Kappa Delta National History

"A chilly rain splattered against the windowpanes of the little dormitory room on Professional Hall, the dormitory floor where most of the seniors lived. Saturday meant no classes, and the dreary weather that hung over Farmville was a perfect excuse for the four friends to tuck themselves away in that cozy spot and talk for hours... It was that afternoon that Kappa Delta was born - October 23, 1897 - at the State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia."

-Ordinary Miracles: 100 Years of Kappa Delta Sorority

The thought that over 100 years ago four young women could just sit down and create a sisterhood as enduring as Kappa Delta sometimes defies understanding.  But that's exactly what they did.

Kappa Delta's founders were four very different women. They ranged in age from 15 to 23, yet brought a singular sense of purpose to this particular endeavor. Their dream was to create something more lasting than a club -- a sorority! It was to be an entity that would grow beyond their own chapter at State Female Normal School. But they never dreamed that it would grown into an organization of nearly 200,000 women, over 200 chartered chapters and nearly 500 chartered alumnae associations nationwide.

The sorority still holds true to its original object adopted sometime before 1902...
 
"The object of Kappa Delta Sorority is the formation and perpetuation of good fellowship, friendship and sisterly love among its members; the encouragement of literature and education; the promotion of social interest; and the furtherance of charitable and benevolent purposes."
Kappa Delta's early leaders were women of vision. Today's women live that dream and keep the vision alive!

Kappa Delta's Four Founding Sisters

Lenora Ashmore Blackiston was unconventional. She was a dreamer and an idealist filled with enthusiasm for new ideas. Nicknamed "Nora," she was a writer and a poet, able to put her thoughts into action. She was the one who first suggested the idea of forming a sorority, but was unable to put her lasting personal marks on Kappa Delta's beginnings because, after Christmas holiday, she transferred to Randolph-Macon Women's College.

Quiet and extremely intelligent, Julia Gardiner Tyler Wilson came from a distinguished and respected family; her grandfather was John Tyler, former U.S. president, and her father was the president of the College of William and Mary. She was characterized as capable, dependable and possessing considerable artistic talent. She illustrated most of the school's first yearbook and designed the Kappa Delta badge. After helping to found the sorority, Julia spent another year at State Female Normal before transferring to Dana Hall, a preparatory school for Wellesley College where she earned her AB degree in 1904. She joined her founding sister Sara at Kappa Delta's 50th anniversary celebration at the 1947 convention.

Daughter of a Virginia senator, Sara Turner White was gracious and friendly, but known as being a bit more straight-laced than most students. She enjoyed her friends and social activities more than she did her studies. Sara did not return to college after that first year, but remained steadfastly involved with Kappa Delta throughout her long life.

Mary Sommerville Sparks Hendrick was much loved and respected by all students at State Female Normal School. She was known for her fine character and gentle understanding. Mary had concern for others, perhaps because, at 25, she was more mature than the younger students. She was a Bible class leader. Mary stayed on and helped the fledging sorority through its early years.

Notable Kappa Deltas

Kappa Delta members are three-star generals, circuit court judges, business executives, devoted mothers, Nobel Prize winning authors, U.S. Senators, renowned artists, entrepreneurs, visionaries, athletes, community leaders and volunteers. There's no doubt about it -- Kappa Deltas are making great things happen in the world!

Many Kappa Deltas credit the sorority and the many leadership opportunities it offers for making their success possible. Learn more about some notable Kappa Deltas...

• Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (Theta -- Randolph-Macon) Novelist; Pulitzer Prize winner(1932); first American woman to win Nobel Prize for Literature(1938); life member, American Academy of Arts and Letters (elected 1951)
• Georgia O'Keefe (Beta -- Chatham Episcopal) Painter; Medal of Freedom recpient(1977)
• Dr. Bonnie J. Dunbar (Sigma Iota -- Washington) Astronaut; space shuttle mission specialist(1985, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1998)
• Nancy Thies Marshall (Sigma Omicron -- Illinois) Vice-Chair for Women, USA GYMNASTICS (formerly United States Gymnastics Federation); network television broadcaster; Olympic gymnast(1972)
• Dr. Cynthia Clark Wedel (Lambda -- Northwestern) First female president, National Council of Churches (elected 1969); one of first two women elected to the Presidium of the World Council of Churches(1975); Presidential appointee to Commission on the Status of Women(1961); social psychologist; author
• Kathleen Babineau Blanco (Gamma Kappa -- University of Louisiana-Lafayette) Lieutenant Governor, State of Louisiana (present)
• Christine O'Grady Gregoire (Sigma Iota -- Washington) Attorney General, State of Washington (present)
• Trischa Zorn (Pi -- Nebraska) Champion swimmer; winner of 40 Paralympic gold medals, more than any other athlete in history (1988, 1992, 1996)
• Donna Stone ( Lambda -- Northwestern) Founder and President, National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse (1972-78) Now Prevent Child Abuse America
• Patricia Polito Miller (Sigma Upsilon -- Indiana) Co-owner/President, Vera Bradley Designs (present); recipient, Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year award
• Linda Warren (Kappa Alpha -- Florida State) Senior Vice President of Marketing for Product and Brand Management, Walt Disney World (1995); first female General Manager of EPCOT, Disney theme park (1994), and cited as such in Working Woman magazine's 20th-anniversary issue
• Suzy Spafford (Beta Rho -- San Diego State) Artist; creator of "Suzy's Zoo" greeting cards
• Janet Marie Smith (Delta Omega -- Mississippi State) Architect/urban planner; designer of two Major League baseball parks, Camden Yards (Baltimore) and Olympic Stadium (Atlanta)
• Ali Landry (Gamma Kappa -- University of Louisiana-Lafayette) Miss U.S.A. 1996; television personality; one of People magazine's 1998 "50 Most Beautiful People"; host of SpyTV
• Debra Sue Maffett (Gamma Rho -- Sam Houston State) Miss America 1983
• Joan Lowery Nixon (Theta Sigma -- Southern California) National President of Mystery Writes of America; author of more than 100 books; record-holding four-time winner of Edgar Allen Poe Award, given by Mystery Writers of America, for Best Juvenile Mystery
• Ellen Albertini Dow (Omega Chi -- Cornell) stage, television, and movie actress, best known as the "Rappin' Granny" in The Wedding Singer
• Ruth Johnson Colvin (Lambda -- Northwestern) founder and President of Literacy Volunteers of America
• Sara James (Beta Alpha -- Virginia) Dateline NBC Correspondent; Today Show Correspondent
• Claudia Kennedy (Alpha Delta -- Rhodes) United States Army's first female three-star general and highest ranking female officer in Army history (now retired)
• Jean Carpenter Carahan (Epsilon Alpha -- Missouri/Rolla) United States Senator (present)
• Patricia Wood Barnes aka "Sister Schubert" (Delta Delta -- Troy State) Founder of "Sister Schubert's Homemade Rolls" baking company now selling bread and rolls in over half the states in the U.S.A.