In honor of the 250th anniversary of the founding year of The Phi Beta Kappa Society, Howard University hosted a celebration in the Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library on March 25, 2026.
Established in 1776, Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) is a prestigious honors society in the United States for the liberal arts and sciences. Howard University and Fisk University were the first historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to be awarded a Phi Beta Kappa chapter by the PBK Triennial Council. To earn a chapter, an institution must have a critical mass of PBK faculty and meet the society’s criteria for liberal education, financial stewardship and academic freedom.
The event began with opening remarks from Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick, PhD., who commended the D.C. area of PBK, which includes the Gamma chapter at Howard University, for their leadership and consistent inclusion of Howard in programming.
“I simply appreciate the intentionality with which Phi Beta Kappa has really been leading with this chapter in particular,” he said. “On multiple occasions, you’ve made sure that we have been part of the discussion.”
Reflecting on his own educational journey, Frederick shared fond memories from his time as an undergraduate student when interacting with members of PBK.
“Every time I met someone who was in Phi Beta Kappa, it was someone who I absolutely admired,” he said.
Following the opening remarks, the president of the D.C. Gamma chapter, Caroline Stark, was briefly introduced before the chapter historian, Teresa Redd, continued hosting for the majority of the event. As chapter historian, Redd worked with members of The Moorland-Spingarn Research Center to cultivate a short video which outlined the history of the D.C. Gamma chapter.
“I’ve created a short video so current members like you and future members can take pride in the history of this chapter and its historic role in The Phi Beta Kappa Society,” she said.
Although approved to begin a chapter on the same day as each other in 1952, Fisk University installed its PBK chapter on April 4, 1953 and initiated its first members, all of whom were Fisk alumni. Four days later on April 8, 1953, Howard installed the chapter’s first 13 members, who were all current students.
Since its founding as the oldest Greek letter organization in the nation, 10 percent of colleges and universities nationwide have established chapters. Howard earned its PBK charter under the leadership of Alain Locke.
John Harkless is an associate professor of chemistry at Howard University and member of the Senate, The Phi Beta Kappa Society board of directors. Harkless connected the mission of PBK with the Howard University motto of “excellence in truth and service.”
“What our founding faculty demonstrated in the 1950s is that what could be seen as excellent 250 years ago was clearly inadequate,” he said.
Phi Beta Kappa existed for over 175 years before it began including HBCUs, a distinction that was important to Harkless.
“Incorporating the talented minds of Howard faculty and students that we strive to recognize is an important thing,” he said.
Attendees at the event enjoyed lunch and a formal recognition by the organization, ending with a group photo. Following lunch, Phi Beta Kappa secretary and CEO, Frederick M. Lawrence served as the day’s keynote speaker.
Lawrence, a scholar, teacher and attorney, is the organization’s tenth secretary. Lawrence said he was happy to be back at Howard for the third time since his tenure as secretary. He shared that PBK identifies as a nonpartisan organization but has a mission to advocate for academic freedom and the role of the academy in our society.
“Academic freedom is about what protects us, the academy, from outside interference but it is also what challenges us,” he said.
Though explicitly stating that this was not a political talk, Lawrence spoke largely about the decisions PBK makes regarding their involvement with current issues and the issues’ alignment with the overall mission of PBK.
“It’s our job to frame conversations and move them in a more constructive direction,” he said.
During the reception, three students were identified as current nominees for the spring 2026 induction of The Phi Beta Kappa Society. With an official induction ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, May 5 in Founder’s Library, these students were nominated by faculty members in Howard’s chapter after review of their transcripts to determine their suitability for membership within PBK.
Amani Bunyassi, a senior political science major and psychology minor from Philadelphia, is one of the students newly nominated as a prospective PBK member. For Bunyassi, this nomination reaffirmed that the work she has done as a student is valued, even anonymously.
“At the end of the day, hard work is going to pay off – it’s always going to work out for you.”
Copy edited by Kennedi Bryant