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Happy Founders’ Day to the men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated! Celebrating 110 years of brotherhood, scholarship, and service. With the motto, “Culture for Service and Service for Humanity” Phi Beta Sigma has been dedicated to serving its community since its founding in 1914. Showing some love to the men of that royal blue and pure white, let’s get into the history of Phi Beta Sigma.
“A Part Of” VS. “Apart From”
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated was founded on January 9, 1914, in Washington D.C. on the campus of Howard University by three students: A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I. Brown.
The founders of Phi Beta Sigma wanted to create an organization that considered itself “a part of” the general community rather than “apart from” the general community. They believed that potential members should be judged by their own merits, rather than their family background or affluence… without regard to race, nationality, skin tone, or hair texture.
With the motto, “Culture for Service and Service for Humanity” Phi Beta Sigma since its inception has been a vessel to deliver services to the general community. Its founders instilled in its members not only to utilize the skills that they gained for themselves but for the communities they came from as well.
National Programs
Phi Beta Sigma has four main national programs: Bigger and Better Business, Education, Social Action, and Sigma Beta Clubs. These programs help contribute to the objectives Phi Beta Sigma has put into place to service their respective communities.
Bigger and Better Business was the first national program of Phi Beta Sigma, introduced in December 1924. The program was designed to encourage and promote Black businesses. Since its inception, the Bigger and Better Business program has sought to encourage Black businesses to improve their business acumen, efficiency, and service to the public, and to be competitive with other businesses. Initiatives of Bigger and Better Business include the Black Spend Initiative, Adopt-A-Business, Project S.E.E.D, the Sigma Business Initiative, and Tax Awareness.
The Education program was developed from Phi Beta Sigma’s emphasis on education achievement as an ingredient for success. The primary focus of the program is to provide various services to alumni and collegiate members which leads to services to local communities. The fraternity provides various in-house programs including scholarships, conferences, college, fairs, mentoring, and tutoring at the local, regional, and national levels.
Under the Education program, the fraternity has the Adopt-A-School initiative. This initiative was designed to get members of the fraternity to volunteer with schools in their communities, work with teachers and principals to assist students in approving their knowledge, and skills academically, and build student literacy. Phi Beta Sigma also offers scholarships to high school and college students.
The Social Action program was formed in 1934. The program was designed to focus on improving the general well-being of disenfranchised people. The mission of the International Social Action Program is to encourage, social, political, and philanthropic leadership which strengthens the communities of the members and membership. Sigma Wellness and Sigma Advocacy are two initiatives that are a part of the Social Action program. Sigma Wellness is Phi Beta Sigma’s men’s health initiative to educate and inform members and the community about the key health issues facing men of color. Sigma Advocacy is an initiative focused on building the fraternity’s collective voice on legislative policies that impact communities locally, statewide, and nationally.
The Sigma Beta Club has been mentoring young men since 1950. Phi Beta Sigma was the first Greek organization to establish a youth auxiliary group. The program’s founder Dr. Parley L. Moore noticed needs within communities were changing and recognized the important role men of Sigma could potentially play in the lives of youth.
Constitutionally Bound
Phi Beta Sigma has over 200,000 members worldwide and over 700 collegiate and alumni chapters in the United States and international chapters in Europe, South Korea, Japan, The Virgin Islands, Kuwait, and countries in Africa. Notable members include Al Sharpton, Blair Underwood, Huey P Newton, Emmitt Smith, and Al Roker.
The men of Phi Beta Sigma have always made it their mission to help others and serve their community. One way that they have shown their commitment to helping others is their assistance with the creation of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated. In 1919, Phi Beta Sigma member Charles Robert Samuel Taylor shared his idea of a sister organization with Zeta Phi Beta founder Arizona L. Cleaver and a year later Zeta Phi Beta was founded. Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta are the only organizations constitutionally bound within the Divine Nine (D9).
In honor of Founders’ Day, we asked some members what they loved most about their fraternity here are some of the answers:
“Joining Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. was the best decision I made in undergrad. Sigma helped me grow as a person by pushing me to be better in life. The love and support that I have received within the organization has been unmatched. I will forever be grateful for The Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.”
– Maurice Grant, Virginia State University Spring 18
“I love my fraternity; Phi Beta Sigma has changed my life! It allowed me a platform to be able to do any and everything I could imagine. I’ve gained more than just fraternity brothers; I have a family. Without Phi Beta Sigma I wouldn’t be the man I am today. Happy Founders’ Day to the MAB!
– Aaron Williams, Virginia State University Spring 16
“I was born to be a Sigma. My father crossed Phi Beta Sigma at UMBC back in the fall of ‘87. Throughout the years, I have been mentored and loved by several brothers of this organization. They’ve taught me mental fortitude, manhood, scholarship, and business. My passion for the organization and my goal to align with our values of brotherhood, scholarship, and service fueled my drive to not only be a member but to be a leader within the organization, taking on chapter President and Step Master in my tenure.
Founders' Day is a time to celebrate the values that those 3 great men who started this glorious organization stood by. Brotherhood. Scholarship. Service. Also, I look great in royal blue.
GOMAB!
– Jason Daniels, Virginia State University Spring 16
