List of Zeta Phi Beta sisters

Below is a list of notable members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority (commonly referred to as Zetas). Zeta Phi Beta was founded on January 16, 1920, on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C.^[1] The sorority was incorporated in Washington, D.C. on March 30, 1923. In 1939, the sorority was incorporated in Illinois.^[2]

Founders and Incorporators[edit]

National Presidents[edit]

• Arizona Cleaver Stemons (1920)
• Myrtle Tyler Faithful (1921–1922)
• Joanna Houston Ransom (1922–1923)
• Nellie A. Buchanan (1923–1925)
• Dr. S. Evelyn Lewis (1925–1926)
• Ruth Tappe Scruggs (1926–1930)
• Fannie R. Givens (1930–1933)
• Violette Neatley Anderson (1933–1937)
• Nellie B. Rogers (1937–1939)
• Edith Lyons (1939–1940)
• Blanche Thompson (1940–1943)
• Lullelia W. Harrison (1943–1948)
• Nancy B. Woolridge McGhee (1948–1953)
• Deborah Cannon P. Wolfe (1953–1965)
• Mildred Carter Bradham (1965–1970)
• Isabel M. Herson (1970–1974)
• Janice G. Kissner (1974–1980)
• Edith V. Francis (1980–1986)
• Eunice S. Thomas (1986–1992)
• Jylla Moore Foster Tearte (1992–1996)
• Barbara West Carpenter (1996–2002)
• Barbara C. Moore (2002–2008)
• Sheryl P. Underwood (2008–2012)
• Mary Breaux Wright (2012–2018)
• Valerie Hollingsworth Baker (2018–2022)

Civil rights[edit]

Education[edit]

Name Original chapter Notability References Dr. Stella Brewer Brookes Epsilon Zeta Former chair, Department of English at Clark Atlanta University Dr. Ashlee L. Canty Mu Xi First Directory of Diversity and Inclusion for Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity [7] Alice Dugged Cary Beta First president of The Auburn Avenue Research Library in Atlanta, Second president of Morris Brown College, former State Chairman of the Colored Woman’s Committee, and former president of the Georgia State Federation of Coloured Women, established the first free black kindergarten in Macon, GA and Charleston, SC [8][page needed] Sarah Green Nu Xi Zeta Former Chief Executive Officer of The National Head Start Association [9] Portia Guenette Harrod Yerby Eta The First African American Teacher in Pennilyn, Pennsylvania [8] Lucy Harth Smith One of the first women appointed to the executive council of The National Association for The Study of Negro Life and History; Educator, writer and activist who worked to challenge inequality in the Kentucky public school system [8][page needed] Ruby Jones Epsilon Omega Zeta The first African American faculty member, who became Assistant Professor of Education and supervisor of student teachers, at West Chester University; Namesake of Ruby Jones Hall on the campus of West Chester University [10] Elizabeth Koontz First African-American President of the National Education Association, former Director of the Women’s Bureau Dr. Elmira Mangum Kappa Epsilon Zeta Former President of Florida A&M University;The first woman to permanently hold the position in the 128-year history of the university Dr. Constance Smith Hendricks Dean of Nursing and Allied Health at Tuskegee University [11] after-content-x4 Linda Royster Beito Iota Eta Chair, Department of Social Sciences at Stillman College Dr. Myrtice Taylor Epsilon Zeta First African-American superintendent for curriculum and instruction – Atlanta Public Schools [12] Anita Turpeau First woman on the debate team at Howard University, first woman Editor-In-Chief of The Hilltop, first woman at Howard University to receive a master of arts degree in religious education [12] Lulu Vere Childers Founder and director of the School of Music at Howard University [8][page needed] Leila Walker Jones Eta Dramatist;Founder and principal of Bryan Academy.Leader of the Philadelphia Federation of Women’s Club [8][page needed]

Science and health[edit]

