Sorority History
When were graduate chapters authorized and by which Big Sister National President?
Big Sister 1st National President Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander, 1920
This Big Sister National President designed the Sorority's Five-Point Project.
Big Sister 10th National President Dorothy Irene Height.
Bonus point: Name two more facts on this Big Sister National President.
How often is National Convention?
Every two years.
This Big Sister Founder launched the careers of Harry Belafonte and Sydney Poitier.
Big Sister Founder Osceola Macarthy Adams
Identify the song and finish the line:
"Far in the distance..."
Pyramid Hymn
"... is the goal for which we strive"
Which chapter first adopted the Jabberwock?
Bonus point: Name the year it was adopted.
Iota Chapter, 1925
Big Sister 7th National President Vivian Osborne Marsh
What does one rap, two raps and three raps mean?
One Rap - Attention, Be Seated, End of Ceremony
Two Raps - Affirm the Sacred Vow, Affirm the Sacred Trust
Three Raps - Big Sisters Stand
This Big Sister Founder held many of the first meetings of the organization in her living room.
Big Sister Founder Edna Brown Coleman
Identify the song and finish the line:
"Though we're scattered far and wide..."
Beta Hymn
"... may no kind or kindred, on our pathways rise"
Who are the first honorary members of Delta and when were they initiated?
Big Sister Nannie H. Burroughs
Big Sister Gabrielle Pelham
Big Sister Mary Church Terrell
1919
Under her administration, the new nomenclature system for naming chapters was authorized.
Big Sister 2nd National President G. Dorothy Pelham Beckley
Name Jewels 4 - 6. An additional bonus point is given to anyone who can name for whom they are dedicated and two additional bonus points for their meaning.
4. Fellowship is the common spirit of Sisterhood. Fellowship, one with another, brings an abundance of joy and pleasure to all human encounters. The cultivation of loyalty within the warmth of sisterly fellowship is truly one of the highest graces of the human experience. This jewel is dedicated to the many chapters of Delta Sigma Theta.
5. Fidelity is the steadfast devotion and faithful commitment we give to purposes larger than ourselves, and a disciplined devotion which involves us in those experiences that are the very essence of an organization. Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable, than Fidelity. This jewel is dedicated to the Honorary Members.
6. Honesty is the first requisite in keeping peace with ourselves and meriting the trust of others. The possession of honesty is the ultimate good of the human mind. In committing ourselves to the pursuit of truth, however difficult and protracted that process may be, we keep the faith of our Founders, and exercise the loftiest faculty of the human mind. This jewel is dedicated to the National Officers, past and present, who have guided the organization.
This Big Sister Founder is an accomplished linguist, speaking French, German, Greek and Latin.
Big Sister Founder Madree Penn White
Bonus point: Name two more facts about this Big Sister Founder.
Identify the song and finish the line:
"Though we're far, far from thee..."
Pyramid Hymn
"... yet our hearts would near thee be."
Who wrote and composed the Delta Hymn?
Bonus point: Which year?
Big Sisters Alice Dunbar-Nelson and Florence Cole Talbert in 1924.
This Big Sister National President was the first Black woman to graduate from the University of Cincinnati Law School.
Big Sister 8th National President Helen Elsie Austin
Name and describe each traditional Delta program.
Founders Day: It is the day set aside by chapters during the months of January, February and March for sorors to rededicate themselves to the ideals and purposes of the Sorority. This is celebrated in a variety of ways by different chapters. Programs may take the following forms: banquet or luncheon; public meeting; Artist presentation; radio or television program; Rededication Service. Founders Day is also the time most frequently selected to accelerate reclamation activities.
May Week: This is a period in May of each year when chapters emphasize scholastic achievements, educational opportunities and the encouragement of higher scholarship. In addition to being a public event which has educational value and captures the community’s interest, May Week is often the culminating event of the year for the chapter, with emphasis on the year’s programs and progress. May Week serves to call attention to the various phases of the Delta programs and can promote good public relations for the chapter. Some chapters have a week of activities, i.e., a public meeting, corporate workshop and a major social event. In this way, the community is made aware of the substantive activities as well as social activities, and this serves to sustain the Sorority’s public service image.
Jabberwock: This is an extravaganza in which other local groups are invited to participate. It is generally a cultural and fundraising activity. It seeks to render an entertainment of the highest caliber. The proceeds usually are given to charity, for scholarships, or to a worthy cause. Jabberwock is intended to foster inter-organizational cooperation. It is a favorite activity on some college campuses, and is a stimulating and entertaining occasion for some communities. This activity usually includes a series of skits (both competitive and non-competitive) by fraternal and non-fraternal groups, individual and children, enhanced by lighting, staging and costumes in a theatrical presentation around a central theme.
This Big Sister Founder graduated with her M.A. from Teachers College of Columbia University.
Big Sister Founder Eliza Pearl Shippen
Identify the song and finish the line:
"Bonded by devotion..."
Beta Hymn
"... may we always be."
Recite the Mission Statement
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is an organization of college-educated women committed to the constructive development of its members and to public service, with a primary focus on the Black community.
Under her administration, the Social Action Commission was established.
Big Sister 12th National President Jeanne L. Noble
Name 5 standing committees in the Grand Chapter's Organizational Structure.
Possible options:
Arts & Letters Commission, Constitution & Bylaws, Distinguished Professor Endowed Chair, Documents Review and Management, Heritage and Archives, Housing & Properties, Human resources, Information & Communications, Institutional Research, Leadership Academy, Membership Services, Program Planning & Development, Protocol & Traditions, Ritual & Ceremonies Commission, Social Action Commission, Strategic Planning, Technology
This Big Sister Founder became a music teacher in the Washington, DC public school system.
Big Sister Founder Olive Claire Jones
Identify the song and finish the line:
"To the golden splendor..."
Pyramid Hymn
"For which every heart doth yearn"