List of Zeta Phi Beta members

Zeta Phi Beta was founded in 1920, on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C.[1] The sorority was incorporated in Washington, D.C., on March 30, 1923. In 1939, the sorority was incorporated in Illinois.[2] Below is a list of some of the notable members of Zeta Phi Beta sorority.

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Founders and Incorporators

Name Original chapter Notability References
Arizona Cleaver Stemons Alpha Founder [1]
Joanna Houston Alpha Incorporator [2]
Josephine Johnson Alpha Incorporator [2]
Pearl Neal Alpha Founder [1]
Fannie Pettie Watts Alpha Founder [1]
O. Goldia Smith Alpha Incorporator [2]
Myrtle Tyler Faithful Alpha Founder [1]
Viola Tyler Goings Alpha Founder [1]
Gladys Warrington Alpha Incorporator [2]

National Presidents

Civil rights

Name Original chapter Notability References
Autherine Lucy Foster Plaintiff in the U.S. Supreme Court case styled Lucy v. Adams which prevented the University of Alabama from denying admission solely based on race or color. [3]
Anita Hill Honorary Attorney, law professor, and civil rights activist; plaintiff in sexual harassment case vs. Clarence Thomas [4]
Violette Neatley Anderson First woman of color to practice law before the US Supreme court [5]
Pat Spencer Civil rights activist; helped to organize the Montgomery Bus Boycotts [6]

Education

Name Original chapter Notability References
Stella Brewer Brookes Epsilon Zeta Former chair, Department of English at Clark Atlanta University
Alice Dugged Cary Beta First president of The Auburn Avenue Research Library in Atlanta, Second president of Morris Brown College, former State Chairman of the Colored Woman's Committee, and former president of the Georgia State Federation of Coloured Women, established the first free black kindergarten in Macon, GA and Charleston, SC [7]
Sarah Green Nu Xi Zeta Former Chief Executive Officer of The National Head Start Association [8]
Lucy Harth Smith One of the first women appointed to the executive council of The National Association for The Study of Negro Life and History; Educator, writer and activist who worked to challenge inequality in the Kentucky public school system [7]
Elizabeth Koontz First African-American President of the National Education Association, former Director of the Women’s Bureau
Elmira Mangum Kappa Epsilon Zeta Former President of Florida A&M University;The first woman to permanently hold the position in the 128-year history of the university
Linda Royster Beito Iota Eta Chair, Department of Social Sciences at Stillman College
Anita Turpeau First woman on the debate team at Howard University, first woman Editor-In-Chief of The Hilltop, the first woman at Howard University to receive a master of arts degree in religious education

[9]

Lulu Vere Childers Founder and director of the School of Music at Howard University [7]

Science and health

Name Original chapter Notability References
Evelyn J. Fields retired Rear Admiral; former NOAA Director with Marine and Aviation Operations [5]
Lillian E. Fishburne The first African-American female to hold the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy
Monica “Dr. Moe” Frazier Anderson Nu Iota author, journalist, motivational speaker, and Doctor of Dental Surgery [10]
Rachel Hill Townsend The first native African woman to enter the field of dentistry [7]
Marjorie Joyner The first African-American woman to receive a patent; The first African American to receive their A.B. from Molar Beauty School in Chicago; Inventor, Philanthropist [7]

Authors and artists

Name Original chapter Notability References
Kathleen Mary Easmon Simango Honorary First African-American woman to earn a diploma from the Royal College of Arts; Singer, Dancer, Opera Singer,
Fannie Rosalind Hicks Givens Started the first Art program for African American students at the State University- Louisville; served as president of the World Union of Colored Women for Peace and International Concord, and chair of the Fine Arts department of the National Association of Colored Women

[11]

Linda Goss First African-American storyteller to receive a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts; Storyteller, Author; co-founder of the National Association of Black Storytellers
Zora Neale Hurston Alpha American folklorist and author during the time of the Harlem Renaissance, best known for her 1937 novel Their Eyes Were Watching God

