The Inner Workings of a "Divine Nine" Sorority

[African Americana]: [Women]: [Education]:

The Ritual of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority [cover title].

[N.p., likely Washington, D.C. 1939]. [4],76pp., of mimeographed text, plus one leaf of sheet music. Original red printed wrappers, brad bound. Substantial edge wear reinforced with cello tape, repaired tear and large area of loss to rear wrapper, some dust-soiling to covers. Ink ownership inscription on front blank belonging to Ruth W. Lee, otherwise internally clean. About good. Item #5722

A delightfully homespun pamphlet containing the revised edition of the various rituals of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, one of the "Divine Nine" sororities of the HBCU community founded at Howard University in 1913, and still active today. According to the organization’s own website, Delta Sigma Theta is "committed to sisterhood, scholarship, service, and addressing the social issues of the time...[and] has become one of the preeminent service-based sororities, with more than 350,000 initiated members and over 1,050 chartered chapters worldwide." The present work was issued by the Ritual Revision Committee, whose names are listed here, along with a note from the committee chairman, Edna B. Johnson-Morris, and a Preface from the committee which includes notes of gratitude to various members, including honorary member Mary McLeod Bethune, thanking her for "The Beacon Light." The body of the work contains chapters on conducting both grand chapter sessions and regular meetings, the initiation ceremony, the establishment of new chapters, conferring honorary status, the process of reinstatement, the pledge ceremony, the funeral ceremony, the observance of memorials, dedication exercises, the order of business for chapter meetings, and closing ceremonies for both types of meetings. Much of the work is literally comprised of the scripts for these various processes and ceremonies. These chapters are followed by the text of the DST "National Hymn," sheet music for "How We Love Thy Name," and the text for the sorority's prayer, oath, and the "Sorority Charge."

"As a sisterhood comprised primarily of Black, college-educated women, the Sorority seriously considers the issues impacting the Black community and boldly confronts the challenges of African Americans and, hence, all Americans. Over the years, a wide range of programs addressing education, health, international development, and the strengthening of African American families have evolved. The major programs of the Sorority are based upon the Five-Point Programmatic Thrust: economic development, educational development, international awareness and involvement, physical and mental health, and political awareness and involvement" - Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. website. Printed works issued by the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority are exceedingly rare. OCLC reports just a few items of any type printed before 1970, along with just a few institutional collections relating to various chapters of the sorority containing material before 1950. The present work is not separately listed in OCLC, and very likely not present in the chapter collections.

Price: $1,350