National History
Founders
HON. A. LANGSTON TAYLOR
Abram Langston Taylor, the distinguished founder of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and educated at Howard and Frelinghuysen Universities. A dedicated businessman, he owned real estate and insurance firms while holding leadership roles in several companies. Nicknamed "Prof" for his scholarly nature, Taylor coined the fraternity's motto, "Culture for Service, Service for Humanity." He tirelessly served the fraternity for twelve consecutive years, and he later retired from the Smithsonian Institute.
HON. LEONARD F. MORSE
Reverend Leonard F. Morse, born to a distinguished Massachusetts family, was a pioneering scholar who graduated from Howard University in just three years with two degrees. An accomplished educator and minister, he served as President of Edward Waters College and earned multiple advanced degrees. As a founder of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Morse used his knowledge of Greek to name the organization, authored its first constitution, and served as the Alpha Chapter's first president.
HON. CHARLES I. BROWN
Believed to be born in Washington, D.C., Founder Charles I. Brown was a popular Howard University student who selected Phi Beta Sigma's nine charter members. After graduating in 1914, he founded the Delta Chapter and taught in Kansas. For over 80 years, his whereabouts after the early 1930s remained a fraternity mystery. However, in 2015, dedicated researchers discovered Brown lived out his final years serving a Catholic parish in Philadelphia, fulfilling his lifelong commitment to service.