Zeta Phi Beta is an international, historically black Greek-lettered
sororityFraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
and a member of the
National Pan-Hellenic CouncilThe National Pan-Hellenic Council is a collaborative organization of nine historically African American, international Greek lettered fraternities and sororities. The nine NPHC organizations are sometimes collectively referred to as the "Divine Nine"...
.
Zeta Phi Beta is organized into 800+ chapters, in eight intercontinental regions including the USA, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. In 1948, Zeta Phi Beta became the first Greek-letter organization to charter a chapter in
AfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
(in
Monrovia, LiberiaMonrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
). It was also the first organization to establish adult and youth auxiliary groups and centralize its operations in a national headquarters. Today, there are also chapters in U.S. Virgin Islands,
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, Bahamas,
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
,
KoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
,
BarbadosBarbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
, and
HaitiHaiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
.
Zeta Phi Beta is the only NPHC sorority that is constitutionally bound to a fraternity,
Phi Beta SigmaPhi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I...
. The sorority maintains affiliations with several organizations including
American Diabetes AssociationThe American Diabetes Association is a United States-based association working to fight the consequences of diabetes, and to help those affected by diabetes...
,
March of DimesThe March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
,
American Cancer SocietyThe American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
,
American Red CrossThe American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
,
National Council of Negro WomenThe National Council of Negro Women is a non-profit organization with the mission to advance the opportunities and the quality of life for African American women, their families and communities. NCNW fulfills this mission through research, advocacy, national and community based services and...
, and the
United Negro College FundThe United Negro College Fund is an American philanthropic organization that fundraises college tuition money for black students and general scholarship funds for 39 private historically black colleges and universities. The UNCF was incorporated on April 25, 1944 by Frederick D. Patterson , Mary...
.
Early history
The Five Pearls of Zeta Phi Beta".
The Founders of Zeta Phi Beta were five collegiate students of Howard University. They are known to the members of the sorority as "The Five Pearls".
- Arizona Cleaver (Stemons)
- Pearl Anna Neal
- Myrtle Tyler (Faithful)
- Viola Tyler (Goings)
- Fannie Pettie (Watts)
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Zeta Phi Beta was founded January 16, 1920, on the campus of
Howard UniversityHoward University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
It was first incorporated on March 30, 1923 in Washington, D.C. by sorority members Myrtle Tyler, Gladys Warrington, Joanna Houston, Josephine Johnson and O. Goldia Smith.
The sorority held the first boule (convention) in 1920 with members of Phi Beta Sigma at Howard University. The
Archon, the sorority's official magazine was established shortly afterwards.
Later Boules were held in many locations across the United States.
Two Phi Beta SigmaPhi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I...
members, A. Langston Taylor and Charles Taylor, were instrumental in helping Zeta Phi Beta become established. |
The sorority was incorporated by the state of Illinois in 1939.
In 1923, the first chapter of any black sorority to organize a collegiate chapter in Texas, Theta chapter, was established at Wiley College.
On January 25, 2001, Zeta Phi Beta was granted
Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
status with the
United NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
Recent history
In December 2010 the sorority officially partnered with
Stevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
to collect toys for his annual House Full of Benefit Concert. All of the sorority's 850 chapters signed on to collect toys for the program.
Controversies
Following a February 5, 2006 news report by
WJLAWJLA-TV, channel 7, is the ABC affiliated television station in Washington, D.C.. It is the flagship station of the Allbritton Communications Company, which also operates local cable station NewsChannel 8. The two stations share broadcast facilities in the Rosslyn section of Arlington, Virginia...
, an ABC affiliated TV station, the U.S.'s
Internal Revenue ServiceThe Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
,
Federal Bureau of InvestigationThe Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
and
United States AttorneyUnited States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
opened an investigation into alleged financial irregularities occurring in the sorority. The purpose of the investigation was to determine if National President, Barbara C. Moore, had obtained funds from the tax-exempt organization for personal gain. During the investigation, sorority member and former National Executive Board member, Natasha Stark was expelled for "violating her duty of loyalty to the sorority, engaging in conduct injurious to the sorority or its purposes, and unsisterly conduct." on March 20, 2007, Starks filed a lawsuit with the District of Columbia District Court requesting $1 million in damages. Stark's claims for breach of contract and negligence were dismissed at a September 11, 2008 status conference.
Entertainer
Sheryl Underwood-Professional career:Underwood first gained notoriety as the first female finalist in the Miller Lite Comedy Search in 1989. She won the BET "Funniest Female Comedian on Comic View" award in 1994 and the BET Comedy Awards' Platinum Mic Viewers Choice Award in 2005....
was elected as the 23rd International Grand Basileus (President), during the sorority's biennial business meeting in
Las VegasThe Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
,
NevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
in 2008. Her election as Grand Basileus was disputed, but District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Gerald I. Fisher dismissed a lawsuit against the sorority and Underwood, that asked the court to unseat Underwood.
On July 3, 2008, Lorrie Sinclair filed a Diversity-Breach of Contract contract suit in the District of Columbia District Court against Zeta Phi Beta demanding $76,000.
In August 2009, the sorority chapter at Colorado State University was expelled from the campus after allegations of hazing surfaced.
