"Beautiful Beginnings"
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated was founded on January 16,1920. It is no surprise that the founders and first initiates of Zeta were headstrong and courageous women. After all, it took much courage to even pursue a further education as a Black woman in the 1920's. African Americans had not yet been granted civil rights and public schools all over the U.S. were segregated. Five students at Howard University decided that they wanted to make a change in their community; by creating an organization that focused on the empowerment of people and finding feasible solutions for societal ills. Arizona Cleaver Stemons, Myrtle Tyler Faithful, Viola Tyler Goings, Fannie Pettie, and Pearl A.Neal are the "Five Pearls" or the founders of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated.
"Third In Existence First To Make A Difference."
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority may have been the third Sorority to join the NPHC(National Pan-Hellenic Council), but the organization more commonly called Z-Phi-B has championed many firsts. Zeta Phi Beta was the first sorority to be constitutionally bound to a fraternity (Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc), the first to establish a national headquarters, and first to develop auxiliary groups. Finally, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated was the first Greek lettered organization to organize a chapter in Africa. 