Eta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc
Xi Chapter, Houston, Texas - Southern Region

History, 1962 - 2021

Xi Chapter was organized and chartered April 28, 1962, in Houston, Texas; Pauline D. Scott was its sponsor. Merry Hubbard, National Organizer and Founder, and members of Epsilon Chapter, Dallas Texas supervised its formative work and activities. Twenty-two enthusiastic ladies representing numerous businesses and professions were initiated into Eta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. at the Courts of Calanthe Hall, 2411 Dowling Street. A reception inaugurating Xi Chapter was held at St. James Episcopal Church, Reverend Keith Bardin, Pastor.

Xi’s Charter Officers were Pauline D. Scott, President; Eudora Richard, First Vice President; Therma A. Davis, Second Vice President; Lou Jane White, Secretary; Grace G. Wedlaw, Financial Secretary; Jeannette W. Smith, Treasurer; Flora Divine, Chaplin; Eva Gordon Matthews, Pledge Mistress, Ruth Ann Spriggs Smith, Assistant Pledge Mistress; Patricia Patrick Wilburn, Guard; Jacqueline McNeal Anderson, Historian; Lorene Blackshure, Parliamentarian; Lavenia Anderson Williams, Director of Public Relations; and Dorothy Chachere, Business Manager. Remaining Charter Members were Joliet K. Johnson Thomas, Pearl Suel, Mildred Moody, Rivian V. Jackson, Bessie Mack, Martha Wingfield, Alma Burton, and Fannie Robinson.

August 1962 at the National Convention in Columbus, Ohio, Xi Chapter’s President Pauline .D. Scott nominated Houston as the host of the 1964 convention. The final vote was “Yes!” At the 1964 convention, the delegates were housed at the Shamrock Hilton Hotel; an event marking the beginning of many “Firsts“: “First Black Organization in Houston to hold a convention, house its delegation and activities in one of Houston’s largest hotels,” “Elect Mamie Bright, First Queen Bee;” “Winnie Burton Garrett, First National Scholarship Recipient;” Grace Wedlaw, Grand Treasurer (Xi’s First Elected National Officer)” & voted “First Outstanding Chapter.”

On June 6, 1964, the men (husbands of Xi Chapter members) organized Shad Club #2. Merry Hubbard, National Organizer and Founder, and Wilamenia Luckee, Northern Region Director, installed its officers: Albert Jackson, President; Collins Scott, Vice President; Bennie Wilburn, Corresponding Secretary; Douglas Anderson, Recording Secretary; Johnnie Johnson, Financial Secretary; Charles Wedlaw, Treasurer; and Thad Davis, Chaplin. Other members were E. Gordon, Ennis Burton, Curtis Terrell, Sr., George Johnson, and A. Richard. Elected as Sweethearts for Shad Club # 2 Scholarship Fund Raisers were Lorene Blackshure, Pamela Barrett, Jodie J. Oliphant, Carolyn R. Simples, Johnnie Dotson, and Ruby Mayes.

Since the 1964 National Convention, Xi Chapter has had these National Offices: Grace Wedlaw, National Financial Secretary (1964-1966), National Treasurer (1968-1974); Pauline D. Scott, National Organizer (1968-1970), National Parliamentarian (1968); Alma Alexander, 1st Vice National President (1972-1974), National President (1974-1978); Ardener Franshaw, National Corresponding Secretary (1976-1980), National Director of Fine Arts (1994-1998); Marguerite Grice, National Financial Secretary (1982-1986); Johnnie Dotson, National Guard (1984-1988), National Foundation Board (2006-2010), National Parliamentarian (2010-2014);Jodie J. Oliphant, National Financial Secretary (1986-1990), National Treasurer (2012 – 2016), National Parliamentarian 2016 -2018); Estelle Silas, National Guard (1986-1990); Pamela Barrett, National Director of Education (2006-2008), National Journalist (2010- 2011); Kimberly Shoulders, National Director of Fine Arts (2016-2018), 2nd Vice National President (2018-2020).

Xi Chapter members have also held the following Southern Region Offices: Pauline D. Scott, Guard (1963); Grace Wedlaw, Historian (1970); Ruby Mayes, Recording Secretary (1975-1977); Lizzie Green, Recording Secretary (1979-1983); Jewel Christy, Keeper of Peace (1979-1983); Therma Davis, Southern Region Director (1983-1987); Artie Mitchell, Financial Secretary (1983 -1987); Pamela Barrett, Guard (1987-1991); Estelle Silas, Parliamentarian (1987-1991); Callie Lewis-Watson, Historian (1991-1995); Artie Mitchell, Treasurer (1991-1995); Johnnie Dotson, Southern Region Director (1995-1999; Jodie Oliphant, Parliamentarian (1995 -1999); Pamela Barrett, Youth Advisor (1995-1999); Dorothy Murphy, Financial Secretary (1997-2001); Delores McNeal, Historian, Marguerite Grice, Financial Secretary (2001-2005), Artie Mitchell, Financial Secretary (2005-2009), Brenda Carr, Guard (2005-2009), Marguerite Grice, Recording Secretary (2007-2011), Deborah Barriere, Historian (2007-2011), Ruby Mayes, Youth Advisor (2007-2015), Artie Mitchell, Treasurer (2010-2013), Carolyn Simples, Guard (2009-2012), Pamela Barrett, Assistant Director (2011-2015), Marguerite Grice, Journalist (2011-2015), Kimberly Shoulders, Historian (2011-2015), Pamela Barrett-Rain, Assistant Director, (2015-2017); Carolyn Simples, Corresponding Secretary, (2015-2017); Kimberly Shoulders, Parliamentarian, (2015-2017), Pamela Barret – Rain, Southern Region Director (2017-2019) Carolyn Simples, Correspondence Secretary (2017-2019 and Marguerite Grice, Journalist (2017-2019), Josephine Anderson, Assistant Director (2019-2021), Amanda Sparks, Keeper of Peace (2019-2021), and Starla Owens See, Youth Adviser (2019 -2021). Several Xi Chapter members have been the Honey Doll in Southern Region’s eye: Callie Lewis - Watson (1983-1985), Artie Mitchell (1989-1991), Delores McNeal (1991-1993), Josie Jackson (1995-1997), Carrie Sneed (2001-2003), Brenda Carr (2005-2007), Brenda Allen, (2013-2015), and Jacqueline Miller (2017-2019).

