Chapter Herstory
Delta Omicron Chapter,
Northern Illinois University
In 1959, a group of
young women met and decided that there was a need for an
organization which would unite the African American
women at Northern Illinois University . At that time
they formed a local organization, Tau Delta Sigma, and
after careful deliberation, it was decided that the
goals of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. were most
congruent to those of the local organization. Thus, on
May 22, 1960, Delta Omicron was chartered as the 107th
chapter of
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
The fourteen
charter members of Delta Omicron were:
Soror Gwendolyn
Braxton
Soror Betty Byrd
Soror Ethel
Richards Capers
Soror Barbara
Davenport
Soror Gwendolyn
Davis
Soror Loretta Dunn
Soror Norma Gant
Soror Betty Gunn
Soror Barbara
Hinton-Holly
Soror Eunice Joseph
Soror Edna Kelley
Soror Donna Lucas
Soror Wanda Smith
Soror Ethelyn
Campbell- St. James
Delta Omicron has had the distinction of having many
"firsts" on the
campus of NIU:
-
Soror Dorothy Jackson ('68) was the first black
Homecoming Queen
in 1969 sponsored by the Black
Student
Union.
-
Soror Sharon Stevens ('68) was the first editor of the first black newspaper published 1969-1970.
-
Soror Phyllis L. McIntosh ('70) was the first black
NIU cheerleader from 1969-1970.
-
Soror Joan Dameron ('70) received one of the highest
scores (980) ever achieved by a student at NIU
taking the Graduate Records Exam in 1972.
-
Soror Carol Briggs ('74) was the first black
Homecoming Queen
sponsored by NIU in 1975.
-
Soror Tiffany Abrahms was Miss Black Illinois,
1992-1993, while a student at NIU.
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In 1982, Xi Nu Omega became the graduate chapter for
Delta Omicron.