Name Original chapter Notability References Dr.Hyacinth Davis Epsilon The first black woman to intern at Harlem Hospital, former president of The Manhattan Central Medical Society, former Head Physician for The Harlem Hospital Medical Screening Unit [8][page needed] Dr.Stephanie E. Davis Epsilon The first black student to be inducted into The William Jarvie Society for Dental Research; The first black woman to intern at the Guggenheim Dental Clinic for Children [8][page needed] Evelyn J. Fields retired Rear Admiral; former NOAA Director with Marine and Aviation Operations [5] Lillian E. Fishburne The first African-American female to hold the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy Monica “Dr. Moe” Frazier Anderson Nu Iota author, journalist, motivational speaker, and Doctor of Dental Surgery [13] Dr. Rachel Hill Townsend The first native African woman to enter the field of dentistry [8][page needed] Marjorie Joyner The first African-American woman to receive a patent; The first African American to receive their A.B. from Molar Beauty School in Chicago; Inventor, Philanthropist [8][page needed] Versia Lindsay The first woman to graduate from the School of Sciences at Atlanta University [8][page needed] Elaine McDowell, Ph.D. Nu Xi Zeta Former Senior Executive Officer for the U.S. Federal Government. Award recipient for the National Medical Association’s Award for Outstanding Leadership in Improving Health Care in the Black Community [9] Effie Alexandria Nevers Eta One of the first black female graduates of The Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (now known as The University of the Sciences) [8][page needed] Lillian Whitfield Eta Opened the Whitfield Pharmacy, the only black business in Frankford, Philadelphia during the time period. [8][page needed]

Dr. Monica mOe Frazier Anderson

Authors and artists[edit]

Name Original chapter Notability References Kathleen Mary Easmon Simango Honorary First African-American woman to earn a diploma from the Royal College of Arts; Singer, Dancer, Opera Singer, Fannie Rosalind Hicks Givens Started the first Art program for African American students at the State University- Louisville; served as president of the World Union of Colored Women for Peace and International Concord, and chair of the Fine Arts department of the National Association of Colored Women [14] Linda Goss First African-American storyteller to receive a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts; Storyteller, Author; co-founder of the National Association of Black Storytellers Cynthia James Honorary Award winning author of What Will Set You Free and Revealing Your Extraordinary Essence, and international life coach [14] Tilu Khalayi Mu Beta Author of Finer Women: The Birth of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. 1920-1935; Founder of The Nabutilu Foundation [15] Zora Neale Hurston Alpha American folklorist and author during the time of the Harlem Renaissance, best known for her 1937 novel Their Eyes Were Watching God

Dr. Frances Cress Welsing

Entertainers[edit]

Athletes[edit]

Name Original chapter Notability References Amber Campbell 3 time Olympian hammer thrower Camille Cooper Epsilon Kappa professional basketball player (WNBA) Rhyne Howard Iota Mu professional basketball player (WNBA) Flora Hyacinth Iota Eta Olympian Track & Field Athlete for the USVI Lillie Leatherwood Iota Eta 2-time Olympic Medalist: Gold (1984), Silver (1988) in 4X400-meter relay Wendy Palmer Tau Theta former professional basketball player (WNBA) Chantel Tremitiere Gamma Xi former professional basketball player (WNBA) DeMya Walker Tau Theta professional basketball player (WNBA) Mistie Williams Nu Omicron professional basketball player (WNBA)

Politicians[edit]