In addition, Xi Chapter has hosted numerous local, Regional, National Board Meetings and Conferences. Since being organized, Xi Chapter has held 45 Set-Up Conferences, Annual Meetings, Annual Founders’ Day Observances, Career Workshops, and Candlelight Vesper Services. It has hosted 30 Annual Retarded Citizen Teas (currently dubbed the Hatitude Tea), 30 Annual Hobo Dances and 12 Prayer Breakfasts - providing funds for scholarship awards; 4 Regional Executive Board Meetings, 2 National Executive Board Meetings (1995, 2007), 5 Regional Conferences (1991, 1995, 2006, 2013, 2019) and 3 National Conferences (1964, 1990, 2008).

Xi Chapter has grown efficiently in numbers with over two hundred members initiated under the adept leadership of twenty-seven presidents : *Pauline D. Scott (1962-1966), *Bessie Mack (1966-1968), *Therma Davis (1968-1970), *Grace Wedlaw (1970-1972), *Rivian Jackson (1972-1974), *Lorene Blackshure (1974-1976), *Estelle Silas (1976-1978), Jodie Oliphant (1978-1980), *Pauline D. Scott (1980-1982), Johnnie Dotson (1982-1984), *Jacqueline Anderson (1984-1986), Clyde D. Anglin (1986-1988), *Barbara Sergeant (1988-1990), Artie Mitchell (1990-1992), Pamela Barrett (1992-1994), *Lizzie Green (1994-1996), Callie L. Watson (1996-1998), Dorothy Murphy (1998-2000), Marguerite Grice (2000-2002), Josie Jackson (2002-2004), Dr. Jewell Christy (2004-2006), Ruby Mayes (2006-2008), Carolyn Simples (2008-2010), Josephine Anderson (2010- 2012), Kimberly Shoulders (2012-2014), *Deborah Barriere (2014-2016, Marguerite Grice (2016-2018), Jodie Jenkins Oliphant (2018-2020), and currently Jacqueline Miller (2020-2021) Over the past 50 years, Xi Chapter members have been actively adhering to our mission: “Not for Ourselves, but for Others.” Xi Chapter has been involved in many community projects: (civic, political, educational) Y W C A, Blue Triangle Branch, N C N W, Women in Action, The NA AC P. Texas Southern University, U N C F, Houston Heart Association, Lighthouse for the Blind, Singing Boys of Houston, Habitat of the Humanities, Star of Hope, The Riverside Project, Simmons Garden for Senior Residents and The Center for the Pursuit, formerly, The Center of Houston. High school graduates have received more than $45,000 in scholarship donations.

Finalizing the family connection of Eta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Xi Chapter has productively supported youth in our communities. Under the dynamic leadership of Mildred Johnson, Delores McNeal, Marguerite Grice, Pamela Barrett, Ruby Mayes, Zoia Jones, Robin Cook and Josephine Anderson, Xi Chapter‘s Bee-Ettes and Senords have served as national and regional officers: Jamil J. Anderson, National President (1992-1994), Jessica G. Anderson, National President (1994-1996), Jacques Collins, Southern Region President (1993-1995), Justin Wheeler, National Vice President (2006-2008), Temprestt Blake, National Chaplain (2004-2006), Amanda Evan Gentry, Ms. Futurama, Mya McElroy, Ms. Futurama, William Blake, National Guard (2008-2010), Rikki Taylor, National Sergeant-at-Arms (2008-2011), Alexis Blake, Southern Region Vice President (2011- 2013), Ashley Carter, Southern Region Recording Secretary (2011-2013), Zacchacus Mayes, Southern Region Guard (2011-2013), Taylor Mayes, Southern Region Treasurer (2013-2015), Rilynn Jackson , Southern Region Historian,(2013-2015 Zacchaeus Mayes, Southern Region Recording Secretary (2013-2015, Jontill Cooper, Southern Region Journalist (2013-2015), Camille Mayes, Southern Region Chaplain (2013-2015). Rilynn Jackson Southern Region President, (2015-2017); LaTeal Bell, Southern Region Chaplain (2015-2017); Camille Mayes, Southern Region Sergeant-at-Arms (2015-2017). Xi Chapter’s youth group has actively attended local, regional, and national activities, leadership training, and etiquette and career workshops. They also support and participate in Xi Chapter’s programs.