African American Fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma
Uploaded by spootyhead on Apr 18, 2007
African American Fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma
The most remarkable leadership in the African American community in the 20th century without question came from the ranks of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. (FBS). Since our founding on January 9, 1914, at Howard University in Washington, DC, we have supplied an empowering voice and vision to the struggle of African Americans and people of color around the world.
The idea behind a fourth historical African American fraternity came during the fall of 1913. Three outstanding young men, with the idea of creating yet another fraternity on the campus of Howard University, forged plans to bring FBS to reality. While still in his native Tennessee, the Most Honorable Bro. A. Langston Taylor first came up with the idea of creating a different kind of fraternity. After confiding in his friend and former roommate, the Most Honorable Bro. Leonard F. Morse on his idea of a different kind of fraternity, the two sought out the support of their friend and final member of the founding three the Most Honorable Bro. Charles I. Brown.
The three, together, possessed a relentless drive to establish an organization that viewed itself as "a part of" the general community rather than "apart from" the general community. These extraordinary men wished deeply to create an organization that encouraged the highest standards of scholarship through scientific, literary, cultural and educational programs, promoted service projects on college campuses and in the community and fostered brotherhood. They wanted to organize a Fraternity that would exist as a part of an even greater brotherhood, which would be devoted to the "inclusive we" rather than the "exclusive we". In order to establish such an organization they realized it would be an obstacle to their advancement to embrace the exclusive tenets of established historical African American, Greek-letter fraternities. They believed that in order to establish a True Fraternity each potential member would have to be judged on his own merits rather than his family background or affluence...irregardless of race, nationality, color, skin tone, or texture of hair.
While the three sped on their way towards founding a fraternity, nine other men of distinction from Howard University were selected for membership. Finally on the night of January 9, 1914, FBS was no longer just a wish, it officially became a national fraternity. The next set of business for the charter members was to get...