Eta Phi Beta

Eta Phi Beta
ΗΦΒ
Founded October 1942
Lewis Business College
Type Professional
Affiliation Independent
Emphasis Business, African-American
Scope National
Motto Not For Ourselves, But For Others
Colors   Crimson,   Gold and   Black
Philanthropy NAACP, UNCF
Chapters 91
Members 5,000 lifetime
Nickname Bee-Ettes, Senords, Eta Kids
Affiliated men National Council of SHADs
Headquarters 19983 Livernois Avenue, Suite B
Detroit, Michigan 48221
United States
Website Official website

Eta Phi Beta (ΗΦΒ) is an African American business sorority located in the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was founded in Detroit, Michigan at the historically black Lewis Business College in October 1942. In 1997, the organization had 91 chapters and over 5,000 members internationally.

History

Eta Phi Beta was established by students at the historically black Lewis Business College in Detroit, Michigan in October 1942. Eta Phi Beta was founded to foster women to enter into the world of business. Its founders were Ivy Burt Banks, Dorothy Sylvers Brown, Earline Carter, Mae Edwards Curry, Katherine Douglas, Atheline Shelton Graham, Merry Green Hubbard, Ethel Madison, Ann Porter, Mattie Rankin, and Lena Reed.

The sorority was incorporated in 1943. Additional chapters were chartered at schools such as St. Augestine's University as well as the city of Indianapolis. In 1977, the Michigan state House of Representatives approved a resolution making May 14, 1977 the Eta Phi Beta Sorority Day.

The sorority had over 80 chapters nationwide in 2002. On June 13, 2009, the 81st Texas Legislature House of Representatives honored Eta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. to commemorate its 2009 Founders Day. Another resolution was made in the state of Georgia.

Eta Phi Beta is an affiliate member of the National Council of Negro Women.

Symbols

The sorority's colors are crimson, gold, and black. Its motto is "Not For Ourselves, But For Others."

Activities

Chapters meet monthly from September to June. The sorority hosts its national convention, The Grand Boule', biennially on even-numbered years. Regional conferences are held biennially on odd-numbered years.

Eta Phi Beta funds various charitable organizations including the March of Dimes, the NAACP, and the United Negro College Fund. Its main national charitable project is services for citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The biennial Gloria Chapman Walk-a-thon raises funds for community-based organizations that work in this area. Nationally, the sorority also supports breast cancer awareness and domestic violence prevention.

Chapters, regions, and the Grand chapter all award annual scholarships for high school graduates and college students. Chapters also support programs and provide tutoring to teach young children life skills, reading, mathematics literary, and social etiquette. Some chapters host an annual Cotillion Ball that introduces children into society.

Established in 1949, the National Council of Shads is an auxiliary organization of Eta Phi Beta, consisting of the husbands of sorority members. It provides conducts community service projects and provides scholarships.

Membership

Membership is open to women who are college graduates or have completed at least two years of college; potential members may apply to join or are invited to join by members of the sorority. Eta Phi Beta has a 3-month initiation process. There are two also Youth Groups, Gamma and Lamba chapters, for children ages six to eleven.

Honorary Members

  • R. Louise Grooms Founder of the Detroit Institute of Commerce with her own money, to train African American youths with skills to enter the workplace. Member of Michigan Women's Hall of Fame

Chapters

Following is a list of Eta Phi Beta chapters. Most chapters are community-based. There are two Youth Chapters, Gamma and Lamba, which are for children ages six to eleven. The Beta series chapters were chartered at colleges and universities but have all gone inactive. Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are in italics.

