The Lovers' Stroll…A Legacy Begins
Charles Robert Samuel Taylor, a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, which was founded on Howard University's campus on January 9, 1914, envisioned a sister organization that would give life and inspiration to his fraternity. He is quoted as finding the embodiment of that inspiration in his sweetheart, Arizona L. Cleaver, also a student at Howard. It was on one evening in 1919, that Charles took Arizona for a walk along the reservoir, sharing with her, his desire of a sister organization of "finer and stronger women that would make all men proud". Arizona, excited with the prospect, shared the vision — now also her vision — with her best friend, Pearl Anna Neal, and along with three more intelligent, enthusiastic and earnest women, built a legacy…a nation…a Sisterhood. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Founder A. Langston Taylor worked with Charles to solicit support among the men of Sigma throughout the country. On Friday, January 16, 1920, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority — Alpha Chapter — was officially organized on the campus of Howard University. The organizing members wrote the Sigma-Zeta link into the Zeta Constitution:
"We a group of college women organized as a sister group to Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, do hereby bind ourselves together for the purpose of…" making it the only constitutionally bound brother and sister Black Greek-Letter Organization.
After graduation, although Charles lived in Kentucky and Arizona returned to her hometown, Hannibal, Missouri for some years before settling down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, they maintained a lifelong bond that had started with the founding of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.
Brother Charles Robert Samuel Taylor and Founder A. Langston Taylor of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. ignited an undeniable spark and Founders Arizona Cleaver, Pearl Neal, Myrtle Tyler, Viola Tyler and Fannie Pettie fueled a legacy of Scholarship, Service, Sisterhood and Finer Womanhood by their creation of Zeta
Probably what I’m best at photographing is #historicalmarkers. This is the submission of mine (CC0) on HMdb with the most views ever about a fraternity and a sorority founded at #HowardUniversity. #GoBison!
www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=174830
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