Chapter History
The late Soror Catherine Johnson, a graduate of Trenton State College (The College of New Jersey), Trenton, NJ, and the late Soror Evelyn Hines Ellerbe, a graduate of Morgan State University of Baltimore, Maryland, were charter members of the Gamma Nu Zeta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated in Camden, NJ. They were members of Mount Pisgah African Methodist Church in Princeton, NJ, and became very close friends. Soror Reverend Alexzina Brown was instrumental in the establishment and growth of the early chapters of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated in the state of New Jersey. Sorors Ellerbe and Johnson were inspired and encouraged to do so by Soror Brown and Sigma brother, Reverend John Johnson, the husband of Soror Catherine Johnson, to organize a chapter in the Princeton/Trenton area.
Epsilon Xi Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, received its charter on May 27, 1954, from Soror Evelyn Hunt, the Atlantic Regional Director at the time. The five charter members were Soror Catherine Johnson, President, Evelyn Ellerbe, Hazel Sayles, Julia Ramsome, and Hazel Lands. The chapter organized and sponsored three undergraduate chapters: Chi Alpha, Omicron Epsilon, and Upsilon Rho. The city chapter, Chi Alpha, was chartered in 1952. The charter members were Marlene Bullock, Ednomia Green, Glenda Richardson, Dolores Smalls, and Wilemnia Washington. Omicron Epsilon at the College of New Jersey (formerly Trenton State College), Ewing, NJ, was chartered in 1974 by Soror Jean Harris and Irene Solomon. The charter members were Beverly Billingsley, Patricia Parrish, Gloria Tembrook, Jackie Tyson, and Kathy Thompson. Upsilon Rho at Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, was chartered in April 2002 under the leadership of Soror Cynthia Johnson. The charter members were Mia Powell, Shena Elrington, Tia Hutton, Victoria Collis, and Katherine Jackson. The chapter also served as a sponsor to the Gamma Kappa chapter at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, in the early years.
The chapter reached out to outstanding women in the community and formed the Princeton /Trenton Zeta Amicae Auxiliary in 1956 and it was reestablished in November, 1969. The Princeton/Trenton Zeta Amicae received its charter with the help of Sorors Jean E. Harris, Evelyn Ellerbe and Erma Jean Nicholson.
It also formed Archonettes youth groups under the leadership of Soror Elizabeth Sheats. Soror Sheats was also instrumental in developing the Atlantic Regional Handbook for Archonettes.
More than 70 years later, the chapter continues to provide services through the national service program, Z-HOPE (Zeta Helping Other People Excel). On June 7, 2019, we launched a Stork's Nest partnership with the March of Dimes and the Mercer Street Friends Center. The partnership offers prenatal education classes aimed at combating infant mortality and ensuring healthy pregnancies and births. Many students were able to further their education due to the encouragement and financial support from the Epsilon Xi Zeta chapter.
Several Sorors served on national, regional, state, and local committees and offices. Soror Marilyn Pearson served as the National Treasurer, Soror Jean Harris served as the National Public Relations Chair, the National Historian, and State Director of New Jersey, Soror Catherine Johnson served as Associate Regional Director and State Director of New Jersey, and Soror Irene Solomon served as State Director of New Jersey.
