Zeta Tau Alpha was founded on October 15, 1898 by nine women at the State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia (now known as Longwood College). Only 14-15 years of age, these young women desired permanence in their friendships and hoped to perpetuate 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 with her fingers she asked “Who are you?” In unison, the group answered “Yes, who? Who? Who?” Thus, the group became known as “???” while they sought an appropriate Greek name and symbols.
      During that time, the group received valuable assistance from two of the member’s brothers—Maud Jones Horner'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 of Zeta Tau Alpha, the patron goddess of Themis, and the badge we have today.

These are our 9 founders:

	The five pointed Crown is an official symbol of the Fraternity. The significance of the five points is revealed to each member in her Initiation. Many examples of crown artwork can be found within ZTA, and all are acceptable as long as the crown contains exactly five points.
The flower of the Fraternity, chosen by Founder Ruby Leigh Orgain, is the white violet. Its symbolic meaning is explained in the Initiation Service.
	Only initiated members may use this in any manner, which is dignified and in good taste. The ritualistic meaning of the Coat of Arms is secret and is revealed to each member at the time of her Initiation.
The Founders chose Themis to represent the Fraternity. Themis is, in Greek mythology, one of the Titans, daughter of Gaea (Earth) and Uranus (Heaven), and the mother of the three Fates and the Seasons. The goddess of divine justice and law, Themis was the constant companion of the god Zeus and sat beside him on Olympus. In ancient art she is represented holding aloft a pair of scales on which she weighs the claims of opposing parties.
	In the late 1800s, an admirer of one of ZTA’s Founders, Mary Campbell Jones (Batte), sent her a gift of strawberries. The scrumptious present prompted the group of nine friends to host their first purely social gathering and to become officially recognized as a campus organization.
The banner of the Fraternity is rectangular and made of turquoise and gray satin. It bears the letter “A,” the word “Themis” in Greek, and a burning torch. The meaning of the banner is secret, but it may be hung in a place that is visible to anyone entering a chapter house, lodge, suite or chapter room.
The colors of the Fraternity are turquoise blue and steel gray.

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