When twenty-two young Black women came together at Howard University to form Delta Sigma Theta sorority, their goal was to focus on scholarship, sisterhood, and service to the African American community. A review of the sorority's early history indicates that these young women, and the ones who followed them, did exactly that.

Members of Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority marched down Pennsylvania Avenue in support of women's suffrage in 1917, even though our white sisters hardly welcomed us with open arms. We were (and remain) advocates, activists, and excellent scholars.

The roster of stellar Delta women is long and distinguished, and the roster of Delta's accomplishments is outstanding. Our first national President, Dr. Sadie Tanner Moselle Alexander, was the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in economics, and was the first woman to enter the Pennsylvania Bar. Under the leadership of Lillian Pierce Benbow, the sorority's Arts and Letters Commission produced a film, "Countdown at Kusini," because we felt that we should control some of the means of cultural production, and the images of African American women.

Delta Sigma Theta's outstanding work complements that done by the other African American women's sororities, and relations between the organizations might be described as "sisterly competition." We all want to be the best, to bring the most to our communities. To the extent that we don't trip over ourselves trying to do the very same thing, and to the extent that we understand that, competition notwithstanding, we are all African American women in the struggle. We are an enrichment to our community.

As rich as our legacy is, though, there are issues of membership intake that all of the African American Greek letter organizations must deal with. These issues often tarnish our stellar record of scholarship, service, and sisterhood. While no undergraduate chapters of the sororities have had incidents as outrageous as those of the fraternities, chapters have been suspended because of hazing incidents that violate the boundaries of dignity and sisterhood. Some of the hazing begs the question of African American women's self-esteem. Why should someone be degraded in order to be my sister. It might be "fun" to dress up in silly costumes, but fun can turn ugly when there is no compassion involved in the pledging process.