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• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
• National Five Point Thrust Program
• Los Angeles South Bay Alumnae Chapter History
• Past Chapter Presidents

 

 

Chapter History

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, was founded January 13, 1913 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. by twenty-two college women dedicated to sisterhood, scholarship, service, and Christian principles.  The first Articles of Incorporation of Alpha Chapter were filed with the Recorder of Deeds, District of Columbia, on February 18, 1913.  In 1930, the organization was incorporated for the purpose of providing services and to promote human welfare.

These young Founders used their collective strength to promote academic excellence and provided assistance and support to persons in need.  From the first undergraduate chapter, Alpha Chapter, the sorority has grown to an organization of more than 900 graduate and undergraduate chapters, with more than 200,000 members in the United States, Germany, Haiti, Nassau Bahamas, West Africa, the Virgin Islands, Republic of Seoul, Korea, and in Okinawa, Japan.
The site of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., National Headquarters is located at 1703, 1705, 1707, and 1709 New Hampshire Avenue in the prestigious Dupont Circle area in northwest Washington, D.C. This is also the headquarters of the Delta Research and Education Foundation (DREF).  Our current National President is Soror Cynthia Butler-McIntyre.  Our current Regional Director is Soror Tressa Williams, and our current Regional Representative is Soror Monica Burns. 
Los Angeles South Bay Alumnae Chapter is part of the chapters that make up the Farwest Region.  The Farwest Region, a network of 90+ chapters, consists of the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.  Japan (Okinawa and Tokyo) and the Republic of Korea (Seoul) are the international chapters that are a part of the Farwest Region.  For more information about the Farwest Region and its projects and programs, please visit the National Sorority website at www.thedstfarwestregion.org

Our members are predominately African American, heirs of a history of oppression in a land that brought their African forebears here in chains and whose history of legal segregation and denial of opportunity is a matter of record.  As Deltas, it is important to carry in each successive generation an historic memory of a people’s struggle and survival.

Deltas are women who identify with women’s ideas.  Having lived on the front line of minority issues, our history as African American women has evolved simultaneously with the emancipation of slaves and the struggle for civil rights. 

We are a college movement with an academic base.  We were founded at a college, by college women, for college women.  From the beginning, we have required high scholastic achievement for membership.

Therefore, we are most truly in touch with our identity when we express respect for the ancient and timely academic values of scholarship:

• High intellectual achievement;
• High scholastic attainment;
• Research and the contemplative life of the scholar;
• Respect for disciplined scholarly sources of knowledge, methods of scientific inquiry and academic scholarly bases for problem solving;
• The rule of reason, and;
• Honor to those who teach, who study, and who continue to contribute to the world’s store of knowledge.

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The organizational thrust is indeed public service.  We express our values in building community projects for the public good.  These projects, however, are an outward manifestation of inner values.

The 200,000+ dynamic women of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., volunteer their time, skills, and resources in addition to providing financial assistance to established community programs.  Furthermore, each chapter has developed its own programs and projects to comport to the missions and objectives of the National Five Point Thrust.

National Five Point Thrust Program

As a private, non-profit organization whose purpose is to provide services and programs to promote human welfare, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., has organized their goals and objectives under five main areas of interest, and has at its core the commitment of every member to public service in the programs, projects, and activities embodied in the Five Point Thrust: 

• Economic Development
• Educational Development
• International Awareness and Involvement
• Physical and Mental Health
• Political Awareness and Involvement

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Los Angeles South Bay Alumnae Chapter History

The Los Angeles South Bay Alumnae Chapter was chartered August 28, 1966.  The chapter was chartered by the 13th National President, Geraldine P. Woods, and became the 253rd chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.  Sixteen distinguished women, led by first Chapter President Niecyee Robinson, united to plan and implement programs to address those unique needs of the South Bay communities: Carson, Gardena, Compton, Wilmington, Lynwood, Long Beach, and South Central Los Angeles.  The charter members of Los Angeles South Bay were as follows:

 

Our current chapter president is Soror Linda Watts Evans. Soror Evans was initiated into Delta at Mu Chi Chapter in Riverside at the University of California at Riverside, and served as the Farwest Regional Representative during her college years. Over the years, Mrs. Evans has served on numerous National and Regional committees, Chapter committees, and has served on the National Executive Board.   

Our most notable chapter project, and our longest-running community program, is our annual Sepia Fashion Revue and Luncheon, which is now celebrating over 30 years.   This program has helped to fund our Scholarships project for over a quarter century, offering monetary awards to deserving youth.

Our newest chapter project is our Debutante Program.  Developed in 2004, this community service vehicle brings necessary information to college-bound youth and provides the essentials necessary for presentation to society.  The Debutante Program has provided over $20,000 in scholarship awards since its inception, and has presented 19 young women to society, all of which were accepted to colleges and universities around the country.

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Los Angeles South Bay Alumnae Chapter
Past Chapter Presidents (by year of election)

Year	Name	Year	Name
1966	Neicyee Robinson*	1989	Eleanor C. Thomas
1968	Thelma Hardwick*	1991	Georgene Taylor
1970	Anne-Louise Stafford	1993	Mary Idella Coleman
1972	Hortense Woods	1994	Julia Banks Williams
1974	Guinnevere Hodges	1996	Helen J. Newton Fobi
1976	Nancy Banton	1998	Bettye Jenkins Love
1976	Myrtle Clark	2000	Lula Morehouse
1978	Shirley Ross	2002	Jenelle Jackson Franklin
1980	Elizabeth Barr*	2004	LaVerne G. Davis, Ed.D
1982	Carrie A. Haynes*	2006	Essie French-Preston, Ed.D
1984	Julia Banks Williams	2008	Linda W. Evans
1986	Annie Mae Butler	2010	Linda W. Evans
1987	M. Elayne McCrumby

* deceased

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