Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority, Inc. Iota Chapter

History of Iota Chapter, Baltimore, Maryland

Iota Chapter Members
Iota Chapter Members

In 1947, Iota Chapter of Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority was founded by Valerie Brown, Iola Lyles, Mary Owens, Alma Redding, Neva Woolly, Esther Yancey and Vivian Alleyne, who later served as Grand Basileus, the highest office of LKM, from 1952 – 1957.  Iota Chapter has had two other sorors serve as Grand Basileus; they are Soror Ovella Queen, 1990 – 1994, and Soror Catherine De Ford, 2003 – 2007.  Our Chapter has had many representatives on the National Board.

Iota Chapter has won numerous awards since its founding, namely; Chapter of the year, Oak Leaf-for chapter growth; Ida B. Wroten Award-for the most Acorn ads; Publication award-for consecutive years of high Acorn sales. We have also received recognition from local organizations and charities for our contributions.

Our youth group, the Kopelles was formed in 1962.  They are active doing community service, learning leadership skills and developing positive self-images.  They have won many national awards and have members on their national board.  The leaders of the Kopelles are Soror Sheila Jessup and Soror Roxanne Brooks.  These two sorors are dedicated leaders who make a positive influence on the Kopelles.

Iota Chapter National & Local Awards Received

  • Outstanding Chapter Award
  • Chapter of the Year
  • Ida B Wroten Publication Award
  • Oak Leaf Award
  • Achievement Award
  • Iota Kopelles’ Outstanding Group of the year
  • Certificate for Scholarship Award
  • Golden Plaque for Membership Growth
  • Public Relations Award
  • Certificate of Support for Dunbar Middle School
  • Armstead-Barnhill Foundation for Sickle Cell Anemia

Also, there were Iota Sorors who received Awards for Outstanding Community Service.

Iota Chapter Leadership

Iota Chapter Officers
Iota Chapter Officers

  • Basileus: Dorothea E. Jordan
  • 1st Anti-Basileus: W. Annette Dredden
  • 2nd Anti- Basileus: Lorretta Turnage
  • Recording Grammateus: Patricia White
  • Corresponding Grammateus: Andrea Stewart
  • Tamiochus: Linda Jews
  • Financial Grammateus: Montreal Green
  • Epistoleus: Dovetta Blair
  • Parliamentarian: Joyce Sturgis
  • Youth Coordinator: Darolyn Milburn
  • Assistant Youth Coordinator: Roxanna Brooks
  • Historian: Vacant
  • Public Relations: Vacant

National Officers

Many of Iota Sorors have held, and continue to hold, National offices on the Executive Board of Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority, Inc. Currently seven Iota Sorors hold National offices. Catherine M. DeFord and Ovella Queen serve on the National Board as Past Grand Basilei (photos below). Lorretta Turnage serves as Recording/Corresponding Grammateus. Ditra Scruggs serves as the 2nd Anti Basileus (2nd Vice President). Ella Hamilton serves as the Assistant Tamiochus (Assistant Treasurer), Dorothy Glasco-Jones serves as the National Epistoleus, and Roxanna Brooks serves as the Youth Co-Coordinator for the Northeastern Region.

Ovella Queen

Ovella Queen

15th Grand Basileus
1990-1994
Catherine M. DeFord

Catherine M. DeFord

18th Grand Basileus
2003-2007

Iota Chapter Distinguished Service Key

Iota Chapter Members
Iota Chapter Distinguished Service Key Members

Distinguished Service Key is presented to a member who has been recommended by her chapter as one who has outstandingly exemplified the ideals of LKM in her life and in her profession and who has been a member in good standing for no less than fifteen consecutive years.

  • Back (L to R)
  • Lenora Terrell
  • Dorothy Stone
  • Catherine Moore DeFord
  • Joyce Sturgis
  • Front row (L to R)
  • Betty Shelton
  • E. Monterey Williams
  • Elizabeth Day*
  • Mildred Armstead*
  • Dorothy Smith
  • Ovella Queen
  • Not Pictured
  • Elaine Alexander
  • Gloria Banks*
  • Vivian Bennett*
  • Rosalie Burkes*
  • Marie Dowell*
  • Mildred Franklin*
  • Ella Hamilton
  • Dr. Sheila Jessup
  • Aline Lyde
  • Laura Smith
  • Dorothy Stone
  • Ditra Scruggs
  • Louise Turks*
  • Bettye Wooden*
  • * Omega Chapter

Omega Chapter

Deceased Members of the Iota Chapter, Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority, Inc.

  • Thelma Addison
  • Marion Alston
  • Vivian Alleyne
  • Augusta Amos
  • E. Louise Anderson
  • Gladys Baird
  • Olivia Bates
  • Vivian Bennett
  • Barbara Bollin
  • Lucy Bond
  • Elsie Bowser
  • Arabella Ross Brooks
  • Eunice Brooks
  • Doris Brown
  • Valerie Brown
  • Lois Bryant
  • Pearl Burke
  • Rosalie Burkes
  • Hazel Butler
  • Eunice Carrington
  • Elizabeth Carter
  • Edythe Chew
  • Ruth Cooper
  • Ethel Covington
  • Hazel Lavinia Cox
  • Doris Davis
  • Elizabeth Day
  • Helen Deleaver
  • Irma Dixon
  • Imogene B. Douglass
  • Fannie Ewell
  • Mary l. Flournoy
  • Malissa Fox
  • Mildred Franklin
  • Hazel Bryant Gause
  • Fannie Glascoe
  • Mary Gordon
  • Veta Greig
  • Pearl Hall
  • Constance Hayward
  • Glynnia Hill
  • Fannie Holley
  • Pattie Holloway
  • Oletha Hope
  • Doris Jackson
  • Lillian Johnson
  • Mary Johnson
  • Naomi Johnson
  • Geneva Jones
  • Hattie Jones
  • Lillian Jones
  • Myrtle Jones
  • Evelyn Keene
  • Mamie G. Knox
  • Lena K. Lee
  • Iola Lyles
  • Virginia Manning
  • Priscilla Mason
  • Josephine Maxwell
  • Mary J. Mitchell
  • Eleanor Moore
  • Esther Morris
  • Suzie Myles
  • Barbara Nelson
  • Kathleen Newsome
  • Zelda Orange
  • Mary Owens
  • Theodosia Owens
  • Florence R. Owings
  • Dorothy Pollard
  • Grace Proctor
  • Delores Pye
  • Alma Redden
  • Florence Reed
  • Alice Roberts
  • Bertha Sembly
  • Hattie Seward
  • Anita Smith
  • Iona Smith
  • Joan Marie Smith
  • Martha Snowden
  • Eulalia Stevenson
  • LaRay Stokes
  • Margarine Taylor
  • Edna Thrower
  • Hattie D. Tilghman
  • Mary Trotter
  • Louise Turks
  • Shirley Turner
  • Almarie Wedley
  • Della West
  • Violette Hill Whyte (Honorary)
  • Marguerite A. Wilkins
  • Doris Williams
  • Bettye Wooden
  • Nevie Woolley
  • Esther Yancey
  • Margaret B. Yates