The society was originally organized as the
Palette Club on January 10, 1909, in Old Snow Hall at the
University of Kansas in
Lawrence, Kansas. Its founders included fourteen girls and one male student who were students in the fine arts department. It began publishing its magazine,
Palette, in 1911. On March 19, 1912, members of the Palette Club discussed becoming a national Greek letter society. Its charter members were Emly Annadown, Wilma Arnett, Arta Briggs, Lo Alma Brown, Edith Cooper, Myrtle Ellsworth, Neva Foster, Mae Jordan, Lucile Krieder, Lida LeSuer, Irene Russell, Nettie Smith, and Addie Underwood. Neva Foster Gribble was the sorority's first national chair and wrote its ceremonies, constitution, and bylaws. The purpose of Delta Phi Delta was to encourage scholarship, promote art in the United States, and recognize accomplishment in the arts. The cost of the convention was supplemented by a member's art sale in December 1919. The following year, around one-third of its members were males. It had 41 chapters in attendance at its June 1956 convention. By 1964, it had initiated 13,450 members. Delta Phi Delta went dormant in the late 20th century, with the chapters at
Texas Women's University and
Purdue University continuing to operate as local fraternities. In 2024, Texas Women's College disbanded what was still called Delta Phi Delta, forming the local group SpaceCraft. The only surviving chapter of Delta Phi Delta is at Purdue and calls itself the Delta Phi Delta Fine Arts Club. == Symbols ==