Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C., January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders, Honorable A. Langston Taylor, Honorable Leonard F. Morse, and Honorable Charles I. Brown, wanted to organize a Greek letter fraternity that would truly exemplify the ideals of brotherhood, scholarship, and service.

     The founders deeply wished to create an organization that viewed itself as "a part of" the general community rather than "apart from" the general community. They believed that each potential member should be judged by his own merits rather than his family background or affluence..without regard of race, nationality, skin tone or texture of hair. They wished and wanted their fraternity to exist as part of even a greater brotherhood which would be devoted to the inclusive we rather than the exclusive we.

     From its inception, the Founders also conceived Phi Beta Sigma as a mechanism to deliver services to the general community. Rather than gaining skills to be utilized exclusively for themselves and their immediate families, the founders of Phi Beta Sigma held a deep conviction that they should return their newly acquired skills to the communities from which they had come. This deep conviction was mirrored in the Fraternity's motto, "Culture For Service and Service For Humanity".

     Today, Phi Beta Sigma has blossomed into an international organization of leaders. No longer a single entity, the Fraternity has now established the Phi Beta Sigma Educational Foundation, the Phi Beta Sigma Housing Foundation, the Phi Beta Sigma Federal Credit Union, and the Phi Beta Sigma Charitable Outreach Foundation. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., founded in 1920 with the assistance of Phi Beta Sigma, is the sister organization. No other fraternity and sorority is constitutionally bound as Sigma and Zeta. We both enjoy and foster a mutually supportive relationship.

     Chapter lore tells us that in the summer of 1978 Brother Dr. James Edward Lanier was relocating to Springfield Illinois from Tampa, Florida. As we believe that our steps are ordered by the Lord and nothing is left for chance, Dr. Lanier experienced car problems and pulled over to the side of the highway. Brother Jimmy Reed pulled over to offer assistance. Brother Reed noticed the blue and white fraternity hat sporting the distinguished Phi Beta Sigma letters in the rear window. After a moment of "challenge", the brothers embraced and Brother Lanier ended up finding refuge and shelter with Brother Reed for about a week until he was able to find a place of his own.

     After much conversation brothers, Lanier and Reed set out to find if the city of Springfield was home to other men of Sigma. The call was answered by Brother Bobby Hall, Brother Myrel Simmons, Brother Willis Bailey, Brothers Larry Dillard, Brother Duwain Bailey, and Brother Anthony Ware.

     The above brothers united for the cause of Sigma and put the wheels in motion to establish an Alumni Chapter, of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. On July 27, 1981 the charter was granted for Eta Psi Sigma Alumni Chapter, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. The charter members of the Eta Psi Sigma Chapter were: Brother Dr. James E. Lanier, Brother Bobby Hall, Brother Myrel Simmons, Brother Willis Bailey, Brother Larry Dillard, Brother Duwain

Bailey, and Brother Anthony Ware.

     The brothers did not stop with just chartering the graduate chapter of Eta Psi Sigma they also saw an opportunity to further the cause of Sigma, with an undergraduate chapter.

     Brother Stan Brown who had begun his education at Southern Illinois University Carbondale as a member of the Delta Tau chapter, had relocated to Springfield Illinois. The brothers of Eta Psi Sigma, newly relocated Brother Duwain Bailey and Brother Stan Brown. These two brothers chartered Mu Eta undergraduate chapter as a city wide chapter headquartered at University of Illinois at Springfield formerly known as Sangamon State University.