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Phi Alpha (fraternity)

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For other organizations named "Phi Alpha", see Phi Alpha (disambiguation).
Phi Alpha
ΦΑ
FoundedOctober 14, 1914; 110 years ago (1914-10-14)
George Washington University
TypeSocial
Former affiliationNIC
StatusMerged
Merge dateApril 6, 1959
SuccessorPhi Sigma Delta
EmphasisJewish
ScopeNational
Member badge
Colors  Maroon and   Blue
FlowerRose
PublicationPhi Alpha Quarterly
Chapters33
Members7,000 lifetime
Headquarters
United States
See More

Phi Alpha (ΦΑ) was an American historically Jewish fraternity founded in 1914. It merged with Phi Sigma Delta in 1959. It was a member of the National Interfraternity Conference. It merged with Zeta Beta Tau in 1969.

History

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Phi Alpha was founded at George Washington University on October 14, 1914.[1] It was a Jewish fraternity.[1] Its founders were David Davis, Maurice H. Herzmark, Edward Lewis, Reuben Schmidt, and Hyman Shapiro. The first pledge ceremony was held in February 1915, and was followed by the establishment of a chapter house.[1]

Dr. Edward Cafritz transferred to University of Maryland, Baltimore and helped start Beta chapter, which was installed on February 22, 1916.[1] This was followed by Gamma chapter at Georgetown University on December 26, 1916.[1]

In 1921, Phi Alpha became a member of the National Interfraternity Conference.[1] In 1926, the fraternity was incorporated nationally.[1] Its national convention was held annually during the latter part of December.[1]

On April 6, 1959, Phi Alpha merged with Phi Sigma Delta. Phi Sigma Delta's records note that there were sixteen active Phi Alpha chapters at the time of the merger.[2] Both fraternities had chapters at three campuses, two of which were "readily resolved," and in the case of the third, this chapter was released to join another fraternity.[3] At the time of the merger, Phi Alpha had initiated around 7,000 members.[2]

Ten years later in 1969, Phi Sigma Delta merged with Zeta Beta Tau.[4][2]

Symbols

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The fraternity's badge was a gold rectangular plaque, wider than it was tall, and superimposed with the raised letters ΦΑ and surrounded with a row of pearls.[1] Its pledge button was circular, containing a blue circle within a red circle.[1] Phi Alpha's colors were maroon and blue.[1] Its flower was the rose.[1]

Its magazine, the Phi Alpha Quarterly began publication in 1917.[1] Its member-only, "esoteric" publication was the Phi Alpha Bulletin.[1]

Chapters

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This is the list of the 35 chapters of Phi Alpha fraternity.[1][3][5][2]

