# Beta Sigma Tau

Beta Sigma Tau (ΒΣΤ) was an American social fraternity founded at Roosevelt University in May 1948. It was the first national fraternity that was interracial and interreligious. In 1960, most of its active chapters were absorbed into Pi Lambda Phi fraternity.

## History

Stanley Tolliver of Baldwin Wallace College was the founder of Beta Sigma Tau. In May 1948, he called a meeting of twelve intercultural fraternities during the National Conference of Intercultural Fraternities held at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Illinois. They drafted the constitution and structure of Beta Sigma Tau, new national, intercultural fraternity. In November 1948, the groups met again and completed the organization of Beta Sigma Tau. Together, the fraternities had sixteen chapters from New York to California.
It was the first national social college fraternity that was "open to all Races and Religions". According to its Constitutional Preamble, Beta Sigma Tau was founded "to level, not raise barriers among people", and to have a foundation based "upon a brotherhood and democracy which transcends racial, national, and religious differences".
Beta Sigma Tau merged into Pi Lambda Phi on November 1, 1960. Two chapters reverted to local status, and later joined other national fraternities.
An unrelated local group, Beta Sigma Tau (local) at the University of Toledo, was formed in 1996, influenced by the ideals of the original fraternity. But this organization had no legal connection to Beta Sigma Tau national, nor to Pi Lambda Phi. By 2006, the Toledo group "swayed from its multicultural mission and folded as its founders and core leaders graduated."

## Chapters

Beta Sigma Tau included the following collegiate chapters.
| Name | Chartered | Institution | Location | Status |
| Baldwin-Wallace | May 1948 – November 1, 1960 | Baldwin Wallace University | Berea, Ohio | Merged (ΠΛΦ) |
| SUNY, Buffalo | 1948 – November 1, 1960 | University at Buffalo | Buffalo, New York | Merged ? |
| Ohio State | 1948 – November 1, 1960 | Ohio State University | Columbus, Ohio | Merged (ΠΛΦ) |
| Ohio Wesleyan | 1948 – November 1, 1960 | Ohio Wesleyan University | Delaware, Ohio | Merged (ΠΛΦ) |
| Roosevelt | 1948–1960 | Roosevelt University | Chicago, Illinois | Inactive |
| Santa Barbara | 1948–1953 | University of California, Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara County, California | Inactive |
| Cal Berkeley | 1948–1954 | University of California | Berkeley, California | Inactive |
| Lincoln (PA) | 1949–19xx ? | Lincoln University | Oxford, Pennsylvania | Inactive |
| New Mexico Highlands | 1949–1952 | New Mexico Highlands University | Las Vegas, New Mexico | Inactive |
| Morgan State | 1949–19xx ? | Morgan State University | Baltimore, Maryland | Inactive |
| Colorado | 1949 – November 1, 1960 | University of Colorado | Boulder, Colorado | Merged (ΠΛΦ) |
| Southern California | 1949–1955 | University of Southern California | Los Angeles, California | Inactive |
| Columbia | 1950 – November 1, 1960 ? | Columbia University | New York City, New York | Merged (ΠΛΦ) ? |
| Tri-State | 1950 – November 1, 1960 ? | Tri-State University | Angola, Indiana | Withdrew (local, then ΤΚΕ |
| Johns Hopkins | 1951–1956 | Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, Maryland | Inactive |
| Hobart | 1951–1961 | Hobart College | Geneva, New York | Merged (local, then ΠΛΦ) |
| UCLA | 1952 – November 1, 1960 | University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | Merged (ΠΛΦ) |
| Indiana Tech | 1957–1961 | Indiana Institute of Technology | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Withdrew (ΣΠ) |
Some sources indicate that there may have been a Beta Sigma Tau colony or chapter at Stanford University.