Entertainers

Name Original chapter Notability References
Tatyana Ali Honorary Actress (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) and singer [12]
Rhona Bennett Honorary Actress (The Jamie Foxx Show) and singer (En Vogue)[13]
Towanda Braxton Omicron Gamma Singer and television personality (Braxton Family Values) [14]
Traci Braxton Omicron Gamma Singer, television personality (Braxton Family Values), and radio personality [15][16]
Grace Bumbry Opera singer [5]
Ellabelle Davis Musician and opera singer [7]
Ja'net DuBois Honorary Actress and singer [5]
Lillian Evanti Honorary Opera singer;The first African American to sing with an organized European opera company; The first African American to sing grand opera professionally

[17]

Vivica A. Fox Honorary Actress
Leela James Honorary Singer and television personality (R&B Divas: Los Angeles) [12]
Syleena Johnson Lambda Epsilon Singer [5]
Chaka Khan Honorary Grammy-winning singer/musician
Dawnn Lewis Honorary Actress
Dawnette Lounds-Culp Author, talk radio show host
Minnie Riperton Honorary Singer, songwriter [5]
Esther Rolle Honorary American actress best known for her portrayal of Florida Evans on the CBS television sitcom Maude and its spin-off series Good Times [5]
Tonea Stewart Epsilon Beta American actress and university professor best known for her role as Aunt Etta on the television series In the Heat of the Night. [5]
Angie Stone Honorary Singer and television personality (R&B Divas: Atlanta) [12]
Lou Swarz Xi Zeta Actress, journalist, beauty consultant, radio show host, and teacher [18]
Sheryl Underwood Zeta Tau Zeta Comedian and 23rd International President of Zeta Phi Beta [5]
Sarah Vaughan Honorary Jazz singer [5]
Dionne Warwick Singer [5]

Athletes

Name Original chapter Notability References
Amber Campbell 3 time Olympian hammer thrower
Camille Cooper Epsilon Kappa professional basketball player (WNBA)
Rhyne Howard Iota Mu professional basketball player (WNBA)
Flora Hyacinth Iota Eta Olympian Track & Field Athlete for the USVI
Lillie Leatherwood Iota Eta 2-time Olympic Medalist: Gold (1984), Silver (1988) in 4X400-meter relay
Wendy Palmer Tau Theta former professional basketball player (WNBA)
Chantel Tremitiere Gamma Xi former professional basketball player (WNBA)
DeMya Walker Tau Theta professional basketball player (WNBA)
Mistie Williams Nu Omicron professional basketball player (WNBA)

Politicians

Name Original chapter Notability References
Julia Carson US Representative from Indiana [5]
Joan Carter Former Petersburg, VA city councilwoman [5]
Bernice B. Donald Alpha Eta Zeta First African-American woman elected to the Tennessee Judiciary Charlotte Spann Director, Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, U.S. Department of the Interior.

[19]

Donna Edwards Honorary Former Member of Congress

[20]

Bernette Johnson First black female State Supreme Court justice in Louisiana [5]
Sydney Kamlager The second African American woman elected president of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) Board of Trustees
Mary McAllister NC House of Representatives [5]
Yvonne Miller Former Virginia State Senator - District 5 [5]
Edith S. Sampson The first woman to receive a Master of Laws degree from Loyola University;The 2nd African-American woman admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States, following Violette N. Anderson; The first African-American delegate to the United Nations;The 1st African-American woman elected judge on the municipal court
Christale Spain University of South Carolina Chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party [5]
Beatrice Welters Nu Xi Zeta US Ambassador to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago [8]
Cynthia Willard-Lewis New Orleans City Councilwoman [5]
Sharon R. Wilson Former Chief Magistrate and President of The Senate of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas [21][22]
Deborah Wolfe Former U.S. Education Chief, U.S. House of Representative committee on Education and Labor, and Chairperson of the New Jersey Board of Higher Education [5]

