Psi Chi Mu
Sisters Sworn to Love, Protect and Sacrifice
𝚿XM
𝚿XM
Flossie Hartman
(President)
Flossie Hartman was born October 3, 1854, in Hockessin Delaware. The daughter of a jeweler and a florist it was as if Fredrick and Willamina were destined to have four beautiful daughters. The eldest Ruby named after the classy elegance of the red gemstone. Dahlia named after the beauty and delicateness of the pink flower. Tamarin named after the South American monkey know for their playfulness and social behavior. Lastly, Flossie who was named after the Roman Goddess of Flowers Flora. Growing up Flossie's sisters taught her the true meaning of what a sister should be. She cites in her diary that each of them taught her a valuable lesson. Lessons that she would take to heart and would use to make Psi Chi Mu.
Knowing she would be amongst the first women to attend Deyanira University Flossie knew the male to female ratio would be higher but she was shocked to see that only 11 other women were attending. The first semester was brutal for the women. The constant disrespect and harassment from their male counterparts were too unbearable for some to bear and after winter break only four girls remained. Flossie knew that at this point she had to do everything in her power to make sure she and the other three girls would make it through the next three years. She approached the other women and suggested that they form a sisterhood. A sisterhood where girls supported one another, were free to express themselves and most importantly feel safe. The other women Umiko Koizumi, Clementine Cavalcante and Keziah Cromwell agreed and thus was born Psi Chi Mu
Flossie was a born leader, her fearlessness, her ability to love, and her intelligence made her the perfect founder of our beautiful sorority. Graduating with a degree in education Flossie went on to teach at various positions throughout the years. She wanted to instill in girls that they were just as good as the boys and they should always pursue their dreams with passion and conviction. She was appointed the president of the newly founded Lilybelle University in 1886. There she started the 15th chapter of Psi Chi Mu and continued to teach that sisters are "Sworn to love, protect and sacrifice." for each other. At the chapters 50th founders day she was asked to speak by the sisters from the Deyanira University chapter and when asked why she never married she was quoted saying "Why do I need a man when I got my sisters"
Umiko Koizumi
(Vice President )
Umiko Koizumi was born March 16, 1854, in Osaka Japan. The second child of The Great Seieibushi Horuto Koizumi and the beautiful Ito Koizumi, her and her older brother Mizu lived an affluent life. Inheriting her mother's love for music, it was no shock that at a young age her musical abilities started to manifest. At the age of 3, she had already mastered the Kota which earned her the nickname "Miki Kota". She would soon be recognized as a musical prodigy at age 6.
Being from an influential family, Umiko was selected to study abroad in America. Hoping to bring some of the western culture back to Japan. In 1872 she enrolled in Deyanira University in Permoski Pennsylvania. There she studied music and was known for her angelic voice and her amazing ability to learn any instrument quickly. Along with being one of the founders she was also part of the school's choir and band.
In 1876 Umiko graduated with a degree in music. Being able to play 44 different instruments, Umiko reputation preceded her and she was called on to play at various events all over the world. She even played for the 18th President Ulysses S. Grant. After three years of traveling Umiko finally returned to Osaka where she fell in love with one of her father's old apprentices Jai Hirosaki. They wed two years later and not soon after that stated their family. Umiko gave birth to three beautiful girls. She lived the rest of her days teaching music to the children of Osaka.
Clementine Cavalcante
(Secretary)
Clementine Cavalcante was born August 21, in Sicily Italy in 1854. Her father Calvino and mother Constantina migrated to America two years later. Her family is the true definition of rags to riches. Settling in East Harlem Clementine parents worked to give their only a daughter a better life. Capitalizing on the fashion scene in New York her parents open their tailoring business where Clavino made and tailored suits while Constantina made women's hats. Within 10 years they climbed the social hierarchy, left East Harlem and moved to Manhattan and became socialites.
Suddenly being given the finer things in life didn't cloud or disperse Clementine's fiery or adventurous spirit. Known for her beauty and rebellious nature it didn't shock her parents when she said she wanted to enroll at Deyanira University an institution recently only for men. Being one of the first 12 women to attend the university didn't scare Clementine it excited her. She knew she could change the way the men looked and treated women and boy did she. Although there were no women sports back then it didn't stop Clementine from competing with the boys. She was frequently seen dominating the boys in baseball, track, and soccer. Her first semester she even created the archery club, a skill she picked up while living in high society. It was so popular that even men joined.
One of the men being Chadwick Reid, a rich banker's son. After graduating with a degree in fashion. She and Chadwick married a year later. They moved back to Manhattan where she took over her family's tailoring business. While he became an investment banker on Wall Street. With her knowledge of the fashion world and her competitive spirit she turned her family's business into a worldwide success. The once Cavalcante Tailoring would soon become what we know as today's "Reid" one of the most famous fashion and merchandising businesses in the world. Headed by Clementine's great great great granddaughter CEO and fashion designer Cassidy Reid. Cassidy and her daughter Candy both were sisters of Psi Chi Mu being part of the 1974 and 1993 pledge classes.
Keziah Cromwell
(Treasurer)
Keziah Cromwell was born free on May 19, 1854, in Marietta Ohio. Being the youngest of six Keziah parents Zachariah and Meredith had their hands full. Although, only four years after being born Keziah would face the first of many tragedies in her family when her sister Josephine contracted Scarlett Fever and died at the age of 7. Six years later tragedy struck the Cromwell's again when Keziah's eldest brother and sister contracted Cholera while living in New York. Both Elton age 20 and Katherine age 18 died within two months of each other. Through the many hardships, her family faced, Keziah was the light that helped them not seep into the darkness. She was her family's strength.
When it came time to go to college Keziah knew exactly what she wanted to be. A nurse for she wanted to try and prevent any other families going through what hers did. She wanted to try to find a cure and if not a cure she wanted to be there to comfort and be the strength a family needed in their most despairing time. While at college Keziah was like a mother figure to all the other girls and was well known for her bright smile and efficacious laugh. Being named after a spice, it was no wonder that Keziah was a force of nature in the kitchen. Although she was born in Ohio, a majority of her family was from Mississippi and Alabama and she made the best southern dishes. Her Sunday dinners after church became a staple of the sorority and are still a tradition till this day.
After graduating with a nursing degree. Keziah made her way to a children's hospital in Philadelphia where she would eventually meet the love of her life. After six years as a nurse, tragedy brought Derrick Brightful and his four young children into the hospital. Derrick's second eldest son had contracted Mycobacterium Tuberculosis sadly the boy died shortly after being brought to the hospital. Like Keziah, Derrick was no stranger to tragedy for his wife died two years earlier while giving birth to their youngest. Keziah had found a kindred spirit in the realm of despair. Like she had set out to do she helped Derrick's family through their tiring time and became their strength. She quickly bonded with the children and during one of her Sunday dinners, Derrick popped the question. With the blessing of the three kids, Keziah and Derrick wed in the summer of 1885, and the following year welcomed a baby boy.