In the summer of 1982, Pearl Smith and Dr. Shirley Fluellen of Dahlgren, Virginia expressed an interest in associating with members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® in the Fredericksburg area and surrounding counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, Stafford and Westmoreland. From this interest, the response was the organization of the “Sisters of Ivy.” The “Sisters of Ivy” were graduate members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® who were not affiliated with a Chapter. This group conducted successful fundraisers, adopted a family at Christmas, organized an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Health Fair for the elderly and held other service projects and programs for the local community.
Officers were President, Shirley Fluellen; Vice President, Pearlie Coleman; Secretary, Pearl Smith; Corresponding Secretary, Cassandra Terrell; and Treasurer, Gladys West. Other members by area were Vicky Adams, Debbie Hawkins and Charlotte Young from Caroline County; Emele Culp and Barbara Harris from King George; Joni Waller of Stafford County; Inez Bacoats, Alberta Frye, Clintina Hankerson, Ortygia Carnette, Marian Harvey were from Spotsylvania County. Phyllis Casey, Frances Jenkins and Ola Mullins Smith were from Westmoreland County; and Mary Preston, Maude Murchison, Bernice Edwards were from Fredericksburg. It was the goal of these twenty-two (22) members that a local Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® be chartered by the fall of 1983.
On September 10, 1983, the dream became a reality and the Xi Upsilon Omega Chapter was chartered as the local Graduate Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® under the direction of the 10th Mid-Atlantic Regional Director, Barbara W. Davis, composed of twenty-two active Sorority sisters. The Chapter developed a rich tradition of “Service to All Mankind” and continues to provide a diverse range of programs and volunteer service to the community.
