international grand basileus

1st Grand Basileus (1920-1921)

Arizona Cleaver Stemons

• founder

• bestowed title of Grand Basileus Emerita

• occupation - social work

2nd Grand Basileus (1921-1922)

Myrtle Tyler Faithful

• co founder

• incorporater

• occupation - education

3rd Grand Basileus (1922-1923)

Joanna Houston Ransom

• 1923 - Washington DC Incorporator

• 1940-1941 - past NPHC President

  • editor of 1st Pan-Hellenic Journal

• occupation - social worker, Assistant Dean of Women at Howard University, Wilberforce University

• education - studied abroad at Oxford University, England

4th Grand Basileus (1923-1925)

Nellie Buchanan

• Alpha Zeta Chapter member (Baltimore, Maryland)

• Life Member

• occupation - public school teacher (Baltimore, Maryland)

5th Grand Basileus (1925-1926)

Dr. S. Evelyn Lewis

• Delta Alpha Zeta member (Brooklyn, New York)

• education - Bachelor of Science (1924) and medical degree (1927)

  • Howard University

• occupation - physician (Baltimore and Brooklyn)

6th Grand Basileus (1926-1930)

Ruth Tappe Scrugs

• established national structure of officers and directors

• wife of physician - Dr. I.L. Scruggs

  • Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated

7th Grand Basileus (1930-1933)

Fannie R. Givens

• grouped chapters into geographical regions

• appointed Regional Directors

• occupation - law enforcement officer

8th Grand Basileus (1933-1937)

Violette N. Anderson

• created honorary membership

• published chapter chatters and Blue Book

• occupation - attorney at law

  • 1st Black woman to practice before Supreme Court

• bequeafed Birch Haven (Idlewild, Michigan)

9th Grand Basileus (1937-1939) - Indiana

Nellie B. Rogers

• created office of State Directors

  • Associate Regional Directors / State Deputy

• occupation - editor

  • Indianapolis, Indiana

10th Grand Basileys (1939-1940) - 3 month Queen

Edith A. Lyons

• Illinois incorporator (1939)

• created Board of Trustees

• occupation - editor and former assistant superintendent of DC public schoopls

11th Grand Basileus (1940-1943)

Blanche Thompson

• 1st Anti-Basileus

• occupation - music

12th Grand Basileus (1943 - 1948) - Lullaby

Dr. Lullelia W. Harrison

• Housing Project (1943)

• Amicae Auxiliary was created

• 1st Elective Secretary

• Life Member

• occupation - educator

  • Houston, Texas

13th International Grand Basileus (1948-1954) - International Queen

Dr. Nancy Bullock McGhee

• formalized official sorority song

• 1st to establish a chapter in Africa

  • Monrovia, Liberia

• initiated plans for purchase of National Headquarters

• education - Shaw University

• occupation - former English professor

  • Hampton University

14th International Grand Basileus (1954-1965)

Dr. Deborah Cannon Partridge Wolfe

• purchase of the National Headquarters

• Life Member

• Chairman of the Board of Directors (Z-National Educational Foundation)

• occupation - former Education Chief (New York)

  • visiting professor, ordained minister, President of the New Jersey Higher Education Board

15th International Grand Basileus (1965-1970) - Maddie

Mildred Cater Bradham

• Southeastern Region Director

• National 1st and 2nd Anti Basileus

• Life Member

• member of the Board of Director (Z-NEF)

• occupations - educator, social worker, consultant, Social Services Chief, assistant professor

16th International Grand Basileus (1970-1974)

Isabel M. Herson

• National Grammateus, 1st Anti Basileus, member of Board of Directors (Z-NEF)

• Life Member

• established Stork’s Nest

• representative of American Council on Human Rights

17th International Grand Basileus (1974-1980) - Valentine’s Day

Janice Gant Kissner

• 3rd Anti Basileus, Chairman of National Undergrad Council

• Life Member

• Honorary Membership to film stars and recording artists

• expanded Stork’s Nest

18th International Grand Basileus (1980-1986) - Jersey

Dr. Edith V. Francis

• 1st Anti Basileus

• chartered chapters in Alaska and Germany

• established Zeta/Sigma Liason

• Golden Life Member

• occupation - NJ Superintendent

• married Dr. Gilbert Francis

  • Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated

19th International Grand Basileus (1986-1992)

Dr. Eunice S. Thomas

• National Director of Stork’s Nest

• launched Project ZIP

• insituted Stork’s Nest Foundation

• developed MIP

20th International Grand Basileus (1992-1996) - Janet

Dr. Jyllla Moore Tearte

• 3rd Anti Basileus, Tamias, Chair of National Executive Board

• established Male Network

• established Pearlettes

• chartered a chapter in Seoul, South Korea

• Honorary Member - Ja’Net Du’Bois

21st International Grand Basileus (1996-2002) - Sabrina Carpenter

Dr. Barbara West Carpenter

• 1st Anti Basileus

• partner with Human Genome Project

• Diamond Life Member

22nd International Grand Basiles (2002-2008) - ZHOPE / ZOL

Barbara Crockett Moore

• Kappa Eta Zeta (Camden, South Carolina)

• implemented Z-HOPE

• implemented ZOL

23rd International Grand Basileus (2008-2012)

Sheryl P. Underwood

• 1st Anti Basileus, Executive Board Chair, Historian, Graduate Advisor

• Omicron Rho Zeta (Inglewood, California)

• strengthen partnership with March of Dimes

• began Zeta Doves program

• developed DISTINGUISHED PEARLS

• Diamond Life Member

24th International Grand Basileus (2012-2018)

Mary Breaux Wright

• Diamond Life Member

• National 1st Anti Basileus

• Psi Beta Chapter (Grambling State)

  • business administration

• Lambda Zeta Chapter (Houston, Texas)

• wife of James Wright

  • Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated

25th International Grand Basileus (2018-2022)

Valerie Hollingsworth-Baker

• Delta Mu Zeta (Brooklyn, NY)

• Honorary Members:

  • Vivica A. Fox, Chaka Khan, Dawann Lewis

  • met Fannie Pettie Watts

    • Once a Zeta, Always a Zeta

26th International Grand Basileus (2022-Now) - Bobbs

Dr. Stacie N.C. Grant

• resides in Queens, NY

• Madam Grand