SR0291 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0291 LRB096 12990 KXB 27109 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Illinois Chapters of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and 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 three young, African-American male students, celebrated as the Honorable A. Langston Taylor, Honorable Leonard F. Morse, and the Honorable Charles I. Brown; and

WHEREAS, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. was founded on January 16, 1920, by five young women, celebrated as the Honorable Arizona Cleaver Stemons, Honorable Pearl A. Neal, Honorable Myrtle Tyler Faithful, Honorable Viola Tyler Goings, and Honorable Fannie Pettie Watts, respectfully know as the Five Pearls, 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, the Founders conceived Phi Beta Sigma 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; to form adult and youth auxiliary groups; to centralize its operations in a national headquarters; and

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

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that, 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, we proclaim Wednesday, 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, the Great Lakes Regional Director, and the Illinois State Director of both Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.