Timeline

Tri Delta Founded

On Thanksgiving Eve of 1888, Sarah Ida Shaw and Eleanor Dorcas Pond found Tri Delta at Boston University to "be kind alike to all and think more of the girl's inner self and character than of her personal appearance."

Nov 28th, 1888 - Nov 30th, 2020

First Issue of The Trident

The first issue of The Trident, edited by Emily Allen, Boston University, is published.

Nov 1891

First Alumnae Alliance Founded

Alpha Alliance, Tri Delta's first alumnae chapter, is founded.

Aug 29th, 1892

World's Columbian Exposition

The 1893 World's Fair, known as the World's Columbian Exposition, opens in Chicago.

1893

Plessy v. Ferguson

The United States Supreme Court issues a ruling on Plessy v. Ferguson and upholds the constitutionality of racial segregation, facilitating the passage of Jim Crow laws in much of the country.

May 18th, 1896

First Memorial Service

Tri Delta's first Memorial Service is held during the 1897 Convention.

1897

Spanish-American War

The Spanish-American War begins with the U.S. intervening on the side of Cuba in the Cuban War of Independence. When the war ends, the United States temporarily controls Cuba and owns Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippine islands. The Philippines does not gain independence until 1946. Puerto Rico and Guam remain U.S. territories to this day.

Apr 21st, 1898 - Aug 13th, 1898

President McKinley Assassinated

President William McKinley is assassinated, and Theodore Roosevelt becomes U.S. president.

Sep 14th, 1901

First Inter-Sorority Meeting

Alpha Phi calls the first inter-sorority meeting that resulted in the formation of the association now known as the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC). Tri Delta is one of the founding member organizations.

May 24th, 1902

The First World Series

The Boston Americans beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first World Series played in Major League Baseball.

1903

First Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity

The first edition of Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity is published.

Oct 1905

Coat of Arms

Tri Delta's coat of arms is adopted at the 1906 Convention.

1906

A Detailed Record of Delta Delta Delta, 1888-1907

Tri Delta's first history book, A Detailed Record of Delta Delta Delta, 1888-1907, is published. Bessie Leach Priddy, Adrian College , serves as the editor.

1907

The Model T

Ford begins producing the Model T.

Oct 1st, 1908

Second Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity

The second edition of Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity, edited by R. Louise Fitch, Knox College, is published.

1912

The Titanic

The British ocean liner RMS Titanic sinks.

Apr 15th, 1912

Alpha Chapter of Tri Psi Founded

Alpha Chapter of Tri Psi is founded in Indianapolis, Indiana. Tri Psi is the only Greek-letter mothers' sorority and the only national sorority for mothers of fraternity women.

1914

The U.S. Enters World War I

The U.S. declares war on Germany, thus entering World War I.

Apr 6th, 1917

Prohibition

The 18th Amendment becomes law, making liquor, beer, and wine illegal. Prohibition continues until 1933.

Jan 16th, 1919

Votes for Women

After decades of speeches, rallies, parades, and women demanding the right to vote at the federal level, the U.S. Secretary of State certifies the ratification of the 19th Amendment, stating that no citizen could be denied the right to vote on the basis of sex. Twenty-six million women become voters.

Aug 26th, 1920

Tri Delta European Tour

Tri Delta sponsors a tour of Europe, organized and chaperoned by R. Louise Fitch, Knox College.

1921

Delta Delta Delta Convention Songbook

Tri Delta's third songbook, Delta Delta Delta Convention Songbook, edited by E. Jane Johnson, DePauw University, is published.

1922

1718 Sherman Avenue Executive Office

Tri Delta's Executive Office is located at 1718 Sherman Avenue in Evanston, Illinois.

1923 - 1941

Fourth Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity

The fourth edition of Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity, edited by Russell Ranson Richardson, University of Cincinnati, is published.

1925

Fifth Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity

The fifth edition of Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity, edited by Russell Ranson Richardson, University of Cincinnati, is published.

1926 - 1929

Pine Press

The name Pine Press is used for the first time for Tri Delta's Convention newspaper at the 1928 Convention.

1928

The Great Depression

The Great Depression, the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world, lasts from 1929-1939. At the beginning of the depression, 25 percent of the workforce is unemployed, and hourly wages drop 60 percent.

1929 - 1939

Sixth Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity

The sixth edition of Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity, edited by Russell Ranson Richardson, University of Cincinnati, is published.

1930

A Detailed Record of Delta Delta Delta, 1888-1931

A Detailed Record of Delta Delta Delta, 1888-1931, edited by Bessie Leach Priddy, Adrian College, is published.

