| SIGMA GAMMA RHO SORORITY, Inc CHI SIGMA CHAPTER BIRMINGHAM, AL Founded in 1938 HERSTORY |
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| EARLY BEGINNINGS The Chi Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority was founded on November 11, 1938 by Soror Rubye Peake Watts Hall, who was serving as the syntaktes at that time. Soror Rubye Peake Watts Hall is also noted as one of the organizers of the Sigma Sigma Chapter in Los Angeles, California of which Soror Hattie McDaniel, academy award winning actress, was a charter member. |
| Charter members included: Belzora Ward Essie Bennett Alta Benning Eloise Ward West Edna Prowell Lucile Lay Alma Dickinson Alma Coprich Cole Josie Ward Brown |
| GROWTH & RECOGNITION The Chi Sigma chapter gained recognition early in its existence.This chapter had the honor of hosting the 15th Boule from December 27-30, 1940. On November 18, 1944 Sigma's TeenTown was organized to address juvenile delinquency in Birmingham. The TeenTown housed a lounge room, game room, art room, and snack bar. The sorors of the chapter were responsible for operations at this facility that was located until 1953 in the heart of downtown Birmingham 's historic Black Business District in the Mary E. Strong Building. Soror Alta Benning won the sorority's highest award, The Blanche Edwards Award, for her service to Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. in 1959. |
| EXPANSION The Delta Eta Undergraduate Chapter of Miles College was organized by Chi Sigma Chapter and the Alpha Zeta Sigma Chapter of Bessemer, Alabama in 1970. In 1996, the Xi Mu Undergraduate Chapter of the University of Alabama Birmingham was organized by the Alpha Zeta Sigma Chapter. |
| TRANSITION The Chi Sigma Chapter became inactive in 1995 due to members retiring and moving away or passing on into the Omega Rho Chapter. Sorors Rutha Heard and Mamie Jordan worked diligently to maintain the Sigma Gamma Rho presence in Birmingham by representing in local chapters of national programs we sponsor as well as maintaining membership in the Magic City Chapter of the LINKS. |
| COMMUNITY PRESENCE The Chi Sigma Chapter maintained membership in the National Council of Negro Women, the NAACP, the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference), and the Jefferson County Association of Mental Health. |
| RISING LIKE A PHOENIX In November of 1997 the graduates of University of Alabama at Birmingham Xi Mu Chapter, Cindy Gilyard, Leticia Love, and Catina Passmore and the graduate students at UAB, who were initiated by the Alpha Zeta Sigma Chapter in Bessemer, Alabama, Zevia White and Griena Knight reactivated the Chi Sigma Chapter in Birmingham, Alabama. The first projects of the chapter under its reactivation has been to reestablish the sorority's membership in the Birmingham Council of the National PanHellenic Council and to promote the mission of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. In a short amount of time, the Chi Sigma Chapter has participated in many projects promoted nationally and has established an excellent rapport with the young people of Birmingham. Chi Sigma is also the sponsoring graduate chapter for the following undergraduate chapters: Delta Eta at Miles College, Xi Mu at the University of Alabama Birmingham and Zeta Chi at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Chi Sigma also sponsors a Rhoer Club in Birmingham Once again Chi Sigma is working for greater service to the City of Birmingham and greater progress for all |
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