And the Legacy Begins...

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated was founded on the predominantly white campus of Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 12, 1922. The sorority was organized by seven school teachers, Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little, Vivian White Marbury, Bessie Downey Rhoades Martin, Cubena McClure, Dorothy Hanley Whiteside, Nannie Mae Gahn Johnson, and Hattie Mae Annette Dulin Redford who shared a vision of true sisterhood. The group became an incorporated national collegiate sorority on December 30, 1929 and has the distinction of being the first African-American greek organizationon Butler's campus.

Today, we have grown to over 77,000 members with over 400 chapters in the United States, Bahamas, Bermuda, the Virgin Islands & Germany. As a leading national service organization, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. has met the challenges of the day and continues to grow through Sisterhood, Scholarship and Service.

The Rhoyal Lineage of Xi Zeta

As an undergraduate chapter, Xi Zeta was chartered on October 28, 1994, at the University of Mississippi. The charter members are Tamekia Cook, Angel Crawford, Michelle Murph, Kim Rollins, Robbie Slate, Giselle Smith, Tiffany Smith, Porcia Winters, and Felicia Yarbrough.

There have been Sigma women of different interests to come through Xi Zeta. Such characteristics include: Members of the National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, Resident Advisors, the University of Mississippi Marching Band and that's just to name a few. One fine Sigma woman named Dorothy B. Henderson, was the first and only advisor at the University of Mississippi to be invited to visit the White House and have dinner with the President of the United States of America.