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| On October 15, 1898, Zeta Tau Alpha was founded by nine women at the State Female Normal School is Farmville, Virginia. Being only 14-15 years in age, these women desired permanence of their friendships and hoped to keep their sisterhood long after college. Though the girls were dedicated to the formation of a Greek-letter organization, the group of nine held off on selecting a formal name. A temporary name of "???" was selected when, as legend tells, a member of another group met with the founders. Raising her eyebrows and forming her fingers in the shape of a question mark, she asked "Who are you?" The group answered in unison, "Yes, Who? Who? Who?" Thus, the group came to be known as "???" while they sought the appropriate Greek letters and symbols. During this time, the group received valuable assistance from two of the founders' brothers - Maud's brother, Plummer Jones, and Frances Yancey Smith's brother Giles Mebane Smith. Both brothers were students at the College of William and Mary, members of men's Greek-letter organizations, and knowledgeable of Greek lore. After a year of careful contemplation, the group chose the formal name, the patrom goddess, and the badge. |
| Top to bottom: Alice, Ethel, Helen, Ruby, Mary, and Alice |
| Founders pictured with their first three pledges |
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| Maud Jones Horner - Died 1920 Della Lewis Hundley - Died July 12, 1951 Alice Bland Coleman - Died June 11, 1956 Mary Jones Batte - Died December 3, 1957 Alice Grey Welsh - Died June 21, 1960 Ethel Coleman Van Name - Died January 24, 1964 Helen M. Crafford - Died September 17, 1964 Frances Yancey Smith - Died April 23, 1977 Ruby Leigh Orgain - Died October 22, 1984 |
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| Coat of Arms |
| Links |
| Official Banner |
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| A gold link inscribed "Alpha" begins ZTA's chain of chapters. Silver links with the name of each of the 255 chapters follows the inital golden chain. |
| The official banner bears the letter "A", "Themis" written in Greek, and a burning torch. The meaning of the banner is a secret only known to initiated members of ZTA. |
| Colors |
| Patron Goddess |
| Themis, the mythical Greek goddess of justice |
| Mascot |
| Flower |
| The White Violet |
| Crown |
| The five-pointed crown denotes a special significance to all Zetas. |
| Strawberries |
| An admirer of one of Zeta's founders sent a gift of strawberries in the late 1800's. The gift prompted the girls to host their first purely social gathering and to become officially recognized as a campus organization. |
| The Bunny |
| (Not an official mascot, but many chapters, including Gamma Upsilon, have adopted the bunny as their mascot) |