Name Original chapter Notability References Julia Carson US Representative from Indiana [5] Joan Carter Former Petersburg, VA city councilwoman [5] Hon. Valerie M. Cartright Eta Omicron First Haitian-American elected to New York State Supreme Court; First African-American elected to the Town of Brookhaven Board (Long Island, NY); First Haitian-American female Elected Official in Suffolk County, NY; Civil Rights Attorney; Adjunct Instructor. Bernice B. Donald Alpha Eta Zeta First African-American woman elected to the Tennessee Judiciary Charlotte Spann Director, Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, U.S. Department of the Interior. [21] Donna Edwards Honorary Former Member of Congress [22] Dorothy L. Goosby Florida A&M University Plaintiff in class action suit against the Town of Hempstead (Long Island, NY) in 1988 charging that the Town’s at large voting system for the Town Board discriminated against the minority community. In 1997, a federal judge agreed and ruled that the Town of Hempstead’s method of voting-at-large was discriminatory and violated the Voting Rights Act. First African American woman to serve on the Town of Hempstead Board; Longest serving Councilperson on Town Board; First African American to serve as President of the Association of Towns of the State of New York. Bernette Johnson First black female State Supreme Court justice in Louisiana [5] Krysta Jones Mu Epsilon Outreach Director for Congressman Jim Moran, Founder and CEO, Virginia Leadership Institute, Chair, Arlington Commission on the Status of Women, and Board of Directors, A-SPAN [9] Sydney Kamlager The second African American woman elected president of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) Board of Trustees Andrei Ellen Lee First African American General Session Judge in Nashville [5] Mary McAllister NC House of Representatives [5] Yvonne Miller Former Virginia State Senator – District 5 [5] Edith S. Sampson The first woman to receive a Master of Laws degree from Loyola University;The 2nd African-American woman admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States, following Violette N. Anderson; The first African-American delegate to the United Nations;The 1st African-American woman elected judge on the municipal court Beatrice Welters Nu Xi Zeta US Ambassador to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago [9] Cynthia Willard-Lewis New Orleans City Councilwoman [5] Sharon R. Wilson Former Chief Magistrate and President of The Senate of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas [23][24] Dr.Deborah Wolfe Former U.S. Education Chief, U.S. House of Representative committee on Education and Labor, and Chairperson of the New Jersey Board of Higher Education [5]

Name Original chapter Notability References Adelaide Casely-Hayford Honorary Established a school for girls in 1923 to instill cultural and racial pride during the colonial years under British rule; Activist for cultural nationalism, educator, short story writer, and feminist Thelma Duggin Nu Xi Zeta President of the Anbryce Foundation, Board of Trustees of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, former Senior Vice President of UnitedHealthGroup [9] Elizabeth Fouse Founder of the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA; former president of the Kentucky Association for Colored Women; social activist Freddye Henderson The first black woman to own a travel business in the U.S. [8][page needed] Nettie Napier Honorary the first black person to be elected to the US Congress from Virginia, and dean of the law school at Howard University. African American women’s rights activist Rev. Lucille C. Norville-Perez M.D. Nu Xi Zeta President and CEO of The Cave Institute [9] Elisabeth Omilami Honorary Human rights activist and CEO of Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless [22] Ophelia Settle Egypt Alpha Social Worker and pioneer in family planning among economically disadvantaged African American families [8][page needed] Linda Thompson Nu Xi Zeta Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity at U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [9] Annie Turnbo Malone The first black woman millionaire;Business owner, inventor, and philanthropist [8][page needed] Maggie Lena Walker Honorary the first female bank president to charter a bank in the United States Sallie Wyatt Stewart The first African American woman to hold an office in the National Council of Women. The only black delegate sent to the International Council of Women in Vienna, Austria in 1930

Maggie Lena Walker (1864–1934) of Richmond, Virginia, first woman to form a bank in the United States

Television, radio, and media[edit]

Name Original chapter Notability References Jasmine Alexander Xi Kappa Zeta Miss Black USA 2014 [25] Shannon Nia Alomar Kappa Epsilon Zeta Miss Black New York USA 2019, CNN Tonight Associate Producer [26] Stephanie Arnold Gamma Alpha Editor at Philadelphia Media Network, Editorial Standards Review Committee at PBS [27] Danielle Belton Delta Kappa Editor in chief at The Root; Blogger and creator of Black Snob [28] Ava-Joye Burnett News reporter and anchor for CBS Baltimore (WJZ-TV) [29] Kiya Edwards Kappa Pi Chapter News reporter and anchor for KSKD NBC in St. Louis [27] Clara McLaughlin President and CEO, East Texas Television, First African-American woman to own and operate a television station. [30] Kimberly Morgan Zeta Miss Mississippi 2007 [31] Lisa Spradley Dunn CEO of Odyssey Media [32] Jenell B. Stewart Sigma Nu Zeta Brand Coach; Content Creator; Founder of the Digital Content Creation School [1] [33] Tatiana Levoné Lambda Gamma Zeta Miss Black Washington DC 2005 [34]

References[edit]