# Eta Phi Beta

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. Augustine'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 Lambda chapters, for children ages six to eleven.

## Chapters

Following is a list of Eta Phi Beta chapters. Most chapters are community-based. There are two Youth Chapters, Gamma and Lambda, 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 and range | Institution | Location | Region | Status |
| 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 | Inactive |
* 1 2 This is a Youth Chapter, serving children aged 6 to 11.

## Notable members
### 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