What initially began as a challenge to the dominance of one fraternity at the law school of Cornell University, soon shaped itself into the desire to form a brotherhood embodied by the reasons stated in the Preamble above. Delta Chi, the second law fraternity established at Cornell, recognizes Albert Sullard Barnes, Myron McKee Crandall, John Milton Gorham, Peter Schermerhorn Johnson, Edward Richard O'Malley, Owen Lincoln Potter, Alphonse Derwin Stillman, Thomas A.J. Sullivan, Monroe Marsh Sweetland, Thomas David Watkins, and Frederick Moore Whitney as its founders.

With Delta Chi established on October 13, 1890, the ritual was adapted within a month but the emblem underwent a series of changes within the next nine years, resulting in the coat of arms. The design involved the union of two families: that of Sir Edward Coke, the spiritual founder of Delta Chi who was a major influence in establishing law as the instrument of justice, and the knight-errant, the feudal predecessor of law in enforcing justice.

What began as a law fraternity, Delta Chi officially opened itself to general membership in 1922, after years of debate. By this time, the fraternity had expanded to many chapters across the country.

It would be foolish to summarize the hisory of Delta Chi in a few paragraphs, so I reccomend looking at a comprehensive history located on the
Delta Chi International Fraternity website.