The Delta Gamma Badge

As Greek women throughout the world celebrate International Badge Day, we will take a look at the evolution of the Delta Gamma badge.

an original "H' pin

H Pin  Delta Gamma Founder Mary Comfort Leonard wrote, “We went to the local jeweler and had our pin made—the dear little letter H which stood for Hope.”

sketch of an original badge

Anchor Badge

The anchor badges, designed by Corrine Miller of the Mother Chapter soon after Delta Gamma's founding, were large pins and were as varied as members chose to have them. The badges were worn various places, usually on or near the collar.  


1915 pin

At the 1905 Convention, a committee recommended that a uniform badge design be adopted. It was! Since that time, some minor variations and limitations as to size, jewels and jeweler have been made.

Pi Alpha pin, Mother’s Pin

New members wore tricolor ribbons in the early years, but as early as the 1880s some chapters began to use pledge pins. An 1889 ANCHORA letter from Sigma-Northwestern says, “Our pledged girls now wear the chapter head, as well as the colors.” (The head refers to a chapter Greek letter pin, usually a stick pin upon which to attach the tricolor ribbons. The 1901 Convention concerned itself with a national pledge pin and in 1905 the one we know today was adopted.

Since then, other forms of symbols have been agreed upon—such as a recognition pin and a mother’s pin—but the golden anchor is constant.  

Wear your Delta Gamma badge with pride!