Delta Sigma Theta — 100 Years and a Murphy Legacy

Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie (2nd from RT) w/ guests

One hundred years after some two dozen ladies at Howard University founded Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, one of those founders’ offspring (the progeny of Vashti Turley Murphy) — to include four daughters, six granddaughters and seven great-granddaughters… all DSTs! — came back together with other sorority sisters to celebrate that lofty thing called… Legacy.

The Murphy Legacy

A century ago, these ladies first publicly participated in the Women’s Suffrage March of 1913.  Earlier in January, they rode a float together on the route of the Tournament of Roses parade.  But last Friday night, the women of the largest predominantly Black Greek-lettered sorority in the world partied during their Centennial weekend at the Goethe-Institut.

Along with other notable local DSTs, like Cora Masters Barry and White House correspondent April Ryan, Bennett College President Julianne Malveaux, media maven Harriette Cole and former Chief Prosecutor of Baltimore City Patricia Jessamy, the ladies of the Murphy Legacy sipped cocktails and picked at small plates… of course, all crimson and cream themed.