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Founding Date

Friday, January 16th, 1920 at 7:20 PM

Founders

5

Arizona Cleaver Stemons, Pearl Anna Neal, Myrtle Tyler Faithful, Viola Tyler Goings, Fannie Pettie Watts

Motto

A community conscious, action oriented organization

First

FIRST to charter chapters in Africa

FIRST to establish auxiliaries

FIRST to establish a national headquarters

FIRST AND ONLY NPHC Sorority to be constitutionally bound to a Fraternity

Colors

Royal Blue & Pure White

Principles

Scholarship, Service, Sisterhood, and Finer Womenhood

Arizona Cleaver Stemos

First Grand Basileus (chapter president) of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc,; First President of the Alpha Chapter and the first national president of ZPB.

Born in Pike County, Missouri

Director of a Residence Hall at Morgan State College in Baltimore, MD,

Attended Penn School of Social Work for Grad School; Completed graduate and post graduate studies in social work

Responsible for chartering numerous undergraduate and graduate chapters throughout the US

Pearl Anna Neal

Born in Charlotte, North Carolina,

Earned a Music Degree at Howard University (Conservatory of Music)

In 1938, First Black Woman to receive a Master’s degree in New York at Columbia University,

Taught Music in North Carolina public schools and served as a director of seniors majoring in music at Teachers College in Winston Salem, NC

Studied at the Julliard School of Music

Myrtle Tyler Faithful

Second Grand Basileus (National President) of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated,

Born in Flushing, Ohio,

Taught High school math and English in Maryland,

Daughters are her legacy,

Sister of Viola Tyler Goings

Viola Tyler Goings

Born in Flushing, Ohio,

Earned Education degree at Howard University,

Taught in Springfield Ohio,

Sister to Myrtle Tyler Faithful

Fannie Pettie Watts

Born in Perry, Georgia, 

Earned a degree in Education at Howard University but started college at Georgia State College,

Taught junior and senior high schools in Savannah, Georgia

Credited with organizing two additional Zeta chapters and had active membership in Delta Alpha Zeta Chapter

Studied Social Work after graduation,

First Initiates

Gladys Warrington, Harriet Dorsey, Pauline Phillips, Nellie Singfield were the first initiates of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated (Second Pledge Class)

Pauline Phillips graduated summa cum laude, thus setting an academic standard followed today.

Piller: Scholarship

$3.5 million awarded to college students over the past five years
Arizona Cleaver Stemons $100,000 Scholarship given in 2020
Pearl Anna Neal $125,000 Scholarship given every year since 2021

$8,000,000 funds donated

Chapter has the highest average GPA out of all D9 Organizations on Howard U Campus

Mission

To foster the ideas of service, charity, scholarship, civil and cultural endeavors, sisterhood and finer womanhood.

Founding Belief

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated was founded on the simple belief that sorority elitism and socializing should NOT overshadow the real mission for progressive organizations to address societal mores, ills, prejudice, poverty and health concerns of today.