National History
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. was founded January 16, 1920, at Howard University, Washington, D.C. The Klan was very active during this period and the Harlem Renaissance was acknowledged as the first important movement of Black artists and writers in the U.S. This same year the Volstead Act became effective heralding the start of Prohibition and Tennessee delivered the crucial 36th ratification for the final adoption of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote. The worst and longest economic recession to hit the U.S. would define the end of the decade-The Great Depression.
It was within this environment that five coeds envisioned a sorority which would directly affect positive change, chart a course of action for the 1920s and beyond, raise consciousness of their people, encourage the highest standards of scholastic achievement, and foster a greater sense of unity among its members. These women believed that sorority elitism and socializing overshadowed the real mission for progressive organizations and failed to address fully the societal mores, ills, prejudices, and poverty affecting humanity in general and the black community in particular.
The Trailblazers of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority would be remiss not to pay homage to the first women who believed in the need for a new and different type of Greek-lettered organization and acted upon that need. To these women, Zeta was more than an organization-it was a movement, a belief system that reflected, at its core, the desire to provide true Service, to embrace Scholarship, to set a standard for Sisterly Love and to define the noble concept of Finer Womanhood. This belief has sustained and encouraged Zetas around the world to hold fast to the ideals initiated and developed by its earliest members.
The Founders of Zeta were strong, principled coeds who possessed a great deal of modesty, strength of character and pride in academic achievement. They are indeed a worthy foundation upon which to base our illustrious Sorority.
Arizona Cleaver Stemons: Arizona Cleaver was the first president of Alpha chapter and the first national president of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. She completed her graduate and post-graduate studies in the field of social work and was responsible for chartering numerous undergraduate and graduate chapters throughout the United States.
Pearl Anna Neal: After graduating from Howard University’s Conservatory of Music, Founder Neal continued her studies at the Julliard School of Music. In 1938, she was the first black woman in New York to earn a master’s degree in music from Columbia University. An extremely accomplished musician, Founder Neal taught music in North Carolina public schools and served as a director of seniors majoring in music at Teachers College in Winston Salem, NC.
Myrtle Tyler Faithful: Myrtle Tyler was the second national president of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and blood sister to Viola Tyler. A high school mathematics and English teacher, Founder Tyler was an active member of Alpha Zeta chapter in Baltimore, Maryland.
Viola Tyler Goings: Viola Tyler graduated from Howard University with a teaching degree and a major in math. She taught school in Ohio for many years and was always very active in community affairs.
Fannie Pettie Watts: Fannie Pettie graduated from Howard with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education and taught junior and senior high schools in Savannah, Georgia. She was credited with organizing two additional Zeta chapters and had active membership in Delta Alpha Zeta chapter.
First Initiates
Although there were five Founders of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., there were many women who were initially interested but did not become a part of the founding group. Many feared the high academic standards they would need to meet to become a part of this new organization, others could not afford the initiation fee that appears nominal by today’s standards. However, soon after the light of Zeta shone clearly through our Five Pearls, there were twenty-five women eager to join the Zeta movement. Of these twenty-five, only four – Gladys Warrington, Harriet Dorsey, Pauline Phillips and Nellie Singfield – went on to be initiated as a part of the second pledge class. Zeta Phi Beta took top scholastic honors on the Howard University campus when a member of this second pledge class, Pauline Phillips, graduated summa cum laude, thus setting a precedent of academic excellence still expected of Zeta members to this day.
Since its inception, Zeta has continued its steady climb into the national spotlight with programs designed to demonstrate concern for the human condition both nationally and internationally. The organization has been innovative in that it has chronicled a number of firsts. It was the first National Pan-Hellenic Council organization to centralize its operations in a national headquarters, first to charter a chapter in Africa, first to form auxiliary groups, and first to be constitutionally bound to a fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. The sorority takes pride in its continued participation in transforming communities through volunteer services from members and its auxiliaries. Zeta Phi Beta has chartered hundreds of chapters worldwide and has a membership of 100,000+.
