Chapter History

The need to work within the communities that we resided brought about the vision to charter a chapter within the river parishes of St. Charles, St. James and St. John the Baptist.  The visionaries, Mary Carpenter, Erika Love, Claudette Luke, Charlene Williams and Evangeline Davis, active sorors of Bayou Lafourche Area Alumnae Chapter (BLAAC), made the initial contact with the Regional Director, Soror Mae Frances Rowlett to begin the process. 

 

Changing the demographic data of BLAAC and locating sorors that might be interested in the formation of the chapter was a great challenge.  We faced the challenge of worthiness of a chapter in our area and the number of sorors necessary to form the chapter.  After many long months of discussions at the regional level, the number needed was supplied.

 

Soror Gwendolyn Harrison, also previously of BLAAC, was also instrumental in making many contacts.  With the combined efforts of these sorors, all requirements were met in order to begin the process. 

 

Mae Frances Rowlett, Southwest Regional Director, established that we were to be chartered on March 23, 2013.  The chartering ceremony was held at the First Community Antioch Baptist Church Family Center in Lutcher, Louisiana with twenty-seven sorors present for the chartering. 

 

The first chapter meeting brought about the election of officers that were as follows: Mary J. Carpenter, President; Madeline Jasmine-Bourgeois, Vice-President; KarmaTaneece Bailey, Treasurer; Dina Perkins, Financial Secretary; Markquelyn Ursin, Recording Secretary and Evangeline Davis, Corresponding Secretary.

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Since its' founding in 1913, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. has distinguished itself as a public service organization that boldly confronts the challenges of African Americans and hence, all Americans. Over the years, a wide range of programs addressing education, health, international involvement and the strengthening of the African American family have evolved. In realizing its' mission, Delta Sigma Theta provides an extensive array of public service initiatives through its Five Point Programmatic Thrust. Ten years later, the River Parishes Alumnae Chapter (RPAC) continues to carry out these programs throughout our service areas.