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This Day in Black History: Jan. 9, 1914

Phi Beta Sigma fraternity was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 9, 1914.

Howard Fraternity, Sorority On-Campus Sites Defaced With Spray Paint

A. Langston Taylor brought to fellow Howard student Leonard F. Morse the idea of a fraternity that "would truly exemplify the ideals of brotherhood, scholarship, and service," according to the fraternity's website. With the help of Charles I. Brown, another student, the three of them created an organization that now boasts 700 chapters all over the world, including in Germany and South Korea.

Howard Fraternity, Sorority On-Campus Sites Defaced With Spray Paint


Notable members of Phi Beta Sigma include George Washington Carver, Congressman John Lewis and honorary member former President Bill Clinton. The organization celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2014.

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