Zeta‘s national and local programs include the endowment of its National Educational Foundation community outreach services and support of multiple affiliate organizations. Zeta chapters and auxiliaries have given untotaled hours of voluntary service to educate the public, assist youth, provide scholarships, support organized charities, and promote legislation for social and civic change.
As the sorority moves toward its centennial, it retains its original zest for excellence. It espouses the highest academic ideals and that has resulted in its members serving in groundbreaking roles in all fields of endeavor. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. is poised for perpetual service to mankind into her second century and beyond.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority also owes a debt of gratitude to our Sorority's incorporators. From the beginning, Zeta members saw the necessity of ensuring the permanence of the organization. As such, Sorority members Myrtle Tyler, Gladys Warrington, Joanna Houston, Josephine F. Johnson and L.O. Goldia Smith first incorporated Zeta Phi Beta Sorority on March 30, 1923 in Washington D.C. In 1939, the Sorority was incorporated in the state of Illinois.
Zeta Phi Beta must acknowledge the encouragement and support provided its members by the men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., especially Charles R.S. Taylor and A. Langston Taylor. From the Sorority's inception, the members of Zeta Phi Beta and Phi Beta Sigma have successfully collaborated on a variety of community service projects, shared national, regional, state and local activities and developed and enjoyed the bonds afforded a sisterhood and brotherhood with a shared purpose. No other two organizations can boast of being constitutionally-bound, such a rich, mutually beneficial relationship that has resulted in a complete and comprehensive record of service to the men, women and children within our communities.
The Sorority's international programs such as Z-HOPE (Zetas Helping Other People Excel) through Mind, Body and Spirit serve to empower people from all walks of life. As the sorority moves toward its centennial, it retains its original zest for excellence. It espouses the highest academic ideals and that has resulted in its members serving in groundbreaking roles in all fields of endeavor.
Chapter History
Southwestern Regional Director Soror E. Juanita Tate of Tulsa, Oklahoma introduced the new graduate chapter, Alpha Epsilon Zeta to the Greater Kansas City community on February 4, 1939 following a weekend celebration for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Soror Lee Ella Blake (Gaskin), a mathematics teacher at the historic Northeast Junior High School in Kansas City, Kansas became the chapter’s first elected President. In attendance at the introduction to the Kansas City community were several members from other Greek organizations.
New members of the chapter included: Lee Ella Blake Gaskin (Basileus), Cleta Bryan Saunders (1st Anti-Basileus), Carrie Long Johnson (Grammateus), Gertrude Booker (Tamias), Rowena J. Ewell (Phylacter), Birdie Lee Caldwell (Jerveler), Daisy McDavid (Chaplin), Clara Baker(Custodian), Lucy Belle Booker, Leota Alma Bryan, Lucy Branham Davis, Theola Brockman, Mayme Doanes Dodd, Alma Gilkes, Cozetta Payne, Madge Scott Yeargan.
Since the chartering in 1939 of the Alpha Epsilon Zeta Chapter, the region was re-aligned as the Midwestern Region of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Our own Lee Ella Blake Gaskin served as the first Regional Director, appointed from the chapter. Over the decades, the Alpha Epsilon Zeta Chapter has made itself a key component of the service and social community of the Greater Kansas City area. The organization has embraced and excelled in the programmatic thrusts of various national platforms.
The Zeta Amicae have been a part of the Zeta organizational family since the 1960’s, and youth auxiliaries have followed the program expansion of the organizations’ commitment to our youth. The Missouri graduate chapter of Eta Zeta Zeta actually began in Kansas City, KS. When the sorority decided that each state would have a graduate chapter, the women living in Missouri began a chapter in Kansas City, MO, once a part of our own Alpha Epsilon Zeta.
In the 1970’s, the chapter began a partnership with the National Foundation of the March of Dimes. Our own Eva Letcher and Ersaline I. Porchia were members of the Kansas City, Kansas Executive Board for many years. Out of this partnership evolved the Stork’s Nest Project which the chapter has operated in various forms over the last 35 years.
