List of Sigma Gamma Rho members
Sigma Gamma Rho is a historically African American sorority that was founded in 1922 at Butler University.[1] Below is a list of some of the notable members of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority.
Business
- Fatim Badjie - entrepreneur, strategic communications expert, and infrastructure development partner in Gambia
- Mary T. Washington - first African-American Certified Public Accountant[2]
Civil rights and activism
- Sandra Bland - activist; her following a traffic stop invigorated the Black Lives Matter movement[3]
- Hydeia Broadbent (honorary) - United-States–based HIV/AIDS activist[4][5]
- Gwen Carr (honorary) - activist, public speaker, and author[6]
Education
- Lucille Baldwin Brown - first Black public county librarian in the state of Florida; founding member of Sigma Gamma Rho[7]
- Selena Sloan Butler (Eta Sigma) - founder and first president of the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers Association; co-founder of the National Parent-Teacher Association[8]
- Mary Ellen Cable - educator and principal of Indianapolis Public Schools no. 4[9]
- Tressie McMillan Cottom - American writer, sociologist, and professor[5]
- Rosa Slade Gragg - educator who founded the first black vocational school in Detroit, Michigan[10]
- Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little - (Alpha) - educator and primary founder of Sigma Gamma Rho[11]
- Lorraine A. Williams - first African-American woman to serve as vice president for academic affairs at Howard University[12]
Entertainment
- Marsha Ambrosius (honorary) - R&B singer and songwriter[6][13]
- Vanessa Bell Armstrong - four-time Grammy-nominated gospel singer[14][15]
- Deshauna Barber (Alpha Zeta) - Miss USA 2016[16][5]
- Hettie Vyrine Barnhill - choreographer and dancer[17]
- Louise Beavers (honorary) - film and television actress[18]
- Teisha Brown - (honorary) - R&B singer, member of Brownstone[19][6][20]
- Jekalyn Carr - (honorary) - gospel singer, speaker, entrepreneur, actress, and author[6][13]
- Maranda Curtis (honorary) - gospel singer and worship leader[13]
- DJ Spinderella (honorary) - DJ, rapper, and producer best known as a member of Salt-N-Pepa[21][13]
- Ellia English - singer, dancer, stage and film actress[22]
- Ezinma - (honorary) - violinist, model, music educator, and film composer[23][6]
- Fantasia (honorary) - R&B singer, actress, American Idol contestant[24][25][26]
- Sheila Fortson - television journalist, radio host, and media/communications specialist
- Mercedes Gilbert - actress, novelist, and poet[27]
- Nicci Gilbert - R&B singer, founding member of Brownstone[20][19]
- Trudy Haynes - television news reporter; first African American TV weather reporter in the United States
- Anna Maria Horsford - actress[28]
- Arin Jackson - (honorary) R&B singer, member of Brownstone[20][19][6]
- Alexis Jones (honorary) - Grammy-nominated singer and actress[25][6]
- Ta'Rhonda Jones (honorary) - actress[29]
- Eva Jessye - conductor and composer[15]
- Maysa Leak - jazz singer known for solo work and work with the band Incognito[15][13]
- MC Lyte - rapper[30][15][5]
- Tasha Page-Lockhart (honorary) - Christian R&B and gospel singer[31]
- Marilyn McCoo - singer, actress, and television presenter[32][13]
- Hattie McDaniel - actress, singer-songwriter, comedian, and first African American winner of an Academy Award[33][5]
- Tasha Page-Lockhart (honorary) - gospel singer[31]
- Carriebel Cole Plummer - dance, dance teacher, and choreographer[34]
- Kelly Price (honorary) - Grammy-nominated R&B and gospel singer[35][15][5]
- Martha Reeves - lead singer of Martha and the Vandellas[15][13][5]
- Vickilyn Reynolds (honorary) - film and television actress and singer[36]
- LaTavia Roberson (honorary) - R&B singer, entrepreneur, television personality; founding member of Destiny's Child[37][13]
- Rebecca Roberts - (honorary) - radio commentator and curator of programming at Planet Word[6]
- Wendy Raquel Robinson (honorary) - actress, producer, and co-founder of Amazing Grace Conservatory[19][6]
- Victoria Rowell - actress, screenwriter, director, and producer[38]