1931

Seventh Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity

The seventh edition of Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity, edited by Russell Ranson Richardson, University of Cincinnati, is published.

1932

The End of Prohibition

The 21st Amendment passes, repealing the 18th Amendment and making alcohol legal once again.

Dec 5th, 1933

Eighth Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity

The eighth edition of Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity, edited by Russell Ranson Richardson, University of Cincinnati, is published.

1934

Eighth (Again) Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity

The eighth edition of Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity, edited by Marguerite Peyton Thompson, University of Cincinnati, is published. Although an eighth edition of the book had previously been published in 1934, this volume was still called the eighth edition.

1935

Ninth Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity

The ninth edition of Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity is published.

1937

50th Anniversary Convention

Tri Delta celebrates its 50th anniversary at the 1938 Convention in Swampscott, Massachusetts.

Jun 25th, 1938 - Jul 1st, 1938

Tenth Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity

The 10th edition of Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity, edited by Olive Yoder Lewis, Stanford University, is published.

1939

2108 Chicago Daily News Building Executive Office

Tri Delta's Executive Office is located in the 2108 Chicago Daily News Building in Chicago, Illinois.

1941 - 1956

Eleventh Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity

The 11th edition of Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity is published.

1942

A Committee on Civil Rights

President Harry S. Truman appoints the Committee on Civil Rights to investigate the status of civil rights in the United States.

1946

60th Anniversary Convention

Tri Delta celebrates its 60th anniversary at the 1948 Convention in Banff, Alberta, Canada.

Jun 24th, 1948 - Jun 29th, 1948

NATO

The U.S. and 11 other Western nations form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

1949

Korean War

The Korean War begins when Communist North Korean forces invade South Korea. Fighting ends when an armistice is signed on July 27, 1953, but the war never officially ends.

Jun 25th, 1950 - Jul 27th, 1953

Golden Circle Ceremony

The Executive Board establishes the Golden Circle Ceremony to honor 50-year members of Tri Delta.

1953

Brown v. Board of Education

The U.S. Supreme Court rules unanimously that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional.

1954

Television

The number of television sets in the United States is at 32 million, up from just 3.1 million in 1950.

1955

1709 London Guarantee Building Executive Office

Tri Delta's Executive Office is located in the 1709 London Guarantee Building in Chicago, Illinois.

1957 - 1961

Thirteenth Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity

The 13th edition of Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity is published.

1958

U.S. Involvement in Vietnam Escalates

U.S. involvement in Vietnam escalates in 1960, with troop levels gradually surging from just under 1,000 in 1959 to more than 16,000 in 1963.

1960 - 1963

James Meredith Enrolled at Ole Miss

James Meredith becomes the first Black student to enroll at the previously all-white University of Mississippi. The campus riots, and 13,500 federal troops are called in.

1962

JFK Assassination

President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas.

Nov 22nd, 1963

The Civil Rights Act

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is passed, ending segregation in public places and banning employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

1964

The Gulf of Tonkin

A U.S. destroyer allegedly clashes with a North Vietnamese fast-attack craft. In response, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gives President Lyndon B. Johnson broad authorization to increase U.S. military presence in Vietnam, deploying ground combat units for the first time and increasing troop levels from about 23,000 to 184,000.

Aug 2nd, 1964

Tri Delta Initiates First Women of Color

Diane Petersen is initiated into Delta Upsilon Chapter at Ohio Wesleyan University, the first woman of color to become a member of Tri Delta, marking an important milestone in Tri Delta's history of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

1965

Support for the Vietnam War Declines

South Vietnamese forces are unable to withstand the Tet Offensive launched by the North Vietnamese in January and February of 1968, and U.S. forces have to defeat the North Vietnamese. The episode shows that the end of U.S. involvement is nowhere in sight, and domestic skepticism of the war increases.

1968

Man on the Moon

The Apollo 11 Mission puts a man on the moon.

Jul 20th, 1969

Kent State Protests

The National Guard fires on students protesting the expansion of the Vietnam War at Kent State University in Ohio, killing four and wounding nine others.

May 4th, 1970

Executive Office Moves to Arlington, Texas

Tri Delta moves its Executive Office from Chicago to Arlington, Texas.

1972 - 1985

Title IX

Title IX is passed. An exception allows fraternities and sororities to remain single-sex private organizations.

1972

Watergate

Police arrest men attempting to bug the Democratic National Committee headquarters, marking the beginning of the Watergate scandal.

