Phi Beta Sigma is an international historically African American collegiate fraternity. The conclave is the legislative power of Phi Beta Sigma. During a conclave year, delegates representing all of the active chapters from within the seven regions of the fraternity meet in the chosen city. The conclave or fraternity convention is currently held biannually and is usually hosted by graduate chapters of the chosen city. The host city is chosen through a selection process in which each of the eligible regions nominates a city and a formal bid is submitted. As of 2009, Phi Beta Sigma has held over 95 conventions in various cities throughout the United States The fraternity held its first conclave in Washington, D.C. in 1916.
The conclave is the legislative power of Phi Beta Sigma. During a conclave year, delegates representing all of the active chapters from within the seven regions of the fraternity meet in the chosen city. The conclave or fraternity convention is currently held biannually and is usually hosted by the graduate chapters of the chosen city. The host city is chosen through a selection process in which each eligible region nominates a city and a formal bid is submitted. The region in which the current conclave is being held is ineligible for submitting a bid for the succeeding conclave.
During the convention, members of the General Board – the administrative body of the fraternity-are elected and appointed. The general board may act in the interest of the fraternity when the conclave is not in session. In addition, seminars, social events, concerts, an international Miss Phi Beta Sigma Pageant, Stepshow, and oratorical contests are also held during the week-long conference. Throughout the years, notable individuals such as George Washington Carver and Carter G. Woodson were speakers at conclaves.
Phi Beta Sigma's first conclave was held on December 28 and 29, 1916 in Washington, D.C. It was attended by 200 members from three collegiate chapters: Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. However, no conclaves were held in 1917 and 1918 because of World War I.
The following list of conclaves includes actual, proposed, and forthcoming international conventions of Phi Beta Sigma.
Number | Dates | Location | Host | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
1st | December 28, 1916–December 29, 1916 | Phi Beta Sigma House 1907 Third Street NW Washington, D.C. | [1] [2] [3] [4] [a] | |
2nd | December 1919 | Washington, D.C. | [1] [b] | |
3rd | December 26, 1920–December 28, 1920 | Washington, D.C. | [1] [3] [5] [6] [c] | |
4th | December 27, 1921–December 31, 1921 | Atlanta, Georgia | [1] [2] [5] [d] | |
5th | December 1922 | Baltimore, Maryland | [1] | |
6th | December 1923 | Nashville, Tennessee | [1] | |
7th | December 26, 1924–December 31, 1924 | YMCA Building Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Epsilon | [1] [2] [7] |
8th | December 27, 1925–December 30, 1925 | Richmond, Virginia | Lambda | [1] [2] [8] [e] |
9th | December 1926 | Greensboro, North Carolina | [1] | |
10th | December 1927 | St. Louis, Missouri | Kappa Sigma | [1] [2] [9] [f] |
11th | December 1928 | Louisville, Kentucky | [1] [2] [g] | |
12th | December 1929 | New York City, New York | Epsilon Sigma and Kappa Beta Sigma | [1] [2] [10] [h] |
13th | December 1930 | Tuskegee, Alabama | [1] | |
Nashville, Tennessee | [2] [i] | |||
14th | December 27, 1933–December 30, 1933 | Chicago, Illinois | [1] [11] [12] | |
15th | December 27, 1934–December 30, 1934 | Washington, D.C. | [1] [13] | |
16th | December 27, 1935–December 30, 1935 | Atlanta, Georgia | [1] [2] [14] [15] [j] | |
17th | December 1936–December 31, 1936 | New York City, New York | [1] [5] [16] [k] | |
18th | December 29, 1937 | Detroit, Michigan | [1] [17] | |
19th | December 27, 1938–December 30, 1938 | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | [1] [18] [19] | |
20th | December 26, 1939–December 30, 1939 | Howard University Washington, D.C. | [1] [2] [20] [21] [l] | |
21st | December 1940 | Tuskegee, Alabama | [1] [m] | |
22nd | December 1941 | Academy of Music Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | [1] [2] [22] | |
Richmond, Virginia | [23] [n] | |||
23rd | 1944 | Chicago, Illinois | [1] [2] [o] | |
24th | December 27, 1945–December 30, 1945 | St. Louis, Missouri | [1] [2] [24] [3] [p] | |
25th | 1946 | New Orleans, Louisiana | [1] [2] [q] | |
26th | December 27, 1947–December 30, 1947 | Atlanta, Georgia | [1] [25] | |
