The Jefferson City Alumnae chapter was chartered in 1939 as the Alpha Upsilon Sigma chapter at the Central Region conference by Rowena M. In 1940, a rush party was held for prospective members and Mrs. Myrtle Bowen and Mrs. Marie Damel became sorors. During the early years of the chapter, the first scholarship of record from this chapter was given at Lincoln University in memory of soror Helen M.
The chapter sponsored in January 1947, an evening with Paul Robeson, noted African American singer, actor and Civil Rights activist at the Jefferson City Junior College auditorium. It was the first time the auditorium had been leased to a mixed audience. During the 1954-1955 sorority year, Alpha Upsilon Sigma chapter presented renowned concert pianist, Philippa Duke Schuyler in concert at Lincoln University. The chapter also hosted Roland Hayes in concert in February 1955 and Patricia Roberts, Delta Sigma Theta Executive Director in April 1955. The May Week theme that year was "Job Opportunities through Charm," chaired by Soror Hallie Smith for Lincoln University Laboratory High School students. In 1959, in honor of the late Soror Anna Hartz, Dean of Women at Lincoln University, and to exhaust a $100 gift given in her name, the chapter created the Anna V. Hartz Award for Gracious Living, a $25 award to be given to a junior female college student for gracious living, good citizenship on campus, a "C" average and wholesome character. The award was presented at Jabberwock or the College Honors Awards Day. The award recipients were Barbara Weatherspoon, 1960; Afreda Shootes, 1961; Velois Hill, 1963; and Chequita Shaw, 1965. In 1962, the chapter began its sponsorship of the Brownies at Lincoln Elementary School. That relationship lasted for more than a decade with the chapter purchasing uniforms for the troop in 1972. The chapter donated to Anita Jones, a student from Sierra Leone, tuition fund and hosted a party for the African American high school seniors. In April, 1963, in cooperation with Alpha Kappa Alpha, the chapter presented a social action program at Lincoln University Page Library entitled "Human Relations in Missouri - Trends in Housing, Employment, Public Accommodations, and Education with panelists Dr. Lorenzo J. Greene, Missouri Advisory Committee to U.S. Civil Rights Commission, Mr. Edward Parsons, Executive Secretary, Missouri Association for Social Welfare, Dr. William Ross, Jefferson City Branch, NAACP, Mr. Gregory Shinert, Executive Director, Missouri Commission on Human Rights and Rev. Arnold Mintz, Rector, Grace Episcopal Church, as moderator. All this was done while planning the 1963 Jabberwock. Soror Ruthe Marshall, chapter president during the 1963-1964 sorority year, oversaw the Jabberwock and welcomed DeVerne Calloway, the first black woman elected to the Missouri legislature to Jefferson City. During her second term, 1964-1965, Soror Marshall and the chapter continued to focus locally by hosting a senior tea at Second Baptist Church and nationally by having a clothing drive for poor families in Mississippi. The 1965 Jabberwock theme was "This Mad, Mad World." this was the last year the chapter presented Jabberwock. In 1966, the chapter presented during the presidency of Rosemary Hearn, assistant professor of English at Lincoln University, a social action seminar on civil rights, equal employment and voting. The program was so successful it was submitted by the chapter for national recognition. The chapter honored Lincoln University's centennial year by commissioning a painting for the campus student union. Jefferson City Alumnae supported the development of Delta Sigma Theta by initiating 12 women into the new undergraduate chapter, Epsilon Psi, at University of Missouri-Columbia. In 1970, during the presidency of Betty Jackson, the chapter conducted the Mother's March of Dimes campaign and collected enough money to donate to equipment to the children's wards of all three local hospitals and give seven scholarships of $175 each to students interested in pursuing careers in the health professions. In addition, the chapter sponsored a social action program, Women's Liberation Forum. During the 1972-1973 sorority year, Jefferson City Alumnae chapter, under the leadership of Helen Johnson, donated to the Jefferson City Daycare, the Sheltered Workshop, the Algoa Reformatory school library; and sponsored a Teen Lift for the 1973 high school graduates and the 1974 seniors at Lincoln Laboratory High School and Jefferson City High School in Ellis Porter Park. The chapter also paid for a bus to transport Lincoln University parents on a tour of the city during the second annual Lincoln University Parents Weekend. The chapter gave a $100.00 book award to Allinda Smith. Jefferson City Alumnae chapter carried on the business of the sorority during the balance of the 1970s with another social action program during the presidency of Rosemary Hearn, in the 1974-1975 sorority year which focused on Criminal Justice. During this period the chapter continued to support the NAACP and became a life member of that organization. Records of the 1980s have been lost. In the 1990s, Jefferson City Alumnae chapter focused on student learning by supporting the national headquarters School America campaign and under the leadership and activism of chapter president Gwendolyn Edmonson worked with the Jefferson City school superintendent and high school administration on the issue of low minority employment as teachers and counselors in the district. This resulted in the hiring of the first African American counselor and a cultural awareness training program for the employees of the district. The biggest event of the 1990s was the chapter sponsorship of the 1994 Delta Benefit Gala, a project presented to the chapter by Soror Betty Jackson, to support scholarships, Habitat for Humanity and the Lincoln University library fund during the presidency of Ruby Stewart. Bev Smith, host of BET’s Our Voices was the featured speaker. In 1996, during the presidency of Tisha Tyler, the chapter hosted children’s author Patricia McKissack and her husband Fredrick for a reading, book sale and signing. The chapter also became an active part of the Habitat for Humanity movement. Into the 21st century, Jefferson City Alumnae chapter has focused on social action. In 2000, a Current Issues Summit featuring Missouri Representative Yvonne Wilson focused on the elderly, economic development, race relations, mental health, welfare to work and cancer awareness. The chapter created a public service announcement for public access television on the 2000 census. In 2002, the chapter sponsored the Regional AIDs Interfaith Network (RAIN) for its Delta International Day of Service. From 2000 to 2005, during the presidencies of Debra Greene and Dawn Crockett, the chapter sponsored the Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy. And through its annual Hearts on Fire Valentine Dance, a project since the late 1990s, the chapter gives two $1,000 scholarships annually to one high school and one Lincoln University student.
