Visionary, Leader, Trailblazer

Verdelle B. Bellamy served as National Secretary of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, from 1988 to 1992. Among the Sorority’s elected officers, she became one of the Atlanta Alumnae Chapter’s highest-ranking members in the Sorority. After embarking on her Delta leadership journey as chapter president, she had the honor of working with four visionary Past National Presidents: Yvonne Kennedy, Ph.D., Hortense Golden Canady, Mona Humphries Bailey, and Thelma Thomas Daley, Ed.D. Soror Bellamy was actively involved in the Sorority at the national, regional and chapter levels.

Soror Verdelle Bellamy graduated from A.H. Parker High School in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1944. An ambitious young woman, she earned a nursing diploma from the Grady Memorial Hospital Municipal Training School for Colored Nurses in Atlanta in 1947. She married Monroe Bellamy that same year and they had a son, the late Michael Bellamy.

Her Delta Sigma Theta Sorority journey began at Tuskegee Institute (now University) when she was initiated into Gamma Tau Chapter in June 1958. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Tuskegee University in 1958 and a master’s degree in nursing from Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing in 1963, becoming the first African-American graduate from Emory. For this prestigious accomplishment, she was honored with an Emory Medal in 2005, Emory’s highest alumni honor and named an Emory University History Maker in 2011.

Professionally, Soror Bellamy was a leader in nursing and healthcare, serving as coordinator of medical and surgical services at the Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center in Atlanta. She implemented policies that became a model for VA centers nationwide. She held several pioneering roles, including the first black associate chief of nursing services at the Atlanta Center where she committee of the Georgia Nurses Association in 1971, among other firsts. She received numerous awards and was inducted into the American Academy of Nursing in 1993.

Soror Bellamy was elected Atlanta Alumnae Chapter President in 1977 and served for four years until 1981, completing two terms. During her tenure, the Chapter implemented significant initiatives. Notably, establishing the first Life Development Center (LDC) at the Georgia Hill Street Neighborhood Facility was a major accomplishment. Additionally, the Chapter organized the Juvenile Justice Project to advocate for the rights of youthful offenders. The Chapter maintained a comprehensive agenda to serve the Atlanta community.

As Southern Regional Director, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, from 1982-1986, Soror Bellamy chartered Emory’s Omicron XI Chapter. She was a tremendous advocate for the value of Sisterhood and for developing the Sorority’s leaders and programs. In 2001, she worked to diversify the nursing school’s population at Emory, achieving significant minority representation by 2004. She also served from 1973-1977 as National President of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, a professional association for registered professional nurses and students. And, she was a Life Member of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) where she served as the organization’s beloved NCNW Georgia State Convener.

Soror Bellamy was also a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP), achieving the credentialed status of Professional Registered Parliamentarian (PRP) in 2003. She retired as PRP-Rin 2009 after 27 years of service but continued to serve. As a strong advocate for parliamentary education, she inspired new leaders to get involved. She facilitated study groups for Delta chapter officers throughout metro Atlanta as well as members of other organizations to enhance their leadership skills to conduct better meetings. A devoted parliamentarian, she dedicated more than 30 years of her life to advancing parliamentary opportunities in Atlanta and the broader parliamentary world.

Soror Verdelle Brim Bellamy (March 15, 1927 – April 22, 2015) was a native of Birmingham, Alabama, who resided in Atlanta, Georgia. She was a member of Christian Fellowship Baptist Church in College Park. Her funeral was held on May 2, 2015. She and her late husband Monroe Bellamy (2014) were the proud parents of their son, the late Michael Bellamy (2020).

The Atlanta Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, honors the memory and legacy of Soror Verdelle B. Bellamy for her lifelong public service and leadership.

*Deceased

In 2013, she participated gloriously in the 51st National Convention in Washington, D.C., which centered on activities commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. As a tremendously devoted Delta, she was overjoyed to have had this historic and inspiring experience.

National Experience:
– 1988-1992: National Secretary
– 1982-1986: National Executive Board Member
– 1985: Diamond Jubilee Member and Chair, National Telecommunication Telecast for Regional Site
– 1983-1985: Member, National Nominating Committee (Board Representative)
– 1981-1982: Member, National Program Planning and Development Committee
– 1979-1981: Chair, National Housing and Properties Committee
– 1980: Chair, National Task Force for Delta’s Atlanta-life Project for Families and Murdered Children
– 1977: Golden Life Member

Regional Experience:
– 1982-1986: Director, Southern Region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and The Bahamas)
– 1982-1987: Convener and Facilitator, Delta Internal Development Workshops for Undergraduate and Alumnae Chapters

Chapter Experience:
– 1987: Member, Founders Day, Physical and Mental Health, and Political Awareness and Involvement Committees
– 1977-1981: President, Atlanta Alumnae Chapter
– 1976-1979: Member, Ebony Fashion Show Committee
– 1968-1972: Member, Social Action Committee
– 1970-1974: Assistant Recording Secretary
– 1970-1972: Member, Bylaws Committee
– 1964-1966: Chair, Courtesy Committee