Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated was organized at Howard University on January 16, 1920, as the result of encouragement given to the five founders by Charles Taylor and Langston Taylor, members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. The Sigma brothers felt the campus would benefit by the development of such an organization as sisters to the fraternity. Zeta Phi Beta and Phi Beta Sigma became the first official Greek letter sister and brother organizations. We remain the only official and constitutionally-bound Greek-letter sister and brother organizations in the NPHC.

Our five founders chose not to embrace the ideals of established sororities and chartered Zeta Phi Beta Sorority to encourage the highest standards of scholarship through scientific, literary, cultural and education programs; promote service projects on college campuses and in the community; foster sisterhood; and exemplify the ideal of finer womanhood.

The five founders (called our "Five Pearls") of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. are:

 

          Arizona Cleaver (Stemons)

          Pearl A. Neal

          Myrtle Tyler (Faithful)

          Viola Tyler (Goings)

          Fannie Pettie (Watts)

It was the vision of the founders that the sorority would reach college women in all parts of the country who were sorority-minded and desired to follow the founding principles of the organization. These founding principles are: finer womanhood, scholarship, service, and sisterly love..

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority's purpose is to foster the ideals of service, charity, scholarship, civil and cultural endeavors, sisterhood, and finer womanhood. These ideals are reflected in the sorority's national program for which its members and auxiliary provide voluntary service to staff community outreach programs, fund scholarships, support organized charities, and promote legislation for social and civic change.

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