Phi Lambda Alpha

Summary

Phi Lambda Alpha (ΦΛΑ) was established in 1919 at the University of California, Berkeley.[1] It was the first Latin American–based Greek lettered collegiate fraternity in the Western United States.

Phi Lambda Alpha
ΦΛΑ
Founded1919; 105 years ago (1919)
University of California, Berkeley
TypeSocial
EmphasisLatino
ScopeNational
MottoSemper Parati
Semper Juncti
MergedDecember 26, 1931
HeadquartersBerkeley, CA
United States

History edit

Phi Lambda Alpha fraternity established communications with Pi Delta Phi, which had been recently founded in 1916 in the Northeastern United States at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After some communication, these two organizations realized the existence of a non-Greek letter secret society, the Union Hispano Americana (UHA). As a result of intensive correspondence and various interviews, the three organizations merged. In their merger agreement, the three organizations adopted the name of Phi Lambda Alpha Fraternity, with the distinctive emblem and constitution of Pi Delta Phi, and the goals & motto of the UHA. This new union was formalized on June 11, 1921, in the City of New York.

After Phi Lambda Alpha was organized, other societies joined it: the Club Latino-Americano founded in 1919 at Colorado School of Mines; the Federación Latino-Americana founded in 1926 at Columbia University joined in 1928; the Club Hispania founded in 1929 by Cornell University which joined in 1931; the Club Hispano-Americano founded in 1921 of Tri-State College in Angola which joined in 1929 and the Alfa Tenoxtitlan Militant chapter founded in 1929 by members of the old ΦΛΑ in Mexico.[2]

On December 26, 1931, Phi Lambda Alpha merged with Sigma Iota fraternity to form Phi Iota Alpha. Phi Sigma Alpha fraternity can also trace its roots back to Phi Lambda Alpha.

Chapters edit

Institution / Chapter Charter date and range Location Status Reference
University of California, Berkeley 1919 – December 26, 1931 Berkeley, California Merged (ΦΙΑ)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology June 11, 1921 – December 26, 1931 Cambridge, Massachusetts Merged (ΦΙΑ) [a]
Colorado School of Mines 1927 – December 26, 1931 Golden, Colorado Merged (ΦΙΑ) [b]
Columbia University 1928 – December 26, 1931 New York City, New York Merged (ΦΙΑ) [c]
Cornell University 1929 – December 26, 1931 Ithaca, New York Merged (ΦΙΑ) [d]
Alfa Tenoxtitlan Militant 1929 – December 26, 1931 Mexico
Tri-State College 1931 – December 26, 1931 Indiana Marged (ΦΙΑ) [e]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Chapter formed from Pi Delta Phi, originally established in 1916, when the two fraternities merged.
  2. ^ Chapter formed from Club Latino-Americano, established in 1919.
  3. ^ Chapter formed from the Federación Latino-Americana, established in 1926.
  4. ^ Chapter formed from the Club Hispania, established in 1929.
  5. ^ Chapter formed from the Club Hispano-Americano, established in 1921.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ University of California Berkeley Blue & Gold Yearbook. Berkeley, California: University of California Berkeley. 1922. p. 600.
  2. ^ "Sigma History" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2008-05-01.