Community leaders

Name Original chapter Notability References
Adelaide Casely-Hayford Honorary Established a school for girls in 1923 to instill cultural and racial pride during the colonial years under British rule; Activist for cultural nationalism, educator, short story writer, and feminist
Elizabeth Fouse Founder of the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA; former president of the Kentucky Association for Colored Women; social activist
Freddye Henderson The first black woman to own a travel business in the U.S. [7]
Nettie Napier Honorary African American women's rights activist
Rev. Lucille C. Norville-Perez M.D. Nu Xi Zeta President and CEO of The Cave Institute [8]
Elisabeth Omilami Honorary Human rights activist and CEO of Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless

[20]

Ophelia Settle Egypt Alpha Social Worker and pioneer in family planning among economically disadvantaged African American families [7]
Annie Turnbo Malone The first black woman millionaire;Business owner, inventor, and philanthropist [7]
Maggie Lena Walker Honorary the first female bank president to charter a bank in the United States
Sallie Wyatt Stewart The first African American woman to hold an office in the National Council of Women. The only black delegate sent to the International Council of Women in Vienna, Austria in 1930

Television, radio, and media

Name Original chapter Notability References
Danielle Belton Delta Kappa Editor in chief at The Root; Blogger and creator of Black Snob

[23]

Clara McLaughlin President and CEO, East Texas Television, First African-American woman to own and operate a television station.

[24]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Heritage". Zeta Phi Beta. Archived from the original on December 11, 2007. Retrieved December 13, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Incorporators". Zeta Phi Beta. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008. Retrieved December 13, 2007.
  3. ^ Hicks, Tai. "Autherine Lucy Foster returns to the schoolhouse door". datelinealabama.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2008.
  4. ^ Zeta Phi Beta Launches Global Year of Service with Induction of Women’s Empowerment Advocates
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Notable Zetas - Zeta Phi Beta". Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved December 13, 2007.
  6. ^ "Black Greekdom Mourns Passing Of Pat Spencer, A Zeta Who Helped Organize The Montgomery Bus Boycott". Watch The Yard. December 22, 2015.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Khalayi, Tilu (2013). Finer Women: The Birth of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, 1920-1935. Harambee Institute Press. ISBN 978-0981802831.
  8. ^ a b c "Prominent Nu Xi Zeta Sorors". NuXiZetas.org. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  9. ^ Sorors, Esteemed (March 5, 2016). "Zetas of Nebraska". Zphibne.org.
  10. ^ Harrison, Lullelia W. (1998). Torchbearers Of A Legacy: A History of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Washington, D.C.: Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. p. 306.
  11. ^ "Zeta Phi Beta Launches Global Year of Service with Induction of Women's Empowerment Advocates". Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
  12. ^ a b c "Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated Announces Newest Class of Honorary Members". www.prnewswire.com. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  13. ^ Phi Beta Launches Global Year of Service with Induction of Women’s Empowerment Advocates
  14. ^ Towanda Braxton at IMDb
  15. ^ https://www.watchtheyard.com/zetas/list-of-famous-singers-who-are-members-of-zeta-phi-beta/
  16. ^ https://www.instagram.com/p/CbL8IoZNxrK/
  17. ^ "Madame Lillian Evanti sings for her sorority Zeta Phi Beta Sorority,inc". Smithsonian.
  18. ^ "Tulsa Zetas To Present Famous Lou Swarz". The Pittsburgh Courier. April 9, 1938. Retrieved December 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "The Archon- Fall 2011". June 5, 2012.
  20. ^ a b "Congresswoman Donna Edwards and Activist Elisabeth Omilami inducted as Honorary Members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated". Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
  21. ^ "2008/2009 Bahamas Greek Hall-of-Fame Induction Ceremony" (PDF). Nassau, Bahamas Council National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. July 2, 2009. Retrieved July 2, 2012.
  22. ^ "About Us". Sharon Wilson & Co. Archived from the original on October 20, 2008. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
  23. ^ Belton, Danielle. "The Snob In Real Zetas' Dovely Magazine". The Black Snob.
  24. ^ Ross, Lawrence C. (2001). The Divine Nine:The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities. Kensington. ISBN 0758202709.
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