Tau Gamma Delta

Tau Gamma Delta is a national African American service sorority. It was established in 1942 in Detroit, Michigan, and has since established community-based and collegiate chapters across the United States.

Tau Gamma Delta
ΤΓΔ
Founded	1942; 83 years ago (1942) Lewis Business College
Type	Service
Affiliation	Independent
Status	Active
Emphasis	African Americans
Scope	National
Colors	Light Pink and   Light Blue
Chapters	16 active
Headquarters	Detroit, Michigan United States
Website	www.taugammadeltasororityinc.com

History

Tau Gamma Delta was established as a service club Phi Gamma Delta Sorority at the Lewis Business College in Detroit, Michigan in 1942.^[1][2] Its eight founders or Pearls were Clotiele Anderson, Corine Dean-Hubert, Jane Howard-Smith, Celillus Palmore-Morgan, Elizabeth Parker, Juanita Parnell, Agnes Sams-Fischer, and Kathleen Williams-Carter.^[3]

The sorority's name was changed to Tau Gamma Delta on October 17, 1951.^[2][1] Tau Gamma Delta Sorority Inc. was incorporated in the State of Michigan on December 12, 1951.^[2] The incorporated sorority's original purpose was to contribute to students ' business and academic training, promote high standards of personal conduct, support community, and civic activities, and "to add to the harmony and discipline and the general welfare of womanhood."^[1][4][2][5] Its members were African American professional and business women.^[4]

A second chapter, Beta, was established in Detroit Michigan, followed by Gamma in Indianapolis, Indiana.^[4] Tau Gamma Delta held its first national convention in 1945.^[6] Delta chapter was chartered in Chicago, Illinois in March 1954.^[4] At the time, the sorority also had eight affiliate chapters in Augusta, Georgia; Detroit, Michigan; New York City, New York; Pasadena, California; and Sacramento, California.^[4]

The sorority had 900 members across the United States in 1974.^[7] In March 1976, it had 27 chapters and more than 600 members.^[8] By 1979, it had chartered 39 chapters in fifteen states.^[9] By 1984, there were also chapters on some college campuses.^[10] It had ten collegiate chapters and 36 graduate or community-based chapters in March 1991.^[11]

As of 2024, the sorority has at least 16 active chapters in the United States.^[12][13][14] Some of its records are preserved at the National Archives for Black Women's History. Tau Gamma Delta's headquarters is in Detroit, Michigan.^[2]

Symbols

Tau Gamma Delta members are called "sorors".^[4][10] The sorority's colors are pale pink and pale blue.^[10][2] Its emblem was designed by Elza Neal.^[15]

Activities

At its Boule, Tau Gamma Delta gives its Scholarship Award to a worthy student and presents its Charity Award to a nonprofit chosen by the host chapter.^[1] The Ballard Award is given to an outstanding member.^[6] In 2008, the sorority launched its Trunks for Success program at its national meeting.^[16][17] The program is based on the nonprofit Trunk Party Inc. of Chicago, Illinois which provides a trunk filled with essential supplies for college freshmen in need.^[17][16] Trunk Party was the recipient of the sorority's Charity Award in July 2008.^[17][16]

The national sorority also sponsored the Tautette Club, an organization for junior high and high school girls.^[10][8] The Tautlettes is a leadership club that also encourages college education and scholarships.^[18][10] Another national program is Taugadetta which provides scholarships for young artists.^[18][8] Tau Gamma Delta celebrates Founders Day each year in October.^[18][19][20]

True to its founders' purpose, the chapters of the service sorority continued to focus on education, raising funds for scholarships that are given to local students.^[10] Its members also volunteer at various organizations in their communities.^[10]

Governance

Tau Gamma Delta conducts business and elects its national officers during its annual national meeting called a Boule.^[1] Its officers include the supreme basileus, supreme first anti-basileus, supreme second anti-basileus, supreme grammateus, supreme anti-grammateus, supreme epistaleus, supreme tamiochus, national graduate organizer, national keeper-of-pins, national Tauette director, national chaplain, and national historian.^[21][22]

In addition, it has regional directors for the Central, Eastern, Southern, and Western regions of the United States.^[23] Its chapter officers include supreme basileus, anti-basileus, secretary, recording secretary, treasurer, dean of pledges, parliamentarian, chaplain, and editor-in-chief.^[4][19]

Chapters

In the following incomplete list, active chapters are indicated in bold and inactive chapters and institutions are in italics.

Chapter	Charter date and range	Institution	Location	Status	Reference
Alpha	1942	Lewis Business College	Detroit, Michigan	Inactive	[2][a]
Beta			Detroit, Michigan	Active	[4][24][17][13]
Gamma			Indianapolis, Indiana	Active	[4][24][13]
Delta	March 1951		Chicago, Illinois	Inactive	[4][13]
Epsilon			Sacramento, California	Inactive	[6][25]
Zeta			Pasadina, California	Inactive	[6][20]
Eta			New York City, New York	Active	[17][26]
Theta	June 1956		Aiken, South Carolina	Inactive	[26]
Iota	June 16, 1956		Cleveland, Ohio	Inactive	[15]
Kappa			Augusta, Georgia	Active	[27][26]
Lambda			Durham, North Carolina	Active	[24][17][26]
Mu			Beverley Hill, California	Inactive	[28]
Nu			Goldsboro, North Carolina	Inactive	[29]
Xi	November 1956		Washington, D.C.	Active	[24][30][19]
Omicron	July 1957		St. Albans, Queens, New York	Inactive	[30]
Pi			Baltimore, Maryland	Active	[24][21][19]
Rho (First)			Milledgeville, Georgia	Inactive	[29]
Rho			Los Angeles, California	Active	[24][21][14]
Tau			Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Active	[17]
Chi			Rocky Mount, North Carolina	Active	[24][17][16]
Psi	March 22, 1969		Jersey City, New Jersey	Active	[31][21][7]
Omega			Phoenix, Arizona	Inactive	[5]
Beta Omega			Wilson, North Carolina	Active
Epsilon Omega	March 1976		Greensboro, North Carolina	Active	[10][5][8]
Theta Omega	July 8, 1978		Sumter, South Carolina	Inactive	[32][b]
Lambda Omega			Bayonne, New Jersey	Inactive	[33]
Mu Omega	March 17, 1979		Atlanta, Georgia	Inactive	[9]
XI Omega			Richmond, Virginia	Active
Upsilon Omega	November 23, 2023		Phenix City, Alabama	Active
		North Carolina Central University	Durham, North Carolilna	Inactive
		Wayne State University	Detroit, Michigan	Inactive
			Houston, Texas	Active	[14]
			Indiana	Active	[13]
			Michigan	Active	[13]
			Sacramento, California	Inactive	[34]

1. Chapter formed as Phi Gamma Delta Sorority. Its name was changed to Tau Gamma Delta in 1951.
2. Chapter formed from the Torchbearers' Pledge Club

Notable members

• Rosa Slade Gragg (Honorary), founder of the first Black vocational school in Detroit, Michigan

See also

• Cultural interest fraternities and sororities
• List of African-American fraternities and sororities
• List of social sororities and women's fraternities
• Service fraternities and sororities