The Foundation

Sisterhood Permanently: Preserved

Gamma Phi Beta’s rich heritage is now safeguarded and accessible for sisters now and in the future.    

As we began planning for our 150th anniversary, it became abundantly clear how fragile our historical documents, artifacts and photos were becoming. Coupled with the sale of our International Headquarters at East Euclid Drive, we realized how few members had access to these important artifacts and Gamma Phi Beta’s story.  

The center of Gamma Phi Beta’s story is you, our members. Our history belongs to you and should always be accessible to you no matter where you are in the world. That’s why we partnered with industry leader HistoryIT to digitally preserve our photographs, letters, scrapbooks, jewelry and more and build an online museum that will both safeguard our Sorority’s history and make it available to all our members and friends for years to come. 

With 150 years of history behind us, you can imagine just how much we need digitized! So, we’ve decided to divide our work with HistoryIT into distinct phases, with hopes of completing all phases by 2028.  

The first phase is complete and was officially unveiled at our 81st Convention this past June! In this phase, HistoryIT successfully digitized our earliest founding documents, loose photos and pages, composites and aging audio-visual materials, giving them a forever home in our brand-new online museum. Excitedly, members of HistoryIT were on-site at Convention to digitize attendees’ treasures in real-time! From scrapbooks to pictures to chapter awards, we have many more items to add to our online collection. Thank you to all our Conventioneers who brought items to be digitized. You are helping us share our True and Constant story!  

Over the coming years, we will continue building on this success and adding displays chronicling the changes in our philanthropy, chapter museums and the stories of Gamma Phi Beta women who have made a difference in the world. To do this, we need your help! Please consider donating to the Foundation to help support our historical preservation efforts by visiting our website or using your smartphone to scan the QR code below: 

To those who have already donated toward this critical project, thank you for playing a part in preserving our storied past so that current and future generations can continue to add to it.  

Longtime Foundation donor Karen Kendall (Vanderbilt) discussed with The Crescent the significance of the historical preservation project and why she chose to get involved right away. 

What inspired you to contribute to our historical preservation project with HistoryIT? 

I believe there is beauty and power in belonging to a group with longevity. This beauty and power come from understanding and remembering our core beginnings, which is what this historical preservation project for Gamma Phi Beta is trying to accomplish. 

In your view, how does this project impact the overall organization?   

I think preserving our history keeps us true to the core values of our Founders. It doesn't mean we shouldn't change, but it provides a guiding star to ensure that our changes align with these values. 

What message would you like to share with others who are contemplating a donation to this cause? 

Let's keep Gamma Phi Beta’s history alive and well for future sisters to enjoy. Any amount you can give will help make this a reality.