Electrifying, synergizing, and mesmerizing all describe the dynamic message brought to Birmingham Alumnae Chapter Deltas at their Founders Day Celebration, Saturday, January 10th by Dr. Gwendolyn E. Boyd, the 22nd National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and President of Alabama State University. Held at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center, the Founders Day luncheon was an event attended by close to 400 sorority members and guests.
Speaker Boyd, widely famous for her skilled play with words and passionate delivery, delighted the audience as she recounted the 102 years of Delta’s history, which was begun on January 13, 1913 by 22 young, college-educated women on the campus of Howard University. She shared the phenomenal accomplishments and growth of the sorority as it thrived in community leadership, scholarship, and service throughout the nation and the world over the years, and challenged the sorority members to continue to carry the torch of the Founders as they go forward for the next 100 years.
Another highlight of the luncheon was the presentation of the Fortitude Award by Marilyn Jones Woodson, Committee Chair, to Chapter member, Catherine Breeding Mitchell, for her exemplary qualities of strength, courage, hope, wisdom, beauty, and femininity as depicted by the 22 founders of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Mitchell, a Delta for 40 years, has shown commitment to the Sorority in numerous ways, a few of which include her co-chairing the first tutoring program in financial literacy for the community’s youths at the Delta Life Development Center, serving as Chief Inspector during voters’ registration in her district’s Municipal, State, and National elections, chairing the Chapter’s Budget and Finance Committee, serving as Financial Secretary, Historian, Co-Chair of the 1999 Southern Regional Conference, and serving as President of the Birmingham Area Pan-Hellenic Council.
Other program participants included the Honorable Mayor William A. Bell, Sr., who brought greetings from the City of Birmingham; Chapter President, Shirley Taylor, who introduced Speaker Boyd and presented her with a gift; Founders Day Committee chair, Valerie Cottingham, who presided at the luncheon and gave appreciation to members and guests; Chapter Vice-President, Dr. Felecia Daily, who brought the occasion; Chaplain, Dr. Michelle Williams, who brought the invocation and benediction; Founders Day Co-Chair, Mary Hughes, who introduced the dais; and Tisha Dale, who blessed the food. Delta Choraliers provided wonderful, singing entertainment, with solos by Cynthia Abernathy, Essie Gambles, and Crystal Maxena, who delighted the audience with her rendition of the song, “And Still I Rise.” Lillie Minard served as musician and Dorothy Dilworth as director for the Delta Choraliers. Janice Wilson served as musician and directed the medley recognizing the Greek organizations present.
Delta Sigma Theta is a private, nonprofit organization whose purpose is to provide assistance and support through established programs in local communities throughout the world. Delta’s programs center around it Five-Point Programmatic Thrust in the following areas: Economic Development, Educational Development, International Awareness and Involvement, Physical and Mental Health, and Political Awareness and Involvement. A sisterhood of over 250,000 predominantly-Black college-educated women, the Sorority currently has over 900 chapters located in the United States, England, Japan (Tokyo and Okinawa), Germany, the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, and the Republic of Korea.
