Sorority History

Founded January 16, 1920, Zeta began as an idea conceived by five coeds at Howard University in Washington D.C.: Arizona Cleaver, Myrtle Tyler, Viola Tyler, Fannie Pettie and Pearl Neal. These five women, also known as our Five Pearls, dared to depart from the traditional coalitions for black women and sought to establish a new organization predicated on the precepts of Scholarship, Service, Sisterly Love and Finer Womanhood. It was the ideal of the Founders that the Sorority would reach college women in all parts of the country who were sorority minded and desired to follow the founding principles of the organization.
Since its inception, the Sorority has chronicled a number of firsts. Zeta Phi Beta was the first Greek-letter organization to charter a chapter in Africa (1948); to form adult and youth auxiliary groups; to centralize its operations in a national headquarters; and to be constitutionally bound to a fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated.

Chapter History

Xi Nu Zeta was awarded a certificate of chartership on March 10, 1989 under the leadership and authority of the then Grand Basileus, Eunice S. Thomas. The initiation and charter ceremony was conducted by the then Oklahoma State Director, Lawanna Hackner Bruner. The Xi Nu Zeta chapter became the 2nd graduate chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority in the Oklahoma City area. The other of course being Chi Zeta Chapter founded on Dec. 14, 1936. The first basileus for the Xi Nu Zeta Chapter was Soror Mary T. Williams. Some of the other first officers of the chapter were Annette Ware (1st Vice President), Regina Anderson Woodberry (2nd Vice President) Verlean Delaney (Secretary) and Willie Ann Wood (Treasurer).
Some projects in which the chapter participated were: Adopt a Family, a career fair and College Entrance Exam Preparation. The chapter provided Christmas presents and delivered a dinner basket to a needy family. The chapter also had a toy drive to give needy families toys, through the Deptartment of Human Services. The career fair at The Midwest City Community Center, was designed to expose junior and senior high school students to careers that were expected to be in demand in the future. Also, Xi Nu Zeta hosted a free seminar on college entrance exams at the Midwest City Library. This was done to review with students the subjects that were commonly tested and prepare them for entrance to college.
In July of 2004, the chapter was reorganized, and as of October of the same year the chapter was officially reactivated.
Continuing the legacy that began in 1989, the Xi Nu Zeta chapter has held annual chapter picnic where we award a deserving college student a scholarship. Our chapter also hosts a PB&J project (Pajamas, Books, and Joy) where we adopt a 1st grade classroom and provide each child with a new pair of pajamas and books. This project promotes literacy and family bonding as the children and chapter members read to one another.  The chapter also volunteers regularly at the Jesus House, as well as a local nursing center. Each year our chapter devotes our time to participate in national philanthropies such as the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure, Lupus Awareness Walk held at the OKC Zoo, the AIDS Walk, and March of Dimes walk.