HR0425 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0425 LRB096 12982 GRL 27074 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Illinois Chapters of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority are sponsoring their second annual legislative visit to the State Capitol; and

WHEREAS, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C., on January 9, 1914 by 3 young African-American male students, celebrated as the Honorable A. Langston Taylor, the Honorable Leonard F. Morse, and the Honorable Charles I. Brown; and

WHEREAS, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. was founded on January 16, 1920 by 5 young women, celebrated as the Honorable Arizona Cleaver Stemons, the Honorable Pearl A. Neal, the Honorable Myrtle Tyler Faithful, the Honorable Viola Tyler Goings, and the Honorable Fannie Pettie Watts; the 5 women, respectfully known as the Five Pearls, founded the sorority at Howard University in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta are the only historically Greek-lettered organizations in the National Pan-Hellenic Council to be constitutionally bound; and

WHEREAS, From its inception, Phi Beta Sigma was conceived by its founders as a mechanism to deliver services to the general community, rather than gaining skills to be utilized exclusively for themselves or their immediate families; this deep conviction is mirrored in the fraternity's motto, "Culture for Service and Service for Humanity"; and

WHEREAS, Since its inception, Zeta Phi Beta has chronicled a number of firsts; Zeta Phi Beta was the first Greek-letter organization to charter a chapter in Africa in 1948; the sorority was also the first to form adult and youth auxiliary groups and centralize its operations in a national headquarters; and

WHEREAS, Both the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and the Zeta Phi Beta sorority are honored to have formed many wonderful, community-based partnerships with the March of Dimes, the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Research, the NAACP, the National Pan-Hellenic Council, and the Urban League; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we, in recognition of the achievements of the members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and the values for which they strive, designate May 20, 2009 as the Second Annual Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta Day in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the International President of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Paul L. Griffin, Jr., the International President of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Illinoisan Sheryl Underwood, and the Great Lakes Regional Director and Illinois State Director of both the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.