Jun 17th, 1972

U.S. Troops Withdraw from Vietnam

The U.S. ends direct military involvement in Vietnam, but the war does not end for another two years.

1973

President Nixon Resigns

Facing impeachment charges, President Richard Nixon becomes the first U.S. president to resign.

Aug 6th, 1974

Fall of Saigon

North Vietnamese forces capture Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, ending the Vietnam War.

Apr 30th, 1975

Women in the Air Force

The U.S. Air Force Academy admits its first female student.

1976

Ernestine Block Grigsby Award

The Ernestine Block Grigsby Award is established to honor an alumna member for her continuous support of and contribution to Tri Delta on a local level.

1978

Iran Hostage Crisis

A group of Iranian college students who support the Iranian Revolution take over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and hold 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.

Nov 4th, 1979 - Jan 20th, 1981

First Woman Appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court

Sandra Day O'Connor becomes the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

1981

The ERA Fails

The Equal Rights Amendment fails, after being ratified by only 35 of the necessary 38 states.

1982

First American Woman in Space

Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space.

1983

The Ozone Hole

A hole in the ozone layer is discovered.

1985

Challenger Shuttle

The Challenger Shuttle explodes after launch.

Jan 18th, 1986

Fourteenth Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity

The 14th edition of Songs of Delta Delta Fraternity, edited by Catherine Lynch Lawdanski, Southwestern University, and Marlene Allen Norberg, Colorado State University, is published.

1987

History of Delta Delta Delta, 1888-1988

History of Delta Delta Delta, 1888-1988, compiled by Margaret Paddock Haller, Cornell University, is published.

1988

Fall of the Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall comes down, marking a symbolic end to the Cold War.

Nov 1989

The ADA

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) goes into effect.

1990

Operation Desert Storm

The U.S. leads coalition forces in war against Iraq.

1991

World Wide Web

The World Wide Web is born. In just two years, 3 million people are "on line." By 1998, that number increases to 100 million.

1992

Oklahoma City Bombing

The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is bombed by a domestic terrorist. At least 168 people are killed, and more than 680 are injured. It is the deadliest terrorist attack in U.S. history up to this point.

Apr 19th, 1995

Dolly the Sheep

Dolly the sheep is the first mammal to be cloned.

Jul 5th, 1996

NASA Lands on Mars

American robotic spacecraft Pathfinder lands on Mars.

1997

Columbine High School Massacre

Two students at Columbine High School commit a deadly massacre, killing 12 of their classmates and one teacher. It is the first high-profile school shooting.

Apr 20th, 1999

Women of Achievement

Tri Delta names its first class of Women of Achievement, recognizing members who have demonstrated achievement and leadership in their volunteer, philanthropic, civic, or professional pursuits.

2000

9/11

Terrorists hijack airplanes and crash them into the World Trade Center Towers, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania. As a result of the attacks, 2,996 people are killed and more than 6,000 are injured, with others dying from complications in the coming years. It is the deadliest terrorist attack in U.S. history.

Sep 11th, 2001

The iPod

Apple releases the first iPod.

Oct 23rd, 2001

Department of Homeland Security Created

2003

Devastating Hurricanes

Hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma devastate the southern U.S. in the fall of 2005.

2005

Global Financial Crisis

A global financial crisis begins with a crisis in the subprime mortgage market in the U.S., and becomes a full-blown international crisis with the collapse of the investment bank Lehman Brothers. It is considered by many to be the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression.

2007 - 2008

Reflections: Body Image Program

Tri Delta inaugurates Reflections: Body Image Program as part of member education. Later called BodyImage3D, the program focuses on body image awareness and eating disorder prevention.

2008

Arab Spring

A series of anti-government protests, uprisings, and armed rebellions spread across the Islamic world.

Dec 2010 - Dec 2012

Dallas Parkway Executive Office

Tri Delta moves into a new Executive Office at 14951 N. Dallas Pkwy., Suite 500 in Dallas, Texas.

2016

Let’s Talk Tri Delta Podcast

Tri Delta launches a podcast called Let’s Talk Tri Delta.

2019

LEADDDer.org

Tri Delta introduces LEADDDer.org, an online platform that offers dynamic learning and development opportunities, including on-demand, self-paced training for collegiate chapter officers and volunteers, and exclusive personal and professional leadership content for all members.

2020

First Sisters of Color on Executive Board

Tri Delta’s 2020 Convention delegates vote to expand the number of Executive Board members by two and ask the Leadership Development Committee (LDC) to fill those vacancies with Black, Indigenous, and Sisters of Color.

Jul 2020