Collection: Zeta Tau Alpha
In the late 1800’s, Zeta Tau Alpha was founded by nine young women attending the State Female Normal School (later Longwood College) in Farmville, Virginia. In 1897, the group was referred to by Maud Jones (one of the founders) as “our little crowd”. However, Zeta Tau Alpha did not become an official Greek Letter organization for another full year.
ZTA would become one of the “Farmville Four” which would see women’s Greek Letter societies begin to form in the south. Women’s national organizations had already established themselves in the north, but due to the War between the States extension into the south was not an option. Indeed, two groups had already formed in the south but nearly failed due to the War. The timing and the place were right when Zeta Tau Alpha along with three other groups sprang into being in the late 1890’s.
