Sigma in Illinois

From 1927 to today: the chapters, milestones and leaders of the State of Illinois.

Where it began

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. was founded on January 9, 1914, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse and Charles I. Brown. The founders wanted an organization that would serve the community as well as its members, which is the meaning of the motto, Culture For Service and Service For Humanity.

In 1920 the founders helped establish Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and the two remain the only Black Greek-letter fraternity and sorority constitutionally bound. Today the fraternity has alumni and collegiate chapters across the United States and abroad, organized into regions and states like the State of Illinois.

Read more from International Headquarters

  • 01Brotherhood
  • 02Scholarship
  • 03Service

Timeline

  1. 1927

    Chartered: Upsilon Sigma

    Upsilon Sigma became the first alumni chapter in Illinois.

  2. 1931

    Chartered: Iota Alpha

    Iota Alpha became the first collegiate chapter in Illinois.

  3. 1967

    Chartered: Delta Tau, Epsilon Eta Sigma

  4. 1970

    Chartered: Epsilon Gamma, Delta Chi

  5. 1971

    Chartered: Epsilon Lambda Sigma, Epsilon Mu Sigma

  6. 1972

    Chartered: Epsilon Xi, Epsilon Pi

  7. 1973

    Chartered: Epsilon Chi

  8. 1974

    Chartered: Zeta Mu

  9. 1975

    Chartered: Epsilon Rho Sigma, Epsilon Upsilon Sigma

  10. 1976

    Chartered: Theta Epsilon, Epsilon Chi Sigma

  11. 1978

    Chartered: Iota Eta, Iota Nu, Iota Chi

  12. 1980

    Chartered: Lambda Omicron, Mu Eta

  13. 1981

    Chartered: Eta Psi Sigma

  14. 1983

    Chartered: Iota Nu Sigma

  15. 1985

    Chartered: Alpha Alpha Beta

  16. 1987

    Chartered: Iota Phi Sigma

  17. 1989

    Kappa Mu Sigma organized at the Great Lakes Regional Conference

    Bloomington-Normal's alumni chapter was organized and named on May 25, 1989, at the 67th Great Lakes Regional Conference in Chicago.

    Source

    Chartered: Kappa Mu Sigma

  18. 2000

    Chartered: Alpha Beta Omicron

  19. 2002

    Chartered: Nu Gamma Sigma

  20. 2005

    Chartered: Nu Kappa Sigma, Nu Lambda Sigma

  21. 2006

    Great Lakes Regional Conference in Chicago

    Illinois hosted the Great Lakes Regional Conference in downtown Chicago, April 20-23, 2006, recognized by the Illinois House of Representatives.

    Source

    Chartered: Nu Pi Sigma

  22. 2008

    First Phi Beta Sigma Day in Illinois

    The Illinois House proclaimed May 21, 2008 the first Phi Beta Sigma Day, marking Eta Psi Sigma's first legislative visit to the State Capitol.

    Source

  23. 2009

    Chartered: Omicron Alpha Sigma, Omicron Epsilon Sigma

  24. 2014

    Chartered: Gamma Eta Gamma

  25. 2015

    Chartered: Pi Psi Sigma

  26. 2017

    Chartered: Gamma Pi Gamma

  27. 2019

    Chartered: Gamma Rho Eta

  28. 2020

    Chartered: Tau Delta Sigma

  29. 2023

    Chartered: Tau Xi Sigma, Tau Nu Sigma

  30. 2024

    Chartered: Upsilon Nu Sigma

  31. 2025

    Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta Day

    The Illinois General Assembly declared April 30, 2025 Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta Day in the State of Illinois.

    Source

  32. 2026

    Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta Day

    The Illinois Senate declared May 19, 2026 Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta Day in the State of Illinois.

    Source