorary Author of The Women of Brewster Place Ethel L. Payne Honorary "First Lady of the Black Press", first Black woman journalist to cover international affairs; columnist, lecturer, and freelance writer [124] Gladys Byram Shepperd Lambda author of several books, including a biographical sketch entitled "Mary Church Terrell: Respectable Person." [1]; Susan L. Taylor Honorary Former editor-in-chief of Essence magazine [125]

Alice Dunbar-Nelson Nikki Giovanni

Medicine and science

Name Original chapter Notability References Regina Benjamin Gamma Alpha United States Surgeon General; third African-American woman to be appointed Surgeon General; first physician under the age of 40 and first African American woman named to the American Medical Association's Board of Trustees; former president of the Alabama State Medical Association; recipient of MacArthur Genius Award [126][127] Dorothy Levinia Brown Unknown First African-American female surgeon in the South; first African American woman elected to the Tennessee State Legislature [18] Alexa Canady Nu First African-American female neurosurgeon [18] May Edwards Chinn New York Alumnae First African American woman to graduate from Bellevue Hospital Medical College; one of the first female African American physicians in New York City [128][129] Joycelyn Elders Gamma Gamma United States Surgeon General (1993–1994); first African American, and the second woman, to be appointed Surgeon General; first African American Resident Pediatrician at the University of Arkansas Medical Center [130] Bettye Washington Greene Charter member of Midland, Michigan chapter First African-American female Ph.D. chemist to work in a professional position at the Dow Chemical Company [131] Ruth Bates Harris Unknown First female Deputy Assistant Administrator of NASA [132] Joan Higginbotham Unknown Engineer; former NASA astronaut who flew on the Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-116 as a mission specialist; third African-American woman to go into space [18] Kalimah Johnson Tau Founder and executive director of the SASHA (Sexual Assault Services for Holistic Healing and Awareness) Center in Detroit, Michigan [133] Edith Irby Jones Gamma Mu First African American student to attend the University of Arkansas School of Medicine; first female president of the National Medical Association [134] Ayana Jordan Unknown Addiction psychiatrist [135] Audrey F. Manley Honorary Acting Surgeon General of the US (1995–1997;) second African-American female Surgeon General; first alumna president of Spelman College (1997–2002) Fatima Cody Stanford Omicron Xi First African-American fellowship-trained obesity medicine physician scientist; National Academy of Medicine Scholar in Diagnostic Excellence; Dietary Guidelines for Americans Advisory Committee Member [136] Betty Smith Williams Unknown Founder, charter member, and 7th president of the National Black Nurses Association; American Academy of Nursing fellow [137] Geraldine Pittman Woods Alpha Woods, who received advanced degrees from Radcliffe and Harvard Universities, was instrumental in the development of the Minority Access to Research Careers of the National Institute of Health. She was the first Black woman appointed to the National Advisory General Medical Services Council. [1]

Regina Benjamin Joycelyn Elders Bettye Washington Greene Joan Higginbotham Audrey Forbes Manley Fatima Cody Stanford

Military

Name Original chapter Notability References Clara Adams-Ender Honorary 18th Chief of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps; first Army Nurse Officer to be appointed as Director of Personnel for the Surgeon General of the Army 1987–1991; held the rank of brigadier general, 1991–1993 [138] Hazel Winifred Johnson Brown Honorary First Black woman promoted to the rank and position of brigadier general in September 1979; Chief of the Army Nurse Corps [139] Marcelite J. Harris Unknown First African American female general of the United States Air Force; first United States Air Force female aircraft maintenance officer; first female Deputy Commander for Maintenance; one of the first two female air officer commanders; Personnel Staff Officer and White House Social Aide [140] Stayce D. Harris Unknown Highest ranking African American female in the U.S. Air Force Reserve; first African American woman to fly the Boeing 747 aircraft, the world's largest commercial aircraft [141]

