Graduate CHapters

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 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913, by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University in Washington D.C. These students wanted to use their collective strength to promote academic excellence and to provide assistance to persons in need. The group continued to grow, and the ladies used their strength to also provide scholarships; support to the underserved; educate and stimulate participation in the establishment of positive public policy; and to highlight issues and provide solutions for problems in their communities. The private, non-profit organization was incorporated in 1930. 

With origins in the continental United States, the sisterhood spread worldwide establishing chapters and programs in various local communities. To date, the chapters of predominantly black college educated women have been chartered in England, Japan, Germany, the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, The Bahamas, Jamaica, the Republic of Korea, and Canada making up over 900 chapters.

Throughout the course of the sorority’s history, Bahamian young women found this sisterhood attractive and became a part of the dynamic organization while matriculating in the United States. Ninety-two-year-old charter member Soror Beverly Wallace-Whitfield who to date is the longest active Bahamian Delta and Greek in The Bahamas, said that the first known Bahamian Delta to her was her elder sister, Thelma Elaine Worrell Meal. Soror Worrell Meal attended Spellman but was initiated during her school years at Fisk University, Nashville, TN in the late 1930’s. Soror Wallace-Whitfield was the second, being initiated in 1946.

Nassau, Bahamas Alumnae Chapter Charter

In the early 70’s, many Delta’s – Bahamian and U.S. Sorors residing in New Providence wanted to continue the vision of our Founders here in The Bahamas.   At the 2018 Charter Observance luncheon, charter member Alma Adams noted that on her visit home after her initiation in 1970 at Florida Memorial College, she and her friend charter member, Miriam Curling met up and were the spark of the charter idea. From 1971 to 1979 thirty-four women formalized themselves to continue this work of service and met regularly to establish a graduate chapter. It was at Soror Curling’s home on East Bay Street near Montagu that the meetings were held. Charter member, Deanne Huyler said they named it “The Delta Shrine”. Upon reflection, Charter Member Soror Albertha Byer said that “as Sorors gathered, there seemed to be a burning desire to be formalized with everyone having a lot of love and comradery”. 

Both Sorors Byer and Wallace-Whitfield recounted that the group did the necessary training from Grand Chapter and went through the process of qualification and having the numbers of active members to be chartered. It is noteworthy too, that while the women were making plans in Nassau, two young collegiate Sorors from Xi Epsilon Chapter of Florida Atlantic University, Jo Ann Odom Brazier, and Bahamian - Veronica Duncanson, were also involved in the groundwork and details to assist in making it happen. 

On Saturday, December 29, 1979, their dream became a reality. The National President Soror Mona Humphries-Bailey came to Nassau, Bahamas and rendered to us our Charter as the 219th Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., at the Britannia Beach Hotel, Paradise Island. Although there were many others, only nineteen Sorors confirmed as charter members. They were: 

Charter officers, Sorors:

President - Patricia Barrett Mortimer (ΩΩ)

Vice President - Bessie Mae Bowe-Rolle (ΩΩ)

Secretary - Hedda Cleare Smith

Treasurer - Juieth Knowles Benjamin

Sergeant-at-Arms - Lynda Crawley Gibson

Others include, Sorors: Patricia Albury Lightbourne (ΩΩ), Leona Christie Henderson (ΩΩ), Albertha Ferguson-Byer, Alma A. Ingraham Adams, Mavis Ingraham Ward, Deanne McKenzie Huyler, Leonie Moultrie-Foulkes, Erma Rahming, Marcelle Rhodriguez (ΩΩ), Doris L. Sands Johnson (ΩΩ), Sherrylee Smith, Patricia Elaine Thompson, Miriam Weir Curling, and Beverly Worrell Wallace Whitfield. Immediately thereafter, Ola Matheney Treco as an active member, joined the executive board as the chapter’s first Chaplin.

This chartering marked another milestone in Delta’s history, as well as history of the local Pan Hellenic family. The Sorority chartered its first international chapter in the English-speaking Caribbean, with the nomenclature “Nassau, Bahamas Alumnae Chapter” (NBAC), a part of the Southern Region. The Pan Hellenic family in The Bahamas also welcomed a new member.

Charter Member, Juieth Benjamin in recalling the day said, “we had the public come and celebrate this movement that we loved so dearly”. In describing the momentous occasion, she said, “it was an awesome feeling to sign the charter, to know that our dreams were finally coming true; to have a chapter here in The Bahamas…. It was just delightful.”   

Chapter Projects and Programs

The core of the identity of the sorority is Sisterhood, something charter member Curling said that “is the bond that cannot be matched and makes up the difference between us and other service groups”. Further to our core, the Sorority’s purpose is to provide assistance, service, and support in the local communities where we exist. The major programs of the Sorority and each Chapter are based upon the Five-Point Programmatic Thrust: Economic Development; Educational Development; International Awareness and Involvement; Physical and Mental Health; and Political Awareness and Involvement. 

Current projects and programs: 

1. Senior Sizzle -   lunch and game day for residents at a retirement home: Persis Rodgers Home for the Aged, Unity House for Aged, the Good Samaritans Senior Citizens Home, Sandilands Rehabilitaion Center, or Pat’s Senior Citizen’s and Day Care Centre

2. Power of Your Purse - Highlight local Sorors with small businesses.

3. Delta Days at the Capital - an annual sorority program to increase members' involvement in the national public policy-making process.  

4.  Project Cherish – here a gravesite of a charter Soror is visited and beautified. 

5. Financial Fortitude - Red Table Series (this series features different topics to assist with future financial planning)

and many many more! 

To learn more about the Chapter visit our social medias: https://www.facebook.com/share/hP5J6rfBuSm3hUos/?mibextid=LQQJ4d

https://www.instagram.com/nassaubahamasalumnae_dst?igsh=MTAzeHd0Zm5yeTc0ZQ==

This is a long form text area designed for your content that you can fill up with as many words as your heart desires. 

This is a long form text area designed for your content that you can fill up with as many words as your heart desires. 

This is a long form text area designed for your content that you can fill up with as many words as your heart desires. 

This is a long form text area designed for your content that you can fill up with as many words as your heart desires. 

This is a long form text area designed for your content that you can fill up with as many words as your heart desires.