National History

of

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity

What was that????....An organization that strives for change both in it's members and in the

community?

An international brotherhood of over 150,000 men worldwide ranging from the Caribbean, Germany and Africa to the Phillipines, Switzerland and back to our lovely United States?

All this and more!!

Sparked October 18, 1913 in a local YMCA by three young men - A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse and Charles I. Brown, The Fraternity was formally organized and chartered at Howard University in the year of light (1914). Founded upon the principles of Brotherhood, Service and Scholarship, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity has constantly remained a force of change in the African-American Community. Through it's three National Programs, Bigger and Better Business, Social Action and Education, the Fraternity has demonstrated unparralleled excellence and leadership;Our National mentoring program, the Sigma Beta Club, one of the more notable accomplishments of the Fraternity, has helped to shape and mold young men and boys nationwide. Phi Beta Sigma's focus in past social issues included being instrumental in establishing National and State Anti-Lynching legislation in the 1930's and 40's, the elimination of racial discrimination and segration in federal, state, municipal and county employment in the 50's and 60's along with the abolition of Jim Crow Laws. Brother A. Phillip Randolph was a key factor and the mind behind the march on Washington during the sixties civil right's movement, as was brother Huey P. Newton in awakening the minds of African-Americans to rise up out of the plight of mental slavery.

 

Though often imitated, we can never be properly duplicated- Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. still remain the first and only constitutionally bound brother-sister African-American greek letter organization in existence. Others have come along and tried to imitate what Sigma and Zeta began, but they were not built from the same framework and thus, can never be called a true family.

 

In the year of 1995, Phi Beta Sigm in cooperation with our lovely sorors of Zeta, became the only African-American Fraternity and Sorority to not only SUPPORT the Million Man March in Washington, DC, but to SPONSOR it as well, with Phi Beta Sigma's headquarters at 145 Kennedy St. NW in Washington, DC serving as the National Headquarters for the event. Our distinguished Brother Benjamin Chavis was the coordinator behind the event. Our focus for the Year 2000-Issues Impacting the African-American Male.

 

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity is one of nine (9) African-American Fraternities and sororities that comprise the National Pan-Hellenic Council.

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