WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 10, 2024) – Today, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., one of the oldest and largest predominantly Black women’s organizations in the United States, announced a $1 million gift to the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation. In addition, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. International President and Chair of the Board of Directors, Elsie Cooke-Holmes, and 16th National President, Dr. Thelma Daley have been named as Ambassadors of Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. has been named as a National Partner to the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation.
“When the 22 founders of Delta Sigma Theta marched with Mary Church Terrell in the 1913 Woman Suffrage Parade, they changed history,” said Anna Laymon, President and CEO of the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation. “On that day, the women of Delta cemented their legacy as pioneers whose bravery would come to define Black social activism of the twentieth century. It is our honor to welcome Delta Sigma Theta as a National Partner and to work together to continue that legacy by uplifting all women’s stories out of the footnotes of history and into our collective memory.”
Delta Sigma Theta’s extraordinarily generous gift is a major step towards the Foundation’s $75 million fundraising goal. Laymon added, “We extend our deepest gratitude to International President Elsie Cooke-Holmes and Dr. Thelma Daley for their leadership, their strength, and their commitment to elevating women’s history in our Nation’s Capital.”
“Today marks a milestone for Delta Sigma Theta and all who champion women’s rights and honor their history,” said Elsie Cooke-Holmes, International President and Chair of the Board of Directors, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. “Our founders stood not only in the parade lines but at the forefront of change. This gift and our role as Ambassadors are a testament to our ongoing commitment to advocacy and education, ensuring the valor and stories of these courageous women continue to inspire generations. Together with the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation, we are not just preserving history—we are propelling it forward.”
“Delta’s imprint in making the Women’s Suffrage National Monument a reality is a tribute to all Black women whose names may not have made the pages in the history books, nor recognized from a podium,” said Dr. Thelma Daley, 16th National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. “Black women from all walks of life played a pivotal role in the passing and ratification of the 19th Amendment, and as Delta rises, they, too, will rise.”
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ABOUT THE WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE NATIONAL MONUMENT FOUNDATION
The Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation was authorized by Congress in Public Law 116-217 to lead the effort to fund, design, develop, and construct the Women’s Suffrage National Monument, which will serve as a lasting legacy of the longest political movement in American history and honor the generations of women who lobbied, marched, picketed, and protested in their decades-long fight for equality. For more information visit www.womensmonument.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
ABOUT DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INC.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. was founded on January 13, 1913, by 22 collegiate women at Howard University to promote academic excellence; to provide scholarships; to provide 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. Since its founding, more than 350,000 women have joined the organization, making it one of the largest predominately Black women’s organizations in the country. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated has more than 1,050 chapters located throughout the United States, the continent of Africa, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Canada, Germany, Jamaica, Japan (Tokyo and Okinawa), the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the Virgin Islands, and the Republic of Korea. The major programs of the Sorority are based upon its Five-Point Programmatic Thrust, which focuses on Economic Development, Educational Development, International Awareness and Involvement, Physical and Mental Health, and Political Awareness and Involvement. To learn more about Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, visit www.deltasigmatheta.org.
SUPPORT
The Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation is driven by the generous financial support of our donors. Like most monuments and memorials, the Women’s Suffrage National Monument will be funded in its entirety through private donations, and we need your support to tell the stories of generations of women who waged and won the battle for the ballot. Simply put, we can’t do this without you. Learn more about our movement, donate, and be a part of history.
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Media Contacts:
Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation
Kimberly Wallner
media@womensmonument.org
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Kelli D. James
Media@deltasigmatheta.org