Zeta Tau Alpha was founded on October 15, 1898, by nine young women at the State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia, which is now known as Longwood College. Only 14-15 years of age, these young women sought permanence in their friendships and wanted to keep their sisterhood long after college. Though dedicated to the formation of a Greek-letter group, the band of nine delayed selecting a formal name. A temporary name of "???" was taken when, as legend has it, a member of another group met with the Founders. Raising her eyebrows and forming her fingers in the shape of a question mark, she asked "Who are you?" In unison, the group answered "Yes, Who? Who? Who?"

Thus, the group came to be known as "???" while they sought an appropriate Greek name and symbols. During this time, the group received valuable advice from two of the members' brothers - Maud's brother, Plummer Jones, and Frances Yancey Smith's brother Giles Mebane Smith. Both were students at the college of William and Mary, members of men's Greek-letter organizations and knowledgeable of Greek lore. After a year of careful contemplation, the group chose the formal name, the patron goddess and the badge.

Lenoir-Rhyne's Zeta History

Before we were Zeta Tau Alpha at Lenoir-Rhyne Collge, we were Alpha Sigma Kappa, a local sorority. When the sisters of Alpha Sigma Kappa found that their values and beliefs were the same as those of the national Fraternity, they decided to become a part of Zeta Tau Alpha. So on February 17th, 1962 our chapter changed our name from Alpha Sigma Kappa to the Delta Omicron Chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha.