98-year Old Recognized During Sorority’s Founders’ Day Event
In the mid-1900s Des Moines, Iowa was where she had high hopes of settling, until a bishop with the black Methodist church shared his harsh feelings striping away her desires, as he considered it a cultural desert for blacks. That’s when 
, now 98, decided she would move to North Texas for a new job opportunity with the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA).
She began her tenure with the YWCA as executive director of the Branch location on the east side of Fort Worth, Texas. She recalls her experience that reflects much of her life, which has been dedicated to service. More specifically she is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., an organization dedicated to service in the African-American community.
“I was already a Delta when I came to Fort Worth,” said Peterson. “And in those days, blacks who visited the area were unable to stay in hotels due to segregation.”
Due to segregation laws, black were prohibited to patron hotels and had to rely on other means to lodge during business or leisure trips.
Peterson recalls how her heart of service led to hosting a fellow YWCA colleague from Harlem, Dorothy Height. Height later became known as civil rights activist who also served as one of Delta’s past National Presidents from 1947 to 1956.
Though Peterson’s leadership role in the sorority, did not match the success of her former associate she has her own successes to taut.
Today, Peterson is the oldest active sorority member in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex with 80 years of service in the organization. During this year’s Joint Founders Day Luncheon, she will be honored during a special tribute for her years of service.
She was part of the first pledge club at South Carolina State University, the state’s sole public college for blacks, in 1934.
“It was always my ambition to become a Delta as I had read about it in the newspapers and when my sister joined I knew that was it,” said Peterson.
She also attributes her desire to join to her older sister who she revered. Peterson and her sister were 11 years apart.
“If that’s what my sister did, that’s what I wanted to do,” said Peterson.
After her work with the YWCA, she met James Edward Peterson, who she married and began a family with in Fort Worth. The couple was married for 45 years until his death, but were the proud parents of three children – two boys and one girl.
She began a second career in education with the Fort Worth Independent School District for more than 30 years. There she began as a substitute teacher, and says in a matter of days was hired as teacher, and later served a dean of girls at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in the city’s area known as Stop Six.
The sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, will honor her along with two other long-time members in the Dallas area.
She accepts the recognition, as she is proud to be apart of the organization.
“I’ll say this, the AKAs did their very best to get me to join with all kind of inducements… I just wasn’t hearing it,” said Peterson.
The DFW Metroplex Chapters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. presents its Joint Founders Day Luncheon at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 24 at the Irving Convention Center, 500 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, TX 75039. The event is open to the public and tickets are $50.
Tickets may be purchased online via PayPal by clicking here: DFW Joint Founders Day
This year we are honoring our 22 Founders as we celebrate 102 years of service with the theme, “Forward in honor of our Founders, forward for our future.” The event will be hosted by award-winning actress, singer and producer Suzzanne Douglas.
For information on tickets, please contact the Joint Founders Day Public Relations/Marketing Committee Chairs:
Robyn Harris, 832-338-9855 or DSTRobyn@yahoo.com
Deborah Cuffee, 817-999-6118 or deborahcuffee@yahoo.com
Gloria Spradley-Wadkins, 817-791-3662 or gspridles@yahoo.com
