Sigma Gamma Rho
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. is a historically African American sorority. The sorority was founded on November 12, 1922. The organization was formed as a sorority in 1922, by seven African American women in Indianapolis, Indiana. At its inception, the sorority was created to support Black women pursuing degrees in education. It was incorporated within Indiana in November 1922 as a sorority for school teachers and held their first national conference in 1925. The sorority became a national collegiate sorority on December 30, 1929, when a charter was granted to the Alpha chapter then established at Butler University that year. The sorority was incorporated as a national collegiate sorority in 1930. Sigma Gamma Rho is the only sorority of the four historically African American National Pan-Hellenic Council sororities founded at a predominantly White institution instead of at Howard University. The sorority's slogan is "Greater Service, Greater Progress".
Sigma Gamma Rho has over 100,000 members with more than 500 undergraduate and alumnae chapters in the United States, Bermuda, The Bahamas, Canada, Germany, South Korea, U.S. Virgin Islands, Tokyo and the United Arab Emirates.
Sigma Gamma Rho has affiliate groups for women at different stages in life: Rhosebuds, the Rhoer Club Affiliates, and the Philos Affiliates. It has launched programs such as Sigma Teen Towns in the 1940s and formed partnerships with the March of Dimes, USA Swimming and others.
History
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated was founded on November 12, 1922, in Indianapolis, Indiana, by seven young African-American educators: Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little, Dorothy Hanley Whiteside, Vivian Irene White Marbury, Nannie Mae Gahn Johnson, Hattie Mae Annette Dulin Redford, Bessie Mae Downey Rhoades Martin, and Cubena McClure.The sorority was originally created as a professional organization for schoolteachers. With the legal guidance of Indianapolis attorney Robert Lee Brokenburr, the founders worked toward formalizing the organization. On December 30, 1929, Sigma Gamma Rho became an incorporated national collegiate sorority under Indiana law. A charter was granted to the Alpha Chapter at Butler University, and in 1930, the organization filed new articles of incorporation that opened membership to women of all professions who had completed or were pursuing a college education.
In 1937, Sigma Gamma Rho became a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the collaborative body of historically Black Greek-letter organizations. This affiliation helped expand the sorority's presence nationally through partnerships in civic engagement, education, and social action.
In 1927, the sorority launched its official publication, The AURORA, founded by Blanche Stewart, with Gertrude Murchison serving as its first editor-in-chief. In 1970, a special supplement titled Behind These Doors: A Legacy was published to commemorate 40 years of the magazine and 48 years of the organization's history.
In 2004, the National Headquarters of Sigma Gamma Rho moved from Chicago, Illinois, to its current location in Cary, North Carolina. The organization is divided into five geographic regions: Central, Northeastern, Southeastern, Southwestern, and Western.
In 2022, the sorority celebrated its Centennial Anniversary at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. In partnership with the Indiana Historical Bureau, the organization was honored with a state historical marker placed outside of the Bona Thompson Memorial Center in the Irvington Historic District, near the original founding site.
Symbols
The organization's official slogan, “Greater Service, Greater Progress,” reflects its commitment to leadership development, education, and public service. Its colors are royal blue and gold. Its flower is the yellow tea rose. Its mascot is the poodle. Its publication is The Aurora. Its nicknames are SGRhos, Lady Sigmas, Sigma Women, and Pretty Poodles.Membership
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated is a sisterhood of over 100,000 members across more than 500 undergraduate and graduate chapters.The sorority also includes three national affiliate groups that support its mission across different life stages. The Rhoer Club mentors girls ages 12 to 18, offering guidance in academics, leadership, and community service. The Philo Affiliate includes professional women who are not college-initiated members but who actively support the sorority's mission and programs. The Rhosebud Club engages young girls ages 8 to 11, introducing them to the values of service, sisterhood, and personal development at an early age.
Philos
Since its inception, Sigma Gamma Rho has promoted unity among women and for years many alumnae chapters worked with individuals who were not members of Greek-lettered organizations. These women were organized into auxiliaries that had various names until 1954 when the sorority officially approved the organized affiliate group and accepted the name of "Philo" as their official name.In 1980, the Philos were organized on a national level and have grown to represent hundreds of women organized on a regional level as well. The Philos have contributed countless hours of community service and thousands of dollars to aid Sigma Gamma Rho's aim to enhance the quality of life within every community.
Rhoers
The Rhoer Club is a youth affiliate of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, designed for girls ages 12 to 18 who demonstrate high scholastic achievement and strong moral character. Sponsored and supported by local graduate chapters, Rhoer Clubs operate within each of the sorority's five geographic regions.The program provides structured training and mentorship in areas such as education, community service, leadership, cultural enrichment, and social development. Through workshops, service projects, and exposure to the sorority's values, Rhoers receive the guidance and encouragement of Sigma Gamma Rho members to support their academic, personal, and professional growth.
Rhosebuds
The Rhosebud Club is an affiliate group of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated that engages girls between the ages of 8 and 11. Rhosebuds participate in age-appropriate activities designed to build self-confidence, foster leadership skills, and introduce the principles of sisterhood and service.Local chapters of the sorority provide nurturing support and mentorship, helping young girls develop into well-rounded individuals prepared to become strong students and responsible citizens. Like the name suggests, Rhosebuds are guided with special care as they blossom into future leaders.
Programs and philanthropy
Sigma Gamma Rho's national programs address issues such as maternal health, youth development, and swim safety. Its community outreach has included partnerships with USA Swimming, the March of Dimes, and various educational initiatives. Member accomplishments are celebrated through various awards, national and regional conferences.Operation BigBookBag
Operation BigBookBag is a program designed to address the needs, challenges and issues that face school-aged children who are educationally at-risk, in local homeless shelters and extended-care hospitals and facilities. Through this program, chapters and members collect and donate educational materials, equipment and school supplies.Women’s Wellness Initiative
The Women's Wellness Initiative is a consolidated effort that allows chapters to focus on health issues that impact women; specifically, women of color. The Women's Wellness Initiative was developed after the Sorority's participation in the United Nations/March of Dimes Prematurity Awareness panel in New York. Acceptable educational and programmatic efforts under this Initiative include, but are not limited to Breast Cancer Awareness, Intimate and Domestic Violence, Heart Health, Diabetes Health, Mental Health and other issues that target women. WWI programs can be conducted at any time during the sorority year.Swim 1922
Swim 1922 was created to address the unfortunate truth that according to the CDC, approximately 10 people drown every day in the U.S.A. An even more startling fact is that 70 percent of African American children and 60 percent of Hispanic children in the U.S. do not know how to swim. Additionally, African American children are three times more likely to drown than Caucasian children. Through the partnership with USA Swimming, Sigma Gamma Rho's Swim 1922 campaign aims to address this disparity by having. Olympians and members of the sorority teach the community about water safety and how to swim. With USA Swimming, Sigma Gamma Rho has touched close to 20,000 lives, directly, with the projection of changing multiple generations to come. Swim 1922 programs are conducted during May–August of the sorority year.Project CRADLE Care
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority's Project CRADLE Care is one of the essential programs designed to raise awareness of disparate and inequitable maternal and infant health outcomes Black women endure through community outreach, advocacy, education, and implicit bias training. In so doing, Sigma aim to mitigate outcome and life-course disparities in our communities.Through Project CRADLE Care, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and the March of Dimes collaborate to address the issues that adversely affect Black women and their children ranging from chronic physiological stressors and underlying health conditions to structural racism and implicit biases in our healthcare system.