- Tonya Williams - actress, director, and producer[39]
Law
- Piper D. Griffin - Associate Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court[40]
- Anita Laster Mays - judge of the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals[41][42][43]
- Ruth Whitehead Whaley - attorney, first Black woman admitted to the bar in North Carolina[44]
Literature and journalism
- Alice Childress - novelist and playwright[45]
- Alice Allison Dunnigan - first African-American female journalist credentialed to cover the White House in 1948[46]
- Cynthia Horner - writer and magazine editor[47]
- Beverly Jenkins - American author of historical and contemporary romance novels[5]
- Erika Renee Land (Lambda Delta) - war poet, author, and spoken word performer
- Era Bell Thompson - writer and editor with Ebony[48]
Medicine
- Kathleen Jones-King - physician, one of the first Caribbean-born women to earn a medical degree at Howard University College of Medicine[49]
Politics
- Tiffany T. Alston - Maryland House of Delegates[50]
- Lindy Boggs - first woman from Louisiana elected to United States House of Representatives; first woman to chair the Democratic National Convention[51]
- Aisha Braveboy - former member of the Maryland House of Delegates, state's attorney for Prince George's County[52]
- Eugenia Charles - first woman to hold the position of Prime Minister of Dominica[53]
- Gwen Cherry - first African American female to serve in the Florida House of Representatives[54]
- Robin Kelly - United States House of Representatives[55][26][5]
- Barbara Lee - (honorary) - United States House of Representatives, Mayor of Oakland, California, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus[6][56]
- JoAnn Maxey - Nebraska Legislature
- Wanda Brownlee Paige - Kansas House of Representatives[57]
- Georgia Davis Powers - Kentucky Senate[58]
- Mary Pruitt (honorary) - Tennessee House of Representatives[59]
- Leah Landrum Taylor - Arizona Senate[60]
- Nina Turner - Ohio Senate[61][5]
Religion
- Carolyn Tyler Guidry - second women to become a bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church[62]
Sports
- Sharrieffa Barksdale - hurdler who competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics[63]
- Tiana Bartoletta - (honorary) track and field athlete[6]
- Maritza Correia - first African-American woman to make the U.S. Olympic swim team and win a medal[64][5]
- Tonya Edwards - (honorary) - professional basketball player and current assistant coach of the Chicago Sky[6]
- Carmelita Jeter - sprinter, who competed in the 60, 100, and 200 meter races, winning three Olympic medals[65][5]
- Bianca Knight (honorary) - former track and field athlete and Olympic gold medalist[66]
- Yolett McPhee-McCuin - head coach of Ole Miss Rebels women's basketball[26]
- Donna Orender - collegiate and professional basketball player; president of the Women's National Basketball Association[67][5]
- Renee Powell - PGA Hall of Fame golfer; second Black woman to compete on the LPGA Tour; first woman of color elected to the membership in the PGA of America[68]
- Sheryl Swoopes (honorary) - professional basketball player; first player to be signed in the Women's National Basketball Association; three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player[69]
References
- ^ Anson, Jack L.; Marchesani Jr., Robert F., eds. (1991). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. pp. IV-81–85. ISBN 978-0-9637159-0-6. OCLC 25278937.
- ^ Craige, Brent (2022-05-19). "The First Black Woman to Earn a CPA License Was a Soror of Sigma Gamma Rho". Watch The Yard. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
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- ^ "Sigma Gamma Rho sorority ceremony - Tallahassee, Florida". Florida Memory. State Library and Archives of Florida. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
- ^ "New Georgia Encyclopedia: Selena Sloan Butler (ca. 1872-1964)". Georgiaencyclopedia.org. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
- ^ Jones, Kelly (August 1994). "The Life and Legacy of Mary Cable". Black History News & Notes. p. 5.
