Our Histories

Picture of Sigma Delta Tau founding members. Black and white photograph of a large group of women and a man, dressed in formal attire, posing on a staircase in a building, suggesting a special event or gathering.

Sigma Delta Tau

On March 25, 1917, seven young Jewish women who exemplified authentic confidence and the willingness to take a chance, founded a new sorority at Cornell University. The name chosen, Sigma Delta Phi, was soon changed to Sigma Delta Tau when the women discovered the letters belonged to another Greek organization. Most of the seven had experienced the subtle, but very real, discrimination practiced against religious minorities by many Greek organizations at the time.

In response to the closed doors, and as a way to meet their own social and housing needs, these young women established a sorority which would respect the individuality of its members. The personal growth and social development of each individual was the basis upon which the new organization would be built.

On June 16, 1917, the seven founders and their Ritualist were welcomed by Cornell administrators and faculty and representatives of the seven National sororities on campus—Alpha Omicron Pi, Alpha Phi, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma, Delta Zeta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and Kappa Delta—as their guests of honor at the Installation Banquet of Alpha Chapter of Sigma Delta Tau. Pledges Frances Bayard and Frances Brock also were present for the banquet.

Sigma Delta Tau membership has grown to over 75,000 women worldwide with 64 active collegiate chapters across the United States.

Invitation to a Tau Chapter reception hosted by Miss Roselyn Mathews, Sigma Delta Tau National President, held on Sunday, March 5th, 1939 at the Driskill Hotel from 2 to 5 o'clock.

Tau Chapter

On November 8th, 1938, Sigma Delta Tau, Tau Chapter held its Red Letter Day and became the sixteenth sorority at the University of Texas.

Formally initiated on March 4th, 1939, Mildred Dorfman of Brownsville, Petrice Edelstein of Richmond, Shirley Tallal of Dallas, Sara Maryn Lieberman of San Antonio, Libbe Lande of San Antonio, Harriet Reich of Sweetwater, and Gwendolyn Seigle of Tyler became the founding sisters of Tau Chapter.

Our Symbols

  • Emblem with a shield divided into two sections, featuring a fire torch, a wrench, a shovel, and a curved blade. The shield is surrounded by water droplets, and a banner at the bottom reads 'Patriae Multae Spes Unae'.

    Crest

    Light blue and gold with a red flame on the Torch, flanked by seven drops to either side and our motto in the ribbon along the bottom.

  • Yellow tea-rose flower

    Flower

    Golden Tea Rose

  • Close-up of a small, irregularly shaped blue mineral or gemstone, "lapis lazuli."

    Jewel

    Lapis Lazuli

  • Ancient Greek military bronze shield with Greek symbols and designs, sigma, delta, and tau, the SDT badge.

    Badge

    Jeweled Torch

  • Two colored circles, one blue and one gray, connected with a line symbolizing a network or connection.

    Colors

    Café au lait & Old Blue