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5 Constitutionally Bound
- The University Press of Kentucky
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95 5 Constitutionally bound The Founders of Phi beta Sigma Fraternity and zeta Phi beta Sorority Matthew W. Hughey The world of humanity has two wings—one is women and the other men. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly. Should one wing remain weak, flight is impossible. Not until the world of women becomes equal to the world of men in the acquisition of virtues and perfections, can success and prosperity be attained as they ought to be. —Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith Of all the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) organizations,1 only two can claim an authentic brother-sister association: Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Seven years after the founding of Phi Beta Sigma, its sister sorority was organized and set into motion. Almost a century later, with Sigma now boasting more than 125,000 members in 650 chapters all over the United States, Switzerland, and Africa, and Zeta boasting more than 125,000 members in 800 chapters in the United States, Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean, they work closely together as they attempt to materialize what their founders envisioned: a deep and abiding dedication to enhancing and promoting systematic fellowship, African American self-determination, justice, equal rights, and service to all humankind. Such a relationship endures, in part, because they are the only two constitutionally bound black Greek-letter organizations (BGLOs).2 Phi beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. On Saturday, October 18, 1913, Howard University student A. L. Taylor approached L. F. Morse, his former roommate, with the idea of forming a new 96 Matthew W. Hughey fraternity.3 After careful discussion, they jointly chose one of their mutual friends, C. I. Brown, to be the third founder. Taylor recorded for posterity the events that led to the fraternity’s formation: “The first meeting of the organizing committee was held at my home in the 1900 block of ‘S’ Street, Northwest, Sunday November, 2nd. The second meeting was held the next Tuesday at Morse’s rooming place in the 1900 block of 3rd Street, Northwest.”4 A few days later, on November 13, the three soon-to-be founders of Phi Beta Sigma met and held further discussions with nine undergraduate colleagues from Howard University: S. P. Massie, J. A. Franklin, J. E. Jones, B. A. Matthews, W. F. Vincent, T. L. Alston, W. E. Tibbs, J. H. Howard, and I. L. Scruggs.5 Taylor continued: “During the remainder of November and December, meetings were held on the ‘Hill’ (Howard University) during which time nine students were accepted for membership and plans for the fraternity were discussed and developed.”6 On Friday evening, January 9, 1914, the three founders and nine initial members met in the Bowen room of the yMCA’s Twelfth Street Branch and officially organized the fraternity around the three principles of brotherhood, scholarship, and service. Taylor recounted the events of that meeting: “As chairman of the organizing committee, I reported how I had conceived the idea of the founding of the Fraternity and the three years of unrelenting toil I had given to the development of the plans. I closed the report by recommending that we form a permanent organization to be known as Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. Upon a motion made by Charles I. Brown, seconded by William F. Vincent, the recommendation was accepted and Phi Beta Sigma became a national fraternity in fact as well as in our dreams.”7 The Board of Deans at Howard University recognized the new fraternity on April 15, 1914, and the Howard University Journal (the university’s student publication) stated in its April 24 issue: “The Fraternity is the result of the efforts of Messrs. A. L. Taylor, L. F. Morse and C. I. Brown; and promises to be a vital force in the moral, social and intellectual life of the University.”8 Just weeks later, on May 4, 1914, fourteen more members were added, and together, the twenty-six members of Phi Beta Sigma organized the fraternity’s Alpha Chapter. During the summer of 1914, Scruggs procured a furnished, three-story brick house for the fraternity, located at 1907 Third Street, NW. The campus community was amazed by the rapidity of this acquisition, as well as by its size: it was the largest house among all the existing fraternal organizations at Howard at the time.9 Sigma was soon expanding its reach across campus. A. M. Walker, the first initiate of the...