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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, ninety 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.

Chapter History:

The year, 1974, was a tense time for African-American students. At this time, the University of Virginia was less than 5% black, as it had only recently begun a policy of Affirmative Action. African-American students sought avenues with which they could improve the University atmosphere, as well as help the Charlottesville community. With this in mind, a group of six courageous men, under the guidance of Honorable brother T.H. Lacy, looked to charter a chapter of Phi Beta Sigma at the University. Big brothers Chavis Harris, Clarence Cain, Charles Scott, John James, Larry Walker and Charles Conyers founded the Electrifying Zeta Eta Chapter on April 17, 1974. Brother Donald Spell was on the charter line but was initiated in the summer prior to the 1974-1975 school year. The chapter would flourish for the next two decades.

Zeta Eta not only carried out the ideals of Sigma, but did whatever it could to improve conditions at the University. ZH has produced many succesful lawyers, doctors, businessmen, and even professional athletes. Over the years, we have also developed a strong bond with our sorors from the Talented, Tough, and Oh So Very Thorough Tau Theta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. We have both benefited from each others presence at the University. Unfortunately, Zeta Eta became inactive in 1993, and would not return until the turn of the century. With the help of other undergraduate and graduate chapters around the region, and our sorors, in 2000, the reactivation process began. Two dedicated young men, Brother Michael McCoy and Brother Natario Couser were the first to be initiated into the newly-reactivated ZH chapter. They worked diligently to not only implement programs that would uphold the principles of Sigma, but to ensure that the chapter would stay active after they left the University. The Spring 2002 initiation of Brothers Joseph Obi, Ingo Harry, Kofi Owusu and Jude Norelus ensured that Sigma's presence would once again be felt on the University grounds.

Although this organization has members who are University of Virginia students and may have University employees associated or engaged in its activities and affairs, the organization is not a part of or an agency of the University. It is a separate and independent organization which is responsible for and manages its own activities and affairs. The University does not direct, supervise or control the organization and is not responsible for the organization’s contracts, acts or omissions.