The National Presidents

Grand President for the 1st National Convention; Creation of Grand Chapter; Established chapters in Cincinnati, Syracuse, Ithaca (N.Y.), Berkeley (Calif.), Chicago, Pittsburgh, Ann Arbor, and Omaha; Graduate chapters were authorized at the Second National Convention in 1920; Kappa Chapter was established at the University of California, earning Delta the distinction of being the first Greek-letter organization for Black college men and women on the Pacific coast.

Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander, 1919 - 1923

New nomenclature system for naming chapters was authorized; Established Omega Omega as the Memorial Chapter; “Delta Hymn”, written and composed by Alice DUnbar Nelson and Florence Cole Talbert, was adopted at the Sixth National Convention; At the Seventh National Convention, regional conferences as a permanent institution were approved

G. Dorothy Pelham Beckley, 1923 - 1926

Biennial Conventions Approved; Administration abolished dues of the Grand President and Grand Vice Presidents; Became the Third Honorary Grand President

Ethel Lamay Calimese, 1926 - 1929

Grand Chapter incorporated under D.C. laws (1930); National Pan-Hellenic Council formed (Dr. Julian served as treasurer); “Jubilee Year” was established

Anna Johnson Julian, 1929 - 1931

National Boards as component of organizational structure created

Gladys Byram Shepperd, 1931 - 1933

National Headquarters established; Membership in the Sorority grew under her leadership with the establishment of eight undergraduate chapters, one mixed and four graduate chapters

Jeannette Triplett Jones, 1933 - 1935

Actively involved in civil rights movements on anti-lynching bill

Vivian Osborne Marsh, 1935 - 1939

Created the Office of Undergraduate Coordinator (later known as National Second Vice President)

Helen Elsie Austin, 1939 - 1944

Focus on voting and equal rights for women and minorities and fair employment practices; Purchase of war bonds and ambulances; Emphasized education

Mae Wright Downs Peck Williams, 1944 - 1947

First Executive Director hired (Patricia Roberts Harris); Delta Five-Point Programmatic Thrust

Dorothy Irene Height, 1947 - 1956

Burned the Mortgage on the First National Headquarters

Dorothy Penman Harrison, 1956 - 1958

Social Action Commission established; Appointed by Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford to serve on commissions

Jeanne L. Noble, 1958 - 1963

Delta Teen Lift; Delta Research and Educational Foundation (DREF)

Geraldine Pittman Woods, 1963 - 1967

First Woman Appointed to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights by President Lyndon B. Johnson

Frankie Muse Freeman, 1967 - 1971

Established the National Commission on Arts & Letters; Implemented the Delta Right to Read Project

Lillian Pierce Bendow, 1971 - 1975

Commissioned the Sculpture, Fortitude on Howard University’s Campus

Thelma Thomas Daley, 1975 - 1979

Implementation of the Capital Fund Drive; Campaign to “Burn the Mortgage” on newly expanded National Headquarters

Mona Humphries Bailey, 1979 - 1983

Established the Delta Leadership Academy; Published the first Delta Doctrine

Hortense Golden Canady, 1983 - 1988

Launched “Every Delta in the Delta House” DelShare Program; Designated the 1988 - 1990 biennium as “The Reclamation Era”

Yvonne Kennedy, 1988 - 1992

20th National President

Bertha Maxwell Roddey, 1992 - 1996

21st National President

Marcia L. Fudge, 1996 - 2000

22nd National President

Gwendolyn Elizabeth Boyd, 2000 - 2004

23rd National President

Louise Allen Rice, 2004 - 2008

24th National President

Cynthia M.A. Butler-McIntyre, 2008 - 2013

25th National President

Dr. Paulette C. Walker, 2013 - 2017

26th National President

Beverly Evans Smith, 2017 - 2021

27th National President

Cheryl A. Hickmon, November 22, 2021 - January 20, 2022

Current International President

Elsie Cooke Holmes, 2022 - Present