The History of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C., January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders, Honorable A. Langston Taylor, Honorable Leonard F. Morse, and Honorable Charles I. Brown, wanted to organize a Greek letter fraternity that would truly exemplify the ideals of brotherhood, scholarship, and service.

The founders deeply wished to create an organization that viewed itself as "a part of" the general community rather than "apart from" the general community. They believed that each potential member should be judged by his own merits rather than his family background or affluence...without regard of race, nationality, skin tone or texture of hair. They wished and wanted their fraternity to exist as part of even a greater brotherhood which would be devoted to the "inclusive we" rather than the "exclusive we".


From its inception, the Founders also conceived Phi Beta Sigma as a mechanism to deliver services to the general community. Rather than gaining skills to be utilized exclusively for themselves and their immediate families, the founders of Phi Beta Sigma held a deep conviction that they should return their newly acquired skills to the communities from which they had come. This deep conviction was mirrored in the Fraternity's motto, "Culture For Service and Service For Humanity".

Today, 93 years later, Phi Beta Sigma has blossomed into an international organization of leaders. No longer a single entity, the Fraternity has now established the Phi Beta Sigma Educational Foundation, the Phi Beta Sigma Housing Foundation, the Phi Beta Sigma Federal Credit Union, and the Phi Beta Sigma Charitable Outreach Foundation. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., founded in 1920 with the assistance of Phi Beta Sigma, is the sister organization. No other fraternity and sorority is constitutionally bound as Sigma and Zeta. We both enjoy and foster a mutually supportive relationship.

The Fraternity of Firsts

We weren't the first African-American Greek-Letter Fraternity to be founded...however we are definitely the Fraternity of firsts...

First Fraternity to have Presidents of other countries in its membership (Hon. Bros. Kwame Nkrumah, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, and Nelson Mandela) No other Fraternity Except Omega Psi Phi can even claim a nation's President in its membership.

First and ONLY Black Greek-Letter Fraternity to have one of its members on the face of a U.S. Coin. (George Washington Carver: The 1951 Half Dollar) Only 2 African Americans have EVER been on the face of a US coin: George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington--who was not Greek.

First Black Greek-Letter Fraternity to be recognized by Howard University

First Fraternity to establish a chapter South of the State of Virginia before the year 1915.

First Fraternity to be offered a merger with another Fraternity

First Fraternity to hold a joint International Convention with another African-American Fraternity (Omega Psi Phi).

First and ONLY Fraternity to establish a constitutional bond with a Sorority (Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.).

First Fraternity to establish a youth auxiliary program (The Sigma Beta Club).

First Fraternity to own and operate a Credit Union for its members.

First Fraternity to establish chapters within the Continent of Africa.

First Fraternity to establish Graduate/ Alumni Membership.

First Fraternity to establish a Graduate/Alumni Chapter.

Lastly, many Fraternities may have supported the Million Man March, but only PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY, INCORPORATED can lay claim to not only supporting, but sponsoring the March at its International Headquarters. If you didn't know...now you know!!! We are all too often IMITATED, but we can never be DUPLICATED!!!

Quick Facts

QUICK FACTS:

FOUNDED:
January 9th, 1914 at
Howard University Washington, DC

FOUNDERS:
Bro. A. Langston Taylor
Bro. Leonard F. Morse
Bro. Charles I. Brown



PRINCIPLES:
Brotherhood
Scholarship
Service

MOTTO:
"Culture for Service, Service for Humanity"

COLORS:
Royal Blue and Pure White

NATIONAL PROGRAMS:
1. Bigger and Better Business
2. Social Action
3. Education


SYMBOL:
Dove

CALL & RESPONSE:

Blue Phi......U KNOW!!


FLOWER:
Carnation

SISTER ORGANIZATION:
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Who We Are: The Founders of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Bro. Charles I. Brown



According to the 1914 Howard University Yearbook, Founder Charles I. Brown is documented as Finished Howard Academy, 1910, Class Chaplain 1913; Chaplain Classical Club 1912, 1913; President Classical Club 1914; Vice-President Phi Beta Sigma, 1914. Will do post- graduate work in Latin. In addition, Founder Brown was chosen “The Most To Be Admired” for the Class of 1914.

Founder Brown is said to have been born in Topeka, Kansas in 1890. Census records show that his father was Rev. John M. Brown and that his mother was Maggie M. Brown. However, records at Howard University from 1910 have Founder Brown living at 1813 Titan Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He was very cordial and very popular with the student body and Howard University Administration. He is credited with choosing the 9 charter members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. Founder Brown founded the Delta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, on April 9, 1917, and through oral interviews was a teacher at the Kansas Industrial School for Negroes in Topeka, Kansas.

