Zeta Beta Tau (Fraternity)
Biography
Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) organized at The City College of New York (CUNY) on December 29, 1898. The fraternity was a Jewish-only organization. The name for the fraternity came from the abbreviation of the Hebrew phrase, “Zion Be-mishpat Tipadeh." That means “Zion shall be redeemed with judgement.” The group started as a Zionist youth organization rather than a typical Greek letter organization. In the first ten years, the fraternity expanded to thirteen chapters as it moved away from its initial intent. Over the next century, other Jewish fraternities merged with Zeta Beta Tau. In 1954, Zeta Beta Tau became a non-sectarian, opening membership to non-Jewish members. In 1989, Zeta Beta Tau banned pledging to root out hazing in the organization. Currently, Zeta Beta Tau has 82 chapters open across the United States and Canada.
Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
Neil November collection
This collection holds documents related to Mr. November’s time at Washington and Lee associated with the fraternity he belonged to: the Alpha Epsilon Chapter of Zeta Beta Tau. He was the cartoonist for the national Zeta Beta Tau organization from 1948 to 1950, while also drawing cartoons for local publications in Rockbridge County and for fraternal events. Included are sketches, finished products, and correspondence about his work as a cartoonist and official Zeta Beta Tau publication.
Zeta Beta Tau scrapbooks, 1948 - 1949, 1950 - 1951, 1951 - 1952, 1956 - 1957, 1959 - 1960, 1961 - 1962, 1976 - 1977
A collection of oversize scrapbooks from Washington and Lee University's Zeta Beta Tau (Z.B.T.) fraternity documenting student life, various annual university and fraternity specific events such as Homecoming Weekend, Fancy Dress, home football games, concerts, Mock Convention, fraternity social events, membership, and pledgeship. Scrapbooks include original photographs, artwork, clippings, and ephemera. There are nine scrapbooks between the years 1948 adn 1977.