OUR FOUNDATION
Sorority History
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated — over a century of excellence, service, and sisterhood.
JANUARY 13, 1913 · HOWARD UNIVERSITY
22 Women. One Vision.
A Legacy Born.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated was founded on January 13, 1913, by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University in Washington, D.C. These visionary founders sought to use the collective strength of sorority life as a powerful vehicle for social action and public service, not merely social purposes.
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Weeks after founding, the Deltas marched in the Women's Suffrage March in Washington, D.C., the Sorority's first major public act, declaring from day one that Delta Sigma Theta would stand boldly on the right side of history.
“Intelligence is the Torch of Wisdom.”
1913
22
FOUNDERS
YEAR FOUNDED
300K+
MEMBERS
1,000+
CHAPTERS
KEY MILESTONES
More Than a Century of Impact
1913
1913
Founded at Howard University
Twenty-two women establish DST committed to public service, not social purposes alone.
1944
1944
National Headquarters
Established in Washington, D.C., Delta's national headquarters placed the sorority at the center of American political and civic life, a strategic home for an organization deeply committed to public service and social advocacy.
1913
1913
​Women's Suffrage March
Twenty-two women establish DST committed to public service, not social purposes alone.
1953
1953
Delta Research & Educational Foundation
Founded in 1953, DREF was established to deepen Delta's intellectual impact, providing: scholarships, funding research, and advancing education for Black women and underserved communities across the nation and around the world.
1930
1930
Pivotal Milestone: Incorporation
The Sorority officially incorporated on January 20, 1930, establishing its legal foundation and formalizing the organization's structure to support its growing membership and public service mission.
Now
TODAY
A Continuing Legacy
300,000+ members, 1,000+ chapters, a premier force for justice and service worldwide.
GLOBAL PRESENCE
Delta on Every Continent
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated is not simply an organization — it is a living, breathing global movement, bound by a shared commitment to sisterhood, scholarship, and service that transcends borders, oceans, and continents.
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Founded on January 13, 1913, by twenty-two visionary women at Howard University, Delta Sigma Theta has grown into one of the largest and most impactful African American Greek-lettered organizations in the world. With more than 350,000 initiated members and over 1,000 chapters, the Sorority's reach extends far beyond the United States, planting its crimson and cream roots into the soil of communities across six continents.
THE FRAMEWORK
Five-Point Programmatic Thrust
Every program NAC runs traces back to Delta's Five-Point Programmatic Thrust, the national framework guiding all chapter work.
Educational Development
Expanding access to quality education and academic achievement for all.
Economic Development
Building financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment.
International Awareness & Involvement
Engaging with global issues and fostering international sisterhood.
Physical & Mental Health
Promoting wellness, health equity, and mental health awareness.
Political Awareness & Involvement
Encouraging civic participation, voter engagement, and public advocacy.