Happy Founders’ Day to the ladies of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated! Celebrating 104 years of sisterhood, scholarship, service, and Finer Womanhood. Through their dedication to serving their communities and implementing change, the ladies of Zeta Phi Beta continue to show us what makes their organization oh-so-sweet. In honor of Founders’ Day, here is the history of Zeta Phi Beta.
Roaring 20s
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated was founded on January 16, 1920, on the campus of Howard University by five collegiate young women: Arizona Cleaver Stemons, Pearl Anna Neal, Myrtle Tyler Faithful, Viola Tyler Goings, and Fannie Pettie Watts.
In 1919, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated member Charles Robert Samuel Taylor shared his idea of a sister organization to his fraternity with Zeta Phi Beta founder Arizona Cleaver Stemons. Stemons sought permission from Howard to create the new sorority and the rest was history. The “Phi Beta” in Zeta Phi Beta was taken from Phi Beta Sigma to solidify the relationship between the two organizations.
Zeta Phi Beta was incorporated on March 30, 1923, in Washington, D.C. by members Myrtle Tyler, Gladys Warrington, Joanna Houston, Josephine F. Johnson, and L.O Goldia Smith. The sorority was later incorporated in the state of Illinois in 1939.
National Programs
Zeta Phi Beta has several national programs and initiatives that focus on various issues including education, mental health, elder care, mentorship, and domestic violence. The sorority’s Adopt-A-School program is an initiative designed to create a school and community partnership that will positively impact student achievement, attendance, and the availability of role models for students of color. The purpose of the sorority’s Autism Awareness Education initiative is to provide education, information, and resources about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
In 2020, Zeta Phi Beta implemented its inaugural Domestic Violence Programmatic Initiative (DVPI) to raise domestic violence awareness. The sorority’s Elder Care was launched in 2014, the program was designed to improve the quality of life for caregivers and other professions in the aging and disability field. The main goal of the program is to further enhance this initiative by increasing awareness of healthy behaviors and outcomes and reduce risk factors affecting the social determinants of health through education.
As a part of its Zeta Embellishment Team, the sorority has created its Zeta Pearls of Wisdom Master Class Series initiative. This initiative focuses on using videos and interviews to document the sorority’s history and curate their stories to share with future generations of Zeta Phi Beta. The Finer Women Don’t Haze (FWDH) initiative was created to educate members of the sorority and community to be advocates against hazing and the damaging lifelong effects of hazing.
Zeta Sings the Blues is the sorority’s international Mental Health Initiative. The program was created to increase awareness and fight the stigma of mental health. The Stork’s Nest is the sorority’s program designed to promote prenatal care participation and encourage healthy behaviors during pregnancy through two components- incentives and education. Z-Hope is the National Service Program of the sorority. The Z-Hope program combines interactive, holistic, and multidimensional outreach programs designed to enhance, cultivate, and empower participants to develop health-promoting lifestyle choices across their lifespan.
The Zetas Have Heart Initiative was created for members of the sorority to take care of themselves and others. The goal of the program is to prevent, cure, and/ or manage everyday self-care issues through through health awareness.
Other programs and initiatives of Zeta Phi Beta include International Women of Color, March of Dimes, Military Advisory Boards, Transition Your Talents, ZOL, and ZPAP.
Sweet Sorors
Zeta Phi Beta has over 125,000 members in over 875 chapters located in the United States, Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. Notable members include Zora Neale Hurston, Ester Rolle, Chaka Khan, Dawnn Lewis, Towanda Braxton, and Minnie Riperton.
Ever since its inception in 1920, Zeta Phi Beta has been a trailblazer in its own right. It was the first sorority in the National-Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) to have a national headquarters for all operations. They were also the first sorority in the NPHC to form an auxiliary group. Zeta Phi Beta is the only sorority to be constitutionally bound to a fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated.
In honor of Founder’s Day, we asked some members what they loved most about their sorority here are some of the answers:
“To be a woman of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. means being a part of a group of women who are dedicated to empowering other women, the community, and defying the odds. It also means doing the things that others are scared to do that will help us all advance in life. This organization is dedicated to inspiring those around us to want to excel beyond the limitations that some try to place on us. What I love most about my organization is being able to continuously learn from other like-minded women who strive for excellence and carry themselves with dignity, class, and finer womanhood. I always look forward to Founders Day because it is the reminder that I became a member of an organization of women who dared to not only have a dream but pursue it, achieve it, and help bring other women along the way.”
– Brittany Gardner, Bennett College Spring 15
“Happy Founders’ Day to all my sweet sorors of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated. Zeta Phi Beta has taught me so much in the 2 almost 3 years I have been a part of this sorority. What I absolutely love about my sorority is how genuine and hardworking we are. If someone is in need or just needs someone to listen there will always be a Zeta there to lend a hand or to even listen. My sorority is also hardworking because whenever there is work to be done, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated will work and play immediately after. Every day I thank God for the amazing women he has surrounded me with. Zeta Phi Beta has taught me no matter how hard life gets never let your Zeta light dim.”
– Ayanna Jackson, Alpha Beta Zeta Chapter of Newport News/Hampton Graduate Chapter Spring 21
Happy Founders Day to all my sorors! 104 years of greatness. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. has taught me to be resilient and selfless. I’m so grateful for the bonds that probably would not have been created without Zeta. Sorors continue to exhibit our principles and I hope you enjoy this very special day! Thank you to our founders, remember it only took 5.
– Paris Woods, Virginia State University Spring 19
“Being a Zeta woman is being a woman of class, intelligence, and uniqueness. The sisterhood that you gain allows you to see the best of who we are in the eyes of another woman. Make it Finer!”
– Cathleen Braxton, Omega Gamma Zeta Chapter Spring 18
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