By Andrea Stevens
AFRO Staff Writer
astevens@afro.com
Trailblazing educator, civic leader and sports pioneer Helen Webb Harris will be recognized during the Deltas on the Fairway National Golf Tournament on July 8 at the University of Maryland Golf Course. The tournament, which kicks off at 9 a.m., serves as one of the official opening events of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.’s 57th National Convention.
Elsie Cooke-Holmes, international president, and chair of the board of directors of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., reflected on the organization’s rich legacy and the importance of its upcoming national gathering.
“Washington, D.C. is the perfect backdrop for this year’s convention,” said Cooke-Holmes. “It is a true homecoming as we travel to the birthplace of our sorority in 1913 on Howard University’s campus, the place where we held our first national convention in 1919.”
“In the spirit of our 22 courageous, trailblazing founders, we are proud to honor Helen Webb Harris at this year’s Deltas on the Fairways National Golf Fundraising Tournament,” continued Cooke-Holmes. “Her leadership, scholarship and advocacy opened doors in academics and athletics, and the funds that we raise will help us to invest in programs and initiatives to support the next generation of changemakers.”
Debra Bunkley, chair of corporate partnerships for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. emphasized the value of the signature event, which will help kick off the convention.
“Deltas on the Fairway is hosting its second golf tournament and golf clinics as a part of the 57th National Convention. This is a great opportunity for networking, learning and more about golf and careers and fellowship to our members and partners,” Bunkley said.
An alumna of Howard University’s Alpha Chapter, Harris was a lifelong member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Her four-decade teaching career in the classrooms of Washington, D.C. was marked by a passion for literature and history.
“We chose to recognize our sorority sister Helen Webb Harris this year because it felt like the perfect convergence of history and purpose,” said Dr. Darryal McCullough, co-chair of Deltas on the Fairway National Golf Fundraising Tournament Member.
Harris, who broke barriers in education and athletics, founded the Wake Robin Golf Club in 1937, recognized as the nation’s first golf organization established by African American women. Her activism helped advance desegregation efforts in public golf, contributing to the creation of Langston Golf Course in Washington, D.C., in 1939, and influencing changes to discriminatory practices within the PGA.
In 1947, she became the first woman to lead the Eastern Golf Association, a milestone in sports leadership at a time when female voices were seldom heard in such roles.
“I lead a team of women from across the country, and together we’ve worked tirelessly to ensure the success of this event,” Dr. McCullough said. “We’ve collaborated with Dr. Greta Anderson, a professional golfer and coach, to organize not only the tournament but also clinics and a panel discussion. It’s been a full-circle moment to see so many Black women come together to make this vision a reality.”
This special tournament will recognize Harris’ enduring contributions to education, public service and golf, while also commemorating the doors she opened for Black women in sports.
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