History of Delta Chi
Delta Chi was founded during the 1889-90 school year at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Eleven men are credited with founding Delta Chi, although no single member is identified with having the original idea for founding the fraternity. These men are Albert Sullard Barnes, Myron McKee Crandall, John Milton Gorham, Peter Schermerhorn Johnson, Edward Richard O-Malley, Owen Lincoln Potter, Alphonse Derwin Stillman, Thomas A.J. Sullivan, Monroe March Sweetland, Thomas David Watkins, and Frederick Moore Whitney. Frederick Bagley was the first person to complete full initiation on December 3, 1890. The initiation has remained virtually unchanged since.
Delta Chi was founded initially as a professional fraternity for law students. In 1922, Delta Chi became a general membership social fraternity. In 1929, Delta Chi became the first fraternity to officially abolish hazing practices associated with "Hell Week."
Currently, there are 120 chapters and colonies of Delta Chi operating in the United States & Canada. Delta Chi has nearly 94,000 initiates. 31 of 34 Delta Chi groups founded since 2001 remain active to date and the fraternity boasts a 91% colonization success rate.
The official colors of Delta Chi are red and buff and the official flower is the white carnation. Delta Chi was originally founded at the University of Wisconsin in 1921 and recently returned to campus in 2013 after years of inactivity.