On August 12, 2010, Coastal Carolina University, located near Myrtle Beach, SC, suspended its chapter of Zeta Phi Beta sorority for five years after being found in violation of the university's hazing policy, according to a release from CCU. According to information gathered through an investigation by the CCU's Office of Student Conduct, the sorority violated the policy regarding new member processes, the release said. The terms of the suspension encompass all activities, including new member processes, meetings, community service and social events. After the suspension has expired, Zeta Phi Beta may petition CCU to recognize the sorority for the fall 2015 semester.
Amicae
| Zeta Phi Beta was founded on the principles of Scholarship, Service, Sisterly Love, and Finer Womanhood and the precepts that "elitism and socializing had overshadowed the real mission of sororities-to address and correct the problems of society, particularly, those plaguing the African-American community." |
The Amicae group is composed of women who have not obtained a college degree, but wish to assist Zeta Phi Beta members in local activities. Currently there are over 175 Amicae groups in the U.S. The first Amicae group was organized in Omaha, Nebraska in 1947 by the Beta Psi Zeta chapter.
Archonettes
The Archonettes is composed of young high school-aged ladies (age 14 to 18). Each Archonette group is affiliated with a local graduate chapter of Zeta Phi Beta.
Amicettes
The Amicettes are composed of girls age 9 to 13. Each Amicettes group is affiliated with a local chapter of Zeta Phi Beta.
Pearlettes
The Pearlettes are composed of young girls age 4 to 8. Pearlettes are mentored by members of Zeta Phi Beta.
Zeta Male Network
The Zeta Male Network is the title given to the support organization that includes males in the lives of members of Zeta Phi Beta.
National Educational Foundation
National Educational Foundation objectives
The objectives of the Foundation, as set forth in the Trust Agreement and in By-Laws adopted by the Board of Managers, are:
- to award scholarship grants to worthy students for the pursuit of higher education;
- to conduct community education programs which will aid individual and community living standards;
- to engage in other educational activities which will aid in the development of all women; and
- to engage in any appropriate research related to the purposes of the Foundation.
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The National Educational Foundation of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. is a 501© 3 trust organization created in 1975 and operated by Zeta Phi Beta to oversee the sorority's charitable and educational activities. The trust awards scholarship grants, conducts community educational programs and activities, and engages in Foundation scholarship related research.
The Foundation partnered with Xavier University of New Orleans, The Consumer Health Foundation, the MidAtlantic Cancer Genetics Network, the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, and The Family Life Center of Shiloh Baptist Church and presented conferences on human genome research in Washington, D. C., Atlanta Georgia,
New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
,
Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, and Chicago, Illinois.
Stork's Nest
| The Stork's Nest prenatal education sessions provide information, educational materials, and a variety of other resources and referrals that help clients take good care of themselves and their babies. |
Since 1971, Zeta Phi Beta has enjoyed a partnership with the
March of DimesThe March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
in an effort to encourage women to seek prenatal care within the first trimester of pregnancy, thereby increasing the prevention of birth defects and infant mortality. Known as the Stork's Nest Program, this collaboration encourages participation and healthy behaviors during the pregnancy through two components - incentives and education. Targeted to low-income pregnant women, the Stork's Nest clients "earn" points toward incentives, such as maternity or baby care items, through a variety activities such as attending prenatal care appointments, participating in prenatal education classes, or keeping appointments for well-baby visits. Nationwide, Zeta Phi Beta sponsors over 175 Stork's Nests. In 1997, during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of collaboration with the March of Dimes, the program was updated to include a new national logo, new educational materials, and new incentive items for those mothers participating in the program. As of 2005, the Stork's Nest Program has served over 28,000 women.
Z-H.O.P.E.
| The goal of Z-H.O.P.E. (Zetas Helping Other People Excel) is to positively impact the lives of people at all stages of the human life cycle. |
Z-HOPE (
Zetas
Helping
Other
People
Excel) is an international service initiative, introduced by the sorority's 22nd International Grand Basileus Barbara C. Moore.
Z-HOPE has six objectives. They are:
- To provide culturally appropriate informational activities according to the Z-HOPE program format
- To foster collaborative partnerships between community organizations with shared goals
- To promote the opportunities for expansion in Stork's Nest programs
- To facilitate community service and mentorship opportunities for members of the organization
- To provide an equitable chapter recognition program for community services rendered, and
- To provide a standard reporting format to concentrate efforts and demonstrate the organization's impact
To date, more than 750,000 individuals have participated in Z-HOPE related activities and programs.
ZOL (Zeta Organizational Leadership Program)
The target audiences for ZOL includes, but are not limited to:
- Members aspiring to be national elected officers
- Members interested in being appointed regional and/or state directors
- Local chapter officers—undergraduate and graduate
- Elected regional and state officers
- Advisors to undergraduate chapters
- Sponsors and coordinators of Zeta Amicae Auxiliaries
- Advisors to Youth Affiliates
- Members aspiring to be leaders.
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The Zeta Organizational Leadership Program is a leadership training certification program developed by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. The overarching goal of the ZOL program is to provide members of Zeta Phi Beta with the essential leadership knowledge and skills.
See also
External links