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- ^ Becque, Fran (10 March 2020). "Lorraine A. Williams, Ph.D., Sigma Gamma Rho, #NotableSororityWomen, #WHM2020". Fraternity History & More. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
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- ^ "Louise Beavers Honored by Sorority". Pittsburgh Courier. May 27, 1939. p. 22 – via newspapers.com.
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- ^ "Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. celebrates Centennial Boule". The Chicago Crusaders. 2022-07-27. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
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- ^ a b "Sigma Gamma Rho Announces It's New Class of Honorary Members". Watch The Yard. 2022-11-30. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
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- ^ Humanities, National Endowment for the (April 7, 1945). "The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936–current, Second News Section". p. 13 – via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
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- ^ "Actress Ta'Rhonda Jones Inducted as Honorary Member of Sigma Gamma Rho". Watch The Yard. 2024-08-03. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
- ^ "MC Lyte Details Sigma Gamma Rho's Project Reassurance Program To Prevent Teen Pregnancy". Watch The Yard. 2015-01-07. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
- ^ a b "Gospel Artist Tasha Page-Lockhart Inducted as an Honorary Member of Sigma Gamma Rho". Watch The Yard. 2025-07-05. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
- ^ D.L. Chandler (November 14, 2019). "Little Known Black History Fact: Sigma Gamma Rho". Blackamericaweb.com. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
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- ^ Cromer, Lucille (1953-04-25). "Mrs. Frank V. Plummer Drops in on Our Town". The New York Age. p. 13. Retrieved 2026-01-31 – via Newspapers.com.
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- ^ "Associate Justice Piper D. Griffin". Louisiana Supreme Court. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
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- ^ Broussard, J., & Cooley, Skye (2009), "Ebony's Era Bell Thompson Travels the World to Tell the True Story". American Journalism. accepted for publication. Thompson was a member of Sigma_Gamma_Rho sorority.
- ^ "Guidance in Vocations Given Grads by the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority". California Eagle. 1946-06-27. p. 11. Retrieved 2021-09-25 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tiffany T. Alston | House of Delegates". Maryland Manual Online. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
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- ^ "Prince George's County, Maryland State's Attorney". Maryland Manual On-Line. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
Member, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., 1996-.
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- ^ Becque, Fran (28 March 2022). "Gwendolyn Sawyer Cherry, Sigma Gamma Rho". Fraternity History & More. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
- ^ "Watch Congresswoman Robin Kelly's Floor Speech About The Divine Nine". Watch The Yard. 2014-02-27. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
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- ^ "Meet Your Board Members - Kansas City Kansas Unified Schl Dist 500". Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
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- ^ "Mary Pruitt". Tennessee House Member, 99th General Assembly. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
- ^ "Hon. Leah Landrum Taylor". Arizona Governor's Office of African American Affairs. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
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- ^ Craige, Brent (2021-11-03). "3x Gold Medalist Carmelita Jeter Is A Member Of Sigma Gamma Rho". Watch The Yard. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
- ^ "Olympic Gold Medalist Bianca Knight Inducted as Honorary Member of Sigma Gamma Rho". Watch The Yard. 2024-08-03. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
- ^ "Former President of The WNBA Donna Orender Just Became A Member of Sigma Gamma Rho". Watch The Yard. 2018-12-19. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
- ^ "Sigma Gamma Rho Golf Legend Renee Powell Inducted Into PGA Hall of Fame". Watch The Yard. 2017-11-02. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
- ^ "Basketball Legend Sheryl Swoopes Is Now an Honorary Member of Sigma Gamma Rho". Watch The Yard. 2025-07-05. Retrieved 2026-02-25.