Untitled Document

HerStory

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was organized on November 12, 1922 in Indianapolis, Indiana by seven school teachers: 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 group became an incorporated national collegiate sorority on December 30, 1929, when a charter was granted to Alpha chapter at Butler University. All of our founders were at one time students at the Indianapolis Normal School, which merged with Butler University to become the College of Education and remains so to this day. We were actually founded on the Irvington Campus of Butler University. Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little, Bessie Mae Downey Rhoades Martin, Nannie Mae Gahn Johnson, and Dorothy Hanley Whiteside were all born in Indianapolis. Many of our founders, including Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little, Vivian Irene White Marbury, Cubena McClure, and Dorothy Hanley Whiteside, attended Shortridge High School. Founders Nannie Mae Gahn Johnson and Hattie Mae Annette Dulin Redford both earned their Master’s Degrees from Butler University. Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little, our primary founder, was also our first Basileus.

Alpha chapter hosted the 1st and 2nd Boules on December 27th, 1925 and 1926 when they were annual rather than biennial. During the 4th Boule (also hosted by Alpha Chapter) in 1928, Sigma Gamma Rho met with representatives of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, and Omega Psi Phi and began plans for a National Pan-Hellenic Council. Plans were not finalized, however Sigma Gamma Rho is considered one of the council’s primary founders. In 1930, which is the nationally recognized founding year of the NPHC, Sigma Gamma Rho withdrew her membership because she did not meet the campus chapter quota. As the sorority grew and strengthened, we were readmitted to the NPHC in February of 1937.

Alpha chapter itself was financially active (meaning that at least one soror sent in dues from the chapter) in 1948-91, 1982-3, and 1989-91. These lapses were due to the minimal enrollment of African-Americans at Butler University throughout the years. In 1991, however, it was necessary to reactivate the chapter. Eleven young women came together with just this purpose in mind. Sabaea Pipkin, Martha Riley, Doletta Danner, Kelli Ruffin, Felicia Seely, Sandra McGee, Veronica Locker, Sonja Smith, Alesha Word, Diana Scott, and Tyra Seldon (in that order) were inducted on February 15, 1992. For a complete list of sorors and line names for all Alpha Chapter member since 1992, see the sorors page.

In January of 1995, Alpha Chapter was struck with tragedy when Soror Kelli Ruffin, a member of the 1992 reactivation, died suddenly. In memory of her innumerable contributions to the chapter, the sorority, and the world, Alpha Chapter awards a yearly scholarship in her name.

In April of 2005, the Alpha Chapter was again reactivated after a 5 year deactivation period with Soror Kayla Collins and Soror Alexandria Crumble. In honor of Butler University's Sesquicentennial, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. has been recognized and included in all of the historic celebrations of this 150th year.