Chapter Charter date Institution Location Region Status References
Alpha October 1942 Detroit, Michigan Northern Active
Beta Battle Creek, Michigan Northern Inactive
Gamma Cleveland, Ohio Northern Active
Delta West Palm Beach, Florida Southeastern Active
Epsilon June 28, 1958 Dallas, Texas Southern Active
Zeta  Columbus, Ohio Northern Inactive
Eta Fort Worth, Texas Southern Active
Theta  Ecorse, Michigan Northern Inactive
Iota Fort Lauderdale, Florida Southeastern Active
Kappa Los Angeles, California Western Active
Lambda Dayton, Ohio Northern Active
Mu Shaker Heights, Ohio Northern Inactive
Nu Jacksonville, Florida Southeastern Active
Xi April 28, 1962 Houston, Texas Southern Active
Omicron New Orleans, Louisiana Southern Active
Pi  Maywood, Illinois Northern Inactive
Rho  Tulsa, Oklahoma Southern Inactive
Grand Detroit, Michigan Northern Active
Tau June 5, 1965 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Southern Active
Upsilon  Pasadena, California Western Inactive
Phi  Wichita, Kansas Southern Inactive
Chi  New York, New York Eastern Inactive
Psi  Newark, New Jersey Eastern Inactive
Alpha Alpha  Seattle, Washington Western Inactive
Alpha Beta  Oakland, California Western Inactive
Alpha Gamma April 8, 1967 Miami, Florida Southeastern Active
Alpha Delta Richmond, Virginia Eastern Active
Alpha Epsilon First Sheffield, Alabama Southeastern Inactive
Alpha Epsilon Raleigh, North Carolina Mid-Eastern Active
Alpha Zeta Washington, D.C. Eastern Active
Alpha Eta  Goldsboro, North Carolina Mid-Eastern Inactive
Alpha Theta Durham, North Carolina Mid-Eastern Active
Alpha Iota Gainesville, Florida Southeastern Active
Alpha Kappa   Williamson, West Virginia Mid-Eastern Inactive
Alpha Lambda Chicago, Illinois Northern Active
Alpha Mu  St. Louis, Missouri Southern Inactive
Alpha Nu  Atlantic City, New Jersey Eastern Inactive
Alpha Xi  Indianapolis, Indiana Northern Inactive
Alpha Omicron Delray Beach, Florida Southeastern Active
Alpha Pi Milwaukee, Wisconsin Northern Active
Alpha Rho 1973 Greensboro, North Carolina Mid-Eastern Active
Alpha Sigma  Wilmington, North Carolina Mid-Eastern Inactive
Alpha Tau  Willingboro, New Jersey Eastern Inactive
Alpha Upsilon Unassigned ?
Alpha Phi  Albuquerque, New Mexico Western Inactive
Alpha Chi Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Southeastern Active
Alpha Psi Carson, California Western Active
Alpha Omega Huntsville, Alabama Southeastern Active
Beta Alpha Virginia Union University Richmond, Virginia Eastern Inactive
Beta Beta  Virginia State University Ettrick, Virginia Eastern Inactive
Beta Gamma  San Jose State University San Jose, California Western Inactive
Beta Delta  St. Augustine's University Raleigh, North Carolina Mid-Eastern Inactive
Beta Eta Central State University Wilberforce, Ohio Northern Inactive
Beta Zeta Florida Memorial College Miami, Florida Southeastern Inactive
Beta Epsilon University of Southern California Los Angeles, California Western Inactive
Gamma Alpha   Lake Elsinore, California Western Inactive
Gamma Beta  Nashville, Tennessee Mid-Eastern Inactive
Gamma Gamma  Asbury Park, New Jersey Eastern Inactive
Gamma Delta Fayetteville, Alabama Southeastern Inactive
Gamma Epsilon Tuscaloosa, Alabama Southeastern Active
Gamma Zeta  Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands Southeastern Inactive
Gamma Eta   Racine, Wisconsin Northern Inactive
Gamma Theta  Atlanta, Georgia Southeastern Inactive
Gamma Iota Greenville, Mississippi Southeastern Active
Gamma Kappa   Baton Rouge, Louisiana Southern Inactive
Gamma Lambda  Sedalia, North Carolina Mid-Eastern Inactive
Gamma Mu Reform, Alabama Southeastern Active
Gamma Nu Little Rock, Arkansas Southern Active
Gamma Xi  Whiteville, North Carolina Mid-Eastern Inactive
Gamma Pi Birmingham, Alabama Southeastern Inactive
Gamma Omicron  Ramseur, North Carolina Mid-Eastern Inactive
Gamma Rho Homestead, Florida Southeastern Active
Gamma Sigma  Oxford, North Carolina Mid-Eastern Inactive
Gamma Tau  Lima, Ohio Northern Inactive
Gamma Upsilon  Burlington, North Carolina Mid-Eastern Inactive
Gamma Phi  Bronx, New York Eastern Inactive
Gamma Chi  San Jose, California Western Inactive
Gamma Psi  Charleston, South Carolina Mid-Eastern Inactive
Gamma Omega San Bernardino, California Western Active
Delta Alpha Marshall, Texas Southern Inactive
Delta Beta Albion, Michigan Northern Inactive
Delta Gamma Belzoni, Mississippi Southeastern Active
Delta Epsilon Las Vegas, Nevada Western Active
Delta Zeta  Baltimore, Maryland Eastern Inactive
Delta Eta  Tampa, Florida Southeastern Inactive
Delta Theta   Jackson, Mississippi Southeastern Inactive
Delta Iota White Plains, New York Eastern Inactive
Delta Kappa San Antonio, Texas Southern Active
Delta Lambda   Tehula, Mississippi Southeastern Inactive
Delta Mu  Fernandina Beach, Florida Southeastern Inactive
Delta Nu  Plano, Texas Southern Inactive
Delta Xi Jackson, Michigan Northern Inactive
Delta Omicron  Nashville, Tennessee Eastern Inactive
Delta Pi Winston-Salem, North Carolina Mid-Eastern Inactive
Delta Rho  St. Petersburg, Florida Southeastern Inactive
Delta Sigma Fayetteville, North Carolina Mid-Eastern Inactive
Delta Tau Grand Blanc, Michigan Northern Active
Delta Upsilon  Tallahassee, Florida Southeastern Inactive
Delta Phi  Monroe, Louisiana Southern Inactive
Delta Chi Southfield, Michigan   Northern Inactive
Delta Psi March 26, 2010 Georgia Southeastern Active
Delta Omega Memphis, Tennessee Mid-Eastern Active
Epsilon Alpha   Northern Virginia Eastern Inactive
Epsilon Beta Columbia and Lugoff, South Carolina Mid-Eastern Active
Epsilon Gamma Central Carolina Mid-Eastern Active
Epsilon Delta Palmdale, California Western Active
Epsilon Epsilon Maryland Eastern Active
Epsilon Zeta Maryland Eastern Active
Epsilon Eta Pearland, Texas Southern Active
Epsilon Iota Northern Virginia Eastern Active
Epsilon Theta Starke, Florida Southeastern