What is considered the first Greek-letter fraternity?

• A. Phi Beta Kappa
• B. Delta Phi
• C. Sigma Chi
• D. Kappa Alpha Society

Answer: (A)

Phi Beta Kappa is the earliest Greek-letter organization founded on American campuses, dating to 1776 at the College of William and Mary. It began as a small literary debating society that adopted Greek letters, and its birth predates the later emergence of other well-known fraternities. The other groups—Delta Phi, Sigma Chi, and Kappa Alpha Society—were established in the 19th century, after Phi Beta Kappa, so Phi Beta Kappa stands as the first example of a Greek-letter fraternity in American college history. Note that today Phi Beta Kappa is primarily an honor society, but its origin as a Greek-letter organization is what makes it the earliest.