Sorority celebrates 103rd anniversary
Actress Daphnie Maxwell Reid spent the weekend celebrating founder’s weekend wit members of the Winston-Salem Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
Last weekend actress and entrepreneur Daphne Maxwell Reid was in the Triad celebrating the founding of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. with members of the Winston-Salem Alumnae Chapter.
On Friday, March 4, Reid, best known for roll as Aunt Vivian on the hit comedy, “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” attended a meet and greet at the Delta Fine Arts Center and on Saturday she delivered the keynote address for the founder’s day observance ceremony held at Parkland High School. Members wrapped up the weekend on Sunday when they attended church service together at Greater Cleveland Avenue Christian Church.
A graduate of Northwestern University, Reid became the first African-American woman to be named homecoming queen in the school’s history. She also led a number of protests that led to the inclusion of African-American history courses into the curriculum. On July 31, 2010 Reid who currently serves on the board of visitors at Virginia State University, became an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority during their 50th National Convention in New Orleans.
During her speech, Reid said she was blessed with so many opportunities through-out her career only because strong black women like the founders of Delta Sigma Theta stood up, challenged society’s wrongs, demanded respect and paved the way for her to choose her own path.
“I was taught to respect myself and others and that involvement in the church and my community was a way of life,” she said. “These same lessons I was taught by my mother have been passed on through members of Delta Sigma Theta for years.”
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. was founded on January 13, 1913 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. by 22 undergraduate women. The young women used their collective strength to promote academic excellence and provide assistance to those in need. Today the sorority continues this focus through their “Five Point Programmatic Thrust,” which includes economic development, educational development, international awareness, involvement in physical and mental health, and political awareness. Following her speech, founder’s day chairperson Eleanor Bailey presented Reid with a gift and thanked her for celebrating the 103rd anniversary with the local chapter.
“We are grateful that Soror Daphne Maxwell Reid took time out of her busy schedule to celebrate with us,” Bailey continued. “This entire weekend has just been wonderful, from Friday through Sunday.”
On Sunday, March 6, members of the sorority attended church service together at Greater Cleveland Avenue Christian Church, located on Lansing Drive.
Local chapter president Elizabeth Newton applauded Bailey and other members of the founder’s day committee for their hard work and dedication to making sure the weekend was a success.
“The founder’s day committee has been working for months to make all this possible,” said Newton. “They have made this year’s celebration one we will be talking about for a long time.”