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status References
Alpha October 14, 1914 – April 6, 1959 George Washington University Washington, D.C. Merged (ΦΣΔ) [a]
Beta February 22, 1916 – April 6, 1959 University of Maryland, Baltimore Baltimore, Maryland Merged (ΦΣΔ) [b]
Gamma December 26, 1916 – 1947 Georgetown University Washington, D.C. Inactive
Delta February 15, 1918 – 1924 Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois Inactive
Epsilon April 2, 1919 – April 6, 1959 University of Maryland, College Park College Park, Maryland Merged (ΦΣΔ) [c]
Zeta December 7, 1919 – 1925 Yale University New Haven, Connecticut Inactive
Eta December 30, 1919 – 1938; 1955 – 1959 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland Withdrew [d]
Theta 1920 – April 6, 1959 New York University New York City, New York Merged (ΦΣΔ) [e]
Iota February 20, 1920 – 1925 Columbia University New York City, New York Inactve
Kappa March 3, 1921 – 1939; 1952 – April 6, 1959 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Merged (ΦΣΔ) [f]
Lambda February 19, 1921 – 1927 DePaul University Chicago, Illinois Inactive
Mu April 16, 1922 – 1947 University of Virginia Charlottesville, Virginia Merged (ΦΣΔ)
Nu March 16, 1924 – 1940; 19xx ? – April 6, 1959 Clark University Worcester, Massachusetts Merged (ΦΣΔ) [g]
Xi Unassigned
Omicron 1924 – April 6, 1959 University of New Hampshire Durham, New Hampshire Merged (ΦΣΔ) [h]
Pi December 14, 1924 – April 6, 1959 Boston University Boston, Massachusetts Merged (ΦΣΔ) [i]
Rho February 6, 1925 – April 6, 1959 University of Richmond Richmond, Virginia Merged (ΦΣΔ) [j]
Sigma October 25, 1925 – 1933; 1938 – April 6, 1959 Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute Brooklyn, New York Merged (ΦΣΔ) [k]
Tau March 31, 1927 – 1953 College of William & Mary Williamsburg, Virginia Inactive [l]
Upsilon April 24, 1927 – 1940 University of Chicago Chicago, Illinois Inactive
Phi March 19, 1927 – April 6, 1959 Duquesne University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Merged (ΦΣΔ) [m]
Chi October 15, 1927 – 1959 Duke University Durham, North Carolina Inactive [n]
Psi February 20, 1928 – 1930 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chattanooga, Tennessee Inactive [o]
Omega May 11, 1928 – 1943 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina Inactive
Alpha Alpha December 1, 1928 – 1935 West Virginia University Morgantown, West Virginia Inactive
Alpha Beta May 4, 1929 – April 6, 1959 Temple University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Merged (ΦΣΔ) [p]
Alpha Gamma December 7, 1930 – 1958 Wayne State University Detroit, Michigan Inactive [q]
Alpha Delta 1930–1941 University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, Michigan Inactive [r]
Alpha Epsilon 1937–1942 St. John's College Annapolis, Maryland Inactive [s]
Alpha Zeta 1938–1941 St. John's University New York City, New York Inactive [t]
Alpha Eta 1940 – April 6, 1959 City College of New York New York City, New York Merged (ΦΣΔ) [u]
Alpha Theta 1941–1947 Washington College Chestertown, Maryland Inactive
Alpha Iota 1953 – April 6, 1959 Cornell University Ithaca, New York Merged (ΦΣΔ) [v]
Alpha Kappa 1957 – April 6, 1959 Bronx Branch of Hunter College The Bronx, New York City, New York Merged (ΦΣΔ) [w]
Alpha Lambda 1958 – April 6, 1959 City College of New York Uptown Manhattan, New York Merged (ΦΣΔ) [x]
Alpha Mu 1958 – April 6, 1959 Pratt Institute Brooklyn, New York Merged (ΦΣΔ) [y]
  1. ^ Became the Phi Alpha chapter of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  2. ^ Became the Phi Beta chapter of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  3. ^ Became the Phi Epsilon chapter of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  4. ^ Became a chapter of Tau Epsilon Phi.
  5. ^ Merged with an existing Phi Sigma Delta chapter with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  6. ^ Merged with the Zeta chatper of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  7. ^ Became the Phi Nu chapter of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  8. ^ Chapter formed from Tau Gamma Phi, established in 1922. It became the Phi Omicron chapter of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  9. ^ Became the Phi Pi chapter of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  10. ^ Chapter formed from Tri Phi, established in 1916. It became the Phi Rho chapter of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  11. ^ Chapter formed from Tau Kappa Rho, established in 1917. It became the Phi Sigma chapter of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  12. ^ Chapter formed from Zeta Theta Pi, established in 1924.
  13. ^ Chapter formed from Phi Delta Rho, established in 1927. Its became the Phi Phi chapter of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  14. ^ Chapter formed from Alpha Pi Delta, established in 1922.
  15. ^ Chapter formed from Delta Beta Gamma, established in 1923.
  16. ^ Chapter formed from Koffee Klub, established in 1927. It became the Phi Alpha Beta chapter of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  17. ^ Chapter formed from Epsilon Tau, established in 1927.
  18. ^ Chapter formed from Epsilon Tau, established in 1923.
  19. ^ Chapter formed from the Key Society, established in 1932.
  20. ^ Chapter formed from Phi Iota Lambda.
  21. ^ Became the Phi Alpha Eta chapter of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  22. ^ Merged with the Beta chapter of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  23. ^ Became the Phi Alpha Kappa chapter of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  24. ^ Became the Phi Allpha Mu chapter of Phi Sigma Delta chapter with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  25. ^ Merged with the Alpha Omicron chapter of Phi Sigma Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VIII–13. ISBN 978-0963715906.
  2. ^ a b c d Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (April 12, 2025) "Inactive - Men's" Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed May 8, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VIII–17–18. ISBN 978-0963715906.
  4. ^ Our Antecedent Groups – Phi Alpha
  5. ^ Phi Alpha Quarterly. 1936.
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