Alpha Mu Sigma (ΑΜΣ) was an historically Jewish fraternity founded in March 1914 at Cooper Union. It disbanded in 1963.

History

Alpha Mu Sigma was founded at Cooper Union on March 21, 1914. According to Baird's Manual, "The original plan was to limit membership to men of the Jewish faith and the first expansion was limited to similar engineering institutions." Its founders were:

  • Irwin S. Chanin
  • Henry Charles Dinney
  • Irving H. Fisher
  • Edward D. Fox
  • Henry I. Gilbert
  • Theodore F. Haynes
  • Julius Liebing
  • Benjamin Rothstein
  • Saul Shaw
  • Samuel H. Solodar
  • Jonas I. Speciner
  • Joseph Spies

The fraternity expanded many chapters in the 1920s. However, only a few survived the Great Depression. Its total membership in 1945 was 1,500.

The national fraternity disbanded in 1963, with the remaining four chapters becoming inactive or being absorbed by other, larger Jewish fraternities. Alpha chapter at Cooper Union functioned until 1971.

Symbols

Alpha Mu Sigma's badge is a black concave shield with the Greek letters ΑΜΣ vertically in gold with a border of sixteen pearls and sapphires in the corners. Its pledge ben is a black enamel shield, with a jagged white streak through it.

The fraternity's colors are black and gold. Its flower is the yellow chrysanthemum. Its magazine is The Shield.

Chapters

Following is a list of the chapters of Alpha Mu Sigma, with inactive chapters and institutions in italics.

ChapterCharter date and rangeInstitutionLocationStatusRef.
AlphaMarch 21, 1914 – 1971Cooper Union Institute of TechnologyNew York City, New YorkInactive
Beta1917–1930, 1948–1963City College of New YorkNew York City, New YorkInactive
Gamma1917–1925, 1935–1938Brooklyn Polytechnic InstituteBrooklyn, New York City, New YorkInactive
Delta1919–1926Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsInactive
Epsilon1920–1921Columbia UniversityNew York City, New YorkInactive
Zeta1921–1940New York UniversityNew York City, New YorkInactive
Eta1922–1923Harvard UniversityCambridge, MassachusettsInactive
Theta1922–1923Bellevue Hospital Medical College of New York UniversityNew York City, New YorkInactive
Iota1922–1923Yale UniversityNew Haven, ConnecticutInactive
Lambda1923–1925University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaInactive
Mu1925–1926University of MarylandCollege Park, MarylandInactive
Nu1925–1926University of VirginiaCharlottesville, VirginiaWithdrew (ΤΕΦ)
Omicron1926–1927University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaInactive
Xi1927–193x?Union CollegeSchenectady, New YorkInactive
Rho1927–1928University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AlabamaInactive
Pi1928–1956Long Island UniversityBrooklyn, New York City, New YorkWithdrew (ΤΔΦ)
Tau (1)1928–1930Roanoke CollegeSalem, VirginiaInactive
Kappa1929–1930Boston UniversityBoston, MassachusettsInactive
Sigma1930–1931Lewis InstituteChicago, IllinoisInactive
Tau (2)1937–1938George Washington UniversityWashington, D.C.Inactive
Upsilon1937–1960Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn, New York City, New YorkInactive
Phi (1)1939–1963St. John's UniversityQueens, New YorkInactive
Phi (2)1958–1962Pratt InstituteBrooklyn, New York City, New YorkWithdrew (ΤΕΦ)

See also