Census records and oral interviews have showed us that Founder Brown was alive in the Topeka, Kansas area until 1931. Some believe that he was a casualty of the First World War; others believe that he moved overseas.

In the spring of 1949, Founder Leonard F. Morse wrote “We live in daily hope that
we shall one day learn the fate of our beloved Brother and Founder”.

In the 1914 Howard University Yearbook, under the Personals and Applied Quotations
Section, Founder Brown left us with this quotation “No legacy is so rich as honesty”.

Founder Brown graduated from Howard University on June 3, 1914. The last correspondence that the fraternity received from him was a letter to Founder Taylor
in 1924, in which Founder Brown indicated that he was teaching in Kansas.

Although we may never find out the fate of our beloved Founder, always remember,
“March on, March on, Ye mighty host” for Founder Charles I. Brown will remain in
our hearts.

Who We Are: The Founders of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Bro. Leonard F. Morse



January 12, 1891 – May 22, 1961



Leonard F. Morse was the proud son of a distinguished New England Family, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Morse of Boston, Massachusetts. Trained in the elementary and secondary schools of New Bedford, Massachusetts, he became the valedictorian of his integrated high school and entered Howard University. In 1915, he graduated from Howard University and was the first person to graduate in 3 years with an A.B and B.Ed degrees.

Later, the degree of Bachelor of Divinity was conferred upon him by the Payne School of Divinity, Wilberforce University. He received his Master’s degree from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois and the degrees of Doctor of Metaphysics and the Doctor of Psychology from the College of Metaphysics, Indianapolis, Indiana. The Honorary Degree of D.D. was conferred at Allen University, Columbia, SC, and the LLD at Edward Waters College, Jacksonville, FL.



An outstanding educator and prophet he lived a busy and resourceful life, having served in many institutions and areas of Educational and Religious life. He was Dean of Theology at Edward Waters College, Head of the Department of Religious Studies, President of Edward Waters and a Mason. Founder Morse founded and chartered numerous Sigma Chapters especially in Florida.

Founder Morse was a student of the Greek language and he named our beloved
fraternity. In addition, he wrote Sigma’s first constitution and was the first president of Alpha Chapter.

In the 1915 Howard University Yearbook, entitled “The Mirror”, Founder Morse has listed by his name the following: Director of Social Service, YMCA, 1913-1914. Organizer and President of Phi Beta Sigma, 1914-15. President, Young Men’s Progressive Club, 1914-15, tutor of languages and history.

Founder Morse was married and had five children, two of which are brothers of this fraternity. Most recently his grandson joined Our Wondrous Band.

Leonard F. Morse was the last living Founder of Phi Beta Sigma. In the 1915 Howard University Yearbook, Founder Morse left us with “Smooth Runs The Water Where the Brook is Deep.”

Who We Are: The Founders of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

A Tribute to Founder A. Langston Taylor



January 29, 1890 - August 8, 1953

A. Langston Taylor, the founder of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He graduated from the Howe Institute in 1909 which is now Lemoyne-Owen College in Memphis. He received his college and professional training at Howard and Frelinghuysen University in Washington, DC.

Founder Taylor chose business for his life's career and from 1917 to 1926 he conducted a real estate and insurance business. For he was the Secretary-Treasurer of the Potomac Investment Company, Director of the Federal Life Insurance Company and President of the Taylor Tobacco Company.



Founded Taylor coined "Culture for Service, Service for Humanity". He began serving Humanity by the founding of Sigma, to which he gave twelve consecutive years of service as a National Officer, serving as National President, National Treasurer, National Secretary, and Field Secretary. He also served as President of the Distinguished Service Chapter.

Brothers have described our Founder as distinguished, poised, and truly a hard worker. The members of Alpha Sigma Chapter called Founder Taylor "Prof" short for professor, because he was always carrying a book, files, or reading. He was instrumental and held offices in the following organizations; The Washington Art Society, The Derby Club, The Banneker Research Society, The Mu-So-Lit Club, and the Tennessee State Club.

Founder Taylor was an Elk and a thirty-third degree Mason. He authored "The History of Negro Education in the State of Tennessee and at one time was the Washington Correspondent for the Chicago Defender. For most of his adult life he lived at 1517 Vermont Avenue, NW in Washington, DC, and held many Sigma meetings there.

A tireless worker, he worked hard in seeing that Sigma maintained its illustrious history, by serving on the history committee and providing numerous forms of notes, minutes, and oral history to those who served with him. Founder Taylor retired from federal service where he worked at the Smithsonian Institute.

Founder Taylor is buried at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in Suitland, Maryland (right outside of Washington, DC). His gravesite sits at the highest peak.

Founder A. Langston Taylor, the Greatest Name in SIGMA.