History Page

LETTERIA DALTON FOUNDATION
Community Outreach ~ Education ~ Health

Letteria May Dalton, Jamaican born, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Sigma Omega Chapter lived and worked for many years. Letteria worked as a Social Studies teacher in Cincinnati Public Schools. While working in Cincinnati, she met and married Dr. Arkley A. Dalton who also began his career as an educator. Letteria believed in young people and the endurance of the Black Family. She was very involved in serval educational, social and cultural programs supporting the development of youth and families.

Letteria received her master’s degree from Columbia University and had a high regard for what a good education meant to the people of the community. Letteria’s estate bequeathed $10,000  to Sigma Omega Chapter for scholarships. In 1986, Sigma Omega Chapter formed the Letteria  Dalton Foundation exclusively for charitable, educational, scientific research and literary purposes.

The Chapter parlayed that gift into the International programs of the Sorority and scholarship for students in the Greater Cincinnati area. Through the fundraising efforts of the foundations, we have collectively awarded over $400,000 in scholarships.

Sigma Omega Chapter was chartered on December 18, 1924 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Since its charting, Sigma Omega has been an integral participate  in the Great Lakes Region. The Chapter has hosted five Regional Conferences and two International Conferences

Two Members of Sigma Omega have served as International Presidents of our Sorority, Margaret Davis Bowen in 1936 and Laura T. Lovelace in 1949. 

Sigma Omega Chapter is responsible for the chartering of Lambda Mu Chapter of Miami University, Oxford Ohio on May 5, 1977 and Rho Psi Omega at Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio on December 11, 1999. Omicron Chapter of University of Cincinnati is also under the supervisor of Sigma Omega was charter April 9, 1921.

Vision Statement:  Established in 1986, Letteria Dalton Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. It is the premier fundraising entity dedicated to generating resources that enable exemplary execution of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Sigma Omega Chapter programs, provide scholarships for Greater Cincinnati area college bound students and support other community service activities.