Beta Theta Pi was founded on the American frontier at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 1839, becoming the first American college fraternity to be founded west of the Allegheny Mountains. John Reily Knox, who is listed first among the eight founders and who was a member of the Miami University class of 1839, became a school teacher in southwest Mississippi. Beta Theta Pi was the first fraternity established on 32 college campuses in the United States. Beta Theta Pi has always been a pioneer and a leader in the fraternity world. Beta Theta Pi was the first fraternity to distribute a fraternity magazine, The Beta Theta Pi, first printed in 1872 and published continuously since that time. Beta Theta Pi was also the first fraternity to establish the District Chief system of fraternity administration, the first fraternity to publish an open constitution, and the first fraternity to adopt a minimum GPA standard for its chapters and members. With its Men of Principle initiative, Beta Theta Pi is leading the fraternity world to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.

The Ole Miss chapter of Beta Theta Pi, Beta Beta Chapter, was established at the University of Mississippi in 1879. For more than a century and a quarter, Beta Beta Chapter has produced graduates who have brought distinction to Ole Miss and who have provided leadership to the state and nation. Ole Miss Betas have distinguished themselves in government, law, education, medicine, science, engineering, accounting, pharmacy, journalism, business and commerce, the military, and other professions. Among the government leaders produced by Beta Beta Chapter are Ray Mabus, who served as Governor of Mississippi during 1988-92, and former Mississippi Congressmen Jamie Whitten and Frank Smith. One of Ole Miss’ greatest Chancellors, Alfred Hume, was a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. For the four academic years from 1962-63 through 1965-66, Beta Beta Chapter won four consecutive Summa Cum Laude Awards from the National Interfraternity Conference, becoming the only Ole Miss fraternity ever to do so. Over the years, Beta Beta Chapter has produced many graduates who have compiled enviable academic records, including a Marshall Scholar and several Fulbright Scholars.

Beta Theta Pi is an international fraternity, having chapters at over 130 universities and colleges throughout the United States and Canada. Beta Theta Pi currently has over 118,000 living members.