Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, is a sorority founded by five African American women on January 16, 1920. The founders – Arizona Cleaver Stemmons, Myrtle Tyler Faithful, Viola Tyler Goings, Fannie Pettie Watts and Pearl Anna Neal – are affectionately referred to as “the Five Pearls” by members of this prestigious international organization. The sorority was founded on the principles of scholarship, sisterly love and finer womanhood.
Famous Members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority
There are many notable members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated including singers, actresses, writers, and political figures. One famous Zeta was Zora Neale Hurston, the famous folklorist and writer of several critically acclaimed books including Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937), Mules and Men (1935), and Moses, Man of the Mountain (1939). Her books were mostly composed of stories, or anthologies as they are called, from the old south, complete with vernacular from the time and area. Her life work has made her a figure of great influence in the African American and general community. She became a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority while studying at Howard University.
Another notable Zeta was Violette Anderson. A lawyer and judge, she was the first black woman to practice law before the Supreme Court. In addition, she was the first African American woman to practice in the U.S. District Court, Eastern Division. Her achievements were not limited to her career; she was also elected Grand Basileus of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated in 1933. She was associated with the Zeta Zeta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority (Chicago, Illinois). She died in 1977, and is fondly remembered for willing her beautiful property in Idlewild, Michigan, called Birch Haven, to her beloved sorority.
Sorority Reach and Associations
According to Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s website, the sorority currently has over 800 chapters all over the world composed of over 125,000 members. It was the first sorority to establish chapters in Africa, with membership in Sierra Leone and Nigeria. In addition to the U.S. and Africa, Zeta Phi Beta maintains chapters in Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. The sorority’s national headquarters are located in Washington, DC.
Zeta Phi Beta is also the first and only African American Sorority to be constitutionally bound to a brother fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated. The bond between brother and sister organizations makes it a family of close to a quarter of a million members.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority has a rich history, notable members, and a reach that continues to grow throughout the world. While the sorority was founded as a support to African American women on college campuses, membership is not limited by race, creed, nationality or religion. Anyone with a strong respect for the sorority’s founding principles is considered for membership.
Membership, Zeta Phi Beta – International Website
