Dorothy Pelham Beckley (May 1897 – August 16, 1959) was an American educator and clubwoman. She was the second national president of the

Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emp ...

sorority, in office from 1923 to 1926.

Early life and education

Gabrielle Dorothy Pelham was born in

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

and raised in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, the daughter of Robert Pelham Jr. and Gabrielle Lewis Pelham. Her father was a lawyer, inventor, and newspaper editor who worked for the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

; her mother was a pianist and organist from Ohio, who taught music in Washington, and was one of the founders of the Detroit Study Club. Her sister Sara Pelham Speaks was a lawyer and activist. Their uncles included Fred B. Pelham, the first Black engineering graduate from the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

, and George F. Pelham, a noted architect. While she was at

Howard University Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and accredited by the Mid ...

during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, she was active in the school's

Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...

unit.

Career

Pelham was a founding member of the Washington, D.C. alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta in 1921. From 1923 to 1926 she was national president of the sorority. She spoke on a panel about "The Part of the Young College-Bred Negro in Race Betterment" at a national conference held at Howard University in 1924. In 1925, she became a member of the executive board of the National Association of College Women. In 1927, she refused re-election to a third term as president of Delta Sigma Theta, and she gave a radio address from the sorority's national meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio. Also in 1927, she made an unsuccessful legal protest against being transferred from one school to another. In 1939, as a member of the Interracial Committee of the District of Columbia, Beckley testified about school funding before a Senate committee hearing on appropriations. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, she was salvage chair of the Howard Park Defense Area, and organized a scrap metal drive called "Give-a-Gun Week" in 1942. She also organized a book drive in the segregated schools, to send reading material to servicemen overseas. After the war, she was active in fundraising for the Ionia A. Whipper Home.

Personal life

Pelham married physician Edgar R. Beckley Jr. in 1926. They had three sons. Her husband died in 1949, and she died in 1959.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beckley, Dorothy Pelham 1897 births 1959 deaths Academics from Detroit Delta Sigma Theta presidents 20th-century American educators