Alpha Beta Chi

Alpha Beta Chi (ΑΒΧ) is a fraternity founded in Puerto Rico in 1941. It has established at least seven student chapters since its establishment at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. It also has alumni chapters across Puerto Rico and in Florida.

Alpha Beta Chi
ΑΒΧ
Founded	1941; 84 years ago (1941) University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus
Type	Social
Affiliation	CIPR CIPFI
Status	Active
Scope	National
Pillars	Love, Honor, and Loyalty
Chapters	3 active collegiate 9 active alumni
Headquarters	97 Calle Agua Azul - Urb. Costa Norte Hatillo, Puerto Rico 00659-2761 United States
Website	www.abxpr.com

History

Alpha Beta Chi was established as ABC at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus in 1941 by Ricardo Alegria who had been a member of Nu Sigma Beta.^[1][2][3] Its founding members were:^[4]

• Ricardo Alegria
• Jose A. "Chinche" Benitez
• George Bothwell
• Jose Luis Figueroa
• Jaime Garcia Blanco
• Johnny Gonzalez
• Jose "Pirulo" Hernandez
• Jose Ledesma
• Roberto Todd
• Jose A. Villanueva

ABC was established to "defend authentic culture, education, and help the people of Puerto Rico".^[3] Later, it changed to the Greek letter name Alpha Beta Chi.^[1]

The fraternity established Beta chapter at the College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts in 1942.^[5] It was the first collegiate in Puerto Rico to attempt to establich a high school chapter at Central High School.^[6] Other chapters followed at various colleges in Puerto Rico. By July 1964, it had joined the Concilio Interfraternitario de Puerto Rico.^[7]

In 2014, the fraternity created the Ricardo Alegría Gallardo Award, presented to a high school graduate who is studying the fine arts.^[3] Later, it established the Carmen Ana Pons Castañer Award, named after Alegría's widow, for award for graduates of middle school with fine arts programs.^[3]

The fraternity's headquarters are located at 97 Calle Agua Azul - Urb. Costa Norte in Hatillo, Puerto Rico.^[8] The fraternity also has a clubhouse in Guaynabo.^[1]

Symbols

The fraternity's principles or pillars are Love, Honor, and Loyalty.^[1] Instead of using a crest or coat of arms, it adopted a Taino emblem.^[9] The emblem was based on a drawing found in a cave in Lares.^[1]

Chapters

Chapter	Charter date	Institution	Location	Status	References
Alpha (First)	1941	University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus	San Juan, Puerto Rico	Moved	[4]
Alpha		Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico	San Juan, Puerto Rico	Active	[4]
		Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, San Juan campus
Beta	1942	University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez	Mayagüez, Puerto Rico	Active	[5][a]
Gamma (First)	August 1942	Central High School	Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico	Inactive, Reassigned	[6][1]
Delta (First)	1943–19xx ?	Polytechnic Institute of Puerto Rico	San Germán, Puerto Rico	Reestablished, Reassigned	[10][b]
Gamma	1958	Interamerican University of Puerto Rico	San Germán, Puerto Rico	Active	[10][b]
Delta	1958	Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico	Ponce, Puerto Rico	Active	[11][c]
Epsilon	19xx ?	Alumni chapter	Puerto Rico	Moved	[1][d]
Kappa	19xx ?	Alumni chapter	New York City, New York	Inactive	[1]
Eternal				Memorial	[12]

1. The chapter was established at the College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts, now called the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez.
2. The chapter was established at Polytechnic Institute of Puerto Rico, now called the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. After going inactive, the Delta chapter was re-established as the Gamma chapter.
3. The chapter formed at the Catholic University of Ponce, now the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico.
4. Chapter was converted in the fraternity's Alumni Zones

Alumni chapters

Originally, Alpha Beta Chi established Epsilon chapter for alumni.^[1] In 1961, the Epsilon chapter authorized the creation of local alumni chapters.^[13] The first local alumni chapter was created in Mayaguez in 1961.^[13] Eventually, alumni chapters were established in various locations throughout Puerto Rico. However, this system was replaced with the current Alumni Zonas or areas.^[1] In the following list, active chapters are indicateds in bold and inactive chapters are in italics.

Zona	Charter date	Location	Status	References
Coayuco	1951	Yauco, Puerto Rico	Active	[1][14][a]
Yahueca	1961	Mayaguez, Puerto Rico	Active	[1][13][b]
Guainí	1961	Ponce, Puerto, Rico	Active	[15][c]
Guaynabo	1960s	Guaynabo, Puerto Rico	Inactive	[1]
Borinquen	mid 1960s–19xx?; 1970s	Guaynabo, Puerto Rico	Active	[1][16][d]
Majagua	1965–19xx ?; 2009	Bayamón, Puerto Rico	Active	[1][17][e]
Porta Coeli	1974	San German, Puerto Rico	Active	[1][18][f]
Jumacao	19xx ?	Humacao, Puerto Rico	Inactive	[1][g]
Taina	1986	Miami, Florida	Active	[1][19]
Yaholo	1991	Orlando, Florida	Active	[1][20]
Agueybana	2008	Tampa, Florida	Active	[1][21]

1. Was the Yauco alumni chapter (Zona Yauco)
2. Was originally the Mayaguez alumni chapter (Zona Mayaguez)
3. Was originally the Ponce alumni chapter (Zona Ponce)
4. Was originally the Río Piedras alumni chapter (Zona Río Piedras)
5. Was originally the Bayamón alumni chapter (Zona Bayamón)
6. Was the San Germán alumni chapter (Zona San Germán)
7. Was the Humacao alumni chapter (Zona Humacao)

Notable members

• Ricardo Alegria (Alpha, 1941), scholar, cultural anthropologist, and archaeologist known as the "father of modern Puerto Rican archaeology"

See also

• List of social fraternities and sororities
• List of fraternities and sororities in Puerto Rico