Lenora Ashmore Blackiston, Mary Sommerville Sparks Hendrick, Julia Tyler Gardiner Wilson and Sara Turner White founded Kappa Delta at the State Female Normal School, in Farmville, Virginia. Blackiston first suggested forming a sorority. She went on to attend Randolph-Macon Woman's College. At 23 years of age in 1897, Hendrick was the oldest founder and stayed at State Normal until 1902, longer than any of the other founders. Wilson was the chief illustrator of the school's yearbook and designed the Kappa Delta badge. White would frequently host Founders Day festivities at her home later in life.
Philanthropies
Kappa Delta Sorority's official philanthropies are the Girls Scouts of the USA and Prevent Child Abuse America. Kappa Delta's historical philanthropies are the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU and Orthopaedic Research Awards. Collegiate and alumnae chapters host confidence-building programs, educational events, campus tours and other activities with Girl Scouts in their communities. Sorority members serve as mentors and volunteers. Sorority members host Shamrock events every year to raise money for Prevent Child Abuse America and local child abuse prevention efforts. To date, Kappa Delta has donated more than $23 million to prevent child abuse in the USA.
Symbols
The official symbols of ΚΔ are the nautilus shell and the dagger, while the mascots are the teddy bear and the katydid. The official colors are olive green and pearl white. The official flower is the white rose. ΚΔ has three official jewels: the diamond, the emerald, and the pearl. Kappa Delta's coat of arms is a white Norman shield, surmounted by a lamp of ancient design, against a background of ornamental scroll. A ribbon underneath the shield bears the date of the sorority's founding and the Greek Open Motto, "ta kala diokomen" which means "let us strive for that which is honorable, beautiful and highest." Kappa Delta's tagline is "Building Confidence. Inspiring Action."
Kappa Delta has 166 collegiate chapters across North America.
Notable members
Controversies
In 2013 and 2014, sorority women from multiple chapters at the University of Alabama – including Kappa Delta, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Omicron Pi, Phi Mu, Pi Beta Phi, Delta Delta Delta, and Chi Omega – alleged that either active members or some alumnae had prevented them from offering membership to black candidates because of their race. Students, including a Kappa Delta member, held a campus march to integrate Greek life on campus, and following media and national outcry, the university held a second round of recruitment in hopes of offering membership to more women. However, Kappa Delta was one of the few chapters on campus who had not recruited a single black woman by the next year.