Nonprofits and social causes

Name Original chapter Notability References Dorothy Pelham Beckley Alpha clubwoman and second national president of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, in office from 1923 to 1926. [1] Stephen R. Coney Gamma Lambda Founder and CEO of National Stop the Violence Alliance, Inc., a national organization geared to the promotion of nonviolence and to end violence in communities Marian Wright Edelman Honorary President and founder of the Children's Defense Fund; established and directed the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund Office in Jackson, Mississippi; first Black Woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar [142] Clara Hale Honorary Also known as "Mother" Clara Hale, founder of Hale House, which provided a home to drug-addicted and abandoned babies [143] Dorothy Irene Height Rho President of the National Council of Negro Women, administrator, educator, civil rights activist; recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal [144] Lillian Roberts Honorary Labor leader; former U.S. Department of Labor Commissioner; first Black woman to head the New York State Labor Department Stacey Davis Stewart Mu Beta Current president and CEO, March of Dimes; former U.S. president of United Way Worldwide [145][146][147][148] Tererai Trent Honorary Humanitarian, educator; holds a doctoral degree in Interdisciplinary Evaluation; principal of Tererai Trent International [149]

Marian Wright Edelmen Dorothy Height

Politics

U.S. politicians

Name Original chapter Notability References Dixie Allen Unknown Former state representative for the 39th House District in Ohio (1998–2006) [150] Diana Bajoie Alpha Tau State senator for the 5th District in Louisiana; president pro tempore of the Louisiana Senate; founder of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus [8] Joyce Beatty Delta Kappa U.S. congresswoman from Ohio's 13th congressional district (2013–present) [151][152] Keisha Lance Bottoms Beta Alpha 60th mayor of Atlanta [153] Amber Boykins Epsilon Psi Former Missouri state representative; youngest African American woman legislator elected in the history of the Missouri House [154] Carol Moseley Braun Honorary First African-American female U.S. senator, represented Illinois 1992–1998 Blondell Reynolds Brown Philadelphia Alumnae Chapter Current Philadelphia city councilwoman at-large; only woman to win a city-wide council seat since 2000 Shirley Chisholm Brooklyn Alumnae First African-American woman elected to Congress; first African-American and first woman to run as a major party candidate for President of the United States in 1972 [5] Yvette Clarke Brooklyn Alumnae U.S. congresswoman from New York's 9th congressional district (2007–present) [155] Barbara-Rose Collins Honorary Former U.S. congresswoman from Michigan's 15th congressional district; first African-American elected to Congress from Michigan Linda W. Cropp Unknown Former DC councilwoman At-large; former council chairwoman of the District of Columbia City Council; first female chairwoman [156] Lois DeBerry Alpha Upsilon First African-American female speaker pro tempore for the Tennessee House of Representatives; former president emeritus of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators [8][157] Stormie Forte Kappa Omicron First African-American woman and first LGBT woman to serve on the Raleigh City Council Shirley Franklin Honorary Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia Marcia Fudge Epsilon U.S. congresswoman from Ohio's 11th congressional district; former mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio (2000–2008); past national president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (1996–2000) [158] Cheryl A. Gray Omicron Chi Current Louisiana state senator, District 5; former member, Louisiana State House of Representatives [159] Edith Green Honorary Former U.S. Congresswoman from Oregon's 3rd congressional district (1955–1974) [160] Laura Hall Huntsville Alumnae State representative for 19th District of the Alabama House of Representatives since 1993; first African-American woman to represent the 19th District; former chairwoman of the Governor's Commission on AIDS [8][161] LaDonna Harris Honorary Vice presidential nominee of the Citizens Party Tracy Maxwell Heard Unknown State representative for the 26th House District in Ohio [162] Carolyn J. B. Howard Unknown Delegate, Rep. 24th Legislative District in Prince George's County, MD [163] Teresa Patterson Hughes Rho Former Democratic assemblywoman and member of the California State Legislature Stephanie Tubbs Jones Cleveland Alumnae U.S. Congresswoman from Ohio's 11th congressional district; first Black woman to represent Ohio in the House; former chairwoman of the House Ethics Committee (since 2007); first Black woman to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee [5] Barbara Jordan Delta Gamma U.S. congresswoman from Texas's 18th congressional district (1973–1979) [5] Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick Detroit Alumnae U.S. congresswoman from Michigan's 15th congressional district (1997–2011) [164] Brenda Lawrence Unknown U.S. congresswoman-elect from Michigan's 14th congressional district [165] Jeanne Lucas Unknown First African-American woman in the North Carolina General Assembly; first African-American female Senate Majority Leader in the NC General Assembly [18] Carrie Meek Beta Alpha Former U.S. Congresswoman from Florida's 17th congressional district (1993–2003), first African-American elected to Congress from Florida since Reconstruction [166] Elaine O'Neal Alpha Lambda First African-American woman Mayor of Durham, first woman Chief District Court Judge in North Carolina, former North Carolina Superior Court judge [167] Karen Carter Peterson New Orleans Alumnae Democratic member of the Louisiana Senate; first chairwoman of the Louisiana Democratic Party [168] Jacqueline Johnson Roberts Pine Bluff Alumnae Former state representative; Arkansas House of Representatives; 1991–1998 Lottie Shackelford Gamma Gamma First female mayor of Little Rock, AR; vice chair of the Democratic National Committee [169] Wilma Webb Honorary First Lady of Denver, Colorado; former member of the Colorado Legislature; the first woman of color to serve on the Colorado Joint Budget Committee; first woman to serve in the U.S. Department of Labor as the primary official for Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming [170] Verda Welcome Alpha Gamma First African American elected to the Maryland Senate; Morgan State College, Verda Welcome Bridge [18] Angela Williams Denver Alumnae Colorado state senator; former Colorado state representative; first African American woman to serve as Majority Caucus Chair, chairwoman of Colorado Black Democratic Legislative Caucus [171] C. Bette Wimbish Beta Alpha First black person elected to the City Council of St. Petersburg, Florida; first black female attorney in Pinellas County; third black female attorney in the State of Florida [172] Adrenne Wooten Unknown State representative for District 71 in Jackson, Mississippi [173]

