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Founded January 16, 1920, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. began as an idea conceived by five coeds at Howard University in Washington D.C.: Arizona Cleaver, Myrtle Tyler, Viola Tyler, Fannie Pettie, and Pearl Neal. These women, also known as our Five Pearls, dared to depart from the traditional coalitions for black women and sought to establish a new organization predicated on the precepts of Scholarship, Service, Sisterly Love, and Finer Womanhood. It was the ideals of the founders that the Sorority would reach college women in all parts of the country who were sorority minded and desired to follow the founding principles of the organization. Founder Viola Tyler was often quoted to say “[In the ideal collegiate situation] there is a Zeta in a girl regardless of race, creed, or color, who has high standards and principles, a good scholarly average and an active interest in all things that she undertakes to accomplish."
Since its inception, the Sorority has chronicled a number of firsts. Zeta Phi Beta was the first Greek-letter organization to charter a chapter in Africa in 1948; to form adult and youth auxiliary groups; to centralize its operations in a national headquarters; and to be constitutionally bound to a fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated.
Zeta's national and local programs include endowment of its National Education Foundation, community outreach services and support of multiple affiliate organizations. Zeta chapters and auxiliary groups have given immeasurable hours of voluntary service to educate the public, assist youth, provide scholarships, support organized charities, and promote legislation for social and civic change.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated is honored to have formed many wonderful community based partnerships over the past 91 years. Whether administering our Z-HOPE program or giving financial assistance through our National Education Foundation, we do it with the understanding that service to the community is our greatest legacy.
