History of Beta Sigma Boulé
On June 24, 1983, Beta Sigma Boulé was chartered during a phenomenal period of national expansion under the leadership of Grand Sire Archon Robert V. Franklin. Ten months prior, in August 1982, Archon Winton “Flash” Hardiman of Alpha Kappa Boulé, Buffalo, New York, contacted his friend Howard Edmonds of Springfield, Massachusetts, to discuss “setting apart” a group of men for membership into Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity in Springfield. Hardiman invited Edmonds and fifteen potential members to his home on February 26, 1983, to meet Grand Sire Archon Franklin, Northeast Regional Sire Archon Samuel Massie of Epsilon Boulé (Washington, DC), and Archon David Thompson of Alpha Psi Boulé in Hartford, Connecticut. From this group, ten candidates would ultimately become the charter members of Beta Sigma Boulé.
A joint initiation ceremony for Beta Sigma Boulé and Beta Tau Boulé (New Haven, Connecticut) was held at the Lord Cromwell Inn in Cromwell, Connecticut. As with the formation of any member-boulé of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Beta Sigma Boulé was formed to bind men of like qualities into a close, sacred fraternal union, so that the members may know the best of one another, and that each in this life may to his full ability aid the other, and by concerted action bring about those things that seem best for all that cannot be accomplished by individual effort.
Charter Members of Beta Sigma Boulé
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Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity History
Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity is also known as the Boulé, a Greek term meaning “council of noblemen.” Founded in 1904, Sigma Pi Phi is the oldest black Greek-letter organization for professional men. The fraternity is noted for addressing issues and developing programs that benefit black youth, families, and communities. The Boulé has over 5,500 active members (called “Archons”) and 142 member boulés, including two member boulés in Nassau, Bahamas, and London, United Kingdom. Boulé members are leaders in medicine, law, education, business, and other areas and often work at the highest levels to promote the greatest good for their communities.