Under the leadership of Ersaline Porchia, Eva Letcher and Evelyn Townsend the chapter chartered groups on the campuses of Kansas University, Kansas State University and Pittsburg State University. Soror Porchia later became our chapter’s second Regional Director and later became the National Director of Music for many years. Our chapter has the distinction, thanks to Soror Porchia for composing Zeta’s National Sorority Love Song to be sang at traditional Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. weddings.
The chapter has received numerous awards and recognitions from the local community level to the international level. Alpha Epsilon Zeta has hosted some of the most well attended regional conferences with members represented on the state, regional and international levels. Several members have served as Midwestern Regional officers, including Sorors Frenchette Anderson, Eva Letcher, Helen Beteet, Josephine Terry and Carmen Hopkins.
A Social/Community trademark of the chapter began in June 1994, The Christian Women of the Year Luncheon held biennially to celebrate community women working on behalf of their churches for the betterment of the community. It was initiated by Soror Ernestine Neal-Ricks. The program serves as a fundraiser for the scholarship program of the chapter.
Another chapter tradition, running for 18 years was the Zeta Shopping Spree to Osage Beach. In past years, the organization combined the March of Dimes and Zeta Z-Hope Prematurity Awareness component to the trip. The chapter also sponsors on an alternating basis the Youth Auxiliary Highlight Event. This program has taken the form of the Zeta Blue Revue and the Zeta Blue and White Pageant in recent years. This program continues to provide scholarships to young ladies toward their college pursuits.
The chapter has led the Greater Kansas City Pan-Hellenic Council under the leadership of Christine Neely and Josie Terry. Members can be found in many community organizations from Phi Delta Kappa to the NAACP. The chapter has provided countless hours of community service to support the March of Dimes, Diabetes Walk America, Harvesters, and other community projects of need. In recent years, through our youth auxiliaries and Amicae, Alpha Epsilon Zeta has developed a presence with the Ronald McDonald’s House, Project Uplift, the City Union Mission and KC Hospice House and assisted living facilities in Johnson, Leavenworth and Wyandotte Counties. The Chapter and Amicae groups have received national awards for Z-HOPE (Zetas Helping Other People Excel) programming.
In 2014, the Alpha Epsilon Zeta Chapter the chapter celebrated its Diamond Jubilee, 75 years in the Greater Kansas City Community. Sorors came from the Midwestern Region to pay homage to the oldest continuous graduate chapter in the Midwestern United States.
In 2019, the chapter’s 80th Anniversary was celebrated with a formal dinner, program, and entertainment on the campus of Kansas University’s Edwards campus. Over 100 members of the Blue and White family and friends came together to recognize the community service achievements made by the chapter over the years. Special guest were five of the charter member of Omega Theta Chapter which recently celebrated 40 years. This chapter was chartered through the efforts of Alpha Epsilon Zeta Chapter on February 25, 1979.
The chapter’s charter was officially updated to reflect the service areas of Johnson County, Leavenworth County, Linn County, and Wyandotte County (KCK) in the state of Kansas on January 21, 2021 under International President Valerie Hollingsworth-Baker.
In 2022, the chapter was recognized for promotion of Prematurity Awareness internationally and received Midwestern Region recognition for top funds raised for the March of Dimes in the State of Kansas. Member Myrna Anderson, RN, BSN, MBA has lead projects including March of Dimes Walks, Prematurity Awareness Sundays and educational programs.
On February 4, 2024 Alpha Epsilon Zeta Chapter will celebrate 85 years in the Greater Kansas City, Kansas community.
As we embark upon the future, the women of Alpha Epsilon Zeta salute the trailblazers in our past, so long ago in 1939. Onward, we say!
“We share so much laughter, we share so many tears,
We have a spiritual kinship that grows stronger each year.
We are not family by birth, but we knew from the start,
God put us together to be family by heart.”