27th | August 9, 1948–August 14, 1948 | Los Angeles, California | [1] [3] [r] | |
28th | December 27, 1949–December 30, 1949 | Washington, D.C. | Alpha Sigma | [1] [3] [26] [27] [s] |
29th | 1950 | New York City, New York | [1] | |
30th | 1951 | Birmingham, Alabama | [1] | |
31st | December 27, 1952–December 30, 1952 | Slaughter's Hotel and George Carver Elementary Richmond, Virginia | Lambda and Iota Sigma | [1] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [t] |
32nd | December 1953 | Detroit, Michigan | [1] [29] | |
33rd | December 27, 1954–December 30, 1954 | Norfolk, Virginia | Beta Sigma | [1] [33] [u] |
34th | December 27, 1955–December 30, 1955 | Louisville, Kentucky | [1] [33] [34] | |
35th | 1956 | Miami, Florida | [1] | |
36th | December 27, 1957–December 30, 1957 | Dallas, Texas | [1] [5] [35] [v] | |
37th | December 27, 1958–December 30, 1958 | Chicago, Illinois | [1] [36] | |
38th | December 26, 1959–December 30, 1959 | Washington, D.C. | Alpha, Alpha Sigma, and Gamma Lambda | [1] [37] [38] [w] |
39th | December 27, 1960–December 30, 1960 | Hotel Park Sheraton New York City, New York | Epsilon Sigma | [1] [39] [40] [x] |
40th | 1961 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | [1] | |
41st | 1962 | Pick Carter Hotel Cleveland, Ohio | [1] [41] | |
42nd | 1963 | Nashville, Tennessee | [1] | |
43rd | December 26, 1964–December 30, 1964 | Washington, D.C. | Alpha, Alpha Sigma, and Gamma Lambda | [1] [42] [43] [44] [y] |
44th | 1966 | Los Angeles, California | [1] | |
45th | 1967 | Richmond, Virginia | [1] | |
46th | August 12, 1969–August 16, 1969 | Sheraton-Belvedere Hotel Baltimore, Maryland | Zeta Sigma | [1] [45] [z] |
47th | 1970 | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | [1] | |
48th | August 15, 1972–August 19, 1972 | Fontainebleau Miami Beach Miami Beach, Florida | [1] [46] [32] | |
49th | 1973 | Houston, Texas | [1] | |
50th | August 4, 1975–August 9, 1975 | Hilton Heritage Detroit, Michigan | Delta Rho, Gamma Iota, and Iota Beta Sigma | [1] [47] [48] |
51st | December 1976 | Memphis, Tennessee | [1] [49] | |
52nd | 1978 | San Francisco, California | [1] | |
53rd | December 26, 1979– December 30, 1979 | Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill Washington, D.C. | [1] [50] [51] [52] [32] [aa] | |
54th | July 25, 1981–July 31, 1981 | Charleston, South Carolina | [53] [32] | |
55th | December 26, 1982–December 31, 1982 | Atlanta, Georgia | [1] [54] | |
56th | 1984 | New Orleans, Louisiana | [53] | |
57th | December 28, 1985 | Louisville, Kentucky | [1] [55] | |
58th | 1987 | Kansas City, Missouri | [1] [56] [ab] | |
59th | August 8, 1989–August 13, 1989 | Washington, D.C. | [1] [57] [32] [ac] | |
60th | July 1991 | Las Vegas, Nevada | [5] [58] [ad] | |
61st | August 4, 1993–August 8, 1993 | Raleigh, North Carolina | [58] [59] | |
62nd | July 11, 1995–July 16, 1995 | Washington, D.C. | [58] [32] | |
63rd | June 30, 1997–July 6, 1997 | Orlando, Florida | [24] [60] [61] [32] [ae] | |
64th | July 6, 1999–July 11, 1999 | Fairmont Hotel Dallas, Texas | [62] [63] [32] | |
65th | July 9, 2001–July 15, 2001 | Detroit, Michigan | [53] [32] | |
66th | July 8, 2003–July 13, 2003 | Memphis Marriott Hotel Memphis, Tennessee | [20] [53] [64] [65] [66] [af] | |
67th | July 12, 2005–July 17, 2005 | Sheraton Universal Hotel Universal City, California | [53] [67] | |
68th | July 30, 2007–August 5, 2007 | Westin Hotel Charlotte, North Carolina | Beta Rho Sigma | [53] [68] [69] [70] |
69th | July 6, 2009–July 12, 2009 | New Orleans, Louisiana | [71] [72] [73] [ag] | |
70th | July 20, 2011–July 24, 2011 | Sheraton Hotel Atlanta, Georgia | [74] [ah] | |
71st | July 9, 2013–July 14, 2013 | Philadelphia Marriott Downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | [74] [ai] | |
Centennial Celebration | July 16, 2014–July 20, 2014 | Marriott Wardman Park Washington, D.C.. | [75] [aj] | |
72nd | July 15, 2015–July 19, 2015 | Little Rock Marriott Little Rock, Arkansas | [76] [ak] | |
73rd | July 18, 2017–July 23, 2017 | Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center Detroit, Michigan | [76] [al] | |
74th | July 9, 2019–July 14, 2019 | Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino Las Vegas, Nevada | [77] [am] | |
75th | August 3, 2021–August 8, 2021 | Myrtle Beach Convention Center Myrtle Beach, South Carolina | [78] [an] | |
76th | July 11, 2023–July 16, 2023 | George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, Texas | [79] [ao] |
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