Carol Moseley Braun Shirley Chisholm Marcia Fudge Edith Green Stephanie Tubbs Jones Barbara Jordan Carrie Meek

World leaders

Name Original chapter Notability References Louise Jackson Unknown Member of Parliament, Bermuda [174] Winnie Mandela Honorary First Black social worker in South Africa; anti-apartheid advocate; former leader of the African National Congress, Women's League, member of the ANC's National Executive Committee; ex-wife of former South African president

Winnie Mandela

Religion

Name Original chapter Notability References Suzan Johnson Cook Honorary United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Vashti Murphy McKenzie Baltimore Alumnae First woman to become a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church; National Chaplain of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated; granddaughter of Delta Sigma Theta founder Vashti Turley Murphy [175]

Vashti McKenzie

Sports

Name Original chapter Notability References Monique Ambers Iota Kappa Assistant Coach for the WNBA New York Liberty; former WNBA player for the Phoenix Mercury [176] Tynesha Lewis Mu Omicron Former WNBA player for the Charlotte Sting and Minnesota Lynx [177] Francena McCorory Hampton Alumnae 2012 Olympic gold medalist, 4x400 meter relay; 2011 World Outdoor 4x400m gold medalist; American indoor 400m record holder [178] Carla McGhee Mu Zeta Assistant Coach of Women's Basketball at Auburn University; former ABL and WNBA player; member of the 1996 Women's Basketball Olympics team that won gold in Atlanta [179] Andree Pickens Lambda Zeta Two-time individual NCAA Champion; former captain of Alabama's NCAA Gymnastics Championship squad; former member of U.S. national gymnastics team; extra in the movie Stick It [180] Wilma Rudolph Alpha Chi First American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at the Olympic Games [181] Olympia Scott-Richardson Omicron Chi WNBA basketball player [59] Rochelle Stevens Memphis Alumnae Two-time Olympic gold, silver and bronze medalist; three world championships in track and field [182] Candice Wiggins Omicron Chi WNBA player for the Minnesota Lynx [59]

See also

• United States portal

• Delta Sigma Theta
• List of Delta Sigma Theta National Conventions
• List of Delta Sigma Theta alumnae chapters
• List of Delta Sigma Theta collegiate chapters