It was founded on December 12, 1888, at the University of Missouri and merged with Zeta Tau Alpha on August 7, 1964.

Because of the prevalence of chapters at two-year schools and other non-accredited institutions, Beta Sigma Omicron operated independently of the National Panhellenic Conference for its first forty years of existence.

The vote was unanimous for absorption, and Beta Sigma Omicron looked for an organization to merge with.

Three small chapters at urban schools in New York and Ohio chose to become local sororities but failed soon thereafter.

However, this group withdrew in 1963, the year before the merger, to form a local due to the National Sorority being unwilling to accept the Negro student that the chapter had pledged.

Its pledge pin was a triangle of red enamel, displaying a Grecian lamp and three stars.

Its flowers were red and pink carnations or Richmond and Killarney Roses[10] Its jewel was the ruby.